British medical bulletin
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British medical bulletin · Sep 2023
ReviewLong COVID: what is known and what gaps need to be addressed.
Long COVID is a chronic condition that follows after acute COVID-19 and is characterized by a wide range of persistent, cyclic symptoms. ⋯ There is an urgent need to understand the causes of Long COVID, especially extreme fatigue more than 6 months after infection. We must understand who is at risk and whether reinfections similarly risk Long COVID.
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Ribonucleic acid (RNA) therapeutics are a new class of drugs whose importance is highlighted by the growing number of molecules in the clinic. ⋯ Clinical failures stress the importance of implementing clinical trial design and optimizing RNA molecules to hold the promise of revolutionizing the treatment of human diseases.
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British medical bulletin · Sep 2023
Meta AnalysisEfficacy of hydrodilatation in frozen shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
It is unclear whether hydrodilatation is beneficial in the management of frozen shoulder compared with other common conservative management modalities. This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of hydrodilatation for the management of frozen shoulder. ⋯ Although current evidence suggests that hydrodilatation provides a transient improvement in disability in patients with frozen shoulder, its clinical relevance remains unclear. Further research is necessary to establish its role in the management of the condition.
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British medical bulletin · Sep 2023
ReviewMobilization-based engraftment of haematopoietic stem cells: a new perspective for chemotherapy-free gene therapy and transplantation.
In haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from a healthy donor replace the patient's ones. Ex vivo HSC gene therapy (HSC-GT) is a form of HSCT in which HSCs, usually from an autologous source, are genetically modified before infusion, to generate a progeny of gene-modified cells. In HSCT and HSC-GT, chemotherapy is administered before infusion to free space in the bone marrow (BM) niche, which is required for the engraftment of infused cells. Here, we review alternative chemotherapy-free approaches to niche voidance that could replace conventional regimens and alleviate the morbidity of the procedure. ⋯ Inter-individual efficiency and kinetics of HSC mobilization need to be carefully assessed. Investigations in large animal models of emerging non-genotoxic approaches will further strengthen the rationale and encourage application to the treatment of selected diseases.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are intersecting pandemics, with implications for care at an individual and global scale. ⋯ Global trends in HIV-related morbidity and mortality should be monitored to appreciate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The benefits of early antiviral and/or neutralizing monoclonal antibody (nMAb) treatment for PLWH and nMAb prophylaxis require investigation.