Project description:ObjectivesTo estimate vaccine effectiveness after the first and second dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 against symptomatic COVID-19 and infection in a socially vulnerable community in Brazil when Gamma and Delta were the predominant variants circulating.MethodsWe conducted a test-negative study in the community Complexo da Maré, the largest group of slums (n = 16) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from January 17, 2021 to November 27, 2021. We selected RT-qPCR positive and negative tests from a broad community testing program. The primary outcome was symptomatic COVID-19 (positive RT-qPCR test with at least one symptom) and the secondary outcome was infection (any positive RT-qPCR test). Vaccine effectiveness was estimated as 1 - OR, which was obtained from adjusted logistic regression models.ResultsWe included 10 077 RT-qPCR tests (6,394, 64% from symptomatic and 3,683, 36% from asymptomatic individuals). The mean age was 40 (SD: 14) years, and the median time between vaccination and RT-qPCR testing among vaccinated was 41 (25-75 percentile: 21-62) days for the first dose and 36 (25-75 percentile: 17-59) days for the second dose. Adjusted vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic COVID-19 was 31.6% (95% CI, 12.0-46.8) 21 days after the first dose and 65.1% (95% CI, 40.9-79.4) 14 days after the second dose. Adjusted vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infection was 31.0% (95% CI, 12.7-45.5) 21 days after the first dose and 59.0% (95% CI, 33.1-74.8) 14 days after the second dose.DiscussionChAdOx1 nCoV-19 was effective in reducing symptomatic COVID-19 in a socially vulnerable community in Brazil when Gamma and Delta were the predominant variants circulating.
Project description:Influenza vaccination is the most practical means available for preventing influenza virus infection and is widely used in many countries. Because vaccine components and circulating strains frequently change, it is important to continually monitor vaccine effectiveness (VE). The test-negative design is frequently used to estimate VE. In this design, patients meeting the same clinical case definition are recruited and tested for influenza; those who test positive are the cases and those who test negative form the comparison group. When determining VE in these studies, the typical approach has been to use logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders. Because vaccine coverage and influenza incidence change throughout the season, time is included among these confounders. While most studies use unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for time, an alternative approach is to use conditional logistic regression, matching on time. Here, we used simulation data to examine the potential for both regression approaches to permit accurate and robust estimates of VE. In situations where vaccine coverage changed during the influenza season, the conditional model and unconditional models adjusting for categorical week and using a spline function for week provided more accurate estimates. We illustrated the two approaches on data from a test-negative study of influenza VE against hospitalization in children in Hong Kong which resulted in the conditional logistic regression model providing the best fit to the data.
Project description:It is important to understand real-world BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE), especially among racial and ethnic minority groups. We performed a test-negative case-control study to measure BNT162b2 COVID-19 VE in the prevention of COVID-19-associated acute respiratory illness (ARI) hospitalizations at two Atlanta hospitals from May 2021-January 2023 and adjusted for potential confounders by multivariate analysis. Among 5139 eligible adults with ARI, 2763 (53.8%) were enrolled, and 1571 (64.5%) were included in the BNT162b2 analysis. The median age was 58 years (IQR, 44-68), 889 (56.6%) were female, 1034 (65.8%) were African American, 359 (22.9%) were White, 56 (3.6%) were Hispanic ethnicity, 645 (41.1%) were SARS-CoV-2-positive, 412 (26.2%) were vaccinated with a primary series, and 273 (17.4%) had received ≥1 booster of BNT162b2. The overall adjusted VE of the BNT162b2 primary series was 58.5% (95% CI 46.0, 68.1), while the adjusted VE of ≥1 booster was 78.9% (95% CI 70.0, 85.1). The adjusted overall VE of primary series for African American/Black individuals was 64.0% (95% CI 49.9, 74.1) and 82.7% (95% CI 71.9, 89.4) in those who received ≥1 booster. When analysis was limited to the period of Omicron predominance, overall VE of the primary series decreased with widened confidence intervals (24.5%, 95% CI -4.5, 45.4%), while VE of ≥1 booster was maintained at 60.9% (95% CI 42.0, 73.6). BNT162b2 primary series and booster vaccination provided protection against COVID-19-associated ARI hospitalization among a predominantly African American population.
Project description:IntroductionReal-world vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates are essential to identify potential groups at higher risk of break-through infections and to guide policy. We assessed the VE of COVID-19 vaccination against COVID-19 hospitalization, while adjusting and stratifying for patient characteristics.MethodsWe performed a test-negative case-control study in six Dutch hospitals. The study population consisted of adults eligible for COVID-19 vaccination hospitalized between May 1 and June 28, 2021 with respiratory symptoms. Cases were defined as patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR during the first 48 h of admission or within 14 days prior to hospital admission. Controls were patients tested negative at admission and did not have a positive test during the 2 weeks prior to hospitalization. VE was calculated using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for calendar week, sex, age, comorbidity and nursing home residency. Subgroup analysis was performed for age, sex and different comorbidities. Secondary endpoints were ICU-admission and mortality.Results379 cases and 255 controls were included of whom 157 (18%) were vaccinated prior to admission. Five cases (1%) and 40 controls (16%) were fully vaccinated (VE: 93%; 95% CI: 81 - 98), and 40 cases (11%) and 70 controls (27%) were partially vaccinated (VE: 70%; 95% CI: 50-82). A strongly protective effect of vaccination was found in all comorbidity subgroups. No ICU-admission or mortality were reported among fully vaccinated cases. Of unvaccinated cases, mortality was 10% and 19% was admitted at the ICU.ConclusionCOVID-19 vaccination provides a strong protective effect against COVID-19 related hospital admission, in patients with and without comorbidity.
Project description:BackgroundA major goal of COVID-19 vaccination is to prevent severe outcomes (hospitalizations and deaths). We estimated the effectiveness of mRNA and ChAdOx1 COVID-19 vaccines against severe outcomes in four Canadian provinces between December 2020 and September 2021.MethodsWe conducted this multiprovincial retrospective test-negative study among community-dwelling adults aged ≥18 years in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Manitoba using linked provincial databases and a common study protocol. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate province-specific vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalization and/or death. Estimates were pooled using random effects models.ResultsWe included 2,508,296 tested subjects, with 31,776 COVID-19 hospitalizations and 5,842 deaths. Vaccine effectiveness was 83% after a first dose, and 98% after a second dose, against both hospitalization and death (separately). Against severe outcomes (hospitalization or death), effectiveness was 87% (95%CI: 71%-94%) ≥84 days after a first dose of mRNA vaccine, increasing to 98% (95%CI: 96%-99%) ≥112 days after a second dose. Vaccine effectiveness against severe outcomes for ChAdOx1 was 88% (95%CI: 75%-94%) ≥56 days after a first dose, increasing to 97% (95%CI: 91%-99%) ≥56 days after a second dose. Lower one-dose effectiveness was observed for adults aged ≥80 years and those with comorbidities, but effectiveness became comparable after a second dose. Two doses of vaccines provided very high protection for both homologous and heterologous schedules, and against Alpha, Gamma, and Delta variants.ConclusionsTwo doses of mRNA or ChAdOx1 vaccines provide excellent protection against severe outcomes of hospitalization and death.
Project description:IntroductionThis study measures the COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (CVE) against hospital admission and severe COVID-19.MethodsThis study is a test-negative case-control design using data from eight provinces in April, 2021 until March, 2022. The individuals were classified as cases and controls based on the results of the RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 and matched based on the timing of the test being conducted as well as the timing of hospital admission. The measure of association was an odds ratio (OR) by univariate and multiple logistic regression. The multiple logistic regression has been carried out to take confounding factors and potential effect modifiers into account. The CVE was computed as CVE = (1 - OR)*100 with 95% confidence interval.ResultsAmong 19314 admitted patients, of whom 13216 (68.4%) were cases and 6098 (31.6%) were controls, 1313 (6.8%) died. From total, 5959 (30.8%) patients had received the vaccine in which one, two, and booster doses were 2443 (12.6%), 2796 (14.5٪), and 720 (3.7٪), respectively. The estimated adjusted effectiveness of only one dose, two doses and booter vaccination were 22% (95% CI: 14%-29%), 35% (95% CI: 29%-41%) and 33% (95% CI: 16%-47%), respectively. In addition, the adjusted vaccine effectiveness against severe outcome was 33% (95% CI: 19%- 44%), 34% (95% CI: 20%- 45%) and 20% (95% CI: -29%- 50%) for those who received one, two and booster vaccinations, respectively.ConclusionOur study concluded that full vaccination, though less effective compared to similar studies elsewhere, decreased hospital admissions and deaths from COVID-19 in Iran, particularly during the Delta variant period, with an observed decline during the Omicron variant dominance.
Project description:The test-negative design is a variant of the case-control study being increasingly used to study influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE). In these studies, patients with influenza-like illness are tested for influenza. Vaccine coverage is compared between those testing positive versus those testing negative to estimate VE.We reviewed features in the design, analysis and reporting of 85 published test-negative studies.Studies were identified from PubMed, reference lists and email updates. Study eligibility: All studies using the test-negative design reporting end-of-season estimates were included.Design features that may affect the validity and comparability of reported estimates were reviewed, including setting, study period, source population, case definition, exposure and outcome ascertainment and statistical model.There was considerable variation in the analytic approach, with 68 unique statistical models identified among the studies.Harmonization of analytic approaches may improve the potential for pooling VE estimates.
Project description:The test-negative design is commonly used to estimate influenza and COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE). In these studies, correlated COVID-19 and influenza vaccine behaviors may introduce a confounding bias where controls are included with the other vaccine-preventable acute respiratory illness (ARI). We quantified the impact of this bias on VE estimates in studies where this bias is not addressed. We simulated study populations under varying vaccination probabilities, COVID-19 VE, influenza VE, and proportions of controls included with the other vaccine-preventable ARI. Mean bias was calculated as the difference between estimated and true VE. Absolute mean bias in VE estimates was classified as low (<10%), moderate (10% to <20%), and high (≥20%). Where vaccination probabilities are positively correlated, COVID-19 and influenza VE test-negative studies with influenza and SARS-CoV-2 ARI controls, respectively, underestimate VE. For COVID-19 VE studies, mean bias was low for all scenarios where influenza represented ≤25% of controls. For influenza VE studies, mean bias was low for all scenarios where SARS-CoV-2 represented ≤10% of controls. Although bias was driven by the conditional probability of vaccination, low VE of the vaccine of interest and high VE of the confounding vaccine increase its magnitude. Where a low percentage of controls are included with the other vaccine-preventable ARI, bias in COVID-19 and influenza VE estimates is low. However, influenza VE estimates are likely more susceptible to bias. Researchers should consider potential bias and its implications in their respective study settings to make informed methodological decisions in test-negative VE studies.
Project description:BackgroundWaning protection from 2 doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines led to third dose availability in multiple countries even before the emergence of the Omicron variant.MethodsWe used the test-negative study design to estimate vaccine effectiveness (VE) against any severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, any symptomatic infection, and severe outcomes (COVID-19-related hospitalizations or death) by time since second dose of any combination of BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, and ChAdOx1 between January 11, and November 21, 2021, for subgroups based on patient and vaccine characteristics.ResultsWe included 261 360 test-positive cases (of any SARS-CoV-2 lineage) and 2 783 699 individuals as test-negative controls. VE of 2 mRNA vaccine doses decreased from 90% (95% CI, 90%-90%) 7-59 days after the second dose to 75% (95% CI, 72%-78%) after ≥240 days against infection, decreased from 94% (95% CI, 84%-95%) to 87% (95% CI, 85%-89%) against symptomatic infection, and remained stable (98% [95% CI, 97%-98%] to 98% [95% CI, 96%-99%]) against severe outcomes. Similar trends were seen with heterologous ChAdOx1 and mRNA vaccine schedules. VE estimates for dosing intervals <35 days were lower than for longer intervals (eg, VE of 2 mRNA vaccines against symptomatic infection at 120-179 days was 86% [95% CI, 85%-88%] for dosing intervals <35 days, 92% [95% CI, 91%-93%] for 35-55 days, and 91% [95% CI, 90%-92%] for ≥56 days), but when stratified by age group and subperiod, there were no differences between dosing intervals.ConclusionsBefore the emergence of Omicron, VE of any 2-dose primary series, including heterologous schedules and varying dosing intervals, decreased over time against any infection and symptomatic infection but remained high against severe outcomes.
Project description:ObjectivesTo estimate the marginal effectiveness of a fourth versus third dose and the vaccine effectiveness of mRNA covid-19 vaccines BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 against any infection, symptomatic infection, and severe outcomes (hospital admission or death) related to the omicron variant.DesignTest negative design.SettingLong term care facilities in Ontario, Canada, 30 December 2021 to 27 April 2022.ParticipantsAfter exclusions, 61 344 residents aged 60 years or older across 626 long term care facilities in Ontario, Canada who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 were included.Main outcome measuresLaboratory confirmed omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection (any and symptomatic) by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and hospital admission or death. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate marginal effectiveness (four versus three doses) and vaccine effectiveness (two, three, or four doses versus no doses) while adjusting for personal characteristics, comorbidities, week of test, and previous positive SARS-CoV-2 test result more than 90 days previously.Results13 654 residents who tested positive for omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection and 205 862 test negative controls were included. The marginal effectiveness of a fourth dose (95% of vaccine recipients received mRNA-1273 as the fourth dose) seven days or more after vaccination versus a third dose received 84 or more days previously was 19% (95% confidence interval 12% to 26%) against infection, 31% (20% to 41%) against symptomatic infection, and 40% (24% to 52%) against severe outcomes. Vaccine effectiveness in vaccine recipients (compared with unvaccinated) increased with each additional dose, and for a fourth dose was 49% (95% confidence interval 43% to 54%) against infection, 69% (61% to 76%) against symptomatic infection, and 86% (81% to 90%) against severe outcomes.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that compared with a third dose of mRNA covid-19 vaccine, a fourth dose improved protection against infection, symptomatic infection, and severe outcomes among long term care residents during an omicron dominant period. A fourth vaccine dose was associated with strong protection against severe outcomes in vaccinated residents compared with unvaccinated residents, although the duration of protection remains unknown.