Efficacy of topical curcumin on mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: Recently, there has been a renewed interest in traditional medicine for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Curcumin has been reported as an agent with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and neuroprotective attributes. This study is one of the first investigations to assess the effect of curcumin gel on CTS. METHODS: This study is a prospective, 8-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial. A total of 70 patients with CTS were analyzed. The intervention group (n = 35) received a topical curcumin gel and a night wrist splint and the control group (n = 35) received a placebo gel and a night wrist splint for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was the assessment of the symptom severity scale (SSS) and functional status scale (FSS) of the participants using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) after 8 weeks. In addition, all participants were evaluated by electrodiagnostic (EDX) test at baseline and after 8 weeks. RESULTS: The mean scores of SSS demonstrated a significant decrease in the curcumin group compared to the placebo group; P-value= 0.021. The mean change score of SSS after the intervention was 12.45 ± 8.18 in curcumin and 3.28 ± 7.06 in the placebo group; P-value = 0.0001 and the mean change score of FSS were 6.24 ± 4.91 and 2.31 ± 4.95 in curcumin and placebo groups, respectively; P-value = 0.002. However, the EDX study showed no significant changes in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that curcumin gel could be effective in the improvement of the symptom severity and daily activity of patients with CTS.

Potential risk of liver injury in epileptic patients during COVID-19 pandemic.

Most of the antiseizure medications (ASMs) are metabolized in liver and many of them particularly first-generation ASMs have the potential to increase liver enzymes or induce liver injury. Hence, treatment of new onset seizures or epilepsy by ASMs during the course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which could potentially be complicated by hepatic dysfunction, is a challenging clinical issue. Intravenous form of levetiracetam which has no significant hepatic metabolism or drug-drug interaction is often a favorable option to control seizures in acute phase of COVID-19. Administration of enzyme inducer ASMs and valproate with the well-known hepatotoxicity and common drug interactions is not generally recommended. In patients with epilepsy who are under control with potentially hepatotoxic ASMs, close observation and cautious dose reduction or drug switch should be considered if any evidence of hepatic impairment exists. However, risks of possible breakthrough seizures should be weighed against benefits of lowering the hazard of liver injury. In patients with epilepsy who receive polytherapy with ASMs, transient dose modification with the tendency to increase the dose of ASMs with more favorable safety profile and less drug interaction and decrease the dose of drugs with main hepatic metabolism, high protein binding, potential to cause liver injury and known drug-drug reaction should be considered. Finally, decision making should be individualized based on patients' conditions and course of illness.

Fulminant hepatitis following COVID-19 vaccination: A case report.

The common side effects of COVID-19 vaccination were mostly self-restricted local reactions that quickly resolved. Nevertheless, rare autoimmune hepatitis cases have been reported in some vaccinated with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. This article presents a young man who developed fulminant hepatitis a few days after vaccination with the first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. A 35-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with generalized weakness, abdominal pain, and jaundice. He received the first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine 8 days earlier. He was admitted to the hospital with a chief complaint of abdominal pain. On admission and because of his high D-dimers, low platelet count, and low Fibrinogen level, vaccine-induced immune thrombosis thrombocytopenia was suspected, which was ruled out later. Then, after a surge in his liver function tests, decreasing platelet, and abnormal clotting tests, fulminant hepatitis was considered for this patient. Several bacterial, viral, and autoimmune etiologies were then suspected, with all ruled out. Thus, fulminant hepatitis secondary to his AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine was confirmed. Unfortunately, he died 3 days later of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, after which a liver necropsy was performed, indicating drug/toxin-induced hepatitis.

Evaluation of Selenium Supplementation in Acute Ischemic Stroke Outcome: An Outcome Assessor Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Feasibility Study.

Background: Selenium is a trace element that protects against cellular damage by oxygen radicals through selenoproteins. Ischemic stroke is associated with the generation of oxygen free radicals resulting in a condition of oxidative stress. Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of selenium supplementation on short-term and long-term acute ischemic stroke outcomes. Methods: This was a randomized, parallel, outcome assessor blind, placebo-controlled feasibility study on ischemic stroke patients admitted in Bou-Ali Sina Hospital, Sari, Iran (2015-2017). Inclusion criteria were adults with accepted ischemic stroke by neuroimaging during the last 72h with a volume of at least one-third of MCA territory. The primary outcome was the short-term outcome measuring with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) on day 7. The participants (44 patients) were randomized into two groups (22 in each group), one receiving intravenous selenium selenite for 5 days, and the other 40 cc normal saline as a placebo. Results: A total of 40 ischemic stroke patients (18 females, 22 males) with mean age of 68.2 ± 10 years were investigated. Selenium supplementation improved short-term outcome, 15.7% by using NIHSS (66% vs 42%, RR = 0.85 with CI = 0.54-1.35; NNT = 10; 95% CI = 5.15- 2.53, P = 0.51) and 46.3% by using mRS (57% vs 12%, RR = 0.52 with CI = 0.31-0.88; NNT = 3; 95% CI = 1.49 -7.59, P = 0.01). The long-term outcome did not change significantly by considering Barthel index >75 after 3 months in comparison to comparator group (33.3% vs 29.4%, RR = 1.13 with CI = 0.40-3.16; NNT = 26; 95% CI = 2.77 -3.54, P = 0.81]. Conclusions: Selenium selenite supplementation in acute ischemic stroke can improve short-term outcome but cannot influence the long-term outcome.

Safety and Outcomes of Intravenous Thrombolytic Therapy in Ischemic Stroke Patients with COVID-19: CASCADE Initiative.

BACKGROUND: There is little information regarding the safety of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) in patients with stroke and COVID-19. METHODS: This multicenter study included consecutive stroke patients with and without COVID-19 treated with IV-tPA between February 18, 2019, to December 31, 2020, at 9 centers participating in the CASCADE initiative. Clinical outcomes included modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at hospital discharge, in-hospital mortality, the rate of hemorrhagic transformation. Using Bayesian multiple regression and after adjusting for variables with significant value in univariable analysis, we reported the posterior adjusted odds ratio (OR, with 95% Credible Intervals [CrI]) of the main outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 545 stroke patients, including 101 patients with COVID-19 were evaluated. Patients with COVID-19 had a more severe stroke at admission. In the study cohort, 85 (15.9%) patients had a hemorrhagic transformation, and 72 (13.1%) died in the hospital. After adjustment for confounding variables, discharge mRS score ≥2 (OR: 0.73, 95% CrI: 0.16, 3.05), in-hospital mortality (OR: 2.06, 95% CrI: 0.76, 5.53), and hemorrhagic transformation (OR: 1.514, 95% CrI: 0.66, 3.31) were similar in COVID-19 and non COVID-19 patients. High-sensitivity C reactive protein level was a predictor of hemorrhagic transformation in all cases (OR:1.01, 95%CI: 1.0026, 1.018), including those with COVID-19 (OR:1.024, 95%CI:1.002, 1.054). CONCLUSION: IV-tPA treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke and COVID-19 was not associated with an increased risk of disability, mortality, and hemorrhagic transformation compared to those without COVID-19. IV-tPA should continue to be considered as the standard of care in patients with hyper acute stroke and COVID-19.

Outcome of a HIV Positive Patient Infected with COVID-19 After an Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the SARS-COV-2 disease pandemic on March 9, 2020. With the advent of this disease, another health burden was added to about 37.9 million people in the world who are infected with HIV and are suffering from various diseases. These people may be at serious risk of COVID-19. Information about the effects of COVID-19 on people living with HIV, is limited. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported a 61-year-old man who was a known case of HIV from 6 years ago that was being treated with HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy). He also had a history of Hodgkin's lymphoma from 4 years ago who underwent autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) 2 weeks before given referral to our hospital. He complained of weakness, anorexia, and fever. RT-PCR for SARS-COV-2-RNA was positive in his nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 infection and treated with atazanavir. After one week, the patient discharged in a good general state. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, it is the first report of COVID-19 infection in an HIV positive patient after BMT in Iran. Despite his immunodeficiency, COVID-19 disease had mild manifestations and he had a good prognosis. We hope that our report and that of others can remain promising to doctors and HIV patients cross fingers for COVID-19 recovery.

Ischemic stroke associated with novel coronavirus 2019: a report of three cases.

INTRODUCTION: There is limited evidence about the neurological manifestations of COVID-19 in infected patients. In this report, we describe three patients with ischemic stroke associated with COVID-19 infection. METHODS: We report 3 cases of adult patients with ischemic stroke and novel coronavirus 2019 infection. Case 1 is an 88-year-old female with acute left hemiplegia and right peripheral facial paresis that she had a fever along with stroke symptoms. Case 2 is an 85-year-old female with left hemiplegia and drowsiness who had a weakness, asthenia, and dry cough 3 days before appearing stroke signs. Case 3 is a 55-year-old male with acute Broca's aphasia and right hemiplegia who experience fever and respiratory problems 3 days after admission. RESULTS: The clinical symptoms of infected patients with COVID-19 have been associated with severe symptoms of ischemic stroke. Two patients were admitted to the ICU. RT-PCR of the oropharyngeal sample was positive in three cases. All patients had the involvement of large cerebral arteries. CONCLUSION: The mechanism by which COVID-19 causes ischemic stroke is unknown but it is likely by production inflammatory cytokines or direct infection of cerebral arteries. Therefore, regarding the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is indispensable that the possible diagnosis of COVID-19 vasculopathy is considered in all ischemic strokes of unclear etiology.

Stroke risk, phenotypes, and death in COVID-19: Systematic review and newly reported cases.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the hypothesis that strokes occurring in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have distinctive features, we investigated stroke risk, clinical phenotypes, and outcomes in this population. METHODS: We performed a systematic search resulting in 10 studies reporting stroke frequency among patients with COVID-19, which were pooled with 1 unpublished series from Canada. We applied random-effects meta-analyses to estimate the proportion of stroke among COVID-19. We performed an additional systematic search for cases series of stroke in patients with COVID-19 (n = 125), and we pooled these data with 35 unpublished cases from Canada, the United States, and Iran. We analyzed clinical characteristics and in-hospital mortality stratified into age groups (<50, 50-70, >70 years). We applied cluster analyses to identify specific clinical phenotypes and their relationship with death. RESULTS: The proportions of patients with COVID-19 with stroke (1.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.9%-3.7%) and in-hospital mortality (34.4%, 95% CI 27.2%-42.4%) were exceedingly high. Mortality was 67% lower in patients <50 years of age relative to those >70 years of age (odds ratio [OR] 0.33, 95% CI 0.12-0.94, p = 0.039). Large vessel occlusion was twice as frequent (46.9%) as previously reported and was high across all age groups, even in the absence of risk factors or comorbid conditions. A clinical phenotype characterized by older age, a higher burden of comorbid conditions, and severe COVID-19 respiratory symptoms was associated with the highest in-hospital mortality (58.6%) and a 3 times higher risk of death than the rest of the cohort (OR 3.52, 95% CI 1.53-8.09, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Stroke is relatively frequent among patients with COVID-19 and has devastating consequences across all ages. The interplay of older age, comorbid conditions, and severity of COVID-19 respiratory symptoms is associated with an extremely elevated mortality.