Efficacy of Acupuncture on Pain Severity and Frequency of Calf Cramps in Dialysis Patients: a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease, as a common disorder, usually necessitate the implementation of hemodialysis. Muscle cramps are one of the most disabling complications affecting their quality of life. Objectives: We aimed to investigate the efficacy of acupuncture as a safe alternative to the management of pain severity and frequency of calf cramps in dialysis patients compared to a control group. Methods: Fifty dialysis patients experiencing calf cramps who met the eligibility criteria were randomly allocated to two groups. Group A received routine management, including analgesic consumption, stretching exercises, and nine acupuncture sessions, including acupoints BL57, GV26, CV4, CV6, LV3, KI 1, LU7, LU9, and GB34. Group B underwent sham acupuncture therapy at locations other than the primary acupoints in addition to following the specified routine management. The pain severity was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS), and the daily frequency of calf cramps was evaluated at baseline and one month after treatment completion. Results: VAS scores and the frequency of calf cramps were improved one month after treatment completion in both groups. However, the improvement was significant in group A (p < 0.001), while it was not statistically significant in group B (p > 0.05). There was also a significant difference between both groups regarding reducing pain and the frequency of calf cramps, which showed the efficacy of acupuncture compared to the control group (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Acupuncture can decrease pain and frequency of calf cramps in dialysis patients.

Visual evoked potential in generalized joint hypermobility: A case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) can be the result of several hereditary connective tissue disorders, especially Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Cerebrovascular manifestations are among the most common complications in this disorder, and understanding their extent can help better diagnosis and prevention of hazardous events. We investigated visual evoked potential (VEP) changes in patients with GJH and compared them with healthy individuals. METHODS: Our case-control study included 90 patients who fulfilled the Beighton score (B score) for joint hypermobility and other 90 healthy participants. All of them went under VEP study, and the amplitude and latency of the evoked potential (P100) were compared to each other. RESULTS: The Case group had significantly higher B score (7.18 ± 0.967 vs. 1.18 ± 0.712), P100 latency (110.23 ± 6.64 ms vs. 100.18 ± 4.273 ms), and amplitude (6.54 ± 1.26 mv vs. 6.50 ± 1.29 mv) compared with the Control group, but the difference was only significant regarding B score, and P100 latency (p-value <.0001). Moreover, both latency and amplitude of P100 had significantly positive correlations with the B score in the Case group (p-value <.0001), but such correlations were not found in the Control group (p-value = .059). CONCLUSION: Our study could reveal VEP changes, especially significant P100 latency in GJH patients without previous neurologic or musculoskeletal disorders. Whether these changes are due to GJH itself or are predictive of inevitable neurologic disease or visual pathway involvement, particularly Multiple Sclerosis needs further investigation with longer follow-up periods.

Comparison of Theory of Mind between Patients with Major Depressive Disorder and Stimulant-Induced Depressive Disorder.

Objective: Theory of mind (ToM) denotes the ability to understand the mental state of others and perceive their unique beliefs and emotions. In this study, we compared ToM between individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) and stimulant-induced depressive disorder (SIDD). Method : This cross-sectional, causal-comparative study included patients with MDD or SIDD admitted to Ostad Moharary Neuropsychiatric Hospital between January and June 2022. Each diagnosis was confirmed through a semi-structured interview conducted by a single attending psychiatrist according to the DSM-5 criteria. After consecutive sampling of 110 individuals, 51 patients completed the study in each group. Demographic characteristics were recorded, and the Persian version of the revised Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) was used to evaluate ToM. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.25, employing the t-test, chi-squared test, linear regression, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: Our analysis included 102 subjects (65.7% male) with a mean age of 35.17 ± 7.54 years. The two groups were similar in age, gender, marital status, working status, occupation, economic class, and ethnicity (P > 0.05). The RMET scores were 12.94 ± 4.03 and 11.86 ± 3.15 in the MDD and SIDD groups, respectively (P = 0.135). Almost all patients had low RMET scores (< 22); only two individuals in the MDD group achieved normal scores (22-30). ANCOVA revealed no significant confounding effects between the independent variables. Furthermore, regression analysis revealed that the level of education had a significant linear relationship (ß = 0.249) with the RMET score (P = 0.021). Conclusion: Hospitalized patients with MDD and SIDD have similar ToM deficits, as measured by the RMET.

Barriers and facilitators to reducing low-value care for the management of low back pain in Iran: a qualitative multi-professional study.

INTRODUCTION: Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder with a wide range of etiologies, ranging from self-limiting conditions to life-threatening diseases. Various modalities are available for the diagnosis and management of patients with LBP. However, many of these health services, known as low-value care (LVC), are unnecessary and impose undue financial costs on patients and health systems. The present study aimed to explore the perceptions of service providers regarding the facilitators and barriers to reducing LVC in the management of LBP in Iran. METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study interviewed a total of 20 participants, including neurosurgeons, physiatrists, orthopedists, and physiotherapists, who were selected through purposive and snowball sampling strategies. The collected data were analyzed using the thematic content analysis approach. RESULTS: Thirty-nine sub-themes, with 183 citations, were identified as barriers, and 31 sub-themes, with 120 citations, were defined as facilitators. Facilitators and barriers to reducing LVC for LBP, according to the interviewees, were categorized into five themes, including: (1) individual provider characteristics; (2) individual patient characteristics; (3) social context; (4) organizational context; and (5) economic and political context. The ten most commonly cited barriers included unrealistic tariffs, provider-induced demand, patient distrust, insufficient time allocation, a lack of insurance coverage, a lack of a comprehensive referral system, a lack of teamwork, cultural challenges, a lack of awareness, and defensive medicine. Barriers such as adherence to clinical guidelines, improving the referral system, improving the cultural status of patients, and facilitators such as strengthening teamwork, developing an appropriate provider-patient relationship, improving the cultural status of the public, motivating the patients, considering an individualized approach, establishing a desirable payment mechanism, and raising the medical tariffs were most repeatedly stated by participants. CONCLUSION: This study has pointed out a great number of barriers and facilitators that shape the provision of LVC in the management of LBP in Iran. Therefore, it is essential for relevant stakeholders to consider these findings in order to de-implement LVC interventions in the process of LBP management.

Hemolacria secondary to major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder: A case report.

Key Clinical Message: Hemolacria can occur on the basis of a psychiatric disorder without an organic cause. However, this should be a diagnosis of exclusion. Treatment of the underlying psychiatric illness may relieve this condition. Abstract: A 24-year-old man presented with the chief complaint of bloody tears, which began 4 months earlier after commencing mandatory military service. He had no underlying diseases, and all work-ups returned normal, though a microscopic examination confirmed red blood cells. He was diagnosed with hemolacria secondary to generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, responding to propranolol and sertraline. Hemolacria was totally cured after 6 months of treating the underlying psychiatric illness.

Investigation of the Effects of Acupuncture on Post-Operative Chest Pain after Open Heart Surgery.

Background: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) accounts for more than half of all adult cardiac surgeries worldwide. Post-operative chest pain is a common CABG complication and can cause significant discomfort. Objectives: Because taking large amounts of analgesics can have many side effects, we evaluated whether acupuncture effectively reduces pain and the use of analgesics by CABG patients. Methods: In this clinical trial, 30 patients who had recently undergone CABG were randomly allocated to two groups. For both groups, exercise therapy and routine analgesics were recommended. The intervention group underwent bilateral acupuncture in distinct acupoints, including the HT3, HT4, HT5, HT6, HT7, PC3, PC5, PC6, and PC7 for 10 daily sessions constantly. Visual analog scale (VAS) and analgesic use were evaluated in both groups at baseline and after completing the 10-day treatment. Results: Our analysis revealed significant decreases in the mean VAS scores in both the intervention and the control group, and that the reduction was more significant in the acupuncture group (p < 0.001). Moreover, analgesic use was significantly lower in the acupuncture group when compared with the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our findings highlight acupuncture as an alternative method of controlling CABG-associated post-operative chest pain and reducing the use of analgesics, which might have many side effects.

Polysaccharide hydrogel platforms as suitable carriers of liposomes and extracellular vesicles for dermal applications.

Lipid-based nanocarriers have been extensively investigated for their application in drug delivery. Particularly, liposomes are now clinically established for treating various diseases such as fungal infections. In contrast, extracellular vesicles (EVs) - small cell-derived nanoparticles involved in cellular communication - have just recently sparked interest as drug carriers but their development is still at the preclinical level. To drive this development further, the methods and technologies exploited in the context of liposome research should be applied in the domain of EVs to facilitate and accelerate their clinical translation. One of the crucial steps for EV-based therapeutics is designing them as proper dosage forms for specific applications. This review offers a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art polysaccharide-based hydrogel platforms designed for artificial and natural vesicles with application in drug delivery to the skin. We discuss their various physicochemical and biological properties and try to create a sound basis for the optimization of EV-embedded hydrogels as versatile therapeutic avenues.

Cell-Derived Vesicles for Antibiotic Delivery-Understanding the Challenges of a Biogenic Carrier System.

Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs) sparked substantial therapeutic interest, particularly due to their ability to mediate targeted transport between tissues and cells. Yet, EVs' technological translation as therapeutics strongly depends on better biocompatibility assessments in more complex models and elementary in vitro-in vivo correlation, and comparison of mammalian versus bacterial vesicles. With this in mind, two new types of EVs derived from human B-lymphoid cells with low immunogenicity and from non-pathogenic myxobacteria SBSr073 are introduced here. A large-scale isolation protocol to reduce plastic waste and cultivation space toward sustainable EV research is established. The biocompatibility of mammalian and bacterial EVs is comprehensively evaluated using cytokine release and endotoxin assays in vitro, and an in vivo zebrafish larvae model is applied. A complex three-dimensional human cell culture model is used to understand the spatial distribution of vesicles in epithelial and immune cells and again used zebrafish larvae to study the biodistribution in vivo. Finally, vesicles are successfully loaded with the fluoroquinolone ciprofloxacin (CPX) and showed lower toxicity in zebrafish larvae than free CPX. The loaded vesicles are then tested effectively on enteropathogenic Shigella, whose infections are currently showing increasing resistance against available antibiotics.

Complete agenesis of corpus callosum with a rare neuropsychiatric presentation: A case report.

Corpus callosum agenesis is a rare phenomenon that might be associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. We present a 28-year-old woman with complete corpus callosum agenesis who presented with mood disturbance, psychosis, and delusional symptoms with schizophrenia diagnosis. She had a good response to antipsychotic therapy with risperidone.

Study of sympathetic skin response in patients with COVID-19 infection.

OBJECTIVES: Many articles hypothesized the potential role of autonomic nervous system in the pathogenesis and outcome of COVID-19 infection. Several studies reported both central and peripheral nervous system involvement in COVID-19 as well. Up to our knowledge, there is no study evaluating whether this virus could invade the autonomic nervous system affecting its function adversely. Sympathetic skin response (SSR) has long been used as a method of evaluating the autonomic nervous system. Regarding the importance of the autonomic nervous system in hemostasis and wide consequences of COVID-19 infection, we designed this study to evaluate the autonomic nervous system function in patients recovered from COVID-19 compared with normal population who are not yet infected by this virus by the means of SSR. METHODS: This case-control study included 70 patients surviving COVID-19 who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria that went under SSR. The data gathered were compared with those without the history of any symptoms attributable to COVID-19 during the pandemic. RESULTS: There was a correlation between COVID-19 infection and abnormal SSR (p value < 0.0001) with the most effect on the latency prolongation of the action potential recorded from the median nerve at palms (effect size: right: 3.90, left: 3.69). Moreover, the greater severity of the disease correlated with more abnormality of parameters recorded by SSR technique. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal SSR parameters could be a good indicator of autonomic nervous system involvement in patients with COVID-19 infection. It might be a predictor of disease severity, clinical outcomes and prognosis as well.

Efficacy of perineural hypertonic saline injection versus acupoints of foot in the management of diabetic neuropathy: a multicenter, double-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Aim: Painful diabetic polyneuropathy is one of the most common disabling problems worldwide. We aimed to determine if a perineural injection of hypertonic saline compared with foot acupoints decreased the neuropathic pain score in patients with diabetes. Patients & methods/materials: Patients were assigned to receive either perineural or acupoints injection of hypertonic saline 5% in their feet for three weekly sessions. Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4) questionnaire for neuropathic pain was assessed. Results: Both groups observed a significant reduction of the DN4 score throughout 8 weeks of follow-up. Conclusion: Both perineural and acupoints hypertonic saline injections of the foot could improve neuropathic pain in patients with diabetes.

We conducted a double blinded randomized clinical trial in 30 diabetic patients with painful neuropathic pain to determine if a perineural injection of hypertonic saline compared with foot acupoints decreased the neuropathic pain score in patients with diabetes. Subjects were assigned to receive either perineural (near Sural, Saphenous and Tibial nerves) or acupoints (ST41, ST44, GB40) injection of hypertonic saline 5% in one foot, keeping the other foot as control. Each patient underwent an injection at baseline followed by two injections, one week apart. The primary outcome was an assessment tool for neuropathic pain, called Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire (DN4) score. It was measured before, during and 8 weeks after intervention. A significant reduction of DN4 score in perineural group and in the acupoint group throughout an 8 weeks follow-up was observed compared with the contralateral foot which was considered as the control group. The study revealed no significant differences between the perineural and the acupoints groups according to DN4 score. In conclusion, both perineural and acupoints of the foot hypertonic saline injections could improve neuropathic pain in diabetic patients with neither being superior to each other. The Clinical Trial Registration number was IRCT20170517034008N1.

Evaluation of exoenzyme profiles of Candida albicans species isolated from females with vaginal candidiasis.

Background and Purpose: The three most common causes of vaginitis are bacteria, yeast, and Protozoa. Candida albicans is one of the most common causes of vaginitis and commonly affects millions of females with different signs and symptoms. Secretion of exoenzymes from Candida species plays an important role in virulence and pathogenesis. Increasing our knowledge about the pathogenesis of candidiasis could help to design new anti-Candida drugs. This study aimed to evaluate the phospholipase, esterase, and hemolysin activities of the vaginal Candida isolates and their correlation with the presence of vulvovaginal candidiasis. Materials and Methods: In total, 119 Candida albicans isolates from vaginal candidiasis were enrolled in the study. Egg yolk agar, Tween 80 opacity medium, and blood agar plate assays were used for the determination of phospholipase, esterase, and hemolytic activities, respectively. Results: Based on the findings, 110 (92.44%) isolates showed phospholipase activity, 93 (78.2%) isolates were esterase producers, and 90 (75.6%) species had hemolytic activity. Conclusion: This study showed that most of the tested isolates had different enzymatic patterns. Discrimination of variations in the production of these exoenzymes among different Candida isolates may depend on Candida spp. pathogenicity and could be responsible for the severity of symptoms among the patients.

A case of Guillain-Barre syndrome after the second dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel virus that primarily involves the respiratory system. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an extensive vaccination program is underway worldwide. Herein, we present a 68-year-old woman with paresthesia of both hands associated with gait instability, which started three to four days after receiving the second dose of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine against the COVID-19 infection. The acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy subtype of the Guillain-Barre syndrome, which is the most common subtype, was diagnosed. Regardless of the beneficial effects of the vaccines, this case report aimed to evaluate their severe complications, such as Guillain-Barre syndrome, to reduce their occurrence in the future.

Study of carpal tunnel syndrome in diabetic polyneuropathy with comparison of inching method and second lumbrical-interossei test.

Background: Since diabetic generalized neuropathy affects peripheral nerves, the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) with conventional electrodiagnostic techniques (EDX) [onset latency of median sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) or distal latency of median compound muscle action potential (CMAP)] is controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate the diagnostic values of two other techniques including inching method and second lumbrical-interossei test in patients with diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) as well as signs or symptoms of CTS. Methods: Fifteen patients (30 hands) with definite diagnosis of generalized peripheral neuropathy secondary to diabetes who developed signs and symptoms of CTS were participated. For diagnosis of CTS, sensory and motor median distal latencies were considered by nerve conduction study. In the next step, inching method and second lumbrical-interossei test were performed for all hands. Finally, sensitivity and specificity of two tests were calculated. Results: Mean age of participants was 53.87 ± 11.53 years. The sensitivity and specificity of inching method in this study were 95.65% and 85.71%, respectively, and for the second lumbrical-interossei test, they were 73.91% and 71.42%, respectively. Conclusion: Inching method was more sensitive and specific than second lumbrical-interossei test in diagnosis of CTS among patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Moreover, the sensitivity of inching method was greater than specificity.

Traumatic injury to the axillary nerve associated with paralysis of triceps brachii: A case report.

Although many textbooks reported the innervation of three heads of the triceps muscle with the radial nerve, some studies showed the axillary nerve supply to this muscle. Herein, we report a 21-year-old male patients with a traumatic injury to the axillary nerve associated with paralysis of his triceps muscle. Based on the electrophysiological findings, it could be reasonable to conclude that the main branch innervating all heads of the triceps muscle originated from the axillary nerve. It is vital to look for concomitant paralysis of the triceps in patients with an axillary nerve injury in terms of surgical management, prognosis, and nerve repair.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Ultrasound-Guided Prolotherapy in Supraspinatus Tendon with Ultrasound-Guided Corticosteroid Injection of Subacromial Subdeltoid Bursa in Rotator Cuff-Related Shoulder Pain: A Clinical Trial Study.

BACKGROUND: Shoulder pain is the third most common type of musculoskeletal disorder and rotator cuff (RC) tendinopathy is the most frequent diagnosis. Ultrasound is the most preferable guidance tool for diagnostic and interventional purposes. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of the prolotherapy injection with corticosteroid injection in patients with RC dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty to sixty-five-year-old patients with chronic RC disease were divided into two groups. Ultrasound-guided dextrose prolotherapy of supraspinatus tendon was done for one group and ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection in the subacromial bursa was done for the other groups. Visual analog scale (VAS) and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) were evaluated for both groups at baseline, 3 and 12 weeks after injections. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients were included in the result. Both the groups showed significant improvement in VAS and SPADI scores in 3 and 12 weeks after injections compared with preinjection times with no difference between two groups neither in 3 weeks nor in 12 weeks after injections. CONCLUSION: Both ultrasound-guided dextrose prolotherapy and CS injections are effective in the management of RC-related shoulder pain in both short-term and long-term with neither being superior to the other. Therefore, prolotherapy may be a safe alternative therapy instead of corticosteroid injection due to lack of its side effects.

Potential Pathogenicity of Candida Species Isolated from Oral Cavity of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus.

INTRODUCTION: In the recent decade, the increased immunocompromised population such as diabetic patients makes a high incidence of invasive Candida infections. Diabetes mellitus is the most common endocrine metabolic disorder, and diabetic patients are more susceptible to oral candidiasis infection. Candidiasis is an opportunistic fungal infection caused by many species of Candida. Secretion of exoenzymes plays an important role in the virulence and pathogenesis of Candida species. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential role of phospholipase, esterase, and hemolytic activity of Candida species isolated from oral cavity lesions of diabetic patients. METHODS: A total of 108 Candida species including 75 Candida albicans and 33 non-Candida albicans species were recovered from the oral cavity of diabetic patients included in our study. Egg yolk agar, Tween 80 opacity medium, and blood agar plate assays were used for determining phospholipase, esterase, and hemolytic activities, respectively. RESULTS: Candida albicans species had the most exoenzyme activity in comparison to non-albicans isolates. Candida albicans isolates showed 97.3%, 100%, and 77.3% phospholipase, hemolysin, and esterase activities, respectively. The difference between Candida albicans and non-Candida albicans was significant in phospholipase (P < 0.001) and hemolytic activity (P = 0.027), but not significant in esterase activity (P = 0.076). CONCLUSION: This study showed that most of the isolates had different enzymatic patterns, and Candida albicans isolates had the most exoenzyme activity. So due to the potential effects of these enzymes in pathogenesis and virulence effects of Candida species, we can conclude that the severity of extracellular enzymes may play a role in the severity of signs and symptoms of Candida oral cavity infections in diabetic patients.

Comparative effectiveness of paravertebral Ozone injection and caudal epidural steroid-hyaluronidase injection in lumbosacral spinal stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Lumbosacral spinal stenosis (LSS) is the narrowing of the lumbar spinal canal. LSS usually happens in older people who do not have the proper physical condition to undergo surgery. Therefore, minimally invasive methods such as Ozone therapy and epidural injection can be used in these patients. OBJECTIVE: The objective this study was to compare the effect of caudal epidural steroid-hyaluronidase injection with paravertebral intramuscular Ozone injection on reducing pain in patients with LSS. METHODS: A total of 30 patients suffering from LSS randomized to two groups. Group A (n = 15) received three paravertebral intramuscular infiltrations of the Ozone, Group B (n = 15) received a caudal epidural injection of steroid-hyaluronidase. The effects of the interventions were evaluated by measuring Visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability index (ODI), Quebec Back Pain Disability (QBPDS) and Roland Morris low back pain questionnaire (RMQ) before the interventions and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after the interventions. RESULTS: Within-group changes showed significant improvement in VAS, ODI, RMQ, and QBPDS scores in both groups from pre-treatment to end of follow-up (all p < 0.05). The mean VAS score at all follow-up had significant differences between the two groups (p < 0.01). The mean ODI, RMQ, and QBPDS scores at 2-week and 4-week had significant differences between the two groups (p < 0.01). At the 8-week follow-up, there was no significant difference between groups concerning mean ODI, RMQ, and QBPDS scores (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both intramuscular injection Ozone and caudal epidural injection steroid- hyalaz significantly reduce pain. The existing data suggested 8 weeks improvements in pain severity are more significant for paravertebral Ozone injection, compared to caudal epidural steroid-hyaluronidase injection.

Chemically Engineered Immune Cell-Derived Microrobots and Biomimetic Nanoparticles: Emerging Biodiagnostic and Therapeutic Tools.

Over the past decades, considerable attention has been dedicated to the exploitation of diverse immune cells as therapeutic and/or diagnostic cell-based microrobots for hard-to-treat disorders. To date, a plethora of therapeutics based on alive immune cells, surface-engineered immune cells, immunocytes' cell membranes, leukocyte-derived extracellular vesicles or exosomes, and artificial immune cells have been investigated and a few have been introduced into the market. These systems take advantage of the unique characteristics and functions of immune cells, including their presence in circulating blood and various tissues, complex crosstalk properties, high affinity to different self and foreign markers, unique potential of their on-demand navigation and activity, production of a variety of chemokines/cytokines, as well as being cytotoxic in particular conditions. Here, the latest progress in the development of engineered therapeutics and diagnostics inspired by immune cells to ameliorate cancer, inflammatory conditions, autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular complications, and infectious diseases is reviewed, and finally, the perspective for their clinical application is delineated.

Bacterial extracellular vesicles: Understanding biology promotes applications as nanopharmaceuticals.

Extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated communication between proximal and distant cells is a highly conserved characteristic in all of the life domains, including bacteria. These vesicles that contain a variety of biomolecules, such as proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and small-molecule metabolites play a key role in the biology of bacteria. They are one of the key underlying mechanisms behind harmful or beneficial effects of many pathogenic, symbiont, and probiotic bacteria. These nanoscale EVs mediate extensive crosstalk with mammalian cells and deliver their cargos to the host. They are stable in physiological condition, can encapsulate diverse biomolecules and nanoparticles, and their surface could be engineered with available technologies. Based on favorable characteristics of bacterial vesicles, they can be harnessed for designing a diverse range of therapeutics and diagnostics for treatment of disorders including tumors and resistant infections. However, technical limitations for their production, purification, and characterization must be addressed in future studies.