Prospects for the euro-area in 2022

Significance This forecast implies the continuation of this year's rapid recovery into 2022. However, it depends on some risks abating, particularly with regard to inflation, and hence interest rates, supply chain disruptions and COVID-19 case numbers.

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation combined with electroacupuncture for rapid recovery of patients after laparotomy for gastrointestinal surgery: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionAbdominal surgery is associated with common complications, including decreased or poor appetite, abdominal distension, abdominal pain caused by decreased or absent gastrointestinal motility, anal arrest with flatus and defecation, and nausea and vomiting resulting from the use of anaesthetics and opioid analgesics. These complications seriously affect postoperative recovery, prolong hospital stay and aggravate patient burden. This study aims to investigate for the first time the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with electroacupuncture (EA) therapy for rapid recovery after laparotomy for gastrointestinal surgery. There have been no clinical studies of this combination therapy.Methods and analysisThis will be a prospective, single-centre, three-arm, randomised controlled trial. A total of 480 patients undergoing abdominal surgery will be stratified according to surgery type (ie, gastric or colorectal procedure) and randomised into three groups; namely, the EA, TEAS +EA and control groups. The control group will receive enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS)-standardised perioperative management, including preoperative education, optimising the anaesthesia scheme, avoiding intraoperative hypothermia, restrictive fluid infusion and reducing surgical trauma. The EA group will receive EA stimulation at LI4, PC6, ST36, ST37 and ST39 based on the ERAS-standardised perioperative management. Moreover, the TEAS +EA group will receive ERAS-standardised perioperative management; EA stimulation at the LI4, PC6, ST36, ST37 and ST39; and TEAS stimulation at ST21 and SP15. The primary outcome will be the GI-2 (composite outcome of time to first defaecation and time to tolerance of a solid diet). Secondary outcomes will include the time of first passage of flatus, time to first defaecation, time to tolerance of a solid diet, time to first ambulation, hospital duration from operation to discharge, pain and nausea vomiting scores on the Visual Analogue Scale, medication use, incidence of postoperative complications and evaluation of treatment modality acceptability. All statistical analyses will be performed based on the intention-to-treat principle.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval has been granted by the Ethics Committee on Biomedical Research, West China Hospital of Sichuan University (approval number: 2021; number 52). The results are expected to be published in peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration numberChiCTR2100045646.

COVID19 infection in a patient undergoing treatment for Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) with Ravulizumab

Background In the recent COVID19 pandemic, patients with hematological disorders were considered at high risk for severe disease. Limited data is available regarding the course of COVID19 infection in this subgroup. Case Presentation We describe a case of a 32-year-old man with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) undergoing treatment with ravulizumab (Ultomiris) who presented with COVID19 infection. He experienced only mild symptoms and had a rapid recovery from COVID19 infection. Conclusion This case may demonstrate the beneficial effects of ravulizumab on complement mediated inflammatory damage linked with COVID19 infection especially in PNH patients.

Tolosa-Hunt syndrome – A case of treatable headache

Tolosa-Hunt Syndrome is characterised by headache and ophthalmoplegia due to involvement of third, fourth, sixth cranial nerve. The exact aetiology is not known. MRI brain is diagnostic test of choice. Treatment is mainly using corticosteroids. Prognosis is good with rapid recovery from headache and opthalmoplegia. There are only few case reports Tolosa-Hunt Syndrome in children.

Guillain‐Barré syndrome presenting with facial diplegia following COVID‐19 vaccination in two patients

In March 2020, the WHO declared COVID‐19 to be a global pandemic and since December 2020, millions of vaccines have been administered. To date, cases of Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) following a COVID vaccine (Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Janssen, AstraZeneca) have been reported. A 61-year-old woman developed bilateral asymmetrical lower motor neuron (LMN) facial weakness followed by limb symptoms, 10 days after receiving the first dose of AstraZeneca COVID vaccine. The second patient was a 56-year-old man who, 9 days after receiving first dose of AstraZeneca COVID vaccine, developed bilateral asymmetrical LMN facial weakness with limb symptoms. Intravenous immunoglobulin was administered with rapid recovery. These cases of GBS following the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine add to cohort of patients reported. We flag up to raise awareness of this condition post‐COVID‐19 vaccine and highlight the prominent bifacial involvement. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin led to rapid recovery.