Exploring the research landscape of COVID-19-induced olfactory dysfunction: A bibliometric study

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in the Treatment of Long COVID Olfactory Disorders: A Comprehensive Review

Background: Long COVID has brought numerous challenges to healthcare, with olfactory dysfunction (OD) being a particularly distressing outcome for many patients. The persistent loss of smell significantly diminishes the affected individual's quality of life. Recent attention has been drawn to the potential of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy as a treatment for OD. This comprehensive review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of PRP therapy in ameliorating OD, especially when associated with long-term COVID-19. Methods: We executed a comprehensive search of the literature, encompassing clinical trials and observational studies that utilized PRP in treating OD limited to COVID-19. We retrieved and comprehensively discussed data such as design, participant demographics, and reported outcomes, focusing on the efficacy and safety of PRP therapy for OD in COVID-19 patients. Results: Our comprehensive analysis interestingly found promising perspectives for PRP in OD following COVID-19 infection. The collective data indicate that PRP therapy contributed to a significant improvement in olfactory function after COVID-19 infection. Conclusions: The evidence amassed suggests that PRP is a promising and safe therapeutic option for OD, including cases attributable to Long COVID-19. The observed uniform enhancement of olfactory function in patients receiving PRP highlights the necessity for well-designed, controlled trials. Such studies would help to refine treatment protocols and more definitively ascertain the efficacy of PRP in a broader, more varied patient cohort.

Validity and reliability of the Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders for Italian-speaking patients with olfactory dysfunction

Objective

To translate and validate an Italian version of the Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders (IT-QOD).

Materials and methods

This is a prospective, multicentre study that involved patients with olfactory dysfunction (OD). Both cases and controls underwent administration of the IT-QOD, Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) and psychophysical evaluation of orthonasal and retronasal olfactory function.

Results

The IT-QOD was administered to 96 patients and 38 controls. The Cronbach's alpha exceeded 0.90, indicating satisfactory internal consistency. The test-retest reliability was found to be high for both parosmia (rs = 0.944) and life quality (rs = 0.969). Patients with OD had significantly higher IT-QOD scores compared to healthy individuals (p < 0.001), indicating strong internal validity. The external validity was also satisfactory, as shown by the significant correlation with SNOT-22 (rs = -0.54) and the threshold, discrimination, and identification score (rs = -0.63).

Conclusions

The IT-QOD was demonstrated to be reliable and valid to assess the impact of OD on the quality of life of Italian-speaking patients.

Global landscape of COVID-19 research: a visualization analysis of randomized clinical trials

The emergence of COVID-19 in 2019 has resulted in a significant global health crisis. Consequently, extensive research was published to understand and mitigate the disease. In particular, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been considered the benchmark for assessing the efficacy and safety of interventions. Hence, the present study strives to present a comprehensive overview of the global research landscape pertaining to RCTs and COVID-19. A bibliometric analysis was performed using the Scopus database. The search parameters included articles published from 2020 to 2022 using keywords specifically related to COVID-19 and RCTs. The data were analyzed using various bibliometric indicators. The volume of publications, contributions of countries and institutions, funding agencies, active journals, citation analysis, co-occurrence analysis, and future research direction analysis were specifically analyzed. A total of 223,480 research articles concerning COVID-19 were published, with 3,727 of them related to RCTs and COVID-19. The ten most productive countries collectively produced 75.8% of the documents, with the United States leading the way by contributing 31.77%, followed by the UK with 14.03% (n = 523), China with 12.96% (n = 483) and Canada with 7.16% (n = 267). Trials (n = 173, 4.64%), BMJ Open (n = 81, 2.17%), PLOS One (n = 73, 1.96%) and JAMA Network Open (n = 53, 1.42%) were the most active journals in publishing articles related to COVID-19 RCTs. The co-occurrence analysis identified four clusters of research areas: the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, mental health strategies to cope with the impact of the pandemic, the use of monoclonal antibodies to treat patients with COVID-19, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses of COVID-19 research. This paper offers a detailed examination of the global research environment pertaining to RCTs and their use in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The comprehensive body of research findings was found to have been generated by the collaborative efforts of multiple countries, institutions, and funding organizations. The predominant research areas encompassed COVID-19 vaccines, strategies for mental health, monoclonal antibodies, and systematic reviews. This information has the potential to aid researchers, policymakers, and funders in discerning areas of weakness and establishing areas of priority.

Global research trends and mapping knowledge structure of depression in dialysis patients

BACKGROUND

Depression is one of the most common and important psychological issues faced by dialysis patients. It can make it more difficult for them to adhere to their treatment regimen, which, in turn, can worsen their physical symptoms and lead to poorer health outcomes.

AIM

To examine the evolution and growth of publications related to dialysis and depression. The objectives were to identify the number of publications, the top active countries, the contributed institutions, funding agencies and journals, as well as to perform citation and research theme analysis.

METHODS

The search was conducted using the Scopus database for publications related to dialysis and depression between 1970 and 2022. Subsequently, bibliometric analysis was carried out on the data obtained using VOSviewer software, version 1.6.9. This analysis included visualization analysis, co-occurrence analysis and examination of publication trends in dialysis and depression.

RESULTS

We identified 800 publications that met the search criteria. The number of publications related to dialysis and depression has increased significantly in the past two decades. The USA led the way with 144 publications, which is 18% of all publications on this topic. Turkey came second with 88 publications (11%), followed by China with 55 publications (6.88%) and Iran with 52 publications (6.5%). Analysis of the research theme identified three main clusters related to gender differences in prevalence, identification of depression as a risk factor, and effective interventions to relieve depression. Future research direction analysis shows a shift toward effective interventions to relieve depression in dialysis patients.

CONCLUSION

This study provides a comprehensive overview of growth, trends and research themes related to dialysis and depression that could help researchers identify gaps in the literature and develop future research.