Neurological manifestations of COVID-19: available evidences and a new paradigm

Journal of NeuroVirology - The recent pandemic outbreak of coronavirus is pathogenic and a highly transmittable viral infection caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2...     

The role of post‐mastectomy radiotherapy in elderly patients with 1‐3 positive lymph nodes breast cancer: An International Retrospective Double‐Center Study

This study evaluated the role of post‐mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) in 111 patients with 1‐3 positive nodes, aged 65 years or above between 2007 and 2013. In total, 64 received PMRT. The PMRT group had more aggressive tumor. Three patients suffered locoregional recurrences in each group at median follow‐up of 50 months. PMRT has no significant impact on distant disease‐free survival (DDRFS), recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). In patients with tumors >5 cm, PMRT significantly improved DDRFS, RFS, and marginally prolonged OS. These results supported that PMRT should not be compromised in all elderly patients, especially in those with tumor >5 cm.     

Schizophrenia following new-onset refractory status epilepticus secondary to antiphospholipid syndrome

New-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) is a drug-resistant status epilepticus that often has a catastrophic outcome. Our patient was diagnosed with NORSE and had an EEG reading that showed status epilepticus persisting for 8 months in general anesthesia. After autoimmune workup showed positive antiphospholipid antibodies, his seizure was controlled, and he was discharged with good condition apart from moderate cognitive impairment. However, he later developed schizophrenia. Although psychiatric disorders have been associated with antiphospholipid syndrome, to the best of our knowledge, it has not been reported to be associated with status epilepticus. We recommend vigilance of psychological complications of refractory status epilepticus’ patients for early psychiatric referral, diagnosis, and treatment.

New-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) is a syndrome of new-onset drug-resistant status epilepticus that often has a catastrophic outcome. Epilepsy is usually associated with psychiatric disorders of different manifestations of which psychosis is an example.1 However, not much is found in the literature review regarding psychiatric disorders following NORSE although a recent study concluded 32% of NORSE patients ended up with altered behavioral states like aggression.2 Schizophrenia following NORSE like in the rare presentation of this case has not been reported in the literature review before, although an association between schizophrenia and autoimmune disorders like APS has been reported.3     

Media and Mental Health Literacy: Do Mediated Interventions Enhance Mental Health Awareness? Implications and Policy Recommendations

In the current digital era, public health campaigns using media has been very successful in giving knowledge and changes the attitudes of people. But till now scarce literature is available related to media campaigns about mental health. In this study Pre-Post Quasi Experimental Design using vignettes as a data collection measure were employed. The participants were categories in to experimental (n = 138) and control (n = 134) groups having 18–55 years of age to evaluate the efficiency of media mediated interventions using social media campaign in increasing Mental Health Literacy (MHL). The results from nonparametric chi-square test indicated that mental health literacy significantly increases at post assessment level in participants belonging to experimental group, while level of MHL remains same in control group participants. The current study was unique because it discussed the efficacy of social media mediated interventions, which creates awareness and infused information among general public regarding the underexplored and neglected area of mental health.