Articles: ninos.
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To evaluate the presentation characteristics and disease course of seven patients with COVID-19 who spontaneously developed pneumomediastinum without a history of mechanical ventilation. ⋯ In our study, the frequency of spontaneous pneumomediastinum developing without pneumothorax was found to be high in non-intubated patients. Whether this is related to the nature of the disease or it is a result of the increase in cases diagnosed incidentally owing to the increasing use of low-dose computed tomography should be explored in further studies.
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J Coll Physicians Surg Pak · Jan 2021
Online Medical Education and Examinations during COVID-19: Perspectives of a Teaching Associate.
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not only challenged global health systems but also social, economic, and educational systems. In this short communication, our focus is on its impact on medical education in Pakistan. ⋯ We describe our role as teaching associates (TAs) at the Aga Khan University (AKU); and how it has enabled us to be a part of the transition to online medical education, with a specific focus on online examinations in medical schools. Key Words: Medical education, Online examinations, COVID-19, Pandemic.
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Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in China. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy and volume-modulated arc therapy have become the main treatments for esophageal carcinoma; however, side effects caused by radiotherapy greatly impact the quality of life in these patients. This study aimed to explore the impact of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels on the prognosis of patients with ESCC undergoing radiotherapy. ⋯ In conclusion, high serum SOD activity improved post-radiotherapy quality of life but did not impact the prognosis of patients with ESCC. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report that serum SOD activity is associated with radiation-induced toxicity and moderately increased radiotherapeutic response in patients with ESCC undergoing radiotherapy.
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Monoclonal antibodies or fusion proteins, defined as biological drugs, have modified the natural history of numerous immune-mediated disorders, allowing the development of therapies aimed at blocking the pathophysiological pathways of the disease, providing greater efficacy and safety than conventional treatment strategies. Virtually all therapeutic proteins elicit an immune response, producing anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) against hypervariable regions of immunoglobulins. Immunogenicity against biological drugs can alter their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, thereby reducing the efficacy of these drugs. ⋯ Among the new therapeutic strategies for the management of psoriasis, biological agents have gained increasing importance in recent years as they interrupt key inflammation pathways involved in the physiopathology of the disease. Reports regarding ADA in new biologics are still scarce, but the most recent evidence tends to show little impact on the clinical response to the drug, even with prolonged treatment. It is therefore essential to standardize laboratory tests to determine the presence and titles of ADAs to establish their administration and management guidelines that allow the determination of the real clinical impact of these drugs.
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We present a case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVİD-19) re-infection where the time interval between two COVİD-positive episodes is the longest in the literature. A 40-year male patient was admitted to the Emergency Department with complaints of sore throat, cough and diarrhea; and was re-diagnosed as COVİD-19 positive after a virus-free period. He did not have a chronic disease in his anamnesis and used no medication. ⋯ In this case, the time to second COVİD-19 infection was 94 days from the first positive PCR test and 86 days from the complete resolution of symptoms. This is one of the longest COVID-19-free period between two episodes of infection in the literature. Key Words: COVID-19, Recurrence, Re-infection, Recovery.