scholarly journals Taste and Smell Impairment in COVID-19: An AAO-HNS Anosmia Reporting Tool-Based Comparative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 163 (3) ◽  
pp. 473-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
İbrahim Sayin ◽  
Kadriye Kart Yaşar ◽  
Zahide Mine Yazici

Objective To identify the taste and smell impairment in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–positive subjects and compare the findings with COVID-19–negative subjects using the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) Anosmia Reporting Tool. Setting Tertiary referral center/COVID-19 pandemic hospital. Study Design Comparative study. Subjects and Methods After power analysis, 128 subjects were divided into 2 groups according to real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) COVID-19 testing results. Subjects were called via telephone, and the AAO-HNS Anosmia Reporting Tool was used to collect responses. Results The mean age of the study group was 38.63 ± 10.08 years. At the time of sampling, rhinorrhea was significantly high in the COVID-19–negative group, whereas those complaints described as “other” were significantly high in the COVID-19–positive group. There was a significant difference in the smell/taste impairment rates of the groups (n = 46% [71.9%] for the COVID-19–positive group vs n = 17 [26.6%] for the COVID-19–negative group, P = .001). For subjects with a smell impairment, anosmia rates did not differ between the groups. The rates of hyposmia and parosmia were significantly high in the COVID-19–positive group. For the subjects with taste impairment, ageusia rates did not differ between groups. The rate of hypogeusia and dysgeusia was significantly high in the COVID-19–positive group. Logistic regression analysis indicates that smell/taste impairment in COVID-19–positive subjects increases the odds ratio by 6.956 (95% CI, 3.16-15.29) times. Conclusion COVID-19–positive subjects are strongly associated with smell/taste impairment.

2020 ◽  
pp. 014556132097550
Author(s):  
Hakan Avcı ◽  
Burak Karabulut

Objective: This study aimed to conduct a study to evaluate the relation between otolaryngology-specific symptoms and computed tomography findings in ambulatory care COVID-19 patients. Patient and Methods: The study was conducted with medical records of 987 (82%) patients with confirmed COVID-19 virus via real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction between March 11, 2020, and April 21, 2020. Patients were divided into 2 groups as computed tomography (CT)-negative and CT-positive groups considering the presence of the CT findings depicting COVID-19 disease. Results: The mean age was significantly higher in CT-positive group than CT-negative group (41.53 ± 12.82 vs 36.61 ± 11.81, P < .001). Cough and shortness of the breath were observed with a significantly higher rate in CT-positive group than that of CT-negative group (44% vs 29.9%, P = .001 and 18.4% vs 9.7%, P = .002, respectively). Conclusions: In conclusion, advanced age, cough, and shortness of breath could be related to CT scan positivity.


Author(s):  
Ghaidaa Raheem Lateef ◽  
Azhar Omaran Al-Thahab

A study was performed on 100 pregnant women in the outpatient department of gynecology and obstetrics of Maternity and Children Hospital in Al-Diwaniya City during the period between (March to September 2016). One hundred blood samples (50 for patients and 50 for control) were collected under the supervision of the treating gynecologist. The detection of Helicobacter. pylori was done by the use of the serum antibody Rapid test. The results showed that 50 (100%) were positive and 50 (100%) were negative for H. pylori in above method.All blood of patients and control samples were used for the extraction of genomic DNA,where the 107 bp PCR product size. Genotyping of the TNF-α-308 SNP (G/A)was performed by restriction fragment length polymorphism PCR (RFLP-PCR). PCR products were digested with restr NcoI iction enzyme. Individuals with the TNF-α-308(GG) homozygote produced digested DNA bands at 80,and 20 bp bp. A heterozygous genotype ofTNF-α-308 (GA)produced 107 bp,80 bp,and 20 bp bands. Individuals with the TNF-α-308 (AA) homozygote genotype had no amplicon digested and generated only one band of 107 bp. There was a significant difference in the frequency of the TNF-α-308(GG)genotype between H. pylori positive group and H. pylori negative group(72%,78% respectively). Also for GA genotype,there was a significant difference between H. pylori positive group and H. pylori negative group(24%,18% respectively). Concerning the frequency of the TNF-α-308 (AA)genotype between H. pylori positive group and H. pylori negative group,there was no significant difference between the two groups.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuichi Tatsuno ◽  
Yoshinari Morimoto ◽  
Megumi Hayashi ◽  
Takatoshi Iida

AbstractThe effects of intravenous sedation with midazolam on the cerebral function of elderly patients with severe dementia are unclear. This study aimed to evaluate its effects on parameters such as brainwaves and cerebral blood flow (CBF) and compare them between elderly individuals with dementia and without cognitive impairment. Ten patients with severe dementia and 10 without cognitive impairment were registered. The bispectral index (BIS) and normalized tissue hemoglobin index (nTHI), which reflects CBF using near-infrared spectroscopy, were measured. Midazolam was administered until a Modified Observer’s Assessment of Alertness/Sedation score of 2 was reached. The chi-squared, Mann–Whitney U, Wilcoxon signed-rank, and Friedman tests and multiple regression analysis were used for comparisons. Whereas a similar decline in BIS values was observed in both groups after midazolam administration (P < 0.018), there was a significant decrease by 9% in the nTHI of the dementia-positive group (P < 0.013). However, there was no significant difference in the nTHI between the dementia-positive and dementia-negative group according to the multiple regression analysis (P = 0.058). In the dementia-negative group, none of the measured values differed from the baseline values. In the dementia-positive group, sedation with midazolam resulted in a 9% decrease in the CBF.


Open Medicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 332-337
Author(s):  
Xiaoli Li ◽  
Lei Rong ◽  
Peiyan Zhang ◽  
Jian Xu ◽  
Yan Rong

Abstract Aim We compared the clinical characteristics of patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) positive and negative anal swabs during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recovery and investigated the clinical significance and influence factors of anal swab detection. Methods This study retrospectively analyzed 23 moderate COVID-19 patients in the recovery phase. They were divided into anal swab positive group (n = 13) (negative for pharyngeal swabs but positive for anal swabs) and anal swab negative group (n = 10) (negative for pharyngeal and anal swabs). The epidemiology, clinical symptoms, time of pharyngeal swabs turning negative, and laboratory results were compared. Results The time of pharyngeal swabs turning negative in the anal swab positive group was 6 (5–8.5) days, significantly longer than that in the anal swab negative group (1 (1–4.25) days), P = 0.0002). The platelet count of the anal swab positive group was significantly lower than that of the anal swab negative group (198 (135–235) × 109/L vs 240.5 (227–264.75) × 109/L, P = 0.0248). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in other variables. Conclusions The time of pharyngeal swab turning negative in anal swab positive patients is longer than that in anal swab negative patients. The platelet count can be used as an indicator for viral infection evaluation. For patients with a longer time of pharyngeal swabs turning negative, the combined testing of the anal swab and platelet counts may help to avoid pharyngeal swab false negatives, premature discharge, and the possibility of fecal-oral transmission.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (41) ◽  
pp. 3559-3566
Author(s):  
Abdul Salam R. T. ◽  
Shahul Hameed A. ◽  
Meera Rajan

BACKGROUND An ideal surgery to remove hypertrophied adenoid mass should be safe, with less bleeding and operation time along with post-operative improvement in the eustachian tubal ventilation and normal respiration. It should also have low morbidity and mortality. Among the various methods described for its removal, the two commonly used methods are conventional cold curettage method and coblation technique. The purpose of this study was to collate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic coblation adenoidectomy with the conventional curettage adenoidectomy. METHODS A prospective comparative study with fifty patients was studied who underwent adenoidectomy. Twenty five patients underwent endoscopy assisted coblation adenoidectomy and twenty five patients underwent regular adenoidectomy by curettage. RESULTS Patients who underwent coblation adenoidectomy showed better results during follow up in terms of completeness of removal. 80 % of children undergoing regular adenoidectomy by curettage method showed remnant adenoid tissue in the nasopharynx at the end of the procedure. But it was 6 % among the children undergoing endoscopic assisted coblation adenoidectomy. The mean duration of operation was higher for endoscopic assisted coblation adenoidectomy which was significant statistically. The mean blood loss was 30.36 ml in regular curettage adenoidectomy; 10.6 ml with endoscopic coblation adenoidectomy. The grading of pain was significantly lower in endoscopic assisted coblation adenoidectomy. There was no significant difference between two groups in terms of eustachian tube function after surgery. CONCLUSIONS Coblation adenoidectomy has significant advantages over conventional adenoidectomy in terms of completeness of removal, reduced blood loss, and lower post-operative pain grade. KEYWORDS Coblation, Adenoidectomy, Curettage, Haemorrhage and Complications


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 217-222
Author(s):  
Premwadee Chueachat ◽  
Woraporn Tarangkoon ◽  
Suwat Tanyaros

Abstract A comparative study on the nursery culture of the spat of the tropical oyster, Crassostrea iredalei, in an earthen pond and a mangrove canal was conducted over two months. The results revealed no differences in the absolute growth rate determined by shell width between the two culture sites (P < 0.05). Sub-adult oysters cultured in the mangrove canal showed a higher absolute growth rate in shell length and a higher daily growth rate than the oysters cultured in the earthen pond (P < 0.05). The mean survival rate of sub-adult oysters cultured in the earthen pond (99.8 ± 0.2%) was significantly higher than for those cultured in the mangrove canal (66.7 ± 31.4%). Decreased density from the loss of sub-adult oyster nursery culture in the mangrove canal led to higher growth performance than in the earthen pond. However, no difference was found for the fraction of oysters larger or smaller than 5 cm for the two culture sites (P < 0.05). A significant difference was noted in the Condition Index (CI) between the two culture sites (P < 0.05). The high primary productivity in mangroves is a major supporter of higher CI in sub-adult oysters cultured in mangrove canals versus in earthen ponds. Water exchange in the earthen pond to maintain calcium and magnesium concentrations resulted in no differences in the shell compressibility of sub-adult oysters compared with those cultured in the mangrove canal.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
JunYu Ding ◽  
Changxin Liu ◽  
Zhao Wang ◽  
Hua Guo ◽  
Kan Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background:The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been spreading globally. The information regarding the characteristics and prognosis of antibody non-responders with COVID-19 is scarce.Method: In this retrospective, single-center study, we included all the patients with confirmed COVID-19 using real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) admitted to the Fire God Mountain hospital from February 3, 2020, to April 14, 2020. A total of 1921 patients were divided into the antibody-negative group (n=94) and antibody-positive group (n=1827), and the 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match two groups.Results: In the antibody negative group, 40 patients (42.6%) were male, 54 patients (57.4%) were female, and 49 patients (52.1%) were older than 65 years old. Cough was the most common symptoms in the antibody negative group. White blood cell counts (WBC) 6.6×109/L [5.0, 9.1], Neutrophils 4.3×109/L [3.1, 6.6], C-reactive protein 7.3 mg/L [1.3, 49.0], Procalcitonin (PCT) 0.1 ng/mL [0.0, 0.2], Interleukin-6 (IL-6) 64.2 [1.5, 28.7], Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) 193.8 U/L [154.9,260.6], Creatine kinase 60.5 U/L [40.5, 103.7], Creatine kinase isoenzyme 10.3 ng/mL [8.2, 14.5], Urea nitrogen 5.3 mmol/L [4.0, 8.7] and Creatinine 77.7 μmol/L [60.6, 98.7] were significantly higher in antibody negative patients than in antibody positive group (P<0.005). The days of nucleic acid negative conversion in the antibody negative group was shorter than that in the antibody positive group (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the hospitalization time of antibody negative patients was shorter than that of antibody positive patients (8.0 [6.0, 10.0] VS 13.0 [8.2, 23.0], P < 0.001).Conclusion: Some COVID-19 patients without specific antibodies had mild symptoms, but the inflammatory reaction caused by innate clinical immunity was more intense than those with antibodies, and the virus was cleared faster. The production of specific antibodies was unnecessary for SARS-CoV-2 clearance, and non-specific immune responses played an essential role in virus clearance.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olusola Ojurongbe ◽  
Oluwatoyin Adeola Oyeniran ◽  
Oyebode Armstrong Terry Alli ◽  
Sunday Samuel Taiwo ◽  
Taiwo Adetola Ojurongbe ◽  
...  

Malaria and HIV are the two most important health challenges of our time. Haematologic abnormalities are features inPlasmodium falciparuminfection, and anaemia is a well-known outcome. The prevalence and haematological impact ofP. falciparumparasitaemia were determined among HIV-infected individuals in Nigeria. Parasite detection was carried out using microscopy and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Haemoglobin concentration was determined using an automated machine while CD4+ T-cells count was analyzed using flow cytometer. Thirty-seven (18.5%) out of the 200 HIV individuals enrolled had malaria parasites detected in their blood. All the positive cases were detected by PCR while only 20 (10%) were detected by thick blood microscopy. The mean haemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume (PCV) of HIV individuals with malaria parasitaemia were lower compared to those without malaria parasitaemia but the difference was not statistically significant. Also no significant difference was observed in malaria positivity in respect to sex and mean CD4+ cell count. The study highlights the effects ofP. falciparumparasitaemia on the haematologic and immune components of HIV individuals.


Stroke ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuyuki Iguchi ◽  
Kazumi Kimura ◽  
Jyunya Aoki ◽  
Kazuto Kobayashi ◽  
Kenichiro Sakai ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose Our aim is to investigate the diagnostic utility of diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) for transient ischemic attack (TIA), not only admission but also 24 h after first study. Methods We prospectively enrolled TIA patients who were admitted within 24 h of onset. We examined trans-thoracic echocardiography, 24 h Holter electrocardiography, and carotid duplex ultrasonography in order to give the best medication. All of patients received DWI immediately after admission. At first, when we observed hyper-intense lesion considered as ischemia, additional DWI examination was not conducted. When there was no hyper-intense lesion on initial DWI study, we conducted follow-up DWI 24 h after initial examination. We defined a recurrence of ischemic event as an occurrence of symptomatic ischemic stroke or TIA at 3 months after onset. Regarding initial DWI study, we compared proportional frequency of recurrence between patients with ischemic lesion (i-positive group) and without any lesion (i-negative group), and also compared recurrence rate between patients with ischemic lesion on initial and/or follow-up studies (if-positive group) and without any lesion on both studies (if-negative group). Results We registered 100 TIA patients (men; 63, median age; 74 years, ABCD2 score <3; 32). On initial DWI study, 34 patients had ischemic lesion (i-positive group) and 66 had no lesion (i-negative group). Among 66 patients of i-negative group, 12 (19%) had hyper-intense lesion in follow-up study. Finally, there were 46 patients in if-positive group and 54 in if- negative. Recurrence ischemic event occurred in 19 (19%) of 100 patients. There was no significant difference of recurrence rate between i-positive and i-negative groups (27% vs. 16%, p=0.172). However, recurrence rate was significantly higher in if-positive group than these of if-negative group (29% vs. 12%, p=0.024) Conclusions New ischemic lesions on follow up DWI appeared in approximately 20% of TIA patients who did not have ischemic lesion on initial DWI. Only initial DWI but initial and follow-up DWI was important role of predicting the recurrence of ischemic events in TIA patients.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Dong ◽  
Ting-ting Fan ◽  
Ying-ying Wang ◽  
Lu Zhang ◽  
Li Song ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective To investigate the correlation of M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) expression and serum anti-PLA2R antibody with the clinical parameters and prognosis of patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). Methods A literature search for relevant original articles published between January 2009 and October 2019 was conducted on domestic and foreign databases. RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis. Results Eighteen studies were included in this meta-analysis. There were 1235 anti-PLA2R antibody-positive and PLA2R-positive patients, and 407 serum anti-PLA2R antibody-negative and PLA2R-negative patients. Compared with negative group, patients in the serum PLA2R antibody -positive group had lower serum albumin [SMD = -1.11, 95% CI (− 1.82, − 0.40), P < 0.00001], higher age [MD = 2.71, 95% CI (1.94, 3.48), P < 0.00001], and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) [MD = -10.34, 95% CI (− 12.09, − 8.60), P < 0.00001]; no significant between-group difference was observed with respect to 24-h urine protein and serum creatinine. However, no significant difference was observed between renal tissues PLA2R -positive and -negative groups with respect to serum albumin, eGFR, serum creatinine, and 24-h urine protein. Remission rate in the serum anti-PLA2R antibody -positive group was lower than that in the -negative group [OR = 0.41, 95% CI (0.28, 0.61),P < 0.00001]; however, no significant between-group difference in this respect was observed between the renal tissue PLA2R-positive and -negative groups. In the serum anti-PLA2R antibody -positive group, the higher titer subgroup had lower remission rate [OR = 0.19, 95% CI (0.07, 0.55),P = 0.002]. No significant difference was observed between anti-PLA2R antibody -positive and -negative groups with respect to adverse events. Serum anti-PLA2R antibody titer did not affect the adverse event rate. Conclusion As compared to PLA2R, serum anti-PLA2R antibody is more closely related with IMN disease progression.


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