RESUMO
Melasma is a prevalent dermatological challenge with limited therapeutic interventions. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been increasingly explored for its potential benefits in various dermatological conditions. This study aimed to systematically review the efficacy and safety of PRP in the treatment of melasma. A comprehensive search in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was executed in January 2024 using PubMed, focusing on studies investigating the efficacy and safety of PRP in melasma. Criteria for inclusion were clinical trials and controlled studies examining PRP's role in melasma treatment, while exclusions covered reviews, non-English articles, and studies older than 10 years, among others. Eight studies were included, with the majority targeting female participants. The research displayed consistent positive outcomes, whether PRP was used alone or synergistically with treatments like hydroquinone and tranexamic acid. However, positive studies with the combination of PRP and other drugs will not provide the actual safety and efficacy data of PRP. The combined treatment approaches often showed enhanced results. Satisfaction rates among patients and reductions in the melasma area and severity index (MASI) scores were common findings across the studies, emphasizing the potential of PRP in melasma management. In conclusion, PRP emerges as a promising therapeutic intervention for melasma. Whether as a standalone treatment or combined with established methods, PRP presents significant potential in melasma's clinical management, warranting further expansive trials to substantiate its long-term efficacy and safety.
RESUMO
Equine influenza is a major cause of respiratory infections in horses and can spread rapidly despite the availability of commercial vaccines. This study aimed to screen the incidence of equine influenza virus (EIV) and molecularly characterize the haemagglutinin and neuraminidase from positive EIV field samples collected from Saudi Arabia. Six-hundred twenty-one horses from 57 horse barns were screened for the presence of the clinical signs, suggestive for equine influenza, from different parts of Saudi Arabia. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from each horse showing respiratory distress. Samples from the same horse barn were pooled together and screened for the presence of the influenza A virus using quantitative real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Selective positive samples were subjected to full-length genome sequencing using MiSeq Illumina. Out of the total 57 pools, 39 were found positive to EIV using qRT-PCR. Full-length gene sequences were compared with representative EIV strains selected from the GenBank database. Phylogenetic analysis of the HA and NA genes revealed that the identified virus strains belong to H3N8 clade 1 of the Florida sublineage and were very similar to viruses identified in USA in 2019, with no current evidence for reassortment. This is one of the first reports providing detailed description and characterization of EIVs in Saudi Arabia. Detailed surveillance and genetic information sharing could allow genetic evolution of equine influenza viruses to be monitored more effectively on a global basis and aid in refinement of vaccine strain selection for EIV.