ABSTRACT
Key Clinical Message: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and tuberculoma are two distinct medical conditions. Nonetheless, they can be related in very rare cases. The purpose of this case report is to consider screening tests such as IGRA (interferon gamma release assay) and TST (tuberculin skin test), for tuberculosis in CKD patients with a risk of infection, thereby increasing the awareness of tuberculoma in CKD and ensuring early treatment which would eventually decrease the morbidity and mortality rates in such patients. Abstract: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) associated with tuberculoma represents one of the rarest conditions occurring worldwide. Among tuberculous patients, only 1% show central nervous system involvement. We present a case of a 45-year-old male with CKD who presented with a seizure and was diagnosed to have tuberculoma.
ABSTRACT
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with an increased risk of long-lasting health-related complications. Survivors of brain trauma often experience comorbidities which could further dampen functional recovery and severely interfere with their day-to-day functioning after injury. Of the three TBI severity types, mild TBI constitutes a significant proportion of total TBI cases, yet a comprehensive study on medical and psychiatric complications experienced by mild TBI subjects at a particular time point is missing in the field. In this study, we aim to quantify the prevalence of psychiatric and medical comorbidities post mild TBI and understand how these comorbidities are influenced by demographic factors (age, and sex) through secondary analysis of patient data from the TBI Model Systems (TBIMS) national database. Utilizing self-reported information from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), we have performed this analysis on subjects who received inpatient rehabilitation at 5 years post mild TBI. Our analysis revealed that psychiatric comorbidities (anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)), chronic pain, and cardiovascular comorbidities were common among survivors with mild TBI. Furthermore, depression exhibits an increased prevalence in the younger compared to an older cohort of subjects whereas the prevalence of rheumatologic, ophthalmological, and cardiovascular comorbidities was higher in the older cohort. Lastly, female survivors of mild TBI demonstrated increased odds of developing PTSD compared to male subjects. The findings of this study would motivate additional analysis and research in the field and could have broader implications for the management of comorbidities after mild TBI.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Mobile health (mHealth) platforms show promise in the management of mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. This has resulted in an abundance of mHealth platforms available for research or commercial use. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to characterize the current state of mHealth platforms designed for anxiety or depression that are available for research, commercial use, or both. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted using a two-pronged approach: searching relevant literature with prespecified search terms to identify platforms in published research and simultaneously searching 2 major app stores-Google Play Store and Apple App Store-to identify commercially available platforms. Key characteristics of the mHealth platforms were synthesized, such as platform name, targeted condition, targeted group, purpose, technology type, intervention type, commercial availability, and regulatory information. RESULTS: The literature and app store searches yielded 169 and 179 mHealth platforms, respectively. Most platforms developed for research purposes were designed for depression (116/169, 68.6%), whereas the app store search reported a higher number of platforms developed for anxiety (Android: 58/179, 32.4%; iOS: 27/179, 15.1%). The most common purpose of platforms in both searches was treatment (literature search: 122/169, 72.2%; app store search: 129/179, 72.1%). With regard to the types of intervention, cognitive behavioral therapy and referral to care or counseling emerged as the most popular options offered by the platforms identified in the literature and app store searches, respectively. Most platforms from both searches did not have a specific target age group. In addition, most platforms found in app stores lacked clinical and real-world evidence, and a small number of platforms found in the published research were available commercially. CONCLUSIONS: A considerable number of mHealth platforms designed for anxiety or depression are available for research, commercial use, or both. The characteristics of these mHealth platforms greatly vary. Future efforts should focus on assessing the quality-utility, safety, and effectiveness-of the existing platforms and providing developers, from both commercial and research sectors, a reporting guideline for their platform description and a regulatory framework to facilitate the development, validation, and deployment of effective mHealth platforms.
