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Introduction: Studies that examine the association between sickle cell disease (SCD) and COVID-19 outcomes are lacking. This study aims to determine whether SCD is a risk factor for severe COVID-19 infection in regard to the requirement of noninvasive ventilation/high flow nasal cannula (NIV/HFNC), mechanical ventilation (MV), or death in hospitalized patients. Methods: Retrospective cohort study included COVID-19 patients admitted to four COVID-19 treatment facilities in Bahrain between February 24, 2020 and July 31, 2020. All SCD patients with COVID-19 were included and compared to a randomly selected sample of non-SCD patients with COVID-19. Data were collected from the medical records. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to control for confounders and estimate the effect of SCD on the outcomes. Results: 1792 patients with COVID-19 were included; 38 of whom were diagnosed with SCD as well. In the SCD group, one (2.6%) patient required NIV/HFNC, one (2.6%) required MV, and one (2.6%) death occurred. In comparison, 56 (3.2%) of the non-SCD patients required NIV/HFNC, 47 (2.7%) required MV, and death occurred in 58 (3.3%) patients. Upon adjusting for confounders, SCD had an odds ratio of 1.847 (95% CI: 0.39-8.83; p = 0.442). Conclusion: Our results indicate that SCD is not a risk factor for worse COVID-19 outcomes in hospitalized patients.
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Impairment in cognition and motor activity are commonly encountered in patients affected by multiple sclerosis (MS), and depression is believed to be a contributing factor. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of induced depression on a cuprizone mouse model of demyelination and the effectiveness of enhanced environment (EE) as a method of intervention. C57BL/6 male mice were divided into five groups: Cuprizone only (Cup-O), cuprizone undergoing depression (Cup-Dep), cuprizone housed in EE (Cup-EE), cuprizone housed in EE and undergoing depression (Cup-ED) and the control (n=9-10 per group). Depression was induced by repeated open-space forced swim. Neurobehavioral tests were conducted following a 6-week period of 0.2% cuprizone-enriched diet. The Cup-EE group performed significantly better in terms of cognition and motor functions, when compared with the Cup-O group, as evidenced by the Morris water maze (MWM; P<0.001) and rotarod performance test (P<0.05) results. Conversely, the Cup-Dep group exhibited a significant decline in performance in the MWM (P<0.001) and rotarod performance test (P<0.05), when compared with the Cup-O group. The Cup-ED group had comparable results to those of the Cup-O group, indicating a reversal of the induced depression effects. Open field test results failed to show an anxiety-like behavior in the cuprizone mouse model. It was therefore concluded that EE can improve MS-associated cognitive and motor deficits. Insights gained from these results facilitate the exploration of non-medical modes of intervention as an emerging adjuvant therapy in MS.
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PURPOSE: The number of newly diagnosed inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) cases such as ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn's disease (CD), and indeterminate colitis (IC) is rapidly increasing in Gulf countries and Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and prevalence of IBD in patients who have attended the Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain, between the years 1984 and 2014. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients who had attended the Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain, and had been diagnosed with UC, CD, or IC, between the years 1984 and 2014, were included in the analysis. Data collected were: patient demographics, symptoms, clinical signs, complications, surgical interventions, extent of disease, endoscopic findings, histopathology, and lab measurements. RESULTS: A total of 187 cases were included; 61 had CD, 123 had UC, and a further 3 cases presented with IC. A clear increase in the incidence and prevalence of IBD can be seen in this cohort. The prevalence of IBD was calculated to be 26.25/105 cases. The average number of IBD cases increased from 3 cases (average for the years 1984-2001) to 12 cases (average for the years 2002-2014). A number of factors correlate positively or negatively with CD and UC. In the current study, a link between gastrointestinal complications in CD cases and the use of steroids as a treatment was noted (p-value -0.02). Age also had a significant influence on the need for surgery in CD cases (p-value -0.04), and a family history of UC was statistically linked to surgical intervention (p-value -0.05). CONCLUSIONS: IBD can no longer be considered a rare disease in Bahrain. The incidence of both UC and CD is steadily increasing. There is a need for increasing awareness of the Bahraini public to IBD in order for proper medical care to be given.
