Background: Post-COVID-19 syndrome covers a wide range of new, recurring or ongoing health conditions, which can occur in anyone who has recovered from COVID-19. The condition may affect multiple systems and organs. Aims: To evaluate the frequency and nature of persistent COVID-19 symptoms among healthcare providers in Jordan. Methods: Post-COVID-19 syndrome refers to symptoms extending beyond 4–12 weeks. We conducted a historical cohort study among 140 healthcare staff employed at the National Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Genetics, Amman, Jordan. All of them had been infected with COVID-19 virus during March 2020 to February 2022. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Results: Some 59.3% of the study population reported more than 1 persisting COVID-19 symptom, and among them 97.5%, 62.6% and 40.9% reported more than 1 COVID-19 symptom at 1–3, 3–6 and 6–12 months, respectively, after the acute phase of the infection. Post-COVID-19 syndrome was more prevalent among females than males (79.5% vs 20.5%) (P = 0.006). The most frequent reported symptom was fatigue. Females scored higher on the Fatigue Assessment Scale than males [23.26, standard deviation (SD) 8.00 vs 17.53, SD 5.40] (P < 0.001). No significant cognitive impairment was detected using the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scales. Conclusion: More than half (59.3%) of the healthcare workers in our study reported post-COVID-19 syndrome. Further studies are needed to better understand the frequency and severity of the syndrome among different population groups.
Background Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative brain disease related to the accumulation of an abnormally aggregated alpha-synuclein protein. A hypothesis was presumed that this protein will be transported retrogradely from the gastrointestinal tract ultimately leading to the disease. Various epidemiologic studies have shown conflicting results. This study reports the prevalence of appendectomy in Jordanian parkinsonian patients and compares it to controls seen at one major teaching hospital in Jordan. This is a retrospective study of 266 patients compared to a control group of 500 patients randomly selected from the hospital. The prevalence of appendectomy in the 2 groups was studied. Results The rate of appendectomy in patients and controls was 26/266 (9.8%) and 27/500 (5.4%), respectively (relative risk 1.30, odds ratio 1.81, χ2, p = 0.026). Appendectomy in the patients was independent of gender (χ2, p = 0.297). Also, there was no difference in patients with and without appendectomy regarding their age, age at diagnosis of PD, and duration of use of levodopa (p = 0.827, 0.960, and 0.688, respectively, Student t test). The mean duration from appendectomy to the diagnosis of the disease varied widely 23 ± 18.7 years, range −12–59 years. Conclusions Appendectomy occurred significantly more frequent in patients with Parkinson’s disease than in control. There was no difference regarding the age of onset of disease in the patients with and without appendectomy. Though the appendix in this study seems to have a protective role against the development of the disease, the relationship is quite complex requiring prospective in-depth evaluation.
Background: Lumbar puncture (LP) is a bedside procedure used to investigate diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems. We report the experience of a major teaching hospital in this procedure over a 5-year period. Methods: Medical records were reviewed of patients aged ≥ 13 years who underwent LP in the years 2014¬–2018. Age, gender, technique, indications, findings, complications, and final diagnosis were analyzed. Results: 195 patients, of whom 133 (68.2%) were females (aged 40.0 ±15.7) were studied. Opening pressure was measured in 104 (53.3%) patients (86, 82.7% females) showing a mean of 31.2±12.1cm, and closing pressure was measured in 54 (27.7%) patients with a mean of 16.5±5.7cm. Leukocyte and erythrocyte counts, and glucose and protein levels were measured in most patients (99.0%, 98.5%, 96.9%, and 96.9%, respectively). Bacterial culture and gram stain were performed in 28 (14.4%) and six (3.1%) patients, respectively. Cytology and oligoclonal bands were studied in 16 (8%) and 28 (14.4%) patients, respectively. Headache, peripheral neuropathy, and papilledema were the main indications found in 69 (35.4%), 41 (21.0%), and 26 (13.3%) patients, respectively. The most common final diagnoses were idiopathic intracranial hypertension, central nervous system inflammatory diseases, peripheral neuropathy, and meningoencephalitis in 68 (34.9%), 27 (13.3%), 20 (10.3%) and 16 (8.7%) patients, respectively. No major complications were recorded. Conclusions: LP is a common bedside procedure and the most common indications were intracranial pressure and inflammatory neurological disorders. It is a quite safe and useful procedure.
Figure 1. A. Endoscopic appearance of schwannoma as a smooth exophytic submucosal mass with central depression seen along the greater curvature of distal gastric body. B. Abdominal CT demonstrating luminal compression of the gastric body by a schwannoma with relatively homogenous attenuation and enhancement.
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