Incidence of Guillain-Barré Syndrome post COVID-19: a systematic review of case reports and case series

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this systematic review was to study the incidence, risk factors and patients subjected to Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) after COVID-19.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For qualitative assessment and assessing the methodological quality, the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) checklist were utilized. Data from PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, CINAHIL, Medline, ResearchGate, and Scopus were searched. The relevant studies involved patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis by RT-PCR, and GBS diagnosis based on typical clinical symptoms and/or confirmatory diagnostic results. A total of 12 English relevant articles (6 papers were case reports and 8 were case series with a total of 32 patients) published in a peer-reviewed journal from 2019 to 2021 were included. Following the review methodology, two independent raters were responsible for retrieving, extracting and checking for data eligibility. Demographic characteristics are presented as frequencies and percentages. Based on distribution of values, continuous data were expressed as median and interquartile range (IQR).

RESULTS

Out of 32 patients, 26 patients reported neurological symptoms, 6 cases went unnoticed, 7 cases showed involvement of the cranial nerves, 12 cases did not, and 13 cases went unreported.

CONCLUSIONS

It is too early to draw any conclusions concerning a potential relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and GBS. More large-scale observational studies are required to understand the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2-associated GBS and to demonstrate a definite causal relationship between GBS and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Progress in Clinical Trials of Photodynamic Therapy for Solid Tumors and the Role of Nanomedicine

Current research to find effective anticancer treatments is being performed on photodynamic therapy (PDT) with increasing attention. PDT is a very promising therapeutic way to combine a photosensitive drug with visible light to manage different intense malignancies. PDT has several benefits, including better safety and lower toxicity in the treatment of malignant tumors over traditional cancer therapy. This reasonably simple approach utilizes three integral elements: a photosensitizer (PS), a source of light, and oxygen. Upon light irradiation of a particular wavelength, the PS generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), beginning a cascade of cellular death transformations. The positive therapeutic impact of PDT may be limited because several factors of this therapy include low solubilities of PSs, restricting their effective administration, blood circulation, and poor tumor specificity. Therefore, utilizing nanocarrier systems that modulate PS pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) is a promising approach to bypassing these challenges. In the present paper, we review the latest clinical studies and preclinical in vivo studies on the use of PDT and progress made in the use of nanotherapeutics as delivery tools for PSs to improve their cancer cellular uptake and their toxic properties and, therefore, the therapeutic impact of PDT. We also discuss the effects that photoimmunotherapy (PIT) might have on solid tumor therapeutic strategies.

Ultra-Sensitive Nano Optical Sensor Samarium-Doxycycline Doped in Sol Gel Matrix for Assessment of Glucose Oxidase Activity in Diabetics Disease

A low cost and very sensitive method for the determination of the activity of glucose oxidase enzyme in different diabetics serum samples was developed. The method based on the assessment of the H₂O₂ concentration produced from the reaction of the glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme with glucose as substrate in the serum of diabetics patients by nano optical sensor Sm-doxycycline doped in sol gel matrix. H₂O₂ enhances the luminescence intensity of all bands of the nano Sm-doxycycline complex [Sm-(DC)₂]⁺ doped in sol-gel matrix, especially the 645 nm band at λ_ex = 400 nm and pH 7.0 in water. The influence of the different analytical parameters that affect the luminescence intensity of the nano optical sensor, e.g. pH, H₂O₂ concentration and foreign ions concentrations were studied. The remarkable enhancement of the luminescence intensity of nano optical sensor [Sm-(DC)₂]⁺ complex in water at 645 nm by the addition of various concentrations of H₂O₂ was successfully used as an optical sensor for the assessment of the activity of the glucose oxidase enzyme in different diabetics serum samples. The calibration plot was achieved over the activity range 0.1-240 U/L with a correlation coefficient of 0.999 and a detection limit of 0.05 U/L.

Patient satisfaction with mobile clinic services in a remote rural area of Saudi Arabia

Mobile clinics have been established in Saudi Arabia to facilitate the equitable delivery of primary health care services in remote and rural areas. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the perceived quality of services provided to villages in the Al-Laith region. The majority of the 176 clients interviewed were satisfied with the working hours and health staff. However, 35.8% viewed the location as unsatisfactory and 20.5% were dissatisfied with the clinic schedule. Overall satisfaction was very high, although the mobile clinics were not viewed as substitutes for primary health care centres. Public awareness of the service needs to be improved and better access and quality of services are important for optimal service provision.