Use of medications on the elderly

The elderly constitute a growing world population group, with more than 200 million people over 60 years of age. This fact has increased the detection of chronic-degenerative diseases, as well as the prescription and consumption of medicines. The elderly are particularly susceptible to adverse drug events or interactions with other drugs due to their physiological changes, genetic predisposition and environmental exposure. It becomes necessary to adapt the health systems with integral and multidisciplinary approaches suitable to this demographic change, as the knowledge about appropriate prescription, clinical pharmacology and medication use in the elderly has become essential. It has been shown that about two thirds of elderly patients receive inappropriate drug doses, and a substantial percentage of their hospital admissions are associated with potentially preventable toxic effects of drugs. To date, expert criteria, error detection tools and educational prescription plans have been developed by expert consensus for the safe use of drugs in the geriatric population. The objective of this study is a brief review of the principal physiological changes in an older adult, and summarize the contributions of the consensuses on prescription.

Étude de l’impact de la prise de médicaments dans le traitement de l’arthrite juvénile sur les événements néfastes à l’accouchement chez la mère et son bébé

La plupart des femmes ayant été atteintes d’arthrite juvénile idiopathique (AJI) continuent de souffrir d’arthrite à l’âge adulte. Certains des médicaments utilisés dans le traitement de l’arthrite tels que les corticostéroïdes et les antiinflammatoires non stéroïdiens (AINS) ne sont pas recommandés durant la grossesse. Le but de ce mémoire est d’estimer l’impact de la prise de ces médicaments sur les événements néfastes à l’accouchement chez ces femmes et leur bébé. Des données administratives sur les prescriptions de médicaments et les hospitalisations d’une cohorte de 1756 femmes ayant souffert d’AJI sont utilisées. Elles ont permis de reconstruire l’historique de consommation de médicaments contre l’arthrite chez les femmes durant la grossesse et l’année précédente. Pour ce faire, deux sous-cohortes de femmes ayant souffert d’AJI ont été formées : une pour la période grossesse et une autre pour la grossesse et l’année précédant celle-ci. Les événements d’intérêt étaient : malformations congénitales, complications néonatales, complications maternelles et petit poids pour l’âge gestationnel. Les proportions de cas présentant l’un de ces événements variaient entre 11,52% et 37,08%. Les médicaments ont été modélisés en terme d’utilisation ou de durée totale de consommation durant la période d’étude. Pour chaque événement, des modèles logistiques ont été estimés pour mesurer l’association entre la prise de médicaments et l’événement, en ajustant pour des variables de confusion potentielles : hypertension avant la grossesse, âge à l’accouchement et obtention du diplôme de secondaire. La consommation de corticostéroïdes semble augmenter statistiquement significativement le risque de présenter des malformations congénitales mais n’avoir aucun impact sur les autres événements. Aucun lien statistiquement significatif n’a été observé entre la consommation de AINS et les événements d’intérêt.

Learning data-driven models of non-verbal behaviors for building rapport using an intelligent virtual agent

There is a growing societal need to address the increasing prevalence of behavioral health issues, such as obesity, alcohol or drug use, and general lack of treatment adherence for a variety of health problems. The statistics, worldwide and in the USA, are daunting. Excessive alcohol use is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States (with 79,000 deaths annually), and is responsible for a wide range of health and social problems. On the positive side though, these behavioral health issues (and associated possible diseases) can often be prevented with relatively simple lifestyle changes, such as losing weight with a diet and/or physical exercise, or learning how to reduce alcohol consumption. Medicine has therefore started to move toward finding ways of preventively promoting wellness, rather than solely treating already established illness.^ Evidence-based patient-centered Brief Motivational Interviewing (BMI) interventions have been found particularly effective in helping people find intrinsic motivation to change problem behaviors after short counseling sessions, and to maintain healthy lifestyles over the long-term. Lack of locally available personnel well-trained in BMI, however, often limits access to successful interventions for people in need. To fill this accessibility gap, Computer-Based Interventions (CBIs) have started to emerge. Success of the CBIs, however, critically relies on insuring engagement and retention of CBI users so that they remain motivated to use these systems and come back to use them over the long term as necessary.^ Because of their text-only interfaces, current CBIs can therefore only express limited empathy and rapport, which are the most important factors of health interventions. Fortunately, in the last decade, computer science research has progressed in the design of simulated human characters with anthropomorphic communicative abilities. Virtual characters interact using humans’ innate communication modalities, such as facial expressions, body language, speech, and natural language understanding. By advancing research in Artificial Intelligence (AI), we can improve the ability of artificial agents to help us solve CBI problems.^ To facilitate successful communication and social interaction between artificial agents and human partners, it is essential that aspects of human social behavior, especially empathy and rapport, be considered when designing human-computer interfaces. Hence, the goal of the present dissertation is to provide a computational model of rapport to enhance an artificial agent’s social behavior, and to provide an experimental tool for the psychological theories shaping the model. Parts of this thesis were already published in [LYL+12, AYL12, AL13, ALYR13, LAYR13, YALR13, ALY14].^

Étude de l’impact de la prise de médicaments dans le traitement de l’arthrite juvénile sur les événements néfastes à l’accouchement chez la mère et son bébé

L'obtention des données a été subventionnée par CIORA (Canadian Initiative for Outcomes in Rheumatology Care). CIORA a aussi financé l'analyse des données effectuées par Justine Zehr. L'Initiative Canadienne Pour Des Resultats En Soins Rhumatologiques (ICORA) a financé l'obtention des données et une partie de l'analyse statistique présentée dans ce mémoire.

Economic evaluations of clinical pharmacy services in Ireland, 2007-2015

Introduction The concept of this thesis was driven by stagnation within the Irish healthcare system. Multiple reports from pharmacy organisations had outlined possible future directions for the profession but progress was minimal, especially in comparison with other countries. The author’s directive was to evaluate the economic impact of a series of clinical pharmacy services (CPS) in hospital and community settings. Methods A systematic review of economic evaluations of clinical pharmacy services in hospital patients was undertaken to gain insight into recent research in the field. Eligible studies were evaluated using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS), to establish the quality, consistency and transparency of relevant research. A retrospective analysis of an internal hospital pharmacy interventions database was conducted. A method first described by Nesbit et al. was implemented to estimate the level of cost avoidance achieved. A cost-effectiveness analysis based on data from a randomised controlled trial of a pharmacist-supervised patient self-testing (PST) of warfarin therapy is presented. Outcome measure was the incremental cost associated with six months of intervention management. A similar cost-effectiveness analysis based on previously published RCT data was used to evaluate a novel structured pharmacist review of medication in older hospitalised patients. Cost-effectiveness analysis was presented in the form of an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). An ICER is an additional cost per unit effect, in the case of this study, the cost of preventing an additional non-trivial ADR in hospital. A method described by Preaud et al. was adapted to estimate the clinical and economic benefit gained from vaccination of patients by a community pharmacist in Ireland in 2013/14. Sample demographic data was obtained from a national chain of community pharmacies and applied to overall national vaccination data. Results Systematic review identified twenty studies which were eligible for inclusion. Overall, pharmacist interventions had a positive impact on hospital budgets. Only three studies (15%) were deemed to be “good-quality” studies. No ‘novel’ clinical pharmacist intervention was identified during the course of this review. Analysis of internal hospital database identified 4,257 interventions documented on 2,147 individual patients over a 12 month period. Substantial cost avoidance of €710,000 was generated over a 1 year period from the perspective of the health care provider. Mean cost avoidance of €166 per intervention was generated. The cost of providing these interventions was €82,000. Substantial net cost-benefits of €626,279 and a cost-benefit ratio of 8.64 : 1 were generated based on this evaluation of pharmacist interventions. Results from an evaluation of a novel pharmacist-led form of warfarin management indicated indicated that on a per patient basis, PST was slightly more expensive than established anticoagulant management. On a per patient basis over a six month period, PST resulted in an incremental cost of €59.08 in comparison with routine care. Overall cost of managing a patient through pharmacist-supervised PST for a six month period is €226.45. However, for this increase in cost a clinically significant improvement in care was provided. Patients achieved a significantly higher time in therapeutic range during the PST arm in comparison with routine care, (72 ± 19.7% vs 59 ± 13.5%). Difference in overall cost was minimal and PST was the dominant strategy in some scenarios examined during sensitivity analysis. Structured pharmacist review of medication was determined to be dominant in comparison to usual pharmaceutical care. Even if the healthcare payer was unwilling to pay any money for the prevention of an ADR, the intervention strategy is still likely to be cost-effective (probability of being determined cost-effective = 0.707). Implementation of pharmacist-led influenza vaccination has resulted in substantial clinical and economic benefits to the healthcare system. The majority of patients (64.9%) who availed of this service had identifiable influenza-related risk factors. Of patients with influenza-related risk factors, age ≥65 year was the most commonly cited risk factor. Pharmacist vaccination services averted a total of 848 influenza cases across all age groups during the 2013/2014 influenza season. Due to receipt of vaccination in a pharmacy setting, 444 influenza-related GP visits were prevented. In terms of more serious influenza-associated events, 11 hospitalisations and five influenza-related deaths were averted. Costs averted were approximately €305,000. These were principally wider societal-related costs associated with lost productivity. Conclusion Overall, clinical pharmacy services are adding value to the Irish healthcare system in both hospital and community settings, but provision of additional funding for new services would enable them to offer a great deal more.

The Burden of Injury in Iowa, December 2008

Injuries are a major public health concern that affects the lives of all Iowans, regardless of age, race, gender, or size of county. Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for Iowans between the ages of 1 and 34, while suicides and/or homicides also rank among the top 5 leading causes of death for Iowans between the ages of 1 and 54. Unintentional injury is the 5th leading cause of death for all Iowans, with over 1,500 injury deaths occurring on average each year (from 2002‐ 2006) in Iowa. Injuries also lead to more than 17,000 hospitalizations in Iowa each year and more than 250,000 emergency department (ED) visits. Further, untold numbers of Iowans do not seek medical care for many of the injuries they may incur. Because injuries are preventable, they lead to unnecessary medical costs, economic losses, reduced productivity, and immense physical and emotional strain.

New prophylactic and therapeutic treatments to combat pathogenic Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli

Bacterial diarrhoeal diseases have significant influence on global human health, and are a leading cause of preventable death in the developing world. Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), pathogenic strains of E. coli that carry potent toxins, have been associated with a high number of large-scale outbreaks caused by contaminated food and water sources. This pathotype produces diarrhoea and haemorrhagic colitis in infected humans, and in some patients leads to the development of haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can result in mortality and chronic kidney disease. A major obstacle to the treatment of EHEC infections is the increased risk of HUS development that is associated with antibiotic treatment, and rehydration and renal support are often the only options available. New treatments designed to prevent or clear E. coli infections and reduce symptoms of illness would therefore have large public health and economic impacts. The three main aims of this thesis were: to explore mouse models for pre-clinical evaluation in vivo of small compounds that inhibit a major EHEC colonisation factor, to assess the production and role of two proteins considered promising candidates for a broad-spectrum vaccine against pathogenic E. coli, and to investigate a novel compound that has recently been identified as a potential inhibitor of EHEC toxin production. As EHEC cannot be safely tested in humans due to the risk of HUS development, appropriate small animal models are required for in vivo testing of new drugs. A number of different mouse models have been developed to replicate different features of EHEC pathogenesis, several of which we investigated with a focus on colonisation mediated by the Type III Secretion System (T3SS), a needle-like structure that translocates bacterial proteins into host cells, resulting in a tight, intimate attachment between pathogen and host, aiding colonisation of the gastrointestinal tract. As E. coli models were found not to depend significantly on the T3SS for colonisation, the Citrobacter rodentium model, a natural mouse pathogen closely related to E. coli, was deemed the most suitable mouse model currently available for in vivo testing of T3SS-targeting compounds. Two bacterial proteins, EaeH (an outer membrane adhesin) and YghJ (a putative secreted lipoprotein), highly conserved surface-associated proteins recently identified as III protective antigens against E. coli infection of mice, were explored in order to determine their suitability as candidates for a human vaccine against pathogenic E. coli. We focused on the expression and function of these proteins in the EHEC O157:H7 EDL933 strain and the adherent-invasive E. coli (AIEC) LF82 strain. Although expression of EaeH by other E. coli pathotypes has recently been shown to be upregulated upon contact with host intestinal cells, no evidence of this upregulation could be demonstrated in our strains. Additionally, while YghJ was produced by the AIEC strain, it was not secreted by bacteria under conditions that other YghJ-expressing E. coli pathotypes do, despite the AIEC strain carrying all the genes required to encode the secretion system it is associated with. While our findings indicate that a vaccine that raises antibodies against EaeH and YghJ may have limited effect on the EHEC and AIEC strains we used, recent studies into these proteins in different E. coli pathogens have suggested they are still excellent candidates for a broadly effective vaccine against E. coli. Finally, we characterised a small lead compound, identified by high-throughput screening as a possible inhibitor of Shiga toxin expression. Shiga toxin production causes both the symptoms of illness and development of HUS, and thus reduction of toxin production, release, or binding to host receptors could therefore be an effective way to treat infections and decrease the risk of HUS. Inhibition of Shiga toxin production by this compound was confirmed, and was shown to be caused by an inhibitory effect on activation of the bacterial SOS response rather than on the Shiga toxin genes themselves. The bacterial target of this compound was identified as RecA, a major regulator of the SOS response, and we hypothesise that the compound binds covalently to its target, preventing oligomerisation of RecA into an activated filament. Altogether, the results presented here provide an improved understanding of these different approaches to combating EHEC infection, which will aid the development of safe and effective vaccines and anti-virulence treatments against EHEC.

Medición de la cultura de seguridad del paciente en un hospital público de primer nivel en el municipio de Villeta

Esta investigación midió la percepción del personal asistencial sobre la cultura de seguridad de los pacientes en un hospital de primer nivel de complejidad por medio de un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal. Se utilizó como herramienta de medición la encuesta ‘Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Cultura’ (HSOPSC) de la Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) versión en español, la cual evalúa doce dimensiones. Los resultados mostraron fortalezas como el aprendizaje organizacional, las mejoras continuas y el apoyo de los administradores para la seguridad del paciente. Las dimensiones clasificadas como oportunidades de mejora fueron la cultura no punitiva, el personal, las transferencias y transiciones y el grado en que la comunicación es abierta. Se concluyó que aunque el personal percibía como positivo el proceso de mejoramiento y apoyo de la administración también sentía que era juzgado si reportaba algún evento adverso.

Perfil epidemiológico y análisis de la formulación antibiótica en pacientes con infección urinaria nosocomial en la Fundación Cardioinfantil en el año 2014

Introducción: La IVU es muy frecuenten en la (FCI - IC), Alrededor el 60% de los pacientes con diagnóstico de IVU nosocomial corresponden a gérmenes resistente, Desde el año 2010 el CLSI disminuyó los puntos de corte de sensibilidad en las enterobacteriaceae y removió la necesidad de tamizaje y confirmación de (BLEE), en el presente trabajo se pretende determinar el perfil epidemiológico de la formulación antibiótica en pacientes con IVU nosocomial. Diseño: Se realizó un estudio observacional analítico de corte transversal. Métodos: Se realizó un análisis univariado, bivariado y multivariado. El análisis bivariado y multivariado se realizó para determinar la medida de asociación teniendo en cuenta la formulación de Carbapenemico la variable dependiente, evaluándose mediante chi cuadrado. Resultados: Se revisaron 131 urocultivos, se incluyeron 116. Los aislamientos microbiológicos más frecuentemente encontrados fueron E. Coli y K. Pneumoniae, el 43.4% de los aislamientos, presentaron expresión de BLEE, 90% de los aislamientos fueron sensibles a Cefepime. La mayoría de los modelos obtenidos mostraron una fuerte asociación entre el reporte de BLEE en antibiograma con la formulación de carbapenémicos como terapia final OR 33,12 IC 95% (2,90 – 337,4). Conclusión: La epidemiologia de la IVU nosocomial en la FCI-IC no difiere de las referencias internacionales, no hay adherencia a las guías de manejo intrahospitalario y el reporte de la palabra BLEE en el antibiograma predice la formulación de antibiótico carbapenémico por el médico que lee el urocultivo

Prevalencia e incidencia de cáncer en habitantes de Sibaté, y georeferenciación de casos 2010-2014

Introducción: El Cáncer es prevenible en algunos casos, si se evita la exposición a sustancias cancerígenas en el medio ambiente. En Colombia, Cundinamarca es uno de los departamentos con mayores incrementos en la tasa de mortalidad y en el municipio de Sibaté, habitantes han manifestado preocupación por el incremento de la enfermedad. En el campo de la salud ambiental mundial, la georreferenciación aplicada al estudio de fenómenos en salud, ha tenido éxito con resultados válidos. El estudio propuso usar herramientas de información geográfica, para generar análisis de tiempo y espacio que hicieran visible el comportamiento del cáncer en Sibaté y sustentaran hipótesis de influencias ambientales sobre concentraciones de casos. Objetivo: Obtener incidencia y prevalencia de casos de cáncer en habitantes de Sibaté y georreferenciar los casos en un periodo de 5 años, con base en indagación de registros. Metodología: Estudio exploratorio descriptivo de corte transversal,sobre todos los diagnósticos de cáncer entre los años 2010 a 2014, encontrados en los archivos de la Secretaria de Salud municipal. Se incluyeron unicamente quienes tuvieron residencia permanente en el municipio y fueron diagnosticados con cáncer entre los años de 2010 a 2104. Sobre cada caso se obtuvo género, edad, estrato socioeconómico, nivel académico, ocupación y estado civil. Para el análisis de tiempo se usó la fecha de diagnóstico y para el análisis de espacio, la dirección de residencia, tipo de cáncer y coordenada geográfica. Se generaron coordenadas geográficas con un equipo GPS Garmin y se crearon mapas con los puntos de la ubicación de las viviendas de los pacientes. Se proceso la información, con Epi Info 7 Resultados: Se encontraron 107 casos de cáncer registrados en la Secretaria de Salud de Sibaté, 66 mujeres, 41 hombres. Sin división de género, el 30.93% de la población presento cáncer del sistema reproductor, el 18,56% digestivo y el 17,53% tegumentario. Se presentaron 2 grandes casos de agrupaciones espaciales en el territorio estudiado, una en el Barrio Pablo Neruda con 12 (21,05%) casos y en el casco Urbano de Sibaté con 38 (66,67%) casos. Conclusión: Se corroboro que el análisis geográfico con variables espacio temporales y de exposición, puede ser la herramienta para generar hipótesis sobre asociaciones de casos de cáncer con factores ambientales.

Efectos de una intervención educativa en la promoción de la actividad física, otros comportamientos saludables y los conocimientos para la prevención del cáncer de pulmón en jóvenes del colegio La Merced en Bogotá D.C., Colombia

Introducción: El cáncer de pulmón es el tipo de cáncer más mortal a nivel mundial, al cual se atribuyen una de cada cinco muertes anualmente. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar los efectos de una intervención educativa en la promoción de la actividad física, otros comportamientos saludables y los conocimientos para la prevención del cáncer de pulmón en jóvenes estudiantes de una institución educativa pública en Bogotá, Colombia. Métodos: Estudio experimental no controlado en 243 estudiantes de sexo femenino (Edad 14±1,5 años). La intervención educativa se desarrolló en tres momentos: una sesión educativa con una duración de 60 minutos acorde a la Guía para la Comunicación Educativa en el Marco del Control del Cáncer, en Colombia. Segundo, se enviaron tres correos electrónicos con información acerca del cáncer pulmonar; finalmente se desarrollaron actividades grupales. Para la toma de datos se utilizaron el cuestionario Cáncer Awareness Measure (CAM) y el Sistema de Vigilancia de Factores de Riesgo del Comportamiento (BRFSS). La evaluación se realizó en un período de seguimiento a 1, 3 y 6 meses post-intervención. Resultados: La intervención educativa incrementó significativamente los conocimientos de las jóvenes sobre los signos de alarma del cáncer pulmonar y los principales factores de riesgo modificables, tales como el consumo de cigarrillo, la exposición al humo del mismo y el sedentarismo, al sexto mes post-intervención. Las mejoras en el cambio comportamental no lograron significancia estadística. Conclusiones: Una intervención educativa mejora los conocimientos acerca de la detección temprana y la prevención del cáncer de pulmón, así como los comportamientos saludables en jóvenes estudiantes en Bogotá, Colombia. Se requiere de estudios controlados aleatorizados.

Morbilidade evitável relacionada com medicamentos: Desenvolvimento de novos indicadores e validação preliminar para cuidados primários em Portugal

Sumário: A morbilidade evitável relacionada com medicamentos (MERM) é um problema de saúde pública com considerável impacto negativo para os doentes e os sistemas de saúde. Os indicadores de MERM constituem medidas operacionais de gestão do risco terapêutico, uma vez que permitem identificar processos de cuidados de saúde que predizem um resultado clínico negativo potencialmente evitável. O uso destes indicadores pode contribuir para reduzir a morbilidade evitável relacionada com medicamentos, evitando danos desnecessários e desperdício de recursos. Objectivo: Desenvolver novos indicadores de MERM para cuidados primários em Portugal a partir da análise de resumos das características de medicamentos (RCM's) e determinar a validade preliminar de face e de conteúdo dos indicadores derivados para este setting. Métodos: A primeira fase deste estudo consistiu num ensaio piloto, com o intuito de testar uma metodologia de inclusão dos RCM's com base na frequência de dispensa da especialidade farmacêutica no ambulatório. Seguidamente procedeu-se ao desenvolvimento de mais indicadores de MERM utilizando a metodologia testada no ensaio piloto. Os indicadores obtidos foram alvo de uma primeira análise com base em aspectos como duplicações e relevância para cuidados primários, de modo a seleccionar os que poderiam passar à fase de validade preliminar de face e de conteúdo. Procedeu­ se então à pesquisa de evidência clínica em fontes de referência para estes indicadores. Na última fase do estudo estes indicadores, bem como a respectiva evidência clínica, foram analisados por um painel de peritos constituído por quatro académicos (dois médicos de família e dois farmacêuticos), sendo aprovados ou eliminados com base num critério de consenso. Resultados: Obteve-se um total de 64 indicadores de MERM, a partir da análise de 35 RCM's. Sujeitaram-se à determinação da validade preliminar de face e de conteúdo 44 indicadores. Foram aprovados por consenso 28 indicadores, tendo sido excluídos 17 (4 por consenso e 13 sem obtenção de consenso). Conclusão: É exequível derivar novos indicadores de MERM para cuidados primários a partir da análise de RCM's. A validade formal de face e de conteúdo destes indicadores obtidos será objecto de estudo de ulterior investigação. /ABSTRACT: Backgroud: Preventable drug-relate morbidity (PDRM) is a public health problem with significant negative impact at a patient and system level. PDRM indicators are operational measures of therapeutic risk management; they identifying processes of care leading to preventable adverse outcomes. The use of these indicators may contribute to tackle preventable drug related morbidity, avoiding unnecessary harm and waste of resources. Objective: To develop new PDRM indicators to Portuguese primary care based on the analysis of summaries of product characteristics (SPC’s) and to determine their preliminary face and content validity to this setting. Methods: Firstly a pilot study was conducted to test a methodology for including SPC's based on the most frequently sold medicines in the ambulatory. Then more indicators were developed using the previously tested methodology. The indicators obtained were analyzed in respect to aspects such as duplications and relevance for primary care to select those that could proceed to the next stage. Clinical evidence was searched for each of these indicators in gold-standard information sources. Finally, this set of indicators and the respective clinical evidence were analysised by a panel of four experts (two academic general practitioners and two academic pharmacists). Preliminary face and content validity was established by means of consensus. Results: A total of 64 indicators was obtained, based on the analysis of 35 SPCs. Forty­ four indicators were subjected to a preliminary assessment of face and content validity, resulting in 28 consensus-approved indicators. Seventeen indicators were excluded (4 rejected by consensus and 13 that did not reach consensus). Conclusion: lt is feasible to derive new PDRM indicators for primary care based on SPC's. The formal face and content validity of the indicators will be determined in a further study.

Characterizing human cysticercosis in Portugal 2006-2013

Cysticercosis results from the ingestion Taenia solium eggs directly by faecal-oral route or contaminated food or water. While, still considered a leading cause of acquired epilepsy in developed countries, this zoonosis has been controlled or eradicated in industrialized countries due to significant improvements in sanitation, pig rearing and slaughterhouse control systems. We developed a retrospective study on human neurocysticercosis (NCC) hospitalisations based on the national database resulting from National Health Service (NHS) hospital episodes except those of Madeira and Azores Islands. Between 2006 and 2013 there were 357 hospitalized NCC cases in Portugal. Annual frequency of cases between 2006-2013 kept stable (mean 45). NCC was most frequent in those aged 25-34 years (59; 16,5%) and those >75 years (65; 18,2%). Overall, mean age was 47,3 years (median age 45, standard deviation 41,1, mode 28) and 176 cases were in males (49,3%); no significant differences were observed between age and gender (t-student, p>0,05). In Norte Region cases tended to be older than in Lisboa and Vale do Tejo Region. The Directorate-General of Health established the National Observatory of Cysticercosis and Teniiasis which will define criteria for NCC cases monitoring and surveillance (hospitalized and non-hospitalized cases).

Analysis of COVID-related symptoms from a database of Italian tweets

Twitter is a highly popular social media which on one hand allows information transmission in real time and on the other hand represents a source of open access homogeneous text data. We propose an analysis of the most common self-reported COVID symptoms from a dataset of Italian tweets to investigate the evolution of the pandemic in Italy from the end of September 2020 to the end of January 2021. After manually filtering tweets actually describing COVID symptoms from the database - which contains words related to fever, cough and sore throat - we discuss usefulness of such filtering. We then compare our time series with the daily data of new hospitalisations in Italy, with the aim of building a simple linear regression model that accounts for the delay which is observed from the tweets mentioning individual symptoms to new hospitalisations. We discuss both the results and limitations of linear regression given that our data suggests that the relationship between time series of symptoms tweets and of new hospitalisations changes towards the end of the acquisition.