The Impact of Rigid Cervical Collars on Outcome of Patients Who Underwent Posterior Cervical Laminectomy and Fusion: A Retrospective Comparative Study

Methods@#Patients who underwent PCLF and received postoperative cervical collars from 2018 to 2020 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Their data were compared with an age- and sex-matched group of subjects who did not receive collars after PCLF during the same period. Pain intensity (using the Visual Analog Scale), Neck Disability Index, and quality of life (using 36-item Short Form Health Survey) of the patients were compared at baseline, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. @*Results@#A total of 36 patients who received cervical collars after surgery and 40 controls were included. At baseline and 1-month follow-up, there were no differences in pain intensity, functional status, and quality of life between the groups. However, at 3 months postoperatively, the quality of life of the subjects with no orthosis was higher than those who received cervical collars (p =0.01). At 6- and 12-month follow-up, there were no differences between the groups in pain intensity, functional status, and quality of life. @*Conclusions@#No difference in the pain intensity and functional status of patients who used cervical collars and controls was shown in our study. Patients who did not wear cervical collars had a higher quality of life during the 3-month postoperative evaluation. Future prospective, well-controlled studies with longer follow-ups are needed to further investigate the effects of cervical orthosis on the clinical outcome of patients after PCLF.

Effects of Dimethyl Fumarate on the Karnofsky Performance Status and Serum S100ß Level in Newly Glioblastoma Patients: A Randomized, Phase-II, Placebo, Triple Blinded, Controlled Trial: Effect of DMF On the Serum S100ß Level and KPS Score of GBM Patients.

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary central nervous system malignancy with a low survival without extra logistics. Currently, there is no definitive chemotherapy among the studied options. This study aims to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) on surgical brain injuries in patients treated for GBM. Materials and Methods: This randomized, phase II, placebo, triple-blinded, controlled trial was performed on 36 patients with a diagnosis of GBM. All the patients received DMF (240 mg, three-times per day) or placebo (with the same shape and administration route) one week before surgery. Also, patients in both groups after the operation received standard treatments (radiotherapy plus chemotherapy). In addition, Kanofsky's performance status (KPS) score was evaluated at baseline and one month later. Also, serum S100ß was measured 48 hours before and after surgery. Results: There was no significant difference among DMF and control groups with regard to age, gender, and the extent of resections (P˃0.05). The most adverse event in both groups was a headache. Although the serum S100ß level was not markedly changed after surgery, the mean KPS in the DMF group was higher than in the control group after surgery. Conclusion: The DMF could be a possible good regime for the treatment of GBM; however, questions are raised regarding its efficacy and application for the addition to standard treatment.