The deciphering of the immune cells and marker signature in COVID-19 pathogenesis: An update.

The precise interaction between the immune system and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is critical in deciphering the pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is also vital for developing novel therapeutic tools, including monoclonal antibodies, antivirals drugs, and vaccines. Viral infections need innate and adaptive immune reactions since the various immune components, such as neutrophils, macrophages, CD4+ T, CD8+ T, and B lymphocytes, play different roles in various infections. Consequently, the characterization of innate and adaptive immune reactions toward SARS-CoV-2 is crucial for defining the pathogenicity of COVID-19. In this study, we explain what is currently understood concerning the conventional immune reactions to SARS-CoV-2 infection to shed light on the protective and pathogenic role of immune response in this case. Also, in particular, we investigate the in-depth roles of other immune mediators, including neutrophil elastase, serum amyloid A, and syndecan, in the immunopathogenesis of COVID-19.

Effects of Melatonin and Propolis Supplementation on Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Primary Pneumosepsis: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of propolis and melatonin supplementation on inflammation, clinical outcomes, and oxidative stress markers in patients with primary pneumosepsis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted on 55 patients with primary pneumosepsis who were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. In the three intervention groups, the patients received propolis alone (1,000 mg/day), propolis (1,000 mg/day) plus melatonin (20 mg/day), and melatonin alone (20 mg/day). The control group received placebo. The inflammatory and oxidative stress markers as well as clinical outcomes were evaluated before and after the intervention, and the 28-day survival rate was also recorded. RESULTS: After the intervention, the combination of propolis and melatonin significantly reduced interleukin-6 (-55.282 pg/mL) and C-reactive protein (-21.656 mg/L) levels, while increasing gavage intake (326.680 mL/day) and improving some clinical outcomes (APACHE II, SOFA, and NUTRIC scores) compared to the control group. However, no significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of oxidative stress and hematological indices. In addition, there was no significant difference in the 28-day survival rate between the groups (p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: Supplementation with propolis and melatonin may improve clinical outcomes by reducing inflammation. Further investigations are required to confirm these findings.

Childhood anxiety disorders prevalence in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of childhood anxiety disorders in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study, between September and November 2019, in Saudi Arabia. The study group included the parents of 468 primary school children, aged 6-12 years. Parents completed the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) screening instrument, translated to Arabic. The measured outcome was the prevalence of childhood anxiety disorders, determined from the scores on the SCARED instrument. Results: Childhood anxiety disorders prevalence were as follows: 32.7% had one anxiety, 18.4% had 2, 10.9% had 3, 8.1% had 4, and 7.7% had 5. Of note, 22.2% of children did not have an anxiety disorder. Conclusion: Our results reveal a high prevalence of childhood anxiety disorders among primary school age children in Saudi Arabia. Based on these findings, conducting awareness campaigns and providing educational programs on childhood anxiety disorders might be important to improve the health outcomes of children.