Annals of Military and Health Sciences Research
Volume:20 Issue: 4, Dec 2022

Context:

 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), as a novel virus infection, was first detected in China in 2019 and has quickly spread as a pandemic leading to a high mortality rate and unprecedented challenges for healthcare systems. Although the SARS-CoV-2 clinical spectrum is different, acute failure of respiratory function and coagulopathy as a common manifestation can be observed in cases with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Evidence Acquisition:

 This literature review was conducted based on standard guidelines to evaluate related-to-title information about thrombotic or thromboembolic events in COVID-19. Keywords were combined and included as “thrombotic event”, “thromboembolic events”, “diagnosis”, “management”, “SARS-CoV-2”, “COVID-19”, and “literature review”.

 Lung tissue is a serious target of the COVID-19 virus leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome related to a thromboinflammatory condition. The storm of cytokines, pulmonary tropism, and thromboinflammation are bases of tissue damage leading to acute failure of the respiratory system and extended infection, which can lead to different organ failure and death. The thrombogenicity of this condition has been shown by the high prevalence rate of thromboembolic events observed in SARS-CoV-2 cases treated with anticoagulation. Enhanced D-dimers, as a biomarker reflecting the activation of fibrinolysis and hemostasis, and thrombocytopenia have a relationship with a higher mortality rate in COVID-19 cases.

 Based on the finding, the inflammation phase of COVID-19 can induce thromboinflammation and lead to thromboembolic events.

 Since EGFR inhibitors show a limited therapeutic effect on Glioblastoma multiforme patients, the EGFR/MAPK/STAT5/FN14 signaling pathway becomes vulnerable to the invasive GBM cell population and may be a suitable target for the treatment of GBM. Nanocurcumin consumption and exercise training are probably effective interventions in this signaling pathway.

 This study aimed to investigate the simultaneous effects of exercises training and Nanocurcumin consumption on the EGFR/MAPK/STAT5/FN14/FN14 pathway in the tumor tissue of GBM model rats.

 In this study, 40 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups: 1- control (CON), 2- glioblastoma multiform (GBM), 3- glioblastoma multiform+concurrent training (GBM+CT), 4- glioblastoma multiform+nanocurcumin (GBM+NC), and 5- glioblastoma multiform+nanocurcumin+concurrent training (GBM+NC+CT) groups. The target groups performed aerobic training (20 - 35 minutes at 18 m/min) along with resistance training (climbing the ladder in three sets repeated four times) and received Nanocurcumin at the rate of 100 mg.kg-1.day-1 for four weeks. Gene expression was measured by real-time PCR. Two-way analysis of variance was used for analyzing data.

 According to our study results, concurrent training significantly reduced the expressions of EGFR, MAPK, STAT5, and Fn14, mRNA compared with GBM group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, nanocurcumin significantly reduced the expressions of EGFR, MAPK, as well as Fn14, mRNA compared with GBM group (P < 0.05). Nanocurcumin+Concurrent training decreased the expressions of EGFR, MAPK, STAT5 as well as Fn14, and mRNA compared with the GBM group (P < 0.05). A significant reduction was recorded for all mRNA expression levels in the GBM+NC+CT group compared with those in the GBM+NC group (P < 0.05).

 In sum, combined exercises and nano curcumin consumption may have been adopted as a non-pharmacological strategy to modulate the expression of EGFR/MAPK/STAT5/FN14 genes in tumor tissue of glioblastoma multiform.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a problem that has breakout worldwide recently and has led to physical, psychological, and social issues, especially in adolescents.

The current study aimed to evaluate the health dimension of life quality in active and inactive adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 350 students from the high schools of Shiraz (175 active + 175 inactive) participated in this study as volunteers. The Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire was used to collect information. Furthermore, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and independent t-test were used for data analysis using SPSS 18 software (α = 0.05).

There were significant differences in the level of quality of life (P = 0.001), the overall psychological health (P = 0.002), and the overall physical health (P = 0.001) of active and inactive students. There was a significant difference between boy and girl students only on the mental health scale (P = 0.038).

It seems that during the epidemic of COVID-19, active adolescent students have had a higher quality of life, which can refer to the importance of exercise and physical activity during the epidemics and an important issue in preventing the educational decline of adolescent students.

 Modic changes (MC) are among the pain generators in the lumbar spine and could affect back pain treatments.

 The current study aimed to investigate the effect of MC on the treatment outcomes of low back pain (LBP) patients who underwent conservative treatments.

 This prospective cohort study was performed on 166 nonspecific LBP patients presenting to 501 Hospital receiving conservative treatments. The patients were categorized based on their MC status, which was determined using a magnetic resonance imaging scan at baseline. Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score was considered a measure of back pain and disability using a valid and reliable questionnaire for each participant. The data were collected on the age, gender, and duration of pain for each participant. The follow-up JOA score was also calculated for each patient after 6-month conservative treatments. The patient was considered improved if the JOA change score was higher than 0.

 The average baseline JOA score in MC patients was 14.3 (2.2); however, it was 14.4 (2.0) in patients without MC (P = 0.750). After 6-month conservative treatments, the average JOA score reached 16.7 (3.4) and 17.1 (2.9) in patients with and without MC, respectively. No statistically significant difference was observed in this regard (P = 0.540). The proportion of improved cases was 70.7%, 82.8%, 63.4%, and 50.0% in no MC, MC type I, MC type II, and MC type III, respectively, with no statistically significant difference among the groups (P = 0.561).

 A 6-month conservative treatment was a safe and effective approach to improving the clinical condition of patients with LBP. However, there was no association between the presence of MC or any specific type of MC and treatment outcomes.

 Warts are common skin disorders that are treated by a variety of methods. Therefore, researchers are searching for effective and less-complicated methods, especially for treatment-resistant warts. In this regard, the present study compared two methods, CO2 laser and trichloroacetic acid, to treat warts in patients who visited Khanevadeh Hospital from October 2013 to October 2014.

 The present study aimed to compare two treatment methods, trichloroacetic acid, and CO2 laser, in patients with warts who visited Khanevadeh Hospital regarding side effects and efficacy of the treatment.

 The present interventional study, which had a randomized, double-blind clinical trial type, examined 60 patients with warts who visited Khanevadeh Hospital from October 2013 to October 2014, and determined and compared the side effects and efficacy of two treatment methods, CO2 laser, and Trichloroacetic acid.

 The complete treatment effectiveness rate was 20% in the trichloroacetic acid group and 56.7% in the CO2 laser group, indicating a statistically significant difference (P = 0.005). There was no special side effect in any treatment methods.

 According to research results, the efficacy of CO2 laser was higher in treating warts than trichloroacetic acid; hence, its use is recommended in treating patients with warts because of its efficacy and safety.

 This study aimed to investigate the effect of kefir consumption, a popular traditional probiotic product, on the immune response and recovery of COVID-19 patients.

 In a double-blind, randomized controlled trial, 100 patients with COVID-19 were enrolled in two equal groups (receiving 250 cc of milk containing kefir granules (2 - 10%) twice daily for two weeks and a placebo group). Inflammatory indices, hematological factors, and clinical outcomes such as fever, pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, and dyspnea were assessed at the beginning and end of the study using a checklist prepared by the research team. Changes in parameters before and after the intervention were calculated.

 We found that PO2 saturation, WBC, and neutrophil significantly increased in the placebo group, but Hb, lymphocyte, and platelet increased in the kefir-treated group. Also, CRP and ESR decreased in the kefir-treated group. The groups did not significantly differ in pulse rate, respiratory rate, and axillary temperature. There were no significant differences between the groups in signs and symptoms of the disease, except for the dry cough.

 Kefir seems to improve inflammatory factors slightly but does not significantly improve the disease symptoms.