Probable Neuropsychological & Cognitive Complications due to Cytokine Storm in Patients With COVID-19

Introduction: COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) was identified in China in December 2019 for the first time and is rapidly spreading throughout the world as a pandemic. As COVID-19 causes mild to severe acute respiratory syndrome, most studies in this context have focused on pathogenesis primarily in the respiratory system. However, evidence shows that the central nervous system (CNS) may also be affected by COVID-19. Since COVID-19 is spreading, it is imperative to study its possible cognitive effects in patients suffering and recovering from COVID-19. Methods: The articles used in this study were searched by keywords such as Cytokine storm and covid-19, covid-19 and executive dysfunction, cognitive disorder and covid-19, CNS and covid 19, Coronavirus, Neuroinvasion in science direct, Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist. The study will assess all observational studies published between December 2019 and April 2021 in peer-reviewed journals, including cross-sectional, cohort, case-control studies, case reports and case series. The search result was 106 articles, of which 73 articles related to Covid-19, the stages of infection by this virus, its effect on the nervous system and neurological symptoms, the cytokine storm caused by this infection, and the possible cognitive consequences caused by this virus in patients, has been reviewed. Other articles were not checked due to their limited relevance to the topic under discussion. Results: Studies show that neurons may be directly affected by SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, various studies indicate that systemic inflammation (so-called "cytokine storm") is also responsible for brain damage induced by infection with SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. Such a way that this patients showed elevated levels of interleukin (IL-), 6, 8, and 10 and of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- α) in their blood. Conclusion: Various cognitive defects following an increase level of cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6,8 have been observed. Therefore, due to the increase level of these pro-inflammatory factors in the brains of these patients, cognitive deficits can be expected, which need further investigation.

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Oral Manifestations of COVID-19 in Hospitalized Patients: A Systematic Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182312511 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (23) ◽

pp. 12511

Author(s):

Giulia Orilisi ◽

Marco Mascitti ◽

Lucrezia Togni ◽

Riccardo Monterubbianesi ◽

Vincenzo Tosco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Case Reports ◽

Oral Candidiasis ◽

Case Series ◽

Hospitalized Patients ◽

Oral Manifestations ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Oral Ulcers ◽

Global Pandemic

Background: COVID-19 disease first appeared in 2019 and quickly spread worldwide, causing a global pandemic. The oral cavity represents a target of SARS-CoV-2, and oral lesions are observed in both non-hospitalized and hospitalized patients. This systematic review aims to investigate the frequency of oral manifestations in COVID-19 hospitalized patients. Methods: An electronic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, including articles published up to September 2021. The review protocol was based on PRISMA-P. The risk of bias of the studies was assessed using the Joana Briggs Institute. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE instrument. Results: Fifty-nine articles were included: 19 case reports, 17 case series, 2 case-control studies, 13 cross-sectional studies, 4 observational studies, and 4 retrospective studies. Oral ulcers, cheilitis, and tongue lesions were more common in patients before hospitalization, while perioral pressure ulcers, macroglossia, blisters, and oral candidiasis were more recurrent in patients during hospitalization. The first could be related directly to COVID-19, while the latter could be caused by medical devices, treatments, prone position, and immunological impairment. Conclusions: An accurate oral examination during the hospital admission of all confirmed COVID-19 cases is encouraged to recognize oral early manifestations and to apply appropriate treatments.

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Frequency and distribution of neglected tropical diseases in Mozambique: a systematic review

Infectious Diseases of Poverty ◽

10.1186/s40249-019-0613-x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Berta Grau-Pujol ◽

Marilia Massangaie ◽

Jorge Cano ◽

Carmen Maroto ◽

Alcino Ndeve ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽

Case Reports ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Case Series ◽

Epidemiological Data ◽

Effective Control ◽

Tropical Diseases ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Background Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect more than one billion people living in vulnerable conditions. In spite of initiatives recently contributing to fill NTDs gaps on national and local prevalence and distribution, more epidemiological data are still needed for effective control and elimination interventions. Main text Mozambique is considered one of the countries with highest NTDs burden although available data is scarce. This study aims to conduct a systematic review on published available data about the burden and distribution of the different NTDs across Mozambique since January 1950 until December 2018. We identified manuscripts from electronic databases (Pubmed, EmBase and Global Health) and paper publications and grey literature from Mozambique Ministry of Health. Manuscripts fulfilling inclusion criteria were: cross-sectional studies, ecological studies, cohorts, reports, systematic reviews, and narrative reviews capturing epidemiological information of endemic NTDs in Mozambique. Case-control studies, letters to editor, case reports and case series of imported cases were excluded. A total of 466 manuscripts were initially identified and 98 were finally included after the revision following PRISMA guidelines. Eleven NTDs were reported in Mozambique during the study span. Northern provinces (Nampula, Cabo Delgado, Niassa, Tete and Zambezia) and Maputo province had the higher number of NTDs detected. Every disease had their own report profile: while schistosomiasis have been continuously reported since 1952 until nowadays, onchocerciasis and cysticercosis last available data is from 2007 and Echinococcosis have never been evaluated in the country. Thus, both space and time gaps on NTDs epidemiology have been identified. Conclusions This review assembles NTDs burden and distribution in Mozambique. Thus, contributes to the understanding of NTDs epidemiology in Mozambique and highlights knowledge gaps. Hence, the study provides key elements to progress towards the control and interruption of transmission of these diseases in the country.

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Safety of azithromycin in paediatrics: a systematic review protocol

BMJ Paediatrics Open ◽

10.1136/bmjpo-2019-000469 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. e000469 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Peipei Xu ◽

Linan Zeng ◽

Tao Xiong ◽

Imti Choonara ◽

Shamim Qazi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Quality Assessment ◽

Case Reports ◽

Case Series ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Primary Data ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Cross Sectional

IntroductionAzithromycin is widely used in children not only in the treatment of individual children with infectious diseases, but also as mass drug administration (MDA) within a community to eradicate or control specific tropical diseases. MDA has also been reported to have a beneficial effect on child mortality and morbidity. However, concerns have been raised about the safety of azithromycin, especially in young children. The aim of this review is to systematically identify the safety of azithromycin in children of all ages.Methods and analysisMEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, CINAHL, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts and adverse drug reaction (ADR) monitoring systems will be systematically searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, case–control studies, cross-sectional studies, case series and case reports evaluating the safety of azithromycin in children. The Cochrane risk of bias tool, Newcastle-Ottawa and quality assessment tools, and The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools will be used for quality assessment. Meta-analyses will be conducted to the incidence of ADRs from RCTs if appropriate. Subgroup analyses will be performed in different age and azithromycin dosage groups.Ethics and disseminationFormal ethical approval is not required as no primary data are collected. This systematic review will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018112629

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A Literature Review of Findings in Physical Elder Abuse

Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal ◽

10.1016/j.carj.2012.12.001 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 64 (1) ◽

pp. 10-14 ◽

Cited By ~ 55

Author(s):

Kieran Murphy ◽

Sheila Waa ◽

Hussein Jaffer ◽

Agnes Sauter ◽

Amanda Chan

Keyword(s):

Upper Extremity ◽

Elder Abuse ◽

Case Reports ◽

Case Series ◽

Geriatric Trauma ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Accurate Identification ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Socially Isolated ◽

Culture Of Violence

Purpose To review the medical literature for reports on the types of physical injuries in elder abuse with the aim of eliciting patterns that will aid its detection. Materials and Methods The databases of PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and TRIP were searched from 1975 to March 2012 for articles that contained the following phrases: “physical elder abuse,” “older adult abuse,” “elder mistreatment,” “geriatric abuse,” “geriatric trauma,” and “nonaccidental geriatric injury.” Distribution and description of injuries in physical elder abuse from case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, case series, and case reports as seen at autopsy, in hospital emergency departments, or in medicolegal reports were tabulated and summarized. Results A review of 9 articles from a total of 574 articles screened yielded 839 injuries. The anatomic distribution in these was as follows: upper extremity, 43.98%; maxillofacial, dental, and neck, 22.88%; skull and brain, 12.28%; lower extremity, 10.61%; and torso, 10.25%. Conclusion Two-thirds of injuries that occur in elder abuse are to the upper extremity and maxillofacial region. The social context in which the injuries takes place remains crucial to accurate identification of abuse. This includes a culture of violence in the family; a demented, debilitated, or depressed and socially isolated victim; and a perpetrator profile of mental illness, alcohol or drug abuse, or emotional and/or financial dependence on the victim.

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Safety of ceftriaxone in paediatrics: a systematic review protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016273 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (8) ◽

pp. e016273 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Linan Zeng ◽

Imti Choonara ◽

Lingli Zhang ◽

Song Xue ◽

Zhe Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Quality Assessment ◽

Case Reports ◽

Case Series ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Primary Data ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Cross Sectional

IntroductionCeftriaxone is widely used in children in the treatment of sepsis. However, concerns have been raised about the safety of ceftriaxone, especially in young children. The aim of this review is to systematically evaluate the safety of ceftriaxone in children of all age groups.Methods and analysisMEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, CINAHL, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts and adverse drug reaction (ADR) monitoring systems will be systematically searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, case–control studies, cross-sectional studies, case series and case reports evaluating the safety of ceftriaxone in children. The Cochrane risk of bias tool, Newcastle-Ottawa and quality assessment tools developed by the National Institutes of Health will be used for quality assessment. Meta-analysis of the incidence of ADRs from RCTs and prospective studies will be done. Subgroup analyses will be performed for age and dosage regimen.Ethics and disseminationFormal ethical approval is not required as no primary data are collected. This systematic review will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and at conference meetings.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42017055428.

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Outbreaks of publications about emerging infectious diseases: the case of SARS-CoV-2 and Zika virus

BMC Medical Research Methodology ◽

10.1186/s12874-021-01244-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Aziz Mert Ipekci ◽

Diana Buitrago-Garcia ◽

Kaspar Walter Meili ◽

Fabienne Krauer ◽

Nirmala Prajapati ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Infectious Diseases ◽

Zika Virus ◽

Science Studies ◽

Case Reports ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽

Case Series ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Scientific Publications ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Background Outbreaks of infectious diseases generate outbreaks of scientific evidence. In 2016 epidemics of Zika virus emerged, and in 2020, a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused a pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We compared patterns of scientific publications for the two infections to analyse the evolution of the evidence. Methods We annotated publications on Zika virus and SARS-CoV-2 that we collected using living evidence databases according to study design. We used descriptive statistics to categorise and compare study designs over time. Results We found 2286 publications about Zika virus in 2016 and 21,990 about SARS-CoV-2 up to 24 May 2020, of which we analysed a random sample of 5294 (24%). For both infections, there were more epidemiological than laboratory science studies. Amongst epidemiological studies for both infections, case reports, case series and cross-sectional studies emerged first, cohort and case-control studies were published later. Trials were the last to emerge. The number of preprints was much higher for SARS-CoV-2 than for Zika virus. Conclusions Similarities in the overall pattern of publications might be generalizable, whereas differences are compatible with differences in the characteristics of a disease. Understanding how evidence accumulates during disease outbreaks helps us understand which types of public health questions we can answer and when.

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Instruments for assessing loneliness in older people in Portugal: a Scoping Review protocol

10.37766/inplasy2021.10.0002 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rita Carvalho ◽

◽

João Tavares ◽

Liliana Sousa

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Case Reports ◽

Case Series ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Term Care ◽

Cross Sectional Studies

Review question / Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to map the instruments validate for the Portuguese older population (65+ years old) that assess loneliness; and to identify their psychometric properties and contexts where they have been in use. The questions for this scoping review are: What are the validated instruments for Portugal that assess loneliness in the older individuals? What are the psychometric properties of those instruments? In which contexts were the loneliness assessment instruments used? Eligibility criteria: Participants – This scoping review will consider all studies that included older adults with 65 years and over. Concept – This review will be included studies that assess loneliness or cover loneliness by validated instruments that address different dimensions, including, but not limited to, emotional or social. Context – This scoping review will consider studies that used validated instruments the loneliness in Portuguese older adults including, but not limited to the context of community, intermediate care, long-term care or acute care. Types of sources - This scoping review will consider quantitative and mixed-method studies. In the quantitative designs include experimental, quasi-experimental, observational and analytical observational studies including prospective and retrospective cohort studies, case-control studies, and analytical cross-sectional studies will be considered for inclusion. This review will also consider descriptive observational study designs including case series, individual case reports, and descriptive cross-sectional studies for inclusion.

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Frequency and profile of objective cognitive deficits in hospitalized patients recovering from COVID-19

10.1101/2020.10.28.20221887 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Abhishek Jaywant ◽

W. Michael Vanderlind ◽

George S. Alexopoulos ◽

Chaya B. Fridman ◽

Roy H. Perlis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Deficits ◽

Psychiatric Diagnosis ◽

Case Reports ◽

Case Series ◽

Inpatient Rehabilitation ◽

Executive Dysfunction ◽

Hospitalized Patients ◽

Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure ◽

Cross Sectional

AbstractBackgroundCognitive impairment is common following critical illness. A number of case reports and case series have suggested that cognitive deficits occur in patients with COVID-19. This study evaluated the frequency, severity, and profile of cognitive dysfunction in hospitalized patients recovering from COVID-19.MethodsWe obtained and analyzed cross-sectional neuropsychological data from a cohort of N=57 patients participating in inpatient rehabilitation. Our primary outcome measure was the Brief Memory and Executive Test (BMET). We calculated the frequency of impairment based on clinician diagnosis and by the BMET subtests using age-normed classification of impairment. We explored associations with intubation and extubation as markers of illness severity and complications, as well as psychiatric diagnosis.OutcomesOur sample was 75% male, 61% non-white, with a mean age of 64.5 (SD = 13.9) years. Patients were evaluated at a mean of 43.2 days post-admission. 88% had documented hypoxemic respiratory failure and 77% required intubation. 81% of patients had cognitive impairment, ranging from mild to severe. Deficits were most common in working memory (55% of patients impaired), set-shifting (47%), divided attention (46%), and processing speed (40%). Executive dysfunction was not significantly associated with intubation length or the time from extubation to assessment, nor was it associated with the presence of a psychiatric diagnosis.InterpretationMedically stable inpatients recovering from COVID-19 commonly have deficits in attention and executive functions. These deficits were not significantly correlated with length of intubation or time since extubation. Findings provide an early benchmark for studying the evolution of cognitive difficulties after COVID-19 and suggest that easy to disseminate interventions that remediate attention and executive dysfunctions may be important in this population.FundingThe authors have no funding for this study to report.

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Ocular Manifestations after Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine: A Systematic Review

Vaccines ◽

10.3390/vaccines9121404 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 1404

Author(s):

Yu-Kuei Lee ◽

Yi-Hsun Huang

Keyword(s):

Case Reports ◽

Case Series ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Ocular Manifestations ◽

Ocular Symptoms ◽

Retrospective Cohort Studies ◽

Life Threatening

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had profound and lasting consequences since 2019. Although vaccines against COVID-19 have been developed and approved under emergency use authorization, various adverse events have also been reported after COVID-19 vaccination. This review was undertaken to help clinicians recognize the possible manifestations and systemic pathogenesis, especially those related to the eye, after receiving COVID-19 vaccination. A systemic search was performed on 22 August 2021 through Embase, Medline, and Cochrane Library for publications on ocular manifestations after COVID-19 vaccination. Two case-control studies/retrospective cohort studies, one cross-sectional study, three case series, sixteen case reports, two images, and seven letters were included. Ocular manifestations after receiving COVID-19 vaccines may appear on the eyelid, cornea and ocular surface, retina, uvea, nerve, and vessel. The ocular manifestations occurred up to forty-two days after vaccination, and vaccine-induced immunologic responses may be responsible. Although the incidence rate of ocular symptoms is considerably lower in the vaccinated subjects than in COVID-19 patients, physicians should be aware of the possible associations between COVID-19 vaccines and ocular symptoms for the early diagnosis and treatment of vision problems or life-threatening complications.

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Assessment of the Possibility of Vertical Transmission of COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocol

Journal of Research and Health ◽

10.32598/jrh.11.2.72.3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 71-76

Author(s):

Sareh Dashti ◽

◽

Tahereh Fathi Najafi ◽

Hamid Reza Tohidinik ◽

Narjes Bahri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Vertical Transmission ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Case Reports ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Case Series ◽

Bibliographic Databases ◽

Care Providers ◽

Case Control Studies ◽

Cross Sectional

Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has put a great burden on global health and healthcare systems. There is controversy regarding the possibility of vertical transmission of COVID-19. This proposed systematic review will be done to assess the possibility of vertical transmission of COVID-19 based on currently published literature. Methods: In this study, all published observational studies, including cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies, as well as case reports and case series, in peer-reviewed journals in any language until the end of July 2020 will be assessed. Editorials, commentaries, and letters to editors will be excluded from the review. Searching will be conducted using international bibliographic databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist. The search strategy will be improved and finalized based on the results of the primary search. Data extraction of the included articles will be performed by two researchers using the Zotero and review manager (revMan) software. The heterogeneity of the articles will be assessed using DerSimonian & Laird Q test and I2 statistic. The pooled estimated prevalence of vertical transmission of COVID-19 will be performed using the Metaprop command. Publication bias will be assessed using Begg’s rank correlation and the Egger weighted regression methods Results: Based on the reviewers comments the results section was deleted because this manuscript was a systematic review protocol. Conclusion: The findings of this study will help practitioners and health care providers in decision-making for the care and management of COVID-19-infected pregnant women.

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