Clinical and virological characteristics of hospitalised COVID-19 patients in a German tertiary care centre during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a prospective observational study

Purpose: Adequate patient allocation is pivotal for optimal resource management in strained healthcare systems, and requires detailed knowledge of clinical and virological disease trajectories. The purpose of this work was to identify risk factors associated with need for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), to analyse viral kinetics in patients with and without IMV and to provide a comprehensive description of clinical course. Methods: A cohort of 168 hospitalised adult COVID-19 patients enrolled in a prospective observational study at a large European tertiary care centre was analysed. Results: Forty-four per cent (71/161) of patients required invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Shorter duration of symptoms before admission (aOR 1.22 per day less, 95% CI 1.10-1.37, p < 0.01) and history of hypertension (aOR 5.55, 95% CI 2.00-16.82, p < 0.01) were associated with need for IMV. Patients on IMV had higher maximal concentrations, slower decline rates, and longer shedding of SARS-CoV-2 than non-IMV patients (33 days, IQR 26-46.75, vs 18 days, IQR 16-46.75, respectively, p < 0.01). Median duration of hospitalisation was 9 days (IQR 6-15.5) for non-IMV and 49.5 days (IQR 36.8-82.5) for IMV patients. Conclusions: Our results indicate a short duration of symptoms before admission as a risk factor for severe disease that merits further investigation and different viral load kinetics in severely affected patients. Median duration of hospitalisation of IMV patients was longer than described for acute respiratory distress syndrome unrelated to COVID-19

Der Einfluß von Gewohnheiten (habits) auf das Kontrazeptionsverhalten junger Menschen: Eine Skalenanalyse mittels konfirmatorischer Faktorenanalyse und der Analyse latenter Klassen

Münch K, Reinecke J, Wittenberg J. Der Einfluß von Gewohnheiten (habits) auf das Kontrazeptionsverhalten junger Menschen: Eine Skalenanalyse mittels konfirmatorischer Faktorenanalyse und der Analyse latenter Klassen. In: Reinecke J, Tarnai C, eds. Angewandte Klassifikationsanalyse in den Sozialwissenschaften. Münster [u.a.]: Waxmann; 2000: 75-101

Silberhoehe Eine Grosswohnsiedlung von Halle im Umbruch

'Die Silberhoehe, eine Grosswohnsiedlung im Sueden der Stadt, mit 30.726 Einwohnern (31.12.1997), das sind immerhin 11,5 Prozent der Einwohner von Halle, wird als sozialer Brennpunkt eingeschaetzt. Die Kriminalitaetsrate gilt als hoch, die lokale Bindung ist gering und der Bevoelkerungsrueckgang ist hier im Vergleich zu allen anderen Stadtteilen am hoechsten. Dies verschaerft durch zunehmende Leerstaende die Problematik weiterhin. Was tun? Grosswohnsiedlungen in Ostdeutschland sind Problemgebiete, nicht nur in Halle. Patentrezepte sind bisher nicht bekannt. Aber anders als in den meisten anderen ostdeutschen Grossstaedten kann jedoch in Halle auf die Ergebnisse von Buergerumfragen zurueckgegriffen werden, wenn es gilt, die Situation zu analysieren, und daraus Strategien zu entwickeln. Das Institut fuer Soziologie fuehrt in Kooperation mit der Stadt seit 1993 Buergerumfragen (BU) durch (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997; vgl. Mnich/ Schwiete 1996 und Petermann 1998), deren Ergebnisse bisher schon vielfaeltig in die staedtische Planung und Entscheidung Eingang gefunden haben. Geplant ist, zukuenftig die Datenbasis durch die Integration staedtischer Statistiken und vor allem durch prozessproduzierte Daten (Daten, die im Zusammenhang mit Verwaltungshandeln entstehen) zu ergaenzen, um so die Grundlage fuer ein noch breiter angelegtes System sozialer Berichterstattung zu schaffen. In diesem kurzen Bericht geht es darum, durch Rueckgriff auf die Buergerumfragen, aber auch unter Verwendung weiterer im Institut fuer Soziologie durchgefuehrter Analysen, Eingriffsmoeglichkeiten zu erkunden, um die Attraktivitaet der Silberhoehe zu verbessern.' (Textauszug)SIGLEAvailable from http://www.soziologie.uni-halle.de/publikationen/pdf/9902.pdf / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Illustration of the structure of the medical curriculum with regard to the timing of the three major examinations in Germany (state examinations M1-M3) and semester levels.

Illustration of the structure of the medical curriculum with regard to the timing of the three major examinations in Germany (state examinations M1-M3) and semester levels.</p

Marital status, children, parents who work in the medical field, undergraduate GPA and financing of studies by professional and academic pre- qualifications.

Marital status, children, parents who work in the medical field, undergraduate GPA and financing of studies by professional and academic pre- qualifications.</p

Overview on the characteristics of the different semester levels in the sample.

Overview on the characteristics of the different semester levels in the sample.</p

S1 Table -

ObjectiveEvery year, many applicants want to study medicine. Appropriate selection procedures are needed to identify suitable candidates for the demanding curriculum. Although research on medical school admissions has shown good predictive validity for cognitive selection methods (undergraduate GPA, aptitude tests), the literature on applicants with professional and/or academic experience prior to entering medical school remains slim. In our study, we therefore aimed to examine the association between academic success in medical school and having previously completed vocational training in the medical field, voluntary service (≥11 months) or an academic degree.MethodsData were collected in a multicentre, cross-sectional study at five medical schools in Germany (Baden-Wuerttemberg) from students during medical school (i.e. 3rd-, 6th-, and 10th-semester and final-year students). Academic success was assessed according to scores on the first and second state examinations, the total number of examinations repeated and the number of semesters beyond the standard period of study. For the analysis we calculated ordinal logistic regression models for each outcome variable of academic success.ResultsA total of N = 2,370 participants (response rate: RR = 47%) participated in the study. Having completed vocational training was associated with a higher amount of repeated examinations (small effect), while having an academic degree was associated with worse scores on the second state examination (medium effect). No significant association emerged between voluntary service and academic success.ConclusionThe results indicate that professional and academic pre-qualifications pose no advantage for academic success. Possible associations with the financing of study and living conditions of students with pre-qualifications were analysed and discussed in an exploratory manner. However, the operationalisation of academic success from objective and cognitive data should be critically discussed, as the benefits of prior experience may be captured by personal qualities rather than examination results.</div

Results of the ordinal logistic regression models for the four variables measuring academic success.

Results of the ordinal logistic regression models for the four variables measuring academic success.</p

This figure illustrates the number of reported single, double and triple pre-qualifications.

Overlaps are presented in a darker colour. The number of students who completed all three qualifications before medical school is shown in the centre of the three circles.</p

This figure illustrates the four dependent variables used in our study to assess academic success.

Each variable has an ordinal response format, with higher numbers indicating lower academic success.</p