Efficacy of cannabis-based medicine in the treatment of Tourette syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by motor and phonic tics. It is a condition that affects between 0.3% and 0.7% of children, and its pathophysiology remains largely elusive. TS is associated with structural and functional alterations in corticostriatal circuits and neurochemical imbalances. Even though TS is currently incurable, there are established treatment options available, including behavioral therapy and neuroleptics. The use of cannabis-based medicine for tic management is an emerging therapeutic strategy, although its efficacy is still under investigation. It is hypothesized to interact with the endogenous cannabinoid system, but further research is required to ascertain its safety and effectiveness in TS. AIM: In our systematic review and meta-analysis, we aim to assess the effectiveness of cannabis-based medicine in the treatment of TS. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Sciences until February 2024. We included clinical trials and cohort studies investigating the efficacy of cannabis-based medicine in the treatment of TS. Data extraction focused on baseline characteristics of the included studies and efficacy outcomes, including scores on the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), Premonitory Urge for Tics Scale (PUTS), and Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). We conducted the meta-analysis using Review Manager version 5.4. software. We compared the measurements before and after drug intake using mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: In total, 357 articles were identified for screening, with nine studies included in the systematic review and 3 in the meta-analysis. These studies involved 401 adult patients with TS treated with cannabis. YGTSS revealed a significant reduction in total scores (MD = -23.71, 95% CI [-43.86 to -3.55], P = 0.02), PUTS revealed a significant decrease in scores (MD = -5.36, 95% CI [-8.46 to -2.27], P = 0.0007), and Y-BOCS revealed no significant difference in score reduction (MD = -6.22, 95% CI [-12.68 to 0.23], P = 0.06). CONCLUSION: The current study indicates promising and potentially effective outcomes with the use of cannabis-based medicine in mitigating the severity of tics and premonitory urges. However, there is a need for larger, placebo-controlled studies with more representative samples to validate these findings.

Barbed sutures versus conventional sutures for wound closure in spine surgeries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Suturing techniques for wound closure in spine surgeries play a critical role in patient outcomes, including wound healing, reintervention, and risk of complications. Barbed sutures, characterized by their self-anchoring properties, have emerged as a potential alternative to conventional sutures in various surgical disciplines. While previous studies have underscored their efficacy and safety in spine surgeries, no meta-analysis has been conducted. Therefore, we are undertaking this study. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a literature search on electronic databases to obtain the relevant studies until May 5, 2024. Our primary outcomes were operative time, wound closure time, and postoperative wound complications like seroma or hematoma formation and wound infection. The secondary outcomes were the length of hospital stay, reintervention rates, and costs. Data was pooled using a random effects model. We included seven eligible studies with a total of 8645 patients. Our meta-analysis showed that barbed sutures had shorter operative time and wound closure time compared to conventional sutures (MD -20.13 min, 95% CI [-28.47, -11.78], P < 0.001) and (MD -16.36 min, 95% CI [-20.9, -11.82], P < 0.001), respectively. Both suturing techniques showed comparable results in terms of overall postoperative wound complications (RR 0.83, 95% CI [0.60, 1.14], P = 0.25), postoperative infections (RR 0.59, 95% CI [0.33, 1.06], P = 0.08), length of hospital stay (MD -0.26 day, 95% CI [-0.75, 0.22], P = 0.28), rates of reintervention between the two groups (RR 0.99, 95% CI [0.48, 2.05], P = 0.98). Barbed sutures in spine surgeries are associated with significantly shortened wound closure and operative times. However, high-quality RCT's with long-term follow-up and cost-effectiveness assessment are required to support the evidence.

An updated systematic review of neuroprotective agents in the treatment of spinal cord injury.

This systematic review aims to summarize the findings from all clinical randomized trials assessing the efficacy of potential neuroprotective agents in influencing the outcomes of acute spinal cord injuries (SCI). Following the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted comprehensive searches in four electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) up to September 5th, 2023. Our analysis included a total of 30 studies. We examined the effects of 15 substances/drugs: methylprednisolone, tirilazad mesylate, erythropoietin, nimodipine, naloxone, Sygen, Rho protein antagonist, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, autologous macrophages, autologous bone marrow cells, vitamin D, progesterone, riluzole, minocycline, and blood alcohol concentration. Notable improvements in neurological outcomes were observed with progesterone plus vitamin D and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. In contrast, results for methylprednisolone, erythropoietin, Sygen, Rho Protein, and Riluzole were inconclusive, primarily due to insufficient sample size or outdated evidence. No significant differences were found in the remaining evaluated drugs. Progesterone plus vitamin D, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, methylprednisolone, Sygen, Rho Protein, and Riluzole may enhance neurological outcomes in acute SCI cases. It is worth noting that different endpoints or additional subgroup analyses may potentially alter the conclusions of individual trials. Therefore, certain SCI grades may benefit more from these treatments than others, while the overall results may remain inconclusive.

Efficacy and Safety of Andexanet Alfa Versus Four Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate for Emergent Reversal of Factor Xa Inhibitor Associated Intracranial Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Factor Xa inhibitors (FXaI) are increasingly used for anticoagulation therapy, yet their association with intracranial hemorrhage poses a significant challenge. Although andexanet alfa (AA) and four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) have shown promise in reversing FXaI effects, their comparative efficacy and safety remain uncertain. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we conducted a literature search on electronic databases to obtain the relevant studies until May 16, 2024. Our primary outcomes were successful anticoagulation reversal, overall mortality (including 30-day and in-hospital mortality), and thromboembolic events. Secondary outcomes were length of hospital and intensive care unit stay and hematoma volume expansion. Data were pooled using a random-effects model. We included 16 eligible studies with a total of 2,977 patients. A statistically significant improvement in hemostatic efficacy rates was in favor of the AA group (risk ratio [RR] 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.20, P = 0.02). Lower overall mortality rates were found in the AA group (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.51-0.88, P = 0.004). However, no difference was found in 30-day mortality rates (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.58-1.16, P = 0.26). In terms of thromboembolic events, more events were found in the AA group (RR 1.47, 95% CI 1.01-2.15, P = 0.046). AA was associated with a longer duration of hospital stay compared to 4F-PCC (mean difference [MD] 0.64, 95% CI 0.07-1.22, P = 0.03). Neither a significant difference in length of intensive care unit stay (MD 0.25, 95% CI - 0.36 to 0.86, P = 0.41) nor a significant difference in hematoma volume expansion was reported (MD - 0.89, 95% CI - 3.11 to 1.34, P = 0.435). Our results suggest that AA is superior to 4F-PCC in enhancing the hemostatic efficacy and reducing the overall and in-hospital mortality rates. More thromboembolic events are thought to be associated with the use of AA. However, more studies are required to validate whether the better results of AA in improving hemostatic efficacy are enough to make up for their higher cost and their possible risk of thromboembolic events.

Prevalence and characteristics of headache among medical students in Egypt: a multicentric cross-sectional study.

Background: Headaches are one of the most common neurological disorders, ranging in severity from mild discomfort to a severe, debilitating condition. Headaches are particularly prevalent among medical students, which can be attributed to various factors such as psychological stressors, extensive studying, long hours of clinical rotations and high-pressure examination. This study aims to ascertain the prevalence of different types of headaches, along with analysing their associated clinical characteristics among medical students in Egypt. Methods: A multicentric, descriptive questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted across five governmental faculties of medicine in Egypt from November 2022 to March 2023. Using a multistage random sampling method, 600 undergraduate students were selected to participate. Headache was diagnosed based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders. Results: A total of 493 responses were included in the analysis; the prevalence of headache disorder was 264 (53.5%), with tension-type headaches (TTH) frequent episodic being the highest 89 (33.7%), while TTH chronic and migraine with aura were the least prevalent, accounting for 10 (3.8%) and 31 (11.7%), respectively. Women exhibited a higher overall headache prevalence (69.4%) compared with men (44.4%). A positive family history was found in 120 (45.5%) of students with headache. Lack of sleep and stress were the most frequently reported potential triggers for headaches. Out of 264 medical students, 171 (65%) took analgesics. Only 42 (24.6%) had a medical consultation, while most students 129 (75.4%) took over-the-counter medications. Conclusion: Notably, headaches were prevalent in 264 (53.5%) of the respondents. TTH frequent and infrequent emerged as the most common headaches among medical students, followed by migraine without aura then migraine with aura. Participants were statistically different according to sex, faculty, academic year and living conditions. Alarmingly, despite the substantial prevalence, only 42 (24.6%) students sought medical consultation.

Using artificial intelligence to improve body iron quantification: A scoping review.

This scoping review explores the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing the screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of disorders related to body iron levels. A systematic search was performed to identify studies that utilize machine learning in iron-related disorders. The search revealed a wide range of machine learning algorithms used by different studies. Notably, most studies used a single data type. The studies varied in terms of sample sizes, participant ages, and geographical locations. AI's role in quantifying iron concentration is still in its early stages, yet its potential is significant. The question is whether AI-based diagnostic biomarkers can offer innovative approaches for screening, diagnosing, and monitoring of iron overload and anemia.