The burden and etiology of community-onset pneumonia in the aging Japanese population: a multicenter prospective study

The Association between Dyslipidemia and Pulmonary Diseases

Dyslipidemia is one of the most common diseases worldwide. As a component of metabolic syndrome, the prevalence and mechanism by which dyslipidemia promotes cardiovascular diseases has been well studied, although the relationship between pulmonary diseases is not well understood. Because the lung is a respiratory organ with a large surface area and is exposed to the environment outside the body, it continuously inhales various substances. As a result, pulmonary diseases have a vast diversity, including chronic inflammatory diseases, allergic diseases, cancers, and infectious diseases. Recently, growing evidence has suggested that dyslipidemia plays a role in the pathogenesis and prognosis of various pulmonary diseases. We herein review the current understanding of the relationship between dyslipidemia and pulmonary diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, asthma, and lung cancer, and infectious pulmonary diseases, including community-acquired pneumonia, tuberculosis, nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease, and COVID-19. In addition, we focus on recent evidence of the utility of statins, specifically 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coA reductase inhibitors, in the prevention and treatment of the various pulmonary diseases described above.

Impact of low pharyngeal/esophageal pressure associated with sarcopenia on postendoscopic submucosal dissection pneumonia in patients with superficial esophageal cancer

OBJECTIVES

The aging population, including patients with superficial esophageal cancer, encounters critical dysphagia- and postoperative pneumonia-related issues. Although endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) provides advantages over other modalities, older patients are at higher risk of postoperative pneumonia. Furthermore, the etiologies of pneumonia are complex and include patient- (such as sarcopenia) and treatment- (including ESD) related factors. Therefore, this study evaluated swallowing function in patients with superficial esophageal cancer and identified post-ESD pneumonia-associated factors.

METHODS

Comprehensive swallowing function and sarcopenia were evaluated in patients pre-ESD and 2 months post-ESD using high-resolution manometry and several swallowing studies by multiple experts. The effects of mucosal resection and sarcopenia on swallowing function changes post-ESD, the relationship between preoperative swallowing function and sarcopenia, and the factors influencing postoperative pneumonia were investigated.

RESULTS

Twenty patients were included in the study. Patients with preoperative sarcopenia had significantly lower pharyngeal/upper esophageal sphincter and tongue pressures than those without sarcopenia. However, ESD did not worsen pharyngeal or upper esophageal pressure. Post-ESD pneumonia incidence tended to be higher in patients with sarcopenia than in those without sarcopenia. The lower upper esophageal sphincter-integrated relaxation pressure (UES-IRP) was a significant factor in pneumonia development. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic curve for UES-IRP in pneumonia yielded an area under the curve of 0.82.

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia is associated with preoperative dysphagia, which increases post-ESD pneumonia risk. Therefore, postoperative pneumonia incidence is expected to increase with an aging population, making preoperative sarcopenia and swallowing function evaluation crucial.

Optimizing Diagnosis and Management of Community-acquired Pneumonia in the Emergency Department

Pneumonia is split into 3 diagnostic categories: community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), health care-associated pneumonia, and ventilator-associated pneumonia. This classification scheme is driven not only by the location of infection onset but also by the predominant associated causal microorganisms. Pneumonia is diagnosed in over 1.5 million US emergency department visits annually (1.2% of all visits), and most pneumonia diagnosed by emergency physicians is CAP.

A phase 3 randomized trial of the safety and immunogenicity of 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in adults ≥ 60 years of age in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Pneumococcal infections are associated with high disease burden in older individuals in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. The 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV20) was developed to extend protection beyond earlier pneumococcal vaccines.

METHODS

This phase 3 randomized, double-blind study investigated the safety and immunogenicity of PCV20 in participants ≥ 60 years of age from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Participants were randomized to receive PCV20 or 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13). One month after vaccination, PCV20 recipients received a saline injection and PCV13 recipients received 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23). Primary immunogenicity objectives were to demonstrate noninferiority of PCV20 to PCV13 (13 matched serotypes) or PPSV23 (7 additional serotypes) for serotype-specific opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) geometric mean titers (GMTs) 1 month after vaccination with PCV20, PCV13, or PPSV23. Noninferiority for each serotype was declared if the lower bound of the 2-sided 95% CI for OPA geometric mean ratio (GMR) was > 0.5. Safety endpoints included local reactions, systemic events, adverse events (AEs), and serious AEs.

RESULTS

Overall, 1421‬ participants were vaccinated (median age [range]: 65 [60-85] years). PCV20 was noninferior to PCV13 for all 13 matched serotypes and to PPSV23 for 6 of 7 additional serotypes. Although statistical noninferiority was missed for serotype 8 (lower bound of the 2-sided 95% CI for OPA GMR = 0.5, thus not meeting the statistical noninferiority criterion of > 0.5), secondary immunogenicity endpoints for serotype 8 were supportive of a robust immune response. The incidence of AEs and the frequency and severity of local reactions and systemic events were generally similar after PCV20 and PCV13. No safety concerns were identified.

CONCLUSION

PCV20 generated robust immune responses to all vaccine serotypes in older adults in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. The safety and tolerability profile was similar to PCV13. PCV20 is expected to help protect against all 20 vaccine serotypes. NCT04875533.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of adult pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for pneumococcal disease in Japan

BACKGROUND

The 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) is used in the Japanese National Immunization Program for older adults and adults with increased risk for pneumococcal disease, however, disease incidence and associated burden remain high. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) for adults aged 65 years and high-risk adults aged 60-64 years in Japan.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Using a Markov model, we evaluated lifetime costs using societal and healthcare payer perspectives and estimated quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and number of prevented cases and deaths caused by invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and non-IPD. The base case analysis used a societal perspective.

RESULTS

In comparison with PPSV23, the 20-valent PCV (PCV20) prevented 127 IPD cases 10,813 non-IPD cases (inpatients: 2,461, outpatients: 8,352) and 226 deaths, and gained more QALYs (+0.0015 per person) with less cost (-JPY22,513 per person). All sensitivity and scenario analyses including a payer perspective analysis indicated that the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were below the cost-effectiveness threshold value in Japan (JPY5 million/QALY).

CONCLUSIONS

PCV20 is both cost saving and more effective than PPSV23 for adults aged 65 years and high-risk adults aged 60-64 years in Japan.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for routine pediatric vaccination programs in Japan

BACKGROUND

The Japanese National Immunization Program currently includes the pediatric 13 valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) to prevent pneumococcal infections. We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of 20-valent PCV (PCV20) as a pediatric vaccine versus PCV13.

METHODS

A decision-analytic Markov model was used to estimate expected costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and prevented cases and deaths caused by invasive pneumococcal disease, pneumonia, and acute otitis media over a ten-year time horizon from the societal and healthcare payer perspectives.

RESULTS

PCV20 was dominant, i.e. less costly and more effective, over PCV13 (gained 294,599 QALYs and reduced Japanese yen [JPY] 352.6 billion [2.6 billion United States dollars, USD] from the societal perspective and JPY 178.9 billion [USD 1.4 billion] from the payer perspective). Sensitivity and scenario analyses validated the robustness of the base scenario results. When comparing PCV20 with PCV13, the threshold analysis revealed an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio that was within the threshold value (JPY 5 million/QALY) at a maximum acquisition cost of JPY 74,033 [USD 563] (societal perspective) and JPY 67,758 [USD 515] (payer perspective).

CONCLUSIONS

As a pediatric vaccine, PCV20 was dominant over PCV13 regardless of the study perspective.

Clinically defined aspiration pneumonia is an independent risk factor associated with long-term hospital stay: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Long-term hospital stay is associated with functional decline in patients with pneumonia, especially in the elderly. Among elderly patients with pneumonia, aspiration pneumonia is a major category. Clinical definition is usually used because it can occur without apparent aspiration episodes. It is still not clear whether a long-term hospital stay is due to aspiration pneumonia itself caused by underlying oropharyngeal dysfunction or simply due to functional decline in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities during acute infection. The aim of this study is to identify whether clinically defined aspiration pneumonia itself was associated with a long-term hospital stay.

METHODS

A prospective observational study on community-acquired (CAP) or healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) was conducted from January 2012 through January 2014. Aspiration pneumonia was clinically defined as pneumonia not only occurring in patients after documented aspiration episodes, but also occurring in those with underlying oropharyngeal dysfunction: chronic disturbances of consciousness and/or chronic neuromuscular diseases. We defined thirty-day hospital stay as a long-term hospital stay and compared it with logistic regression analysis. Potential confounders included age, sex, HCAP, body mass index (BMI), long-term bed-ridden state, heart failure, cerebrovascular disorders, dementia, antipsychotics use, hypnotics use, and CURB score which is a clinical prediction tool used to assess the severity, standing for; C (presence of Confusion), U (high blood Urea nitrogen level), R (high Respiratory rate), and B (low Blood pressure). In a sub-analysis, we also explored factors associated with long-term hospital stay in patients with aspiration pneumonia.

RESULTS

Of 2,795 patients, 878 (31.4%) had aspiration pneumonia. After adjusting potential confounders, the aspiration pneumonia itself was significantly associated with long-term hospital stay (adjusted odds ratio 1.44; 95% confidence interval 1.09-1.89, p < 0.01), as were higher age, male sex, high CURB score, HCAP, low BMI, heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, and antipsychotics use. Sub-analysis revealed factors associated with long-term hospital stay in the aspiration pneumonia, which included male sex, and multi-lobar chest X-ray involvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinically defined aspiration pneumonia itself was independently associated with long-term hospital stay. This result could potentially lead to specific rehabilitation strategies for pneumonia patients with underlying oropharyngeal dysfunction.

Risk factors and interventions for developing recurrent pneumonia in older adults

Background

Pneumonia is common among older adults and often recurrent. Several studies have been conducted on the risk factors for pneumonia; however, little is known about the risk factors for recurrent pneumonia. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for developing recurrent pneumonia among older adults and to investigate methods of prevention.

Methods

We analysed the data of 256 patients aged 75 years or older who were admitted for pneumonia between June 2014 and May 2017. Moreover, we reviewed the medical records for the subsequent 3 years and defined the readmission caused by pneumonia as recurrent pneumonia. Risk factors for recurrent pneumonia were analysed using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Differences in the recurrence rate based on the types and use of hypnotics were also evaluated.

Results

Of the 256 patients, 90 (35.2%) experienced recurrent pneumonia. A low body mass index (OR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.83‒0.99), history of pneumonia (OR: 2.71; 95% CI: 1.23‒6.13), lung disease as a comorbidity (OR: 4.73; 95% CI: 2.13‒11.60), taking hypnotics (OR: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.18‒4.01) and taking histamine-1 receptor antagonist (H1RA) (OR: 2.38; 95% CI: 1.07‒5.39) were risk factors. Patients taking benzodiazepine as hypnotics were more likely to experience recurrent pneumonia than patients not taking hypnotics (OR: 2.29; 95% CI: 1.25-4.18).

Conclusion

We identified several risk factors for recurrent pneumonia. Among them, restricting the use of H1RA and hypnotics, in particular benzodiazepines, may be useful in preventing the recurrence of pneumonia in adults aged 75 years or older.

Associated Factors of Pneumonia in Individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Apart from the Use of Inhaled Corticosteroids

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) are widely used in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in combination with long-acting β2 agonists (LABAs) to reduce exacerbations and improve patient lung function and quality of life. However, ICSs have been associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in individuals with COPD, although the magnitude of this risk remains unclear. Therefore, it is difficult to make informed clinical decisions that balance the benefits and adverse effects of ICSs in people with COPD. There may be other causes of pneumonia in patients with COPD, and these causes are not always considered in studies on the risks of using ICSs in COPD. We consider it very useful to clarify these aspects in assessing the influence of ICSs on the incidence of pneumonia and their role in the treatment of COPD. This issue has important implications for current practice and the evaluation and management of COPD, since COPD patients may benefit from specific ICS-based treatment strategies. Many of the potential causes of pneumonia in patients with COPD can act synergistically, so they can be included in more than one section.

Effect of the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine on the incidence of hospitalisation with pneumonia in adults aged ≥65 years: retrospective cohort study using a population-based database in Japan

OBJECTIVES

The effectiveness of the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) in preventing pneumonia in older adults remains controversial. Some studies have suggested differences in the effectiveness according to age or sex.

METHODS

We conducted an observational study using the database of vaccine subsidisation data and health insurance claims data for a city in Japan. Participants were residents from 2014 to 2018 turning 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90 or 95 years during a given fiscal year, and PPV23 during the first year of observation were identified. We matched vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals of the same age using propensity scores for vaccination. Incidence of hospitalisation with pneumonia was compared using Fine-Gray regression model. We summarised the results for each age using random-effects meta-analysis and conducted a subgroup analysis by sex.

RESULTS

A total of 102,136 participants were included, of whom 35% received PPV23. Propensity score matching selected 32,510 pairs of vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals. Overall, PPV23 administration was associated with a decreased incidence of hospitalisation with pneumonia (17.2 vs. 20.4 per 1,000 person-years, sub-distribution hazard ratio: 0.84, 95% confidence interval: 0.77 to 0.91). Vaccine effectiveness was highest among those aged 70 years and decreased with increasing age. No statistically significant effect was observed in those aged 90 or 95 years. Vaccine effectiveness was observed in both males and females.

CONCLUSIONS

PPV23 was associated with an overall decrease in hospitalisation with pneumonia in older adults. However, vaccine effectiveness was significant in those aged 65 to 85 years but not in older population.

In-hospital mortality for aspiration pneumonia in a tertiary teaching hospital: A retrospective cohort review from 2008 to 2018

BACKGROUND

Aspiration pneumonia is a preventable condition that has higher rates of recurrence and mortality compared to non-aspiration pneumonia. The primary objective of the study was to examine independent patient factors that are associated with mortality in those requiring acute admission for aspiration pneumonia at a tertiary institution. Secondary goals of the study were to review whether factors such as mechanical ventilation and speech language pathology intervention can impact patient mortality, length of stay (LOS), and costs relating to hospitalization.

METHODS

Patients older than 18 years of age who were admitted with a primary diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2018 at Unity Health Toronto-St. Michael's hospital in Toronto, Canada, were included in the study. Descriptive analyses were performed on patient characteristics using age as a continuous variable as well as a dichotomous variable with age 65 as a cut-off. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent factors that contributed to in-hospital mortality and Cox proportional-hazard regression was used to identify independent factors that affected LOS.

RESULTS

A total of 634 patients were included in this study. 134 (21.1%) patients died during hospitalization with an average age of 80.3 ± 13.4. The in-hospital mortality did not change significantly over the ten-year period (p = 0.718). Patients who died had longer LOS with a median length of 10.5 days (p = 0.012). Age [Odds Ratio (OR) 1.72, 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) 1.47-2.02, p < 0.05] and invasive mechanical ventilation (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.54-4.31, p < 0.05) were independent predictors of mortality while female gender was found to be a protective factor (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.38-0.92, p = 0.02). Elderly patients had five times higher risk of dying during their hospital course when compared to younger patients [Hazard Ratio (HR) 5.25, 95% CI 2.99-9.23, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Elderly patients are a high-risk population for developing aspiration pneumonia and are at higher risk of death when hospitalized for this condition. This warrants improved preventative strategies in the community. Further studies involving other institutions and creating a Canada-wide database are required.

Safety and immunogenicity of a respiratory syncytial virus prefusion F protein (RSVPreF3) candidate vaccine in older Japanese adults: A phase I, randomized, observer-blind clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes lower respiratory tract infection, with a high burden of disease among adults ≥60 years. This study assessed the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of an investigational adjuvanted RSV vaccine (RSVPreF3/AS01_B) in Japanese adults aged 60-80 years.

METHODS

Forty participants were randomized to receive two doses of RSVPreF3/AS01_B or the placebo, in a 1:1 ratio, two months apart, in this placebo-controlled study. Solicited administration-site and systemic adverse events (AEs) were collected within 7 days and unsolicited AEs within 30 days post-vaccination. Serious AEs (SAEs) and potential immune-mediated diseases (pIMDs) were collected throughout the study (12 months post-dose 2). RSVPreF3-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody concentrations and neutralizing antibody (nAb) titers against RSV-A were evaluated on day (D)1, D31, D61, D91 and those against RSV-B on D1, D31, D91.

RESULTS

Solicited AEs were reported more frequently in RSVPreF3/AS01_B recipients (80.0%-90.0%) than in placebo recipients (10.0%-20.0%). Two RSVPreF3/AS01_B recipients experienced grade 3 solicited AEs. Rate of unsolicited AEs were similar (30.0%-35.0%) in both groups. No RSVPreF3/AS01_B recipient reported SAEs/pIMDs, while one placebo recipient reported two SAEs that were unrelated to vaccination. Baseline RSVPreF3-specific IgG and RSV-A/-B nAb levels were above the assay cut-off values. In the RSVPreF3/AS01_B group, RSVPreF3-specific IgG concentrations increased 12.8-fold on D31 and 9.2-fold on D91 versus baseline while nAb titers increased 7.3-fold (RSV-A) and 8.4-fold (RSV-B) on D31 and 6.3-fold (RSV-A) and 9.9-fold (RSV-B) on D91.

CONCLUSIONS

The RSVPreF3/AS01_B vaccine was well tolerated and immunogenic in older Japanese adults.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04090658.

Peak expiratory flow, but not tongue pressure, can predict pneumonia development in older adults

PURPOSE

Pneumonia is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in aging populations. Major causes of pneumonia in older adults are swallowing dysfunction and decreased airway clearance capacity, including an impaired cough reflex. Maximal tongue pressure is useful for evaluating swallowing function, and peak expiratory flow indirectly reflects cough strength. However, it is unclear whether they can predict pneumonia development in older adults. In this study, we investigated whether tongue pressure and peak expiratory flow could predict pneumonia development in older adults.

METHODS

This two-center prospective observational study included older adults aged 65 years or older without respiratory disease or head and neck cancer. We enrolled 383 consenting participants, many of whom had a history of stroke, and followed them for 2 years. The association between time to pneumonia development and tongue pressure or peak expiratory flow at enrollment was examined in a Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 77.1 ± 6.2 years, and 36.0% of them were women. The mean tongue pressure was 35.4 ± 10.5 kPa and median peak expiratory flow was 218 L/min at enrollment. Six patients developed pneumonia during the study period. A low peak expiratory flow at enrollment was significantly associated with pneumonia development in the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, but this association was not observed for tongue pressure.

CONCLUSION

Decreased peak expiratory flow may predict pneumonia development in older adults. Future studies should investigate interventions for peak expiratory flow improvement.

Utility of Blood Culture in Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis Based on a Japanese National Health Insurance Database

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is an acute pulmonary parenchymal infection acquired outside the hospital. The utility of blood cultures in inpatients with CAP to reduce mortality and length of hospital stay is controversial. This study aimed to determine the utility of blood cultures on the first day of hospitalization for CAP inpatients and its influence on mortality, length of hospital stay, and antibiotics use. We conducted a fact-finding survey on the implementation of blood culture in inpatients with CAP in Japan. A propensity score (PS)-matched analysis based on the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Check-ups of Japan database was conducted. Overall, 163173 patients were included in the analysis, and PS matching extracted 68104 pairs. The results of the comparison between the PS-matched blood culture group and PS-matched control group were as follows: mortality and length of hospital stay were significantly lower in the PS-matched blood culture group than in the control group. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for in-hospital mortality with blood culture test was 0.73 (0.68-0.79). Moreover, for days of antibiotic usage, number of antibiotics used were significantly higher in the PS-matched blood culture group than that in the control group. Our findings indicated that performing a blood culture on the first day of hospitalization for inpatients with CAP was associated with reduced mortality. To our knowledge, this is the largest epidemiological study to assess the utility of blood culture in Japanese inpatients with CAP. This testing method shows potential for application in clinical practice.

Epidemiology of pneumonia in hospitalized adults ≥18 years old in four districts of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 2015-2019

BACKGROUND

Community-acquired pneumonia is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children and adults worldwide. Adult pneumonia surveillance remains limited in many low- and middle-income settings, resulting in the disease burden being largely unknown.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted by reviewing medical charts for respiratory admissions at four district hospitals in Ulaanbaatar during January 2015-February 2019. Characteristics of community-acquired pneumonia cases were summarized by disease severity and age. To explore factors associated with severe pneumonia, we ran univariable and age-adjusted logistic regression models. Incidence rates were calculated using population denominators.

RESULTS

In total, 4290 respiratory admissions met the case definition for clinical pneumonia, including 430 admissions of severe pneumonia. The highest proportion of severe pneumonia admissions occurred in adults >65 years (37.4%). After adjusting for age, there were increased odds of severe pneumonia in males (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.63; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33-2.00) and those with ≥1 underlying medical condition (aOR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.14-1.87). The incidence of hospitalized pneumonia in adults ≥18 years increased from 13.49 (95% CI: 12.58-14.44) in 2015 to 17.65 (95% CI: 16.63-18.71) in 2018 per 10,000 population. The incidence of severe pneumonia was highest in adults >65 years, ranging from 9.29 (95% CI: 6.17-13.43) in 2015 to 12.69 (95% CI: 9.22-17.04) in 2018 per 10,000 population.

INTERPRETATIONS

Vaccination and other strategies to reduce the risk of pneumonia, particularly among older adults and those with underlying medical conditions, should be prioritized.

FUNDING

Pfizer clinical research collaboration agreement (contract number: WI236621).

Cost-effectiveness analysis of pediatric immunization program with 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Japan

BACKGROUND

The 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15 or V114) has recently been approved for pediatric vaccination against pneumococcal diseases (PDs) in Japan. The study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pediatric vaccination with V114 versus 13-valent PCV (PCV13) in Japan.

METHODS

The study used a decision analytical Markov model to estimate the cost and effectiveness outcomes for a birth cohort in Japan over a 10-year time horizon. The model tracked the occurrences of acute PD events, including invasive PD (IPD), non-bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia (NBPP) and pneumococcal acute otitis media (AOM) and the long-term impact of post-meningitis sequalae. Vaccine effectiveness was estimated based on literature and assumptions, and accounted for indirect effects and vaccine waning. The base case took the societal perspective, including both direct and indirect costs, while a healthcare payer perspective was modeled in a scenario analysis. Additional scenario analyses and sensitivity analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

In the base case, V114 was associated with an incremental gain of 24 quality-adjusted life years and a reduction of ¥365,610,955 in total costs compared to PCV13. It was expected to reduce the number of pneumococcal AOM, NBPP, and IPD cases by 1,832, 1,333 and 25, respectively. All scenario analyses and most sensitivity analyses showed that V114 was a dominant strategy compared to PCV13.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric vaccination with V114 is expected to lead to cost savings and more health benefits compared to PCV13 in Japan from both societal and healthcare payer perspectives. The findings are robust under plausible assumptions and inputs.

Impact of segmentectomy and lobectomy on non-lung cancer death in early-stage lung cancer patients

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to analyse the risk of death from non-lung cancer after segmentectomy or lobectomy for early-stage lung cancer.

METHODS

A total of 1385 patients underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy for clinical stage 0-I primary lung cancer, with no evidence of recurrence after surgery, between January 2008 and December 2018. Risk factors for non-lung cancer deaths (NLCD) were analysed using multivariable logistic regression analysis. The overall survival (OS) of patients with low and high comorbidities who underwent lobectomy and segmentectomy was compared using a log-rank test.

RESULTS

Patients with NLCD (n = 126) were more likely to have undergone lobectomy than patients with non-recurrence survival (n = 1259). Multivariable analysis revealed that age (≥65 years), smoking index (≥600), body mass index (≤18.5 kg/m2), interstitial pneumonia, values for percentage of predicted vital capacity (≤9.4%) and lobectomy were risk factors for NLCD. Patients who underwent segmentectomy had significantly better 5-year OS than those who underwent lobectomy, after propensity score matching (94.6% vs 90.4%, P = 0.027). Patients with high comorbidities (patients with ≥2 of the following risks: age ≥65 years, smoking index ≥600, body mass index ≤18.5 kg/m2, Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥1, values for percentage of predicted vital capacity ≤96.4%) who underwent segmentectomy had a better 5-year OS than those who underwent lobectomy (92.8% vs 87.8%, P = 0.016). However, there was no difference in 5-year OS between segmentectomy and lobectomy in patients with low comorbidities (98.5% vs 97.4%, P = 0.867).

CONCLUSIONS

The impact of lobectomy and segmentectomy on NLCD depends on the extent of the patients' comorbidities.

Young Healthy Patient With Severe COVID-19 and Fulminant Community-Acquired Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pneumonia: A Case Report

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in healthy adults can rapidly lead to severe outcomes. We treated a case of P. aeruginosa-induced CAP and concurrent severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in a healthy 39-year-old man without other serious risk factors for severe illness except smoking. Immediately after admission, the patient developed sepsis and received intensive broad-spectrum antibacterial therapy with meropenem and vancomycin, veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VAECMO), and catecholamine supplementation. Despite receiving multidisciplinary treatment, the patient died within 24 hours. P. aeruginosa with normal antimicrobial susceptibility was identified in blood and sputum cultures of samples taken at admission. Gram staining of the bacteria detected in blood cultures was suspicious for non-glucose-fermenting Gram-negative rods, including P. aeruginosa, and the antimicrobial regimen that was initiated following admission was considered effective. The patient was a plumber and a smoker, which are risk factors for P. aeruginosa-induced CAP, and the clinical course matched those in previous reports of P. aeruginosa-induced CAP, including necrotizing pneumonia with cavities and rapid progression of sepsis. Although COVID-19 can be the sole cause of septic shock, the combination of P. aeruginosa bacteremia and COVID-19 was possibly the cause of septic shock in this case. Even during an infectious disease pandemic, reviewing the patient's occupational history and comorbidities and performing blood and sputum culture tests, including Gram staining, are important for the provision of appropriate treatment.

Cost-effectiveness analyses of 15- and 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for Japanese elderly

BACKGROUND

Despite the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) vaccination programme implementation, pneumococcal disease (PD) remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality among the elderly in Japan, particularly since childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) vaccination programme continues to alter the serotype PD distribution among the elderly. Recently, in the United States, PCV15/PCV20 were recommended for adults aged ≥ 65 years and those aged 19-64 years with certain underlying conditions. In Japan, PCV15 is under the approval application process and PCV20 undergoing clinical trials, which has warranted the need in evaluating their value for money.

METHODS

We conducted cost-effectiveness analyses with Markov model and calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of PCV15/PCV20 vaccination programme compared to status quo from payers' perspective. Transition probabilities and utility weights in estimating quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), and disease treatment costs were either estimated or obtained from literature. To reflect the situation of COVID-19 pandemic, epidemiological data from 2020 and beyond were used.

RESULTS

Compared to the current vaccination programme, PCV20 vaccination programme gained more QALYs with less cost, while PCV15 vaccination programme cost ¥35,020 (US$318, US$1 = ¥110) to gain an additional QALY. Replacing PPSV23 vaccination programme with PCV20 vaccination programme is cost-saving. One-way sensitivity analyses revealed that lower VE limits of PCVs against non-bacteremic pneumonia (NBP) have large impact to change the result from PCV20 vaccination programme dominated PPSV23 vaccination programme to PPSV23 vaccination programme dominated PCV20 vaccination programme.

CONCLUSION

In the COVID-19 era, replacing current PPSV23 with a single-dose PCV15- or PCV20 immunisation programme for 65-year-old adults in Japan is highly cost-effective, while the PCV 20 vaccination programme was observed to be more favourable.

Frontline workers: Mediators of mucosal immunity in community acquired pneumonia and COVID-19

The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a need to further understand lung mucosal immunity to reduce the burden of community acquired pneumonia, including that caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Local mucosal immunity provides the first line of defence against respiratory pathogens, however very little is known about the mechanisms involved, with a majority of literature on respiratory infections based on the examination of peripheral blood. The mortality for severe community acquired pneumonia has been rising annually, even prior to the current pandemic, highlighting a significant need to increase knowledge, understanding and research in this field. In this review we profile key mediators of lung mucosal immunity, the dysfunction that occurs in the diseased lung microenvironment including the imbalance of inflammatory mediators and dysbiosis of the local microbiome. A greater understanding of lung tissue-based immunity may lead to improved diagnostic and prognostic procedures and novel treatment strategies aimed at reducing the disease burden of community acquired pneumonia, avoiding the systemic manifestations of infection and excess morbidity and mortality.

Long-term impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for children on adult pneumococcal pneumonia in Japan: Two multicenter observational studies from 2011 to 2020

BACKGROUND

Pediatric pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) introduction has directly and indirectly reduced pneumococcal pneumonia and invasive disease caused by PCV-covered serotypes among children and adults globally. In Japan, both PCV7 and PCV13 were introduced into the national immunization program (NIP) for children in 2013. However, the long-term impact of PCV use in children on adult pneumococcal pneumonia in Japan remains unclear.

METHODS

We assessed serotypes isolated from adult pneumococcal pneumonia patients (in- and outpatients) in two multicenter observational studies in Japan: 2011-2014 and 2016-2020. The latter study period was divided into two periods to evaluate changes after PCV introduction in children. The Quellung reaction was used to determine serotypes. We evaluated trends of individual and vaccine-covered serotypes over three periods and assessed the difference in changes by patient group before and after the introduction of pediatric PCVs.

RESULTS

A total of 650 patients were enrolled: 224, 322, and 104 in 2011-2014, 2016-2017, and 2018-2020, respectively. The median age was 73 years; 59.7% (388/650) were male; 86.9% (565/650) had comorbidities; and 10.2% (66/650) were nursing-home residents. The proportion of PCV13 serotypes decreased from 52.7% in 2011-2014 to 30.4% in 2016-2017 (p <0.001) after PCV13 introduction for children. However, PCV13, PCV15, and PCV20 serotypes still accounted for 38.5, 43.3, and 59.6% of total pneumococcal pneumonia in 2018-2020, respectively. Decline of PCV13 serotypes was more marked in patients aged ≥65 (-23.5%; p <0.001) than those aged <65 (-12.3%; p = 0.104) from 2011-2014 to 2016-2020. The proportion of PPSV23 non-PCV13 serotypes didn't change over time.

CONCLUSIONS

The proportion of adult pneumococcal pneumonia caused by PCV13 serotypes in Japan declined after pediatric PCVs introduction into NIP, possibly due to indirect effects of pediatric PCVs. However, use of new PCVs in Japanese adults may potentially prevent additional pneumococcal pneumonia cases. Now, pneumococcal vaccination strategy for older adults requires discussion.

Safety and Immunogenicity of V114, a 15-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, Compared With 13- valent Pneumococcal Vaccine in Japanese Adults Aged ≥65 Years: Subgroup Analysis of a Randomized Phase III Trial (PNEU-AGE)

The safety and immunogenicity of V114, a 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), was assessed in a pivotal Phase III trial in healthy adults ≥50 years of age (NCT03950622, Japic-CTI 194845). We report a subgroup analysis of 245 Japanese participants (all ≥65 years of age). Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive a single dose of V114 or 13-valent PCV (PCV13). Immune responses were evaluated at baseline and 30 days post-vaccination. Non-serious and serious adverse events (AEs) were evaluated post-vaccination through 14 days and 6 months, respectively. Proportions of participants experiencing solicited and serious AEs were comparable for both vaccines; all solicited AEs were mild or moderate in severity. Serotype-specific opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) geometric mean titers at 30 days post-vaccination were comparable between groups for all 13 shared serotypes and higher with V114 for the unique serotypes 22F and 33F. Proportions of participants with a ≥4-fold rise in serotype-specific OPA responses from pre-vaccination to 30 days post-vaccination were higher with V114 than PCV13 for serotypes 3, 22F, and 33F. V114 was well tolerated and immunogenic in Japanese adults ≥65 years of age, with safety and immunogenicity profiles consistent with that seen in the overall study population.

Retrospective Comparison of the Effectiveness and Safety of Ceftriaxone 1 g Twice Daily versus 2 g Once Daily for Treatment of Aspiration Pneumonia

Although a 2 g once daily administration of ceftriaxone remains the standard dosing regimen for the treatment of aspiration pneumonia, there are no studies to investigate the optimal dosing method. Hence, we retrospectively evaluated the effectiveness and safety of 1 g twice daily versus 2 g once daily administration of ceftriaxone in adult patients with aspiration pneumonia. Patients who received ceftriaxone for the treatment of aspiration pneumonia between 2015 and 2021 were included in this study. Clinical responses, inflammatory markers, and incidence of adverse events after completion of ceftriaxone therapy were investigated. In total, 33 patients received 1 g twice daily (group 1) and 28 received 2 g once daily (group 2) ceftriaxone for the treatment of mild-to-moderate aspiration pneumonia. Compared with that of group 1, group 2 demonstrated significantly improved clinical responses (group 1 vs. group 2, 84.8% vs. 100%, p = 0.0316). Although the safety profile was not significantly different between the two groups, the incidence of choleliths during ceftriaxone therapy in group 1 was higher than that in group 2 (31.3% vs. 9.1%, p = 0.174). Therefore, a 2 g once daily administration of ceftriaxone appeared to be a simple regimen adequate for the treatment of inpatients with mild-to-moderate aspiration pneumonia, which might not be heavily involved by anaerobes.

The hospitalization burden of all-cause pneumonia in China: A population-based study, 2009-2017

BACKGROUND

Pneumonia represents a public health problem of substantial health and economic burden. However, the evidence on the burden of adult pneumonia is limited in China.

METHODS

The China Kadoorie Biobank recruited 512,725 participants aged 30-79 years from five urban and five rural areas during 2004-2008. The current analyses included 506,086 participants who were alive in 2009. Pneumonia hospitalizations were ascertained through the health insurance system until December 31, 2017. Generalized linear models were used to examine the secular trends and regional and population variations in pneumonia hospitalization rate, mean length of hospital stay (LOS), and 30-day case fatality rate (CFR).

FINDINGS

A total of 27,879 participants with 36,567 pneumonia hospitalizations were identified with a mean follow-up time of 8·9 years. The unadjusted hospitalization rate was 8·4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8·3, 8·6) per 1000 person-years, with an increase of 15·5% annually from 4·2 (3·9, 4·4) in 2009 to 10·9 (10·6, 11·3) in 2017, after adjusting for age, sex, study area. The mean LOS was 8·8 (95% CI: 8·7, 8·9) days, with a slight decrease of 1·0% annually from 2009 to 2017. The average 30-day CFR remained practically unchanged at 2·4 (95% CI: 2·2, 2·5) deaths per 100 admissions. A clear seasonal pattern of pneumonia hospitalization rate was observed, and the hospitalization rate and CFR differed across regions and subpopulations of different ages and underlying conditions.

INTERPRETATION

There was an increasing hospitalization burden of pneumonia in Chinese adults, especially for adults aged ≥60 years or those with underlying conditions.

FUNDING

The National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Kadoorie Charitable Foundation, the National Key R&D Program of China, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.

TRANSLATED ABSTRACT IN CHINESE

This translation in Chinese was submitted by the authors and we reproduce it as supplied. It has not been peer reviewed. Our editorial processes have only been applied to the original abstract in English, which should serve as reference for this manuscript. :, ., .:(China Kadoorie Biobank)2004-2008555030-79.506,086200911.20091120171231.,30,.:8.9, 27,879, 36,567.8.4 (95% CI:8.3, 8.6)/1000, ,, 20094.2 (3.9, 4.4)201710.9 (10.6, 11.3), 15.5%.8.8(95% CI:8.7, 8.9), 1.0%.30, 2.4(95% CI:2.2, 2.5)/100.;,, 30.:, ≥60.

High prevalence of multiple serotypes of pneumococci in patients with pneumonia and their associated risk factors

BACKGROUND

Multiple serotypes of pneumococci have epidemiological and clinical implications, such as the emergence of non-vaccine serotypes and the acquisition of antimicrobial resistance. Prevalence of multiple serotypes of pneumococci in adults and their risk factors are not known.

METHODS

We enrolled adult patients from age ≥15 years with radiologically confirmed pneumonia in four hospitals across Japan. Pneumococcal pneumonia was defined with a pneumococcal bacterial density of ≥104/mL in sputum by lytA quantitative PCR, and serotypes were determined. Pneumonias with a single serotype were categorised as single-serotype pneumococcal pneumonia and with two or more serotypes as multiple-serotype pneumococcal pneumonia. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the risk factors.

RESULTS

3470 patients (median age 77 years, IQR 65-85) were enrolled. Pneumococcal pneumonia was identified in 476 (18.3%, n=2605) patients. Multiple serotypes were detected in 42% of them. Risk of having multiple serotypes was low among patients who had received 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) vaccines (adjusted OR 0.51 (95% CI 0.27 to 0.94)). Proportion of non-PCV7 PPSV23 serotypes in overall distribution of multiple serotypes was 67.4% (n=324/481) compared with 46.4% (n=128/276) in that of single serotypes (p=0.001). Serotypes 5, 9N/9L, 10A, 12/22/46, 17F and 35F were associated with multiple-serotype pneumonia, and serotypes 6A/6B, 23F, 11 and 6C/6D were associated with single-serotype pneumonia. Proportion of more invasive serotypes (serotypes 1, 5, 7F, 8) was significantly higher in multiple-serotype pneumonia (p=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple serotypes of pneumococci are common in sputum of adult patients with pneumonia. The risk of multiple-serotype pneumococcal pneumonia is lower than that of single-serotype pneumococcal pneumonia among PPSV23-vaccinated patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

UMIN000006909.

Temporal characteristics of aspiration pneumonia in elderly inpatients: From resumption of oral intake to onset

Background

Elderly inpatients who develop fevers after resumption of oral intake are often considered to have aspiration pneumonia (AP) and be tentatively fasted. Fasting has been associated with prolonged hospital stays and decreased swallowing ability. The purpose of this study was to compare AP and other infections after resumption of oral intake in elderly inpatients and to identify the clinical characteristics.

Patients and methods

The records of patients who were admitted to a public tertiary hospital and referred for evaluation of swallowing disability were retrospectively reviewed to identify those who had developed AP, non-AP, or urinary tract infection (UTI) after resumption of oral intake. Eligible patients were enrolled consecutively in the study. The patient characteristics, physical findings, laboratory data, oral intake status at the time of onset of symptoms, and rate of discontinuation of oral intake after onset of infection were compared between the three types of infection.

Results

A total of 193 patients developed an infectious illness after resuming oral intake. Among them, 114 patients had a diagnosis of AP (n = 45), non-AP (n = 24), or UTI (n = 45). There were no significant differences in patient characteristics, physical findings or laboratory data between the group with AP and the other two groups. AP developed at a median of 6 (range 1–16) days after resumption of oral intake. The rate of discontinuation of oral intake was 91.1% in the AP group, 58.3% in the non-AP group, and 26.7% in the UTI group, respectively.

Conclusion

Infectious diseases other than AP should be considered in the differential diagnosis when nosocomial fever develops in elderly inpatients more than 17 days after resuming oral intake. Furthermore, nosocomial fever after resuming oral intake has many causes other than AP, and discontinuation of oral intake should be carefully considered.

A retrospective study of physiotherapy management for patients with pneumonia requiring invasive ventilation in a single-center Australian ICU

Background:

Pneumonia is a frequent diagnosis for patients admitted to Australian intensive care units (ICUs) for invasive ventilation. Physiotherapists in ICU provide interventions to enhance respiratory function and physical recovery.

Objective:

This retrospective cohort study aimed to describe physiotherapy management of adults with pneumonia who require invasive mechanical ventilation in a single Level 3 ICU in a quaternary teaching hospital.

Methods:

All adults admitted with a medical diagnosis of pneumonia requiring invasive mechanical ventilation over a two-year period were included. Demographic and clinical data, including APACHE II score, ventilator-free days (VFDs) to day 28, ICU length of stay (LOS), and type and frequency of physiotherapy episodes of care delivered in ICU, were collected from electronic medical records. Correlations between VFDs to day 28 and the frequency of physiotherapy interventions delivered per subject were examined using Spearman’s rho analysis.

Results:

From 208 records screened, 66 subjects with an ICU admission diagnosis of pneumonia, who required invasive mechanical ventilation, were included. Median (IQR) ICU LOS was 10 (5–17) days, and mortality rate was 15.2% (n=10). The cohort had a median of 20.5 (IQR 2–25) VFDs to day 28. Community-acquired pneumonia (66.7%, n=44) was the most frequent type of pneumonia diagnosis. There were 1110 episodes of physiotherapy care, with patients receiving a median of 13.5 (IQR 6.8–21.3) episodes during their ICU stay, with a median rate of 1.2 (IQR 1.0–1.6) episodes per day. Over 96.7% of patients with pneumonia received physiotherapy treatment during their ICU stay. Overall, physiotherapy treatments consisting only of respiratory techniques were most commonly provided (55.1%, n=612). Airway suctioning (92.4%, n=61), patient positioning (72.7%, n=48) or positioning advice to nurses (77.3%, n=51), and hyperinflation techniques (63.6%, n=42) were among the respiratory techniques most delivered.

Conclusion:

This study described the current intensive care physiotherapy management in a single center for adults with pneumonia who required invasive mechanical ventilation, demonstrating that respiratory physiotherapy interventions are often provided for this ICU patient cohort. Further research is warranted to determine the efficacy of respiratory physiotherapy interventions to justify their use for ICU patients with pneumonia receiving invasive mechanical ventilation.

Associations of air pollutants with pneumonia hospital admissions in Qingdao, China: a prospective cohort study

Studies about the pneumonia morbidity effects of various air pollution exposure are still limited in China. We aimed to explore the short-term effect of air pollutants exposure on pneumonia admission and identify the vulnerable groups in Qingdao, China. From January 2015 to October 2017, a prospective cohort involving 433,032 participants across 3 counties in Qingdao were enrolled in the study. Distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was applied to assess the associations between air pollutants and pneumonia hospitalizations. There were 636 cases of pneumonia, with an annual incidence density of 54.33 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI: 50.11, 58.56). A 10 μg/m³ increment of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) distributed at a 4-week lag in Qingdao was associated with increased pneumonia hospitalizations, with a risk ratio of 2.10 (95% CI: 1.06, 4.13). Subgroup analyses indicate that PM ≤ 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter and SO₂ showed stronger effects on pneumonia in females than males, whereas people in urban regions were more vulnerable to nitrogen dioxide and ozone (O₃) than the others. We also observed distinct acute effects and harvesting effects of SO₂ and O₃ on pneumonia in urban areas. Strategies should be taken to further reduce levels of ambient PM_2.5, SO₂, and O₃.

Treatment and outcomes among patients ≥85 years hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia

Our objective was to describe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) among patients ≥85 years and compare them to patients aged 65-74. This was a retrospective cohort study. The study setting included 638 hospitals in the USA participating in the Premier database from 2010 to 2015. The study participants were 488,382 adults aged ≥65 years hospitalized with CAP. Patients ≥85 years were more likely to be white (79.8% vs 76.2%), female (58.1% vs 48.3%), and admitted with aspiration pneumonia (17.1% vs 7.0%) as compared with those aged 65-75 years. They had higher rates of dementia (30.4% vs 7.8%), but lower rates of diabetes (11.2% vs 17.6%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (25.5% vs 54.7%). While Staphylococcus aureus (33.4%) was the most common pathogen across all age groups, patients aged ≥85 were more likely to have Escherichia coli pneumonia (16.1% vs 10.7%) compared with those aged 65-74. In adjusted models, patients aged ≥85 had greater in-hospital mortality (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.18), but were less likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.55) and receive mechanical ventilation (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.48). They also had lower rates of acute kidney injury (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.00) and Clostridium difficile infection (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.85 to 0.99), shorter lengths of stay (mean multiplier 0.93, 95% CI 0.92 to 0.93) and lower cost (mean multiplier 0.81, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.81), and were more likely to be discharged to a skilled nursing facility (OR 2.19, 95% CI 2.15 to 2.24) or hospice (OR 2.19, 95% CI 2.11 to 2.27). In conclusion, patients aged ≥85 have different comorbidities and etiologies of CAP, receive less intense treatment, and have greater mortality than patients between 65 and 75 years.

Non-invasive pneumococcal pneumonia due to vaccine serotypes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Non-invasive pneumococcal pneumonia causes significant morbidity and mortality in older adults. Understanding pneumococcal sero-epidemiology in adults ≥50 years is necessary to inform vaccination policies and the updating of pneumococcal vaccines.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis to determine the proportion of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in people ≥50 years due to pneumococcus and the proportion caused by pneumococcal vaccine serotypes. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed from 1 January 1990 to 30 March 2021. Heterogeneity was explored by subgroup analysis according to a) patient group (stratified versus age) and depth of testing, b) detection/serotyping method, and c) continent. The protocol is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020192002).

FINDINGS

Twenty-eight studies were included (34,216 patients). In the period 1-5 years after introduction of childhood PCV10/13 immunisation, 18% of CAP cases (95% CI 13-24%) were attributable to pneumococcus, with 49% (43-54%) of pneumococcal CAP due to PCV13 serotypes. The estimated proportion of pneumococcal CAP was highest in one study that used 24-valent serotype-specific urinary-antigen detection (ss-UAD)(30% [28-31%]), followed by studies based on diagnostic serology (28% [24-33%]), PCR (26% [15-37%]), ss-UAD14 (17% [13-22%]), and culture alone (14% [10-19%]). A higher estimate was observed in Europe (26% [21-30%] than North America (11% [9-12%](p<0·001). PCV13-serotype estimates were also influenced by serotyping methods.

INTERPRETATION

Non-invasive pneumococcal CAP and vaccine-type pneumococcal CAP remains a burden in older adults despite widespread introduction of pneumococcal infant immunisation. Studies heavily reliant on ss-UADs restricted to vaccine-type serotypes may overestimate the proportion of potentially vaccine-preventable pneumococcal pneumonia. Sero-epidemiological data from low-income countries are lacking.

Risk factors for pneumococcal disease in persons with chronic medical conditions: Results from the LIFE Study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to identify the risk factors for pneumococcal disease.

METHODS

The study was performed using insurance claims data from the residents of 12 Japanese municipalities. Based on recorded diagnoses, we identified chronic medical conditions in each patient between April 2015 and March 2016 and examined the subsequent occurrence of a pneumococcal disease from April 2016 onward. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratio of each chronic medical condition for a pneumococcal disease occurrence.

RESULTS

The study was conducted on 732,235 patients, of whom, 61,306 (8.4%) were aged 0-18 years, 184,367 (25.2%) were aged 19-49 years, 126,078 (17.2%) were aged 50-64 years, and 360,484 (49.2%) were aged ≥65 years. A higher number of conditions was associated with a higher incidence of pneumococcal disease. Significant risk factors for pneumococcal disease in all patients included chronic heart disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes mellitus, cancer, and chronic renal disease. Furthermore, chronic lung disease, diabetes mellitus, aspiration pneumonia, and immunosuppressant use were risk factors among patients aged 50-64 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Persons aged 50-64 years with multiple chronic medical conditions or with specific conditions are at a higher risk of developing pneumococcal disease, indicating a need to consider their inclusion in routine vaccination programs.

Burden of illness associated with pneumococcal infections in Japan - a targeted literature review

INTRODUCTION

Pneumococcal diseases (PDs) are among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. However, the evidence on epidemiology, health economic, and patient-reported outcomes has not been systematically reviewed and published in Japan. This study aimed to assess the burden, treatment adherence and compliance, and serotype distribution associated with PDs in Japan.

METHOD

One hundred and eight studies were identified between January 2005 and June 2020. The identified studies were mostly regional and with a limited scale, clinical settings, and populations.

RESULTS

In 2013-2017, invasive PD incidence rates were 4.98-9.47/100,000 in <4-year-olds, 0.36/100,000 in 5-14-year-olds, 0.46/100,000 in 15-64-year-olds, and 1.50-5.38/100,000 in the elderly. The incidence of invasive PDs in children decreased from 24.6/100,000 in 2008 to 10.7/100,000 in 2013 after the introduction of PCV7 and further declined to 10.3/100,000 in 2014 after PCV13 was introduced. From 2014, the prevalence of PCV13 serotypes decreased across all age groups along with a decrease of PPV23 serotypes, but an increase of PPV23 serotypes not included in PCV13 among adults and the elderly. No study reported health-related quality-of-life data for PDs. In children, direct costs were 340,905-405,978 JPY (3,099-3,691 USD) per pneumococcal bacteraemia, 767,447-848,255 JPY (6,977-7,711 USD) per pneumococcal meningitis, and 79,000 JPY (718 USD) per pneumococcal acute otitis media episodes. In adults and the elderly, the direct cost of pneumococcal pneumonia was 348,280-389,630 JPY (3,166-3,542 USD). The average hospital stay length was 7.2-31.9 days in children, 9.0 days in adults and 9.0-28.7 days in adults and the elderly.

CONCLUSIONS

The epidemiological burden of PDs remains high in Japan, especially among children and the elderly with invasive PDs accounting for a very small proportion of all PDs. A significant impact of the PCV13 vaccine program was reported, while the PPV23's impact remains unclear. A substantial decrease in quality-adjusted life years in adults and the elderly and a high economic burden may exist.

Comparative characteristics of the background and blood test findings in adults with pneumococcal pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease: A retrospective study

INTRODUCTION

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is often fatal, requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment. To evaluate the factors associated with IPD in adults, we retrospectively investigated its characteristics compared to pneumococcal pneumonia without confirmation of invasion (PP).

METHODS

Patients >18 years with PP (n = 79) and IPD (n = 53) from whom Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated were enrolled from two hospitals between 2011 and 2017. Clinical backgrounds, blood test results at admission, initial antimicrobials administered, isolate serotypes, and outcomes were compared between the PP and IPD groups.

RESULTS

Patients with IPD exhibited higher mortality (28.3%) than those with PP (2.5%) (p<0.001), regardless of the type of antimicrobials first administered. The majority (80.0%) of fatal cases of IPD were due to vaccine serotypes. Almost all patients with PP (97.4%) and IPD (88.7%) had underlying disease. C-reactive protein (CRP) ≥17.0 mg/dL (odds ratio [OR], 7.1; 95% CI, 2.7-19.0; p<0.001), white blood cell counts <11.0 × 10³/μL (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.3-8.4; p = 0.016), and platelet (PLT) counts <16.2 × 10⁴/μL (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.1-7.4; p = 0.036) were significantly more common in IPD. Moreover, 89.5% of cases with both CRP ≥23.8 mg/dL and PLT <18.5 × 10⁴/μL were diagnosed with IPD.

CONCLUSION

Laboratory blood test findings at admission, particularly high CRP and low PLT values, are useful early indicators of IPD in adults. These results could be used to initiate rapid and intensive treatment and improve prognosis.

Association of body mass index with Clostridioides difficile infection among older patients with pneumonia in Japan

AIM

Obesity is reported to be a risk factor for Clostridioides difficile infection. However, obesity rarely occurs in older Asian patients, and the effects of obesity on health and disease are different in Asian and Western countries. This study aimed to assess the association between body mass index and C. difficile infection risk among older patients with pneumonia in Japan.

METHODS

This retrospective observational cohort study used data from the nationwide database of acute hospital inpatients' data in Japan between July 2014 and March 2016. All patients aged ≥65 years admitted with a primary diagnosis of pneumonia were enrolled. Risk factors for C. difficile infection were determined by logistic regression analysis, including known risks as covariates.

RESULTS

Among 221 242 pneumonia patients, 611 developed C. difficile infection. Underweight patients (body mass index <18.5 kg/m² ) showed higher odds for C. difficile infection (odds ratio 1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.17-1.62, P < 0.001) than normal weight patients (body mass index 18.5-24.9 kg/m² ), whereas overweight patients (body mass index ≥25 kg/m² ) showed lower odds (odds ratio 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.89, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Body mass index was associated with C. difficile infection in older pneumonia patients in Japan. Underweight was a risk factor, whereas overweight was a protective factor for C. difficile infection. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; ••: ••-••.

Effect of pulmonary training for community‐dwelling frail older adults with chronic stroke: A randomized controlled pilot trial

Background

Decreased pulmonary function and poor deglutition are a major risk factor for poststroke aspiration pneumonia. We analyzed the benefits of pulmonary training on pulmonary function, deglutition, and quality of life (QOL) in community‐dwelling, frail elderly people with chronic stroke.

Method

This study was designed as an open, randomized, controlled pilot trial. The participants, who were frail older adults with a history of stroke, were randomized to 2 rehabilitation groups: intervention group (n = 15) and control (n = 15). All participants (65–94 years) attended twelve 20‐min sessions twice a week for 6 weeks of either standard rehabilitation (control group) or standard rehabilitation with pulmonary training including home pulmonary exercise (intervention group). The main outcome measures were pulmonary function (%MIP), deglutition (DRACE), and QOL (SF8･PCS), while secondary outcomes were muscle strength (grip and abdominal), thorax flexibility, 6‐min walk distance, and activities in daily living. All outcomes were measured both prior to training and after the 12 sessions.

Results

The intervention group showed significant improvement in %MIP (95% CI, 2.9–31.6; p < 0.01), DRACE (95% CI, −4.1–0.1; p < 0.01), and SF8･PCS (95% CI, 2.5–7.2; p < 0.01) compared with controls. There were no cognitive function decline and higher brain dysfunction.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the addition of pulmonary training including home pulmonary exercise to a standard rehabilitation program could improve pulmonary function, deglutition, and QOL in frail elderly people with chronic stroke.

A phase 3, multicenter, single-arm, open-label study to assess the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a single dose of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Japanese participants aged 6-64 years who are considered to be at increased risk of pneumococcal disease and who are naive to pneumococcal vaccines

BACKGROUND

This open-label, single-arm, phase 3 study evaluated safety and immunogenicity of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in pneumococcal vaccine-naive Japanese individuals aged 6-64 years at increased risk of pneumococcal disease (PD).

METHODS

Participants received 1 PCV13 dose. Reactogenicity events were recorded for 7 days (individuals aged 6- to 17-year-old) or 14 days (individuals aged 18 to 64 years old) postvaccination. Adverse events (AEs) were collected for 1 month postvaccination. Opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) and anticapsular immunoglobulin G (IgG) geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) were measured for vaccine serotypes before and 1 month postvaccination. Post hoc analyses compared immunogenicity in participants categorized as at-risk (immunocompetent but having chronic medical conditions associated with increased PD risk) or high-risk (immunocompromised due to diseases/conditions and/or medications).

RESULTS

206 participants aged 6- to 17-year-old (n = 53) and 18 to 64 years old (n = 153) completed the study. Reactogenicity events were generally mild to moderate in severity. AEs were reported in 16% (33/206) of participants; 1.0% (2/206) were severe. Six AEs were vaccine-related; most were associated with local reactions. No serious AEs occurred. Circulating antibody levels for all 13 serotypes increased postvaccination. OPA geometric mean fold rises (GMFRs) from prevaccination to 1 month postvaccination were 5.5-61.7; lower limits of the 2-sided, 95% CI were > 1 for all serotypes. IgG GMFRs were consistent with OPA analyses. In post hoc analyses, 55.8% (115/206) and 44.2% (91/206) of participants were categorized as at risk and at high risk of PD, respectively; OPA GMFRs from prevaccination to 1 month postvaccination were 3.9-635.1, with lower limits of the 2-sided 95% CIs > 1 for all 13 serotypes across these risk groups; IgG GMFRs were consistent with OPA analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

PCV13 was well tolerated and immunogenic in Japanese individuals aged 6-64 years considered at increased risk of PD. Results were broadly comparable with past PCV13 studies in other Japanese and non-Japanese populations. Registration number: NCT03571607; JapicCTI-184024.

Cohort profile: Indian Network of Population-Based Surveillance Platforms for Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses among the Elderly (INSPIRE)

PURPOSE

We describe here a multicentric community-dwelling cohort of older adults (>60 years of age) established to estimate incidence, study risk factors, healthcare utilisation and economic burden associated with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in India.

PARTICIPANTS

The four sites of this cohort are in northern (Ballabgarh), southern (Chennai), eastern (Kolkata) and western (Pune) parts of India. We enrolled 5336 participants across 4220 households and began surveillance in July 2018 for viral respiratory infections with additional participants enrolled annually. Trained field workers collected data about individual-level and household-level risk factors at enrolment and quarterly assessed frailty and grip strength. Trained nurses surveilled weekly to identify acute respiratory infections (ARI) and clinically assessed individuals to diagnose acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) as per protocol. Nasal and oropharyngeal swabs are collected from all ALRI cases and one-fifth of the other ARI cases for laboratory testing. Cost data of the episode are collected using the WHO approach for estimating the economic burden of seasonal influenza. Handheld tablets with Open Data Kit platform were used for data collection.

FINDINGS TO DATE

The attrition of 352 participants due to migration and deaths was offset by enrolling 680 new entrants in the second year. All four sites reported negligible influenza vaccination uptake (0.1%-0.4%), low health insurance coverage (0.4%-22%) and high tobacco use (19%-52%). Ballabgarh had the highest proportion (54.4%) of households in the richest wealth quintile, but reported high solid fuel use (92%). Frailty levels were highest in Kolkata (11.3%) and lowest in Pune (6.8%). The Chennai cohort had highest self-reported morbidity (90.1%).

FUTURE PLANS

The findings of this cohort will be used to inform prioritisation of strategies for influenza and RSV control for older adults in India. We also plan to conduct epidemiological studies of SARS-CoV-2 using this platform.

Contribution of lung ultrasound in diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia in the emergency department: a prospective multicentre study

Lung ultrasound (LUS) can help clinicians make a timely diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

OBJECTIVES

To assess if LUS can improve diagnosis and antibiotic initiation in emergency department (ED) patients with suspected CAP.

DESIGN

A prospective observational study.

SETTINGS

Four EDs.

PARTICIPANTS

The study included 150 patients older than 18 years with a clinical suspicion of CAP, of which 2 were subsequently excluded (incorrect identification), leaving 148 patients (70 women and 78 men, average age 72±18 years). Exclusion criteria included a life-threatening condition with do-not-resuscitate-order or patient requiring immediate intensive care.

INTERVENTIONS

After routine diagnostic procedure (clinical, radiological and laboratory tests), the attending emergency physician established a clinical CAP probability according to a four-level Likert scale (definite, probable, possible and excluded). An LUS was then performed, and another CAP probability was established based on the ultrasound result. An adjudication committee composed of three independent experts established the final CAP probability at hospital discharge.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary objective was to assess concordance rate of CAP diagnostic probabilities between routine diagnosis procedure or LUS and the final probability of the adjudication committee. Secondary objectives were to assess changes in CAP probability induced by LUS, and changes in antibiotic treatment initiation.

RESULTS

Overall, 27% (95% CI 20 to 35) of the routine procedure CAP classifications and 77% (95% CI 71 to 84) of the LUS CAP classifications were concordant with the adjudication committee classifications. Cohen's kappa coefficients between routine diagnosis procedure and LUS, according to adjudication committee, were 0.07 (95% CI 0.04 to 0.11) and 0.61 (95% CI 0.55 to 0.66), respectively. The modified probabilities for the diagnosis of CAP after LUS resulted in changes in antibiotic prescriptions in 32% (95% CI 25 to 40) of the cases.

CONCLUSION

In our study, LUS was a powerful tool to improve CAP diagnosis in the ED, reducing diagnostic uncertainty from 73% to 14%.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03411824.

Study of factors related to recurrence within 30 days after pneumonia treatment for community-onset pneumonia

INTRODUCTION

It is not uncommon for patients hospitalized with pneumonia to experience an early relapse. Here, we investigated the factors related to pneumonia recurrence in Japan.

PURPOSE

We aimed to elucidate the factors related to early recurrence after completion of pneumonia treatment.

METHODS

We examined 696 patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and nursing and healthcare-associated pneumonia (NHCAP) who were admitted to our hospital between October 2010 and February 2018, excluding those who died during hospitalization. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the endpoint of recurrence within 30 days after the end of antibiotic treatment.

RESULTS

NHCAP, chronic lung disease and duration of antibiotic treatment were significant risk factors for recurrence of pneumonia within 30 days after antibiotic discontinuation. Aspiration pneumonia was not be a significant factor in the early recurrence of pneumonia.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term use of antimicrobials may be a risk factor in early recurrence of pneumonia.

Community-acquired pneumonia: Trends in and research on drug resistance and advances in new antibiotics

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) refers to infectious inflammation of the lung parenchyma developing outside of a hospital. CAP has quite a high mortality and morbidity rate worldwide, and especially among elderly patients. The increasing burden of CAP is due to antibiotic resistance, the growth of the elderly population, and underlying comorbidities. Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the most common bacterial pathogen causing CAP, but multi-drug resistance bacteria and potential pathogens have increased the difficulty and challenges of managing CAP. Although preventive measures, diagnostic techniques, and treatment strategies are constantly advancing and improving, the susceptibility of multi-drug resistant pathogens, such as including Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, has not improved significantly in recent decades, thus highlighting the importance and necessity of developing new antibiotics for the treatment of CAP. New antimicrobials have been approved over the past few years that will expand treatment options for CAP, and especially for patients with potential comorbidities. This situation also offers the chance to reduce the abuse of antibiotics, their toxicities, and their adverse reactions and to provide effective personalized antibiotic treatment.

Definitive and Indeterminate Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Adults with Community-acquired Pneumonia: A Prospective Observational Study

Rationale: Pneumonia due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is associated with high mortality and requires antipseudomonal treatment. Because PA can colonize the respiratory tract, the diagnosis of pathogenic PA involvement is challenging.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of definitive and indeterminate PA infection in community-acquired pneumonia, to describe the clinical and microbiological profiles, and to estimate the burden of unnecessary antipseudomonal drug prescriptions.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 2,701 patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Using stringent criteria for diagnosing PA pneumonia, we generated the following three groups: 1) definitive PA, 2) indeterminate PA, and 3) non-PA pneumonia.

Results: The prevalence of definitive PA pneumonia was 0.9% (n = 25), and that of indeterminate PA pneumonia was 4.9% (n = 131). Considerable clinical differences were observed among the groups. Patients with definitive PA pneumonia were more likely to have a history of tuberculosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/bronchiectasis and had a higher 30-day mortality (28%) than patients with non-PA pneumonia. Patients with indeterminate PA pneumonia were more likely to have comorbidities than patients with non-PA pneumonia. More than half of the patients with indeterminate PA and 25% of the patients with non-PA pneumonia were treated with an antipseudomonal drug. No patients with definitive PA pneumonia had multidrug resistance.

Conclusions: In this population, the prevalence of community-acquired pneumonia due to PA was low. The clinical features and 30-day mortality rates of patients with indeterminate PA pneumonia were different from those of patients with definitive PA pneumonia. Most of the prescribed antipseudomonal drugs for patients with community-acquired pneumonia were potentially unnecessary.

Plasma amino acid levels in individuals with bacterial pneumonia and healthy controls

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Amino acids play an important role in immune responses and as neurotransmitters. During the course of a bacterial pneumonia episode, from the onset to the recovery phase, immune responses dramatically change, as does the metabolism of amino acids, a concept referred to as immuno-nutrition. We investigated the differences in plasma amino acid levels (PAA) between the acute and recovery phases in individuals with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and healthy controls.

METHODS

Two groups of participants were recruited: Healthy adults aged over 60 years and patients hospitalized with CAP. Samples were collected on Day 0 (the day of admission) and Day 7 (after 6-8 days treatment).

RESULTS

A total of 93 healthy adults and 60 patients with CAP participated in the study. Of those with CAP, 43 had their amino acids measured on Day 7. Patients with CAP had markedly decreased PAA of 12 amino acids on Day 0. Citrulline, histidine, and tryptophan remained low in male, while aspartic acid, asparagine, ornithine, proline, and threonine were higher on Day 7 in both males and females. Phenylalanine increased at Day 0 and Day7.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that the host response against bacterial infection changed the plasma amino acid levels. PAA on Day 7 (representing convalescence) continued to display an amino acid profile distinct from that observed in healthy individuals. Based on these findings, reconsideration for providing amino acids to patients with bacterial pneumonia should be needed depending on stage of the pneumonia from the perspective of immuno-nutrition.

Cost-effectiveness analysis for PCV13 in adults 60 years and over with underlying medical conditions which put them at an elevated risk of pneumococcal disease in Japan

Background: The objective of this study was to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of PCV13 vs. PPV23 and no vaccination and PPV23 vs. no vaccination in adults aged ≥ 60 years with underlying medical conditions which put them at an elevated risk of pneumococcal disease in a Japanese healthcare setting.Research design and methods: A natural history model was developed with a life-long time horizon and 1-year cycle length, with microsimulation as a modeling technique. The expected costs from a public payer's and societal perspective, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and prevented cases and deaths caused by IPD (invasive pneumococcal disease) and NBP (non-bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia) were estimated.Results: In the base-case scenario, the cost per QALY gained from a public payer's perspective for PCV13 vs, PPV23 and no vaccination were 500,255JPY and 1,139,438JPY, respectively, The cost per QALY gained for PPV23 vs no vaccination was 1,687,057JPY. Over the life-long time horizon for 1 million patients, when compared to PPV23, PCV13 resulted in 65 fewer IPD cases, 2,894 fewer NBP cases, and 384 fewer deaths caused by pneumococcal disease.Conclusions: In adults aged 60 years and over with underlying medical conditions, PCV13 was shown to be a more cost-effective alternative to PPV23.

One-Year Quality of Life Post-Pneumonia Diagnosis in Japanese Adults

BACKGROUND

Pneumonia is a common, serious illness in the elderly, with a poorly characterized long-term impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The Japanese Goto Epidemiology Study is a prospective, active, population-based surveillance study of adults with X-ray/CT scan-confirmed community-onset pneumonia, assessing the HRQoL outcome quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). We report QALY scores and losses among a subset of participants in this study.

METHODS

QALYs were derived from responses to the Japanese version of the EuroQol-5D-5L health-state classification instrument at days 0, 7, 15, 30, 90, 180, and 365 after pneumonia diagnosis from participants enrolled from June 2017 to May 2018. We used patients as their own controls, calculating comparison QALYs by extrapolating EuroQol-5D-5L scores for day -30, accounting for mortality and changes in scores with age.

RESULTS

Of 405 participants, 85% were aged ≥65 years, 58% were male, and 69% were hospitalized for clinically and radiologically confirmed pneumonia. Compliance with interviews by patients or proxies was 100%. Adjusted EuroQol-5D-5L scores were 0.759, 0.561, 0.702, and 0.689 at days -30, 0 (diagnosis), 180, and 365, respectively. Average scores at all time points remained below the average day -30 scores (P ≤ .001). Pneumonia resulted in a 1-year adjusted loss of 0.13 QALYs (~47.5 quality-adjusted days) (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Substantial QALY losses were observed among Japanese adults following pneumonia diagnosis, and scores had not returned to prediagnosis levels at 1 year postdiagnosis. QALY scores and cumulative losses were comparable to those in US adults with chronic heart failure, stroke, or renal failure.

The epidemiologic and biologic basis for classifying older age as a high-risk, immunocompromising condition for pneumococcal vaccine policy

INTRODUCTION

Immunosenescence is a normal biologic process involving deterioration of protective immune responses. Consequently, older adults experience increased risk of infectious diseases, particularly pneumonia, and its leading bacterial cause, Streptococcus pneumoniae. Pneumococcal vaccine recommendations are often limited to adults with specific medical conditions despite similar disease risks among older adults due to immunosenescence.

AREAS COVERED

This article reviews epidemiologic, biologic, and clinical evidence supporting the consideration of older age due to immunosenescence as an immunocompromising condition for the purpose of pneumococcal vaccine policy and the role vaccination can play in healthy aging.

EXPERT OPINION

Epidemiologic and biologic evidence suggest that pneumococcal disease risk increases with age and is comparable for healthy older adults and younger adults with immunocompromising conditions. Because immunocompromising conditions are already indicated for pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), a comprehensive public health strategy would also recognize immunosenescence. Moreover, older persons should be vaccinated before reaching the highest risk ages, consistent with the approach for other immunocompromising conditions. To facilitate PCV use among older adults, vaccine technical committees (VTCs) could classify older age as an immunocompromising condition based on the process of immunosenescence. With global aging, VTCs will need to consider immunosenescence and vaccine use during healthy aging.

Risk factors for non-cancer death after surgery in patients with stage I non-small-cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVES

With improvements in the outcome of treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), other diseases may account for a high death rate after surgery in patients with stage I NSCLC. In the present study, we analysed the associations between the clinical factors and non-cancer death after surgery in these patients.

METHODS

The records of 514 patients with stage I NSCLC who underwent surgery were retrospectively reviewed; a proportional hazards model for the subdistribution of a competing risk was conducted to define the risk factors for non-cancer death.

RESULTS

The mean patient age was 67 years. A total of 367 patients (71%) underwent bilobectomy or lobectomy while 147 (29%) underwent sublobar resection. The pathological stage was IA in 386 (75%) and IB in 128 (25%) patients. Three patients (0.6%) died within 90 days after surgery, and 108 (21%) experienced postoperative complications. Until the time of writing this report, 83 patients had died during the follow-up. The cause of death was primary lung cancer in 38 (46%) patients and other diseases in 45 (54%) patients, including non-cancer causes in 29 patients, such as pneumonia, cardiac death and cerebral stroke. According to a multivariable competing risk analysis for non-cancer death age (≥70 years), sex (male), body mass index (BMI <18.5), postoperative complications and % forced expiratory volume in 1 s (<80) were identified as risk factors for postoperative non-cancer death.

CONCLUSIONS

Advanced age (≥70 years), male sex, low BMI (<18.5), postoperative complications and low preoperative % forced expiratory volume in 1 s (<80) were found to be the risk factors for postoperative non-cancer death after surgery in patients with stage I NSCLC.

Effectiveness of 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine against Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Adults, Japan, 2013-2017

The decline in the proportion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)–covered serotypes among adult invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) patients might change the overall effectiveness of the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) because its effectiveness differs according to serotype. Using the indirect cohort method, we calculated the effectiveness of PPSV23 against IPD among adults in Japan to assess the impact of the national pediatric PCV program. Clinical and epidemiologic information and pneumococcal isolates were collected from IPD patients >20 years of age through enhanced IPD surveillance during April 2013–December 2017. Adjusted effectiveness against PPSV23-serotype IPD was 42.2%. Despite a substantial decline in the proportion of 13-valent PCV serotypes during the study period (45% to 31%), the change in effectiveness for PPSV23-serotype IPD was limited (47.1% to 39.3%) and only marginal in the elderly population (39.9% to 39.4%). The pediatric PCV program had limited impact on PPSV23 effectiveness against IPD in adults.

Social capital and pneumococcal vaccination (PPSV23) in community-dwelling older Japanese: a JAGES multilevel cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

Inequalities exist between the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination (PPSV23) rate in each municipality among Japanese older adults. Exploring individual-level and community-level intervenable factors is necessary to improve the vaccination rates. We examined the associations between community-level and individual-level social capital and the PPSV23 vaccination among older Japanese adults using multilevel Poisson regression analyses.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

We used data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, conducted between 3 October 2016 and 10 January 2017 in 631 districts, 39 municipalities and 18 prefectures.

PARTICIPANTS

The target population comprised persons aged 65 years or older who are physically and cognitively independent (that is, not certified as needing long-term care). Further, 180 021 older adults from 39 Japanese municipalities were enrolled.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE

The primary outcome was the PPSV23 vaccination among the Japanese older adults aged 65 years or older who did not have physical or cognitive disabilities.

RESULTS

After adjusting for municipality-, community-, individual-levels effects with multiple imputation, 137 075 individuals who participated in one/more of the civic participation (participation of social groups), social cohesion (social tie), or reciprocity (mutual exchange of social support) were significantly associated with more vaccinations than those without the three social capitals among the 137 075 older adults (13.0% (95% CI 11.0% to 14.9%), 5.0% (95% CI 2.4% to 7.6%) or 33.9% (95% CI23.6% to 44.2%) increase, respectively, p>0.001 for all). The rich (≥+1 SD) community-level civic participation was significantly associated with 3.4% increase [95% CI 0.02% to 6.78%, p<0.05] of the PPSV23 vaccination among the older adults compared to those with the poor or standard one.

CONCLUSIONS

Older adults with one/more of the three social capitals at the both levels received more PPSV23 vaccinations than those without those social capitals. Therefore, fostering of those social capitals may improve the inequality of the PPSV23 vaccination rate among older adults in each municipality.

Real-world effectiveness of early intervention with fixed-dose tiotropium/olodaterol vs tiotropium in Japanese patients with COPD: a high-dimensional propensity score-matched cohort analysis

Background

Escalation to triple therapy (long-acting muscarinic antagonist/β₂-agonist, inhaled corticosteroid [ICS]) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) is recommended for patients on LAMA/LABA combinations with frequent exacerbations and severe symptoms. An extended time-to-escalation to triple therapy suggests patients are in a stable condition and is an indicator of treatment effectiveness. No studies in Japanese clinical practice have compared the effectiveness of LAMA/LABA fixed-dose combination therapies with LAMA monotherapy in terms of time-to-escalation to triple therapy. The primary objective of this real-world study in Japan was to compare time-to-escalation to triple therapy among new users of tiotropium/olodaterol or tiotropium monotherapy for COPD without asthma.

Methods

In this active-comparator cohort study, new users of tiotropium/olodaterol (n = 1436) and tiotropium monotherapy (n = 5352) were identified from a large Japanese hospital-based database (Medical Data Vision Co., Ltd., Tokyo; prespecified study period: 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2019); patients in each group were matched 1:1 using high-dimensional propensity scores (hdPS). The primary outcome was time-to-escalation to triple therapy.

Results

For the prespecified study period in the hdPS-matched cohort, escalation to triple therapy was infrequent among new users of tiotropium/olodaterol (n = 1302, 7 escalation events) and tiotropium monotherapy (n = 1302, 8 escalation events). The difference in time-to-escalation to triple therapy between groups was not statistically significant (median [interquartile range]: 28 days [15.0–139.2] for tiotropium monotherapy vs 193 days [94.5–302.0] for tiotropium/olodaterol; hazard ratio: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.32–2.46). Similar findings (hazard ratio: 0.71; 95% Cl: 0.36–1.40) were observed in a post hoc analysis, which extended the study period by 1 year to 31 March 2020. Risks of first moderate and/or severe COPD exacerbation were lower for tiotropium/olodaterol than tiotropium monotherapy (between-group differences not significant). There were no significant between-group differences for the risks of all-cause inpatient mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events, and first use of home oxygen therapy.

Conclusions

ICS monotherapy or ICS/LABA added to tiotropium or tiotropium/olodaterol is limited in Japanese clinical settings. The number of escalations to triple therapy was very limited in the dataset and there was insufficient power to detect differences between the treatment groups in the primary hdPS-matched cohort.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-021-01776-y.