Incidence and risk factors of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection in the early Omicron variant era among vaccinated and boosted individuals in Chicago.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are safe and effective against infection and severe COVID-19 disease worldwide. Certain co-morbid conditions cause immune dysfunction and may reduce immune response to vaccination. In contrast, those with co-morbidities may practice infection prevention strategies.

Hospital variation in adoption of balanced transfusion practices among injured patients requiring blood transfusions.

Background: This study sought to measure hospital variability in adoption of balanced transfusion following the Pragmatic, Randomized Optimal Platelet and Plasma Ratios (PROPPR) guidelines. We hypothesized hospital adoption rates of balanced transfusion would be low, and vary significantly among hospitals after controlling for patient, injury and hospital characteristics.

Study Design And Methods: This was an observational cohort study of injured adult patients (≥16 years) in Trauma Quality Improvement Program hospitals 2016-2021.

Patient and Hospital Characteristics Associated with Admission Among Patients With Minor Isolated Extremity Firearm Injuries: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

Objective: To quantify the association between insurance and hospital admission following minor isolated extremity firearm injury.

Background: The association between insurance and injury admission has not been examined.

Methods: This was an observational retrospective cohort study of minor isolated extremity firearm injury captured in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient and Emergency Department Databases in 6 states (New York, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Florida, and Maryland) from 2016 to 2017 among patients aged 16 years or older.

Incidence and risk factors of omicron variant SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection among vaccinated and boosted individuals.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective against infection and severe COVID-19 disease worldwide. Certain co-morbid conditions cause immune dysfunction and may reduce immune response to vaccination. In contrast, those with co-morbidities may practice infection prevention strategies.

Morbidity and Length of Stay After Injury Among People Experiencing Homelessness in North America.

Importance: Traumatic injury is a leading cause of hospitalization among people experiencing homelessness. However, hospital course among this population is unknown.

Objective: To evaluate whether homelessness was associated with increased morbidity and length of stay (LOS) after hospitalization for traumatic injury and whether associations between homelessness and LOS were moderated by age and/or Injury Severity Score (ISS).

Emergency department use after outpatient thyroidectomy across three states.

Background: Although outpatient thyroidectomy has become common, few large-scale studies have examined post-thyroidectomy emergency department use, readmission, and encounters not resulting in readmission, known as "treat-and-release" encounters. We evaluated post-outpatient thyroidectomy emergency department use and readmission and characterized associated factors.

Methods: Using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project databases, we identified adult outpatient (same-day or <24-hour discharge) thyroidectomies performed in Florida, Maryland, and New York from 2016 to 2017.

Does Trauma Center Volume Account for the Association Between Trauma Center Verification Level and In-Hospital Mortality among Children Injured by Firearms in California?

Background: Heterogeneity in trauma center designation and injury volume offer possible explanations for inconsistencies in pediatric trauma center designation's association with lower mortality among children. We hypothesized that rigorous trauma center verification, regardless of volume, would be associated with lower firearm injury-associated mortality in children.

Study Design: This retrospective cohort study leveraged the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development patient discharge data.

Relationship Between Residents' Physiological Stress and Faculty Leadership Skills in a Department of Surgery.

Background: Leadership skills of team leaders can impact the functioning of their teams. It is unknown whether attending surgeons' leadership skills impact residents' physiological stress. This study sought to (1) assess the relationship between attending surgeons' leadership skills and residents' physiological stress and (2) to characterize lifestyle behaviors associated with resident physiological stress.

Re-triage moderates association between state trauma funding and lower mortality of trauma patients.

Background: Severely injured patients who are re-triaged (emergently transferred from an emergency department to a high-level trauma center) experience lower in-hospital mortality. Patients in states with trauma funding also experience lower in-hospital mortality. This study examines the interaction of re-triage, state trauma funding, and in-hospital mortality.

Hospital variability in adoption of alcohol and drug screening in adult trauma patients.

Background: Despite recommendations to screen all injured patients for substance use, single-center studies have reported underscreening. This study sought to determine if there was significant practice variability in adoption of alcohol and drug screening of injured patients among hospitals participating in the Trauma Quality Improvement Program.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational cross-sectional study of trauma patients 18 years or older in Trauma Quality Improvement Program 2017-2018.

Sex-Based Disparities in Timeliness of Trauma Care and Discharge Disposition.

Importance: Differences in time to diagnostic and therapeutic measures can contribute to disparities in outcomes. However, whether there is an association of timeliness by sex for trauma patients is unknown.

Objective: To investigate whether sex-based differences in time to definitive interventions exist for trauma patients in the US and whether these differences are associated with outcomes.

Characteristics and Specialist Linkage to Care of Patients Diagnosed With Chronic Hepatitis C Across Different Settings in an Urban Academic Hospital: Implications for Improving Diagnosis and Linkage to Care.

Introduction: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant public health problem. Strategies to identify more HCV infections and improve linkage to care (LTC) are needed. We compared characteristics, treatment and LTC among chronic HCV patients in different health care settings.

Patterns of repeated anal cytology results among HIV-positive and HIV-negative men who have sex with men.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at increased risk for anal cancer. In cervical cancer screening, patterns of repeated cytology results are used to identify low- and high-risk women, but little is known about these patterns for anal cytology among MSM.

Methods: We analyzed Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) data for MSM who were offered anal cytology testing annually (HIV-positive) or every 2 years (HIV-negative) for 4 years.

Changes in bone turnover markers with HIV seroconversion and ART initiation.

Background: Osteoporosis is common among HIV-infected persons and contributes to risk of fragility fracture. While ART initiation is associated with decreases in bone mineral density and increases in bone turnover, the impact of HIV on bone metabolism is unclear.

Methods: We identified men at the Chicago site of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study who HIV seroconverted while under observation.

The association of medication use with clearance or persistence of oral HPV infection.

Purpose: Persistent oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection increases risk for oropharyngeal carcinoma, and people living with HIV have higher rates of oral HPV infection and related cancers. Some prescription medications have immunomodulatory effects, but the impact of medication use on oral HPV natural history is unknown.

Methods: Scope oral rinse-and-gargle samples were collected semi-annually from 1,666 participants and tested for 37 types of oral HPV DNA using PCR; 594 HPV-infected participants with 1,358 type-specific oral HPV infections were identified.

Determining Survey Satisficing of Online Longitudinal Survey Data in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study: A Group-Based Trajectory Analysis.

Background: Survey satisficing occurs when participants respond to survey questions rapidly without carefully reading or comprehending them. Studies have demonstrated the occurrence of survey satisficing, which can degrade survey quality, particularly in longitudinal studies.

Objective: The aim of this study is to use a group-based trajectory analysis method to identify satisficers when similar survey questions were asked periodically in a long-standing cohort, and to examine factors associated with satisficing in the surveys having sensitive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related behavioral questions.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 16 E6 seropositivity is elevated in subjects with oral HPV16 infection.

Introduction: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 16 E6 serum antibodies are common in people with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers (HPV-OPC), but not the general population. We explored HPV16 seroprevalence in people with and without oral HPV16 infection, the cause of HPV-OPC.

Methods: Oral rinse samples were collected semiannually and tested for 36 types of HPV DNA by PCR.

Association of serum cytokines with oral HPV clearance.

Background: Initial studies suggest higher serum levels of some pro-inflammatory cytokines may be associated with decreased cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) clearance. However, the relationship of cytokines with oral HPV clearance has not been explored.

Methods: From 2010 to 2014, oral rinse and serum samples were collected semi-annually from 1601 adults.

Anal Cancer Screening in Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of anal cytology (ACyt) abnormalities among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men who have sex with men (MSM).

Design: Multicenter cohort study of 723 HIV-infected and 788 HIV-uninfected MSM with ACyt, with a second ACyt collected 2 years later. A referral for high-resolution anoscopy was suggested for abnormal ACyt.

High Oral Human Papillomavirus Type 16 Load Predicts Long-term Persistence in Individuals With or at Risk for HIV Infection.

The association between oral human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) DNA load and infection clearance was evaluated among 88 individuals with oral HPV16 infection who were identified within a prospective cohort of 1470 HIV-infected and uninfected individuals. Oral rinse specimens were collected semiannually for up to 5 years. The oral HPV16 load at the time of the first positive test result was significantly associated with the time to clearance of infection (continuous P trends <.

Comparison of Clinical Features, Virulence, and Relapse among Mycobacterium avium Complex Species.

Rationale: Traditionally, Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) has been composed of M. avium and M. intracellulare; however, advances in genetic sequencing have allowed discovery of several novel species.

A longitudinal study of human papillomavirus 16 L1, e6, and e7 seropositivity and oral human papillomavirus 16 infection.

Background: Individuals with human papillomavirus (HPV) infections can develop IgG antibodies to HPV proteins including the L1 capsid and E6 and E7 oncoproteins. Evidence on whether L1 antibodies reduce the risk of cervical HPV infection is mixed, but this has not been explored for oral HPV infections. Antibodies to HPV16's E6 oncoprotein have been detected in some oropharyngeal cancer cases years before cancer diagnosis, but it is unknown if these antibodies are associated with oral HPV16 DNA.