Journal of Studies in Medical Sciences
Volume:35 Issue: 4, 2024

Casirivimab/imdevimab and bamlanivimab are monoclonal antibodies that are used in the treatment of patients with COVID-19. The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness and safety of the casirivimab/imdevimab versus bamlanivimab in COVID-19 patients through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases to identify relevant articles up to March 2024. Moreover, a manual search was performed in the sources of primary review and key studies. There was no restriction on the language of the studies. The risk of bias of the studies was conducted using the ROBINS-I tool. Data analysis was performed using Review Manager Software version 5.4.

A total of 10 observational studies involving 10695 patients were included in the study. The results of the meta-analysis showed that casirivimab/imdevimab significantly reduced the hospitalization rate compared to bamlanivimab (odds ratio [OR]: 0.56, %95, 0.40-0.79, P<0.001). However, there was no significant difference between casirivimab/imdevimab and bamlanivimab groups in terms of mortality rate (OR: 0.53, %95, 0.25-1.13, P=0.10), emergency department visit (OR: 0.91, %95, 0.71-1.17, P=0.48), ICU admission (OR: 0.65, %95, 0.33-1.26, P=0.20), mechanical ventilation (OR: 0.28, %95, 0.05-1.54, P=0.14) and adverse events (OR: 0.44, %95, 0.15-1.34, P=0.15).

The results of this meta-analysis showed that there is no difference between casirivimab/imdevimab and bamlanivimab in terms of clinical effectiveness and safety. However, casirivimab/imdevimab has better effectiveness compared to bamlanivimab in reducing hospitalization rates in the patients with COVID-19.

Peptic ulcer disease causes open sores in the lining of the stomach or duodenum. Helicobacter pylori infection is the main cause of gastrointestinal ulcers. CD14 is a pattern recognition receptor in the cell membrane that identifies bacterial products and plays a key role in the early stages of immune and inflammatory responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the C159T polymorphism of the CD14 gene in patients with peptic ulcer and Helicobacter pylori infection.

In this case-control study, 137 patients with peptic ulcers and 123 healthy individuals were evaluated. Genomic DNA was extracted from gastric biopsies, and genotypic frequency in patients and the control group was determined using the Tetra primer ARMS-PCR method. Data analysis was performed using SPSS v.26 software.

The frequency of CC, CT, and TT genotypes in patients was 24.8%, 41.6%, and 33.5%, respectively, while in healthy individuals, it was 8.9%, 43.1%, and 47.3%, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between the C159T polymorphism of the CD14 gene and peptic ulcer disease and Helicobacter pylori infection (P = 0.0003).

The results of the statistical analysis showed that the presence of the T allele at the C159T position of the CD14 gene is considered a risk factor for peptic ulcer disease and Helicobacter pylori infection. However, further studies on other CD14 gene polymorphisms and larger populations are needed.

Studying telomere length is very important for understanding the aging process and disease prevention. The aim of this study was to study the effects of several erythrocyte lysing buffers on the extraction of genomic DNA from frozen blood samples in evaluation of telomere length by qPCR method.

In this experimental study, six different erythrocyte lysis buffers along with CTAB extraction buffer were used for DNA extraction. The quantity and purity of the extracted DNA were assessed through absorbance measurements at A260/280 and A260/230 ratios. DNA integrity was evaluated using agarose gel electrophoresis. The consistency of buffer performance was analyzed using the coefficient of variance (CV%) for DNA quantity. Also, the efficiency of PCR was reported by checking the cycle threshold (Ct) in qPCR for each sample using the linear regression equation and coefficient of determination (R2) in GraphPad Prism v10 software. Differences were considered significant at the p>0.05 level.

The lysis buffer with the combination of 10 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.6 and 10 mM KCl resulted in the extraction of the highest amount of DNA (361.01 ng/µL). The results of the gel did not show any fragmentation of DNA in the samples. Absorption ratios did not show much difference between buffers. DNA extracted using a lysis buffer containing 155 mM NH4Cl, 10 mM KHCO3, 5 mM EDTA showed lower variance in DNA quantity (CV = 7.6%) and better PCR efficiency (Efficiency = 103%, R2 = 99.7%) for 36B4 and (Efficiency = 99%, R2 = 99.6%) for telomeres compared to other buffers.

The lysis buffer containing 155 mM NH4Cl, 10 mM KHCO3, and 5 mM EDTA had the most effective performance in extracting DNA from frozen blood samples for telomere study. This buffer with its optimal performance can be used in trials after the final result by further studies.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. This study investigates the effectiveness of oral pregabalin combined with local anesthesia in reducing pain for patients undergoing prostate biopsy.

In this randomized clinical trial, 78 patients candidates for prostate biopsy were divided into two groups: the control group (local anesthesia with lidocaine) and the intervention group (100 mg oral pregabalin two hours before the procedure + local anesthesia). The biopsy was performed under rectal ultrasound guidance. Patients’ pain intensity was evaluated one and six hours post-biopsy using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

The most common reason for referral in both groups was Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) (48.7% in the control group and 41% in the intervention group). Pain intensity was significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group (p<0.001). This difference was observed both at one hour and six hours post-procedure. Cigarette smoking had no significant effect on pain levels.

Administration of 100 mg oral pregabalin two hours before prostate biopsy, combined with local anesthesia, results in a significant reduction in patient pain during the hours following the procedure. This finding could help improve patient experience and increase their acceptance of undergoing prostate biopsy.

It is well-established that high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) contributes to an increase in reactive oxygen species, accompanied by enhanced antioxidant activity. However, the effects of HIIE on liver tissue remain poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of HIIE on liver redox status and liver enzymes in male Wistar rats.

This study employed a true experimental research design, specifically a post-test-only control group design. Twenty-five male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: control (Control, n = 8), one-hour HIIE exercise group (HIIE-1h, n = 8), which were sacrificed one hour after training, and twenty-four-hour HIIE exercise group (HIIE-24h, n = 9), which were sacrificed 24 hours after training. The two HIIE groups underwent a single treadmill run consisting of 10 bouts of high-intensity exercise (85–100% of VO2max) lasting 1 minute each, at 28 m/min, with a 10° incline, interspersed with 2 minutes of active recovery at 10 m/min, with no incline. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and malondialdehyde (MDA) enzymes were measured in liver tissue. Data analysis was performed using SPSS statistical software (version 19) at a 95% confidence level. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the research's levels of dependent variables.

The study results showed that the SOD level in liver tissue was significantly lower in the HIIE-1h (P = 0.004) and HIIE-24h (P = 0.008) groups compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the MDA level in liver tissue was significantly higher in the HIIE-1h (P = 0.002) and HIIE-24h (P = 0.005) groups compared to the control group. The levels of ALT in the HIIE-1h (P = 0.003) and HIIE-24h (P = 0.02) groups and AST in the HIIE-24h (P = 0.004) group were significantly higher compared to the control group.

HIIE leads to oxidative stress and an increase in liver damage marker enzymes. These changes persist for at least 24 hours after exercise, highlighting the importance of focusing on recovery time after HIIE. However, further studies are needed in this field.

Excessive pronation of the foot during the stance phase of the gait cycle leads to increased flexibility of the foot, causing instability. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of using motion control shoes in runners with pronated feet on the absolute angles of the hip and leg joints in the sagittal plane before and after fatigue during running.

In this study, 13 female beginners with pronated feet were selected as the experimental group. CAST markers were used to identify the pelvic, thigh, leg, and foot segments. Motion analysis was performed using six Basler video cameras with a sampling rate of 200 Hz. A low-pass Butterworth filter with a 4th order (10 Hz frequency cutoff) was used for filtering.

The maximum absolute angle of the lower leg in the sagittal plane during 35% of the initial support phase of running when using motion control shoes after fatigue was about 6.05 degrees, compared to the condition when using control shoes before fatigue. The minimum absolute angle of the thigh in the sagittal plane during 50% of the initial support phase of running when using motion control shoes after fatigue decreased by about 4.09 degrees compared to the condition when using control shoes before fatigue.

Motion control shoes reduce the rearfoot angle after fatigue in runners.

Alzheimer's disease is one of the most significant health issues of our time, affecting a large number of people. To mitigate its effects, various methods such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and cognitive rehabilitation are employed. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of tDCS and short-term cognitive rehabilitation protocols on aggressive symptoms and nocturnal behavior in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.

This semi-experimental study included two experimental groups and one control group, using pre-test and post-test methods. The statistical population consisted of all elderly individuals over 65 years old with mild Alzheimer's who had consulted a neurologist in 2022. From this population, 60 individuals were selected through available sampling and then randomly assigned to either of the two experimental groups or the control group. The independent variables included direct current brain stimulation intervention (tDCS) for one experimental group, a short-term cognitive rehabilitation program for the second experimental group, and no intervention for the third group. Post-tests were conducted one week after the intervention on both experimental and control groups, followed by a follow-up after one month. A neuropsychological questionnaire (NPI) was used to collect data. Repeated measures analysis of variance was performed using SPSS-23 software, with a significance level set at
p < 0.05.

The results indicated that both methods reduced aggressive symptoms in elderly individuals with mild Alzheimer's disease. However, neither method had a significant effect on reducing nocturnal behavior symptoms in these patients.

The findings suggest that both tDCS and short-term cognitive rehabilitation reduce aggressive symptoms in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease but do not significantly impact nocturnal behavior symptoms. Further studies are needed to confirm the role of these methods in addressing aggression and nocturnal behavior.

Epilepsy is a prevalent neurological condition that negatively impacts an individual's emotional well-being and quality of life, leading to mood and cognitive disorders. Psychological factors play a crucial role in shaping emotions and quality of life. This study aims to investigate the relationship between basic psychological needs and emotions, as well as quality of life, in patients with epilepsy.

The sample consisted of 120 participants (60 males and 60 females) aged 18-35, selected through random sampling, who completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (P-31-QOLIE), and the Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction (BPNS) questionnaire. The study employed a correlational design, and data analysis was conducted using simultaneous linear regression and Pearson correlation matrix with SPSS 21.

The results revealed significant positive relationships between positive affects and autonomy, competence, and relatedness (p < 0.01), as well as a negative relationship between negative affects and autonomy and competence (p < 0.01). Variance analysis showed that 28% of the variance in positive affects and 23% of the variance in negative affects were explained by basic psychological needs. Competence and autonomy were found to be significant predictors of positive and negative emotions, respectively, in patients with epilepsy.

Patients with epilepsy who employ self-management techniques tend to feel more competent, leading to increased positive affects. Additionally, feeling competent, autonomous, and understood by others contributes to their overall well-being and improved quality of life. The findings suggest that healthcare providers should focus on addressing the basic psychological needs and emotional support of patients with epilepsy to enhance their affect and quality of life.