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Bibliography on: covid-19

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ESP: PubMed Auto Bibliography 17 Jan 2026 at 01:43 Created: 

covid-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2), a virus closely related to the SARS virus. The disease was discovered and named during the 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak. Those affected may develop a fever, dry cough, fatigue, and shortness of breath. A sore throat, runny nose or sneezing is less common. While the majority of cases result in mild symptoms, some can progress to pneumonia and multi-organ failure. The infection is spread from one person to others via respiratory droplets produced from the airways, often during coughing or sneezing. Time from exposure to onset of symptoms is generally between 2 and 14 days, with an average of 5 days. The standard method of diagnosis is by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) from a nasopharyngeal swab or sputum sample, with results within a few hours to 2 days. Antibody assays can also be used, using a blood serum sample, with results within a few days. The infection can also be diagnosed from a combination of symptoms, risk factors and a chest CT scan showing features of pneumonia. Correct handwashing technique, maintaining distance from people who are coughing and not touching one's face with unwashed hands are measures recommended to prevent the disease. It is also recommended to cover one's nose and mouth with a tissue or a bent elbow when coughing. Those who suspect they carry the virus are recommended to wear a surgical face mask and seek medical advice by calling a doctor rather than visiting a clinic in person. Masks are also recommended for those who are taking care of someone with a suspected infection but not for the general public. There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment, with management involving treatment of symptoms, supportive care and experimental measures. The case fatality rate is estimated at between 1% and 3%. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). As of 29 February 2020, China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and the United States are areas having evidence of community transmission of the disease.

NOTE: To obtain the entire bibliography (all 58915 citations) in bibtek format (a format that can be easily loaded into many different reference-manager software programs, click HERE.

Created with PubMed® Query: ( SARS-CoV-2 OR COVID-19 OR (wuhan AND coronavirus) AND review[SB] )NOT 40982904[pmid] NOT 40982965[pmid] NOT pmcbook NOT ispreviousversion

Citations The Papers (from PubMed®)

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RevDate: 2026-01-11
CmpDate: 2026-01-11

Singh D (2026)

mRNA-Encoded antibodies as a next-generation therapeutic paradigm: a rapid and adaptive platform for the prevention and treatment of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases - A critical review.

Immunologic research, 74(1):7.

Messenger RNA (mRNA)-encoded antibodies represent a transformative therapeutic platform with the potential to rapidly combat emerging infectious diseases by enabling in situ expression of potent neutralizing antibodies directly in the patient's body. Unlike conventional monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies, which rely on labor-intensive and time-consuming cell culture production, mRNA-encoded antibodies offer a faster, scalable, and cell-free approach that bypasses protein purification and cold-chain constraints. This strategy has demonstrated considerable promise during the COVID-19 pandemic, where Moderna's mRNA-1940, an mRNA-based neutralizing antibody targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, entered preclinical and early-phase trials within months of viral emergence, underscoring the potential for rapid response in outbreak settings. The platform leverages advances in nucleoside-modified mRNA, codon optimization, and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery systems to achieve transient, high-level expression of functional antibodies with reduced innate immune activation. Beyond COVID-19, mRNA-encoded antibody approaches have been explored in preclinical models of Zika virus, Ebola virus, and rabies, where a single intramuscular dose provided prophylactic and therapeutic benefits in animal models. As the world faces recurrent viral threats, the development of mRNA-encoded antibodies as a plug-and-play system offers a compelling, adaptable, and clinically feasible strategy for infectious disease preparedness. This review explores the mechanistic foundation, delivery technologies, translational progress, case studies, safety considerations, and future clinical potential of mRNA-encoded antibodies in combating both pandemic and endemic infections.

RevDate: 2026-01-11

Keefer S, Lorenzo-Leal AC, H Bach (2026)

Advancements in nanotrap technology for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.

Nanomedicine (London, England) [Epub ahead of print].

Nanotraps are particles designed to capture and concentrate target molecules and have numerous applications in infectious diseases. This review outlines how nanotrap technologies may improve the detection and treatment of bacterial and viral pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Yersinia pestis, HIV, SARS-CoV-2, and others. Nanotraps can enhance the sensitivity of diagnostic tools and support treatment by neutralizing bacterial toxins, capturing inflammatory mediators, and preserving viral proteins for detection. Nanotraps have also been investigated for vaccine development. While results from in vitro and in vivo models are encouraging, there is significant room for further research regarding safety and other unexplored applications of these technologies. Nanotraps offer a flexible platform with the potential to improve how we diagnose and manage a multitude of infectious diseases.

RevDate: 2026-01-10

Azhar LE, Samkari DA, Hassan AM, et al (2026)

The Emergence and Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Variant XFG ("Stratus"): Comparative Virological, Epidemiological, and Public-Health Perspectives.

Journal of epidemiology and global health pii:10.1007/s44197-025-00510-x [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2026-01-14
CmpDate: 2026-01-10

Escobar-Segovia K, Domínguez-Salas S, García-Iglesias JJ, et al (2026)

Psychological distress in Spanish-speaking countries during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Medicine, 105(2):e47062.

BACKGROUND: Psychological distress (PD) has increased significantly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In Spanish-speaking countries, with their cultural, social, and economic diversity, this phenomenon has become particularly relevant and has been aggravated by factors such as socioeconomic inequalities and unequal access to mental health services. The aim of this systematic review was to consolidate the available knowledge on PD in Spanish-speaking population groups by assessing both the prevalence of symptoms and the associated factors in different demographic groups and geographic contexts, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS: A systematic review following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement was conducted in the Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus electronic databases in January 2025. The search included studies published from the beginning of the pandemic until May 2023. The Joanna Briggs Institute's critical assessment tool was used to evaluate the chosen studies' methodological quality.

RESULTS: A total of 53 studies were included in the review, which involved research conducted in Spain, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, and Colombia. The results revealed a high prevalence of PD in these countries, especially among healthcare workers, women, and young people. The assessment methods used included the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ, GHQ-12, and GHQ-28 versions), the Kessler scale (K-6 and K-10 versions), and the 90-symptom checklist questionnaire (SCL-90-R), that allowed obtaining various dimensions of PD. The studies also highlighted the importance of the sense of coherence and work engagement as protective factors.

CONCLUSIONS: In the COVID-19 pandemic, PD was analyzed to be severe in Spanish-speaking countries, pointing to the need for specific and culturally adapted interventions to address this public mental health crisis. This is why public health policies must focus on the prevention and treatment of PD, with special attention to the most vulnerable groups.

RevDate: 2026-01-13
CmpDate: 2026-01-10

Cotet IG, Mateescu DM, Gavrilescu DM, et al (2026)

Surgical Timing and Safety of Breast Cancer Operations After COVID-19: A Prospective-Only Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies.

Journal of clinical medicine, 15(1):.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic raised uncertainties regarding the safe timing of breast cancer surgery after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and robust prospective evidence has remained limited. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies (2020-2024) investigating postoperative outcomes in breast cancer patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection ≤90 days before surgery versus contemporaneous non-infected controls treated at the same institutions and in the same period. PROSPERO CRD420251174613. Random-effects models (DerSimonian-Laird with Hartung-Knapp adjustment) were used to pool odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Study quality was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and certainty of evidence was rated using GRADE. Results: Twelve prospective cohort studies, including 7812 patients, compared breast cancer surgery after recent confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection over 90 days with contemporaneous non-infected controls treated at the same centres. Overall, recent infection was associated with higher 30-day postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥ II) compared to. non-infected patients (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.44-2.81) and increased venous thromboembolism (3.6%vs. 1.2%; OR 3.12, 95% CI 1.29-7.55). Early surgery 14 days after infection carried the highest risk of complications (OR 4.38, 95 CI 2.31-8.30), whereas operations performed ≥6 weeks yielded outcomes comparable to non-infected controls (OR 1.03, 95 CI 0.81-1.31); 30-day mortality remained very low (0.3). Conclusions: Breast cancer surgery after SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with excess perioperative risk only when performed within the first two weeks. Delaying surgery to approximately six weeks minimises complications and VTE without compromising short-term safety.

RevDate: 2026-01-13
CmpDate: 2026-01-10

Boccatonda A, Brighenti A, D'Ardes D, et al (2025)

High-Flow Nasal Cannula Outside the ICU: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Journal of clinical medicine, 15(1):.

Background: Use of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) expanded from ICUs to internal medicine/respiratory wards during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, but safety and effectiveness in non-ICU settings remain uncertain. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of adults (≥18 years) initiated on HFNC in non-ICU wards. Primary outcomes were in-hospital (or 28-day) mortality and ICU transfer; where available, we compared mortality for HFNC vs. conventional oxygen therapy (COT) in do-not-intubate (DNI) cohorts. Observational studies and trials were eligible. Random-effects models synthesized proportions and risk ratios; risk of bias (ROBINS-I/RoB 2) and certainty (GRADE) were assessed. Results: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria for any-ward HFNC; subsets contributed data to pooled analyses. Across all non-ICU wards (general wards plus step-up IMCU/HDU), pooled mortality was 14.0% (95% CI 4.6-35.5; I[2] ≈ 92%). Pooled ICU transfer after ward/step-up HFNC start was 20.0% (95% CI 6.3-48.1; I[2] ≈ 97%). Restricted to internal medicine/respiratory wards, pooled mortality was 19.8% (95% CI 7.1-44.2; I[2] ≈ 95%) and ICU transfer 31.2% (95% CI 9.9-65.0; I[2] ≈ 97%). In step-up units (IMCU/HDU), ICU transfer appeared lower and less variable (22.0% [95% CI 16.5-28.8]; I[2] ≈ 10%), suggesting environment-dependent outcomes. In a multicenter DNI COVID-19 cohort, HFNC vs. COT showed no clear mortality difference (RR ≈ 0.90, 95% CI 0.75-1.08; adjusted OR ≈ 0.72, 95% CI 0.34-1.54). Certainty of evidence for all critical outcomes was very low due to observational design, high inconsistency, and imprecision. Conclusions: HFNC outside the ICU is feasible, but it is related to nontrivial mortality and frequent escalation-particularly on general wards-while step-up units demonstrate more reproducible trajectories. Outcomes appear strongly conditioned by care environment, staffing, monitoring, and escalation pathways. Given very low certainty and substantial heterogeneity, institutions should pair ward HFNC with protocolized reassessment and rapid response/ICU outreach, and future research should prospectively compare ward HFNC pathways against optimized COT/NIV using standardized outcomes.

RevDate: 2026-01-13
CmpDate: 2026-01-10

Huang WH, Ho YF, Yeh JY, et al (2025)

Hospital Influenza Outbreak Management in the Post-COVID Era: A Narrative Review of Evolving Practices and Feasibility Considerations.

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 14(1):.

Background: Hospital-acquired influenza remains a persistent threat that amplifies morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and operational strain, particularly among older and immunocompromised inpatients. The COVID-19 era reshaped control norms-normalizing N95 use during surges, ventilation improvements, and routine multiplex PCR-creating an opportunity to strengthen hospital outbreak management. Methods: We conducted a targeted narrative review of WHO/CDC/Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidance and peer-reviewed studies (January 2015-August 2025), emphasizing adult inpatient care. This narrative review synthesizes recent evidence and discusses theoretical implications for practice, rather than establishing formal guidelines. Evidence was synthesized into pragmatic practice statements on detection, diagnostics, isolation/cohorting, antivirals, chemoprophylaxis, vaccination, surveillance, and communication. Results: Early recognition and test-based confirmation are pivotal. For inpatients, nucleic-acid amplification tests are preferred; negative antigen tests warrant PCR confirmation, and lower-respiratory specimens improve yield in severe disease. A practical outbreak threshold is ≥2 epidemiologically linked, laboratory-confirmed cases within 72 h on the same ward. Effective control may require immediate isolation or cohorting with dedicated staff, strict droplet/respiratory protection, and daily active surveillance. Early oseltamivir (≤48 h from onset or on admission) reduces mortality and length of stay; short-course post-exposure prophylaxis for exposed patients or staff lowers secondary attack rates. Integrated vaccination efforts for healthcare personnel and high-risk patients reinforce workforce resilience and reduce transmission. Conclusions: A standardized, clinician-led bundle-early molecular testing, do-not-delay antivirals, decisive cohorting and Personal protective equipment (PPE), targeted chemoprophylaxis, vaccination, and disciplined communication- could help curb transmission, protect vulnerable patients and staff, and preserve capacity. Hospitals should codify COVID-era layered controls for seasonal influenza and rehearse unit-level outbreak playbooks to accelerate response and recovery. These recommendations target clinicians and infection-prevention leaders in acute-care hospitals.

RevDate: 2026-01-13
CmpDate: 2026-01-10

Barajas A, Riquelme-Alacid G, Vera-Montecinos A, et al (2026)

Cognition, Cytokines, Blood-Brain Barrier, and Beyond in COVID-19: A Narrative Review.

International journal of molecular sciences, 27(1):.

Numerous studies report cognitive impairment in COVID-19 patients from the acute to post-acute phases, linked to blood inflammation affecting blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and causing leakage of glial and neuronal proteins. However, a clear classification of these cognitive deficits and molecular blood events over time is still lacking. This narrative review summarizes the neuropsychological consequences of COVID-19 and evidence of altered cytokines and BBB disruption as potential mediators of cognitive impairment across post-infection phases. Post-COVID-19 cognitive dysfunction appears to follow a temporal course, evolving from acute focal deficits in attention, working memory, and executive function to more persistent multidomain impairments. We reviewed key cytokines released into the blood during COVID-19 infection, including antiviral (IFNγ, CXCL1, CXCL10), inflammatory (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, GM-CSF, TNFα), and monocyte chemoattractants (MCP1/CCL2, MCP3/CCL7, MIP-1α/CCL3, GM-CSF, G-CSF). This analysis shows that several inflammatory and viral cytokines remain elevated beyond the acute phase and are associated with cognitive deficits, including IL-6, IL-13, IL-8, IL-1β, TNFα, and MCP1 in long-term post-COVID-19 patients. In addition, we examined studies analyzing changes over time in neurovascular unit proteins as biomarkers of BBB disruption, including extracellular matrix proteins (PPIA, MMP-9), astrocytes (S100β, GFAP), and neurons (NFL). These proteins are elevated in acute COVID-19 but generally return to control levels within six months, suggesting BBB restoration. However, in patients followed for over a year, BBB disruption persists only in those with cognitive impairment and is associated with systemic inflammation, with TGFβ as a related biomarker. Although cognitive sequelae can persist for over 12 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, further studies are needed to investigate long-term neurocognitive outcomes and their link to sustained proinflammatory cytokine elevation and brain impact.

RevDate: 2026-01-16
CmpDate: 2026-01-14

Lopez-Villalba B, Tortosa F, Castrodeza-Sanz J, et al (2026)

Systematic review and meta-analysis of respiratory virus infections in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients.

Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease, 114(3):117238.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory virus infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally, particularly among people living with HIV.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of respiratory virus infections on clinical outcomes in HIV-positive individuals compared with HIV-negative individuals.

STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 studies comparing HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals infected with common respiratory viruses (excluding SARS-CoV-2).

RESULTS: HIV-positive individuals had significantly higher odds of in-hospital mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and antibiotic use at admission. No significant differences were observed in intensive care unit admission, initial hospitalization, mechanical ventilation, or oxygen therapy. The most severe outcomes were associated with adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and influenza. The certainty of evidence was moderate but limited by study heterogeneity and risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the need for improved diagnostic tools, infection control strategies, and tailored clinical management for HIV-positive populations. Further prospective, multicenter studies are essential to inform evidence-based guidelines in both high- and low-resource settings.

RevDate: 2026-01-16
CmpDate: 2026-01-16

Soares L, Davis H, Spier E, et al (2026)

Recommended long COVID outcome measures and their implications for clinical trial design, with a focus on post-exertional malaise.

EBioMedicine, 123:106083.

Long COVID has created a worldwide public health crisis and has no approved treatments or validated biomarkers. We summarize the current challenges and considerations of outcome selection in Long COVID trials, along with recommendations for current trial design and future endpoint validation, with a focus on post-exertional malaise (PEM). We make five overarching recommendations for Long COVID clinical trials: 1) thorough characterisation of baseline disease; 2) collection of longitudinal data; 3) design of a placebo arm to enable comparison of treatment effect relative to the disease natural history; 4) accounting for, and when feasible, measuring PEM; 5) balancing severity, duration, and relevant phenotypes across trial arms and within subgroups to be analysed. We present a list of outcomes that may be considered for Long COVID clinical trials, with a focus on PEM. Crucially, the field of Long COVID clinical trials urgently needs funding and research effort investment to develop and validate outcomes concomitantly with clinical trial research.

RevDate: 2026-01-16

Fan J, Jiao J, Chang HQ, et al (2025)

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS): diagnosis and management.

Journal of translational medicine, 24(1):62.

BACKGROUND: Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) has garnered substantial scientific and clinical interest, due to its rising global prevalence and significant pathophysiological overlap with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS). This review systematically elucidates the prevailing diagnostic criteria, summarizes recent advances in understanding the potential pathophysiological mechanisms, and evaluates pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, and symptom-based assessment and management strategies.

METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for articles published from inception to August 2025.

RESULTS: Current diagnostic frameworks for ME/CFS rely primarily on clinical symptomatology and lack definitive biomarkers. Immune dysregulation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation are central to its pathology. Pharmacological management includes immunomodulatory treatments, antioxidant therapies, mitochondrial support, and neuroinflammation intervention. Non-pharmacological strategies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), graded exercise therapy (GET), activity pacing, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) complement biomedical approaches by alleviating symptom severity and promoting energy conservation.

CONCLUSION: Among these approaches, CBT serves as an adjunctive therapy for symptom management rather than a curative one, whereas GET is contraindicated due to its potential for harm. Comprehensive clinical assessment and management of ME/CFS requires being symptom oriented and the recognition of individual differences. Recommended directions for future research include developing biomarker-based diagnostic tools, optimizing combination therapies that target multiple pathophysiological pathways simultaneously, and integrating real-world data and digital health technologies for precise monitoring and management of ME/CFS.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-025-07506-y.

RevDate: 2026-01-16
CmpDate: 2026-01-14

Aryeetey S, El-Duah P, Gmanyami JM, et al (2025)

Viral zoonotic disease outbreaks and response strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review.

One health outlook, 8(1):3.

BACKGROUND: Viral zoonoses, particularly RNA viruses, pose a growing public health threat in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) due to ecological disruption, rapid urbanization, and weak health systems. This scoping review synthesizes the available evidence on viral zoonotic outbreaks in SSA, focusing on documented public health and medical response strategies and the extent to which the One Health approach has been applied.

METHODS: We conducted searches of peer-reviewed and grey literature published between January 2005 and March 2025 in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Google, and website searches including WHO-AFRO and Africa CDC. The search strategy combined Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and keywords related to “zoonotic viruses,” “outbreaks,” “response,” and “Sub-Saharan Africa.” Eligible studies included outbreak reports, surveillance summaries, case reports, and epidemiological investigations involving human and/or animal viral zoonotic disease outbreaks in SSA. Data on outbreak characteristics, transmission patterns, response strategies, and One Health implementation were extracted.

RESULTS: From an initial pool of 4,534 studies, fifty-two met the inclusion criteria. Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV), Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Monkeypox, and Lassa virus were the most frequently reported viruses. A notable case of Lassa fever and SARS-CoV-2 co-infection was reported in Guinea. Transmission routes varied: direct contact, vector-borne, sexual, and nosocomial transmission. Reported public health responses included case isolation, contact tracing, community sensitization, vector control, and livestock surveillance, though there was limited formal assessment of their effectiveness. Integration of the One Health approach was inconsistently applied and explicitly documented in only a few studies.

CONCLUSION: Zoonotic viral outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa remain a recurrent and evolving public health challenge due to persistent gaps in surveillance, preparedness, and cross-sector coordination. Strengthening community-based detection, rapid laboratory confirmation, health system capacity for diagnostics and response, and fully operationalizing One Health frameworks is essential to enhance early warning and outbreak control.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42522-025-00186-0.

RevDate: 2025-12-22
CmpDate: 2025-11-28

Lamoth F, Albrich WC, Ragozzino S, et al (2025)

Management of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Intensive Care Units: Guidelines From the Fungal Infection Network of Switzerland (FUNGINOS).

Mycoses, 68(11):e70132.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is increasingly recognised in intensive care units (ICU) affecting not only patients with classical immunosuppressive conditions but also other severely ill patients, including those with respiratory viral infections (influenza, COVID-19), advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or acute and chronic liver diseases. Several expert panels have proposed definitions of IPA in different ICU settings. However, practical recommendations for its diagnostic and therapeutic approaches are scarce. Moreover, these approaches can be influenced by different parameters that may vary across countries including the case mix of ICU patients, the incidence of IPA, the prevalence of azole resistance and the availability of diagnostic tests and antifungal drugs. For these reasons, the Fungal Infection Network of Switzerland (FUNGINOS) has appointed a panel of different specialists to develop a practical guideline for the management of IPA in ICU. This article provides the executive summary of the panel conclusions and recommendations regarding the epidemiology, diagnosis, definitions and therapy of IPA in ICU.

RevDate: 2026-01-16
CmpDate: 2026-01-16

Hwang EC, Hwang JE, Kim K, et al (2026)

Prognostic factors of mortality in patients with cancer infected with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis using the GRADE approach.

International journal of cancer, 158(6):1640-1653.

This study aimed to systematically synthesize the available evidence on prognostic factors affecting mortality in these patients. This review included cohort studies of adult patients with cancer diagnosed with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We searched MEDLINE and Embase for data from December 2019 to June 2025, and Cochrane Central Libraries and other databases for data to July 2023. Two independent reviewers screened references, extracted data, and assessed bias risk. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to evaluate the certainty of the evidence and present the relative and absolute effect sizes. Fifty-two prognostic factors were identified from 92 included studies. These included sociodemographic variables, comorbidities, cancer-related characteristics, COVID-19-related clinical features, and laboratory results. We found high certainty associations between an increased risk of death and male sex (absolute risk [AR] = 3.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.1% to 5.8%), high Charlson Comorbidity Index (AR = 8.8%, 95% CI = 7.2%-10.6%), low performance status (AR = 14.7%, 95% CI = 11.2%-18.7%), immunosuppression (AR = 14.5%, 95% CI = 7.3%-24.6%), kidney disease (AR = 9.2%, 95% CI = 4.9%-14.7%), and lung cancer (AR = 7.2%, 95% CI = 3.5%-12.0%). Hypoxia, high creatinine, high C-reactive protein, high D-dimer, low hemoglobin, low lymphocytes, high procalcitonin, and high white blood cell counts were also associated with increased mortality with high certainty. This comprehensive GRADE-based systematic review provides healthcare providers with evidence-based prognostic factors to predict outcomes, counsel patients, and guide treatment decisions for cancer patients with COVID-19. The findings offer crucial insights for managing this vulnerable population during the pandemic.

RevDate: 2026-01-15
CmpDate: 2025-11-22

Macedo PLG, Taborda M, Oliveira VF, et al (2025)

Brazilian task force for the management of mucormycosis.

The Brazilian journal of infectious diseases : an official publication of the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases, 29(6):104579.

BACKGROUND: Mucormycosis is a rare but life‑threatening fungal infection that has shown an increased incidence in Brazil, especially during the COVID‑19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an evidence‑based, context‑specific guideline for the diagnosis and management of mucormycosis within the Brazilian healthcare system.

CLINICAL FEATURES: Rhino‑orbito‑cerebral disease predominates, followed by pulmonary, cutaneous, gastrointestinal and disseminated forms; delayed recognition dramatically increases mortality.

EPIDEMIOLOGY: The global incidence of mucormycosis is increasing, particularly among patients with diabetes mellitus, hematologic malignancies, transplantation, and corticosteroid exposure. The most frequently isolated species is Rhizopus arrhizus, and regional variations in species distribution may be present. In Brazil, comprehensive epidemiological data remain scarce.

TREATMENT: Early, aggressive surgical debridement plus induction with liposomal amphotericin B (5-10 mg/kg/day) followed by isavuconazole or posaconazole is recommended; strict control of hyperglycemia and immunosuppression is essential.

CONCLUSION: Standardized national guidance, improved rapid diagnostics, systematic surveillance and equitable drug availability are critical to reduce Brazil's mucormycosis burden.

RevDate: 2026-01-16
CmpDate: 2026-01-16

Nadig N, Bhimraj A, Cawcutt K, et al (2026)

2025 Clinical Practice Guideline Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America on the Treatment and Management of COVID-19: Abatacept.

Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 81(Supplement_3):i17-i21.

This article provides a focused update to the clinical practice guideline on the treatment and management of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The guideline panel presents a recommendation on the use of abatacept in hospitalized adults with severe or critical COVID-19. The recommendation is based on evidence derived from a systematic literature review and adheres to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.

RevDate: 2026-01-16
CmpDate: 2026-01-16

Nadig N, Bhimraj A, Cawcutt K, et al (2026)

2025 Clinical Practice Guideline Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America on the Treatment and Management of COVID-19: Infliximab.

Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 81(Supplement_3):i22-i26.

This article provides a focused update to the clinical practice guideline on the treatment and management of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The guideline panel presents a recommendation on the use of infliximab in hospitalized adults with severe or critical COVID-19. The recommendation is based on evidence derived from a systematic literature review and adheres to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.

RevDate: 2026-01-16
CmpDate: 2026-01-16

Bhimraj A, Falck-Ytter Y, Baden LR, et al (2026)

2025 Clinical Practice Guideline Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America on the Treatment and Management of COVID-19: Pemivibart for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis, Vilobelimab for Critical Illness, and Abatacept or Infliximab for Severe or Critical Illness.

Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 81(Supplement_3):i1-i5.

As the first part of several focused updates to the clinical practice guideline on the treatment and management of COVID-19 in adults, children, and pregnant people, developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the panel presents four new recommendations. These recommendations include pre-exposure prophylaxis for immunocompromised persons and treatment of severe or critical COVID-19. The panel's recommendations are based upon evidence derived from systematic literature reviews and adhere to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.

RevDate: 2026-01-16
CmpDate: 2026-01-16

Nadig N, Bhimraj A, Cawcutt K, et al (2026)

2025 Clinical Practice Guideline Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America on the Treatment and Management of COVID-19: Vilobelimab.

Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 81(Supplement_3):i13-i16.

This article provides a focused update to the clinical practice guideline on the treatment and management of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The guideline panel presents a recommendation on the use of vilobelimab in hospitalized adults with critical COVID-19. The recommendation is based on evidence derived from a systematic literature review and adheres to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.

RevDate: 2025-05-06
CmpDate: 2025-05-05

Dobson KS, Lindsay B, Termeer J, et al (2025)

Reducing Mental Health Stigma in the Workplace: A Meta-Analysis of The Working Mind Program in Virtual Delivery Format: Réduire la stigmatisation en milieu de travail : Une méta-analyse du programme L'esprit au travail en format virtuel.

Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 70(4):278-288.

BackgroundMental health stigma in the workplace has been widely recognized, and workplace programs have been created to improve self-awareness and resiliency, while decreasing stigma. Prior meta-analyses of The Working Mind (TWM) program suggest positive benefits. The current meta-analysis was based on the shift to online delivery of TWM during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was predicted that program outcomes would be approximately the same as in prior analyses of in person delivery of the TWM program.MethodTWM program was delivered by expert trainers to a total of 1,159 participants across six workplace settings. Participants provided informed consent and survey data, prior to, just after and 3 months after the program. Outcomes included stigma, resiliency and readiness for change. Standardized assessments were employed, consistent with prior program analyses.ResultsSignificant reductions in stigma and increases in self-reported resiliency occurred, with immediate overall effect sizes of 0.33 and 0.40, respectively. Some variability among workplace settings was observed. Males had a somewhat better result than females and people who reported worse mental health at program initiation had somewhat better results than others, but these were modest effects. The results were largely stable until the 3-month follow-up assessment period. Attrition across the study interval was considerable.ConclusionsThe virtual delivery of TWM yielded meta-analytic results that were comparable to previous in person outcomes, both in terms of immediate and 3-month assessment intervals. Some variability in outcomes was noted, and some return towards baseline was observed at the 3-month follow-up period. The issue of attrition was also noted, possibility due to effects of online fatigue and the voluntary nature of the study. Suggestions for further study of program effects are given, and workplace wellness programs are encouraged.Plain Language Summary TitleOutcomes of a virtual program to address mental Health Stigma in the workplace.

RevDate: 2026-01-16
CmpDate: 2026-01-16

Bhimraj A, Falck-Ytter Y, Kim AY, et al (2026)

2024 Clinical Practice Guideline Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America on the Management of COVID-19: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody Pemivibart for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis.

Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 81(Supplement_3):i6-i12.

This article provides a focused update to the clinical practice guideline on the treatment and management of patients with coronavirus disease 2019, developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The guideline panel presents a recommendation on the use of the anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 neutralizing antibody pemivibart as pre-exposure prophylaxis. The recommendation is based on evidence derived from a systematic review and adheres to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach. Information on pemivibart is included in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization for this agent.

RevDate: 2024-10-17
CmpDate: 2024-09-27

Kori M, Kasavi C, KY Arga (2024)

Exploring COVID-19 Pandemic Disparities with Transcriptomic Meta-analysis from the Perspective of Personalized Medicine.

Journal of microbiology (Seoul, Korea), 62(9):785-798.

Infection with SARS-CoV2, which is responsible for COVID-19, can lead to differences in disease development, severity and mortality rates depending on gender, age or the presence of certain diseases. Considering that existing studies ignore these differences, this study aims to uncover potential differences attributable to gender, age and source of sampling as well as viral load using bioinformatics and multi-omics approaches. Differential gene expression analyses were used to analyse the phenotypic differences between SARS-CoV-2 patients and controls at the mRNA level. Pathway enrichment analyses were performed at the gene set level to identify the activated pathways corresponding to the differences in the samples. Drug repurposing analysis was performed at the protein level, focusing on host-mediated drug candidates to uncover potential therapeutic differences. Significant differences (i.e. the number of differentially expressed genes and their characteristics) were observed for COVID-19 at the mRNA level depending on the sample source, gender and age of the samples. The results of the pathway enrichment show that SARS-CoV-2 can be combated more effectively in the respiratory tract than in the blood samples. Taking into account the different sample sources and their characteristics, different drug candidates were identified. Evaluating disease prediction, prevention and/or treatment strategies from a personalised perspective is crucial. In this study, we not only evaluated the differences in COVID-19 from a personalised perspective, but also provided valuable data for further experimental and clinical efforts. Our findings could shed light on potential pandemics.

RevDate: 2023-06-13
CmpDate: 2023-06-02

Chen C, Wang J, Liu YM, et al (2023)

Single-cell analysis of adult human heart across healthy and cardiovascular disease patients reveals the cellular landscape underlying SARS-CoV-2 invasion of myocardial tissue through ACE2.

Journal of translational medicine, 21(1):358.

BACKGROUND: The distribution of ACE2 and accessory proteases (ANAD17 and CTSL) in cardiovascular tissue and the host cell receptor binding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are crucial to understanding the virus's cell invasion, which may play a significant role in determining the viral tropism and its clinical manifestations.

METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the cell type-specific expression of ACE2, ADAM17, and CTSL in myocardial tissue from 10 patients using RNA sequencing. Our study included a meta-analysis of 2 heart single-cell RNA-sequencing studies with a total of 90,024 cells from 250 heart samples of 10 individuals. We used co-expression analysis to locate specific cell types that SARS-CoV-2 may invade.

RESULTS: Our results revealed cell-type specific associations between male gender and the expression levels of ACE2, ADAM17, and CTSL, including pericytes and fibroblasts. AGT, CALM3, PCSK5, NRP1, and LMAN were identified as potential accessory proteases that might facilitate viral invasion. Enrichment analysis highlighted the extracellular matrix interaction pathway, adherent plaque pathway, vascular smooth muscle contraction inflammatory response, and oxidative stress as potential immune pathways involved in viral infection, providing potential molecular targets for therapeutic intervention. We also found specific high expression of IFITM3 and AGT in pericytes and differences in the IFN-II signaling pathway and PAR signaling pathway in fibroblasts from different cardiovascular comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicated possible high-risk groups for COVID-19 and provided emerging avenues for future investigations of its pathogenesis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: (Not applicable).

RevDate: 2024-09-18
CmpDate: 2023-05-18

Hennessey K, Pezzoli L, C Mantel (2023)

A framework for seroepidemiologic investigations in future pandemics: insights from an evaluation of WHO's Unity Studies initiative.

Health research policy and systems, 21(1):34.

BACKGROUND: The WHO Unity Studies initiative supports countries, especially low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), in conducting seroepidemiologic studies for rapidly informing responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten generic study protocols were developed which standardized epidemiologic and laboratory methods. WHO provided technical support, serological assays and funding for study implementation. An external evaluation was conducted to assess (1) the usefulness of study findings in guiding response strategies, (2) management and support to conduct studies and (3) capacity built from engagement with the initiative.

METHODS: The evaluation focused on the three most frequently used protocols, namely first few cases, household transmission and population-based serosurvey, 66% of 339 studies tracked by WHO. All 158 principal investigators (PIs) with contact information were invited to complete an online survey. A total of 19 PIs (randomly selected within WHO regions), 14 WHO Unity focal points at the country, regional and global levels, 12 WHO global-level stakeholders and eight external partners were invited to be interviewed. Interviews were coded in MAXQDA™, synthesized into findings and cross-verified by a second reviewer.

RESULTS: Among 69 (44%) survey respondents, 61 (88%) were from LMICs. Ninety-five percent gave positive feedback on technical support, 87% reported that findings contributed to COVID-19 understanding, 65% to guiding public health and social measures, and 58% to guiding vaccination policy. Survey and interview group responses showed that the main technical barriers to using study findings were study quality, variations in study methods (challenge for meta-analysis), completeness of reporting study details and clarity of communicating findings. Untimely study findings were another barrier, caused by delays in ethical clearance, receipt of serological assays and approval to share findings. There was strong agreement that the initiative created equitable research opportunities, connected expertise and facilitated study implementation. Around 90% of respondents agreed the initiative should continue in the future.

CONCLUSIONS: The Unity Studies initiative created a highly valued community of practice, contributed to study implementation and research equity, and serves as a valuable framework for future pandemics. To strengthen this platform, WHO should establish emergency-mode procedures to facilitate timeliness and continue to build capacity to rapidly conduct high-quality studies and communicate findings in a format friendly to decision-makers.

RevDate: 2024-09-18
CmpDate: 2023-06-19

Wouters E, Verbrugghe C, Abdelnabi R, et al (2023)

Intranasal administration of convalescent plasma protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters.

EBioMedicine, 92:104597.

BACKGROUND: Convalescent plasma (CP) transfusion is an early option for treating infections with pandemic potential, often preceding vaccine or antiviral drug rollout. Heterogenous findings from randomized clinical trials on transfusion of COVID-19 CP (CCP) have been reported. However, meta-analysis suggests that transfusion of high titer CCP is associated with a mortality benefit for COVID-19 outpatients or inpatients treated within 5 days after symptom onset, indicating the importance of early administration.

METHODS: We tested if CCP is an effective prophylactic against SARS-CoV-2 infection by the intranasal administration of 25 μL CCP/nostril (i.e. 0.01-0.06 mg anti-RBD antibodies/kg) in hamsters exposed to infected littermates.

FINDINGS: In this model, 40% of CCP treated hamsters were fully protected and 40% had significantly reduced viral loads, the remaining 20% was not protected. The effect seems dose-dependent because high-titer CCP from a vaccinated donor was more effective than low-titer CCP from a donation prior to vaccine rollout. Intranasal administration of human CCP resulted in a reactive (immune) response in hamster lungs, however this was not observed upon administration of hamster CCP.

INTERPRETATION: We conclude that CCP is an effective prophylactic when used directly at the site of primary infection. This option should be considered in future prepandemic preparedness plans.

FUNDING: Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) and the Foundation for Scientific Research of the Belgian Red Cross Flanders.

RevDate: 2024-09-12
CmpDate: 2023-02-15

Popov IV, Ohlopkova OV, Donnik IM, et al (2023)

Detection of coronaviruses in insectivorous bats of Fore-Caucasus, 2021.

Scientific reports, 13(1):2306.

Coronaviruses (CoVs) pose a huge threat to public health as emerging viruses. Bat-borne CoVs are especially unpredictable in their evolution due to some unique features of bat physiology boosting the rate of mutations in CoVs, which is already high by itself compared to other viruses. Among bats, a meta-analysis of overall CoVs epizootiology identified a nucleic acid observed prevalence of 9.8% (95% CI 8.7-10.9%). The main objectives of our study were to conduct a qPCR screening of CoVs' prevalence in the insectivorous bat population of Fore-Caucasus and perform their characterization based on the metagenomic NGS of samples with detected CoV RNA. According to the qPCR screening, CoV RNA was detected in 5 samples, resulting in a 3.33% (95% CI 1.1-7.6%) prevalence of CoVs in bats from these studied locations. BetaCoVs reads were identified in raw metagenomic NGS data, however, detailed characterization was not possible due to relatively low RNA concentration in samples. Our results correspond to other studies, although a lower prevalence in qPCR studies was observed compared to other regions and countries. Further studies should require deeper metagenomic NGS investigation, as a supplementary method, which will allow detailed CoV characterization.

RevDate: 2025-06-25
CmpDate: 2023-01-27

Wu D, Goldfeld KS, E Petkova (2023)

Developing a Bayesian hierarchical model for a prospective individual patient data meta-analysis with continuous monitoring.

BMC medical research methodology, 23(1):25.

BACKGROUND: Numerous clinical trials have been initiated to find effective treatments for COVID-19. These trials have often been initiated in regions where the pandemic has already peaked. Consequently, achieving full enrollment in a single trial might require additional COVID-19 surges in the same location over several years. This has inspired us to pool individual patient data (IPD) from ongoing, paused, prematurely-terminated, or completed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in real-time, to find an effective treatment as quickly as possible in light of the pandemic crisis. However, pooling across trials introduces enormous uncertainties in study design (e.g., the number of RCTs and sample sizes might be unknown in advance). We sought to develop a versatile treatment efficacy assessment model that accounts for these uncertainties while allowing for continuous monitoring throughout the study using Bayesian monitoring techniques.

METHODS: We provide a detailed look at the challenges and solutions for model development, describing the process that used extensive simulations to enable us to finalize the analysis plan. This includes establishing prior distribution assumptions, assessing and improving model convergence under different study composition scenarios, and assessing whether we can extend the model to accommodate multi-site RCTs and evaluate heterogeneous treatment effects. In addition, we recognized that we would need to assess our model for goodness-of-fit, so we explored an approach that used posterior predictive checking. Lastly, given the urgency of the research in the context of evolving pandemic, we were committed to frequent monitoring of the data to assess efficacy, and we set Bayesian monitoring rules calibrated for type 1 error rate and power.

RESULTS: The primary outcome is an 11-point ordinal scale. We present the operating characteristics of the proposed cumulative proportional odds model for estimating treatment effectiveness. The model can estimate the treatment's effect under enormous uncertainties in study design. We investigate to what degree the proportional odds assumption has to be violated to render the model inaccurate. We demonstrate the flexibility of a Bayesian monitoring approach by performing frequent interim analyses without increasing the probability of erroneous conclusions.

CONCLUSION: This paper describes a translatable framework using simulation to support the design of prospective IPD meta-analyses.

RevDate: 2024-09-05
CmpDate: 2022-10-04

de Saint Laurent C, Murphy G, Hegarty K, et al (2022)

Measuring the effects of misinformation exposure and beliefs on behavioural intentions: a COVID-19 vaccination study.

Cognitive research: principles and implications, 7(1):87.

Misinformation has been a pressing issue since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, threatening our ability to effectively act on the crisis. Nevertheless, little is known about the actual effects of fake news on behavioural intentions. Does exposure to or belief in misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines affect people's intentions to receive such a vaccine? This paper attempts to address this question via three preregistered experiments (N = 3463). In Study 1, participants (n = 1269) were exposed to fabricated pro- or anti-vaccine information or to neutral true information, and then asked about their intentions to get vaccinated. In Study 2, participants (n = 646) were exposed to true pro- and anti-vaccine information, while Study 3 (n = 1548) experimentally manipulated beliefs in novel misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines by increasing exposure to the information. The results of these three studies showed that exposure to false information about the vaccines had little effect on participants' intentions to get vaccinated, even when multiple exposures led them to believe the headlines to be more accurate. An exploratory meta-analysis of studies 1 and 3, with a combined sample size of 2683, showed that exposure to false information both supporting and opposing COVID-19 vaccines actually increased vaccination intentions, though the effect size was very small. We conclude by cautioning researchers against equating exposure to misinformation or perceived accuracy of false news with actual behaviours.

RevDate: 2023-11-01
CmpDate: 2022-09-22

Gan L, Chen Y, Tan J, et al (2022)

Does potential antibody-dependent enhancement occur during SARS-CoV-2 infection after natural infection or vaccination? A meta-analysis.

BMC infectious diseases, 22(1):742.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to constitute an international public health emergency. Vaccination is a prospective approach to control this pandemic. However, apprehension about the safety of vaccines is a major obstacle to vaccination. Amongst health professionals, one evident concern is the risk of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), which may increase the severity of COVID-19. To explore whether ADE occurs in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections and increase confidence in the safety of vaccination, we conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between post-immune infection and disease severity from a population perspective. Databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, SinoMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Cochrane Library, were searched for articles on SARS-CoV-2 reinfection published until 25 October 2021. The papers were reviewed for methodological quality, and a random effects model was used to analyse the results. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I[2] statistic. Publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot and Egger's test. Eleven studies were included in the final meta-analysis. The pooled results indicated that initial infection and vaccination were protective factors against severe COVID-19 during post-immune infection (OR = 0.55, 95%CI = 0.31-0.98). A subgroup (post-immune infection after natural infection or vaccination) analysis showed similar results. Primary SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination provide adequate protection against severe clinical symptoms after post-immune infection. This finding demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 may not trigger ADE at the population level.

RevDate: 2025-07-28
CmpDate: 2022-08-19

Pogorelyy MV, Rosati E, Minervina AA, et al (2022)

Resolving SARS-CoV-2 CD4[+] T cell specificity via reverse epitope discovery.

Cell reports. Medicine, 3(8):100697.

The current strategy to detect immunodominant T cell responses focuses on the antigen, employing large peptide pools to screen for functional cell activation. However, these approaches are labor and sample intensive and scale poorly with increasing size of the pathogen peptidome. T cell receptors (TCRs) recognizing the same epitope frequently have highly similar sequences, and thus, the presence of large sequence similarity clusters in the TCR repertoire likely identify the most public and immunodominant responses. Here, we perform a meta-analysis of large, publicly available single-cell and bulk TCR datasets from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected individuals to identify public CD4[+] responses. We report more than 1,200 αβTCRs forming six prominent similarity clusters and validate histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA) restriction and epitope specificity predictions for five clusters using transgenic T cell lines. Collectively, these data provide information on immunodominant CD4[+] T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 and demonstrate the utility of the reverse epitope discovery approach.

RevDate: 2025-10-31
CmpDate: 2022-07-27

El-Sayed Moustafa JS, Jackson AU, Brotman SM, et al (2022)

ACE2 expression in adipose tissue is associated with cardio-metabolic risk factors and cell type composition-implications for COVID-19.

International journal of obesity (2005), 46(8):1478-1486.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 severity varies widely. Although some demographic and cardio-metabolic factors, including age and obesity, are associated with increasing risk of severe illness, the underlying mechanism(s) are uncertain.

SUBJECTS/METHODS: In a meta-analysis of three independent studies of 1471 participants in total, we investigated phenotypic and genetic factors associated with subcutaneous adipose tissue expression of Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), measured by RNA-Seq, which acts as a receptor for SARS-CoV-2 cellular entry.

RESULTS: Lower adipose tissue ACE2 expression was associated with multiple adverse cardio-metabolic health indices, including type 2 diabetes (T2D) (P = 9.14 × 10[-6]), obesity status (P = 4.81 × 10[-5]), higher serum fasting insulin (P = 5.32 × 10[-4]), BMI (P = 3.94 × 10[-4]), and lower serum HDL levels (P = 1.92 × 10[-7]). ACE2 expression was also associated with estimated proportions of cell types in adipose tissue: lower expression was associated with a lower proportion of microvascular endothelial cells (P = 4.25 × 10[-4]) and higher proportion of macrophages (P = 2.74 × 10[-5]). Despite an estimated heritability of 32%, we did not identify any proximal or distal expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) associated with adipose tissue ACE2 expression.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that individuals with cardio-metabolic features known to increase risk of severe COVID-19 have lower background ACE2 levels in this highly relevant tissue. Reduced adipose tissue ACE2 expression may contribute to the pathophysiology of cardio-metabolic diseases, as well as the associated increased risk of severe COVID-19.

RevDate: 2024-01-15
CmpDate: 2022-05-24

WHO Solidarity Trial Consortium (2022)

Remdesivir and three other drugs for hospitalised patients with COVID-19: final results of the WHO Solidarity randomised trial and updated meta-analyses.

Lancet (London, England), 399(10339):1941-1953.

BACKGROUND: The Solidarity trial among COVID-19 inpatients has previously reported interim mortality analyses for four repurposed antiviral drugs. Lopinavir, hydroxychloroquine, and interferon (IFN)-β1a were discontinued for futility but randomisation to remdesivir continued. Here, we report the final results of Solidarity and meta-analyses of mortality in all relevant trials to date.

METHODS: Solidarity enrolled consenting adults (aged ≥18 years) recently hospitalised with, in the view of their doctor, definite COVID-19 and no contraindication to any of the study drugs, regardless of any other patient characteristics. Participants were randomly allocated, in equal proportions between the locally available options, to receive whichever of the four study drugs (lopinavir, hydroxychloroquine, IFN-β1a, or remdesivir) were locally available at that time or no study drug (controls). All patients also received the local standard of care. No placebos were given. The protocol-specified primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality, subdivided by disease severity. Secondary endpoints were progression to ventilation if not already ventilated, and time-to-discharge from hospital. Final log-rank and Kaplan-Meier analyses are presented for remdesivir, and are appended for all four study drugs. Meta-analyses give weighted averages of the mortality findings in this and all other randomised trials of these drugs among hospital inpatients. Solidarity is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN83971151, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04315948.

FINDINGS: Between March 22, 2020, and Jan 29, 2021, 14 304 potentially eligible patients were recruited from 454 hospitals in 35 countries in all six WHO regions. After the exclusion of 83 (0·6%) patients with a refuted COVID-19 diagnosis or encrypted consent not entered into the database, Solidarity enrolled 14 221 patients, including 8275 randomly allocated (1:1) either to remdesivir (ten daily infusions, unless discharged earlier) or to its control (allocated no study drug although remdesivir was locally available). Compliance was high in both groups. Overall, 602 (14·5%) of 4146 patients assigned to remdesivir died versus 643 (15·6%) of 4129 assigned to control (mortality rate ratio [RR] 0·91 [95% CI 0·82-1·02], p=0·12). Of those already ventilated, 151 (42·1%) of 359 assigned to remdesivir died versus 134 (38·6%) of 347 assigned to control (RR 1·13 [0·89-1·42], p=0·32). Of those not ventilated but on oxygen, 14·6% assigned to remdesivir died versus 16·3% assigned to control (RR 0·87 [0·76-0·99], p=0·03). Of 1730 not on oxygen initially, 2·9% assigned to remdesivir died versus 3·8% assigned to control (RR 0·76 [0·46-1·28], p=0·30). Combining all those not ventilated initially, 11·9% assigned to remdesivir died versus 13·5% assigned to control (RR 0·86 [0·76-0·98], p=0·02) and 14·1% versus 15·7% progressed to ventilation (RR 0·88 [0·77-1·00], p=0·04). The non-prespecified composite outcome of death or progression to ventilation occurred in 19·6% assigned to remdesivir versus 22·5% assigned to control (RR 0·84 [0·75-0·93], p=0·001). Allocation to daily remdesivir infusions (vs open-label control) delayed discharge by about 1 day during the 10-day treatment period. A meta-analysis of mortality in all randomised trials of remdesivir versus no remdesivir yielded similar findings.

INTERPRETATION: Remdesivir has no significant effect on patients with COVID-19 who are already being ventilated. Among other hospitalised patients, it has a small effect against death or progression to ventilation (or both).

FUNDING: WHO.

RevDate: 2023-02-15
CmpDate: 2022-04-19

COVID-19 Excess Mortality Collaborators (2022)

Estimating excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic analysis of COVID-19-related mortality, 2020-21.

Lancet (London, England), 399(10334):1513-1536.

BACKGROUND: Mortality statistics are fundamental to public health decision making. Mortality varies by time and location, and its measurement is affected by well known biases that have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims to estimate excess mortality from the COVID-19 pandemic in 191 countries and territories, and 252 subnational units for selected countries, from Jan 1, 2020, to Dec 31, 2021.

METHODS: All-cause mortality reports were collected for 74 countries and territories and 266 subnational locations (including 31 locations in low-income and middle-income countries) that had reported either weekly or monthly deaths from all causes during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, and for up to 11 year previously. In addition, we obtained excess mortality data for 12 states in India. Excess mortality over time was calculated as observed mortality, after excluding data from periods affected by late registration and anomalies such as heat waves, minus expected mortality. Six models were used to estimate expected mortality; final estimates of expected mortality were based on an ensemble of these models. Ensemble weights were based on root mean squared errors derived from an out-of-sample predictive validity test. As mortality records are incomplete worldwide, we built a statistical model that predicted the excess mortality rate for locations and periods where all-cause mortality data were not available. We used least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression as a variable selection mechanism and selected 15 covariates, including both covariates pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as seroprevalence, and to background population health metrics, such as the Healthcare Access and Quality Index, with direction of effects on excess mortality concordant with a meta-analysis by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With the selected best model, we ran a prediction process using 100 draws for each covariate and 100 draws of estimated coefficients and residuals, estimated from the regressions run at the draw level using draw-level input data on both excess mortality and covariates. Mean values and 95% uncertainty intervals were then generated at national, regional, and global levels. Out-of-sample predictive validity testing was done on the basis of our final model specification.

FINDINGS: Although reported COVID-19 deaths between Jan 1, 2020, and Dec 31, 2021, totalled 5·94 million worldwide, we estimate that 18·2 million (95% uncertainty interval 17·1-19·6) people died worldwide because of the COVID-19 pandemic (as measured by excess mortality) over that period. The global all-age rate of excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic was 120·3 deaths (113·1-129·3) per 100 000 of the population, and excess mortality rate exceeded 300 deaths per 100 000 of the population in 21 countries. The number of excess deaths due to COVID-19 was largest in the regions of south Asia, north Africa and the Middle East, and eastern Europe. At the country level, the highest numbers of cumulative excess deaths due to COVID-19 were estimated in India (4·07 million [3·71-4·36]), the USA (1·13 million [1·08-1·18]), Russia (1·07 million [1·06-1·08]), Mexico (798 000 [741 000-867 000]), Brazil (792 000 [730 000-847 000]), Indonesia (736 000 [594 000-955 000]), and Pakistan (664 000 [498 000-847 000]). Among these countries, the excess mortality rate was highest in Russia (374·6 deaths [369·7-378·4] per 100 000) and Mexico (325·1 [301·6-353·3] per 100 000), and was similar in Brazil (186·9 [172·2-199·8] per 100 000) and the USA (179·3 [170·7-187·5] per 100 000).

INTERPRETATION: The full impact of the pandemic has been much greater than what is indicated by reported deaths due to COVID-19 alone. Strengthening death registration systems around the world, long understood to be crucial to global public health strategy, is necessary for improved monitoring of this pandemic and future pandemics. In addition, further research is warranted to help distinguish the proportion of excess mortality that was directly caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection and the changes in causes of death as an indirect consequence of the pandemic.

FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, J Stanton, T Gillespie, and J and E Nordstrom.

RevDate: 2025-07-28
CmpDate: 2022-08-29

Toller Erausquin J, Tan RKJ, Uhlich M, et al (2022)

The International Sexual Health And REproductive Health during COVID-19 (I-SHARE) Study: A Multicountry Analysis of Adults from 30 Countries Prior to and During the Initial Coronavirus Disease 2019 Wave.

Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 75(1):e991-e999.

BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence to date about changes to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) during the initial wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To address this gap, our team organized a multicountry, cross-sectional online survey as part of a global consortium.

METHODS: Consortium research teams conducted online surveys in 30 countries. Sampling methods included convenience, online panels, and population-representative. Primary outcomes included sexual behaviors, partner violence, and SRH service use, and we compared 3 months prior to and during policy measures to mitigate COVID-19. We conducted meta-analyses for primary outcomes and graded the certainty of the evidence.

RESULTS: Among 4546 respondents with casual partners, condom use stayed the same for 3374 (74.4%), and 640 (14.1%) reported a decline. Fewer respondents reported physical or sexual partner violence during COVID-19 measures (1063 of 15 144, 7.0%) compared to before COVID-19 measures (1469 of 15 887, 9.3%). COVID-19 measures impeded access to condoms (933 of 10 790, 8.7%), contraceptives (610 of 8175, 7.5%), and human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted infection (HIV/STI) testing (750 of 1965, 30.7%). Pooled estimates from meta-analysis indicate that during COVID-19 measures, 32.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 23.9%-42.1%) of people needing HIV/STI testing had hindered access, 4.4% (95% CI, 3.4%-5.4%) experienced partner violence, and 5.8% (95% CI, 5.4%-8.2%) decreased casual partner condom use (moderate certainty of evidence for each outcome). Meta-analysis findings were robust in sensitivity analyses that examined country income level, sample size, and sampling strategy.

CONCLUSIONS: Open science methods are feasible to organize research studies as part of emergency responses. The initial COVID-19 wave impacted SRH behaviors and access to services across diverse global settings.

RevDate: 2023-11-07
CmpDate: 2021-09-09

Fernando ME, Drovandi A, J Golledge (2021)

Meta-analysis of the association between angiotensin pathway inhibitors and COVID-19 severity and mortality.

Systematic reviews, 10(1):243.

BACKGROUND: Conflicting findings and the analysis of unpublished and retracted data have led to controversy on the safety of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers in people with COVID-19 infection. This meta-analysis examined the association of prescription of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) with the outcome from COVID-19.

METHODS: A systematic search was conducted to find published studies that reported the outcome of COVID-19 in relation to prescription of ACEI or ARB. Two authors (MF and AD) independently screened and extracted data and assessed study quality and strength of association using standardised tools. The endpoints for the meta-analyses were severe or critical disease outcome and mortality based on standardised criteria.

RESULTS: Twenty-six studies including 8389 people prescribed ACEI or ARB and 20,989 people not prescribed these medications were included. The quality of studies varied, and the overall strength of association was poor with a high risk of confounding bias. Patients prescribed ACEI or ARB had a greater prevalence of risk factors. Meta-analysis found an association between prescription of ACEI or ARB with severe or critical disease outcome (risk ratio, RR, 1.23, 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.06 to 1.42, p = 0.006, I[2] = 88%) but this association was lost in sensitivity analyses. There was no association between ACEI or ARB prescription and mortality (RR 1.18, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.50, p = 0.19, I[2] = 82%).

CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggests that people prescribed ACEI or ARB more commonly had severe or critical disease outcome, but not mortality, in published cohorts of patients diagnosed with COVID-19. This finding is most likely due to a greater prevalence of risk factors in these patients rather than due to exposure to angiotensin pathway inhibitors.

RevDate: 2024-08-01
CmpDate: 2021-10-20

Cuker A, Tseng EK, Nieuwlaat R, et al (2021)

American Society of Hematology living guidelines on the use of anticoagulation for thromboprophylaxis in patients with COVID-19: May 2021 update on the use of intermediate-intensity anticoagulation in critically ill patients.

Blood advances, 5(20):3951-3959.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19-related critical illness is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

OBJECTIVE: These evidence-based guidelines of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) are intended to support patients, clinicians, and other health care professionals in making decisions about the use of anticoagulation for thromboprophylaxis in patients with COVID-19-related critical illness who do not have confirmed or suspected VTE.

METHODS: ASH formed a multidisciplinary guideline panel that included 3 patient representatives and applied strategies to minimize potential bias from conflicts of interest. The McMaster University Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) Centre supported the guideline development process by performing systematic evidence reviews (up to 5 March 2021). The panel prioritized clinical questions and outcomes according to their importance for clinicians and patients. The panel used the GRADE approach to assess evidence and make recommendations, which were subject to public comment. This is an update on guidelines published in February 2021.

RESULTS: The panel agreed on 1 additional recommendation. The panel issued a conditional recommendation in favor of prophylactic-intensity over intermediate-intensity anticoagulation in patients with COVID-19-related critical illness who do not have confirmed or suspected VTE.

CONCLUSIONS: This recommendation was based on low certainty in the evidence, which underscores the need for additional high-quality, randomized, controlled trials comparing different intensities of anticoagulation in critically ill patients. Other key research priorities include better evidence regarding predictors of thrombosis and bleeding risk in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and the impact of nonanticoagulant therapies (eg, antiviral agents, corticosteroids) on thrombotic risk.

RevDate: 2021-08-27
CmpDate: 2021-08-27

He Y, Bai X, Zhu T, et al (2021)

What can the neurological manifestations of COVID-19 tell us: a meta-analysis.

Journal of translational medicine, 19(1):363.

BACKGROUND: Covid-19 became a global pandemic in 2019. Studies have shown that coronavirus can cause neurological symptoms, but clinical studies on its neurological symptoms are limited. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to summarize the various neurological manifestations that occurred in COVID-19 patients and calculate the incidence of various neurological manifestations. At the same time, we further explored the mechanism of nervous system injury and prognosis in COVID-19 patients in combination with their nervous system manifestations. This study provides a reference for early clinical identification of COVID-19 nervous system injury in the future, so as to achieve early treatment and reduce neurological sequelae.

METHODS: We systematically searched all published English literature related to the neurological manifestations of COVID-19 from January 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021, in Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. The keywords used were COVID-19 and terminology related to the nervous system performance. All included studies were selected by two independent reviewers using EndNote and NoteExpress software, any disagreement was resolved by consensus or by a third reviewer, and the selected data were then collected for meta-analysis using a random-effects model.

RESULTS: A total of 168 articles (n = 292,693) were included in the study, and the meta-analysis showed that the most common neurological manifestations of COVID-19 were myalgia(33%; 95%CI 0.30-0.37; I[2] = 99.17%), smell impairment(33%; 95%CI 0.28-0.38; I[2] = 99.40%), taste dysfunction(33%; 95%CI 0.27-0.39; I[2] = 99.09%), altered mental status(32%; 95%CI 0.22-0.43; I[2] = 99.06%), headache(29%; 95%CI 0.25-0.33; I[2] = 99.42%), encephalopathy(26%; 95%CI 0.16-0.38; I[2] = 99.31%), alteration of consciousness(13%; 95%CI 0.08-0.19; I[2] = 98.10%), stroke(12%; 95%CI 0.08-0.16; I[2] = 98.95%), dizziness(10%; 95%CI 0.08-0.13; I[2] = 96.45%), vision impairment(6%; 95%CI 0.03-0.09; I[2] = 86.82%), intracerebral haemorrhage(5%; 95%CI 0.03-0.09; I[2] = 95.60%), seizure(4%; 95%CI 0.02 -0.05; I[2] = 98.15%), encephalitis(2%; 95%CI 0.01-0.03; I[2] = 90.36%), Guillan-Barré Syndrome (GBS) (1%; 95%CI 0.00-0.03; I[2] = 89.48%).

CONCLUSIONS: Neurological symptoms are common and varied in Covid-19 infections, and a growing number of reports suggest that the prevalence of neurological symptoms may be increasing. In the future, the role of COVID-19 neurological symptoms in the progression of COVID-19 should be further studied, and its pathogenesis and assessment methods should be explored, to detect and treat early neurological complications of COVID-19 and reduce mortality.

RevDate: 2021-09-14
CmpDate: 2021-09-14

Biji A, Khatun O, Swaraj S, et al (2021)

Identification of COVID-19 prognostic markers and therapeutic targets through meta-analysis and validation of Omics data from nasopharyngeal samples.

EBioMedicine, 70:103525.

BACKGROUND: While our battle with the COVID-19 pandemic continues, a multitude of Omics data have been generated from patient samples in various studies. Translation of these data into clinical interventions against COVID-19 remains to be accomplished. Exploring host response to COVID-19 in the upper respiratory tract can unveil prognostic markers and therapeutic targets.

METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis of published transcriptome and proteome profiles of respiratory samples of COVID-19 patients to shortlist high confidence upregulated host factors. Subsequently, mRNA overexpression of selected genes was validated in nasal swabs from a cohort of COVID-19 positive/negative, symptomatic/asymptomatic individuals. Guided by this analysis, we sought to check for potential drug targets. An FDA-approved drug, Auranofin, was tested against SARS-CoV-2 replication in cell culture and Syrian hamster challenge model.

FINDINGS: The meta-analysis and validation in the COVID-19 cohort revealed S100 family genes (S100A6, S100A8, S100A9, and S100P) as prognostic markers of severe COVID-19. Furthermore, Thioredoxin (TXN) was found to be consistently upregulated. Auranofin, which targets Thioredoxin reductase, was found to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro. Furthermore, oral administration of Auranofin in Syrian hamsters in therapeutic as well as prophylactic regimen reduced viral replication, IL-6 production, and inflammation in the lungs.

INTERPRETATION: Elevated mRNA level of S100s in the nasal swabs indicate severe COVID-19 disease, and FDA-approved drug Auranofin mitigated SARS-CoV-2 replication in preclinical hamster model.

FUNDING: This study was supported by the DBT-IISc partnership program (DBT (IED/4/2020-MED/DBT)), the Infosys Young Investigator award (YI/2019/1106), DBT-BIRAC grant (BT/CS0007/CS/02/20) and the DBT-Wellcome Trust India Alliance Intermediate Fellowship (IA/I/18/1/503613) to ST lab.

RevDate: 2024-08-14
CmpDate: 2021-08-16

Xu J, Xiao W, Liang X, et al (2021)

A meta-analysis on the risk factors adjusted association between cardiovascular disease and COVID-19 severity.

BMC public health, 21(1):1533.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD), one of the most common comorbidities of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has been suspected to be associated with adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients, but their correlation remains controversial.

METHOD: This is a quantitative meta-analysis on the basis of adjusted effect estimates. PubMed, Web of Science, MedRxiv, Scopus, Elsevier ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library and EMBASE were searched comprehensively to obtain a complete data source up to January 7, 2021. Pooled effects (hazard ratio (HR), odds ratio (OR)) and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated to evaluate the risk of the adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients with CVD. Heterogeneity was assessed by Cochran's Q-statistic, I[2]test, and meta-regression. In addition, we also provided the prediction interval, which was helpful for assessing whether the variation across studies was clinically significant. The robustness of the results was evaluated by sensitivity analysis. Publication bias was assessed by Begg's test, Egger's test, and trim-and-fill method.

RESULT: Our results revealed that COVID-19 patients with pre-existing CVD tended more to adverse outcomes on the basis of 203 eligible studies with 24,032,712 cases (pooled ORs = 1.41, 95% CIs: 1.32-1.51, prediction interval: 0.84-2.39; pooled HRs = 1.34, 95% CIs: 1.23-1.46, prediction interval: 0.82-2.21). Further subgroup analyses stratified by age, the proportion of males, study design, disease types, sample size, region and disease outcomes also showed that pre-existing CVD was significantly associated with adverse outcomes among COVID-19 patients.

CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrated that pre-existing CVD was an independent risk factor associated with adverse outcomes among COVID-19 patients.

RevDate: 2023-11-29
CmpDate: 2021-08-13

Funke-Chambour M, Bridevaux PO, Clarenbach CF, et al (2021)

Swiss Recommendations for the Follow-Up and Treatment of Pulmonary Long COVID.

Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases, 100(8):826-841.

INTRODUCTION: Emerging evidence suggests that long-term pulmonary symptoms and functional impairment occurs in a proportion of individuals following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although the proportion of affected patients remains to be determined, physicians are increasingly being confronted with patients reporting respiratory symptoms and impairment beyond the acute phase of COVID-19. In face of limited evidence, the Swiss Society for Pulmonology established a working group to address this area of unmet need and formulated diagnostic and treatment recommendations for the care of patients with pulmonary long COVID (LC).

METHOD: The Swiss COVID Lung Study group and Swiss Society for Pulmonology (SSP) formulated 13 questions addressing the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary LC. A survey within the SSP special interest groups involved in care of LC patients was conducted in Switzerland. A CORE process/Delphi-like process was used to formulate recommendations. Forty experienced pulmonologists replied to the first survey and 22 completed the second follow-up survey. Agreement of ≥70% consensus led to formulation of a recommendation.

RESULTS: The participants in the survey reached consensus and formulated a strong recommendation for regarding the following points. Patients hospitalized for COVID-19 should have a pulmonary assessment including pulmonary function tests. Symptomatic subjects affected by COVID-19, including those with mild disease, should benefit from a pulmonary follow-up. Persistent respiratory symptoms after COVID-19 should be investigated by a pulmonary follow-up including plethysmography, diffusion capacity measurement, and blood gases analysis. Individuals having suffered from COVID-19 and who present with persistent respiratory symptoms should be offered a rehabilitation. Additional questions were given moderateor weak recommendations for. The panel did not reach sufficient consensus for pharmacological therapy (e.g., therapy specifically targeting lung fibrosis) to formulate recommendations for LC drug treatment.

CONCLUSION: The formulated recommendations should serve as an interim guidance to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of patients with pulmonary LC. As new evidence emerges, these recommendations may need to be adapted.

RevDate: 2025-05-30
CmpDate: 2021-09-15

Topriceanu CC, Wong A, Moon JC, et al (2021)

Impact of lockdown on key workers: findings from the COVID-19 survey in four UK national longitudinal studies.

Journal of epidemiology and community health, 75(10):955-962.

BACKGROUND: Key workers played a pivotal role during the national lockdown in the UK's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although protective measures have been taken, the impact of the pandemic on key workers is yet to be fully elucidated.

METHODS: Participants were from four longitudinal age-homogeneous British cohorts (born in 2001, 1990, 1970 and 1958). A web-based survey provided outcome data during the first UK national lockdown (May 2020) on COVID-19 infection status, changes in financial situation, trust in government, conflict with people around, household composition, psychological distress, alcohol consumption, smoking and sleep duration. Generalised linear models with logit link assessed the association between being a key worker and the above outcomes. Adjustment was made for cohort design, non-response, sex, ethnicity, adult socioeconomic position (SEP), childhood SEP, the presence of a chronic illness and receipt of a shielding letter. Meta-analyses were performed across the cohorts.

FINDINGS: 13 736 participants were included. During lockdown, being a key worker was associated with increased chances of being infected with COVID-19 (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.68) and experiencing conflict with people around (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.37). However, key workers were less likely to be worse off financially (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.65), to consume more alcohol (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.98) or to smoke more (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.80) during lockdown. Interestingly, being a key worker was not associated with psychological distress (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.05).

INTERPRETATION: Being a key worker during the first UK COVID-19 lockdown was a double-edged sword, with both benefits and downsides. The UK government had the basic duty to protect its key workers from SARS-CoV-2 infection, but it may have failed to do so, and there is an urgent need to rectify this in light of the ongoing third wave.

RevDate: 2024-12-07
CmpDate: 2021-03-16

Yao X, Yan X, Wang X, et al (2021)

Population-based meta-analysis of chloroquine: informing chloroquine pharmacokinetics in COVID-19 patients.

European journal of clinical pharmacology, 77(4):583-593.

AIMS: Chloroquine (CQ) has been repurposed to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Understanding the pharmacokinetics (PK) in COVID-19 patients is essential to study its exposure-efficacy/safety relationship and provide a basis for a possible dosing regimen optimization.

SUBJECT AND METHODS: In this study, we used a population-based meta-analysis approach to develop a population PK model to characterize the CQ PK in COVID-19 patients. An open-label, single-center study (ethical review approval number: PJ-NBEY-KY-2020-063-01) was conducted to assess the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of CQ in patients with COVID-19. The sparse PK data from 50 COVID-19 patients, receiving 500 mg CQ phosphate twice daily for 7 days, were combined with additional CQ PK data from 18 publications.

RESULTS: A two-compartment model with first-order oral absorption and first-order elimination and an absorption lag best described the data. Absorption rate (ka) was estimated to be 0.559 h[-1], and a lag time of absorption (ALAG) was estimated to be 0.149 h. Apparent clearance (CL/F) and apparent central volume of distribution (V2/F) was 33.3 l/h and 3630 l. Apparent distribution clearance (Q/F) and volume of distribution of peripheral compartment (Q3/F) were 58.7 l/h and 5120 l. The simulated CQ concentration under five dosing regimens of CQ phosphate were within the safety margin (400 ng/ml).

CONCLUSION: Model-based simulation using PK parameters from the COVID-19 patients shows that the concentrations under the currently recommended dosing regimen are below the safety margin for side-effects, which suggests that these dosing regimens are generally safe. The derived population PK model should allow for the assessment of pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics (PK-PD) relationships for CQ when given alone or in combination with other agents to treat COVID-19.

RevDate: 2023-11-12
CmpDate: 2020-10-01

Jin YH, Zhan QY, Peng ZY, et al (2020)

Chemoprophylaxis, diagnosis, treatments, and discharge management of COVID-19: An evidence-based clinical practice guideline (updated version).

Military Medical Research, 7(1):41.

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of a rapidly spreading illness, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), affecting more than seventeen million people around the world. Diagnosis and treatment guidelines for clinicians caring for patients are needed. In the early stage, we have issued "A rapid advice guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infected pneumonia (standard version)"; now there are many direct evidences emerged and may change some of previous recommendations and it is ripe for develop an evidence-based guideline. We formed a working group of clinical experts and methodologists. The steering group members proposed 29 questions that are relevant to the management of COVID-19 covering the following areas: chemoprophylaxis, diagnosis, treatments, and discharge management. We searched the literature for direct evidence on the management of COVID-19, and assessed its certainty generated recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Recommendations were either strong or weak, or in the form of ungraded consensus-based statement. Finally, we issued 34 statements. Among them, 6 were strong recommendations for, 14 were weak recommendations for, 3 were weak recommendations against and 11 were ungraded consensus-based statement. They covered topics of chemoprophylaxis (including agents and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) agents), diagnosis (including clinical manifestations, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respiratory tract specimens, IgM and IgG antibody tests, chest computed tomography, chest x-ray, and CT features of asymptomatic infections), treatments (including lopinavir-ritonavir, umifenovir, favipiravir, interferon, remdesivir, combination of antiviral drugs, hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine, interleukin-6 inhibitors, interleukin-1 inhibitors, glucocorticoid, qingfei paidu decoction, lianhua qingwen granules/capsules, convalescent plasma, lung transplantation, invasive or noninvasive ventilation, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)), and discharge management (including discharge criteria and management plan in patients whose RT-PCR retesting shows SARS-CoV-2 positive after discharge). We also created two figures of these recommendations for the implementation purpose. We hope these recommendations can help support healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients.

RevDate: 2026-01-13
CmpDate: 2026-01-10

Stojanovic M, Djuric M, Nenadic I, et al (2025)

Vascular Complications of Long COVID-From Endothelial Dysfunction to Systemic Thrombosis: A Systematic Review.

International journal of molecular sciences, 27(1):.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is associated not only with respiratory illness but also with profound vascular and coagulation disturbances. Long COVID (LC) is characterized by persistent symptoms such as fatigue, dyspnea, cognitive impairment, and palpitations. Mechanistically, SARS-CoV-2 induces direct endothelial injury, promotes a pro-inflammatory cytokine milieu, and activates platelets, leading to immunothrombosis and impaired fibrinolysis. Consequently, patients exhibit microthrombosis, elevated plasma D-dimer, fibrinogen dysregulation, and persistent hypercoagulability. Clinically, this translates into an increased risk of venous thromboembolism, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, as well as arterial thrombotic events such as myocardial infarction and stroke, which may persist months after acute infection. Understanding the interplay between endothelial injury, inflammation, and coagulation is crucial for risk stratification and the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies. We conducted a systematic narrative review of the literature, including human clinical and mechanistic studies identified through PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science up to 30 September 2025. This review synthesizes current evidence on vascular complications in LC, highlighting endothelial dysfunction as a central pathophysiological nexus linking the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection with chronic LC manifestations.

RevDate: 2026-01-13
CmpDate: 2026-01-10

Mcmillan P, Turner AJ, BD Uhal (2025)

The Central Role of Macrophages in Long COVID Pathophysiology.

International journal of molecular sciences, 27(1):.

This review article attempts to provide a unifying hypothesis to explain the myriad of symptoms and predispositions underlying the development of PASC (Postacute Sequelae of COVID), often referred to as Long COVID. The hypothesis described here proposes that Long COVID is best understood as a disorder of persistent immune dysregulation, with chronic macrophage activation representing the fundamental underlying pathophysiology. Unlike transient post-viral syndromes, Long COVID involves a sustained innate immune response, particularly within monocyte-derived macrophages, driven by persistent spike protein (peripherally in MAIT cells and centrally in Microglial cells), epigenetic imprinting, and gut-related viral reservoirs. These macrophages are not merely activated temporarily but also become epigenetically "trained" into a prolonged inflammatory state, as demonstrated by enduring histone acetylation markers such as H3K27acDNA Reprogramming. It is proposed that recognizing macrophage activation as the central axis of Long COVID pathology offers a framework for personalized risk assessment, targeted intervention, and therapeutic recalibration.

RevDate: 2026-01-13
CmpDate: 2026-01-10

Yang J, Qu Y, Yuan Z, et al (2025)

Targeting Host Dependency Factors: A Paradigm Shift in Antiviral Strategy Against RNA Viruses.

International journal of molecular sciences, 27(1):.

RNA viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2 and influenza, pose a persistent threat to global public health. Their high mutation rates undermine the effectiveness of conventional direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and facilitate drug resistance. As obligate intracellular parasites, RNA viruses rely extensively on host cellular machinery and metabolic pathways throughout their life cycle. This dependency has prompted a strategic shift in antiviral research-from targeting the mutable virus to targeting relatively conserved host dependency factors (HDFs). In this review, we systematically analyze how RNA viruses exploit HDFs at each stage of infection: utilizing host receptors for entry; remodeling endomembrane systems to establish replication organelles; hijacking transcriptional, translational, and metabolic systems for genome replication and protein synthesis; and co-opting trafficking and budding machinery for assembly and egress. By comparing strategies across diverse RNA viruses, we highlight the broad-spectrum potential of HDF-targeting approaches, which offer a higher genetic barrier to resistance, providing a rational framework for developing host-targeting antiviral therapies.

RevDate: 2026-01-13
CmpDate: 2026-01-10

Cuppen JJM, HFJ Savelkoul (2025)

Immune Delay, Beyond Immune Evasion, as a Driver of Pathogen Propagation Competence Through Neutrophil Dysregulation, to be Mitigated by Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (LF-EMF).

International journal of molecular sciences, 27(1):.

This paper proposes that immune delay, beyond immune evasion, is key in the propagation competence of major viral and bacterial infections, and that the dynamics of infection and immune response suggest possibilities for mitigating the ensuing infectious diseases. Recent data show a critical role of neutrophils at various stages of viral and bacterial infections, revealing how early activation of neutrophils could help mitigate infectious diseases. It could prevent the gradual overactivation of subclasses of neutrophils and probably not induce it. In respiratory virus infections, an immune delay of several days allows the development of a high viral load supporting infectivity towards further hosts when a delayed and increased immune response takes place. Virus variants will optimize immune delay towards highest infectivity, supporting pandemic potential. The influenza virus, coronavirus, and several major bacterial infections exhibit such immune delay capability. Recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI) are common, often associated with the causative uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) that has this capability, suggesting that immune delay is crucial in the pathogenesis of rUTI and other widespread bacterial infections. Counteracting immune delay, therefore, is a promising approach for mitigating infectious diseases with epidemic and pandemic presence or potential. Previously proven low-frequency electromagnetic field (LF-EMF)-induced neutrophil activation is such an approach.

RevDate: 2026-01-13
CmpDate: 2026-01-10

Azman SA, MP Kennedy (2026)

Single-Use Flexible Bronchoscopy: Advances in Technology and Applications.

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland), 16(1):.

With advances in scope and imaging technology, the use of single-use flexible bronchoscopy (SUFB) has broadened beyond intensive care units and operating rooms to bronchoscopy units, with an expanding body of literature suggesting adequate and comparable procedure outcomes, including airway inspection, bronchoalveolar lavage, endobronchial brushing and endobronchial biopsy, in comparison to standard reusable flexible bronchoscopy (RFB). Advantages such as mobility, ease of use and lack of requirement for cleaning staff during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a global increase in usage, with many companies developing SUFB as part of their bronchoscopy portfolio. In parallel, there has been more attention and initiatives to minimise the risk of infection transmission related to bronchoscopy. RFB requires maximum adherence to manufacturer-recommended cleaning protocols. However, evidence of transmissible organisms after cleaning is reported in healthcare settings of all types. After initial benchtop, retrospective and single-arm studies, comparative bronchoscopy studies are identifying that SUFB are as versatile and non-inferior to RFB. However, cost-effectiveness and sustainability factors have to be included in deciding the use of SUFB in routine practice.

RevDate: 2026-01-13
CmpDate: 2026-01-10

Vasinioti VI, Lucente MS, Catella C, et al (2026)

Feline Infectious Peritonitis: A Challenging Diagnostic and Therapeutic Labyrinth.

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 16(1):.

Feline coronaviruses (FCoVs) are ubiquitous pathogens, exhibiting high prevalence across feline populations worldwide. Although the virulent mutated biotype feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) is observed in only a small percentage of cats, it causes a systemic and often fatal disease. Diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is challenging due to its non-specific clinical signs and the difficulty in differentiating between the two biotypes, feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) and FPIV. Currently, veterinarians rely on a combination of diagnostic methods, integrating laboratory tests, anamnesis and clinical signs to improve the diagnostic accuracy of FIP. Once considered untreatable, FIP now benefits from recent pharmacological advances that suggest promising therapeutic options, including antiviral drugs and immunomodulatory therapies. Despite these developments, the lack of an effective vaccine and definitive curative treatment highlights the need for continued research. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current literature on diagnostic and treatment approaches for FIP. The aim is to improve understanding of the available options and strategies for FIP to mitigate its severe consequences.

RevDate: 2026-01-12
CmpDate: 2026-01-09

Nunes M, Kell L, Slaghekke A, et al (2026)

Virus-induced endothelial senescence as a cause and driving factor for ME/CFS and long COVID: mediated by a dysfunctional immune system.

Cell death & disease, 17(1):16.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and long COVID are two post-viral diseases, which share many common symptoms and pathophysiological alterations. Yet a mechanistic explanation of disease induction and maintenance is lacking. This hinders the discovery and implementation of biomarkers and treatment options, and ultimately the establishment of effective clinical resolution. Here, we propose that acute viral infection results in (in)direct endothelial dysfunction and senescence, which at the blood-brain barrier, cerebral arteries, gastrointestinal tract, and skeletal muscle can explain symptoms. The endothelial senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) is proinflammatory, pro-oxidative, procoagulant, primed for vasoconstriction, and characterized by impaired regulation of tissue repair, but also leads to dysregulated inflammatory processes. Immune abnormalities in ME/CFS and long COVID can account for the persistence of endothelial senescence long past the acute infection by preventing their clearance, thereby providing a mechanism for the chronic nature of ME/CFS and long COVID. The systemic and tissue-specific effects of endothelial senescence can thus explain the multisystem involvement in and subtypes of ME/CFS and long COVID, including dysregulated blood flow and perfusion deficits. This can occur in all tissues, but especially the brain as evidenced by findings of reduced cerebral blood flow and impaired perfusion of various brain regions, post-exertional malaise (PEM), gastrointestinal disturbances, and fatigue. Paramount to this theory is the affected endothelium, and the bidirectional sustainment of immune abnormalities and endothelial senescence. The recognition of endothelial cell dysfunction and senescence as a core element in the aetiology of both ME/CFS and Long COVID should aid in the establishment of effective biomarkers and treatment regimens.

RevDate: 2026-01-09

Chau MT, Spuur KM, H Vu (2026)

Health human resources shortages in radiography and sustainable workforce development in Australia.

Radiography (London, England : 1995), 32(2):103319 pii:S1078-8174(25)00463-8 [Epub ahead of print].

OBJECTIVES: Health Human Resources (HHR) are critical for the effective functioning of healthcare systems, yet significant shortages exist, particularly in radiography. The increasing demand for diagnostic radiography services, driven by advancements in medical technology, an aging population, and the prevalence of chronic diseases, exacerbates these shortages. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted workforce vulnerabilities, increasing workloads and burnout. This review examines HHR shortages in radiography in Australia and proposes strategies for sustainable workforce development.

KEY FINDINGS: The aging radiography workforce, with a significant portion nearing retirement, intensifies HHR shortages. The pandemic disrupted education and training, delaying the entry of new professionals and increasing turnover intentions among existing staff. The result being delayed imaging services, increased wait times, and potentially compromised patient outcomes. To address these challenges, a multifaceted strategy is proposed. Policy changes and government initiatives, including funding educational programs and recognizing internationally trained radiographers, can provide immediate relief. Expanding enrolment capacities and developing new training programs are essential. Retention strategies, including improving working conditions and career advancement opportunities, are crucial for workforce stability. Promoting advanced practice models can optimize task distribution and better utilize specialized skills. Leveraging technology, such as artificial intelligence and telehealth, can enhance productivity and extend service reach.

CONCLUSION: A comprehensive approach combining policy changes, educational initiatives, retention strategies, technology integration, international recruitment, and awareness campaigns is essential for addressing HHR shortages in radiography. By implementing these strategies, the radiography workforce can be better equipped to meet the growing demands of healthcare, ensuring optimal patient outcomes and the sustainability of health services.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Strengthening the radiography workforce will ensure timely and effective healthcare delivery, support health interventions, and progress towards universal health coverage and Sustainable Development Goals.

RevDate: 2026-01-09
CmpDate: 2026-01-09

Lee D, Malathi K, Okano T, et al (2026)

The OAS-RNase L pathway: Insights from experiments of nature.

Science immunology, 11(115):eads9407.

The 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetases (OASs) are type I interferon-inducible enzymes that, with ribonuclease L (RNase L), have been studied in the context of their coupled action as antiviral effectors. RNase L degrades host and viral ssRNA, affecting diverse cellular processes including translational arrest, interferon response, and apoptosis, all of which are thought to restrict viral replication. Recent studies of recessive inborn errors of human OAS1, OAS2, and RNase L, however, revealed that for SARS-CoV-2 infection, the main protective action of this pathway in natura may be through restricting phagocyte-driven postviral inflammation rather than restricting early viral replication in the respiratory tract. This finding is consistent with the identification of gain-of-function OAS1 mutations in humans with autoinflammation also driven by myeloid cells. Here, we retrace the investigation of the OAS-RNase L pathway, focusing on these recent in natura studies in humans that reposition the pathway as a determinant of the inflammatory response under natural conditions of infection.

RevDate: 2026-01-11
CmpDate: 2026-01-09

Tachibana S, CK Bourgeois Yoshioka (2025)

Take Fatigue or Fatigues into Account in Physiotherapy Interventions? A Rapid Scoping Review.

Physical therapy research, 28(3):157-173.

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms encountered in rehabilitation and during physical therapy interventions. Although this phenomenon is known and experienced by everyone, its assessment is not straightforward. The lack of consensus on its definition, complex etiology, and multidimensional nature means that a large number of outcomes exist and continue to be reviewed. However, it seems essential that its assessment be better defined and standardized to understand the effects of physical therapy. To provide an initial exploratory overview, we conducted a rapid scoping review of the various fatigue assessments used in physiotherapy interventions or performed by physical therapists. A total of 139 articles published between 2020 and July 31, 2025 were included and explored. We found 43 different outcomes used across 46 population groups. While the most well-known chronic conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis (MS), and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are representative, their assessment methods do not appear to be harmonized. These findings from the study support the idea that fatigue remains a complex phenomenon to assess. However, it appears that the lack of justification for the choice of an outcome prevents a better understanding of the reproducible effects on fatigue in physiotherapy interventions.

RevDate: 2026-01-13
CmpDate: 2026-01-13

Fan BE, Tan JHM, DS Tan (2026)

COVID-19 and Anticoagulant Use: Did the Pandemic Push DOACs Ahead of Warfarin?.

Seminars in thrombosis and hemostasis, 52(1):139-143.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic introduced unprecedented disruptions to health care delivery, compelling rapid adaptations in anticoagulation management. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), already displacing warfarin due to their convenience and reduced monitoring requirements, appeared well-positioned for broader adoption during pandemic-induced lockdowns. This commentary examines whether the pandemic catalyzed a meaningful shift in anticoagulant prescribing patterns from vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) to DOACs, drawing on data from the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, Europe, and Asia. In the United Kingdom, national guidance led to an abrupt and large-scale switch to DOACs, with sustained changes postpandemic. In contrast, Australia and the United States exhibited continuity in preexisting trends, with modest, transient shifts that did not persist. Asian and European data revealed a gradual trajectory toward DOACs, likely driven by long-term policy and infrastructure rather than acute pandemic pressures. While no universal transformation occurred, the pandemic accentuated existing preferences and exposed system-level vulnerabilities in warfarin monitoring. The global experience suggests that the COVID-19 crisis served as a selective accelerant of DOACs adoption, where health care systems and policies facilitated change. As health systems prepare for future disruptions, equitable access to DOACs and investment in remote care infrastructure will be essential to ensuring continuity and safety in anticoagulation therapy.

RevDate: 2026-01-13
CmpDate: 2026-01-13

Liem B, Wali G, Khan S, et al (2026)

Dermato-neuro syndrome triggered by SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.

Practical neurology, 26(1):51-54 pii:pn-2025-004613.

There are many possible causes for acute encephalitis, and systemic causes can be easily overlooked. We report a woman with initial status epilepticus, marked working memory impairment and ataxia, which developed 1 week following the ChAdOx1 SARS-CoV-2 (Astra-Zeneca) vaccination. Although lumbar puncture detected a paraprotein, it was not until she developed the hallmark cutaneous features of scleromyxoedema several months later that we recognised this as the dermato-neuro syndrome. Given the temporal association, the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was a likely trigger, and the decision whether to give subsequent vaccinations during the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic added a layer of complexity to decision making. We review the literature regarding dermato-neuro syndrome in the setting of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and explore its unique features.

RevDate: 2026-01-11
CmpDate: 2026-01-09

Ärlebrant L, Schimmer R, A Edin-Liljegren (2026)

Patients' experiences of video consultations: A qualitative systematic review.

Digital health, 12:20552076251404513.

INTRODUCTION: Video consultation (VC) became vital for improving healthcare access during COVID-19 pandemic and remains so. Despite evidence of effectiveness, concerns including technology literacy and inconsistencies in experience highlight the need for larger, patient-focused studies. While patients appreciate the convenience of VC, challenges during complex issues and patients' preferences for in-person care persists. Synthesising qualitative studies offers insights into the fragmented understanding of patient experiences with VC. This review explores adult patients' experiences of VC.

METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted for studies published between 2011 and 2024 and reported according to the PRISMA statement. Study quality was assessed using the CASP checklist, and data were analysed through thematic synthesis. Confidence in the findings was evaluated using GRADE-CERQual.

RESULTS: In total, 3203 unique studies were retrieved; 13 were included in the final synthesis, resulting in four main themes: (1) suitable for less complex issues when technical problems can be solved; (2) feeling secure, relaxed, and having mutual focus in an equitable partnership; (3) limitations regarding personal needs and practical help; and (4) increased vulnerability and lack of emotional feedback.

CONCLUSION: VC is experienced as ideal for managing less complex issues but is challenging for emotional topics due to technical concerns. It empowers patients by providing a neutral place for focused conversations but can create vulnerability and distance that can challenge the patient-professional relationship. Success requires technological adaptation, sufficient time during VC, and emotional support. VC should complement - not replace - traditional care, with its use determined in dialogue with patients.

RevDate: 2026-01-08

He WT, Jiang ZW, Veit M, et al (2026)

Multiscale imaging of RNA virus: bridging structural mapping and functional insights.

Trends in microbiology pii:S0966-842X(25)00365-8 [Epub ahead of print].

RNA viruses, exemplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, pose a significant threat to global health. Their rapid mutation and host adaptability highlight the need for advanced tools for efficient viral studies and timely countermeasure development. Imaging technologies, such as cryo-electron microscopy and super-resolution microscopy, have been pivotal in advancing our understanding of viral structures, infection mechanisms, and virus-host interactions. However, each technique has limitations in the field of view or resolution. Recent advancements have focused on developing integrated multiscale imaging to better understand RNA virus pathogenesis. In this review, we examine recent progress in RNA virus imaging across molecular, cellular, and tissue scales, including cryo-electron tomography and correlative multiscale imaging, which link structural mapping with functional insights.

RevDate: 2026-01-08

Huai Y, Wang X, Yan J, et al (2026)

Emerging viroporins, RBP dynamics, and skeletal remodeling: Targeting liquid-liquid phase separation for dual antiviral and bone-protective therapies.

Molecular aspects of medicine, 107:101445 pii:S0098-2997(26)00001-4 [Epub ahead of print].

Emerging and re-emerging viral pathogens, particularly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Zika virus (ZIKV), and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), are currently recognized as a significant global public health issue, commonly leading to devastating persistent complications including inflammatory bone disorders and long-lasting arthralgia. Although systemic cytokine storm has been reported as a significant factor, the particular intracellular processes through which these viruses affect bone homeostasis are still poorly understood. Recent studies underscore Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation (LLPS) and RNA-Binding Proteins (RBPs) as significant regulatory mechanisms manipulated by these viruses. Particularly, the SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein exploits its intrinsically disordered regions to promote LLPS, facilitating viral assembly by the active inhibition of a key host anti-viral mechanism, known as host Stress Granules. Studies suggest that this biophysical interaction can affect the stability of the HuR RBD, impairing the nuclear β-catenin localization and then Wnt-mediated osteogenesis. Despite increasing recognition of post-viral musculoskeletal complications, the mechanistic links between viral persistence, host RBP dysfunction, and impaired bone remodeling remain poorly defined. This review incorporates viral LLPS, stress granule impairment, and osteogenic signaling into a unified 'Two-Hit' pathogenic framework. It also addresses key knowledge gaps, including the lack of longitudinal clinical validation and in vivo evidence associating LLPS impairment to skeletal disorders. Interestingly, this framework represents translational opportunities for dual-action therapeutic strategies that simultaneously impair viral condensates and recover host RBP-associated osteogenic signaling. Targeting the virus-host phase interface can introduce a potential approach not only for antiviral therapies but also for inhibiting post-viral musculoskeletal complications.

RevDate: 2026-01-08
CmpDate: 2026-01-08

Khan S, Tang P, Yang P, et al (2026)

Dual-function cytokines as modulators of autophagy: reprogramming inflammatory resolution in severe COVID-19.

Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.], 75(1):11.

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and systemic immune-mediated damage are two of the severe COVID-19 outcomes that are primarily caused by cytokine storms triggered by dysregulated immune responses. The limited benefits of current immunosuppressive treatments highlight the need for mechanistic understanding to direct focused interventions.

OBJECTIVE: The dual functions of cytokines in controlling autophagy during SARS-CoV-2 infection are examined in this review, along with the potential for autophagy modulation to limit hyperinflammation and restore immune homeostasis.

KEY FINDINGS: Emerging evidence suggests that autophagy critically modulates the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in COVID-19. Through anti-inflammatory feedback mechanisms, cytokines contribute to resolution while promoting inflammation in the early stages. The IRE1α-XBP1 axis is activated by SARS-CoV-2-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress, which increases cytokine production and modifies autophagic flux. Concurrently, extracellular vesicles containing cytokines, damage-associated molecular patterns, and viral components are released as secretory autophagy reroutes cytoplasmic cargo toward multivesicular bodies and amphisomes, increasing paracrine immune activation. Suppressed degradative autophagy and increased secretory autophagy-mediated inflammatory signaling are the hallmarks of this pathological state.

CONCLUSIONS: In severe COVID-19, targeted autophagy restoration is a promising therapeutic approach to restore immune responses, reduce excessive inflammation, and encourage the resolution of cytokine storms. Restoring immune homeostasis through more targeted immunointerventions may be made possible by modifying autophagy pathways.

RevDate: 2026-01-08

Masters PS (2026)

Coronavirus genome packaging and nucleocapsid assembly.

Journal of virology [Epub ahead of print].

Coronaviruses are a family of positive-strand RNA viruses that exhibit highly selective packaging of their genomic RNA (gRNA) into assembled virions, despite the presence of a large excess of subgenomic viral RNA species and host RNA in infected cells. While this high selectivity is critical to evading host innate immune responses, surprisingly, it is not essential for virion assembly. This review focuses on four main topics: (i) coronavirus genome packaging signals (PSs)-how they are found and the function they serve; (ii) the viral components that recognize the PS in order to bring about selective gRNA packaging; (iii) coronavirus nucleocapsid structure and assembly; and (iv) the relationship between nucleocapsid protein phosphorylation and nucleocapsid assembly versus RNA synthesis. Current understanding of these areas has benefited immensely from advances made by recent studies, most of which were performed in response to the emergence of the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout this review, emphasis is placed on the counterintuitive distinction between coronavirus selective gRNA packaging and nucleocapsid assembly.

RevDate: 2026-01-08
CmpDate: 2026-01-08

Galuia M, Hussain A, S Ahmad (2025)

Biosimilars in Gynecologic Cancers: Basic Principles and New Horizons.

Frontiers in bioscience (Elite edition), 17(4):33415.

Biological therapies have transformed cancer treatment by targeting the molecular mechanisms involved in carcinogenesis. However, higher costs, limited accessibility, and supply chain disruptions-such as those caused by COVID-19 in recent years-underscore the need for cost-effective alternatives. Biosimilars, which are drugs that are highly similar to their reference biologics in terms of safety, efficacy, and quality, offer a viable solution (as these demonstrate clinically meaningful outcomes). This review article examines the role of biosimilars, mainly in gynecological cancers. The primary focus of this article is to compare the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of biosimilars, as well as to explore the barriers that restrict their widespread adoption. A comprehensive literature review was conducted, analyzing various studies, regulatory guidelines, and the latest data on biosimilars for the treatment of gynecological cancers. Pivotal trials, such as the GOG-0218, ICON7, and RUBY, were reviewed to assess the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of these biosimilars. This review highlights key oncologic therapies, including bevacizumab, trastuzumab, pembrolizumab, and their biosimilars, mainly for gynecological cancers. Additionally, this review considers the challenges of immunogenicity, interchangeability, and clinician awareness. After reviewing the latest peer-reviewed literature and related online materials, we found that biosimilars demonstrate comparable efficacy and safety to their reference biologics while also being more cost-effective. Recent clinical trials support the role of biosimilars in limiting the progression of disease and improving overall survival while reducing the financial burden of cancer treatments.

RevDate: 2026-01-12
CmpDate: 2026-01-12

Hamilton DO, Simpson V, Fox T, et al (2026)

Attenuated viral strains of priority pathogens for potential use in controlled human infection model studies: A scoping review.

PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 20(1):e0013243 pii:PNTD-D-25-00964.

BACKGROUND: There are several known pathogens and families identified as high risk for pandemic potential. It is essential to study these pathogens and develop medical countermeasures to mitigate disease prior to potential pandemics. Controlled human infection models (CHIMs) using attenuated viral strains may offer an efficient and safe way to do this.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to systematically examine the literature for attenuated, but replication competent, strains of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) identified priority pathogens (Ebola, Lassa virus, Nipah virus, Rift Valley fever virus, chikungunya virus and Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus) that have been administered to humans.

DESIGN: A comprehensive literature search of multiple databases was performed by an information specialist. All search results were screened by two authors against inclusion/exclusion criteria from a pre-specified protocol. The primary outcome was confirmation that the administered viral strain could subsequently be recovered from participants. The secondary outcome was attenuated virus safety.

RESULTS: Our searches yielded 13078 results and 5998 articles remained for screening after removing duplicates and animal studies. Subsequently, 351 articles were selected for full text review and nine were included for data extraction. Four distinct attenuated strains were identified across two priority pathogens - TSI-GSD-218 and VLA1553 for chikungunya virus and MP-12 and hRVFV-4s for Rift Valley Fever virus. Attenuated virus was recovered for each strain except hRVFV-4s. There were no major safety concerns for these identified strains in Phase 1-3 studies.

CONCLUSIONS: We have identified three attenuated viral strains that may be amenable to development into novel CHIMs for two priority pathogens. Of these, VLA1553 for chikungunya is a licenced and commercially available vaccine product suitable for use in CHIM. There is a research gap for the creation of new attenuated mutants that could be utilised in CHIM for other priority pathogens.

RevDate: 2026-01-12
CmpDate: 2026-01-12

Simons G, Opalinski D, Jenkins J, et al (2025)

Measurement of doctor wellbeing prior to the Covid pandemic: a methodological systematic review.

Occupational medicine (Oxford, England), 75(9):612-619.

BACKGROUND: There is no consensus definition of wellbeing, yet it is a key outcome for workforces.

AIMS: To describe which wellbeing outcomes had been measured in doctors and which wellbeing outcome measurement instruments had been used with doctors.

METHODS: A methodological review of existing literature. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PsycINFO and the International Bibliography of Social Science were searched for all study types, in all languages. Wellbeing outcomes were categorized as being operationalized in the aims, methods or results and by whether the outcome used to represent wellbeing included the word wellbeing, another positive concept, a pathological symptom, a pathology and were work- or doctor-specific. The outcome measurement instruments used were then categorized and the frequency collected.

RESULTS: A total of 218 studies were included in this review. The total number of unique outcomes used to capture wellbeing in the eligible studies was 57, with 369 non-unique outcomes. Two hundred and fifty-eight of the outcomes used contained the word wellbeing, its components and other positive concepts. For the outcome 'general wellbeing' alone, 92 different measurement tools were used. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was the most frequently used measurement tool for all outcomes and was used in 34 studies.

CONCLUSIONS: Wellbeing has been measured heterogeneously in doctors in terms of the outcomes and the outcome measurement instruments used. In approximately one-third of the times it was measured, the best that could be achieved was an absence of pathological symptoms, as a negative concept operationalized it.

RevDate: 2026-01-12
CmpDate: 2026-01-12

Morris M, Serrano LP, Patel K, et al (2025)

I can't get no satisfaction: burnout, stress, and depression in Latin medical students.

Trends in psychiatry and psychotherapy, 47:e20240818.

The state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress, known as burnout syndrome (BS), is not only affecting the medical workforce but medical students in training. Gender, race, ethnicity, and potentially other variables can serve as significant risk factors contributing to BS among medical students. Despite the importance of understanding these disparities, very few studies in the U.S. have analyzed race or ethnicity amongst their cohorts. However, there exists extensive information on burnout in students from Latin America, which serves as the primary focus of this review. A systematic literature search was conducted using pertinent terms in English and Spanish. Our review found that the prevalence of BS in Latin American countries varies widely, ranging from 4.3 to 43.90% pre-COVID-19 pandemic. Variability in the educational environment and the complex interplay of cultural, academic, and systemic factors appear to contributing to burnout among students. Post-pandemic investigations reveal even higher prevalences, particularly among women. High rates of depression and anxiety are also reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. The reviewed data showed that BS can become further exacerbated and complicated by existing psychiatric comorbidities amongst Latin American medical students. It is possible that we may observe continued upward trajectories in burnout trends among both healthcare workers and medical students in this post-COVID-19 pandemic era. These insights call for tailored interventions addressing not only burnout but also the interconnected mental health challenges faced by medical students in Latin America.

RevDate: 2026-01-10
CmpDate: 2026-01-08

Dameche K, Shams S, MS AlMesallam (2025)

Herpes Zoster (HZ) Over the Past 10 Years: A Systematic Review on Trends, Triggers, and Post-COVID-19 Impact.

Cureus, 17(12):e98556.

Herpes zoster (HZ) is a reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which has been traditionally associated with aging and immunosuppression. However, new data indicate that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed HZ epidemiology, with a higher incidence of HZ in post-COVID-19 patients and vaccinated subjects. This systematic review assesses the trends and triggers of HZ as well as the impact after the pandemic, focusing on the changes in the incidence rate among adult and pediatric patients during the last 10 years. All studies published between the years of 2014 and 2024 were accrued, based on a systematic review conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Relevant articles were identified from searches of databases and other sources. Eligibility criteria of studies were applied, and qualitative and quantitative syntheses of studies were performed. A total of 11 studies were included in the review, which examined the association between COVID-19, vaccination, and HZ risk. Several studies suggested that psychological stress and immune dysfunction could be risk factors for HZ incidence. HZ cases after COVID-19 vaccination have been reported, although causation is not established. Based on countries in which COVID-19 was diagnosed, hospitalizations are estimated at 14.4 per 100,000 inhabitants (0.6 to 32.9 per 100,000), and mortality was 1.3 per 100,000, points in this IR Batch (assuming that these are of all diagnosed cases). The risk of HZ reactivation may be increased following COVID-19 infection and vaccination. Higher hospitalization rates with higher mortality risks and neurological consequences were also observed in some populations. Strengthening HZ vaccination programs and studying post-COVID-19 immune responses further can be essential for reducing long-term health risks.

RevDate: 2026-01-10
CmpDate: 2026-01-08

El Rassi C, El Darzi R, Abou Mansour M, et al (2026)

MIS-C: Diagnosis, Management, and Outcomes.

Open forum infectious diseases, 13(1):ofaf762.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is an emergent postinfectious hyperinflammatory disorder predominantly affecting the pediatric population following COVID-19 infection. Clinically, it is characterized by persistent fever, shock, multiorgan involvement, and potentially severe cardiovascular involvement. This comprehensive review synthesizes current evidence on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic criteria, with particular emphasis on the management of MIS-C. We also stress on the importance of distinguishing MIS-C from phenotypically similar entities. Acute-phase management centers on supportive care, hemodynamic stabilization, and targeted immunomodulation, with intravenous immunoglobulin, corticosteroids, and biologic forming the therapeutic cornerstone. Thromboprophylaxis is frequently warranted due to the elevated thromboembolic risk, and long-term follow-up is essential to monitor for cardiac, gastrointestinal, and neurologic complications. Additional considerations include postrecovery vaccination protocols and the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in cases of refractory cardiorespiratory failure. Despite advancements in clinical outcomes, diagnostic ambiguity and heterogeneous management guidelines continue to pose significant challenges.

RevDate: 2026-01-08
CmpDate: 2026-01-08

Gimmon Y, CR Gordon (2026)

Neuro-vestibular rehab: new developments.

Current opinion in neurology, 39(1):83-87.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review highlights recent advances in neuro-vestibular rehabilitation, with emphasis on vestibular adaptation and emerging mobile technologies. It summarizes developments in promoting vestibular plasticity and discusses novel tools such as virtual reality, wearable sensors, and telehealth platforms that enhance access, engagement, and outcomes. The scope is broad, focusing on general principles rather than specific populations.

RECENT FINDINGS: New methods to enhance vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) adaptation include incremental adaptation devices and gamified exercises. Inducing VOR gain-down adaptation temporarily increases postural sway, which normalizes via sensory reweighting, demonstrating central compensation. Portable tools like StableEyes show promise in boosting VOR gain with brief sessions. Concurrently, technology-driven approaches are gaining traction. Gamified mobile applications and wearable sensors allow home-based rehabilitation with remote supervision and monitoring, showing promising results in conditions like multiple sclerosis. Virtual reality interventions and telehealth models accelerated during the COVID-19 era, expanding therapy delivery to underserved populations. Adjunctive methods such as vibrotactile feedback and galvanic vestibular stimulation are emerging as complementary therapies.

SUMMARY: Recent developments are advancing vestibular rehabilitation by refining adaptive training techniques and leveraging digital tools to overcome barriers in access and adherence. These innovations point to a more personalized, technology-enabled approach to optimizing neuro-vestibular recovery.

RevDate: 2026-01-10
CmpDate: 2026-01-07

Murata A, Tanaka M, Takayoshi M, et al (2026)

Osmotic nephropathy as a potentially underrecognized cause of acute kidney injury during SGLT2 inhibitor therapy: a case report and literature review.

CEN case reports, 15(1):16.

In recent years, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have become essential therapeutic agents in the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD), owing to their established renoprotective effects. Although acute kidney injury (AKI) may occasionally occur during SGLT2 inhibitor therapy, its pathological features remain incompletely understood. Here, we report a case of AKI caused by osmotic nephropathy in a patient with underlying CKD following the initiation of an SGLT2 inhibitor. We also review previously reported cases of SGLT2 inhibitor-associated osmotic nephropathy. A 71-year-old man with type 2 diabetes and CKD developed oliguric AKI, with his serum creatinine level increasing from 2.0 to 8.3 mg/dL, one month after initiating dapagliflozin. During this period, he experienced transient appetite loss associated with a COVID-19 infection. Despite initial management for presumed prerenal AKI, his renal function did not improve with intravenous fluid therapy, and he required hemodialysis. Kidney biopsy revealed characteristic features of osmotic nephropathy, including numerous isometric vacuoles within the epithelial cells of proximal tubules with preserved brush borders. His renal function began to improve approximately two weeks after discontinuation of the SGLT2 inhibitor, and eventually returned to baseline. This case and literature review highlight the potential for osmotic nephropathy as a rare but reversible complication of SGLT2 inhibitor therapy, which may be triggered by volume depletion, particularly in diabetic patients with pre-existing renal dysfunction. Recognition of this underdiagnosed entity is crucial for timely diagnosis and appropriate management.

RevDate: 2026-01-07

Wang B, Fu Y, Duan F, et al (2026)

Decoding emerging viral sepsis: Molecular crosstalk, dysregulation, and precision strategies.

Molecular aspects of medicine, 107:101442 pii:S0098-2997(25)00106-2 [Epub ahead of print].

Emerging and re-emerging viral pathogens pose a major challenge to global public health systems. One of the most significant complications associated with these viruses is viral sepsis, a severe condition characterized by organ dysfunction resulting from an unregulated host response to a viral infection. The present review comprehensively describes the molecular mechanisms underlying viral sepsis induced by emerging and re-emerging viral pathogens, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza virus, dengue virus (DENV), Ebola virus (EBOV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It discusses the complex molecular interactions between particular viral factors and host cellular pathways, highlighting significant dysregulations in various immune responses, metabolic reprogramming, and endothelial integrity that induce sepsis development. Furthermore, this review thoroughly addresses nascent precision strategies, including advanced diagnostics, targeted therapeutics, and immunomodulatory interventions, carefully tailored to distinct viral etiologies and host endotypes. By shedding light on the intricate molecular landscape of viral sepsis, this review aims to provide a robust framework for future mechanistic research and accelerate the development of effective, personalized interventions to combat this challenging complication.

RevDate: 2026-01-07
CmpDate: 2026-01-07

Zhang X, Han X, Xu J, et al (2026)

Disease-associated adipose browning: current evidence and perspectives.

Adipocyte, 15(1):2610540.

Brown and beige adipose tissue represent evolutionary adaptations in mammals, functioning as specialized thermogenic organs to maintain body temperature. Over the past two decades, researches have demonstrated that white adipose tissue (WAT) browning is an effective strategy to enhance energy expenditure. However, a growing body of evidence indicates that the browning process frequently occurs in a variety of chronic disease states, though its pathophysiological significance remains unclear. This review summarized evidence of pathological browning observed in human diseases and animal models, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer (CRC), clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), kidney health, burn injury, atherosclerotic, SARS-CoV-2 and sepsis. Despite distinct pathological contexts, adipose tissue browning is consistently observed. This suggests that browning may not simply serve its classical metabolically protective role, but instead reflect an atypical response to pathological stress. It is currently unclear whether this is a compensatory mechanism by the organism in a diseased state or merely a byproduct of the disease process. Whether this response is adaptive or a cause of disease progression remains unresolved. Future research should therefore focus on identifying the triggers and functional outcomes of pathological browning to better understand adipocyte plasticity and its role in disease progression.

RevDate: 2026-01-10
CmpDate: 2026-01-07

Azasi E, Asamoah PE, K Diaconu (2026)

Understanding the needs and key determinants of maternal, newborn, and child health among migrants in transit: a scoping review.

Global health action, 19(1):2607905.

The global surge in migration has exposed pregnant women and children in transit to heightened risk of maternal and child health (MCH) challenges, driven by systemic barriers and unstable conditions. Evidence on how these transitory factors influence MCH remains limited. This scoping review examined the health needs and key determinants affecting migrant populations in transit, specifically pregnant women and children travelling from their countries of origin to their intended destination countries, with the aim of identifying major barriers and proposing strategies for improved health outcomes. We screened 1202 sources of evidence using five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Europe PMC, CINAHL, and Medline) as well as grey literature. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Data were drawn from peer-reviewed literature, charted using a standardized framework, and analysed thematically. Key barriers included financial constraints, language obstacles, and limited access to healthcare services. Although humanitarian organizations offered some support, significant unmet needs remain, including exposure to transactional sex, absence of respectful maternity care, and restricted access to essential health services. These challenges are exacerbated in conflict and crisis settings. The review underscores the importance of addressing key determinants, including location, language, financial capacity, and community support, to improve health outcomes for pregnant women and children under five on the move. This review recommends strengthening community mobilization, leveraging technology, and ensuring equitable access irrespective of users' cultural or financial constraints.

RevDate: 2026-01-07
CmpDate: 2026-01-07

Kuperwasser C, WS El-Deiry (2026)

COVID vaccination and post-infection cancer signals: Evaluating patterns and potential biological mechanisms.

Oncotarget, 17:1-29 pii:28824.

A growing number of peer-reviewed publications have reported diverse cancer types appearing in temporal association with COVID-19 vaccination or infection. To characterize the nature and scope of these reports, a systematic literature search from January 2020 to October 2025 was conducted based on specified eligibility criteria. A total of 69 publications met inclusion criteria: 66 article-level reports describing 333 patients across 27 countries, 2 retrospective population-level investigations (Italy: ~300,000 cohort, and Korea: ~8.4 million cohort) quantified cancer incidence and mortality trends among vaccinated populations, and one longitudinal analysis of ~1.3 million US miliary service members spanning the pre-pandemic through post-pandemic periods. Most of the studies documented hematologic malignancies (non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, cutaneous lymphomas, leukemias), solid tumors (breast, lung, melanoma, sarcoma, pancreatic cancer, and glioblastoma), and virus-associated cancers (Kaposi and Merkel cell carcinoma). Across reports, several recurrent themes emerged: (1) unusually rapid progression, recurrence, or reactivation of preexisting indolent or controlled disease, (2) atypical or localized histopathologic findings, including involvement of vaccine injection sites or regional lymph nodes, and (3) proposed immunologic links between acute infection or vaccination and tumor dormancy, immune escape, or microenvironmental shifts. The predominance of case-level observations and early population-level data demonstrates an early phase of potential safety-signal detection. These findings underscore the need for rigorous epidemiologic, longitudinal, clinical, histopathological, forensic, and mechanistic studies to assess whether and under what conditions COVID-19 vaccination or infection may be linked with cancer.

RevDate: 2026-01-09
CmpDate: 2026-01-07

Idahor CO, Ogunfuwa O, Ogbonna N, et al (2025)

Transforming Emergency Care Through Telemedicine: A Narrative Review.

Cureus, 17(12):e98481.

Telemedicine has fleetly evolved from a niche result to a central pillar in modern emergency and critical care systems. This narrative review delves into the multifaceted role of telemedicine in emergency settings, tracing its historical development, present applications, and future possibilities. It examines how telemedicine islands geographical and infrastructural gaps, particularly in underserved communities, by enabling timely access to specialist care similar to telestroke services and remote ferocious care. Substantiation highlights advancements in clinical outcomes, functional effectiveness, and patient satisfaction, with global case studies demonstrating successful perpetration across both high- and low-resource settings. Despite these advances, challenges persist. Technological restrictions, regulatory barriers, digital knowledge gaps, and unlikeness in assent continue to hamper wide relinquishment. This review discusses these obstacles and underscores the significance of strategic investment, cross-sector collaboration, and policy reform. Arising inventions, including artificial intelligence, wearable devices, and scalable telehealth platforms, signal promising directions for perfecting reach and adaptability in emergency systems. Additionally, this paper identifies crucial areas for unborn research, including long-term outgrowth assessment and telemedicine's part in disaster and pandemic response. By synthesizing current substantiation and practical perceptivity, this review aims to inform clinicians, health system leaders, and policymakers about the transformative eventuality and ongoing challenges of telemedicine in emergency care. Eventually, it calls for sustained invention, equity-concentrated perpetration, and cooperative sweats to completely realize telemedicine's pledge in erecting a more accessible, responsive, and flexible emergency care geography.

RevDate: 2026-01-09
CmpDate: 2026-01-07

Liu T, Li M, Zhu L, et al (2025)

Ocular Lesions Related to COVID-19 and Its Vaccines.

Journal of ophthalmology, 2025:7078264.

OBJECTIVE: To review COVID-19 infection and COVID-19 vaccine-related ocular lesions.

METHODS: We carried out a systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library on COVID-19 and ophthalmology and reviewed the incidence, specific manifestations, and risk factors for COVID-19-related eye diseases and the relationship between the detection of COVID-19 in the conjunctiva and tears and eye involvement.

RESULTS: Conjunctivitis was the most common ocular lesion caused by 2019-nCoV infection, followed by uveitis and retinopathy. Conjunctivitis can be the first manifestation of COVID-19 infection and may be clinically related to the severity of pneumonia caused by COVID-19. In particular, conjunctivitis that occurs after pneumonia suggests that the patient has severe systemic disease. COVID-19 infection can cause uveitis, but the infection rate of COVID-19 in patients with uveitis is similar to that of the general population. Patients with uveitis need to reduce the dosage of systemic hormones and discontinue biological agents after being infected with COVID-19. Retinopathy caused by COVID-19 infection is mainly manifested as retinal microvascular disease, and the prognosis is good. SARS-CoV-2 detection in the conjunctiva and tears has high sensitivity and is of great value for disease diagnosis. Eye lesions caused by the COVID-19 vaccine, similar to other vaccines, have a low incidence and a good prognosis.

CONCLUSION: COVID-19-related ocular lesions are mainly manifested as conjunctivitis, uveitis, and retinal microvascular changes. These diseases are somewhat self-limiting and have a good prognosis.

RevDate: 2026-01-09
CmpDate: 2026-01-07

Yang Y, Wang K, S Chen (2025)

Effects of Hypoglycemic Agents on Pulmonary Diseases: A Comprehensive Narrative Review.

Journal of inflammation research, 18:18053-18078.

Beyond glycemic control, hypoglycemic agents exhibit multifaceted effects that may influence pulmonary health in patients with diabetes mellitus. This narrative review synthesizes available evidence from preclinical and clinical studies on the impact of major hypoglycemic drug classes-including biguanides, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, α-glucosidase inhibitors, DPP-4 inhibitors, SGLT-2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and insulin-on pulmonary diseases. Evidence suggests that these agents exert class-specific, and often conflicting, effects: preclinical studies support their protective potential in acute lung injury, while clinical data indicate variable efficacy in asthma, COPD, and respiratory infections including COVID-19. Conversely, some agents may be associated with increased risks of lung cancer or COPD exacerbations, underscoring the need for context-specific prescribing. Mechanistic insights from animal models primarily involve modulation of inflammatory, oxidative, and immune pathways. This narrative review aims to provide a clinical framework for personalizing hypoglycemic therapy in patients with comorbid pulmonary conditions, while underscoring the need for well-designed prospective studies to resolve existing controversies.

RevDate: 2026-01-09
CmpDate: 2026-01-07

Fadaei MR, Fadaei MS, Kheirieh AE, et al (2025)

Overview of dendrimers as promising drug delivery systems with insight into anticancer and anti-microbial applications.

International journal of pharmaceutics: X, 10:100390.

Dendrimers are tree-like polymeric molecules that have three main compartments: the core, branching units, and functional end groups. They are nanosized and monodispersed, with an almost spherical shape. For the past few decades, dendrimers have been evaluated in numerous studies as a promising category of candidates for gene delivery and diagnostic applications. Nowadays, some advanced dendrimers are considered promising anticancer delivery systems due to the vast types and applicable modifications. They also showed their effectiveness as antibacterial and antiviral agents. Smart dendrimers with pH-, redox-, or directly tumor microenvironment-responsive properties are investigated. pH-sensitive dendrimers enhance drug release in the tumor's acidic environment and inhibit release at physiological pH, thereby increasing the hemocompatibility of these chemical agents. Dendrimers have been examined for years to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV, HPV, HSV, etc. In this regard, some studies yielded encouraging results and opened new avenues. Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have shifted their focus toward seeking remedies to prevent and treat this viral disease. Dendrimers have already demonstrated favorable efficacy in protection against COVID-19 and other respiratory viral diseases. Furthermore, they may mitigate the neuroinflammatory manifestations of COVID-19 in individuals experiencing a critical disease state.

RevDate: 2026-01-09
CmpDate: 2026-01-07

Obeagu EI (2026)

Immunomodulatory strategies for managing cytokine storms in chronic COVID: mechanisms, therapeutic targets, and clinical advances.

Annals of medicine and surgery (2012), 88(1):653-659.

Chronic COVID, characterized by persistent symptoms following acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, is increasingly linked to sustained immune dysregulation, particularly cytokine storms that drive chronic inflammation and multi-organ complications. Understanding the mechanisms underlying cytokine dysregulation in chronic COVID is essential for developing effective therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring immune balance and mitigating long-term morbidity. This review critically examines current immunomodulatory strategies for managing cytokine storms in chronic COVID, including corticosteroids, cytokine-specific biologics, Janus kinase inhibitors, and emerging cell-based therapies. Additionally, the role of biomarker-guided precision medicine in personalizing treatment to optimize efficacy and safety is discussed. Challenges such as patient heterogeneity, timing and duration of therapy, and potential adverse effects are also addressed. Future research directions emphasize the need for robust clinical trials, novel therapeutic development, and integrated multidisciplinary care to improve patient outcomes. By tailoring immunomodulatory approaches based on individual immune profiles, it is possible to enhance the management of cytokine-driven inflammation in chronic COVID and advance the field toward more effective, personalized treatments.

RevDate: 2026-01-09
CmpDate: 2026-01-07

Woods JA, Hutchinson NT, Powers SK, et al (2025)

Physical activity during COVID-19 pandemic: A 5-year retrospect.

Sports medicine and health science, 7(6):405-418.

The purpose of this article is to provide a follow-up review of the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Disease or Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on human health and the role of physical activity (PA) during the 5-year pandemic. We aim to cover the immune system, the cardiopulmonary system, the musculoskeletal system, and the central nervous system (brain function), particularly among older adults, college students, and individuals with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (Long-COVID). The COVID-19 pandemic has given us many lessons, learned from the death of six million lives and tremendous disturbance to human life. First, we need to continue to investigate cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate various organistic failures resulting from the viral infection. Such investigations are the only way to completely understand the etiology of the diseases and to develop new drugs and vaccines. The molecular pathways that transmit the signals of viral infection to each organ system are different requiring both basic and clinical research. Available evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction, reduced microcirculation and latent immune activation play a major role, eventually impairing cardiovascular tolerance and peripheral bioenergetics. Second, the COVID-19 pandemic has manifested major disturbances to human lifestyles with reduced PA and exercise standing out as a major factor. Conversely, physical inactivity due to social confinement and mental/psychological stresses has been clearly linked to intensified pathogenic symptoms and amplification of adverse effects on multiple physiological systems. If not intervened, this interaction can lead to Long-COVID, a dangerous futile circle to cause systemic failure. Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic has exerted differential impacts on different populations. Thus, the strategy to develop and conduct to cope with the negativity of pandemic needs to be specific, flexible and tailored to fit different patient populations.

RevDate: 2026-01-10
CmpDate: 2026-01-10

Alzoubaidi M, Randhawa G, Reynhout J, et al (2026)

Wernicke Encephalopathy in a Pediatric Patient Secondary to Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Following COVID-19 Infection: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Journal of child neurology, 41(2):247-251.

Wernicke encephalopathy is most commonly associated with alcohol consumption and in patients with malnutrition. This case report discusses a rare presentation in an adolescent due to avoidant restrictive food intake disorder following COVID-19 infection. We performed a review of the literature and compiled reported cases of pediatric Wernicke encephalopathy.

RevDate: 2026-01-06

Messina A, Bella F, Maccarone G, et al (2026)

Astrocyte-mediated hippocampal damage in the pathogenesis of dysexecutive syndrome following COVID-19: A narrative review.

Journal of psychiatric research, 194:164-173 pii:S0022-3956(26)00007-5 [Epub ahead of print].

SARS-CoV-2 infection has been implicated in hippocampal damage, contributing to the pathogenesis of dysexecutive syndrome observed in post-COVID-19 patients. Given the growing prevalence of long-COVID worldwide, understanding how SARS-CoV-2 affects hippocampal structure and function has become an urgent scientific and clinical priority. The hippocampus-crucial for memory, emotional regulation, and executive functioning-is especially susceptible to viral-driven neuroinflammatory cascades. SARS-CoV-2 triggers astrocyte and microglia activation, disrupts blood-brain barrier integrity, and induces cytokine-mediated neurotoxicity, ultimately impairing neuroplasticity and neurogenesis. These mechanisms converge to produce cognitive and affective disturbances-most notably fatigue, apathy, low mood, and executive dysfunction-that typify dysexecutive syndrome in long-COVID. This review synthesizes current evidence from clinical and experimental studies, integrating findings on viral neurotropism, hippocampal hypometabolism, and astrocyte-mediated neurodegeneration. Distinctions between depressive symptoms driven by neuroinflammation and classical depressive disorders are clarified to improve diagnostic accuracy and guide personalized treatment. Emerging data on the neuroprotective role of COVID-19 vaccination-particularly its capacity to modulate microglial activation and support hippocampal neurogenesis-are also examined. Overall, the findings underscore the need for targeted therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating neuroinflammation and supporting hippocampal plasticity, including cognitive rehabilitation approaches. Longitudinal studies are essential to elucidate the enduring impact of SARS-CoV-2 on hippocampal function and to inform effective clinical interventions.

RevDate: 2026-01-06

Pupillo E, Leone MA, Amato A, et al (2025)

Prevalence and trajectories of post-COVID-19 neuromuscular conditions: A systematic-review and meta-analysis.

Journal of the neurological sciences, 481:125710 pii:S0022-510X(25)02332-9 [Epub ahead of print].

INTRODUCTION: Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) are a significant component of the post-acute sequelae of COVID-19. However, their long-term prevalence and trajectories remain poorly defined. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the long-term prevalence in COVID-19 survivors of fourteen specific NMDs and related symptoms: cranial nerve diseases, Guillain-Barré syndrome, small fiber neuropathy, (poly)radiculopathies, (poly)neuropathies, plexopathies, motor neuron disease, myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, neuropathic pain, sarcopenia, myalgia, myalgia associated with other symptoms, and of other muscle diseases.

METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library (January 2020 through November 2024) for studies with at least 3 months of follow-up. Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated at multiple time points (acute phase to 24 months) using random effects models.

RESULTS: Among 180 unique studies representing 15,865,322 cases (54 % female, mean age 50.0 years), the pooled prevalence for individuals with at least one NMD or related symptoms decreased from 36 % in the acute phase to 8 % at 24 months. Myalgia prevalence steadily declined from 35 % to 8 % by two years. A trend towards lower prevalences across the time points was observed also for Guillain-Barré syndrome, and other muscle diseases, while other conditions showed a more erratic pattern. The prevalence of neuropathic pain remained high and persisted almost unchanged through the follow-up period (from 31 % in the acute phase to 25 % at 12 months).

CONCLUSIONS: NMDs and related symptoms are common following COVID-19, but their general prevalence decreases with time. However, trajectories varied depending on the type of NMD or symptom.

RevDate: 2026-01-06

Kung PJ, Chen CM, Lin EC, et al (2025)

Ethical challenges around mandatory vaccination among nurses: A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative evidence.

International journal of nursing studies, 175:105313 pii:S0020-7489(25)00323-2 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND: Mandatory vaccination policies have sparked global ethical debates, particularly in the context of COVID-19. Among healthcare workers, nurses-the largest segment of the frontline workforce-face distinct tensions between professional responsibilities and personal autonomy. Yet, the ethical challenges these policies pose from nurses' perspectives remain insufficiently examined.

AIM: This review examines the ethical challenges of mandatory vaccination from nurses' perspectives, informs ethical policymaking, and provides insights to navigate similar future scenarios.

DESIGN: A mixed-methods systematic review guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology.

DATA SOURCES: Final searches of five databases-Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus-were conducted in September 2025. Additional records were identified through citation tracking and supplementary searches.

METHODS: Empirical studies published from 2019 onward were screened for relevance and assessed for methodological quality using standardized critical appraisal tools. Studies were included if they examined nurses' experiences, attitudes, or ethical perspectives regarding mandatory vaccination. A narrative synthesis approach was applied to integrate qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods findings.

RESULTS: Twenty-eight studies were included (19 quantitative, 5 qualitative, and 4 mixed methods). Four themes emerged: (1) Walking a Tightrope-Between Vaccine Safety and Effectiveness; (2) Silent Burden-Navigating Stigma in the Shadows; (3) Navigating the Fine Line-Balancing Rights and Public Health in Times of Crisis; and (4) Strengthening Leadership and Communication.

CONCLUSIONS: While mandatory vaccination policies may serve public health goals, they can also generate ethical distress, undermine trust, and increase stigmatization among nurses who remain unvaccinated. Future policies should move beyond enforcement toward fostering ethical alignment through education, open dialog, and respectful engagement.

REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42024551112, registered 03/06/2024.

RevDate: 2026-01-06
CmpDate: 2026-01-06

Cao-Lei L, Vrantsidis D, GF Giesbrecht (2026)

Epigenetic Insights into the Impact of Disaster-Related Prenatal Stress: A Narrative Review.

Harvard review of psychiatry, 34(1):7-22.

Disaster-related prenatal maternal stress, whether due to natural or human-made crises, can have profound effects on offspring health and development. This narrative review synthesizes research findings on the epigenetic mechanisms through which prenatal maternal stress influences long-term offspring health outcomes. Focusing primarily on DNA methylation, we examine how exposure to stress during gestation alters the epigenetic profile and may contribute to mental, cognitive, and physical health vulnerabilities. Studies were categorized based on disaster type, including time-limited events such as hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes, and stressors like the COVID-19 pandemic and famine. Key findings highlight the timing of exposure, sex-specific epigenetic effects, and the potential for epigenetic markers to mediate stress-induced health outcomes. While considerable progress has been made, our review emphasizes the need for further research on how epigenetics may mediate mental health outcomes and the development of interventions that target these molecular mechanisms.

RevDate: 2026-01-06
CmpDate: 2026-01-06

Pathak R, Vandeliwala M, Patel P, et al (2026)

Resurgence of human metapneumovirus: an overview of past and current trends.

Archives of microbiology, 208(2):93.

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a major respiratory pathogen belonging to the Pneumoviridae family that primarily affects children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Since its discovery in 2001, HMPV has been recognized as a significant cause of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) worldwide, exhibiting seasonal peaks and recurring outbreaks. In recent years, the virus has shown an unusual resurgence, particularly in the post-COVID-19 era, emphasizing the need for renewed clinical and epidemiological attention. This review provides a comprehensive overview of HMPV, encompassing its epidemiology, virion structure, replication mechanisms, host-pathogen interaction, clinical manifestations, diagnostic strategies, and current therapeutic approaches. Special attention is given to recent epidemiological trends, molecular insights derived from structural studies of viral proteins, and the challenges faced in developing vaccines and antiviral agents. Additionally, the review discusses the potential of plant-derived bioactive compounds as alternative or complementary therapeutic options. By consolidating the latest global data and highlighting existing knowledge gaps, the work aims to facilitate a better understanding of HMPV pathogenesis and guide future research directions for improved surveillance, diagnosis, and management of HMPV infections.

RevDate: 2026-01-08
CmpDate: 2026-01-06

Govorchin A, Leduc M, Atleo CG, et al (2026)

The right to health: indigenous data sovereignty in Canada during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lancet regional health. Americas, 54:101335.

The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted Indigenous Peoples in Canada, highlighting preexisting health inequities. These disparities were exacerbated by inadequate data management policies across Canadian governments, which contribute to inaccurate health information and access challenges for Indigenous Nations. Indigenous data sovereignty, which recognizes the right of Indigenous Peoples to govern their own data, has been identified as essential for achieving self-determination and improving health outcomes. We focus on British Columbia (BC) given its unique health and data governance structure with First Nations. This policy paper examines the challenges related to health data management that arose during COVID-19 in BC, and the regulatory barriers hindering Indigenous health equity. We present four policy recommendations that address data issues as a promising avenue to reducing health inequities in Canada. This includes supporting research by and with Indigenous Peoples, promoting ethical responsibilities of non-Indigenous researchers, implementing anti-racism policies, and adopting Indigenous data management frameworks.

RevDate: 2026-01-08
CmpDate: 2026-01-08

Liao Y, Liu Y, Xu S, et al (2026)

Incomplete Kawasaki disease associated with acute icteric hepatitis and Torque teno virus infection: a case report and literature review.

BMC pediatrics, 26(1):14.

INTRODUCTION: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute, self-limiting vasculitis that primarily affects children under five years of age. Its classic clinical features include prolonged fever, bilateral conjunctival injection, changes in the lips and oral cavity, cervical lymphadenopathy, rash, and extremity changes. Acute jaundice and liver dysfunction are atypical manifestations of KD. Cases in which jaundice is the initial presenting symptom-especially when accompanied by Torque Teno Virus (TTV) infection-are rarely reported.

CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a 17-month-old boy diagnosed with incomplete Kawasaki disease (IKD), who initially presented with persistent fever, jaundice, and elevated liver enzymes. At disease onset, characteristic mucocutaneous signs of KD were absent. As the illness progressed, the patient developed dorsal foot edema, erythematous lips, and cervical lymphadenopathy. On the ninth day of illness, echocardiography revealed dilation of the left coronary artery, confirming a retrospective diagnosis of IKD. Additionally, high-throughput sequencing of peripheral blood identified TTV type 28. The patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, methylprednisolone, and hepatoprotective agents. Following treatment, his fever resolved, jaundice subsided, liver function normalized, and coronary artery dimensions gradually returned to within the normal range.

CONCLUSIONS: This case highlights an atypical presentation of IKD, characterized by early-onset jaundice and later development of coronary artery dilation, in a patient also infected with TTV. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of IKD associated with acute icteric hepatitis and TTV infection. This case may inform clinical evaluation in similar presentations and contribute to future research on the etiology of KD.

RevDate: 2026-01-05

Boesen K, Hemkens LG, Janiaud P, et al (2026)

Topic-specific living databases of clinical trials: A scoping review of public databases.

Clinical trials (London, England) [Epub ahead of print].

INTRODUCTION: Conducting systematic reviews of clinical trials is time-consuming and resource-intensive. One potential solution is to design databases that are continuously and automatically populated with clinical trial data from harmonised and structured datasets. This scoping review aimed to identify and map publicly available, continuously updated, topic-specific databases of clinical trials.

METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, the preprint servers medRxiv, arXiv, Open Science Framework, and Google. We characterised each database using seven predefined features (access model, database type, data input sources, retrieval methods, data-extraction methods, trial presentation, and export options) and narratively summarised the results.

RESULTS: We identified 14 continuously updated databases of clinical trials, seven related to COVID-19 (initiated in 2020) and seven non-COVID-19 databases (initiated as early as in 2009). All databases, except one, were publicly funded and accessible without restrictions. Most relied on traditional methods used in static article-based systematic reviews sourcing data from journal publications and trial registries. The COVID-19 databases and some non-COVID-19 databases implemented semi-automated features of data import, which combined automated and manual data curation, whereas the non-COVID-19 databases mainly relied on manual workflows. Most reported information was metadata, such as author names, years of publication, and link to publication or trial registry. Only two databases included trial appraisal information (such as risk of bias assessments). Six databases reported aggregate group-level results, but only one database provided individual participant data on request.

DISCUSSION: Continuously updated topic-specific databases of clinical trials remain limited in number, and existing initiatives mainly employ traditional static systematic review methodologies. A key barrier to developing truly living platforms is the lack of accessible, machine-readable, and standardised clinical trial data.

RevDate: 2026-01-07
CmpDate: 2026-01-05

Du S, Cui Z, Xu X, et al (2025)

Clinical efficacy of exercise in the treatment of post-COVID-19 syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Frontiers in physiology, 16:1656713.

BACKGROUND: Post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) describes a constellation of persistent or new symptoms lasting beyond the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Emerging evidence suggests that exercise is a cost-effective and accessible intervention that may enhance pulmonary function, improve cardiopulmonary circulation, regulate emotional status, and alleviate symptoms of PCS. However, robust evidence supporting the efficacy of exercise therapy in PCS remains limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to elucidate the therapeutic potential of exercise therapy in PCS.

METHOD: A search of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Ovid databases up to March 25, 2025 yielded 33 randomized controlled trials (with 2,895 participants) for meta-analysis.

RESULT: The results showed that exercise therapy significantly improved the multi-dimensional outcomes of patients with PCS. Bayesian network meta-analysis indicated that the combination of aerobic exercise and respiratory muscle training had the best effect on lung function. Multimodal exercise significantly improved the results of the six-minute walk test, the dyspnea score, and peak oxygen uptake. Mental Health and Mental Component Summary scores improved significantly in the group that received exercise therapy (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION: The results of this meta-analysis confirm that exercise can significantly improve quality of life and the emotional state of patients with PCS. They also provide evidence for a treatment strategy in patients with post-COVID-19 sequelae.

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#myprospero, identifier CRD420251034187.

RevDate: 2026-01-07
CmpDate: 2026-01-05

Zheng Y, Liu C, Li Y, et al (2025)

The dual role of thrombospondin-1 in inflammatory regulation during acute respiratory distress syndrome: a mini-review.

Frontiers in immunology, 16:1699900.

Inflammation serves as a fundamental defense against tissue injury and infection, yet dysregulation can lead to pathological outcomes. Thrombospondin-1 (Thbs1/TSP1), a multifunctional glycoprotein significantly upregulated during inflammation, exemplifies a dualistic regulator with context-dependent roles. Through modulation of cytokine networks and inflammatory cell activity (notably macrophages), Thbs1 critically governs inflammatory responses. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a life-threatening condition fueled by systemic inflammation secondary to infection or trauma, presents complex pathophysiology requiring elucidation. COVID-19 research highlights elevated Thbs1 expression in severe patients, where it demonstrates protective effects against pulmonary damage primarily via extracellular matrix protection, inhibition of neutrophil serine proteases, and TGF-β-dependent repair pathways. However, paradoxical evidence indicates that dysregulated Thbs1 can also contribute to ARDS pathogenesis, potentially by amplifying inflammation, promoting thromboinflammation, or driving fibrosis. Mechanistic insights reveal Thbs1's influence on ARDS progression through ECM remodeling, serine protease inhibition, and TGF-β activation. While significant progress has been made in understanding Thbs1 signaling, the precise mechanisms dictating its context-dependent switch between protective and pathogenic functions in inflammatory pathways remain a critical area for future investigation.

RevDate: 2026-01-07
CmpDate: 2026-01-05

Yin L, Sun CY, Chen GL, et al (2025)

Modular mastery of inflammation: umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells as a therapeutic frontier.

Frontiers in immunology, 16:1721947.

Inflammation operates as a dual-edged sword in physiological defense and pathological damage, driving conditions from diabetes to neurodegeneration. Current anti-inflammatory therapies-NSAIDs, corticosteroids, and biologics-face clinical bottlenecks including non-specific toxicity, therapeutic ceiling effects, and drug resistance. Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) emerge as a transformative alternative, leveraging three synergistic modules: Immune reprogramming, Inflammasome inhibition, Intercellular communication. Clinical trials demonstrate efficacy in inflammatory bowel disease, COVID-19 ARDS, and graft-versus-host disease. UC-MSCs outperform conventional therapies by multi-pathway modulation and tissue-regenerative capacity, though challenges persist in cell heterogeneity and long-term safety. Future work must standardize dosing protocols and validate scalable production for clinical translation.

RevDate: 2026-01-07
CmpDate: 2026-01-05

Rodrigues T, Beltrão GS, Girardi H, et al (2025)

Viral reprogramming of glial metabolism as a driver of neuroinflammation.

Frontiers in immunology, 16:1686774.

Considerable attention has been recently devoted to the involvement of immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS) during infections with neurotropic viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, HIV-1, and ZIKV. These viruses are capable of infecting astrocytes and microglia, the main glial cells in the CNS, responsible for regulating neuronal activity. Here, we discuss how viral infections lead to metabolic reprogramming toward aerobic glycolysis in these cells, enhancing pro-inflammatory pathways, such as inflammasome activation, resulting in the secretion of inflammatory cytokines that favor the development of neuroinflammation. In this mini review, we discuss the pivotal interplay between metabolism and immunity towards viral pathogenesis in the CNS, pointing out the relevance of therapeutic strategies targeting both metabolic and immunological pathways to enhance antiviral and neuroprotective responses.

RevDate: 2026-01-07
CmpDate: 2026-01-05

Yamin M, Alsahafi N, Abdulal RH, et al (2025)

Non-coding RNAs in the viral host-pathogen interaction: molecular regulation and therapeutic potential.

Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology, 15:1734182.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNA (miRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and circular RNA (circRNA), serve as key regulatory molecules in the context of viral infection. They play dual roles by modulating host immune responses and influencing viral replication, persistence, and disease progression. Numerous ncRNAs have been implicated in infections caused by viruses such as HCV, DENV and SARS-CoV. This review highlights the biogenesis and multifaceted functions of both host-encoded and virus-encoded ncRNAs in shaping host-pathogen interactions. It also examines their potential as novel biomarkers and therapeutic agents for viral infections. We discuss translational applications such as Miravirsen, a miRNA inhibitor that reached clinical trials for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and diagnostic relevance of lncRNA NEAT1 in SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the end, we have also addressed the current challenges and limitations involved in translating research observations of ncRNAs to clinical outcomes.

RevDate: 2026-01-07
CmpDate: 2026-01-05

Maulana I, Shalahuddin I, Eriyani T, et al (2025)

"Exploring Psychosocial Interventions to Improve Mental Health Outcomes Among Healthcare Workers": Scoping Review.

Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare, 18:8293-8303.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) face heightened risks of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychosocial interventions have been increasingly implemented, yet the evidence remains fragmented across diverse settings and modalities. This scoping review aimed to map current psychosocial interventions designed to improve mental health outcomes among HCWs.

METHODS: Guided by the PRISMA-ScR framework, five databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost, Google Scholar) were searched from January 2000 to September 2025. Eligible studies involved HCWs, assessed psychosocial interventions, and reported mental health outcomes. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) appraisal tool was applied, and only studies scoring ≥70% were retained. Although multiple designs were eligible, only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met the quality threshold and were included. Data were synthesized descriptively and thematically.

RESULTS: Of 312 identified records, 15 RCTs (2021-2025) were included. Interventions were grouped into mindfulness and meditation programs (n=6), digital and mHealth approaches (n=5), and coaching or AI-assisted resilience training (n=4). Specifically, mindfulness interventions reduced stress and anxiety by up to 30% and consistently improved well-being. Notably, digital modalities-including mobile apps and internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-were widely used during the pandemic and demonstrated benefits for burnout, sleep quality, and resilience. Across all studies, coaching and AI-assisted interventions improved work engagement and reduced exhaustion, particularly in non-pandemic contexts.

CONCLUSION: Psychosocial interventions demonstrate strong potential to improve HCWs' mental health. Digital programs offer scalable support, while resilience-based approaches promote long-term well-being. Future research should examine implementation in low-resource settings, compare digital versus in-person modalities, and explore organizational-level strategies to complement individual interventions.

RevDate: 2026-01-07
CmpDate: 2026-01-05

Pluetrattanabha N, T Direksunthorn (2025)

Mobile Health Clinics and Telehealth Outreach in Thailand: A Focus on Elderly Care and NCDs.

Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare, 18:8321-8331.

BACKGROUND: Thailand faces a rapidly aging population alongside a high burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Ensuring equitable healthcare access for older adults with NCDs is a pressing challenge. Mobile health clinics and telehealth services have emerged as key strategies to reach underserved elderly populations and maintain continuity of NCD care in remote or resource-limited settings.

OBJECTIVE: To examine current mobile clinic initiatives and telehealth outreach in Thailand focused on elderly care and NCD management, and to evaluate their impact on healthcare access and outcomes for older adults.

METHODS: We conducted a narrative review of published literature, policy reports, and program descriptions on mobile health clinics and telehealth interventions in Thailand, with emphasis on applications for older adults and chronic disease care (eg, diabetes, hypertension). A comprehensive search (2010-2025) of PubMed, Google Scholar, and Thai government/organization websites identified relevant sources. Data on intervention models, settings, target populations, and reported outcomes were extracted. In total, 15 key publications and reports were reviewed, from which 8 major mobile clinic or telehealth initiatives were identified.

RESULTS: Mobile health clinics have expanded primary care access for vulnerable elderly in both urban and rural areas. The Thai Red Cross Society's mobile clinic serves remote mountainous communities and provides primary care, NCD screenings, vaccinations, and medications to about 5,000 underserved people annually. Past mobile outreach programs have uncovered many untreated cases-in one survey, 58% of hypertensive and 75% of diabetic elderly were first diagnosed via a mobile unit. Telehealth services have likewise grown substantially. During the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine was rapidly adopted for routine consultations and chronic disease follow-ups. The National Health Security Office (NHSO) introduced a nationwide telemedicine service under the Universal Coverage Scheme, enabling remote consultations and medication deliveries for stable chronic NCD patients, ensuring continuity of care during lockdowns. Numerous telehealth applications emerged (public and private); for example, smartphone apps like MorDee ("Good Doctor") gained wide usage in Thailand. In an urban pilot "Dusit Telemedicine" model, integrating community clinics with a tertiary hospital, over 300 elderly patients received teleconsultations, reducing overcrowding. An acceptance study in this Bangkok pilot found older generations significantly less likely to adopt telemedicine than younger people - perceived ease of use was a strong predictor of acceptance (adjusted OR 3.95 for usability). Community-based telehealth pilots in rural areas, such as a Chiang Mai program using Community Health Leaders, demonstrated high satisfaction (≥90%) and successful NCD risk screenings, but also highlighted the need for training and support for both health workers and patients.

CONCLUSION: Mobile clinics and telehealth are complementary strategies for enhancing healthcare delivery to elderly Thais with NCDs. Mobile clinics physically bring essential services to those unable to travel, while telehealth connects patients to providers for continuous care and monitoring. The Thai experience illustrates that integrating these innovations into primary healthcare systems can enhance equity of care for aging populations. Continued support, digital literacy training for seniors, and policy integration of telehealth into the health system are recommended to ensure healthy aging under universal health coverage.

RevDate: 2026-01-07
CmpDate: 2026-01-05

Kumar C, Akhileshwar , Kumar Neeraj R, et al (2025)

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Incidence of Myocarditis and Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Adolescents Receiving COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine.

Cureus, 17(11):e98208.

This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk of rare long-term adverse events, specifically myocarditis and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), in adolescents (12-19 years) following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. We systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Scopus, supplemented by trial registries and reference lists (PROSPERO: CRD420251045173). Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, case-control studies, self-controlled case series, and pharmacovigilance database analyses reporting myocarditis or GBS outcomes in adolescents receiving BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273. The search was conducted in June 2025, and all published studies were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB-2 tool, Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, or adapted criteria for pharmacovigilance studies. Effect measures were expressed as incidence rate or incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Myocarditis incidence was elevated in adolescent and young adult males, particularly after the second dose. Pooled analyses indicated a higher risk with mRNA-1273 compared to BNT162b2 (pooled IRR ≈ 3.9), although heterogeneity was very high (I[2] > 95%). For GBS, global pharmacovigilance data suggested only a modest association with mRNA vaccines (ROR 9.66), substantially weaker than for adenoviral vector or influenza vaccines. COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in adolescents is associated with a small but measurable increased risk of myocarditis, particularly in males, after the second dose, with a higher incidence following mRNA-1273. No consistent evidence of increased GBS risk was observed. Absolute risks remain low, and outcomes are generally favorable compared to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Continued surveillance and long-term follow-up are warranted.

RevDate: 2026-01-07
CmpDate: 2026-01-05

Shitaye G, Getie M, Mekonnen Z, et al (2025)

Molecular analysis of long COVID and new-onset diabetes mellitus: pathobiological relationships and current mechanistic views.

Frontiers in endocrinology, 16:1737894.

Long COVID, or post-acute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC), refers to a range of persistent health effects associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Long COVID is a complex, multisystem disorder that can affect nearly every organ system and is strongly linked with the incidence of diabetes and other chronic conditions. Increasing evidence also connects persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection with the development of new-onset diabetes and other metabolic disorders. In this review, we assess the current evidence and discuss the incidence of new-onset diabetes, along with the pathobiological mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 may contribute to the progression of both new-onset type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM and T2DM). We summarize the latest understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying SARS-CoV-2-associated new-onset diabetes. Potential mechanisms include direct damage to pancreatic β-cells, inflammation, insulin resistance, and autoimmune responses. Dysregulation of the ACE2/renin-angiotensin system (RAS) pathway has been linked to multiple inter-organ pathologies, and increased inflammatory cytokines together with dysregulation of interferon regulatory factors (IRFs)-such as overexpression of IRF1-appear to represent key mechanistic links to widespread tissue damage and metabolic alterations. Moreover, the presence of viral RNA or viral RNA fragments may directly damage pancreatic islets, contributing to insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction that, in turn, may promote the development of new-onset diabetes. In light of these findings, this review further examines evidence supporting the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in PASC reservoir tissues, including the pancreas, and its potential association with the development of new-onset diabetes mellitus.

RevDate: 2026-01-07

Suresh RR, Abuduani T, Kasthuri M, et al (2026)

Prodrug strategies in developing antiviral nucleoside analogs.

RSC medicinal chemistry [Epub ahead of print].

Prodrug strategies are used to enhance the physicochemical and pharmaceutical properties of drug candidates that may not be suitable for specific delivery or are limited by formulation options. A prodrug derivative is converted into its active pharmaceutical ingredient (drug) through enzymatic or chemical reactions within the body. Antiviral nucleoside prodrugs have garnered considerable interest in drug discovery, leading to the approval of key drugs such as remdesivir (SARS-CoV-2), Sovaldi (hepatitis C virus, HCV), and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate [hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV)]. Their success lies in improving the oral bioavailability and delivering the parent drug to the targeted tissues. This review focuses on the prodrugs of antiviral nucleosides evaluated in humans (approved, in development or terminated), providing an overview of the different approaches utilized and discussing their in vitro and in vivo benefits.

RevDate: 2026-01-07
CmpDate: 2026-01-05

Fan H, Wang L, Zhai L, et al (2025)

Mapping three decades of air pollution-lung cancer research: trends, hotspots, and networks (1990-2025).

Frontiers in oncology, 15:1698246.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between air pollution and lung cancer has attracted considerable attention from researchers worldwide. To systematically assess the scholarly landscape and pinpoint research fronts, this study employs bibliometric analysis to delineate global trends, collaborative networks, and key publications within this field.

METHODS: Publications from 1990 to 2025 were extracted from Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus databases. Bibliometric tools including VOSViewer, Citespace, and Bibliometrix R were used to examine trends, key contributors, research themes, and prominent journals.

RESULTS: Among 4,238 publications, citation rates rose significantly. China produced the most publications, with leading institutions such as Harvard University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Key researchers included Lan Q, Rothman N, and Vermeulen R. Major journals were Environmental Health Perspectives and Atmospheric Environment. Frequently used keywords like "Lung Cancer" and "Particulate Matter" indicate core themes, while emerging terms such as "Covid-19" and "Machine Learning" reflect evolving interests.

CONCLUSION: Fine particulate matter is an established environmental risk factor for lung cancer, and research on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and asbestos remains active. The field has shifted from exposure assessment to mechanistic investigations focusing on oxidative stress, gene expression, and machine learning applications, defining key future research directions.

RevDate: 2026-01-04
CmpDate: 2026-01-05

Seo JW, Seo YB, Kim SE, et al (2025)

Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendations for Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19.

Infection & chemotherapy, 57(4):478-521.

The guidelines presented herewith are based on the "Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendations for Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC)" published in Infection & Chemotherapy in March 2024; these guidelines have been refined by incorporating the most recent Korean and international research findings and clinical evidence published since then. In the context of patients experiencing various physical and mental symptoms that persist long after the acute phase of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, the diagnosis and management of PASC has emerged as a novel public health challenge. These guidelines are intended to provide standardized diagnostic and management recommendations applicable to the Korean healthcare setting and were developed through a comprehensive review of existing guidelines from organizations such as the World Health Organization, the United States National Institutes of Health, the United Kingdom National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, along with the latest meta-analyses and Korean cohort studies. PASC is defined as the persistent presence of symptoms and signs lasting more than 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis for which the symptoms cannot be explained by alternative diagnoses. The revised guidelines emphasize the importance of integrated management for patients with PASC, including a multidisciplinary approach considering risk groups, symptom-specific assessment, and rehabilitation and psychological interventions, based on a total of 32 key questions. This revision reflects rapidly evolving research trends regarding the long-term effects of COVID-19 and is expected to serve as an evidence-based standard guideline for future patient care, clinical research, and health policy development in Korea.

RevDate: 2026-01-04
CmpDate: 2026-01-05

Park WB, Hwang YH, Kwon KT, et al (2025)

COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations for 2025-2026 in Korea.

Infection & chemotherapy, 57(4):472-477.

The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases has regularly updated its adult immunization guidelines, including the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination recommendations in 2023 and the 2024-2025 seasonal update. This article provides a comprehensive update as of September 2025, reflecting the latest evidence and international guidance. Focusing on the 2025-2026 season, it reviews vaccines currently authorized in Korea and their effectiveness against predominant JN.1 sublineage variants, including LP.8.1, NB.1.8.1, and XFG. The updated recommendations prioritize vaccination with LP.8.1-adapted vaccines for high-risk groups-adults aged 65 years and older, individuals aged 6 months and older at increased risk for severe disease, and residents of facilities vulnerable to infection-while vaccination remains available for all individuals aged 6 months and older. A single-dose strategy is generally recommended, although older adults and immunocompromised individuals may consider an additional dose at 6-month intervals in consultation with healthcare professionals. These updates aim to refine Korea's COVID-19 vaccination strategy and sustain protection in high-risk populations, with recommendations remaining subject to revision as new evidence and epidemiological conditions evolve.

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ESP Quick Facts

ESP Origins

In the early 1990's, Robert Robbins was a faculty member at Johns Hopkins, where he directed the informatics core of GDB — the human gene-mapping database of the international human genome project. To share papers with colleagues around the world, he set up a small paper-sharing section on his personal web page. This small project evolved into The Electronic Scholarly Publishing Project.

ESP Support

In 1995, Robbins became the VP/IT of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA. Soon after arriving in Seattle, Robbins secured funding, through the ELSI component of the US Human Genome Project, to create the original ESP.ORG web site, with the formal goal of providing free, world-wide access to the literature of classical genetics.

ESP Rationale

Although the methods of molecular biology can seem almost magical to the uninitiated, the original techniques of classical genetics are readily appreciated by one and all: cross individuals that differ in some inherited trait, collect all of the progeny, score their attributes, and propose mechanisms to explain the patterns of inheritance observed.

ESP Goal

In reading the early works of classical genetics, one is drawn, almost inexorably, into ever more complex models, until molecular explanations begin to seem both necessary and natural. At that point, the tools for understanding genome research are at hand. Assisting readers reach this point was the original goal of The Electronic Scholarly Publishing Project.

ESP Usage

Usage of the site grew rapidly and has remained high. Faculty began to use the site for their assigned readings. Other on-line publishers, ranging from The New York Times to Nature referenced ESP materials in their own publications. Nobel laureates (e.g., Joshua Lederberg) regularly used the site and even wrote to suggest changes and improvements.

ESP Content

When the site began, no journals were making their early content available in digital format. As a result, ESP was obliged to digitize classic literature before it could be made available. For many important papers — such as Mendel's original paper or the first genetic map — ESP had to produce entirely new typeset versions of the works, if they were to be available in a high-quality format.

ESP Help

Early support from the DOE component of the Human Genome Project was critically important for getting the ESP project on a firm foundation. Since that funding ended (nearly 20 years ago), the project has been operated as a purely volunteer effort. Anyone wishing to assist in these efforts should send an email to Robbins.

ESP Plans

With the development of methods for adding typeset side notes to PDF files, the ESP project now plans to add annotated versions of some classical papers to its holdings. We also plan to add new reference and pedagogical material. We have already started providing regularly updated, comprehensive bibliographies to the ESP.ORG site.

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With the world now in the middle of a new and rapidly spreading pandemic, now is the time to read this book, originally published in 2012, that describes animal infections and the next human pandemic (that's actually the book's subtitle). You would be hard pressed to find a more relevant explanation of how this got started and why there will be more after this one. R. Robbins

Electronic Scholarly Publishing
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Papers in Classical Genetics

The ESP began as an effort to share a handful of key papers from the early days of classical genetics. Now the collection has grown to include hundreds of papers, in full-text format.

Digital Books

Along with papers on classical genetics, ESP offers a collection of full-text digital books, including many works by Darwin and even a collection of poetry — Chicago Poems by Carl Sandburg.

Timelines

ESP now offers a large collection of user-selected side-by-side timelines (e.g., all science vs. all other categories, or arts and culture vs. world history), designed to provide a comparative context for appreciating world events.

Biographies

Biographical information about many key scientists (e.g., Walter Sutton).

Selected Bibliographies

Bibliographies on several topics of potential interest to the ESP community are automatically maintained and generated on the ESP site.

ESP Picks from Around the Web (updated 28 JUL 2024 )