Potential Biomarkers for Allergic Conjunctival Diseases.

Allergic conjunctival diseases (ACDs) are a group of ocular allergies that include allergic conjunctivitis, atopic keratoconjunctivitis, vernal keratoconjunctivitis, and giant papillary conjunctivitis. Although a large body of information exists on the pathophysiology of ACDs, this has not yet lead to the development of clear recommendations and guidelines for the diagnosis of ACDs or development of conclusive and objective diagnostic tools. Identification of objectively measurable biomarkers that represent the molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with ACDs will be an important step toward achieving these aims. This is a comprehensive review of biological markers that have the potential to become "biomarker(s)" for ACDs and aid in the classification, diagnosis, and development of new therapeutic strategies for these group of allergic conditions.

Burns During Coronavirus Disease 19 Lockdown: a Multi-Center Retrospective Study in Israel.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced many countries into lockdowns to limit the spread of infection. Israel's containment measures included school closures, mobility restrictions, and workforce reductions. Our study evaluated the effect of COVID-19 on the occurrence and patterns of burn injuries. The study data was obtained via retrospective chart review of burn patients treated between March 15, 2020 and April 30, 2020, namely the period of strict national lockdown. This data was compared against data from paralleling periods between 2017 and 2019. A total of 686 patients were treated for burn injuries in the two study periods. Age group analysis revealed an increased ratio of pediatric patients aged 0-3 years during the lockdown (55.91% vs 40.79%, P = .002). In contrast, there were fewer patients presenting with burn injuries in the 7-16 and 17-29 age groups (9.66% vs 3.15%, P = .017; 16.46% vs 7.09%, P = .007, respectively). During both study periods, scald injuries were the most common burn etiology and burn injuries occurred most often at home. This predominance was further pronounced during the lockdown (71.65% vs 58.68%, P = .007; 90.55% vs 74.60%, P = .0001, respectively). The lockdown period underlined the danger faced by pediatric patients in their household environment. This danger was possibly compounded by an improper level of adult supervision as parents transitioned to remote work. These findings can educate us about factors that render burn injuries more likely not only during lockdowns, but also during regular times, thus shaping the development of burn prevention practices.

The effect of probiotic administration on metabolomics and glucose metabolism in CF patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cystic fibrosis (CF)-related diabetes (CFRD) affects 50% of CF adults. Gut microbial imbalance (dysbiosis) aggravates their inflammatory response and contributes to insulin resistance (IR). We hypothesized that probiotics may improve glucose tolerance by correcting dysbiosis. METHODS: A single-center prospective pilot study assessing the effect of Vivomixx® probiotic (450 billion/sachet) on clinical status, spirometry, lung clearance index (LCI), and quality of life (QOL) questionnaires; inflammatory parameters (urine and stool metabolomics, blood cytokines); and glucose metabolism (oral glucose tolerance test [OGTT]), continuous glucose monitoring [CGM], and homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) in CF patients. RESULTS: Twenty-three CF patients (six CFRD), mean age 17.7 ± 8.2 years. After 4 months of probiotic administration, urinary cysteine (p = 0.018), lactulose (p = 0.028), arabinose (p = 0.036), mannitol (p = 0.041), and indole 3-lactate (p = 0.046) significantly increased, while 3-methylhistidine (p = 0.046) and N-acetyl glutamine (p = 0.047) decreased. Stool 2-Hydroxyisobutyrate (p = 0.022) and 3-methyl-2-oxovalerate (p = 0.034) decreased. Principal component analysis, based on urine metabolites, found significant partitions between subjects at the end of treatment compared to baseline (p = 0.004). After 2 months of probiotics, the digestive symptoms domain of Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised improved (p = 0.007). In the nondiabetic patients, a slight decrease in HOMA-IR, from 2.28 to 1.86, was observed. There was no significant change in spirometry results, LCI, blood cytokines and CGM. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in urine and stool metabolic profiles, following the administration of probiotics, may suggest a positive effect on glucose metabolism in CF. Larger long-term studies are needed to confirm our findings. Understanding the interplay between dysbiosis, inflammation, and glucose metabolism may help preventing CFRD.

Trends in Burn Injuries in Northern Israel During the COVID-19 Lockdown.

Coronavirus disease 2019 obliged many countries to apply lockdown policies to contain the spread of infection. The restrictions in Israel included limitations on movement, reduction of working capacity, and closure of the educational system. The present study focused on patients treated at a referral center for burns in northern Israel. Their goal was to investigate temporal variations in burn injuries during this period. Data were retrospectively extracted from the medical records of burn patients treated at our hospital between March 14, 2020 and April 20, 2020 (ie, the period of aggravated lockdown). Data from this period were compared with that from paralleling periods between 2017 and 2019. During the lockdown and paralleling periods, 178 patients were treated for burn injuries, of whom 44% were under 18. Although no restrictions were enforced during the virus outbreak period with regard to seeking medical care, we noticed a decrease in the number of patients admitted to the emergency room for all reasons. Of particular interest was a 66% decrease in the number of adult burn patients (P < .0001). Meanwhile, among the pediatric population, no significant decrease was observed. Nonetheless, subgroups with higher susceptibility to burn injuries included children aged 2 to 5 years (56.3% vs 23.8%, P = .016) and female patients from all pediatric age groups (57.1% vs 25%, P = .027). These findings may be explained by the presumably busier kitchen and dining areas during the lockdown. Overall, the study results can assist with building a stronger understanding of varying burn injuries and with developing educational and preventive strategies.