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.

[Feasibility, Reliability, and Validity of the VIG-Express Questionnaire as an Instrument for Rapid Multidimensional Geriatric Assessment: A Multicenter Study].

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility, reliability and validity of the VIG-express questionnaire.

Design: Descriptive, observational, cross-sectional and multicenter study.

Setting: Catalonia.

[MVP Risk score and new atrial fibrillation diagnosis: Prospective cohort PREFATE study].

Objective: To assess the association between electrocardiogram (ECG) patterns according to the MVP ECG risk score (morphology-voltage-P-wave duration) and a diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation (AF).

Design: Prospective observational cohort study (1/01/2023-31/12/2024). SITE: Primary care.

Protocol for a multicentre and prospective follow-up cohort study of early detection of atrial fibrillation, silent stroke and cognitive impairment in high-risk primary care patients: the PREFA-TE study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia. Future estimations suggest an increase in global burden of AF greater than 60% by 2050. Numerous studies provide growing evidence that AF is not only associated with stroke but also with cognitive impairment and dementia.

Echocardiography and Electrocardiography in Detecting Atrial Cardiomyopathy: A Promising Path to Predicting Cardioembolic Strokes and Atrial Fibrillation.

(1) Background: Atrial cardiomyopathy constitutes an intrinsically prothrombotic atrial substrate that may promote atrial fibrillation and thromboembolic events, especially stroke, independently of the arrhythmia. Atrial reservoir strain is the echocardiography marker with the most robust evidence supporting its prognostic utility. The main aim of this study is to identify atrial cardiomyopathy by investigating the association between left atrial dysfunction in echocardiography and P-wave abnormalities in the surface electrocardiogram.

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).

Analysis of Patient Safety Incidents in Primary Care Reported in an Electronic Registry Application.

Objectives: (1) To describe the epidemiology of patient safety (PS) incidents registered in an electronic notification system in primary care (PC) health centres; (2) to define a risk map; and (3) to identify the critical areas where intervention is needed.

Design: Descriptive analytical study of incidents reported from 1 January to 31 December 2018, on the TPSC Cloud™ platform (The Patient Safety Company) accessible from the corporate website (Intranet) of the regional public health service.

Setting: 24 Catalan Institute of Health PC health centres of the Tarragona region (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.

Effectiveness of New Tools to Define an Up-to-Date Patient Safety Risk Map: A Primary Care Study Protocol.

Background: Reducing incidents related to health care interventions to improve patient safety is a health policy priority. To strengthen a culture of safety, reporting incidents is essential. This study aims to define a patient safety risk map using the description and analysis of incidents within a primary care region with a prior patient safety improvement strategy organisationally developed and promoted.

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).

[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.

[Incidence and lethality of ischaemic stroke among people 60 years or older in the region of Tarragona (Spain), 2008-2011].

Introduction: Data available about the epidemiology of stroke is limited. This study investigated incidence and lethality of ischaemic stroke among the general population over 60 years in the region of Tarragona.

Patients And Methods: Population-based cohort study that included 27,204 individuals >= 60 years assigned to nine Primary Care Centers in the Tarragones county (Catalonia, Spain), who were prospectively followed between December 1st, 2008 and November 30th, 2011.

Evaluating clinical effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccination in preventing stroke: the CAPAMIS Study, 3-year follow-up.

Background: Cerebrovascular benefits using the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) are controversial. This study assessed clinical effectiveness of PPV23 in preventing ischemic stroke in people older than 60 years.

Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study involving 27,204 individuals of 60 years or older in Tarragona, Spain, who were prospectively followed from December 01, 2008, until November 30, 2011.