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Background: Despite the severe impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients, data on COVID-19 outcomes in cancer patients from low- and middle-income countries is limited. We conducted a large study about the mortality rate of COVID-19 in cancer patients in Iran., Methods: We analyzed data from 1,079 cancer (average age: 58.2 years) and 5,514 non-cancer patients (average age: 57.2 years) who were admitted for COVID-19 in two referral hospitals between March 2019 and August 2021. Patients were followed up until death or 31st August 2021. Multiple logistic regression models estimated the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of factors associated with ICU admission and intubation. The Cox regression model estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CI of factors associated with hospital and post-discharge 60-day mortalities., Results: The cancer patients had higher ICU admission (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.42-1.91; P-value 0.03) and intubation (OR = 3.13, 95% CI = 2.63-3.73, P-value < 0.001) than non-cancer patients. Moreover, hospital mortality was significantly higher in cancer patients than in non-cancer patients (HR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.89-2.41, P-value < 0.001). HR for the post-discharge mortality was higher in these patients (HR = 2.79, 95% CI: 2.49-3.11, < 0.001). The hospital, comorbidities, low oxygen saturation, being on active treatment, and non-solid tumor were significantly associated with ICU admission (P-value < 0.05) in cancer patients, while only low oxygen saturation was associated with intubation. In addition, we found that old age, females, low oxygen saturation level, active treatment, and having a metastatic tumor were associated with death due to COVID-19 (P-value < 0.05). Only lung cancer patients had a significantly higher risk of death compared to other cancer types (HR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.06-2.10, P-value = 0.02)., Conclusion: Cancer patients are at a higher risk of ICU admission, intubation, and death due to COVID-19 than non-cancer patients. Therefore, cancer patients who are infected with COVID-19 require intensive care in the hospital and active monitoring after their discharge from the hospital., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

With dermatologic side effects being fairly prevalent following vaccination against COVID-19, and the multitude of studies aiming to report and analyze these adverse events, the need for an extensive investigation on previous studies seemed urgent, in order to provide a thorough body of information about these post-COVID-19 immunization mucocutaneous reactions. To achieve this goal, a comprehensive electronic search was performed through the international databases including Medline (PubMed), Scopus, Cochrane, Web of science, and Google scholar on July 12, 2021, and all articles regarding mucocutaneous manifestations and considerations after COVID-19 vaccine administration were retrieved using the following keywords: COVID-19 vaccine, dermatology considerations and mucocutaneous manifestations. A total of 917 records were retrieved and a final number of 180 articles were included in data extraction. Mild, moderate, severe and potentially life-threatening adverse events have been reported following immunization with COVID vaccines, through case reports, case series, observational studies, randomized clinical trials, and further recommendations and consensus position papers regarding vaccination. In this systematic review, we categorized these results in detail into five elaborate tables, making what we believe to be an extensively informative, unprecedented set of data on this topic. Based on our findings, in the viewpoint of the pros and cons of vaccination, mucocutaneous adverse events were mostly non-significant, self-limiting reactions, and for the more uncommon moderate to severe reactions, guidelines and consensus position papers could be of great importance to provide those at higher risks and those with specific worries of flare-ups or inefficient immunization, with sufficient recommendations to safely schedule their vaccine doses, or avoid vaccination if they have the discussed contra-indications., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Stroke, an acute cerebrovascular event, is a leading cause of disability, placing a significant psycho-socioeconomic burden worldwide. The adaptation and reorganization process following any neuronal damage is regarded as neuroplasticity. Among many factors believed to attribute to this process, Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin coordinating neuroplasticity after various neurological disorders such as stroke., Methods: We conducted a systematic search in the main electronic medical databases in January 2021. Primarily we want to compare BDNF levels between patients with stroke and healthy controls (HC). Additional aims included investigation of (1) longitudinal changes in the BDNF levels post-stroke, (2) effects of physical training, (3) repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), and presence of depression on BDNF levels in patients with stroke., Results: Among 6243 reviewed records from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, 62 studies were eligible for inclusion in our systematic review. Subjects with stroke, n = 1856, showed lower BDNF levels compared to HC, n = 1191 (SMD [95%CI] = - 1.04 [- 1.49 to - 0.58]). No significant difference was detected in the level of BDNF through time points past stroke. BDNF levels were lower in the patients with depression compared to non-depressed subjects (SMD [95%CI] = - 0.60 [- 1.10 to - 0.10]). Physical training had an immediate positive effect on the BDNF levels and not statistically significant effect in the long term; SMD [95%CI] = 0.49 [0.09 to 0.88]) and SMD [95%CI] = 0.02 [- 0.43 to 0.47]). Lastly, rTMS showed no effect on the level of BDNF with 0.00 SMD., Conclusions: Our study confirms that stroke significantly decreases the level of BDNF in various domains such as cognition, affect, and motor function. As BDNF is the major representative of neuroplasticity within nervous system, it is believed that stroke has a significant impact on the CNS regeneration, which is permanent if left untreated. This effect is intensified with coexisting conditions such as depression which further decrease the BDNF level but the net impact yet needs to be discovered. We also conclude that exercise and some interventions such as different medications could effectively reverse the damage but further studies are crucial to reach the exact modality and dosage for their optimal effect., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction and Objectives: X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA), the first known primary immunodeficiency, is caused by rare mutations in Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) gene. Mutations in the BTK gene lead to a failure in the development and maturation of B-cell linage. A decreased number of B-cells results in agammaglobulinemia and increased susceptibility to a variety of infections. Therefore, patients with XLA usually manifest with repetitive bacterial infections, such as upper respiratory tract infections, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and urinary tract infections, since their infancy., Patients: We report a 17-year-old Iranian boy with XLA, referred to us with a history of severe and recurrent episodes of bacterial infections for a period of six years., Results: Genetic analysis using the whole Exome sequencing revealed a hemizygous missense mutation in the BTK gene (c.428 A > T, p.His143Leu)., Conclusion: To our knowledge, c.428 A > T has not been reported in the BTK gene.

Background: Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN4) caused by mutations in glucose-6- phosphatase catalytic subunit 3 (G6PC3) is characterized by recurrent infections due to severe neutropenia, may be accompanied by other extra-hematopoietic manifestations; including structural heart defects, urogenital abnormalities, prominent superficial venous markings, growth retention, and inflammatory bowel diseases with rare incidence. The homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations of G6PC3 are responsible for most cases of autosomal recessive SCN4. Herein, we present two cases of SCN4 affected by novel mutations in the G6PC3, in addition to a summarized list of variants in G6PC3 gene that are reported as pathogenic and related to the SCN4 phenotype., Case Presentation: Herein, we present two cases of SCN4; the first case was a three-months old boy with severe neutropenia and prior history of hospitalization due to umbilical separation, umbilical herniation, omphalitis, and pyelonephritis; and the second case was an eight-year-old with a history of neutropenia, recurrent and severe episodes of intractable diarrhea, refractory rectovaginal and rectoperineal fistula, congenital inguinal hernia, and ASD type 2. Whole exome sequencing was performed for both cases, which revealed two novel homozygous missense mutations in G6PC3 that were predicted to be deleterious; c.337G>A, p. Gly113Arg in the first case and c.479C>T; P. Ser160Leu in the second case. To our knowledge, both of these two mutations have not been reported in the G6PDC3 gene., Conclusion: In patients with severe neutropenia with varying extra hematopoietic syndrome, mutation of G6PC3 should be suspected after ruling out other mutations related to neutropenia. This study pointed toward novel G6PC3 mutations that should be considered in order to diagnose patients with severe congenital neutropenia., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)