Current Issue : July-September Volume : 2025 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 6 Articles
Background and Objectives: One of the most widely used reversible contraceptive techniques among women of reproductive age worldwide is oral contraceptives (OCPs). Despite their widespread use, OCPs are associated with increased risks of stroke, yet the extent of awareness of these risks among women remains insufficiently explored. This study aims to evaluate the level of awareness among women resident in Saudi Arabia regarding the potential risk of stroke linked to the use of OCPs. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted targeting women of reproductive age (18–49 years). Data was collected through an online self-administrated questionnaire distributed via social media platforms, encompassing sociodemographic characteristics, OCP usage patterns, and awareness of stroke risks, perceived side effects of OCPs, symptoms of stroke, and methods to reduce stroke incidence. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 23, with descriptive statistics for categorical data and chi-square tests to assess associations. Results: A total of 516 women participated in the study. Of these, 148, or over a quarter (28.7%), of the participants reported using oral contraceptive pills; 86, or more than half (58%), who use OCPs are not sure what type of OCPs they use; 60, or over half of the participants (40.5%), have been using for less than a year. Over two thirds of the participants (350, 67.8%) are not aware that using OCP increases the risk of stroke. The most recognized side effect of OCPs use was weight gain (38.2%), while awareness of stroke as a side effect was significantly lower (24.6%). Additionally, 62.8% of respondents identified selecting the appropriate type of contraceptive as the best way to prevent stroke while taking OCPs. Conclusions: this study highlights the need for increased awareness and education about the potential risk of cerebral thrombosis associated with OCP use among Saudi women. Addressing this knowledge gap through targeted educational initiatives could help mitigate the risks and improve overall public health outcomes....
Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by intermittent hypoxia, sleep fragmentation, daytime sleepiness, cognitive impairment, and brain cell damage due to brain blood flow reduction, with ischemic damage, increased microvascular reactivity, and brain tissue damage. OSAS is strongly linked to chronic, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory cerebrovascular disease and cognitive impairment. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first-line treatment for OSAS. Objective: This article aims to evaluate the effect of CPAP treatment on neurocognitive performance in OSAS patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia by reviewing the literature. Methods: We performed a comprehensive review of the Portuguese and English languages without a time limit using the following Mesh terms: dementia, mild cognitive impairment, obstructive sleep apnea, and CPAP. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), meta-analyses, and systematic reviews (SRs) where the impact of CPAP on neurocognitive performance was addressed. Results: Five SRs and three RCTs reported significant improvements in neurocognitive performance, especially in verbal, visuospatial, and working memory. Conclusion: CPAP treatment seems to improve cognitive defects associated with OSA....
Dexamphetamine (DEX) is widely used in treatments, but concerns persist about its potential for addiction. This review aimed to assess the risks of DEX addiction by examining the existing literature. Originally planned as a systematic review, it was adjusted to a narrative review due to a lack of qualifying studies. A search of the literature on addiction to DEX was conducted on three databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. Seven articles consisting of three reviews and four papers with original data were identified and reviewed. In total, four poorly documented cases of possible DEX addiction were found. The commonly cited papers on prescription DEX addiction did not hold up to scrutiny. Overall, the evidence that DEX is addictive is limited and inconclusive, highlighting the need for more rigorous research to clarify its true addiction risk....
Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is a chronic middle ear inflammatory condition due to persistent polymicrobial middle ear infection. The interaction between local immune responses and microbial communities is not well understood, complicating the development of targeted therapies. This study aimed to characterise local immune cell responses and microbial composition in CSOM-affected middle ear mucosa, focusing on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 24 CSOM patients and 22 controls undergoing tympanomastoid surgery participated in this prospective study. Middle ear and mastoid mucosa were collected for histological and microbiological analysis. Bacterial identification was performed using standard culture methods and Vitek MS, while immune cell populations were quantified via immunohistochemistry. Statistical analyses were performed using Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests. Microbiology results identified multiple pathogens in CSOM, including S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, with polymicrobial infections in 10 samples. CSOM patients exhibited significantly elevated immune cells, including CD3+, CD20+, and CD68+ cells, compared to controls. Histological analysis showed Gram-positive bacteria in three mastoid samples, with positive antibody staining for S. aureus (20.8%) and P. aeruginosa (12.5%) in CSOM patients. Controls had no bacterial staining. Intracellular bacteria may evade host defences and reduce antibiotic efficacy, contributing to CSOM persistence. Targeting intracellular pathogens in future treatments, along with studying polymicrobial communities, could improve management strategies....
Objective: to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of injection laryngoplasty with hyaluronic acid in patients older than 65 years with presbyphonia. Study Design: a retrospective observational study. Setting: an academic secondary medical center. Methods: This study was performed using a group of patients diagnosed with presbyphonia who were treated using injection laryngoplasty with hyaluronic acid and underwent a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Subjective parameters such as the Voice Handicap Index–10 (VHI-10) and the GRBAS scale (grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, strain) were measured, as well as objective parameters such as the closure defect area. The medical records of patients undergoing this procedure during the 2020–2023 period were reviewed. An analysis of the demographic and clinical variables of the group was performed, as well as the values of the VHI-10, GRBAS, difference, and improvement of the area of closure defect before and after the procedure, along with the treatment duration and sensation of improvement. Results: The mean pre- and postoperative VHI-10 decreased from 26.8 to 19.6, showing significant differences (p = 0.007). The postoperative GRBAS mean score was 5.6 and normality can be assumed when it is below 9. Out of the 16 patients, 11 of them reported subjective improvement in their symptoms. More than half of them showed an improvement in the closure defect greater than 80%, with a significant reduction in the area (p < 0.001). Conclusions: hyaluronic acid injection in patients with presbyphonia produced a clear subjective improvement in voice quality and a decrease in the closure defect area....
Background: In 2024, mainland China witnessed a significant upsurge in Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) cases. Coxsackievirus A16 (CVA16) is one of the primary causative agents of HFMD. Long-term monitoring of theCVA16 infection rate and genotype changes is crucial for the prevention and control of HFMD. Methods: A total of 40,673 clinical specimens were collected from suspected HFMD cases in Guangdong province from 2018 to 2024, including rectal swabs (n = 27,954), throat swabs (n = 6791), stool (n = 5923), cerebrospinal fluid (n = 3), and herpes fluid (n = 2). A total of 24,410 samples were detected as EV-positive and further typed by RT-PCR. A total of 872 CVA16-positive samples were isolated and further sequenced to obtain the full-length VP1 sequence. Phylogenetic analysis was performed based on viral protein 1 gene (VP1). Results: In the first 25 weeks of 2024, reported cases of HFMD were 1.36 times higher than the mean rates of 2023. In 2024, CVA16 predominated at 75.42%, contrasting with the past etiological pattern in which the CVA6 was predominant with the detection rate ranging from 32.85 to 77.61% from 2019 to 2023. Phylogenetic analysis based on the VP1 gene revealed that the B1a and B1b subtypes co-circulated in Guangdong from 2018 to 2022. The B1c outbreak clade, detected in Guangdong in 2023, constituted 68.24% of the 148 strains of CVA16 collected in 2024, suggesting a subtype shift in the CVA16 virus. There were three specific amino acid variations (P3S, I235V, and T240A) in the VP1 sequence of B1c. Conclusions: The new emergence of the CVA16 B1c outbreak clade in Guangdong during 2023–2024 highlights the necessity for the enhanced surveillance of the virus evolution epidemiological dynamic in this region. Furthermore, it is imperative to closely monitor the etiological pattern changes in Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in other regions as well. Such vigilance will be instrumental in guiding future vaccination strategies for HFMD....
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