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SAGE Open Medicine 2023The continuing COVID-19 pandemic is a coronavirus-related health emergency (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). Inadequate efforts are still being made to...
OBJECTIVE
The continuing COVID-19 pandemic is a coronavirus-related health emergency (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). Inadequate efforts are still being made to address the illness situation in Libya, and this must change. To address these issues, we looked into the demography and trend of the disease as well as the potential risk factors for infection.
METHODS
This study is a retrospective case-control study conducted online among 616 COVID-19 patients. The value, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and analyzed from the drawn data.
RESULTS
Males were at high risk of COVID-19 than females (odds ratio = 1.3, 95% confidence interval: 1.042-1.622; = 0.02). Anosmia and ageusia were more prominent in females. Patients with an "AB" blood group are significantly susceptible to infection. Adults (31 and above) are highly liable to infection. The univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that smoking is a risk factor for those above 60 years (odds ratio = 2.228, 95% confidence interval: 1.145-4.336; = 0.018). Individuals with chronic diseases such as diabetes and/or hypertension are more prone to COVID-19 (odds ratio = 10.045, 95% confidence interval: 3.078-32.794; = 0.000 and odds ratio = 11.508, 95% confidence interval: 3.930-33.695; = 0.000, respectively).
CONCLUSION
This study provided for the first time the demographic data and the trend of COVID-19 infection in Libya, which will assist the stakeholders and governmental bodies in planning protection strategies against the pandemic.
PubMed: 37489137
DOI: 10.1177/20503121231187736 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jan 2024With promising outcomes, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has recently been suggested as a treatment for olfactory dysfunction (OD). (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
With promising outcomes, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has recently been suggested as a treatment for olfactory dysfunction (OD).
METHODS
Clinical studies utilizing PRP in OD caused by COVID-19, trauma, anesthetic exposure, viral infection, and chronic rhinosinusitis were included in a systematic review.
RESULTS
Ten clinical studies were qualitatively analyzed. Six of these studies used the PRP for OD caused by COVID-19, one on OD after functional endoscopic sinus surgery, and three on post-infectious or post-trauma OD. The population included 531 patients, ranging in age from 15 to 63.
CONCLUSION
The use of PRP may be a risk-free and efficient therapeutic option with very encouraging outcomes. Indeed, it enhances olfactory perception in patients who not only exhibit COVID-19 infection aftereffects, but also in those who have lost their sense of smell due to trauma, rhinosinusitis, rhinitis, or even surgery. To evaluate the PRP's therapeutic benefits in OD patients and to compare the efficacy of different therapeutic protocols with regard to treatment schedules, there is an urgent need for focused controlled trials.
PubMed: 38337476
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13030782 -
European Archives of... Sep 2023This study investigates the impact of etiology on the epidemiologic profile, disease severity, type of treatment and therapy outcome in smell and taste disorders.
PURPOSE
This study investigates the impact of etiology on the epidemiologic profile, disease severity, type of treatment and therapy outcome in smell and taste disorders.
METHODS
This is a retrospective analysis of 270 patients that presented with a smell or taste disorder in a specialized, tertiary care center. An established questionnaire was used to collect data from patients and physicians. Olfactometry was performed with the Sniffin' Sticks test kit, while gustometry was performed by taste strips.
RESULTS
Post-traumatic etiology was associated with young age (median 46 years) and male sex, and showed the most severe degrees of smell loss compared to other etiologies (64.3% anosmia). Postinfectious causes occurred more frequently in females (77.3%) and correlated with a history of pharyngeal surgery, suggesting a vulnerability for virally mediated sensory dysfunction following adenoid/tonsil removal. Parosmia also correlated with both postinfectious etiology (62.5%) and female sex. In sinunasal etiology, the presence of nasal polyps worsened the overall olfactory test score by approximately 50%. In particular, smell threshold and discrimination were reduced, while smell identification was not significantly impacted by nasal polyp obstruction. Sinunasal dysfunction was the only etiology to show significant improvement after therapy (73.9% improved). Finally, we could establish good correlations between the subjective impairment and objective dysfunction for each sensory modality.
CONCLUSION
Each etiology of chemosensory dysfunction shows particular distributions of variables like sex, age, comorbidities and operations, disease severity, sensory threshold, discrimination and identification. This paper offers a detailed account of the correlations between the cause and the characteristics of smell and taste loss.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Middle Aged; Smell; Retrospective Studies; Taste Disorders; Olfaction Disorders; Nasal Polyps; Anosmia; Taste
PubMed: 37160463
DOI: 10.1007/s00405-023-07967-1 -
Current Biology : CB Nov 2023The olfactory bulb (OB) is a critical component of mammalian olfactory neuroanatomy. Beyond being the first and sole relay station for olfactory information to the rest...
The olfactory bulb (OB) is a critical component of mammalian olfactory neuroanatomy. Beyond being the first and sole relay station for olfactory information to the rest of the brain, it also contains elaborate stereotypical circuitry that is considered essential for olfaction. Indeed, substantial lesions of the OB in rodents lead to anosmia. Here, we examined the circuitry that underlies olfaction in a mouse model with severe developmental degeneration of the OB. These mice could perform odor-guided tasks and even responded normally to innate olfactory cues. Despite the near total loss of the OB, piriform cortices in these mice responded to odors, and its neural activity sufficed to decode odor identity. We found that sensory neurons express the full repertoire of olfactory receptors, and their axons project primarily to the rudiments of the OB but also, ectopically, to olfactory cortical regions. Within the OB, the number of principal neurons was greatly reduced, and the morphology of their dendrites was abnormal, extending over large regions within the OB. Glomerular organization was totally lost in the severe cases of OB degeneration and altered in the more conserved OBs. This study shows that olfactory functionality can be preserved despite reduced and aberrant circuitry that is missing many of the elements believed to be essential for olfaction, and it may explain reported retention of olfaction in humans with degenerated OBs.
Topics: Humans; Mice; Animals; Olfactory Bulb; Smell; Olfactory Receptor Neurons; Odorants; Axons; Mammals
PubMed: 37858342
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.061 -
L'Encephale Dec 2023Stigma was a major issue during the COVID-19 pandemic. It posed a serious threat to the lives of healthcare workers (HCWs) who were expected to experience higher levels...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Stigma was a major issue during the COVID-19 pandemic. It posed a serious threat to the lives of healthcare workers (HCWs) who were expected to experience higher levels of stigma and increased psychological distress. This is the first survey to investigate forms and correlates of perceived stigma in Tunisian HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
METHODS
A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted between October 8th and November 10th 2020, among 250 Tunisian HCWs. Data were collected using an online questionnaire using the Google Forms® platform. We used a self-reported instrument measuring COVID-19-related stigma, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) to measure the perceived adequacy of social support from three sources: family, friends, and significant other.
RESULTS
The mean stigma score was 18.6±8. Participants sometimes to often experienced stigma in their relationships with friends (22%), neighbors (27.2%), parents (22,4%), and in social activities (30.8%). This stigma was perceived mainly through avoidance (68.4%), and rarely through verbal (6%) or physical aggression (1.2%). The mean MSPSS total score was 5.26±1.24. In multivariate analysis, depression history (P<0.001), long working experience (P<0.001), having presented ageusia/anosmia (P=0.007) and lower total social support scale (P<0.001) were significantly associated with higher perceived stigma score.
CONCLUSION
Our findings showed that HCWs perceived stigma in professional, societal and familial domains. Social support from family, friends and others seemed to protect against perceived stigma. Proper health education targeting the public appears to be an effective method to prevent social harassment of both HCWs and COVID-19 survivors.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Pandemics; Social Stigma; Health Personnel
PubMed: 36411122
DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2022.08.014 -
BMC Pulmonary Medicine Jul 2024Myasthenia gravis (MG) is the most common paraneoplastic disorder associated with thymic neoplasms. MG can develop after thymectomy, and this condition is referred to...
BACKGROUND
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is the most common paraneoplastic disorder associated with thymic neoplasms. MG can develop after thymectomy, and this condition is referred to post-thymectomy myasthenia gravis (PTMG). Diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB), is a rare form of bronchiolitis and is largely restricted to East Asia, has been reported in association with thymic neoplasms. Only three cases of combined MG and DPB have been reported in the literature.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 45-year-old Taiwanese woman presented to our hospital with productive cough, rhinorrhea, anosmia, ear fullness, shortness of breath, and weight loss. She had a history of thymoma, and she underwent thymectomy with adjuvant radiotherapy 7 years ago. Chest computed tomography scan revealed diffuse bronchitis and bronchiolitis. DPB was confirmed after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lung biopsy, and repeated sputum cultures grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa. She has been on long-term oral azithromycin therapy thereafter. Intravenous antipseudomonal antibiotics, inhaled amikacin, as well as oral levofloxacin were administered. Three months after DPB diagnosis, she developed ptosis, muscle weakness, and hypercapnia requiring the use of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. MG was diagnosed based on the acetylcholine receptor antibody and repetitive stimulation test results. Her muscle weakness gradually improved after pyridostigmine and corticosteroid therapies. Oral corticosteroids could be tapered off ten months after the diagnosis of MG. She is currently maintained on azithromycin, pyridostigmine, and inhaled amikacin therapies, with intravenous antibiotics administered occasionally during hospitalizations for respiratory infections.
CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this might be the first case report of sequential development of DPB followed by PTMG. The coexistence of these two disorders poses a therapeutic challenge for balancing infection control for DPB and immunosuppressant therapies for MG.
Topics: Humans; Female; Myasthenia Gravis; Middle Aged; Bronchiolitis; Thymectomy; Thymus Neoplasms; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Haemophilus Infections; Thymoma; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Taiwan
PubMed: 38956567
DOI: 10.1186/s12890-024-03134-2 -
American Journal of Otolaryngology 2023Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is a common presenting sign of coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) infection and remains persistent in up to 7 % of patients one year after diagnosis.... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
PURPOSE
Olfactory dysfunction (OD) is a common presenting sign of coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) infection and remains persistent in up to 7 % of patients one year after diagnosis. However, demographic, socioeconomic, and medical risk factors for persistent OD are not well understood. This study aims to determine risk factors for development and persistence of OD amongst patients with COVID-19 infection.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This prospective, observational questionnaire study was performed at a tertiary-level, academic center. Patients with history of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis were sent an online questionnaire. Patients' self-reported survey responses for OD and resolution were assessed for associations with demographic variables, socioeconomic factors, and clinical data.
RESULTS
In total, 608 of 26,094 patients (77.6 % women, mean age 42.7 ± 17.4 years, range 9 months-92 years) completed the survey. OD was reported by 220 (36.2 %) patients, and 139 (63.2 %) patients achieved resolution. Patients with OD were more likely to have other sinonasal and flu-like symptoms, and had a hospitalization rate of 2.7 %. There were no significant differences in age, gender, occupational or residential factors, or medical comorbidities incidence of OD development. Women reported higher rates of persistent OD (88.9 % vs 77.0 %, p = 0.045). The OD recovery rates amongst active and resolved COVID-19 infections was 27.0 % and 70.0 %, respectively (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
There was a low hospitalization rate amongst patients reporting OD. One-third of patients with COVID-19 self-reported OD, and two-thirds of patients achieve OD resolution. Survey respondents with active COVID-19 infection and female gender were more likely to report persistent OD.
Topics: Humans; Female; Infant; Male; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Prospective Studies; COVID-19 Testing; Incidence; Olfaction Disorders; Smell
PubMed: 37356414
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2023.103962 -
PLoS Biology Jan 2024In vertebrates, olfactory receptors localize on multiple cilia elaborated on dendritic knobs of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). Although olfactory cilia dysfunction...
In vertebrates, olfactory receptors localize on multiple cilia elaborated on dendritic knobs of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). Although olfactory cilia dysfunction can cause anosmia, how their differentiation is programmed at the transcriptional level has remained largely unexplored. We discovered in zebrafish and mice that Foxj1, a forkhead domain-containing transcription factor traditionally linked with motile cilia biogenesis, is expressed in OSNs and required for olfactory epithelium (OE) formation. In keeping with the immotile nature of olfactory cilia, we observed that ciliary motility genes are repressed in zebrafish, mouse, and human OSNs. Strikingly, we also found that besides ciliogenesis, Foxj1 controls the differentiation of the OSNs themselves by regulating their cell type-specific gene expression, such as that of olfactory marker protein (omp) involved in odor-evoked signal transduction. In line with this, response to bile acids, odors detected by OMP-positive OSNs, was significantly diminished in foxj1 mutant zebrafish. Taken together, our findings establish how the canonical Foxj1-mediated motile ciliogenic transcriptional program has been repurposed for the biogenesis of immotile olfactory cilia, as well as for the development of the OSNs.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Mice; Zebrafish; Cilia; Forkhead Transcription Factors; Olfactory Receptor Neurons; Olfactory Mucosa
PubMed: 38271330
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002468 -
Laryngoscope Investigative... Dec 2023A simple self-assessment screening questionnaire for olfactory dysfunction is direly needed in Rhinology practice, and this questionnaire should be accessible to...
BACKGROUND
A simple self-assessment screening questionnaire for olfactory dysfunction is direly needed in Rhinology practice, and this questionnaire should be accessible to affected individuals. The self-reported mini olfactory questionnaire (Self-MOQ), constructed to fill this gap, could be an important tool, especially in the era of telemedicine.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the self-reported mini olfactory questionnaire (Self-MOQ) in patients with olfactory dysfunction.
METHODOLOGY
This cross-sectional study included all adult patients who visited a rhinology clinic between January and June 2023 with a complaint of olfactory dysfunction and a control group. The participants completed a questionnaire that included items on demographics, risk factors of olfactory dysfunction, the olfaction VAS, SNOT-22, and Arabic Self-MOQ. The Self-MOQ was forward- and back-translated by qualified professional translators familiar with American English and Arabic.The reliability of the Arabic Self-MOQ was evaluated using Cronbach's α. The test-retest reliability was assessed by estimating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the total Arabic Self-MOQ score and the individual items. The discriminative ability was examined by comparing the scores of the case and control groups. The construct validity was assessed by comparing the Arabic Self-MOQ to the olfaction VAS.
RESULTS
The study sample included 307 respondents (196 cases and 111 controls; 34 undertook the retest). The Cronbach's α coefficients were 0.92 (total Self-MOQ) and considered excellent. The ICC for the total Self-MOQ score was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.757, 0.933; < .001), which indicated good test-retest reliability. Strong correlations were observed between the Self-MOQ items and VAS scores ( = 0.732, < .001), ( = 0.689, < .001).
CONCLUSION
The current investigation showed the Arabic version of the Self-MOQ to be a reliable tool for olfactory dysfunction screening.
PubMed: 38130262
DOI: 10.1002/lio2.1188 -
Current Biology : CB Sep 2023Plants perceive herbivory-induced volatiles and respond to them by upregulating their defenses. To date, the organs responsible for volatile perception remain poorly...
Plants perceive herbivory-induced volatiles and respond to them by upregulating their defenses. To date, the organs responsible for volatile perception remain poorly described. Here, we show that responsiveness to the herbivory-induced green leaf volatile (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate (HAC) in terms of volatile emission, transcriptional regulation, and jasmonate defense hormone activation is largely constrained to younger maize leaves. Older leaves are much less sensitive to HAC. In a given leaf, responsiveness to HAC is high at immature developmental stages and drops off rapidly during maturation. Responsiveness to the non-volatile elicitor ZmPep3 shows an opposite pattern, demonstrating that this form of hyposmia (i.e., decreased sense of smell) is not due to a general defect in jasmonate defense signaling in mature leaves. Neither stomatal conductance nor leaf cuticle composition explains the unresponsiveness of older leaves to HAC, suggesting perception mechanisms upstream of jasmonate signaling as driving factors. Finally, we show that hyposmia in older leaves is not restricted to HAC and extends to the full blend of herbivory-induced volatiles. In conclusion, our work identifies immature maize leaves as dominant stress volatile-sensing organs. The tight spatiotemporal control of volatile perception may facilitate within plant defense signaling to protect young leaves and may allow plants with complex architectures to explore the dynamic odor landscapes at the outer periphery of their shoots.
Topics: Zea mays; Anosmia; Cyclopentanes; Herbivory
PubMed: 37597519
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.045