scholarly journals Retinal involvement of coronavirus disease (COVID-19): A systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 66
Author(s):  
Mohammad Eko Prayogo ◽  
Angela Nurini Agni
Keyword(s):  
Literature Search ◽  
Ocular Involvement ◽  
Retinal Layer ◽  
Retinal Lesions ◽  
Ocular Manifestations ◽  
Cotton Wool Spots ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
Pigmented Epithelium ◽  
Language Restriction

COVID-19 has wide-ranging manifestations which involve various organs. Although COVID-19 is known to affect mainly the respiratory system, many patients suffered from ocular manifestations following SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially conjunctivitis. However, there was some evidence of broader ocular involvement, which could involve the retinal layer. This review aims to analyze the possible explanation of retinal involvement in COVID-19 and whether comorbidities increase the risk of retinal involvement in COVID-19. We conducted a systematic literature search during September 2020 using the PUBMED database and other additional sources (e.g., Google Scholar). There was no year of publication nor language restriction. Six papers are used in this literature review: two studies reported retinal lesions in COVID-19 patients, one study detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in retinal biopsies and three studies proposed possible mechanisms of retinal involvement in COVID-19. Ocular structures express ACE-2, such as the aqueous humor, pigmented epithelium, and retina. This is supported by the finding of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid in postmortem patients. Retinal involvement in COVID-19 patients includes hyperreflective retina lesions, subtle cotton wool spots, and microhemorrhage. However, these findings do not necessarily indicate the specificity of retinal involvement. Diabetes mellitus may be associated with disease severity in patients with COVID-19. Some evidence of retinal involvement in SARS-CoV-2 infection involves the detection of retinal lesions, the expression of ACE-2 in the retina, and the role of comorbidities.

scholarly journals Consensus on the Application of Lung Ultrasound in Pneumonia and Bronchiolitis in Children

Diagnostics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 935
Author(s):  
Joanna Jaworska ◽  
Anna Komorowska-Piotrowska ◽  
Andrzej Pomiećko ◽  
Jakub Wiśniewski ◽  
Mariusz Woźniak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Delphi Method ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Lung Ultrasound ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Assessment Development ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
On Line

This evidence-based consensus aims to establish the role of point-of-care lung ultrasound in the management of pneumonia and bronchiolitis in paediatric patients. A panel of thirteen experts form five Polish tertiary pediatric centres was involved in the development of this document. The literature search was done in PubMed database. Statements were established based on a review of full-text articles published in English up to December 2019. The development of this consensus was conducted according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations)—adopted and Delphi method. Initially, 22 proposed statements were debated over 3 rounds of on-line discussion and anonymous voting sessions. A total of 17 statements were agreed upon, including four statements referring to general issues, nine referring to pneumonia and four to bronchiolitis. For five statements experts did not achieve an agreement. The evidence supporting each statement was evaluated to assess the strength of each statement. Overall, eight statements were rated strong, five statements moderate, and four statements weak. For each statement, experts provided their comments based on the literature review and their own experience. This consensus is the first to establish the role of lung ultrasound in the diagnosis and management of pneumonia and bronchiolitis in children as an evidence-based method of imaging.

A review of tele-dermatology during the COVID-19 pandemic and its future. (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaotian Wu
Keyword(s):  
Significant Role ◽  
Full Text ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Skin Diseases ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
The Future

BACKGROUND As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on worldwide, social distancing and minimising face-to-face interactions remain key to reducing the spread of disease. As a result of this change, the field of tele-dermatology has matured rapidly and has become widely adopted. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this paper are to review the literature on the use of tele-dermatology during the COVID-19 pandemic - to identify how tele-dermatology services were implemented, the benefits of tele-dermatology, its challenges and limitations, and the implications for tele-dermatology in the future. METHODS A literature search for articles on the PubMed database was conducted using the keywords “tele-dermatology” and “COVID”. Results were filtered for articles written in English and published in the years 2020 and 2021. We included articles that meet the following criteria: studies that describe the experiences of an institution that has implemented tele-dermatology during the COVID-19 pandemic or qualitative studies surveying the perceptions of patients and/or doctors after using tele-dermatology as a platform. We excluded articles that merely discussed tele-dermatology without describing any first-hand experience. To prevent duplication of findings, we also excluded system reviews. Relevant articles were identified by their title and abstracts. Full text, where available, were retrieved for the identified articles. RESULTS The results were retrieved on 26th May 2021. A total of 112 results were identified. 33 articles met the inclusion criteria, of which 30 articles had full text available for retrieval. The following themes were identified from the articles and discussed: implementation of tele-dermatology, the benefits of tele-dermatology during a global pandemic, the limitations of tele-dermatology, and the possible role of tele-dermatology in the future. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly hastened the adoption of tele-dermatology worldwide. As we adapt to the increasing prevalence of this relatively new platform and overcome its various barriers and limitations, there is no doubt that tele-dermatology will play a significant role in the care of patients suffering from skin diseases in the post COVID-19 era.

scholarly journals The role of autophagy and vesicular trafficking in melanoma development

2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 480-484
Author(s):  
Iuliia Taskaeva ◽  
Anastasia Shatruk ◽  
Nataliya Bgatova
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Tumor Growth ◽  
Intracellular Transport ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Vesicular Trafficking ◽  
The Other ◽  
Cancer Cell Death ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
The One

The role of autophagy and vesicular trafficking in carcinogenesis, including melanoma, is ambiguous: on the one hand, they contribute to the maintenance of intracellular homeostasis and the tumor progression, on the other hand, they can initiate cancer cell death. These processes have a significant impact on the metabolism of melanoma cells and could be associated with metastasis, tumor growth and progression. The review examines the mechanisms of autophagy and vesicular trafficking and presents the modern literature data demonstrating the role of the intracellular transport system in oncogenesis and melanoma development. A literature search was performed in the PubMed database.

Eye in COVID-19: A Brief Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Mohsin Ali ◽  
Qudsia Anwar Dar ◽  
Zahid Kamal ◽  
Alishba Khan
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Respiratory Symptoms ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Transmission Route ◽  
Ocular Manifestation ◽  
Personal Protection ◽  
Personal Protection Equipment ◽  
Ocular Manifestations ◽  
Infection Control Measures

This is a brief review covering the currently available literature on ocular manifestations of COVID-19, andprevention strategies for ophthalmologists. A literature search was carried out of Pubmed, Google Scholar andWHO database of publications on COVID. Keywords used in the search were eye, ocular manifestations,ophthalmology, COVID-19, nCoV-2019, and coronavirus disease. All available articles were reviewed and thosepertinent to the study topic were included. Considering the dearth of information available, ophthalmology journals were also searched separately for relevant articles. Major ocular manifestation of COVID reported in literature is red eye, which usually presents before the onset of respiratory symptoms. Since the eye can be a possible transmission route for SARS-CoV-2, infection control measures should be undertaken by ophthalmologists, including use of personal protection equipment and eye/face covering. A framework for structuring ophthalmological services during the COVID pandemic is also presented in this review.

scholarly journals The Role of Chemotherapy in Management of Inoperable, Metastatic and/or Recurrent Melanotic Neuroectodermal Tumor of Infancy—Own Experience and Systematic Review

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 3872
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Styczewska ◽  
Małgorzata A. Krawczyk ◽  
Ines B. Brecht ◽  
Konrad Haug ◽  
Ewa Iżycka-Świeszewska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Pediatric Oncology ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Poor Response ◽  
Neuroectodermal Tumor ◽  
Incomplete Resection ◽  
Systematic Literature Search ◽  
Neural Crest Origin

Melanotic Neuroectodermal Tumor of Infancy (MNTI) is a very rare pediatric neoplasm of neural crest origin. In most cases, it develops in infants as a localized tumor of the maxilla, and surgery is usually curative. In less than 10% of patients with inoperable, metastatic or persistently recurring MNTI, chemotherapy (CHT) may be considered; however, its role is still unclear. The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy of CHT in children with large, inoperable, metastatic and/or recurrent MNTI. Four such infants, treated with CHT in Polish and German centers of pediatric oncology, were presented. Additionally, a systematic literature search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science databases was performed, yielding 38 similar cases within the last 42 years. Neoadjuvant CHT, based mainly on the protocols for neuroblastoma, was often effective, allowing for complete delayed surgery in most cases. However, the role of adjuvant CHT in preventing recurrences after incomplete resection of MNTI remains unclear. Disseminated inoperable MNTI was almost universally associated with poor response to CHT and unfavorable outcome. Further investigations to elaborate standards of management in patients with inoperable, metastatic or persistently recurring MNTIs are necessary to improve outcomes.

scholarly journals The hospital telemedicine TELEMED database: Providing information on evidence-based telemedicine services to hospital managers and healthcare professionals

2021 ◽  
pp. 1357633X2110155
Author(s):  
Kristian Kidholm ◽  
Ida W Svendsen ◽  
Knud Yderstræde ◽  
Anne M Ølholm ◽  
Kathrine Rayce ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Literature Search ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Implementation Challenges ◽  
Hospital Managers ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Hospital Patients

Background Increased use of telemedicine in the healthcare system is a political goal in Denmark. Although the number of hospital patients using interventions such as the video consultation has increased in recent years only a small proportion of the outpatient and inpatient visits involve telemedicine. The TELEMED database ( https://telemedicine.cimt.dk/ ) has been launched at the Center for Innovative Medical Technologies in Denmark to ensure that hospital managers and healthcare professionals have access to information about telemedicine services and their effectiveness. This article describes the development and the content of the TELEMED database. Methods A structured literature search was made in the PubMed Database for randomised controlled trials or observational studies with a control group that investigated the effect of telemedicine interventions for hospital patients. Data were extracted from each article on the clinical effectiveness, patient perceptions, economic effects and implementation challenges. As the database should only provide inspiration to healthcare professionals regarding possibilities for use of telemedicine, the risk of bias in the studies was not assessed. Results The literature search resulted in 2825 hits. Based on full text assessment, 331 articles were included for data extraction and assessment. These articles present telemedicine services used in 22 different medical specialities. Forty-eight percent of the studies found a positive, statistically significant clinical effect, while 47% showed no statistically significant difference. In 48% of the studies, patients’ experiences were examined and of these 68% found positive patient experiences. Fifty-four percent of the articles included information on the economic effects and, of these, 51% found reduction in healthcare utilization. In the majority of studies between two and four types of implementation challenges were found. Conclusions and recommendations: The TELEMED database provides an easily accessible overview of existing evidence-based telemedicine services for use by hospital managers and health professionals, who whish to to implement telemedicine. The database is freely available and expected to be continuously improved and broadened over time.

scholarly journals Gut Microbiota and Acute Diverticulitis: Role of Probiotics in Management of This Delicate Pathophysiological Balance

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 298
Author(s):  
Andrea Piccioni ◽  
Laura Franza ◽  
Mattia Brigida ◽  
Christian Zanza ◽  
Enrico Torelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Diverticular Disease ◽  
Acute Diverticulitis ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Mucosal Inflammation ◽  
Abdominal Symptoms ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
Anti Inflammatory ◽  
Key Terms

How can the knowledge of probiotics and their mechanisms of action be translated into clinical practice when treating patients with diverticular disease and acute diverticulitis? Changes in microbiota composition have been observed in patients who were developing acute diverticulitis, with a reduction of taxa with anti-inflammatory activity, such as Clostridium cluster IV, Lactobacilli and Bacteroides. Recent observations supported that a dysbiosis characterised by decreased presence of anti-inflammatory bacterial species might be linked to mucosal inflammation, and a vicious cycle results from a mucosal inflammation driving dysbiosis at the same time. An alteration in gut microbiota can lead to an altered activation of nerve fibres, and subsequent neuronal and muscular dysfunction, thus favoring abdominal symptoms’ development. The possible role of dysbiosis and mucosal inflammation in leading to dysmotility is linked, in turn, to bacterial translocation from the lumen of the diverticulum to perivisceral area. There, a possible activation of Toll-like receptors has been described, with a subsequent inflammatory reaction at the level of the perivisceral tissues. Being aware that bacterial colonisation of diverticula is involved in the pathogenesis of acute diverticulitis, the rationale for the potential role of probiotics in the treatment of this disease becomes clearer. For this review, articles were identified using the electronic PubMed database through a comprehensive search conducted by combining key terms such as “gut microbiota”, “probiotics and gut disease”, “probiotics and acute diverticulitis”, “probiotics and diverticular disease”, “probiotics mechanism of action”. However, the amount of data present on this matter is not sufficient to draw robust conclusions on the efficacy of probiotics for symptoms’ management in diverticular disease.

scholarly journals The clinical spectrum of ocular bartonellosis: a retrospective study at a tertiary centre in Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Shi-Ying Tey ◽  
Gayathri Govindasamy ◽  
Francesca Martina Vendargon
Keyword(s):  
Hand Movement ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
Common Finding ◽  
Final Visit ◽  
Ocular Involvement ◽  
Exudative Retinal Detachment ◽  
Tertiary Centre ◽  
Ocular Manifestations ◽  
Ocular Findings ◽  
Clinical Records

Abstract Background Cat scratch disease (CSD) is a systemic illness caused by the gram-negative bacillus, Bartonella henselea, which can occasionally involve the ocular structures. The objective of this study is to evaluate the various clinical presentations of ocular bartonellosis at our institution. A retrospective review of the clinical records of 13 patients (23 eyes) with ocular manifestations of Bartonella infections over a 3-year period between January 2016 to December 2018 was undertaken at our institution. Results The diagnosis was made based on clinical findings and in addition, with the support of the evidence of Bartonella hensalae IgG and/or IgM. Small retinal white lesions were the most common ocular findings in this series of patients (82.6% of eyes, 76.9% of patients). Neuroretinitis was the second most common finding (47.8% of eyes, 69.2% of patients), followed by exudative retinal detachment involving the macula (34.8% of eyes, 53.8% of patients) and Parinaud’s oculoglandular syndrome (17.4% of eyes, 23.1% of patients). Other findings like isolated optic disc oedema without macular star (8.7% of eyes, 15.4% of patients) and vitritis (4.3% of eyes, 7.7% of patients) were also observed. Ten patients (76.9%) had bilateral ocular involvement. Most of the patients were young, immunocompetent and had systemic symptoms like fever prior to their ocular symptoms. The visual acuity (VA) at initial presentation ranged from 6/6 to hand movement (mean, 6/20), and at final visit 6/6 to 6/60, (mean, 6/9). 91.7% of patients were treated with antibiotics. Only 2 patients received oral corticosteroids together with antibiotics due to very poor vision on presentation. The visual prognosis of ocular bartonellosis is generally good with 16 (88.9%) of 23 eyes having VA of 6/12 or better at final follow-up visit. Conclusion Small foci of retinal white lesions were the most common manifestation of ocular bartonellosis in this series, followed by neuroretinitis, though an array of other ocular findings may also occur. Therefore, we should consider bartonella infection as a possible differential diagnosis in those patients.

scholarly journals Microbiota Alterations in Precancerous Colon Lesions: A Systematic Review

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 3061
Author(s):  
Francesca Aprile ◽  
Giovanni Bruno ◽  
Rossella Palma ◽  
Maria Teresa Mascellino ◽  
Cristina Panetta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Endoscopic Resection ◽  
Causative Role ◽  
Health It ◽  
Microbial Dysbiosis ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Preventive Role

Gut microbiota plays an important role in human health. It may promote carcinogenesis and is related to several diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This study of microbial dysbiosis in the etiology of colorectal adenoma aimed to investigate the possible causative role of microbiota in the adenoma–carcinoma sequence and its possible preventive role. A systematic, PRISMA-guided review was performed. The PubMed database was searched using “adenoma microbiota” and selecting original articles between January 2010 and May 2020 independently screened. A higher prevalence of Proteobacteria, Fusobacteria, and Bacteroidetes phyla was observed in the fecal luminal and mucosa-associated microbiota of patients with adenoma. However, other studies provided evidence of depletion of Clostridium, Faecalibacterium, Bacteroides and Romboutsia. Results on the relationship between adenoma endoscopic resection and microbiota were inconsistent. In conclusion, none of the analyzed studies developed a predictive model that could differentiate adenoma from non-adenoma patients, and therefore, to prevent cancer progression. The impact of adenoma’s endoscopic resection on microbiota was investigated, but the results were inconclusive. Further research in the field is required.

scholarly journals Role of interferon gamma release assay in the diagnosis and management of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-associated uveitis: a review

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. e000663
Author(s):  
Samra Rahman ◽  
Muhammad Irfan ◽  
M A Rehman Siddiqui
Keyword(s):  
Interferon Gamma ◽  
Interferon Gamma Release Assay ◽  
Limited Evidence ◽  
Ocular Tuberculosis ◽  
Diagnosis And Management ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
Interferon Gamma Release Assays ◽  
Infectious Uveitis ◽  
Release Assay

Tuberculosis (TB)-associated uveitis is a common cause of infectious uveitis in the developing world. Diagnosis of TB uveitis remains a challenge. The role of interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) is uncertain. Herein we summarise the available literature on the utility of IGRAs in the diagnosis and management of TB uveitis. We searched PubMed database from 1 August 2010 to 31 July 2020 using the following keywords alone and in combination: ‘interferon-gamma release assay’, ‘QuantiFERON’, ‘T-SPOT.TB’, ‘TB uveitis’, ‘serpiginous like choroiditis’, ‘tuberculoma’, ‘TB vasculitis’, ‘TB panuveitis’ and ‘ocular tuberculosis’. Data from 58 relevant studies were collated. The review is focused on currently marketed versions of IGRA tests: QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay, QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus assay (QFT-Plus) and T-SPOT.TB. We found limited evidence regarding the diagnostic utility of IGRA in patients with uveitis. No study was identified evaluating the newer QFT test—the QFT-Plus—in patients with uveitis. Similarly, there is lack of data directly comparing QFT-Plus with T-SPOT.TB specifically for the diagnosis of TB uveitis.

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