Barary, Mohammad

Remdesivir has appeared to be the most effective medication against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and is broadly administered to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients around the world. Remdesivir is an RNA polymerase inhibitor with a broad spectrum of antiviral activities against RNA viruses in in-vitro and in-vivo models of SARS-CoV, the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and SARS-CoV-2. Remdesivir is the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved anti-SARS-CoV-2 treatment for adult and pediatric patients and has been used intravenously for patients requiring hospitalization for COVID-19. However, questions have been raised about the value of remdesivir in treating COVID-19, and governing bodies worldwide have been hesitant to approve this medication. Nevertheless, in the context of the public health emergency and the urgent need for effective treatments for patients with COVID-19, remdesivir has been approved by several authorities worldwide. Here, we discuss characteristics and applications of remdesivir, and various challenging studies with different outcomes about its efficacy are also reviewed.

Objectives: The current study aimed to compare the efficacy of the two different prophylactic antibiotic regimens (2-days vs. 7-days) in preventing surgical site infection in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods : Patients undergoing CABG were included in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. From 2016 to 2017, 370 cases were allocated to one of two groups. The groups received prophylactic antibiotic therapy for either 2-days or 7-days. All CABG patients were followed for days for surgical site infections. Two of the patients died after surgery, and 3 patients did not show up during the three-month follow-up evaluation and thus did not meet the study criteria. Results: Of the remaining 365 patients who participated in the full study, 198 (54.2%) were male, and 167 (45.7%) were female patients. The mean age of these cases was 58.64± 11.4. Of the 365 study participants who received prophylactic antibiotics prior to surgery, 16 patients developed surgical site infections (legs and sternum). Among these 16 patients, nine cases belong to the 7-days prophylactic antibiotic therapy group (2.4%), and seven cases belong to the 2-day prophylactic antibiotic therapy group (1.9%) (P=0.771). Conclusion: Comparison of two 2-day and 7-day prophylactic antibiotic regimens showed no significant difference in the incidence of post-surgical infection in the two groups.

Although severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has caused many complications, the invention of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines has also brought about several adverse events, from common side effects to unexpected and rare ones. Common vaccine-related adverse reactions manifest locally or systematically following any vaccine, including Covid-19 vaccines. Certain side effects, known as adverse events of special interest (AESI), are unusual and need more evaluation. Here, we discuss some of the most important rare adverse events of Covid-19 vaccines.

methamphetamine (MA) has a similar structure to amphetamine which can induce a wide range of symptoms, including alertness, aggressive behavior, chest pain, psychosis, seizures, developed by the psychomotor system stimulation. This case specifically discusses prolonged severe MA intoxication induced by a novel and unique way of the drug’s ingestion.

The 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 individuals. 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.

AbstractSince the start of the pandemic, thrombotic events have been a well‐known and severe complication associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection. Nevertheless, the initiation of vaccination programs brought another rare yet highly fatal thrombotic event, vaccine‐induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopaenia, which has caused extensive debate regarding the safety of vaccines. This review defines the thromboembolic events following infection and vaccination, identifies their risk factors, describes their pathophysiology, and discusses their management, treatment, and prevention.

AbstractA novel coronavirus, or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), was identified as the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). In early 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID‐19 the sixth public health emergency of international concern. The COVID‐19 pandemic has substantially affected many groups within the general population, but particularly those with extant clinical conditions, such as having or being treated for cancer. Cancer patients are at a higher risk of developing severe COVID‐19 since the malignancy and chemotherapy may negatively affect the immune system, and their immunocompromised condition also increases the risk of infection. Substantial international efforts are currently underway to develop specific methods for diagnosing and treating COVID‐19. However, cancer patients’ risk profiles, management, and outcomes are not well understood. Thus, the main objective of this review is to discuss the relevant evidence to understand the prognosis of COVID‐19 infections in cancer patients more clearly, as well as helping to improve the clinical management of these patients.

SummaryVaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is a crucial step in ending the current worldwide pandemic. However, several particularly vulnerable groups in the population were not included in sufficient numbers in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‐19) vaccine trials. Therefore, as science advances, the advice for vaccinating these special populations against Covid‐19 will continue to evolve. This focused review provides the latest recommendations and considerations for these special populations (i.e., patients with rheumatologic and autoimmune disorders, cancer, transplant recipients, chronic liver diseases, end‐stage renal disease, neurologic disorders, psychiatric disorders, diabetes mellitus, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, human immunodeficiency virus, current smokers, pregnant and breastfeeding women, the elderly, children, and patients with allergic reactions) using the currently available research evidence.

AbstractIntroductionThe various cutaneous manifestations have lately appeared in the setting of COVID‐19. Psoriasis flare‐ups have been reported during a COVID‐19 infection.Case presentationWe present a case of a 32‐year‐old woman with COVID‐19 who presented with generalized pustular psoriasis. She received oral prednisolone, hydroxyzine, and topical clobetasol. The patient received follow‐up two weeks later and found that her lesions were favorably desquamating.MethodsThe PubMed, SCOPUS, and ISI Web of Science databases were thoroughly searched for English studies reporting psoriasis flare‐ups following SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Ten case reports/series were included after screening.ConclusionsOur case report brings awareness to clinicians for the possible cutaneous manifestation of COVID‐19, which should be considered part of the differential diagnoses.