Comparing the Use of High-Dose to Standard-Dose Corticosteroids for the Treatment of Bell's Palsy in Adults-A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Bell's palsy is typically treated with oral corticosteroids (40-60 mg daily). Concomitant antivirals are currently not recommended. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the effect of high-dose versus standard-dose corticosteroids, without antivirals, in the management of Bell's palsy. DATABASES REVIEWED: Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies comparing high-dose (≥80 mg) or standard-dose (40-60 mg) corticosteroid therapy for Bell's palsy were included. Exclusion criteria were coexisting antiviral treatment, nonoral drug delivery, and facial palsy due to other causes. Risk of bias was assessed using ROBINS-I. A weighted estimate of treatment effects across trials as odds ratios (OR) using a Mantel-Haenzel random-effects model was calculated. RESULTS: Three articles were included in the analysis, representing 485 patients. There was a significant decrease in nonrecovery with high-dose, compared with standard-dose, corticosteroids at 6 months follow-up (OR = 0.17, 95% confidence interval = 0.05-0.56, p = 0.004). Overall adverse events were 5.8% (n = 28), all reported in one study in the high-dose group (transient elevated liver enzymes and fecal occult blood). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis shows a favorable effect of high-dose corticosteroid in the treatment of Bell's palsy. It is the first to evaluate this effect without the use of antivirals in keeping with current treatment recommendations. As all included studies had a serious risk of bias, future research should focus on larger trials with more robust methodology. This will allow for more up-to-date and large-scale analyses where more valid conclusions can be drawn that may potentially influence treatment protocols.

The efficacy and usability of suction-based airway clearance devices for foreign body airway obstruction: a manikin randomised crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: Newly-developed suction-based airway clearance devices potentially provide a novel way to improve outcome in patients with foreign body airway obstruction. We conducted a randomised controlled crossover manikin trial to compare the efficacy and usability of two of these devices with abdominal thrusts. METHODS: We randomised participants from a UK medical school to one of six groups which determined the order in which participants attempted the three techniques (abdominal thrusts; LifeVac, Nesconset, New York, USA; Dechoker, Concord North Carolina, USA). Randomisation was performed using an online randomisation system. Following brief training, participants sought to remove a foreign body airway obstruction from a manikin using the allocated technique. The primary outcome was successful removal of the foreign body. Usability was assessed in a questionnaire following the three simulations. RESULTS: We randomised and analysed data from 90 participants (58% male; 86% aged 18-29 years). Compared with abdominal thrusts, successful foreign body airway obstruction removal was achieved more frequently in manikins in the LifeVac group (odds ratio 47.32, 95% CI 5.75-389.40) but not in the Dechoker group (odds ratio 1.22, 95% CI 0.60-2.47). The usability of LifeVac and abdominal thrusts were generally evaluated more positively than the Dechoker. CONCLUSION: In this manikin study, we found that, compared with abdominal thrusts, the success rate for foreign body airway obstruction removal was higher in the LifeVac group but not in the Dechoker group.

Removal of foreign body airway obstruction: A systematic review of interventions.

OBJECTIVE: To summarise in a systematic review the effectiveness of interventions to treat foreign body airway obstructions (FBAO). METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library from inception on 30th September 2019 for studies that described the effectiveness of interventions to treat FBAO in adults and children. We included randomised controlled trials, observational studies and case series (≥5 cases) that described evidence of benefit. For evidence of harm/complications, we included case reports. Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility, extracted study data, and assessed risk of bias. Data are summarised in a narrative synthesis. The GRADE system is used to assess evidence certainty. RESULTS: We included 69 publications, comprising three cross-sectional studies (557 patients); eight case series (755 patients), and 59 were case reports (64 patients). One paper was included as a case series and cross-sectional study. For all interventions and associated outcomes, evidence certainty was very low. Early removal of FBAO by bystanders was associated with improved neurological survival (odds ratio 6.0, 95% confidence interval 1.5 to 23.4). Identified evidence showed that key interventions (back blows, abdominal thrusts, chest thrusts/compressions, Magill forceps, manual removal of obstructions from the mouth, suction-based airway clearance devices) are effective in relieving FBAO. We identified reports of harm in relation to back blows, abdominal thrusts, chest thrusts/compressions, and blind finger sweeps. CONCLUSIONS: Key interventions successfully relieve FBAO, but may be associated with important harms. Guidelines for FBAO management should balance the benefits and harms of interventions.

Antibodies Toward Vedolizumab Appear from the First Infusion Onward and Disappear Over Time.

BACKGROUND: Vedolizumab (VDZ) has been approved for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The GEMINI trials reported a low prevalence of anti-VDZ antibodies (AVA). However, the AVA assays used in GEMINI were drug sensitive, resulting in a possible underestimation of the rate of AVA formation. This study aimed to monitor immunogenicity of VDZ in a real-life cohort using a drug-resistant AVA assay. METHODS: Using a combination of VDZ/AVA complex precipitation and acid dissociation, a drug-resistant assay for AVA detection in the presence of high VDZ concentrations has been developed and analytically validated. The assay was applied on serum samples of 179 VDZ-treated patients with inflammatory bowel disease to evaluate the prevalence and time course of AVA. RESULTS: A dose-response curve ranging from 25 to 1600 ng/mL using 1/125 diluted serum was obtained, allowing the detection of AVA concentrations up to 200 µg/mL of MA-VDZ19C11 equivalents, a calibrator antibody to VDZ. This assay was highly AVA specific and drug resistant. Four of 179 VDZ-treated patients (2.2%) were AVA positive and AVA were detected already after the first VDZ infusion. AVA were all transient in these patients without need for any dosage optimization. There was no correlation between VDZ and AVA concentrations in the AVA-positive samples. CONCLUSIONS: AVA appear from the first VDZ infusion onward and disappear over time. The low prevalence of AVA suggests that immunogenicity does not influence response to treatment.