Clinicopathological characteristics of cutaneous complications following COVID-19 vaccination: A case series.

INTRODUCTION: Several vaccine-related cutaneous adverse events occurred following the widespread use of vaccines to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This case series reports 25 patients with de novo or accentuated dermatologic conditions after receiving the Sinopharm, Sputnik V, AstraZeneca, or BIV1-CovIran vaccine in Iran. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-five eligible patients with a mean age of 46.80 years were investigated. The cutaneous adverse events included pityriasis rosea, zoster, viral exanthema, urticaria, bullous pemphigoid, pemphigus vulgaris, and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis. The manifestations appeared 14.45 ± 6.98 and 20.79 ± 22.18 days following injection of the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines, respectively. All patients experienced new cases of cutaneous disease other than two who developed flare-ups of lichen planus and psoriasis. CONCLUSION: Several cutaneous reactions, ranging from allergic events to skin diseases, have been reported following the injection of COVID-19 vaccines. Focal injection-site reactions are the most common cutaneous adverse events; however, de-novo skin diseases and a flare-up of preexisting cutaneous disorders have also been described. Although many cases of COVID-19 vaccine-related cutaneous diseases have been published, our zoster/lichen planus and AGEP cases after vaccination are interesting. A more detailed understanding of cutaneous adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination will facilitate better diagnosis and management.

Effect of Oral Caffeine on Weaning from Mechanical Ventilation in Intubated ICU Patients.

Background: The role of caffeine as a brain stimulant in improving the respiratory characteristics of patients under mechanical ventilation is unclear. This study aimed at determining the effect of oral caffeine in helping to release (Liberation) from the ventilator in intubated patients under mechanical ventilation admitted to the intensive care unit. Materials and Methods: General ICU patients with more than 48 hours of dependency on a ventilator were randomly divided into two groups. The intervention group received 200mg caffeine tablets twice a day through a gastric tube, while the control group received a placebo of the same amount. Every day, patients were assessed for the likelihood of being disconnected from the device. If their clinical condition was deemed suitable, the device mode was switched to spontaneous, and their Rapid Shallow Breathing Index (RSBI) was calculated. Based on this information, a decision was made regarding whether to proceed with weaning. Results: Caffeine use in ICU patients significantly reduced the airway resistance index of patients (P <0.05). However, although this drug reduced the length of hospital stay in the ICU and the duration of intubation of patients, these changes were not statistically significant (P> 0.05). Conclusion: Caffeine may improve respiratory status and reduce the duration of intubation and hospitalization in the ICU.

Comparison of the Effect of Bupivacaine in Combination with Dexmedetomidine with Bupivacaine Plus Placebo on Neonatal Apgar Score, Bispectral Index, and Sedation Level of Parturient Women.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of bupivacaine alone and in combination with dexmedetomidine on postoperative analgesia, neonatal Apgar score, and bispectral index (BIS), which has been shown to correlate with increased sedation and loss of consciousness in women undergoing cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. METHODS: A total of 152 term parturient women scheduled to have elective cesarean section with American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical status I or II were allocated randomly into two groups to receive either bupivacaine plus placebo (BV group) or bupivacaine plus dexmedetomidine (BVD group). BIS, sedation scale scores, Apgar scores, and hemodynamic characteristics were recorded and statistically compared between the groups. RESULTS: Onset of post-operative pain was delayed in the BVD group. Sedation score (Ramsay sedation section) was improved in the BVD group with the least values of 0 - 3 followed by 1 - 4. There was no significant difference in Apgar score between the two groups. Also, there was a significant distinction between the two groups in terms of BIS during cesarean section. CONCLUSIONS: The use of intrathecal dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to bupivacaine in cesarean surgeries provides better intra-operative and post-operative analgesia without any significant impact on Apgar scores or incidence of side effects.