No abstract

Several observational studies investigated the relationship between pre-diagnosis with mental disorders and COVID-19 outcomes. Thus, we have decided to conduct this meta-analysis to explore this relationship. We complied to the PRISMA guidelines in conducting this meta-analysis. PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and medRxiv were searched until the 15th of February, 2021. We used the Random effect model in Meta XL, version 5.3 to pool the included studies. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q heterogeneity test and I². This meta-analysis included 634,338 COVID-19 patients from 16 studies. Our findings revealed that pre-diagnosis with mental disorders increased the risk of COVID-19 mortality and severity. This increase in the risk of COVID-19 mortality and severity remained significant in the model that only included the studies that adjusted for confounding variables. Furthermore, higher mortality was noticed in the included studies among schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders patients compared to mood disorders patients. In this meta-analysis we provided two models which both reported a significant increase in the risk of  COVID-19 severity and mortality among patients with mental disorders, and with the upcoming COVID-19 vaccines, we recommend to give this category the priority in the vaccination campaigns along with medical health providers and elderly.

Background: The posture while using smartphone in school-aged children is at risk on occurring musculoskeletal symptoms. The purpose of this study is to study the postures while using a smartphone and the factors related to the abnormalities of the musculoskeletal symptoms of school-aged children. Method: Experimental study is a method of this research. The samples were 233 school-aged children in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. Multi-stage sampling and data collection consisted questionnaire for the musculoskeletal symptoms by applying from the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, ISO 11226: 2000 Ergonomics-Evaluation of static postures, which was a smartphone using posture evaluation form with data analysis using percentage, mean, standard deviation and Chi square. Result: The smartphone usage posture are mostly a lying position, which is 52.4%. 91.5 % of children has unacceptable risky smartphone usage posture. Mostly, the lying position has various organs tilted at angles, compared to the body's symmetrical axis, rather than the sitting position. The school-aged children had a prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms of 20.2%, with the lying position having a higher rate of musculoskeletal symptoms, which is 10.7%. The smartphone usage posture is statistically signi cant correlated with the symptoms occurring in the head area. The risk of ergonomics and the musculoskeletal symptoms are statistically signi cant. Conclusion: The smartphone usage posture among students is at high risk especially lying position and has a chance of a musculoskeletal symptoms, higher than the sitting position. Educating to provide knowledge about safe use of smartphones to students, parents and relevant government agencies is very important.

Purpose To assess the impact of Jordanian’s Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) lockdown on visual acuity and macular thickness in patients with macular edema receiving intravitreal injections, and to assess the ethical endeavor of lockdown among serious sight threatening conditions. Patients and Methods This retrospective observational study included patients planned for intravitreal injections who did not complete the planned course before the lockdown (ie, before 20th of March 2020). Data included demographics, indication for the intravitreal injection, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), and central macular thickness on Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) before and after the lockdown. Results One-hundred and sixty-six eyes of 125 patients were studied, 68 (54.4%) patients were males, and the mean (± standard deviation, SD) age was 64.79 (±9.41) years. Mean (±SD) duration of delay in the planned injection was 60.97 (±24.35) days. The change in visual acuity was statistically significant for patients with diabetic macular edema (p= 0.045 improvement), patients with central retinal vein thrombosis (CRVO) (p= 0.05 deterioration), and patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (p= 0.005 deterioration). Of interest, delay of more than 2 months and the previous need for 3 or more injections were significant poor prognostic factors for visual outcome for patients with diabetic macular edema (p=0.027 and 0.045). Conclusion The impact of delay in the scheduled intravitreal injections resulted in variable outcomes depending on the indication. Triaging the urgency of patients should be based on the indication to support the equity principle of bioethics, where those in need are prioritized against others, depending on potential adverse outcome.

No abstract

BackgroundThird molars are the most commonly impacted teeth, and their extraction is the most commonly performed procedure in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The aim of the present study is to describe the pattern of mandibular third molar impaction and to define the most appropriate age for prophylactic extraction of mandibular third molar teeth.MethodsA total of 1198 orthopantomographs (OPGs) with 1810 impacted lower third molars were reviewed by two authors. The pattern of eruption in relation to patient’s age was examined using standard radiographic points and angles. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS for Windows release 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).ResultsIn patients older than 20 years, vertical pattern of impaction was the most common (21.4%); while in young patients; horizontal impaction was more common (21.3%). Furthermore, there was a constant pattern of increase in Pell-Gregory ramus class 1 with increasing age, as the prevalence of class 1 was 0% at age 18 years compared to 54.9% at the age of 26 years.ConclusionFrequency of vertical impaction of lower third molars was seen more at an older age (> 20 years) in this study, with an increase in the retromolar space. Late extraction of mandibular third molar teeth (i.e. after the age of 20) is therefore recommended when prophylactic extraction is considered.

Background: Silicone oil tamponade has become a mainstay in treatment of advanced retinal detachment due to multiple etiologies. The aim of this study is to assess the characteristics, fates and complications of long-term silicone oil tamponade after par plana vitrectomy (PPV), and to compare the outcomes of different silicone oil viscosities used in a cohort of consecutive patients. Methods: This is a retrospective comparative case series of eyes undergoing vitrectomy with silicone oil tamponade for retinal detachment by a single surgeon using different oil viscosities that were followed for one year with the silicone oil in situ. Visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP) and complications associated with the follow up period were analyzed and compared. Results: Eighty-five eyes of 85 patients were included in this study. Forty three patients had 1000 centistoke (cs) oil injected and 42 patients had 5000cs oil utilized. Demographic, cause of retinal detachment and preoperative ocular characteristics were similar in both groups. Long term complications in both groups included ocular hypertension (67.4% vs 66.7%), keratopathy due to silicone oil emulsification and migration to the anterior chamber (7.0% vs 11.9%), recurrent retinal detachment (4.7% vs 19%) and epiretinal membrane formation (7% vs 19%). In the 1000cs oil group, there was no significant difference between baseline IOP and any subsequent visit. There was a significant difference between baseline IOP and visits at day 1 (with IOP difference of 2.61 mmHg (±6.5)) (p = 0.028), 1 month (with IOP difference of 3.52 mmHg (±8.1)) (p = 0.026), 4 months (with IOP difference of 6.38 mmHg (±9.3)) (p = 0.005), and one year (with IOP difference of 4.24 mmHg (±11.1)) (p = 0.048), all higher in the post-operative period in the 5000cs oil group. Excluding the first post-operative day, no significant difference was found for VA between baseline visits and subsequent visits for either silicone oil groups.

Hypertension is one of the major risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we will assess the frequency of hypertension among healthy university students and its association with gender, body mass index, smoking, and family history of both hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. We screened healthy university students ranging from 18 to 26 years of age. For each participant, we performed blood pressure measurements using a previously validated device and obtained demographic data, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, and family history of both hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Out of the total number of 505 participants included in this study, 35.2% have blood pressure between 130/80 and 139/89, and 13.5% have blood pressure of more than 140/90. We found significant gender differences in both systolic pressure (p = 0.003) with mean difference = 18.08 mmHg (CI: 16.13 to 19.9) and diastolic pressure (p = 0.011) with mean difference = 3.6 mmHg (CI: 2.06 to 5.14), higher in males than in females. Upon comparing the mean difference in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure with BMI, we found significant differences in both systolic (p < 0.001) and diastolic (p = 0.002) blood pressure. We also found that smokers have significantly (p = 0.025) higher systolic blood pressure (mean difference = 4.2 mmHg, CI: 3.2 mmHg to 8.8 mmHg), but no significant difference for diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.386), compared to nonsmokers. First-degree family history of both hypertension and cardiovascular diseases affected systolic but not diastolic blood pressure. Taking into account the adverse short- and long-term effect of hypertension, we recommend adopting an awareness program highlighting the importance of screening blood pressure in young adolescent populations, keeping in mind that both high BMI and smoking are important modifiable factors.