Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2025 -- The risk for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is increased following COVID-19 , according to a study published online Jan. 13 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine . Suzanne D. Vernon, Ph.D., from the Bateman Horne Center in Salt Lake City, and colleagues estimated the incidence and prevalence of post-COVID-19 ME/CFS among adults enrolled in the Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery study. The analysis included 4,515 acute infected, enrolled within 30 days of infection or enrolled as uninfected who became infected; 7,270 post-acute infected, enrolled >30 days after infection; and 1,439 uninfected participants. The researchers found that the incidence rate of ME/CFS in participants followed from time of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection was 2.66 per 100 person-years compared with 0.93 per 100 person-years in matched uninfected participants (hazard ratio, 4.93). Overall, the proportion of participants who met criteria for ME/CFS following SARS-CoV-2 infection was 4.5 percent versus 0.6 percent in uninfected participants. The most common ME/CFS symptom in infected participants was post-exertional malaise (24.0 percent). Most post-COVID participants with ME/CFS also met criteria for long COVID (88.7 percent). "These post-pandemic prevalence rates are in contrast to pre-pandemic ME/CFS prevalence estimates, which ranged from 0.2 to 1.0 percent of people in the United States and is in line with what we found in uninfected participants," the authors write. Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Abstract/Full Text Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2025 -- Extended-course nirmatrelvir/ritonavir yields a meaningful reduction in symptoms for some patients with long COVID, but not all benefits persist, according to a case series published online Jan. 6 in Communications Medicine . Alison K. Cohen, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the University of California San Francisco, and colleagues documented a case series of 13 individuals with long COVID who initiated extended courses (more than five days; range, 7.5 to 30 days) of oral nirmatrelvir/ritonavir outside of and within (11 and two individuals, respectively) the context of an acute severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. The researchers found that some of those taking an extended course of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir outside the context of an acute infection experienced a meaningful reduction in symptoms, but not all benefits persisted. No effect on symptoms was experienced by the other individuals in this group. Due to intense stomach pain, one participant stopped taking the medication early. Both participants who took an extended course of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir within the context of an acute reinfection reported eventually returning to their pre-reinfection baseline. "These cases provide strong rationale for the ongoing study of antivirals for long COVID to determine if, when, and how they should be used in this patient population," the authors write. One author disclosed ties to Gilead Sciences and AstraZeneca. Abstract/Full Text Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 18, 2024 -- Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prefusion F (RSVpreF) vaccination is effective against RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) among adults aged 60 years or older, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in JAMA Network Open . Sara Y. Tartof, Ph.D., M.P.H., from Kaiser Permanente Southern California in Pasadena, and colleagues estimated RSVpreF vaccine effectiveness in older adults in a retrospective case-control study. Cases were adults aged 60 years or older (mean age, 76.8 years) with hospitalizations or emergency department visits for LRTD from Nov. 24, 2023, to April 9, 2024, who had respiratory swabs collected and tested for RSV. The study included 7,047 LRTD-related hospitalizations or emergency department encounters with RSV testing results. Overall, 14.2 percent were immunocompromised and 93.3 percent had one or more Charlson comorbidity. The estimated adjusted vaccine effectiveness was 91 percent using a strict control definition that included RSV-negative LRTD events that were negative for human metapneumovirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and influenza and positive for a non-vaccine-preventable cause. Estimated adjusted vaccine effectiveness was 90 percent using a broad control definition, including all RSV-negative LRTD events. "Based on our study results and RSV incidence in older adults, for approximately every 250 persons vaccinated, one RSV-related emergency department or hospitalization encounter could be prevented in the first season after vaccination," the authors write. "These data suggest use of RSVpreF in older adults, providing an opportunity to reduce severe medically attended RSV disease burden." Several authors disclosed ties to biopharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, which manufactures the RSVpreF vaccine and funded the study. Abstract/Full Text Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.