Evaluating Sex Differences in Pneumococcal Disease Burden and Vaccination Effectiveness in Adults: A Population-Based Study.

Background: Information concerning sex differences in pneumococcal vaccine effectiveness in adults is scarce. The main aim of this study is to compare the differences in clinical effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccination between male and female adults.

Methods: Population-based cohort study involving 1,108,634 women and 951,011 men aged ≥50years in Catalonia, Spain.

Incidence and risk factors of pneumococcal pneumonia in adults: a population-based study.

Background: Infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, mainly invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and pneumococcal pneumonia (PP), are a major public health problem worldwide. This study investigated population-based incidence and risk of PP among Catalonian persons ≥ 50 years-old with and without specific underlying conditions/comorbidities, examining the influence of single and multi-comorbidities in the risk of suffering PP.

Methods: Population-based cohort study involving 2,059,645 persons ≥ 50 years-old in Catalonia, Spain, who were retrospectively followed between 01/01/2017-31/12/2018.

[Epidemiology of pneumococcal pneumonia among middle-aged and older adults in Catalonia, 2017-2018].

Objective: To analyse population-based incidence and lethality of pneumococcal pneumonia (PP) requiring hospitalisation among Catalonian adults after universal vaccination implementation in infants.

Design: Population-based cohort study.

Setting: Primary care/hospital, Catalonia.

Evaluating clinical effectiveness and impact of anti-pneumococcal vaccination in adults after universal childhood PCV13 implementation in Catalonia, 2017-2018.

Background: At present, because of indirect effects derived from routine childhood immunisation, clinical benefits vaccinating adults with the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPsV23) and/or the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) are uncertain. This study investigated clinical effectiveness for both PPsV23/PCV13 in preventing pneumonia among Catalonian adults during an earlier 2-year period post-PCV13 free (publicly funded) approval for infants.

Methods: We conducted a Population-based cohort study involving 2,059,645 adults ≥ 50 years in Catalonia, Spain, who were followed between 01/01/2017-31/12/2018.

Susceptibility and risk of SARS-COV-2 infection among middle-aged and older adults in Tarragona area, Spain.

Objective: To analyse susceptibility/risk of suffering COVID-19 among adults with distinct underlying medical conditions.

Methods: Population-based cohort study involving 79,083 individuals ≥50 years old in Tarragona (Southern Catalonia, Spain). Baseline cohort characteristics (demographic, pre-existing comorbidities, chronic medications and vaccinations history) were established at study start (01/03/2020) and primary outcome was laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 occurred among cohort members throughout 01/03/2020-30/06/2020.

COVID19-related and all-cause mortality risk among middle-aged and older adults across the first epidemic wave of SARS-COV-2 infection: a population-based cohort stuJune 2020.dy in Southern Catalonia, Spain, March-.

Background: Direct and indirect COVID19-related mortality is uncertain. This study investigated all-cause and COVID19-related deaths among middle-aged and older adults during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic period, assessing mortality risks by pre-existing socio-demographic and medical underlying conditions.

Methods: Population-based cohort study involving 79,083 individuals ≥50 years-old in Tarragona (Southern Catalonia, Spain).

[Treatment setting, symptomatology, clinical course, severity degree and case-fatality rate in 536 adults over 50 years with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in Tarragona, Spain, March-June 2020.].

Objective: Population-based clinical data on COVID-19 is scarce. This study analyzed distinct clinical characteristics of COVID-19 and relationships with lethality among adults.

Methods: Retrospective cohort that included all population ≥50 years with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in Tarragona, Spain, during 01/03/2020-30/06/2020.

Development of a predictive prognostic rule for early assessment of COVID-19 patients in primary care settings.

Objective: To investigate possible early prognostic factors among middle-aged and older adult and explore prognostic rules stratifying risk of patients.

Design: Community-based retrospective cohort.

Setting: Primary Health Care Tarragona region.

Susceptibility and risk of SARS-COV-2 infection among middle-aged and older adults in Tarragona area, Spain.

Objective: To analyse susceptibility/risk of suffering COVID-19 among adults with distinct underlying medical conditions.

Methods: Population-based cohort study involving 79,083 individuals ≥50 years old in Tarragona (Southern Catalonia, Spain). Baseline cohort characteristics (demographic, pre-existing comorbidities, chronic medications and vaccinations history) were established at study start (01/03/2020) and primary outcome was laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 occurred among cohort members throughout 01/03/2020-30/06/2020.

Influence of prior comorbidities and chronic medications use on the risk of COVID-19 in adults: a population-based cohort study in Tarragona, Spain.

Objective: To investigate possible relationships between pre-existing medical conditions (including common comorbidities and chronic medications) and risk for suffering COVID-19 disease in middle-aged and older adults.

Design: Population-based retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Twelve primary care centres (PCCs) in Tarragona (Spain).

Use of distinct anti-hypertensive drugs and risk for COVID-19 among hypertensive people: A population-based cohort study in Southern Catalonia, Spain.

The use of some anti-hypertensive drugs in the current COVID-19 pandemic has become controversial. This study investigated possible relationships between anti-hypertensive medications use and COVID-19 infection risk in the ambulatory hypertensive population. This is a population-based retrospective cohort study involving 34 936 hypertensive adults >50 years in Tarragona (Southern Catalonia, Spain) who were retrospectively followed through pandemic period (from 01/03/2020 to 30/04/2020).

[Evaluation of incidence and risk profile for suffering Covid-19 infection by underlying conditions among middle-aged and older adults in Tarragona.].

Objective: Population-based data on the current Covid-19 pandemic is scarce. This study investigated incidence and risk to suffer Covid-19 by baseline underlying conditions in people ≥50 years in Tarragona region across march-april 2020.

Methods: Population-based retrospective cohort study involving 79,071 adults ≥50 years-old in Tarragona region (Southern Catalonia, Spain).

Clinical effectiveness of 13-valent and 23-valent pneumococcal vaccination in middle-aged and older adults: The EPIVAC cohort study, 2015-2016.

Background: Clinical benefits using the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPsV23) or the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in adults are controversial. This study investigated clinical effectiveness for both PPsV23 and PCV13 in preventing pneumonia among middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: Population-based cohort study involving 2,025,730 persons ≥50 years in Catalonia, Spain, who were prospectively followed between 01/01/2015 and 31/12/2016.

Pneumococcal vaccination coverages by age, sex and specific underlying risk conditions among middle-aged and older adults in Catalonia, Spain, 2017.

BackgroundRecent published data on pneumococcal vaccination coverages among adults are scarce.AimTo update on pneumococcal vaccination uptakes among middle-aged and older adults in Catalonia.MethodsWe conducted a population-based retrospective observational study including 2,057,656 individuals ≥ 50 years old assigned to primary care centres managed by the Catalonian Health Institute on 1 January 2017 (date of data collection).

[Population-based incidence of hospitalised pneumococcal pneumonia in adults with distinct baseline risk strata in Catalonia throughout 2015, the EPIVAC study.].

Objective: Pneumococcal pneumonia is a major public health problem, especially in high risk population and older adults. This study assessed the epidemiology of pneumococcal pneumonia requiring hospitalisation among adults in Catalonia.

Methods: This is a population-based cohort study, including all individual ≥50 years-old assigned to the Institut Catala de la Salut (Catalonia, Spain), who were prospectively followed from 01/01/2015 to 31/12/2015.

[Epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease in Tarragona, Spain, 2012-2015: incidence, lethality and serotype-coverage for distinct antipneumococcal vaccine formulations].

Objective: Nowadays, after licensure of the second generation new pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV10/PCV13). The epidemiology of the pneumococcal disease must be re-evaluated. The present study described incidence, lethality and serotype distribution of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in the general population of Tarragona's region (Spain) after licensure of these vaccines.

Incidence and mortality of myocardial infarction among Catalonian older adults with and without underlying risk conditions: The CAPAMIS study.

Background: Population-based data about the epidemiology of acute myocardial infarction is limited. This study investigated incidence and mortality of acute myocardial infarction in older adults with specific underlying chronic conditions and evaluated the influence of these conditions in developing acute myocardial infarction.

Design And Methods: This was a population-based cohort study involving 27,204 individuals ≥ 60 years of age in Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain).

Evaluating clinical effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination against pneumonia among middle-aged and older adults in Catalonia: results from the EPIVAC cohort study.

Background: Benefits using the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in adults are controversial. This study investigated clinical effectiveness of PCV13 vaccination in preventing hospitalisation from pneumonia among middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: Population-based cohort study involving 2,025,730 individuals ≥50 years in Catalonia, Spain, who were prospectively followed from 01/01/2015 to 31/12/2015.

[Antipneumococcal vaccination in Catalonian adults: Vaccine coverages and adequacy to distinct guideline recommendations].

Objectives: To know antipneumococcal vaccination coverages among Catalonian adults and evaluate the adequacy of vaccine use according to 3 distinct current vaccination guidelines.

Design: Population-based cross-sectional study.

Setting: Primary Health Care.

[Estimates of Target Population for Pneumococcal Vaccination in People over 50 years in Catalonia and Spain].

Objective: Published data about prevalence of distinct risk condictions for pneumococcal disease is scarce. This study investigated the prevalence of distinct risk conditions for pneumococal disease in Catalonian adults and stimated the potential size of target population for pneumococcal vaccination in Catalonia and Spain.

Methods: Cross-sectional population-based study that included 2,033,465 individuals older than 49 years-old assigned to the Catalonian Health Institute (Catalonia, Spain) at 01/01/2015.

[Pneumococcal disease in adults: Risk levels and vaccine recommendations].

There are currently two anti-pneumococcal vaccines available for use in adults: the classical 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine (PPV23) and the new 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13). The main advantage of the PCV13 is the potentially better immunogenicity, with its major disadvantages being the higher cost and the lower serotype-coverage than the PPV23. The currently available scientific evidence supports the following basic recommendations: (i)among adults with greatest risk (basically asplenia and immunocompromised), a dual vaccination (PCV13+PPV23) is recommended; (ii)among adults with increased risk (basically persons >65years-old and patients 15-64years with chronic pulmonary or heart disease, diabetes and/or alcoholism), a single vaccination with PPV23 is recommended (single dose in primo-vaccinated >65years; re-vaccination at 5-10years in those primo-vaccinated <65years-old); and (iii) in the rest of adults (risk normal/low) vaccination is not recommended.

Pneumococcal vaccination coverages among low-, intermediate-, and high-risk adults in Catalonia.

There is scarce data about pneumococcal vaccination coverages among adults in recent years. We investigated current pneumococcal vaccination coverages in Catalonia, Spain, with a cross-sectional population-based study including 2,033,465 individuals aged 50 y or older assigned to the Catalonian Health Institute at 01/01/2015 (date of survey). A previously validated institutional research clinical Database was used to classify study subjects by their vaccination status for both 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), to identify comorbidities and underlying conditions, and establish the risk stratum of each individual: High risk stratum: functional or anatomic asplenia, cochlear implants, CSF leaks, or immunocompromising conditions; medium risk stratum: immunocompetent persons with history of chronic cardiac or respiratory disease, liver disease, diabetes mellitus, alcoholism and/or smoking; low risk stratum: persons without high or medium risk conditions.