Purpose
To find out what is known from literature about Long COVID until January 30, 2021.
Methods
We undertook a four-step search with no language restriction. A preliminary search was made to ...identify the keywords. A search strategy of all electronic databases resulted in 66 eligible studies. A forward and backward search of the references and citations resulted in additional 54 publications. Non-English language articles were translated using Google Translate. We conducted our scoping review based on the PRISMA-ScR Checklist.
Results
Of 120 papers, we found only one randomized clinical trial. Of the 67 original studies, 22 were cohort, and 28 were cross-sectional studies. Of the total 120 publications, 49.1% focused on signs and symptoms, 23.3% on management, and 10.8% on pathophysiology. Ten publications focused on imaging studies. The results are also presented extensively in a narrative synthesis in separated sections (nomenclature, diagnosis, pathophysiology, risk factors, signs/symptoms, management).
Conclusions
The controversies in its definition have impaired proper recognition and management. The predominant symptoms were: fatigue, breathlessness, arthralgia, sleep difficulties, and chest pain. Recent reports also point to the risk of long-term sequela with cutaneous, respiratory, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, mental health, neurologic, and renal involvement in those who survive the acute phase of the illness.
Background
Observational studies have demonstrated improved outcomes in TBI patients receiving in-hospital beta-blockers. The aim of this study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial examining ...the effect of beta-blockers on outcomes in TBI patients.
Methods
Adult patients with severe TBI (intracranial AIS ≥ 3) were included in the study. Hemodynamically stable patients at 24 h after injury were randomized to receive either 20 mg propranolol orally every 12 h up to 10 days or until discharge (BB+) or no propranolol (BB−). Outcomes of interest were in-hospital mortality and Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E) score on discharge and at 6-month follow-up. Subgroup analysis including only isolated severe TBI (intracranial AIS ≥ 3 with extracranial AIS ≤ 2) was carried out. Poisson regression models were used.
Results
Two hundred nineteen randomized patients of whom 45% received BB were analyzed. There were no significant demographic or clinical differences between BB
+
and BB
−
cohorts. No significant difference in in-hospital mortality (adj. IRR 0.6 95% CI 0.3–1.4,
p
= 0.2) or long-term functional outcome was measured between the cohorts (
p
= 0.3). One hundred fifty-four patients suffered isolated severe TBI of whom 44% received BB. The BB
+
group had significantly lower mortality relative to the BB
−
group (18.6% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.012). On regression analysis, propranolol had a significant protective effect on in-hospital mortality (adj. IRR 0.32,
p
= 0.04) and functional outcome at 6-month follow-up (GOS-E ≥ 5 adj. IRR 1.2,
p
= 0.02).
Conclusion
Propranolol decreases in-hospital mortality and improves long-term functional outcome in isolated severe TBI. This randomized trial speaks in favor of routine administration of beta-blocker therapy as part of a standardized neurointensive care protocol.
Level of evidence
Level II; therapeutic.
Study type
Therapeutic study.
The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), appears with a wide spectrum of mild-to-critical clinical complications. Many clinical ...and experimental findings suggest the role of inflammatory mechanisms in the immunopathology of COVID-19. Hence, cellular and molecular mediators of the immune system can be potential targets for predicting, monitoring, and treating the progressive complications of COVID-19. In this review, we assess the latest cellular and molecular data on the immunopathology of COVID-19 according to the pathological evidence (e.g., mucus and surfactants), dysregulations of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators (e.g., cytokines and chemokines), and impairments of innate and acquired immune system functions (e.g., mononuclear cells, neutrophils and antibodies). Furthermore, we determine the significance of immune biomarkers for predicting, monitoring, and treating the progressive complications of COVID-19. We also discuss the clinical importance of recent immune biomarkers in COVID-19, and at the end of each section, recent clinical trials in immune biomarkers for COVID-19 are mentioned.
The goal of this study was to develop a predictive machine learning model to predict the risk of prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), with a ...focus on laboratory and Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) data. This retrospective cohort study included ICU patients admitted to Rajaei Hospital in Shiraz between 2016 and March 20, 2022. All adult patients requiring mechanical ventilation and seeking ICU admission had their data analyzed. Six models were created in this study using five machine learning models (PMV more than 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 23 days). Patients' demographic characteristics, Apache II, laboratory information, ABG, and comorbidity were predictors. This study used Logistic regression (LR), artificial neural networks (ANN), support vector machines (SVM), random forest (RF), and C.5 decision tree (C.5 DT) to predict PMV. The study enrolled 1138 eligible patients, excluding brain-dead patients and those without mechanical ventilation or a tracheostomy. The model PMV > 14 days showed the best performance (Accuracy: 83.63-98.54). The essential ABG variables in our two optimal models (artificial neural network and decision tree) in the PMV > 14 models include FiO
, paCO
, and paO
. This study provides evidence that machine learning methods outperform traditional methods and offer a perspective for achieving a consensus definition of PMV. It also introduces ABG and laboratory information as the two most important variables for predicting PMV. Therefore, there is significant value in deploying such models in clinical practice and making them accessible to clinicians to support their decision-making.
Background Trauma has a significant impact on the overall health of individuals worldwide, being a leading cause of morbidity and mortality with long-lasting effects. The identification of suitable ...biomarkers is crucial to predict patient outcomes, providing information about the severity of a condition or the probability of a specific outcome. Hence, in this study, we addressed a new biomarker, copeptin, and discussed its prognostic roles in various trauma researches. Main body Copeptin is a peptide derived from the precursor of the hormone vasopressin, which is released in response to stress. Copeptin can serve as a valuable biomarker for determining the severity, prognosis, and outcome of trauma patients. Elevated levels of copeptin are associated with increased mortality and poor clinical outcomes in patients with severe injuries or bleeding. Implementing copeptin measurements in clinical practice can enable healthcare providers to more accurately gauge the degree of trauma and predict patient mortality and morbidity outcomes facilitating prompt interventions and personalized treatment. Conclusion The measurement of novel biomarker copeptin can serve as a prognostic molecule for further outcomes in trauma patients. Nevertheless, supplementary research is needed to fully comprehend its role in the development and progression of traumatic injuries. Keywords: Copeptin, Multiple traumas, Hemorrhagic shock, TBI, Vasopressin
Currently, two models of artificial neural network (ANN) and logistic regression (LR) are known as models that extensively used in medical sciences. The aim of this study was to compare the ANN and ...LR models in prediction of Health-related outcomes in traumatic patients using a systematic review.
The study was planned and conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist. A literature search of published studies was conducted using PubMed, Embase, Web of knowledge, Scopus, and Google Scholar in May 2018. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklists was used for assessing the quality of the included articles.
The literature searches yielded 326 potentially relevant studies from the primary searches. Overall, the review included 10 unique studies. The results of this study showed that the area under curve (AUC) for the ANN was 0.91, (95% CI 0.89–0.83) and 0.89, (95% CI 0.87–90) for the LR in random effect model. The accuracy rate for ANN and LR in random effect models were 90.5, (95% CI, 87.6–94.2) and 83.2, (95% CI 75.1–91.2), respectively.
The results of our study showed that ANN has better performance than LR in predicting the terminal outcomes of traumatic patients in both the AUC and accuracy rate. Using an ANN to predict the final implications of trauma patients can provide more accurate clinical decisions.
Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), being the most common thyroid malignancy, is a slow-growing tumor and is usually limited to the thyroid. Extra thyroid extension is uncommon; besides, invasion to ...the vasculature seems to be extremely rare and usually indicates aggressive nature of the disease.
We present a case of a 40-year-old lady who referred with a palpable neck mass a month after total thyroidectomy which its histopathologic examination revealed follicular variant of PTC; the same variant as prior thyroidectomy. Preoperative ultrasonography failed to comment on the intravascular component of the mass. Surgical procedure confirmed a mass attaching and infiltrating to the internal jugular vein, which turned out to be persistent disease.
Awareness of this entity is important for surgeons, oncologists and radiologist as it can influence patient management.
Introduction: Coagulation disorder is one of the major phenomena following the trauma which can deteriorate the condition of the patients. The aim of this study is to determine some factors ...predicting the incidence of coagulation disorder among acute trauma patients.
Methods: The generalized estimation equations were used to determine the predictors of blood coagulation disorders in a sample of 736 people over 16 years of age with acute trauma in Shahid Rajaei Hospital in Shiraz. The response variable was converted based on PT, PTT, INR, and fibrinogen level criteria as a two-state variable (with/without coagulation disorder). In the data analysis, the correlation of the coagulation disorder was considered in the first and second stages.
Results:The prevalence of coagulation disorders (mild, moderate and severe) was 19% in two stages and coagulation disorders (moderate and severe) was 7.5%. Motor vehicle accident was the most common cause of injury.The variables of blood sugar, diastolic blood pressure, pH, and sodium had a significant effect on coagulation disorders (mild, moderate, and severe). Moreover, blood phosphorus, age, and pupillary reflex had a significant effect on coagulation disorders (moderate and severe).
Conclusion: Predictors of coagulation disorders (mild-moderate-severe) include blood sugar, diastolic blood pressure, pH, and sodium. Moreover, blood phosphorus, age, and pupil reflex are predictors of moderate and severe coagulopathy. this model that taking into account the exchangeable correlation of first- and second-stage coagulopathy had a better fit than the model ignoring this correlation.
Introduction Although hydatid cyst remains one of the prevalent parasitic infections in humans, hydatid cyst of the thyroid is extremely rare, even in endemic areas. Here we present two cases of ...thyroid hydatid cysts. Case presentation A 35 and a 50 year-old Iranian female with a positive history of animal contact were presented with a neck lump without any compressive symptoms. A physical exam revealed neck masses that elevated with swallowing. Thyroid gland ultrasonography showed cystic thyroid lesions, and fine needle aspiration (FNA) suggested a thyroid hydatic cyst. Thyroid lobectomy and isthmectomy were done for the first patient, and near-total thyroidectomy was done for the other. The pathology report confirmed the diagnosis of a hydatid cyst. None of the patients had hydatid cysts in other sites. Patients were discharged without an antiparasitic drug, and no recurrence was detected at the six-month follow-up. Conclusion It is necessary to consider hydatid cysts in the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions of the thyroid gland in endemic areas, especially in people with a positive history of animal contact. Keywords: Hydatid cyst, Thyroid gland, Primary, Thyroidectomy, Case report
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