Pediatric asthma exacerbation and COVID-19 pandemic: Impacts, challenges, and future considerations.

OBJECTIVE: Asthma, a common disease among children and adolescents, poses a great health risk when ignored; therefore, a thorough follow-up to prevent exacerbations is emphasized. The aim of the present study is to investigate asthma exacerbation in children during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era. DATA SOURCES: This narrative review has been done by searching the PubMed and Embase databases using Asthma, COVID-19, Pandemic, and Symptom flare up as keywords. STUDY SELECTIONS: Studies related to asthma exacerbation in COVID-19 pandemic were included. RESULTS: Based on studies, controlled or mild to moderate asthma has not been considered a risk factor for COVID-19 severity and has not affected hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and mortality. Surprisingly, emergent and non-emergent visits and asthmatic attacks decreased during the pandemic. The three main reasons for decreased incidence and exacerbation of asthma episodes in the COVID-19 era included reduced exposure to environmental allergens, increasing the acceptance of treatment by pediatrics and caregivers, and decreased risk of other respiratory viral infections. Based on the available studies, COVID-19 vaccination had no serious side effects, except in cases of uncontrolled severe asthma, and can be injected in these children. Also, there was no conclusive evidence of asthma exacerbation after the injection of COVID-19 vaccines. CONCLUSION: Further studies are recommended to follow the pattern of asthma in the post-pandemic situation and to become prepared for similar future conditions.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy as the game-changing approach for pediatric lymphoma: A brief landscape.

Lymphoma is known as the third most common malignancy in children, and its prevalence and mortality are increasing. Common treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and also surgery, despite their efficacy, have many side effects and, have a high chance of disease relapse. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) offer a promising alternative with potentially fewer risks of relapse and toxicity. This review article aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of ICIs, either as monotherapy or in combination, for pediatric lymphoma patients. ICIs have revolutionized cancer treatment in recent years and have shown remarkable results in several adult cancers. However, their efficacy in treating pediatrics requires further investigation. Nevertheless, some ICIs, including nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and ipilimumab, have demonstrated encouraging outcomes. ICIs therapy is not without risks and can cause side effects, including rash, itching, vitiligo, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dysphagia, epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, thyroid, and pituitary dysfunction. Overall, this review article highlights the potential benefits and risks of ICIs in treating pediatric lymphoma.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms as important risk factors of diabetes among Middle East population.

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that leads to the dysfunction of various tissues and organs, including eyes, kidneys, and cardiovascular system. According to the World Health Organization, diabetes prevalence is 8.8% globally among whom about 90% of cases are type 2 diabetes. There are not any significant clinical manifestations in the primary stages of diabetes. Therefore, screening can be an efficient way to reduce the diabetic complications. Over the recent decades, the prevalence of diabetes has increased alarmingly among the Middle East population, which has imposed exorbitant costs on the health care system in this region. Given that the genetic changes are among the important risk factors associated with predisposing people to diabetes, we examined the role of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the pathogenesis of diabetes among Middle East population. In the present review, we assessed the molecular pathology of diabetes in the Middle East population that paves the way for introducing an efficient SNP-based diagnostic panel for diabetes screening among the Middle East population. Since, the Middle East has a population of 370 million people; the current review can be a reliable model for the introduction of SNP-based diagnostic panels in other populations and countries around the world.