Probable positive effects of the photobiomodulation as an adjunctive treatment in COVID-19: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19, as a newly-emerged viral infection has now spread all over the world after originating in Wuhan, China. Pneumonia is the hallmark of the disease, with dyspnea in half of the patients and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in up to one -third of the cases. Pulmonary edema, neutrophilic infiltration, and inflammatory cytokine release are the pathologic signs of this disease. The anti-inflammatory effect of the photobiomodulation (PBM) has been confirmed in many previous studies. Therefore, this review study was conducted to evaluate the direct effect of PBM on the acute lung inflammation or ARDS and also accelerating the regeneration of the damaged tissues. The indirect effects of PBM on modulation of the immune system, increasing the blood flow and oxygenation in other tissues were also considered. METHODOLOGY: The databases of PubMed, Cochrane library, and Google Scholar were searched to find the relevant studies. Keywords included the PBM and related terms, lung inflammation, and COVID-19 -related signs. Studies were categorized with respect to the target tissue, laser parameters, and their results. RESULTS: Seventeen related papers were included in this review. All of them were in animal models. They showed that the PBM could significantly decrease the pulmonary edema, neutrophil influx, and generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), interleukin 6 (IL-6), intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM), reactive oxygen species (ROS), isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2)). CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed that the PBM could be helpful in reducing the lung inflammation and promoting the regeneration of the damaged tissue. PBM can increase the oxygenation indirectly in order to rehabilitate the affected organs. Thus, the infra-red lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are recommended in this regard.

Liver fat content might be an appropriate measure for estimation of cardiovascular disease risk in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients.

Background: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is increasing worldwide due to the metabolic syndrome epidemy. According to the current evidence, a higher cardiovascular disease risk (CVDR) is observed in NASH individuals than the general population. Objective: The relationship between liver fat content (LFC) and CVDR in a cohort of NASH patients was evaluated in this research. Methods: Consecutively selected patients with increased aminotransferase levels and fatty change in liver ultrasonography were enrolled in the study. Those with known causes of viral hepatitis, any hepatotoxic medications or alcohol consumption, autoimmune hepatitis, cigarette smoking, and ischemic heart disease were excluded from the project. The remaining was presumed to have NASH. The Framingham risk score (FRS) and LFC were calculated by means of an online calculator and a valid formula, respectively. The correlation between LFC and independent variables was measured using the Pearson correlation test. The P-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS program version 18. Results: Finally, two hundred NASH patients were included in the study. Considering diabetes mellitus as a confounder, there was a fair relationship between LFC and FRS (R=0.26 and 0.23, respectively, p<0.05) in the second and third visits. Even after adjustment for known cardiovascular risk factors, LFC was associated with increased CVDR (OR=9.181; 95% CI: 2.00-42.14, p=0.01). The cut-off value of 9.1% for LFC had a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 87% for discrimination of the FRS >20% and <20%. Conclusion: LFC might independently be correlated with CVDR in NASH patients. If further research confirmed this relationship, the inclusion of LFC into the FRS formula would provide an appropriate CVDR estimation tool in NASH.

A preliminary randomized clinical trial comparing diode laser and scalpel periosteal incision during implant surgery: impact on postoperative morbidity and implant survival.

The aim of this preliminary randomized clinical trial was to compare: (1) post-operative morbidity after application of laser or scalpel incision for flap advancement during implant surgery and bone grafting and (2) implant survival rate following flap advancement with laser or scalpel incision after 6 months of loading. Eighteen patients who were scheduled for dental implant placement and simultaneous bone grafting were randomly assigned to test or control groups. Diode laser (810 nm, 2 W, pulse interval 200 µs; pulse length 100 µs, 400-µm initiated fiber tip), or scalpel (control) was used to sever the periosteum to create a tension-free flap. Visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score, rate of nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) consumption, intensity of swelling, and ecchymosis were measured for the six postsurgical days. Six months after loading, implant survival was assessed. VAS pain score (during the first four postoperative days), rate of NSAID consumption (during the first three postoperative days), and intensity of swelling (during the first five postoperative days) were significantly lower in the test group compared to the control group (All P values < 0.05). One patient in the control group experienced ecchymosis. All implants were successful in function. Application of laser for performing periosteal releasing incision reduced the incidence and severity of postoperative morbidity of the patients undergone implant surgery in conjunction with bone augmentation procedure. We did not find any detrimental effect of laser incision on the implant survival within 6 months of loading.

Worldwide inequality in production of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: Investment in science is vital for the development and well-being of societies. This study aims to assess the scientific productivity of countries by quantifying their publication of systematic reviews taking the gross national income per capita (GNIPC) into account. METHODS: Medline and ISI Web of Science were searched for systematic reviews published between 1st January 2006 and 31st December 2010. The productivity of each country was quantified by exploring the authors' affiliation. The GNIPC was used according to the World Bank Report. Concentration index (CI) was calculated as the index of inequality. RESULTS: CI of percentage of systematic reviews as a function of percentage of countries ranked by GNIPC was 0.82 which indicates inequality in production of systematic reviews in pro rich countries. Countries with high income produced 206.23 times more systematic reviews than low income countries, while this ratio for lower middle and upper middle countries was 9.67 and 12.97, respectively. The highest concentration index was observed in clinical sciences (0.76) and the lowest in public health (0.61). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a significant gap between industrialized and nonindustrialized countries in the production of systematic reviews. Addressing this gap needs tremendous national and international efforts.

Photoactivated disinfection using light-emitting diode as an adjunct in the management of chronic periodontitis: a pilot double-blind split-mouth randomized clinical trial.

AIM: This split-mouth double-masked randomized controlled clinical study evaluated the effectiveness of photoactivated disinfection (PAD) using light-emitting diode (LED) as an adjunct in the management of patients affected by moderate to severe chronic periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients affected by moderate to severe chronic periodontitis were enrolled. After scaling and root planing (SRP), each quadrant was assigned to one of the following groups: LED group (625-635 nm, maximum power density: 2000 mW/cm(2) ), photosensitizer group (tolouidine blue O, 0.1 mg/ml), PAD group (photosensitizer and LED) and control group (no adjunctive treatment). The adjunctive treatments were repeated after 7 and 14 days. The clinical parameters of bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level were measured at baseline and 1 and 3 months after SRP. RESULTS: At 1 and 3 months, all groups showed significant improvements with regard to all clinical parameters compared to baseline (all p: <0.001). There were no significant differences among groups in terms of changes of clinical parameters in any time interval (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The application of PAD using LED with the current setting did not have additional effects on clinical parameters in patients diagnosed with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis compared with SRP alone.

Medical students' health-related quality of life: roles of social and behavioural factors.

OBJECTIVES: The long and demanding course of medical education may be accompanied by distress with serious consequences. This study was conducted to assess the multidimensional health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in medical students in different stages of medical education and its associations with behavioural and social factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in medical students at three medical schools at, respectively, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Aja University of Medical Sciences and Baghiyatalah Medical School, in November and December 2011 using stratified sampling. Data were obtained on participants' characteristics, including gender, current education stage, living situation, smoking status, physical activity, and membership of associations or teams. Health-related QoL was measured using the Persian version of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), which generates a physical component score (PCS) and a mental component score (MCS). Logistic regression was applied to measure the adjusted associations between variables. RESULTS: Of the 1350 students invited, 1086 individuals completed the survey to give a response rate of 80.4%. Logistic regression showed male gender (odds ratio [OR] = 2.88, p < 0.001), living with family versus in a dormitory (OR = 2.72, p < 0.001) and participation in daily physical activity (OR = 16.96, p < 0.001) to be significantly associated with a higher PCS. Being in an internship versus in the basic sciences stage of medical education showed a significant association with a lower PCS (OR = 0.12, p < 0.001). Similarly, male gender (OR = 1.67, p < 0.05), living with family rather than in a dormitory (OR = 16.91, p < 0.001), daily physical activity (OR = 25.36, p < 0.001), and membership of associations or teams (OR = 3.67, p < 0.001) were associated with a higher MCS. Likewise, studying in internship rather than in the basic sciences stage was accompanied by a lower MCS (OR = 0.12, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This large, multi-institution study, despite its limitations, indicates that medical students in internships show lower scores in all domains of QoL. Social engagement is an important associate of higher HR-QoL. Further studies should address the efficacy of interventions, such as self-awareness programmes and initiatives to encourage students to be more physically and socially active, in improving students' health.

Multiple maxillary periodontal abscesses as a manifestation of post-coronavirus disease 2019 mucormycosis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 makes patients more susceptible to superinfection of fungal disease as a consequence of immunological system impairment. Mucormycosis is a fungal infection that is rare but has a high mortality rate and mostly affects patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus or those receiving corticosteroids. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we present a case of post-coronavirus disease 2019 mucormycosis in a 37-year-old Persian male presenting with multiple periodontal abscess with purulent discharge and necrosis of maxillary bone (without oroantral communication). Surgical debridement following antifungal therapy was the treatment of choice. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and immediate referral are the cornerstone of comprehensive treatment.

Gut Dysbiosis and Blood-Brain Barrier Alteration in Hepatic Encephalopathy: From Gut to Brain.

A common neuropsychiatric complication of advanced liver disease, hepatic encephalopathy (HE), impacts the quality of life and length of hospital stays. There is new evidence that gut microbiota plays a significant role in brain development and cerebral homeostasis. Microbiota metabolites are providing a new avenue of therapeutic options for several neurological-related disorders. For instance, the gut microbiota composition and blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity are altered in HE in a variety of clinical and experimental studies. Furthermore, probiotics, prebiotics, antibiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation have been shown to positively affect BBB integrity in disease models that are potentially extendable to HE by targeting gut microbiota. However, the mechanisms that underlie microbiota dysbiosis and its effects on the BBB are still unclear in HE. To this end, the aim of this review was to summarize the clinical and experimental evidence of gut dysbiosis and BBB disruption in HE and a possible mechanism.

Evaluation of health related quality of life in irritable bowel syndrome patients.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QOL) is an important measure in the management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Controversy exists in the findings of studies evaluating QOL in IBS subtypes, and little is known about this issue in Iranian patients. Determination of the factors affecting QOL in IBS patients may influence treatment outcomes. The aims of this study are to: 1) compare QOL between subtypes in a sample of Iranian IBS patients, 2) determine the factors associated with QOL in IBS. METHODS: This cross sectional study included two hundred and fifty IBS patients with the mean age (± standard deviation) of 31.62 (± 11.93) years that were referred to outpatient gastroenterology clinic. IBS patients were diagnosed based on Rome-3 criteria by a gastroenterologist, and then they were categorized into three subtypes according to the predominant type of bowel habit. The "QOL specific for IBS", "Stait-trait anxiety inventory", and "Beck depression inventory-2" questioners were used to evaluate QOL, anxiety, and depression symptoms, respectively. RESULTS: The mean QOL scores in IBS mixed subtype (71.7 ± 25.57), constipation predominant subtype (80.28 ± 25.57), and diarrhea predominant subtype (76.43 ± 19.13) were not different. (P value: 0.05) In multivariate linear regression analysis, anxiety symptom scores were inversely correlated with QOL scores. [Standardized beta: -0.43, (95% confidence interval: -0.70, -0.39), P value: < 0.01] CONCLUSION: It seems reasonable to manage anxiety symptoms properly in IBS patients since this might increase their QOL.

Synovial fluid adenosine deaminase and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein activity in differentiating monoarthritis.

It is proposed that synovial fluid biomarkers may help in differentiating the type of arthritis. The aim of study is to determine whether synovial fluid adenosine deaminase (ADA) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) can be useful in this regard. A total of 75 patients with knee monoarthritis that were admitted in Shahid Beheshti Kashan hospital in 2009 included in the study. There were 18 rheumatoid arthritis, 13 crystal-induced arthritis, 3 septic arthritis and 41 osteoarthritis. Inflammatory arthritis was diagnosed if more than 2,000 white blood cells existed in per milliliter of the synovial fluid. There was statistically significant difference in mean synovial fluid ADA and hs-CRP concentration between inflammatory (26.06 ± 8.96 IU/l, 12.72 ± 9.25 µg/ml) and non-inflammatory arthritis (14.8 ± 2.79 IU/l, 2.36 ± 2.7 µg/ml) (P values = 0.00, 0.00). There was statistically significant difference in mean synovial fluid ADA and hs-CRP concentration when rheumatoid arthritis (23.77 ± 4.58 IU/l, 10.47 ± 6.99 µg/ml), crystal-induced arthritis (22.76 ± 3.65 IU/l, 14.37 ± 11.58 µg/ml) and septic arthritis (49.66 ± 8.96 IU/l, 18.25 ± 5.37 µg/ml) were compared with osteoarthritis (14.58 ± 2.63 IU/l, 1.91 ± 1.31 µg/ml) (All P values = 0.00). There was statistically significant difference in mean synovial fluid ADA concentration between septic and rheumatoid arthritis and also between septic arthritis and crystal-induced arthritis (P values = 0.00, 0.00). This study showed that synovial fluid ADA and hs-CRP can properly differentiate inflammatory from non-inflammatory arthritis. Synovial fluid ADA is a useful marker in differentiating septic from rheumatoid and crystal-induced arthritis.

Serum adenosine deaminase may predict disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.

To determine the relationship between serum adenosine deaminase (ADA) and disease activity, and to develop a new disease activity index based on serum ADA in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Seventy RA patients were included. Disease activity based on Disease Activity Score 28-ESR (DAS28-ESR) and Disease Activity Score 28-CRP (DAS28-CRP) and serum ADA were measured. There were correlations when serum ADA compared with DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP. (R (2) = 0.014, 0.175, respectively, P values < 0.00). New disease activity index was developed by replacing ADA with ESR and CRP in DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP. There were strong correlations when new model compared with DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP. (R (2) = 0.94 and 0.95, respectively, P values < 0.00) The best new model values corresponding to DAS28-ESR values of 2.6, 3.2, and 5.1 were 2.79, 3.4, and 4.82, respectively; and new model values corresponding to DAS28-CRP values of 2.3, 2.7, and 4.1 were 2.1, 2.9, and 4, respectively. There were agreements when the new model compared with DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP for determination of patients in different disease activity categories. (Kappa = 0.81 and 0.71, respectively, P values < 0.00). The new disease activity index that applies serum ADA may help in predicting disease activity in RA.

Serum anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies may predict disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.

To define the relationship between serum anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) and disease activity, and to construct a new disease activity index by using anti-CCP in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). One hundred and five RA patients were included. Disease activity based on DAS28-ESR and serum anti-CCP was measured. There was correlation between serum anti-CCP and DAS28-ESR. (R (2) = 0.71, P value < 0.01). New disease activity index was developed by replacing anti-CCP with ESR in DAS28-ESR. There was correlation between new model and DAS28-ESR. (R (2) = 0.91, P value < 0.01) The new composite index best cut-off values corresponding to DAS28-ESR values of 2.6, 3.2, and 5.1 were 3.21, 3.38, and 4.74, respectively. There was agreement between new model and DAS28-ESR for determination of patients in different disease activity categories. (Kappa = 0.71, P value < 0.01). The new disease activity index that applies serum anti-CCP may predict disease activity in RA.

Serum parameters predict the severity of ultrasonographic findings in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Controversy exists about the correlation between liver ultrasonography and serum parameters for evaluating the severity of liver involvement in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study was designed to determine the association between liver ultrasonography staging in NAFLD and serum parameters correlated with disease severity in previous studies; and set optimal cut-off points for those serum parameters correlated with NAFLD staging at ultrasonography, in order to differentiate ultrasonographic groups (USGs). METHODS: This cross-sectional study evaluated outpatients with evidence of NAFLD in ultrasonography referred to a general hospital. Those with positive viral markers, abnormal serum ceruloplasmin or gamma-globulin concentrations were excluded. A radiologist performed the ultrasonography staging and stratified the patients into mild, moderate, and severe groups. Fasting serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, triglyceride (TG), high and low density lipoprotein (HDL, LDL), and cholesterol were checked. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-five patients with a mean age (+/-standard deviation) of 41.63(+/-11.46) years were included. There were no significant differences when mean laboratory concentrations were compared between moderate and severe USGs. Therefore, these groups were combined to create revised USGs ("mild" versus "moderate or severe"). There were associations between the revised USGs, and ALT, TG, HDL levels, and diabetes mellitus [odds ratios=2.81 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.37-5.76), 2.48 (95% CI: 1.29- 4.78), 0.36 (95% CI: 0.18-0.74), and 5.65 (95% CI: 2.86-11.16) respectively; all P values <0.01]. A cut-off value of 32.5 mg/dL for ALT gave a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 62%, for differentiating between the revised USGs. CONCLUSIONS: Serum ALT, TG, and HDL concentrations seem to be associated with the staging by liver ultrasonography in NAFLD. They might be used to predict the staging of liver ultrasonography in these patients.

The Effects of Helicobacter Pylori Eradication on Liver Function and Metabolic Profile in Non-diabetic Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis: A 5-year Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effects of Helicobacter pylori (HP) eradication on liver function tests (LFT) and fat content (LFC) in non-diabetic non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). METHODS: This randomized clinical trial included dyspeptic HP infected non-diabetic NASH participants. The intervention arm received HP eradication treatment, while the control arm did not get any HP treatment. In the meantime, the standard management of NASH was performed in both trial arms. Mean alterations in LFT were the primary outcome and the secondary outcomes included the mean changes in LFC and serum metabolic profile. The trial follow-up period was 5 years. RESULTS: 40 participants (female: 20), with a mean age of 41.58 (±12.31) years, were enrolled in the study. The HP eradication arm included 20 participants (female: 11) with a mean age of 40.25 (±10.59) years, and the control arm consisted of 20 individuals (female: 9) with a mean age of 42.90 (±13.97) years. The tests of within-subjects effects showed a significant decrease in mean serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT; P=0.007), triglyceride (TG; P=0.04), cholesterol (P=0.004), and fasting blood sugar (FBS; P<0.001), and an increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL; P=0.04) in both research groups during the study period. The tests of between-subjects effects demonstrated a more significant decrement of FBS in HP eradicated patients than the controls (P=0.02). The reduction in waist circumference, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ALT, alkaline phosphatase, triglyceride, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, insulin, and LFC were more prominent in the intervention group than the controls; however, these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Adding HP eradication treatment to standard NASH treatment showed more therapeutic effect thanthe standard NASH treatment protocol alone regarding the decrement of FBS in participants with dyspeptic non-diabetic NASH. Considering the non-statistically significant improvement in other metabolic indices and LFT in this trial, further studies are recommended.

Evaluation of liver injury in multiple sclerosis patients receiving pulsed steroid therapy.

OBJECTIVES: There is a paucity of literature about the methylprednisolone induced liver injury in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. In this study, we intended to investigate the incidence, severity, and risk factors for liver injury in MS patients treated with pulsed methylprednisolone therapy. METHODS: This is a prospective observational study on MS patients treated with methylprednisolone pulses. All MS subjects with relapses who were referred to Sina Hospital between May 2020 to May 2021 were included in the study. They were evaluated for the demographic, clinical characteristics, and liver function tests. Liver injury was diagnosed if there was an elevation of serum aminotransferase levels above the upper normal limit (45 IU/L). RESULTS: A total of 314 individuals participated in the study. The prevalence of liver injury after treatment with pulsed methylprednisolone therapy was 2.86%. None of the cases with liver injury were severe. Univariate regression analysis demonstrated that the patients with liver injury had a significantly higher frequency of hyperlipidemia (p: 0.002), alcohol abuse (p: 0.021), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (p: 0.005) compared to those without liver injury. Multivariate regression analysis showed that hyperlipidemia (p: 0.04, odds ratio (OR): 6.31), and history of alcohol abuse (p: 0.007, OR: 36.71) were significantly associated with liver injury. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights the importance of a close follow-up of the liver function tests in MS patients following pulsed methylprednisolone therapy, particularly in patients with NAFLD, hyperlipidemia, and history of alcohol-abusing.

Acute pancreatitis as an adverse effect of COVID-19 vaccination.

While vaccination against COVID-19 has significantly improved the morbidity and mortality of the disease, with the increase in the administration of COVID-19 vaccines, it is more likely to observe their rare side effects in the clinical settings. Herein, we report a case of an 82-year-old man with history of coronary artery disease, prostate cancer in remission, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and hypothyroidism, who presented with acute pancreatitis few hours after receiving the third dose of Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, without other identified etiology. His symptoms were mild and he was discharged in a stable condition after improvement in his condition with supportive care.

Acellular dermal matrix allograft versus subepithelial connective tissue graft in treatment of gingival recessions: a 5-year randomized clinical study.

AIM: The present randomized clinical trial compared the long-term results of subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG) versus acellular dermal matrix allograft (ADMA) in treatment of gingival recessions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 16 patients with bilateral Miller Class I/II gingival recessions, one side was treated with SCTG and the other side with ADMA. Clinical parameters were measured at baseline, 6 months, and at 5 years post-surgery. RESULTS: Fifteen patients completed the study. At 6 months, all parameters showed significant improvement in ADMA and SCTG groups [complete root coverage (CRC): 73.3% versus 26.7%, p = 0.027; reduction of recession depth (RD): 2.6 ± 1.1 mm versus 2.2 ± 1.1 mm, p = 0.376; reduction of recession width (RW): 3.0 ± 1.4 mm versus 2.4 ± 1.4 mm, p = 0.207 respectively]. At 5 years, significant relapses were detected in CRC and reduction of RD and RW in both groups with no statistically significant difference (CRC: 20.0% versus 13.3%, p = 1.00; RD: 1.6 ± 1.2 mm versus 1.5 ± 1.4mm, p = 0.838; RW: 1.8 ± 1.4 mm versus 1.3 ± 1.5mm, p = 0.367). Patients practicing horizontal toothbrushing habit showed more relapse (OR = 11.2; p = 0.01). Compared with baseline, the gingival width (GW) did not increase in ADMA-treated sites (p = 0.903). CONCLUSION: Five-year results of SCTG and ADMA were similar in terms of CRC and reduction of RD and RW. Both techniques showed a significant relapse associated with returning to horizontal toothbrushing habit. Increase of GW was stable in SCTG-treated sites, but reached to pre-surgical values in ADMA-treated cases.

Impact of standard treatment on the quality of life of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients.

OBJECTIVE: Given that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major concern in public health, this study evaluates the impact of a standard treatment for NAFLD on the quality of life of affected patients. METHOD: We conducted this study on patients suffering from NAFLD at the gastroenterology clinic of Sina Hospital, Tehran. All patients underwent a standard treatment protocol. We collected information about the demographic, physical, biochemical parameters and the NAFLD fat and quality of life scores using the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) and Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) and evaluated the data at the baseline, three months, and six months post-treatment. Patients were categorized into two groups, namely those with significant weight loss (>5%) and non-significant weight loss (<5%) six months after the start of the treatment. The statistical analysis was performed via SPSS 22. RESULTS: A total of 400 patients (52.1% women, mean age of 49.93 ± 3.01 years) were evaluated. We noticed that 127 patients achieved significant weight loss (31.75%) during the six-month period, while 273 patients did not achieve the weight loss goal (68.25%). No significant differences in demographic parameters were found between the groups. As per the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire and CLDQ, there were significant improvements in the significant weight loss group compared to the non-significant weight loss group. Regression analysis showed that the NAFLD fat scores and baseline alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were significantly correlated with WHOQOL-BREF outcomes. The CLDQ outcomes were significantly associated with the fibrosis stage, NAFLD activity score, and the presence of diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSION: This study concludes that a standard treatment protocol and weight loss regime can significantly improve the quality of life of NAFLD patients.

Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients with Gastrointestinal Symptoms.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and determine factors predicting disease prognosis and severity among patients with GI symptoms. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we evaluated laboratory confirmed (by real-time polymerase chain reaction) inpatient cases of coronavirus-associated disease 2019 (COVID-19), referred to Sina hospital, a tertiary educational hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, from March 10 to May 20, 2020. Demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory data, outcomes and treatment data were extracted and analyzed using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: A total of 611 patients (234 women and 377 men) were included with 155 patients having GI symptoms. The most prevalent reported GI symptom was nausea/vomiting in 115 (18.8%) of patients. A total of 20 patients (3.2%) only had GI symptoms (without respiratory symptoms). There was no statistically significant difference in the clinical outcomes, disease severity, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality between patients with and without GI symptoms. Aspartate Aminotransferase level was associated with 446% increased risk of disease severity (adjusted odds ratio: 5.46, 95% CI: 2.01 to 14.81) (P=0.040) among patients with GI symptoms. Additionally, we found that treatment with antibiotics in addition to mechanical ventilation was associated with increased survival among patients with GI symptoms (Pearson Chi square: 6.22; P value: 0.013). CONCLUSION: More attention should be paid to patients with only GI symptoms for early patient detection and isolation. Moreover, patients with GI manifestations are not exposed to higher rates of disease severity or mortality.