Naama Schwartz

Emek medical center, Afula, Israel · Research authority

Objectives: The incidence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) has increased worldwide over the last decades mainly due to the lowering of screening thresholds, resulting in an increased identification of newborns with transient CH. Several studies reported the prevalence and the predictive parameters of transient CH but reports on the long-term outco...

Multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare, severe, post-infectious hyperinflammatory condition that occurs after COVID-19 infection. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the risk reduction of MIS-C and severe MIS-C after Pfizer–BioNTech BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. This nationwide cohort study included 526,685 PCR-c...

This retrospective study examined the presence of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in hospital water environments. Results showed that CPE was detected in 41.5% of samples within 1 meter of a water source (showers or sinks), with 20.6% of positive samples associated with shower water sources.

Background Possible sex differences in hepatitis A virus (HAV) incidence rates in different age groups are not well documented. We aimed to obtain stable pooled estimates of such differences based on data from a number of high-income countries. Methods We obtained data on incident cases of HAV by sex and age group over a period of 6–25 years from...

Background: Severe anaphylactic reactions to home-doses may occur during food allergy oral immunotherapy (OIT). Objective: To study the rate and risk factors for such reactions. Methods: All patients aged >3.5 years who completed OIT in a single center, between April-2010 and January-2020, were studied. All home epinephrine-treated reactions (...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.997025.].

Introduction Gender differences in the incidence rates for tuberculosis are occasionally reported. However, the magnitude and consistency of the differences by age group, among different populations, and over extended periods of time are not clear. Materials and methods We obtained national data from seven countries from open-access internet sites...

Background: Home reactions requiring epinephrine administration, a marker of their severity, restrict the widespread use of oral immunotherapy (OIT) but their risk-factors are largely unknown. Objective: To identify risk factors for such reactions during OIT to most allergenic foods. Methods: All patients who began OIT for peanut, tree nuts, s...

Objectives We sought to assess the effectiveness of oral vancomycin compared to metronidazole on recurrence and mortality among hospitalized patients with non-severe Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). Methods A single center retrospective cohort study was conducted, including adult patients hospitalized between 2015 and 2020 with a first ep...

Background Gender differences in a number of infectious diseases have been reported. The evidence for gender differences in clinical measles incidence rates has been variable and poorly documented over age groups, countries and time periods. Methods We obtained data on cases of measles by sex and age group over a period of 11–27 years from seven c...

Background Home reactions requiring epinephrine treatment represent a significant obstacle to oral immunotherapy (OIT) and impair treatment outcome. Objective To identify potential triggers for such reactions for improvement of patient safety. Methods All patients aged >3.7 years who began an open label OIT treatment program to milk, peanut, egg,...

Background The association between body mass index (BMI) in adolescence and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has not been completely delineated. The purpose of our study was to determine the extent by which adolescent obesity increases the risk for developing GDM later in life. Methods A retrospective cohort study including all army personnel p...

Aim To explore possible obstetrical history-related, modifiable risk factors of future type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with focus on characteristics of the index gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) pregnancy and the consecutive pregnancy. Methods This retrospective, population-based, cohort study included 788 women with GDM, who had consecutive d...

Background: Sex differences in incidence rates (IRs) of infectious diseases could provide clues to the mechanisms of infection. The results of studies on sex differences in the incidence of rotaviral enteritis have been inconsistent. Methods: We carried out a pooled analysis of sex differences in IRs for rotaviral enteritis in three countries for a...

Background: There are few studies on sex differences in the incidence rates (IR) for salmonellosis over several countries by age and time period. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent and consistency of the sex and age-specific differences. Methods: We analyzed national data from eight countries between 1994 and 2016. We computed c...

Background. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactant protein synthesized in the liver. Human body proportions, such as body mass index (BMI), may affect CRP levels during infection. This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between CRP and BMI in obese versus non- obese patients hospitalized with common acute infections....

Background Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, it was noted that males seemed to have higher case-fatality rates than females. We examined the magnitude and consistency of the sex differences in age-specific case-fatality rates (CFRs) in seven countries. Methods Data on the cases and deaths from COVID-19, by sex and age group, were extracted from the...

Thrombin plays a central role in sepsis pathophysiology. The correlation of thrombin generation (TG) assays with infection severity and prognosis, and whether it can be used as a clinical tool, have been poorly explored and are the subjects of our research. We recruited 130 patients with systemic infection between 2016 and 2019. Patients were divid...

Objective Cytomegalovirus (CMV) seroconversion in pregnancy is a major health issue with potentially devastating fetal consequences. We opted to determine rates and trends of CMV seroconversion in pregnant army personnel and to isolate risk factors. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, all pregnancies of army personnel between 2009 and 2019...

Purpose Women with only one elevated 100 g OGTT value are not considered as having gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and therefore there are no recommendations to address this population as a risk group for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to elucidate whether one elevated OGTT value increases the risk for T2DM. Methods A retrospective...

Background The start of oral immunotherapy (OIT) for food allergy is a critical period in the treatment process, with a potential to influence patient quality of life (QOL) and subsequently treatment outcome. The association of medical clowning with QOL at OIT initiation was examined. Methods Children aged 4‐12 years supported by a medical clown (...

Background Many patients with self-reported food allergy are not allergic but suffer from similar burdens. We aimed to characterize young adults with misconceived food allergy. Methods A cross-sectional study of individuals (n = 12,592) aged 17–18 years, recruited to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at a single urban-area recruitment center over a...

Objective To determine the impact of diabetes-specific recommendations at one year after hospital discharge on glycemic control and diabetes care in the outpatient setting. Methods A total of 140 139 patients with type 2 diabetes on a basal-bolus insulin regimen during hospitalization were included in the statistical analysis. We gathered data on...

Background Crude case-fatality rates (CFRs) for COVID-19 vary widely between countries. There are serious limitations in the CFRs when making comparisons. We examined how the age distribution of the cases is responsible for the COVID-19 CFR differences between countries. Methods COVID-19 cases and deaths, by ten-year age-groups, were available fro...

Background: Liver cirrhosis is a significant source of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The disease is usually indolent and asymptomatic early in its course while many cirrhotic patients are diagnosed late when severe complications occur. A major challenge is to diagnose advanced fibrosis as early as possible, using simple and non-invasive diagn...

The magnitude and consistency of the sex differences in meningococcal disease incidence rates (IR) have not been systematically examined in different age groups, countries and time periods. We obtained national data on meningococcal disease IR by sex, age group and time period, from 10 countries. We used meta-analytic methods to combine the male to...

Background: There is evidence that males have higher incidence rates (IR) of campylobacteriois than females. The objectives of this study were to determine whether these observations differ between age groups and are consistent over different countries and during different time periods. Methods: We obtained data on IRs of campylobacteriosis by s...

Objective: To describe actual cardiovascular events over a decade in patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH), without previously known CV diseases. Methods: The medical records of patients with DISH and controls, beginning in 2006 (without known CV disease), were reviewed. Demographic, constitutional, and laboratory data we...

Background Thrombin, a key enzyme of the clotting system, is involved in thrombus formation, platelet activation, and atherosclerosis, thereby possessing a central role in the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease. Studies have shown an association between thrombin generation (TG) and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, but results have been e...

Background Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is effective in desensitizing food allergic patients but adverse events limit its applicability. Objective To identify risk factors for home epinephrine-treated reactions during the build-up phase of OIT. Methods A retrospective cohort study of patients aged >3.7 years undergoing OIT for food allergy at Shamir...

Background: Sex differences in the incidence of infectious diseases can provide insight to the biological mechanism of infection, disease susceptibility, severity and vaccine development. The consistency of age-specific sex differences in the incidence rates (IRs) of shigellosis is unclear. Methods: National data on cases of shigellosis by sex,...

Background Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is associated with decreased appetite. The ghrelin hormone is one of the major regulators of appetite. Objectives To evaluate appetite and ghrelin levels in patients with IDA, and to investigate the change in appetite and ghrelin following intravenous iron therapy. Methods A total of 56 IDA patients and 51...

Background Pertussis is frequently reported to be more common in females than in males. However, the variability of the sources of these observations makes it difficult to estimate the magnitude and consistency of the sex differences by age. To address this question, we used meta-analytic methods to analyze pertussis national incidence rates by sex...

Background. There is evidence of an excess of males in the incidence rates of campylobacteriois. The objectives of this study were to determine whether these observations differ between age groups and are consistent over different countries and during different time periods. Methods. We obtained data on incidence rates of campylobacteriosis by sex...

Background There is evidence that females mount a more efficient immune response to gram-negative bacteria. The objectives of this study were to determine whether there are consistent sex differences in the incidence rates of campylobacteriosis at different ages in different countries. Methods We obtained data on incidence rates of campylobacterios...

Background . There is evidence that males have higher incidence rates (IR) of campylobacteriosis than femlaes. The objectives of this study were to determine whether the sex differences differ between age groups and are consistent over different countries and over different time periods. Methods. We obtained data on incidence rates of campylobacte...

Background . There is evidence that males have higher incidence rates (IR) of campylobacteriosis than femlaes. The objectives of this study were to determine whether the sex differences differ between age groups and are consistent over different countries and over different time periods. Methods. We obtained data on incidence rates of campylobacter...

Background . There is evidence that males have higher incidence rates (IR) of campylobacteriosis than femlaes. The objectives of this study were to determine whether the sex differences differ between age groups and are consistent over different countries and over different time periods. Methods. We obtained data on incidence rates of campylobacte...

Background: Information regarding the prevalence of food allergy (FA) among adults is limited due to their inaccessibility for thorough epidemiological evaluations. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of FA among Israeli young adults. Methods: All recruits (n = 12,592, ages 17-18 years) signing up over 6 months at a single recruitment center...

Background: Recurrent miscarriages are associated with a high prevalence of thrombophilia. Use of a calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT) can serve as a universal test for thrombophilia. Objectives: To examine whether thrombin generation measured by CAT is elevated during the first trimester in women with unexplained recurrent miscarriages. Me...

Background: Sex can be an important biological variable in the immune response to infections and the response to vaccines. The magnitude and consistency in age-specific sex differences in the incidence of viral infections remain unclear. Methods: We obtained data from national official agencies on cases of viral meningitis by sex and age group o...

Background: To examine whether glycemic control of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) could modify the risk for future maternal metabolic and cardiovascular morbidities. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of women with a first diagnosis of GDM who delivered between 1991 and 2011. Women were divided into groups of good and poor glycemic contr...

Although many case reports and observational studies have reported a correlation between iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) and thrombotic events, the mechanism for this is poorly understood. To evaluate this, we examined the change in coagulability in patients receiving treatment for IDA. Adult patients with IDA were recruited for this study and treate...

Background Arterial hypertension is associated with greater risk of cardiovascular diseases and thrombotic complications, suggesting that hypertension is a prothrombotic state. Objectives To investigate the relationship between arterial hypertension and thrombin generation, and between blood pressure level and thrombin generation in hypertensive p...

Background Residents from long-term care facilities (LTCF) hospitalized with an acute infectious disease are challenging in terms of diagnosis and treatment, considering atypical clinical presentation are high rate of resistant bacteria,. This study aimed to Characterize patients with LTCF acquired bacteremia (LTCF-B), epidemiology of blood culture...

Background Improved glycemic control is the desired outcome after the discharge of patients with diabetes. We aimed to determine the efficacy of a basal-bolus insulin protocol in hospitalized patients with diabetes treated with glucocorticoids. Methods A retrospective cohort study compared the glycemic control of 150 hospitalized patients with dia...

AIM To study factors associated with esophageal and non-esophageal cancer morbidity among Barrett’s esophagus (BE) patients. METHODS A cohort study within a single tertiary center included 386 consecutive patients with biopsy proven BE, who were recruited between 2004-2014. Endoscopic and histologic data were prospectively recorded. Cancer morbidi...

To evaluate the relationship between serum adiponectin ADP (sADP) levels and the risk of metabolic syndrome (MS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with DISH and to assess the relationship between sADP levels, and the tendency for new bone formation in these patients. sADP levels were measured in DISH and non-DISH (NDISH) patients. sADP l...

Background: Skin colonization of microorganisms in blood cultures (BCs) are generally considered clinically non-significant and can be the source of a true infection, particularly in immunosuppressed patients. Objectives: To study the epidemiology and risk factors for bacteremia caused by contaminants. Methods: This retrospective, descriptive...

( BJOG . 2017;124(7):1063–1070) Effective postcesarean analgesia is important as untreated pain can impair maternal bonding with her infant and decrease the rate of successful breastfeeding. Postoperative pain can also lead to decreased ambulation, which is associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic events and other postoperative complicat...

There are inconsistent data on mortality rates in patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP). Trends in mortality in BP throughout the years are yet to be established. The aim of the present study was to study the mortality in BP patients relative to the general population and to estimate trends in standardized mortality over the past 30 years. We perfo...

In this study we aimed to explore the significance of glycemic control during gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) pregnancy in predicting recurrence as this is unknown. A retrospective population-based cohort study of women with first diagnosed GDM pregnancy was conducted. A total of 426 women with 4,226 glucose charts were obtained. Daily glucose...

Aim: Elevated human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) have been linked to placental dysfunction and associated morbidities. We aimed to compare the induction of labor with expectant management at term in those pregnancies for the prevention of neonatal and maternal morbidities. Methods: Women with second trimester HCG ≥ 2...

Objective: There is a paucity of head-to-head randomized trials that compare single- and double-balloon catheters, and the results of the available data in terms of time from catheter insertion to delivery and delivery mode are mixed. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials compares the efficacy of single- and double-balloon catheters i...

Background: Quinolones were contraindicated during pregnancy due to concerns regarding fetal malformations and carcinogenesis in animals. The literature is conflicted regarding their safety in humans. Objectives: To conducted a meta-analysis evaluating the risk for fetal malformations and pregnancy complications following exposure to quinolones...

Despite overwhelming data on predictors of inpatient mortality, it is unclear which variables are the most instructive in predicting mortality of patients in departments of internal medicine. This study aims to identify the most informative predictors of inpatient mortality, and builds a prediction model on an individual level, given a constellatio...

Background: In 2006, the Israeli Ministry of Health distributed guidelines for improving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) knowledge among hospital staff. The impact of these guidelines on survival after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is unclear. Objectives: To compare rates of incidence and survival to discharge after IHCA, preceding and s...

Introduction: A retrospective analysis of information from the computerized data of the Emek Medical Center (EMC) and Clalit Community Healthcare Services (CCHS) was conducted. Two hundred and seventy-five SPs and four hundred and twenty eight NPPs were enrolled in the study. Aims: Patients returning to the emergency room, and re-hospitalization...

Limited information is available about clinical predictors of in-hospital mortality in acute unselected medical admissions. Such information could assist medical decision-making. To develop a clinical model for predicting in-hospital mortality in unselected acute medical admissions and to test the impact of secondary conditions on hospital mortalit...

Objective: To establish the predictive probability for placenta-associated morbidities using second-trimester α-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), and maternal features. Patients and methods: A retrospective database of all singleton deliveries with available second-trimester HCG and AFP results from 2005 to 2012 was built an...

Objectives To compare the efficacy, safety and satisfaction from two modes of oral analgesia administration for the treatment of post‐caesarean pain in the first 48 h following surgery: on‐demand versus fixed time interval administration. Design Open label parallel‐group, randomised‐controlled trial from February to December 2013. Setting Univers...

The literature on risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus recurrence is inconsistent and sometimes contradictory. The importance of inter-pregnancy interval and parity, remains unclear. We aimed to explore controversial risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus recurrence, especially the modifiable ones, and to develop a prediction mode...

The literature regarding risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) recurrence is inconsistent. We aimed to assess the effect sizes of risk factors of GDM recurrence. We searched electronic databases (1970–2015) and bibliographies for studies that included women with GDM (index pregnancy) who had a consecutive birth. We compared the risk...

The outcome of mechanically ventilated patients initially denied admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) and subsequently admitted is unclear. We compared outcomes of patients denied ICU admission and subsequently admitted, to those of patients admitted to the ICU and to patients refused ICU admission. The medical records of all the patients who...