Project description:The 6th Annual conference of the Neuropathology Society of India, (NPSICON 2023) was held in a virtual mode, from 23rd to 25th February 2023, hosted by the Division of Neuropathology, Department of Pathology, Christian Medical College Vellore. Dr Geeta Chacko was the organizing Chairperson. The pre-conference workshop was on Fluorescence in situ hybridization with nearly 90 registrants. The workshop was conducted by NIMHANS Bangalore with Dr Shilpa Rao, Dr Vaishali Suri, Dr Vani Santosh and Dr Geeta Chacko as resource persons. There were 253 National registrants and 7 International registrations. The conference had participation from reputed national (34) and international (8) faculty and covered a wide range of topics in both neoplastic and non-neoplastic Neuropathology including sessions on perinatal pathology, epilepsy, neuromuscular pathology and several sessions in Neurooncology. There were five symposiums with several sessions of cases-based discussion. The first Prof Ashru K Banerjee oration was delivered by Dr Kenneth Aldape, from NIH Bethesda on: "Practical Aspects of Methylation-Based Diagnostics in Central Nervous System Tumors". The first Prof SK Shankar oration was delivered by Dr Avindra Nath, NIH Bethesda on "Neuropathology of two pandemics: AIDS and COVID". The Presidential oration was delivered by Dr Chitra Sarkar. The key note speakers included Dr Monika Hofer, Dr David Capper, Dr Takashi Komori and Dr Maysa Husseini. There were 28 papers for oral presentation and 38 posters. A highlight of the conference was a lively Quiz competition, which was held as the penultimate session. Despite being a virtual conference, there was active participation from all the delegates and the conference was very well received.
Project description:ImportanceSeveral pharmacotherapies have been authorized to treat nonhospitalized persons with symptomatic COVID-19. Longitudinal information on the use of these therapies is needed.ObjectiveTo analyze trends and factors associated with prescription of outpatient COVID-19 pharmacotherapies within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).Design, setting, and participantsThis cohort study evaluated nonhospitalized veterans in VHA care who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 from January 2022 through January 2023 using VHA and linked Community Care and Medicare databases.ExposuresDemographic characteristics, underlying medical conditions, COVID-19 vaccination, and regional and local systems of care, including Veterans Integrated Services Networks (VISNs).Main outcomes and measuresMonthly receipt of any COVID-19 pharmacotherapy (nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, molnupiravir, sotrovimab, or bebtelovimab) was described. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with receipt of any vs no COVID-19 pharmacotherapy.ResultsAmong 285 710 veterans (median [IQR] age, 63.1 [49.9-73.7] years; 247 358 males [86.6%]; 28 444 Hispanic [10.0%]; 61 269 Black [21.4%] and 198 863 White [69.6%]) who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between January 2022 and January 2023, the proportion receiving any pharmacotherapy increased from 3285 of 102 343 veterans (3.2%) in January 2022 to 5180 of 21 688 veterans (23.9%) in August 2022. The proportion declined to 2194 of 10 551 veterans (20.8%) by January 2023. Across VISNs, the range in proportion of patients who tested positive who received nirmatrelvir-ritonavir or molnupiravir during January 2023 was 41 of 692 veterans (5.9%) to 106 of 494 veterans (21.4%) and 2.1% to 120 of 1074 veterans (11.1%), respectively. Veterans receiving any treatment were more likely to be older (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for ages 65-74 vs 50-64 years, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.14-1.22; aOR for ages ≥75 vs 50-64 years, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.15-1.23) and have a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index score (aOR for CCI ≥6 vs 0, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.44-1.59). Compared with White veterans, Black veterans (aOR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02-1.09) were more likely to receive treatment, and compared with non-Hispanic veterans, Hispanic veterans (aOR 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.11) were more likely to receive treatment.Conclusions and relevanceThis study found that prescription of outpatient COVID-19 pharmacotherapies in the VHA peaked in August 2022 and declined thereafter. There were large regional differences in patterns of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir and molnupiravir use.