Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)
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Diagnostics (Basel) · Mar 2021
ReviewThe Effect of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation (NIBS) on Executive Functioning, Attention and Memory in Rehabilitation Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review.
In recent years, the potential of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) for therapeutic effects on cognitive functions has been explored for populations with traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, there is no systematic NIBS review of TBI cognitive impairment with a focus on stimulation sites and stimulation parameters. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review examining the effectiveness and safety of NIBS for cognitive impairment after a TBI. ⋯ In all studies, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was selected as the stimulation site, along with the stimulation pattern promoting the activation of the left DLPFC. In some studies, there was a significant improvement compared to the control group, but neither rTMS nor tDCS had sufficient evidence of effectiveness. To the establishment of evidence we need the evaluation of brain activity at the stimulation site and related areas using neuroimaging on how NIBS acts on the neural network.
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Diagnostics (Basel) · Mar 2021
ReviewMini-Review Discussing the Reliability and Efficiency of COVID-19 Vaccines.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 is a novel strain of human beta-coronavirus that has produced over two million deaths and affected one hundred million individuals worldwide. As all the proposed drugs proved to be unstable, inducing side effects, the need to develop a vaccine crystallized in a short time. As a result, we searched the databases for articles in which the authors reported the efficacy and safety of the use of several vaccines vaccines by sex, age group, and frequency of adverse reactions. ⋯ CoviVac and EpiVacCorona have just been approved, which is why no published article could be found. All adverse events reported following the administration of one of the four vaccines ranged from mild to moderate; limited exceptions in which the patients either developed severe forms or died, because most effects were dose-dependent. It can be concluded that aforementioned vaccines are efficient and safe, regardless of age and sex, being well-tolerated by the recipients.
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Diagnostics (Basel) · Mar 2021
ReviewOptical Devices in Tracheal Intubation-State of the Art in 2020.
The review article is focused on developments in optical devices, other than laryngoscopes, in airway management and tracheal intubation. It brings information on advantages and limitations in their use, compares different devices, and summarizes benefits in various clinical settings. Supraglottic airway devices may be used as a conduit for fiberscope-guided tracheal intubation mainly as a rescue plan in the scenario of difficult or failed laryngoscopy. ⋯ Endotracheal tubes with an incorporated optics are used mainly in thoracic anesthesia for lung separation. They are available in double-lumen and single-lumen versions. They offer a benefit of direct view to the carina and do not require flexible fiberscope for their correct placement.
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Diagnostics (Basel) · Feb 2021
ReviewThe Effect of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation (NIBS) on Attention and Memory Function in Stroke Rehabilitation Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
In recent years, the potential of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) for therapeutic effects on cognitive functions has been explored for populations with stroke. There are various NIBS methods depending on the stimulation site and stimulation parameters. However, there is no systematic NIBS review of post-stroke cognitive impairment with a focus on stimulation sites and stimulation parameters. The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on effectiveness and safety of NIBS for cognitive impairment after a stroke to obtain new insights. This study was prospectively registered with the PROSPERO database of systematic reviews (CRD42020183298). ⋯ In post-stroke patients with deficits in cognitive function, including attention, memory, and WM, NIBS shows promising positive effects. However, this effect is limited, suggesting that further studies are needed with more precision in stimulation sites and stimulation parameters. Future studies using advanced neurophysiological and neuroimaging tools to allow for a network-based approach to treat cognitive symptoms post-stroke with NIBS are warranted.
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Diagnostics (Basel) · Jan 2021
ReviewThe Role of TEG Analysis in Patients with COVID-19-Associated Coagulopathy: A Systematic Review.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated coagulopathy (CAC), characterized by hypercoagulability and an increased risk of thrombotic complications, is an important consideration in the management of patients with COVID-19. As COVID-19 is a new disease, no standard of care for the diagnosis or management of its associated coagulopathy is yet established. Whole blood viscoelastic tests, such as thromboelastography (TEG® hemostasis analyzer), analyze whole blood to provide a complete overview of the coagulation status. ⋯ Furthermore, utilization of thromboelastography in this patient population was shown to predict thrombotic complications. The benefits of thromboelastography presented here, in addition to advantages compared with laboratory coagulation tests, position thromboelastography as an important opportunity for optimizing diagnosis of CAC and improving patient management in COVID-19. Given that the benefits of thromboelastography have already been demonstrated in several other clinical applications, we anticipate that clinical data from future studies in patients with COVID-19 will further elucidate the optimal use of thromboelastography in this patient population.