The Impact of Obesity and Diabetes on the Risk of Disease and Death due to Invasive Group A Streptococcus Infections in Adults.

Background: Invasive group A Streptococcus (iGAS) infections cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. We analyzed whether obesity and diabetes were associated with iGAS infections and worse outcomes among an adult US population.

Methods: We determined the incidence of iGAS infections using 2010-2012 cases in adults aged ≥ 18 years from Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs), a population-based surveillance system, as the numerator.

Antiviral treatment among older adults hospitalized with influenza, 2006-2012.

Objective: To describe antiviral use among older, hospitalized adults during six influenza seasons (2006-2012) in Davidson County, Tennessee, USA.

Methods: Among adults ≥50 years old hospitalized with symptoms of respiratory illness or non-localizing fever, we collected information on provider-initiated influenza testing and nasal/throat swabs for influenza by RT-PCR in a research laboratory, and calculated the proportion treated with antivirals.

Results: We enrolled 1753 adults hospitalized with acute respiratory illness.

Complications among adults hospitalized with influenza: a comparison of seasonal influenza and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.

Background: Persons with influenza can develop complications that result in hospitalization and death. These are most commonly respiratory related, but cardiovascular or neurologic complications or exacerbations of underlying chronic medical conditions may also occur. Patterns of complications observed during pandemics may differ from typical influenza seasons, and characterizing variations in influenza-related complications can provide a better understanding of the impact of pandemics and guide appropriate clinical management and planning for the future.

Estimating the probability of IQ impairment from blood phenylalanine for phenylketonuria patients: a hierarchical meta-analysis.

Though the control of blood phenylalanine (Phe) levels is essential for minimizing impairment in individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU), the empirical basis for the selection of specific blood Phe levels as targets has not been evaluated. We evaluated the current evidence that particular Phe levels are optimal for minimizing or avoiding cognitive impairment in individuals with PKU. This work uses meta-estimates of blood Phe-IQ correlation to predict the probability of low IQ for a range of Phe levels.