Lung functions pre- and post-endoscopic balloon dilation treatment among patients with subglottic stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: Subglottic stenosis (SGS) is an unusual clinical condition of mucosal wounding, compromising the extra-thoracic part of the tracheal airway below the vocal folds. The diagnosis of SGS is established with a detailed clinical examination and a direct endoscopic examination, and the role of spirometry is also often acknowledged. This study aimed to investigate the impact of SGS on lung functions before and after the balloon dilation procedure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The respiratory functions were performed in the Department of Clinical Physiology and the Department of Otolaryngology College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In this study, 50 patients with SGS were referred from the Department of Otolaryngology, and lung functions before and after the balloon dilation procedure among patients with SGS were performed using an electronic spirometer. RESULTS: The results revealed that the mean values for lung function test parameters VC (p=0.01), FVC (p=0.01), FEV1 (p=0.004), FEV1/FVC Ratio (p=0.01), PEFR (p=0.01), FEF-25% (p=0.01), FEF-50% (p=0.01), and FEF-75%, (p=0.01) were significantly improved in both male and female patients with SGS on one month after the balloon dilation procedure. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the lung function test parameters were increased after the balloon dilation procedure among patients with SGS. The findings showed the impact of SGS on lung function test parameters. Spirometry is a valuable test in patients with SGS and is an appropriate marker to reveal post-airway outcomes. Physicians must suggest lung function tests in patients with SGS before and after the balloon dilation procedure.

Impact of Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) on cognitive functions in Type 2 diabetic patients.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes mellitus is a highly challenging worldwide epidemic affecting the health of millions of people. This study investigates the impact of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and duration of diabetes on cognitive functions in type 2 diabetic patients and evaluates whether high HbA1c or duration is more harmful to impair cognitive functions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study, 202 participants, 101 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and 101 age, gender, height, and weight-matched controlled subjects were enlisted. The HbA1c was determined using a clover analyzer, and cognitive functions were evaluated using "Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). RESULTS: The results revealed that AST Mean correct latency, AST Mean correct latency (congruent), AST Mean correct latency (incongruent), CRT Mean correct latency, MOT Mean latency, SWM Between errors, SWM Strategy, PRM Percent correct responses were meaningly delayed in the diabetic group as compared to the control group (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: High HbA1c or uncontrolled DM and duration of diabetes cause cognitive function impairment. Moreover, the cognitive functions declined were significantly linked with the duration of the disease and high HbA1c. While treating diabetic patients, physicians must monitor the HbA1c level as reasonable glycemic control is vital to curtail the complications of DM, including cognitive function impairment.

Novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV: prevalence, biological and clinical characteristics comparison with SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV.

OBJECTIVE: Human infections with zoonotic coronavirus contain emerging and reemerging pathogenic characteristics which have raised great public health concern. This study aimed at investigating the global prevalence, biological and clinical characteristics of novel coronavirus, Wuhan China (2019-nCoV), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection outbreaks. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data on the global outbreak of "2019-nCoV, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV" were obtained from World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), concerned ministries and research institutes. We also recorded the information from research documents published in global scientific journals indexed in ISI Web of Science and research centers on the prevalence, biological and clinical characteristics of 2019-nCoV, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV. RESULTS: Worldwide, SARS-CoV involved 32 countries, with 8422 confirmed cases and 916 (10.87%) casualties from November 2002 to August 2003. MERS-CoV spread over 27 states, causing 2496 cases and 868 (34.77%) fatalities during the period April 2012 to December 2019. However, the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV spread swiftly the global borders of 27 countries. It infected 34799 people and resulted in 724 (2.08%) casualties during the period December 29, 2019 to February 7, 2020. The fatality rate of coronavirus MERS-CoV was (34.77%) higher than SARS-CoV (10.87%) and 2019-nCoV (2.08%); however, the 2019-nCoV transmitted rapidly in comparison to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. CONCLUSIONS: The novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV has diverse epidemiological and biological characteristics, making it more contagious than SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. It has affected more people in a short time period compared to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, although the fatality rate of MERS-CoV was higher than SARS-CoV and 2019-nCoV. The major clinical manifestations in coronavirus infections 2019-nCoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS CoV are fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, generalized myalgia, malaise, drowsy, diarrhea, confusion, dyspnea, and pneumonia. Global health authorities should take immediate measures to prevent the outbreaks of such emerging and reemerging pathogens across the globe to minimize the disease burden locally and globally.