Greater Disease Severity and Worse Clinical Outcomes in Patients Hospitalised with COVID-19 in Africa

Background

COVID-19 cardiovascular research from Africa is limited. This study describes cardiovascular risk factors, manifestations, and outcomes of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in the African region, with an overarching goal to investigate whether important differences exist between African and other populations, which may inform health policies.

Methods

A multinational prospective cohort study was conducted on adults hospitalised with confirmed COVID-19, consecutively admitted to 40 hospitals across 23 countries, 6 of which were African countries. Of the 5,313 participants enrolled globally, 948 were from African sites (n = 9). Data on demographics, pre-existing conditions, clinical outcomes in hospital (major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), renal failure, neurological events, pulmonary outcomes, and death), 30-day vitality status and re-hospitalization were assessed, comparing African to non-African participants.

Results

Access to specialist care at African sites was significantly lower than the global average (71% vs. 95%), as were ICU admissions (19.4% vs. 34.0%) and COVID-19 vaccination rates (0.6% vs. 7.4%). The African cohort was slightly younger than the non-African cohort (55.0 vs. 57.5 years), with higher rates of hypertension (48.8% vs. 46.9%), HIV (5.9% vs. 0.3%), and Tuberculosis (3.6% vs. 0.3%). In African sites, a higher proportion of patients suffered cardiac arrest (7.5% vs. 5.1%) and acute kidney injury (12.7% vs. 7.2%), with acute kidney injury (AKI) appearing to be one of the strongest predictors of MACE and death in African populations compared to other populations. The overall mortality rate was significantly higher among African participants (18.2% vs. 14.2%).

Conclusions

Overall, hospitalised African patients with COVID-19 had a higher mortality despite a lower mean age, contradicting literature that had previously reported a lower mortality attributed to COVID-19 in Africa. African sites had lower COVID-19 vaccination rates and higher AKI rates, which were positively associated with increased mortality. In conclusion, African patients were hospitalized with more severe COVID-19 cases and had poorer outcomes.

Distinct T cell polyfunctional profile in SARS-CoV-2 seronegative children associated with endemic human coronavirus cross-reactivity

SARS-CoV-2 infection in children typically results in asymptomatic or mild disease. There is a paucity of studies on SARS-CoV-2 antiviral immunity in African children. We investigated SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses in 71 unvaccinated asymptomatic South African children who were seropositive or seronegative for SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ T cell responses were detectable in 83% of seropositive and 60% of seronegative children. Although the magnitude of the CD4+ T cell response did not differ significantly between the two groups, their functional profiles were distinct, with SARS-CoV-2 seropositive children exhibiting a higher proportion of polyfunctional T cells compared to their seronegative counterparts. The frequency of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ T cells in seronegative children was associated with the endemic human coronavirus (HCoV) HKU1 IgG response. Overall, the presence of SARS-CoV-2-responding T cells in seronegative children may result from cross-reactivity to endemic coronaviruses and could contribute to the relative protection from disease observed in SARS-CoV-2-infected children.

Barriers to Quality Perioperative Care Delivery in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Qualitative Rapid Appraisal Study

BACKGROUND

Provision of timely, safe, and affordable surgical care is an essential component of any high-quality health system. Increasingly, it is recognized that poor quality of care in the perioperative period (before, during, and after surgery) may contribute to significant excess mortality and morbidity. Therefore, improving access to surgical procedures alone will not address the disparities in surgical outcomes globally until the quality of perioperative care is addressed. We aimed to identify key barriers to quality perioperative care delivery for 3 "Bellwether" procedures (cesarean delivery, emergency laparotomy, and long-bone fracture fixation) in 5 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

METHODS

Ten hospitals representing secondary and tertiary facilities from 5 LMICs were purposefully selected: 2 upper-middle income (Colombia and South Africa); 2 lower-middle income (Sri Lanka and Tanzania); and 1 lower income (Uganda). We used a rapid appraisal design (pathway mapping, ethnography, and interviews) to map out and explore the complexities of the perioperative pathway and care delivery for the Bellwether procedures. The framework approach was used for data analysis, with triangulation across different data sources to identify barriers in the country and pattern matching to identify common barriers across the 5 LMICs.

RESULTS

We developed 25 pathway maps, undertook >30 periods of observation, and held >40 interviews with patients and clinical staff. Although the extent and impact of the barriers varied across the LMIC settings, 4 key common barriers to safe and effective perioperative care were identified: (1) the fragmented nature of the care pathways, (2) the limited human and structural resources available for the provision of care, (3) the direct and indirect costs of care for patients (even in health systems for which care is ostensibly free of charge), and (4) patients' low expectations of care.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified key barriers to effective perioperative care in LMICs. Addressing these barriers is important if LMIC health systems are to provide safe, timely, and affordable provision of the Bellwether procedures.

The prognostic significance of the 12-lead ECG in peripartum cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is an important cause of pregnancy-associated heart failure, which appears in previously healthy women towards the end of pregnancy or within five months following delivery. Although the ECG is widely used in clinical practice, its prognostic value has not been established in PPCM.

METHODS

We analysed 12-lead ECGs of patients with PPCM, taken at index presentation and follow-up visits at 6 and 12 months. Poor outcome was determined by the composite endpoint of death, readmission, NYHA functional class III/IV or left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≤35% at follow-up.

RESULTS

This cohort of 66 patients had a median age of 28.59 (IQR 25.43-32.19). The median LVEF at presentation (33%, IQR 25-40) improved significantly at follow-up (LVEF 49%, IQR 38-55, P < 0.001 at 6 months; 52% IQR 38-57, P = 0.001 at 12 months). Poor outcome occurred in 27.91% at 6 months and 41.18% at 1 year. Whereas sinus tachycardia at baseline was an independent predictor of poor outcome at 12 months (OR 6.56, 95% CI 1.17-20.41, P = 0.030), sinus arrhythmia was associated with event free survival (log rank P = 0.013). T wave inversion was associated with an LVEF ≤35% at presentation (P = 0.038), but did not predict poor outcome. A prolonged QTc interval at presentation (found in almost half of the cohort) was an independent predictor of poor outcome at 6 months (OR 6.34, 95% CI 1.06-37.80, P = 0.043).

CONCLUSION(S)

A prolonged QTc and sinus tachycardia at baseline were independent predictors of poor outcome in PPCM at 6 months and 1 year respectively.