The Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Lockdown on a Botulinum Toxin Outpatient Clinic in Germany

Multiplexed Detection Strategies for Biosensors Based on the CRISPR-Cas System

A growing number of applications require simultaneous detection of multiplexed nucleic acid targets in a single reaction, which enables higher information density in combination with reduced assay time and cost. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and the CRISPR-Cas system have broad applications for the detection of nucleic acids due to their strong specificity, high sensitivity, and excellent programmability. However, realizing multiplexed detection is still challenging for the CRISPR-Cas system due to the nonspecific collateral cleavage activity, limited signal reporting strategies, and possible cross-reactions. In this review, we summarize the principles, strategies, and features of multiplexed detection based on the CRISPR-Cas system and further discuss the challenges and perspective.

Quality of Life in Female Patients with Overactive Bladder after Botulinum Toxin Treatment

BACKGROUND

Manifestations of OAB can considerably diminish the quality of life. Botulinum toxin has emerged as a valuable treatment option in diseases whose symptoms cannot be controlled adequately with other available therapies. The aim of the present study was to compare the subjective quality of life of patients with OAB before the injection of botulinum toxin and three and six months after the intervention.

METHODS

This study was based on a diagnostic survey with three validated questionnaires, ICIQ-OAB, ICIQ-OABqol, and ICIQ-LUTSqol, and an additional questionnaire developed by the authors to collect sociodemographic characteristics and selected medical data.

RESULTS

This study demonstrated significant differences between pre-treatment scores and those at three and six months post injection. At three and six months after the intervention, mean scores for all three instruments (ICIQ-OAB, ICIQ-OABqol, ICIQ-LUTSqol) were significantly lower than the respective pre-treatment values, implying a significant attenuation of OAB symptoms and their lower impact on the quality of life. However, the severity of OAB symptoms and their impact on the quality of life at six months post intervention were significantly higher than at three months, except for the social interaction domain.

CONCLUSIONS

Botulinum toxin is an effective treatment for OAB.

"Pseudo"-Secondary Treatment Failure Explained via Disease Progression and Effective Botulinum Toxin Therapy: A Pilot Simulation Study

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to provide evidence from a simple simulation. In patients with focal dystonia, an initial good response to botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injections followed by a secondary worsening does not necessarily arise from an antibody-induced secondary treatment failure (NAB-STF), but may stem from a "pseudo"-secondary treatment failure (PSEUDO-STF).

METHODS

The simulation of the outcome after BoNT long-term treatment was performed in four steps: 1. The effect of the first single BoNT injection (SI curve) was displayed as a 12-point graph, corresponding to the mean improvement from weeks 1 to 12. 2. The remaining severity of the dystonia during the nth injection cycle was calculated by subtracting the SI curve (weighted by the outcome after n - 1 cycles) from the outcome after week 12 of the (n - 1)th cycle. 3. A graph was chosen (the PRO curve), which represents the progression of the severity of the underlying disease during BoNT therapy. 4. The interaction between the outcome during the nth BoNT cycle and the PRO curve was determined.

RESULTS

When the long-term outcome after n cycles of BoNT injections (applied every 3 months) was simulated as an interactive process, subtracting the effect of the first cycle (weighted by the outcome after n - 1 cycles) and adding the progression of the disease, an initial good improvement followed by secondary worsening results. This long-term outcome depends on the steepness of the progression and the duration of action of the first injection cycle. We termed this response behavior a "pseudo"-secondary treatment failure, as it can be compensated via a dose increase.

CONCLUSION

A secondary worsening following an initial good response in BoNT therapy of focal dystonia might not necessarily indicate neutralizing antibody induction but could stem from a "PSEUDO"-STF (a combination of good response behavior and progression of the underlying disease). Thus, an adequate dose adaptation must be conducted before diagnosing a secondary treatment failure in the strict sense.

Delay in seeking health care from community residents during a time with low prevalence of COVID-19: A cross-sectional national survey in China

Background

The pandemic of COVID-19 has significant implications on health resources allocation and health care delivery. Patients with non-COVID illness may have to change their care seeking behaviors to mitigate the risk of infections. The research aimed to investigate potential delay of community residents in seeking health care at a time with an overall low prevalence of COVID-19 in China.

Methods

An online survey was conducted in March 2021 on a random sample drawn from the registered survey participants of the survey platform Wenjuanxing. The respondents who reported a need for health care over the past month (n = 1,317) were asked to report their health care experiences and concerns. Logistic regression models were established to identify predictors of the delay in seeking health care. The selection of independent variables was guided by the Andersen's service utilization model. All data analyses were performed using SPSS 23.0. A two-sided p value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Key results

About 31.4% of respondents reported delay in seeking health care, with fear of infection (53.5%) as a top reason. Middle (31-59 years) age (AOR = 1.535; 95% CI, 1.132 to 2.246), lower levels of perceived controllability of COVID-19 (AOR = 1.591; 95% CI 1.187 to 2.131), living with chronic conditions (AOR = 2.008; 95% CI 1.544 to 2.611), pregnancy or co-habiting with a pregnant woman (AOR = 2.115; 95% CI 1.154 to 3.874), access to Internet-based medical care (AOR = 2.529; 95% CI 1.960 to 3.265), and higher risk level of the region (AOR = 1.736; 95% CI 1.307 to 2.334) were significant predictors of the delay in seeking health care after adjustment for variations of other variables. Medical consultations (38.7%), emergency treatment (18.2%), and obtainment of medicines (16.5%) were the top three types of delayed care, while eye, nose, and throat diseases (23.2%) and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (20.8%) were the top two conditions relating to the delayed care. Self-treatment at home was the most likely coping strategy (34.9%), followed by Internet-based medical care (29.2%) and family/friend help (24.0%).

Conclusions

Delay in seeking health care remained at a relatively high level when the number of new COVID-19 cases was low, which may present a serious health risk to the patients, in particular those living with chronic conditions who need continuous medical care. Fear of infection is the top reason for the delay. The delay is also associated with access to Internet-based medical care, living in a high risk region, and perceived low controllability of COVID-19.

Movement disorders in coronavirus disease 2019 times: impact on care in movement disorders and Parkinson disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The purpose of this review is to outline the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on movement disorder holistic care, particularly in the care of people with Parkinson disease (PWP).

RECENT FINDINGS

As the pandemic unfolds, a flurry of literature was published regarding the impact of COVID-19 on people with Parkinson disease including the direct impact of infection, availability of ambulatory care, loss of community-based team care, and acceptability of telemedicine.

SUMMARY

COVID-19 has impacted the care of PWP in numerous ways. Recognizing infection in PWP poses challenges. Specific long-term complications, including emerging reports of long COVID syndrome is a growing concern. Caregivers and PWP have also been impacted by COVID-19 social isolation restrictions, with radical changes to the structure of social networks and support systems globally. In a matter of weeks, the global community saw an incredible uptake in telemedicine, which brought with benefits and pitfalls. As PWP adapted to virtual platforms and the changing architecture of care delivery, the pandemic amplified many preexisting inequities amongst populations and countries, exposing a new 'digital divide'.

COVID-19-related delays of botulinum toxin injections have a negative impact on the quality of life of patients with dystonia and spasticity: a single-center ambulatory care study

BACKGROUND

Botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) is considered a safe and effective treatment for spasticity and dystonia. Individual interinjection intervals are critical for the maintenance of the effect. In Austria, BoNT outpatient clinics were shutdown from November to December 2020 during COVID-19 control measures, leading to rescheduling of BoNT-A injections. This survey aimed at investigating the influence of injection delays on symptoms, physical functioning, and quality of life (QoL) of the affected patients.

METHODS

Between April and July 2021, 32 outpatients (21 females, mean age: 63.4 ± 12.1 years) treated ≥ 12 months at the BoNT outpatient clinic Horn-Allentsteig (Austria) and experienced ≥ 2 week injection delays, completed a structured face-to-face questionnaire.

RESULTS

Indications were dystonia (34%), spasticity (63%), and hyperhidrosis (3%). Injections were delayed by 10 weeks (median, range: 2-15). Muscle cramps increased in 95% of patients with spasticity, muscle twitches in 91% of those with dystonia, and pain in 9% and 60% for dystonia and spasticity, respectively. Overall, 75% reported functional worsening, and deterioration in QoL by 62.6% ± 16.8 (mean ± SD). The impact on QoL correlated with the subjective global improvement induced by BoNT-A (Rs: 0.625; p < 0.001). For 75%, long-term assurance of BoNT-A therapy was very important, and 81% felt their patient rights not respected.

CONCLUSIONS

COVID-19-related delays in BoNT-A injections illustrate the importance of this therapy for symptom relief, functional outcome, and QoL in patients suffering from involuntary muscle hyperactivity. BoNT-A therapy is essential and has to be guaranteed even in circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Continuous Increase of Efficacy under Repetitive Injections of Botulinum Toxin Type/A beyond the First Treatment for Adult Spastic Foot Drop

The objective of this study was to quantify the increase in efficacy during the first four cycles of treatment with botulinum toxin type/A (BoNT/A) in 24 free-walking BoNT/A naïve adult patients with post-stroke hemispasticity and spastic foot drop. Patients were followed over 390 days and received five injections of 800 U aboBoNT/A every three months. Patients assessed the treatment effect at eight visits using a global assessment scale, physicians scored the muscle tone at the ankle joint, measured active and passive ranges of motion (aRoMs, pRoMs) at the knee and ankle joint and determined the distance patients succeeded to walk during a minute. Patients' assessments significantly (p < 0.006) increased with time and significantly correlated with all parameters measured. The best correlation (r = 0.927; p < 0.0001) was found with the sum of the aRoMs of knee and ankle joint. After one year of treatment outcome measures were better than and significantly correlated with the peak effect of the first injection. This correlation was higher for pRoMs (r = 0.855; p < 0.00001) compared to aRoMs (r = 0.567; p < 0.009). When BoNT/A treatment of the spastic foot in chronic hemispasticity is performed regularly every three months for at least one year, patients will experience a significant increase of benefit beyond the first treatment, but have to learn how to adapt to and use the new degree of freedom induced by the injections.

The effects of COVID-19 pandemic countermeasures on patients receiving botulinum toxin therapy and on their caregivers: a study from an Italian cohort

COVID-19 outbreak had a huge worldwide impact, and several countermeasures to contain its spread have been adopted, such as the interruption of nonurgent outpatient clinics. We wanted to describe the effects of the national lockdown on the well-being of a cohort of Italian patients with cerebral palsy (CP) receiving botulinum toxin (BT) therapy and of their caregivers. Twenty-five patients receiving BT therapy were surveyed using the structuralized questionnaire by Dressler and Adib Saberi, while the caregivers were assessed using the Caregiver Burden Scale. The lockdown delayed BT therapy by 9 ± 2.8 months. Around 44% of the selected patients noticed increased muscle cramps, 24% increased muscle pain, and 32% both of them. Due to the lockdown, the patient’s quality of life was reduced by 68.4 ± 21.1%. After the lockdown, 100% of patients perceived BT therapy as more important than before. Around 76% of the patients perceived the lockdown as inadequate and felt that their rights were not respected. The overall score of the Caregiver Burden Scale, as regarded before the lockdown, was 29.12 ± 11.63, while the overall score as regarded after the lockdown was 37.44 ± 14.85. The overall score increased, from before the lockdown to after the lockdown, for 92% of caregivers. The BT outpatient clinic’s interruption was seen to significantly worsen the psychophysical condition of subjects with CP and the care burden of their caregivers, exposing them to greater stress than before. Therefore, any kind of BT treatment suspension or delay should be avoided.