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Allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients are at risk of BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis. This condition causes a significant morbidity and worsens clinical outcomes. The standard cares for BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis are saline irrigation and forced diuresis. Notably, several beneficial roles are proposed for antiviral and anti-inflammatory agents against BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis. However, cases who are at risk of cystectomy remain refractory. Herein, we present a 13-year-old boy with severe hematuria by passing two months from his allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The laboratory work up showed high BK viremia >1.1 × 10 copies/ml in this case's urine sample. The patient was treated with antiviral agents in combination with supportive care. Moreover, intravesical alum was administered, but no clinical benefits were achieved. Finally, intravesical alprostadil was prepared under the supervision of a pediatric clinical pharmacist. In this regard, an alprostadil solution was prepared by constitution of 250 μg alprostadil in 50 mL saline. After administrating the first dose of intravesical alprostadil, an acceptable clinical response was observed, and hematuria stopped. Of note, alprostadil induces platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction. Thus, bleeding can be controlled after the administration of intravesical alprostadil. This strategy may be associated with several side effects including bladder spasm. This study is the first report describing the special role of intravesical alprostadil in refractory cases of BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis. In such refractory cases, clinicians can use intravesical alprostadil rather than invasive therapies in the treatment of BK virus-hemorrhagic cystitis.

Background Bupropion is a pharmacologic agent approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as an antidepressant and to support smoking cessation. Because reduction of seizure threshold is a rare but serious side effect of bupropion, its use in patients with a known history of seizures is contraindicated. We report a patient without seizure risk factors who presented to the emergency department (ED) with new-onset seizures secondary to bupropion use. Case Report A 66-year-old female presented to the ED by emergency medical services with altered mental status. She was determined to be postictal after a witnessed new-onset seizure 4 days after starting bupropion for smoking cessation. She had no personal or family history of seizure disorders, although her medication list raised suspicion that recent discontinuation of alprazolam may have contributed to a reduced seizure threshold. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? New-onset seizures secondary to bupropion use are less likely in patients with no personal or family history of seizure disorders. Emergency medicine clinicians should be aware, however, of the seizure risk associated with bupropion regardless of personal risk factors. Discontinuation of bupropion should be considered if determined to be a contributor to seizures.

Glutamine has been considered as a dietary supplement with a non-essential amino acid structure. Some studies have found that liver failure may be associated with a high plasma glutamine level. Consumption of this product may be linked to potential adverse effects. This report describes the first case of glutamine-induced hepatotoxicity. A 35-year-old female athlete with severe abdominal pain and scleral icterus was referred to the hospital. She had been taking glutamine powder for the past three weeks. Impaired liver function test and imaging evaluation suggested hepatotoxicity. Glutamine consumption was discontinued and the patient was closely monitored. Finally, after two weeks, the patient recovered successfully. This novel case was the first report regarding glutamine-induced hepatotoxicity. Health care providers must know that consumption of dietary supplements such as glutamine may be associated with serious side effects. Liver damage is a possible side effect of glutamine. Hence it is necessary to consider hepatotoxicity as an adverse reaction in case of glutamine supplement consumption.

COVID-19 is currently causing concern in the medical community as the virus is spreading around the world. It has a heavy global burden, particularly in low-income countries. The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 pneumonia ranges from mild to critically ill cases and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. An expert panel was held and an internal protocol was developed to manage the COVID-19 induced ARDS according to WHO recommendations and NIH guidelines. Different therapeutic regimens were employed on this protocol based on the ARDS severity and the patients' special characteristics. The mortality rate, the rate of survivors, and non-survivors were reported. Of the 231 suspected cases of COVID-19 admitted to the hospital during two weeks, 72 patients were admitted to ICU with diagnosis confirmed by RT-PCR. In total, mortality in the ICU was 25% (n = 18) among ARDS patients over two weeks. COVID-19 induced ARDS is a major concern. The rapid progression of ARDS needs specific protocol based on patients' characteristics and rapid action.

Introduction The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant mortality worldwide. The disease attacks the lung tissue and may lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome . An in vitro study showed that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has a prophylactic effect against COVID-19 due to its anti-inflammatory effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the prophylactic effect of HCQ on individuals in close contact with patients with COVID-19. Method In this quasi-trial study, we prescribed HCQ for 7 days to all people who had close contact with a patient with COVID-19. All contacts underwent a nasal swab in two steps, and those positive for COVID-19 were excluded from the study. After 14 days of follow-up, the clinical and laboratory manifestations of COVID-19 were evaluated. Results A total of 113 participants completed the study. The HCQ group comprised 51 (45.13%) contacts, and 62 (54.86%) contacts were allocated to the control group. According to the results of clinical examination and real-time polymerase chain reaction test, 8 (12.90%) contacts in the control group were reported to have contracted COVID-19. In the HCQ group, 7 (13.72%) contacts were confirmed to have contracted COVID-19. There was no relationship between HCQ use and age, sex, underlying disorders, and laboratory data (all p > 0.05). In terms of HCQ side effects, five participants experienced gastrointestinal and cutaneous side effects that subsided on discontinuation of HCQ. Conclusion The current study showed that HCQ had no prophylactic effect with regard to COVID-19 prevention.

Background: Statins are associated with several muscle complaints, such as: myositis, myalgia, muscle weakness, muscle spasms and rhabdomyolysis. Age, race, gender, dose of statin, concomitant medications, concomitant disorders and genetics have been reported as the most important risk factor for statin-induced myalgia. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of atorvastatin-induced myalgia in hospitalized patients in Tehran, Iran. Methods: In this cross sectional study, a questionnaire was developed by expert panel opinions. The questionnaire was included various items regarding demographic data and myalgia evaluation factors. Seven hundred patients were included in the study and necessary data were gathered. Finally, the data were analyzed and a statistical model was designed to predict the myalgia risk factors. Results: The rate of myalgia was 44.3% among studied patients. By developing a multivariate logistic model, female gender (OR= 0.47, P-value

Highlights • The pathophysiology of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection may be attributed to cytokine release syndrome. • In this syndrome, inflammatory cytokines (especially interleukin 6) are released after the activation of the inflammatory cascade. • The mortality rate among patients receiving tocilizumab with severe or critical SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported 16% in the current study comparing to 49 % based on the recent studies. • Tocilizumab, as an interleukin 6 antagonist, may be a promising agent to decrease the mortality rate in severe or critical SARS-CoV-2 infection., Background The clinical presentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection ranges from mild symptoms to severe complications, including acute respiratory distress syndrome. In this syndrome, inflammatory cytokines are released after activation of the inflammatory cascade, with the predominant role of interleukin (IL)-6. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of tocilizumab, as an IL-6 antagonist, in patients with severe or critical SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods In this prospective clinical trial, 76 patients with severe or critical SARS-CoV-2 infection were evaluated for eligibility, and ultimately, 42 patients were included. Tocilizumab was administered at a dose of 400 mg as a single dose via intravenous infusion. Primary outcomes included changes in oxygenation support, need for invasive mechanical ventilation, and death. Secondary outcomes included radiological changes in the lungs, IL-6 plasma levels, C-reactive protein levels, and adverse drug reactions. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results Of the 42 included patients, 20 (48%) patients presented the severe infection stage and 22 (52%) were in the critical stage. The median age of patients was 56 years, and the median IL-6 level was 28.55 pg/mL. After tocilizumab administration, only 6 patients (14%) required invasive ventilation. Additionally, 35 patients (83.33%) showed clinical improvement. By day 28, a total of 7 patients died (6 patients in the critical stage and 1 patient in the severe stage). Neurological adverse effects were observed in 3 patients. Conclusions Based on the current results, tocilizumab may be a promising agent for patients with severe or critical SARS-CoV-2 infection, if promptly initiated during the severe stage.

Introduction: Pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas. Drug-induced pancreatitis is an important cause of pancreatitis. There are two pathological types of acute pancreatitis, including pancreatic edema with a mild course and pancreatic necrosis with a poor prognosis. Some agents can induce pancreatitis, but so far, posaconazole-induced pancreatitis in children has been not reported. Here, we describe the case of a child with acute pancreatitis who received posaconazole. Case Presentation: A 10-year-old girl with a three-year history of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) was admitted to hospital due to epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and fever for the last four days. The pain was persistent and prominent in the periumbilical area. The patient was on lifelong antifungal prophylaxis for her illness. On abdominal sonography, the head of the pancreas was inflated, which can indicate pancreatitis. All the medications were discontinued at the time of admission, and along with sufficient hydration, acetaminophen was administered for the patient’s pain. One, three, and twelve months after discharge, the patient was visited for follow-up with no signs of stomach discomfort, and the lab data was within the normal limits. CGD is a rare disease in which the phagocytes fail to produce hydrogen peroxide. Such patients are prone to bacterial and fungal infections. Conclusions: In conclusion, this is the second case of posaconazole-induced pancreatitis and the first case in children; thus, we recommend that physicians should be aware of the signs of pancreatitis in high-risk individuals like immunocompromised pediatric population.

Introduction Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV‐ECMO) is a therapeutic strategy for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). There are inconclusive data in this regard and causes of VV‐ECMO failure are not yet understood well. Case Series Here, seven patients with COVID‐19‐induced ARDS who underwent VV‐ECMO introduced and causes of VV‐ECMO failure discussed. Medical records of seven COVID‐19 patients treated with VV‐ECMO were retrospectively evaluated to determine the clinical outcomes of VV‐ECMO. Oxygenator failure occurred in four patients whom needed to oxygenator replacement. Successful VV‐ECMO decannulation was done in three patients, however finally one patient survived. Conclusions Hypercoagulability state and oxygenator failure were the most main etiologies for VV‐ECMO failure in our study. All patients with COVID‐19 undergoing VV‐ECMO should be monitored for such problems and highly specialized healthcare team should monitor the patients during VV‐ECMO.

Background: Albumin is a colloidal protein medication in which has a limited availability in market and it has a high cost. Albumin must be used in such approved indications as, large volume paracentesis, plasmapheresis, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and hepato-renal syndrome. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the appropriateness of albumin utilization in a teaching hospital in Iran before and after guideline implementation. Methods: In this prospective study, a total of 100 patients were enrolled into the study in Loghman Hakim Teaching Hospital. The medical records of patients were reviewed and some information such as demographic parameters, albumin indication, albumin therapy duration, appropriateness of indication, nutrition type were recorded in pre-intervention phase. Then in post-intervention phase, albumin was administered after clinical pharmacist teaching and guideline implementation. After post-intervention period, demographic parameters, albumin indication, albumin therapy duration, appropriateness of indication were recorded again. Results: In phase 1, albumin was mostly prescribed in inappropriate indications and internist physicians were the most physicians who ordered albumin and wound healing also was the most frequent indication for albumin therapy. This improvement also was significant (P < 0.05). Data showed that albumin indication in post-intervention was different from that in the pre-intervention phase. After clinical pharmacist intervention most of indications were appropriately. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that in this hospital, albumin was prescribed inappropriately in most cases based on hospital guideline. This rate improved after clinical pharmacist intervention and resulted in significant reduction in albumin irrational utilization. It is advisable that albumin prescription must be monitored carefully by clinical pharmacists.

This article is a Letter to the Editor and does not include an Abstract.

Diabetes mellitus has been always one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the last decades. There exist a wide range of pharmacological agents for controlling this disease. However, these agents fare differently in terms of efficacy and safety. Hence, the aim of this study was to compare dulaglutide and liraglutide, two glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, in terms of efficacy and safety, drawing on a systematic review and meta-analysis. A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out in January 2018. The articles were evaluated by two independent investigators and their quality was evaluated using Jadad scale and the Cochrane Collaboration’s tools. Finally, the eligible articles entered the study. HbA1c and FBS were considered as efficacy outcomes. Safety profile was evaluated based on several outcomes such as serious side effects and vital signs. Three articles met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results indicated that the mean difference (MD) of HbA1c reduction was -0.10% (95% CI, -0.20% to -0.01%, P=0.03) in the patients who received dulaglutide in comparison with the patients who received liraglutide. In addition, dulaglutide was safer than liraglutide in terms of gastrointestinal problems (RR=0.85, 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.99, P=0.04, I2=55%) and heart rate (RR=-1.14, 95% CI, -1.90 to -0.38, P=0.003, I2=0%). Once-weekly dulaglutide showed a further reduction in HbA1c compared to once-daily liraglutide. However, comparisons between these regimens indicated no significant difference between groups in either FBS reduction or safety profile. Similarly, no statistically significant difference was observed in treatment discontinuation, hypoglycemia events, and vital signs.

A 27-year-old woman was presented with a burning like lesion. The skin lesion was developed after a jellyfish stings (Rhizostomae) while she was swimming in Pattaya Sea in Thailand, five days prior to her presentation. Instantly after jellyfish stings, she was taken into the ship for rescue operations. The ship personnel applied lemon juice and baking soda to the injured area believing that this remedy is efficient in this situation. The next day, she referred to a local hospital at Pattaya because she was suffering from a horrible pain in her arm and then she was discharged on oral Dicloxacillin and topical Hydrocortisone. The edema was extended the next days which intensified her pain. At this time, she was transferred to Loghman Hakim Hospital, Tehran, Iran. At admission, erythematous edematous patch with centrally grouped vesicles on the left arm was observed (Figure 1). The patient had a high-grade fever (38.1 °C) and was agitated due to her intolerable pain. Other vital signs were normal. In the sonography imaging, soft tissue edema was seen without any collection. According to the clinical and imaging findings, the diagnosis of soft tissue cellulitis due to jellyfish stings was made. The patient admitted to infections ward and intravenous antibiotics including Cefazolin at dose of 2000 mg every eight hours and Vancomycin at dose of 1000 mg every 12 hours initiated. After five days of hospitalization, the patient was recovered from left arm edema. Also, her pain decreased gradually and no obvious erythema was seen. The patient was finally discharged with a satisfactory clinical response

Objective: We aimed to detect and report the frequency of occurrence of drug-related problems (DRPs) in a Middle Eastern University Children's Hospital (Isfahan, Iran) and classify them in terms of their nature and cause to clarify the responsibility of clinical pharmacists for the safe utilization of medications in hospitalized children. Methods: In this cross-sectional study which was carried out in Imam Hossein Children's University Hospital affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (Isfahan, Iran) from September 2017 to May 2018, DRPs during the hospitalization of pediatric patients in three medical wards, the pediatric intensive care unit, and two neonatal intensive care units were detected and identified concurrently with the treatment process using Pharmaceutical Care Network of Europe data gathering form for DRPs v. 8.01. All cases were verified and validated in a professional focus group before documentation. Findings: We detected 427 DRPs in 201 out of 250 randomly included hospitalized children in which 86% of them were directly reported by the hospital's clinical pharmacist. The highest frequency of DRPs (47.3%) was observed in the age range of 1 month–2 years. Safety of treatment was the most frequently reported as the nature of the problem (43.5%), followed by effectiveness issues (36.8%). The most frequent cause of DRPs was dose selection issues (34.2%), followed by drug-type selection (25.5%), and unavailability of appropriate dosage forms (13.6%). Ninety-eight interventions were proposed by the clinical pharmacist, in which 59.2% of them were accepted. Conclusion: This study confirms the necessity for the active role of clinical pharmacists before, during, and after drug therapy in hospitalized pediatric patients for the safety and proper utilization of drugs in this vulnerable population.

Introduction: Atropine is not recommended in organophosphorus (OPs) poisoning cases without any obvious clinical signs. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of Atropine challenge test in screening OPs poisoning cases with atypical presentation. Methods: In this prospective cross sectional study, after primary supportive care, patients with atypical pretentions of OPs poisoning underwent Atropine challenge test (1 mg intravenously) and demographic parameters, clinical presentations, and serum level of cholinesterase enzyme were compared between cases with positive and negative test results. Results: 20 patients with the mean age of 47.60 ± 13.25 years were studied. The mean time since exposure and initial symptoms was 6.17 ± 2.99 hours. The most common clinical presentations were tachycardia (55%) and flushing (35%). The atropine challenge test was positive in 3 (15.00%) cases. The two groups were the same regarding gender distribution (p = 0.582), mean age (p = 0.957), clinical presentation (p > 0.05), and mean PR interval (p = 0.729). The level of cholinesterase was 220.00 ± 15.52 U/mL and 332.17 ± 143.99 U/mL in patients with positive and negative Atropine challenge test, respectively (p = 0.006). Conclusion: Patients with positive Atropine challenge test had a significantly lower level of serum cholinesterase and response to Atropine in their therapeutic management. Hence, Atropine challenge test could be considered as a useful clinical test in the setting of acute OPs poising.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and inflammatory autoimmune disease. These patients may manifest severe inflammatory cutaneous reactions after using interferon beta-1b. This article describes a 55-year-old man with severe injection site reactions after 10 years administration of interferon beta-1b. The biopsy specimens revealed skin and subcutaneous tissue necrosis. Histologic evaluation revealed nonspecific inflammatory reactions with no evidence of vasculitis or granulomatous reactions. Based on clinical and pathological findings, the diagnosis of skin and soft tissue necrosis due to interferon injection was given. The injection of interferon beta-1b in the affected areas was stopped, and the patient's clinical condition improved by wound care. This report is aimed to increase awareness about severe adverse skin reactions, which may infrequently occur with subcutaneous interferon beta-1b injection after several years. Early diagnosis of this reaction can help to prevent associated complications.