Results of a systematic review and meta-analysis of early studies on ivermectin in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug, has been repurposed for COVID-19 treatment during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Although its antiviral efficacy was confirmed early in vitro and in preclinical studies, its clinical efficacy remained ambiguous. Our purpose was to assess the efficacy of ivermectin in terms of time to viral clearance based on the meta-analysis of available clinical trials at the closing date of the data search period, one year after the start of the pandemic. This meta-analysis was reported by following the PRISMA guidelines and by using the PICO format for formulating the question. The study protocol was registered on PROSPERO. Embase, MEDLINE (via PubMed), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), bioRvix, and medRvix were searched for human studies of patients receiving ivermectin therapy with control groups. No language or publication status restrictions were applied. The search ended on 1/31/2021 exactly one year after WHO declared the public health emergency on novel coronavirus. The meta-analysis of three trials involving 382 patients revealed that the mean time to viral clearance was 5.74 days shorter in case of ivermectin treatment compared to the control groups [WMD = -5.74, 95% CI (-11.1, -0.39), p = 0.036]. Ivermectin has significantly reduced the time to viral clearance in mild to moderate COVID-19 diseases compared to control groups. However, more eligible studies are needed for analysis to increase the quality of evidence of ivermectin use in COVID-19.

Peritonsillar abscess: an 8-year retrospective, culture based evaluation of 208 cases.

Introduction. Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is a common infection which requires surgical intervention and suitable antibiotic therapy.Hypotheses/Gap Statement. Beside Streptococcus pyogenes and Fusobacterium necrophorum several other mostly anaerobic bacteria can be cultured from the properly taken pus samples of PTA, the clinical significance of which is still not fully understood.Aim. This study focused on the culture-based microbiological evaluation of PTA cases, compared to surgical intervention and empirical antibiotic management.Methodology. A retrospective analysis of PTA cases was performed between 2012 and 2019. Data about the aerobic and anaerobic culture results of the samples taken during different surgical interventions were summarized and the coverage of the empirically selected antibiotics was evaluated. The patient's history, the development of complications and the recurrence rate were also evaluated.Results. The microbiological culture results were available for 208 of 320 patients with clinically diagnosed PTA. Incision and drainage (I and D) and immediate tonsillectomy were the leading surgical interventions. Ninety-five Fusobacterium species (including 44 Fusobacterium necrophorum), 52 Actinomyces species and 47 Streptococcus pyogenes were obtained from PTA samples alone or together with polymicrobial flora. S. pyogenes (33.7 %, n=28) and F. necrophorum (22.9 %, n=19) were the dominating pathogens in the 83 monobacterial PTA samples. In >60 % of the patients polymicrobial infection was demonstrated, involving a great variety of anaerobic bacteria. In 22 out of 42 cases where intravenous cefuroxime was empirically started, the therapy should be changed to properly cover the culture-proven anaerobic flora. There were no serious complications, abscess recurrence was detected in two cases (0.96 %).Conclusion. PTAs are often polymicrobial infections including a great variety of anaerobes. Targeted antibiotic therapy, in conjunction with adequate surgical drainage eliminating the anaerobic milieu, can accelerate the healing process and radically reduce the complication and recurrence rate.

Long-term experiences by using modified facial degloving technique / A módosított "facial degloving" technikával szerzett hosszú távú tapasztalataink.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: Az orrmelléküreg-daganatok kezelésében a legfrissebb nemzetközi ajánlások alapján továbbra is a sebészi reszekció az elsodlegesen választandó módszer. Bár az endoszkópos technikák fejlodésével a külso feltárással járó mutétek bizonyos esetekben háttérbe szorultak, napjainkban még mindig a Weber-Fergusson-féle metszést tartják a legszélesebb feltárást biztosító technikának, annak ellenére is, hogy a módszer stigmatizáló hegeket és deformitásokat hagy a páciensek arcán. Módszer: A "facial degloving" eljárást mint alternatív, hegmentes technikát eloször az 1970-es években publikálták, azóta számos módosítását írták le. A szerzok az orrmelléküregi tumorok eltávolítására már 8 éve kizárólag az általuk módosított technikát alkalmazzák. 2012 és 2019 között Klinikánkon 34 beteg esett át a módosított "facial degloving" mutéten. A módszer alapja egy felso szájpitvari behatolásból a középarc területén kialakított oszteoplasztikus lebeny, melynek felemelésével széles rálátás nyílik az orrüregre és melléküregeire, valamint az elülso koponyaalapra is. A mutéti terület a daganat eltávolítását követoen jó kozmetikai eredménnyel rekonstruálható. Eredmények: A szerzok akusztikus rinometriai vizsgálatokkal és az arckifejezéseket ábrázoló posztoperatív képi dokumentációval támasztották alá eredményeiket. Az operált oldalon sem az orrbemenet beszukülését (orrlégzés gátoltsága), sem pedig az arcmozgás zavarait, az arc aszimmetriáját nem észlelték. Betegeik túlélését Kaplan-Meier-görbén ábrázolták. Megbeszélés, következtetés: Habár az eredeti "facial degloving" technikának számos módosítását publikálták, az itt bemutatott módszer (oszteoplasztikus lebeny, melyben a középarc lágy részeinek integritása megtartott) rövidebb hospitalizációs idot és kevesebb komplikációt eredményezett. A bemutatott módosított "facial degloving" technika véleményünk szerint megfelelo és biztonságos sebészi reszekciót biztosít orrmelléküregi rosszindulatú daganatok esetén, továbbá kombinálható endoszkópos technikákkal, és szükség esetén nyitott mutétté alakítható, akár orbitalis kiterjesztéssel. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(10): 392-398. INTRODUCTION: The widely used external approach (Weber-Fergusson's incision) for the removal of maxillo-ethmoidal tumors leaves stigmatizing scars and deformities on the patient's face. As an alternative technique, the scarless facial degloving approach was first described in the 1970's, and since then, several modifications have been developed. METHOD: We have been using our modified facial degloving technique for eight years now with maxillo-ethmoidal tumors. Between 2012 and 2019, 34 consecutive patients have been operated with our modified facial degloving approach at the Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head-Neck Surgery, University of Szeged, Hungary. We describe our method which provides a wide surgical approach via an osteoplastic flap for the whole nasal and paranasal region, with good cosmetic results. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We have evaluated our results with acoustic rhinometry and photo-documentation of the facial mimic postoperatively. Neither narrowing of the nasal cavity on the operated side (loss of nasal breathing function), nor facial movement dysfunction was visible in our patients. We represent our patients' survival in Kaplan-Meier curve. Although several modifications of the original facial degloving approach have been published, in our technique, the novel osteoplastic flap and the intact soft tissue of the nasal and midfacial region results in shorter hospitalization time and fewer complications. Our modified facial degloving technique offers proper and safe surgical resection for tumors of the maxillo-ethmoid region. It can be routinely combined with endoscopic techniques, and, if necessary, can be converted to an open approach. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(10): 392-398.