With input from Dr Monica Vasudev

1151: Early analysis shows 94.5% efficacy for mRNA-1273 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2

DG Alert excerpts:

1. An interim review of results from the Phase III COVEtrial revealed that mRNA-1273, an experimental messenger RNA vaccine encoding the stabilized prefusion SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, is safe and effective for prevention of symptomatic COVID-19 in adults.
2. The US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is co-developing the vaccine candidate. It stated that the vaccine has a statistically significant efficacy rate of 94.5% on the basis of an initial analysis of 95 cases with symptomatic COVID-19.
3. Of the 95 cases, 90 were noted in the placebo group and 5 in the vaccinated group.
4. Eleven cases of severe COVID-19 were noted from among the total of 95 cases, all of which occurred in the placebo group.
5. According to the independent data safety monitoring board, COVE met the statistical criteria pre-specified in the study protocol for efficacy, and the candidate was safe and well-tolerated.
6. COVE is looking at mRNA-1273 at a dose of 100 mcg among 30,000 participants in the US, 18 years of age and older. Individuals were randomizedto receive two doses of mRNA-1273, administered 28 days apart, or placebo.
7. The primary efficacy endpoint for the trial is the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19 disease,and the key secondary endpoints include prevention of severe COVID-19 disease and prevention of infection by SARS-CoV-2.

[Reference: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/promising-interim-results-clinical-trial-nih-moderna-covid-19-vaccine]

1152: 20% Develop Mental Illness Following COVID-19

1. A new study has suggested that 1 in 5 COVID-19 patients are diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, such as anxiety or depression, within 3 months of testing positive.
2. The study has also revealed that having a psychiatric disorder independently increases the risk of getting COVID-19.
3. Having a psychiatric illness should be in the list of risk factors for COVID-19, says study co-author Maxime Taquet, PhD, University of Oxford.
4. The study was published online November 9 in The Lancet Psychiatry.
5. The investigators used the TriNetX analytics network, which captured de-identified data from electronic health records of 69.8 million patients from 54 healthcare organizations in the United States. Of these, 62,354 adults were diagnosed with COVID-19 from January 20 through August 1, 2020.
6. Within 14 to 90 days after being diagnosed with COVID-19, 5.8% of patients received a first diagnosis of psychiatric illness. Among patients with health problems other than COVID-19, 2.5% to 3.4% of patients received a diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder.
7. Older COVID-19 patients had a two- to threefold increased risk for a first dementia diagnosis.
8. Some of this excess risk could point to misdiagnosed cases of deliriumor transient cognitive impairment due to reversible cerebral events.
9. There appeared to be a bidirectional relationship between mental illness and COVID-19.
10. Individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis had a 65% higher likelihood of being diagnosed with COVID-19 in comparison with their counterparts who did not have mental illness, independently of known physical health risk factors for COVID-19.

[Source: Medscape]

Dr KK Aggarwal

President CMAAO, HCFI and Past National President IMA