Dengue among immunocompromised patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Although there is a rising trend in both dengue cases and immunocompromised conditions, there is limited research on how common severe dengue is in immunocompromised individuals. This data is key for those advising the ever-increasing numbers of immunocompromised travellers.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting dengue frequency or outcomes in immunocompromised populations.

Machine Learning Accurately Predicts Need for Critical Care Support in Patients Admitted to Hospital for Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

Objectives: Hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients are admitted for ventilation, vasopressors, and renal replacement therapy (RRT). This study aimed to develop a machine learning (ML) model that predicts the need for such interventions and compare its accuracy to that of logistic regression (LR).

Design: This retrospective observational study trained separate models using random-forest classifier (RFC), support vector machines (SVMs), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and multilayer perceptron (MLP) to predict three endpoints: eventual use of invasive ventilation, vasopressors, and RRT during hospitalization.

Neurological adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination among Canadians referred to the special immunization clinic network.

Neurological adverse events have been reported rarely following COVID-19 vaccination. This study describes the characteristics of adolescents and adults assessed in the Canadian Special Immunization Clinic (SIC) Network for neurological adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) and outcomes of revaccination. Among 60 participants enrolled from January 2021 to February 2023, paresthesia/anesthesia was the most common diagnosis (15/60; 25.

Patient-reported outcomes with subcutaneous immunoglobulin in secondary immunodeficiency.

Subcutaneous (SCIG) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) replacement are both used to prevent infections in patients with secondary immunodeficiency (SID). Compared with IVIG, SCIG has fewer systemic side effects and, additionally, facilitates home-based treatment. Shared decision-making practice should include discussion of aspects such as patient preference as well as the associated risks and benefits of treatment.

Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to COVID-19 vaccines up to 6 months post three-dose primary series in adults with inborn errors of immunity and their breakthrough infections.

Purpose: Many individuals with inborn errors of immunity (IEIs) have poor humoral immune (HI) vaccine responses. Only a few studies have examined specific cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in this population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine HI and CMI responses up to 6 months post-COVID-19 vaccine dose 3 in adults with IEIs.

Community versus academic hospital community-acquired pneumonia patients: a nested cohort study.

Background: Most Canadians receive their care in community hospitals, yet most clinical research is conducted in academic hospitals. This study aims to compare patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) treated in academic and community hospitals with respect to their demographics, clinical characteristics, treatments and outcomes.

Methods: This nested observational cohort substudy of the Community Acquired Pneumonia: Toward InnoVAtive Treatment (CAPTIVATE) trial included 1,329 hospitalized adults with CAP recruited between March 1st, 2018 and September 31st, 2023 from 15 Canadian hospitals.

Revaccination outcomes among adolescents and adults with suspected hypersensitivity reactions following COVID-19 vaccination: A Canadian immunization research network study.

Background: COVID-19 vaccination has been associated with anaphylaxis and hypersensitivity reactions. Infectious disease physicians and allergists in the Canadian Special Immunization Clinic (SIC) Network developed guidance for evaluating patients with adverse events following immunization (AEFI) including suspected hypersensitivity. This study evaluated management and adverse event recurrence following subsequent COVID-19 vaccinations.

Answer to the Photo Quiz: Were those hyphae or pseudohyphae in blood culture?

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Canadian Consensus Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Autoimmune Encephalitis in Adults.

Autoimmune encephalitis is increasingly recognized as a neurologic cause of acute mental status changes with similar prevalence to infectious encephalitis. Despite rising awareness, approaches to diagnosis remain inconsistent and evidence for optimal treatment is limited. The following Canadian guidelines represent a consensus and evidence (where available) based approach to both the diagnosis and treatment of adult patients with autoimmune encephalitis.

Clinical outcomes of immunoglobulin treatment for patients with secondary antibody deficiency: Data from the Ontario immunoglobulin treatment case registry.

Background: Despite the increasing number of cases of secondary antibody deficiency (SAD) and immunoglobulin (Ig) utilization, there is a paucity of data in the literature on clinical and patient-reported outcomes in this population.

Objective: To describe immunoglobulin utilization patterns, clinical and patient-reported outcomes in patients with SAD on immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT).

Methods: A cross-sectional study of patients with secondary antibody deficiency enrolled in the Ontario Immunoglobulin Treatment (ONIT) Case Registry from June 2020 to September 2022 was completed.

Concurrence of familial Mediterranean fever and Behçet's disease: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Familial Mediterranean fever and Behçet's disease are distinct disorders that are prevalent in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern populations. They are characterized by unprovoked inflammatory episodes caused by overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines. Although reported previously, the overlapping presentation of familial Mediterranean fever and Behçet's disease remains uncommon.

Complexity in clinical diagnoses of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is a clinical syndrome with various causes. It is not uncommon that COPD patients presenting with dyspnea have multiple causes for their symptoms including AECOPD, pneumonia, or congestive heart failure occurring concurrently.

Methods: To identify clinical, radiographic, and laboratory characteristics that might help distinguish AECOPD from another dominant disease in patients with a history of COPD, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized patients with admitting diagnosis of AECOPD who were screened for a prospective randomized controlled trial from Sep 2016 to Mar 2018.

Monoclonal antibodies as COVID-19 prophylaxis therapy in immunocompromised patient populations.

Objectives: The objective of this review was to examine the latest literature regarding the effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies as COVID-19 prophylaxis therapy for immunocompromised patient populations.

Methods: Literature review of published real-world and randomized control trials (RCTs) from 2020 to May 2023.

Results: COVID-19 is highly transmissible with potentially serious health outcomes, underscoring the need for effective prevention and treatment strategies.

Simultaneous engineering of natural killer cells for CAR transgenesis and CRISPR-Cas9 knockout using retroviral particles.

Natural killer (NK) cells are potent cytotoxic innate lymphocytes that can be used for cancer immunotherapy. Since the balance of signals from activating and inhibitory receptors determines the activity of NK cells, their anti-tumor activity can be potentiated by overexpressing activating receptors or knocking out inhibitory receptors via genome engineering, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) transgenesis and CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene editing, respectively. Here, we report the development of a one-step strategy for CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene knockout and CAR transgenesis in NK cells using retroviral particles.

Levels of immunoglobulin isotypes in serum and respiratory samples of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory respiratory disorder characterised by the progressive worsening of lung function. Acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) is a leading contributor to patient morbidity, mortality and hospitalisations. The clinical significance of immunoglobulin (Ig) levels in COPD patients is not well established and is in need of further investigation.

Cutaquig Is Well Tolerated in Immunodeficient Patients Who Did Not Tolerate Other Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin Products.

Objective: Subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) treatment is generally tolerable, but some patients may experience adverse events to one or more SCIG products. We investigated whether 16.5% Cutaquig treatment offered a tolerable and safe alternative treatment for immunodeficient patients.

Pulmonary sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection and factors associated with persistent abnormal lung function at six months after infection: Prospective cohort study.

Background: Information on the long-term pulmonary sequelae following SARS-CoV-2 infection is limited.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of hospitalized and non-hospitalized adult patients age >18 with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection by RT-PCR three months prior to enrolment between June and December 2020. Participants underwent full pulmonary function test (PFT), cardiopulmonary exercise testing at 3 months and 6 months.

Duration of prednisone treatment before development of pneumonia in patients with vasculitis: A case series.

Background: Optimal timing for pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis among patients with vasculitis is not clear. We set out to characterize the clinical presentation and duration of prednisone use before the development of PCP among these patients.

Methods: All patients with PCP at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) between 2006 and 2017 were identified.