Eye emergency during wars; Take-home message for soldiers

War is an organized and prolonged armed dispute between states or nations. It is characterized by high mortality, violence, and social or economic costs. There are multiple causes of war and conflict, including extreme poverty, high unemployment, and social, political, or economic disparities. The incidence of wars has increased since 1950, especially between states. Small Arms Survey reports that warfare kills nearly 133,750 persons, yearly. The rates of disability and death caused by war are more than many major diseases globally. It destroys the healthcare systems and public health services of the included states or societies, which results in more diseases and deaths

Infodemic and the fear of monkeypox: call for action

Monkeypox (MPX) was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO), as of July 23rd, 2022. Fake news spread on social media has already surfaced and contributed to worsening of this concerning situation, making it difficult for the health care experts' voices to be heard. Therefore, we recommend some solutions to overcome this situation, including raising public awareness and preventing stigma through sharing engagement with civil society organizations, and better cooperation between policymakers, the medical community, and social media platforms regarding providing accurate official news about MPX. WHO-one health approach should be established and prioritized.</p

Safety and efficacy of tezepelumab vs. placebo in adult patients with severe uncontrolled asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Patients with severe uncontrolled asthma still experience acute asthma symptoms and exacerbations, particularly those with non-eosinophilic inflammation who take the maximum amount of standard drug therapy. Tezepelumab, a human monoclonal antibody, can improve lung function and enhance control of asthma symptoms in those patients, regardless of the disease’s baseline characteristics. This study aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of using tezepelumab in controlling severe symptoms of uncontrolled asthma. We performed a comprehensive literature search in several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and clinicaltrial.gov, using a well-established search strategy to include all relevant publications. According to our inclusion criteria, we searched for randomized controlled trials comparing tezepelumab versus placebo in patients with severe, uncontrolled asthma. We analyzed the data using The Revman 5.4 program software. The search identified 589 potential articles. After excluding studies inconsistent with selection criteria, four studies were included and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The pooled effect demonstrated the better performance of tezepelumab over the placebo regarding the decrease in annualized asthma exacerbation rate (MD = − 0.74, (95% CI [− 1.04, − 0.44], p < 0.00001)), asthma control questionnaire-6 (ACQ-6) Score MD = − 0.32, (95% CI [− 0.43, − 0.21], p < 0.00001)), blood eosinophil count (MD = − 139.38 cells/mcL, (95% CI [− 150.37, − 128.39], p < 0.00001)), feNO (MD = − 10 ppb, (95% CI [− 15.81, − 4.18], p = 0.0008)) and serum total IgE (MD = − 123.51 UI/ml, (95% CI [− 206.52, − 40.50], p = 0.004)). All tezepelumab groups had higher pre-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s than the placebo group (MD = 0.16, (95% CI [0.10, 0.21], p < 0.00001)). Higher efficacy and safety profile was detected for tezepelumab to control the exacerbations of severe uncontrolled adult asthmatics

The efficacy of oxytocin gel in postmenopausal women with vaginal atrophy: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a common and disturbing issue in the postmenopausal period. Unlike vasomotor symptoms, it has a progressive trend. Our study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oxytocin gel versus placebo gel in postmenopausal women with GSM. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from Web of Science, SCOPUS, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases on January 18, 2023. Keywords such as “oxytocin,“ “intravaginal,“ “vaginal,“ “atrophic,“ and “atrophy” were used. We used Review Manager (RevMan) version 5.4 in our analysis. We used the risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous outcomes and the mean difference (MD) for continuous outcomes; both were presented with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) and were calculated with the Mantel-Haenszel or inverse variance statistical method. Cochrane’s Q test and the I2 statistic were used as measures of statistical inconsistency and heterogeneity. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for RCTs was used for the quality assessment of the included studies. Results Seven studies with 631 patients were included. Regarding the maturation index, there was a statistically insignificant increase in the oxytocin arm (MD = 12.34, 95% CI (-12.52-37.19), P = 0.33). Clinically assessed vaginal atrophy showed a statistically significant reduction in the oxytocin group (RR = 0.32, 95% CI (0.23 − 0.10), P < 0.00001). For dyspareunia, vaginal pH, and histological evaluation of vaginal atrophy, there was a statistically insignificant difference between the two groups (RR = 1.02, 95% CI (0.82–1.27), P = 0.84), (MD = -0.74, 95% CI (-1.58-0.10), P = 0.08), and (MD = -0.38, 95% CI (-0.82-0.06), P = 0.09), respectively. There was no significant difference in the safety profile between the two groups as measured by endometrial thickness (MD = 0.00, 95% CI (-0.23-0.23), P = 0.99). Conclusions Although oxytocin has been proposed as a viable alternative to estrogen in the treatment of GSM, our findings show the opposite. Larger, high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm or refute our results. Trial registration PROSPERO registration number CRD42022334357

Efficacy of Tocilizumab in Management of COVID-19 Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Units: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study

Background and Objectives: Mortality and illness due to COVID-19 have been linked to a condition known as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) that is characterized by excessive production of inflammatory cytokines, particularly interleukin-6 (IL-6). Tocilizumab (TCZ), a recent IL-6 antagonist, has been redeployed as adjunctive treatment for CRS remission in COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of Tocilizumab on patients’ survival and the length of stay in hospitalized COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Methods: Between January 2021 and June 2021, a multicenter retrospective cohort study was carried out in six tertiary care hospitals in Egypt’s governorate of Giza. Based on the use of TCZ during ICU stay, eligible patients were divided into two groups (control vs. TCZ). In-hospital mortality was the main outcome. Results: A total of 740 patient data records were included in the analysis, where 630 patients followed the routine COVID-19 protocol, while 110 patients received TCZ, need to different respiratory support after hospitalization, and inflammatory mediators such as C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) showed a statistically significant difference between the TCZ group and the control group. Regarding the primary outcome (discharged alive or death) and neither the secondary outcome (length of hospital stay), there is no statistically significant difference between patients treated with TCZ and the control group. Conclusions: Our cohort of patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 did not assert a reduction in the risk of mortality or the length of stay (LOS) after TCZ administration

Epigenetic Targets and Pathways Linked to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Pathology

The scale at which the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic has spread remains enormous. Provided the genetic makeup of the virus and humans is readily available, the quest for knowing the mechanism and epidemiology continues to prevail across the entire scientific community. Several aspects, including immunology, molecular biology, and host-pathogen interaction, are continuously being dug into for preparing the human race for future pandemics. The exact reasons for vast differences in symptoms, pathophysiological implications of COVID-infections, and mortality differences remain elusive. Hence, researchers are also looking beyond traditional genomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics approach, especially entrusting the environmental regulation of the genetic landscape of COVID&ndash;human interactions. In line with these questions lies a critical process called epigenetics. The epigenetic perturbations in both host and parasites are a matter of great interest to unravel the disparities in COVID-19 mortalities and pathology. This review provides a deeper insight into current research on the epigenetic landscape of SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans and potential targets for augmenting the ongoing investigation. It also explores the potential targets, pathways, and networks associated with the epigenetic regulation of processes involved in SARS-CoV-2 pathology

Epigenetic Targets and Pathways Linked to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Pathology

The scale at which the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic has spread remains enormous. Provided the genetic makeup of the virus and humans is readily available, the quest for knowing the mechanism and epidemiology continues to prevail across the entire scientific community. Several aspects, including immunology, molecular biology, and host-pathogen interaction, are continuously being dug into for preparing the human race for future pandemics. The exact reasons for vast differences in symptoms, pathophysiological implications of COVID-infections, and mortality differences remain elusive. Hence, researchers are also looking beyond traditional genomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics approach, especially entrusting the environmental regulation of the genetic landscape of COVID–human interactions. In line with these questions lies a critical process called epigenetics. The epigenetic perturbations in both host and parasites are a matter of great interest to unravel the disparities in COVID-19 mortalities and pathology. This review provides a deeper insight into current research on the epigenetic landscape of SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans and potential targets for augmenting the ongoing investigation. It also explores the potential targets, pathways, and networks associated with the epigenetic regulation of processes involved in SARS-CoV-2 pathology