The current systematic review aimed to document published cases of femoral head avascular necrosis (FHAVN) post-COVID-19, to report the COVID-19 disease characteristics and management patients received, and to evaluate how the FHAVN were diagnosed and treated among various reports. A systematic literature review was performed per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines through a comprehensive English literature search on January 2023 through four databases (Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus), including studies reporting on FHAVN post-COVID-19. Fourteen articles were included, ten (71.4%) were case reports, and four (28.6%) case series reported on 104 patients having a mean age of 42.2 ± 11.7 (14:74) years, in which 182 hip joints were affected. In 13 reports, corticosteroids were used during the COVID-19 management plan for a mean of 24.8 ± 11 (7:42) days, with a mean prednisolone equivalent dose of 1238.5 ± 492.8 (100:3520) mg. A mean of 142.1 ± 107.6 (7:459) days passed between COVID-19 diagnosis and FHAVN detection, and most of the hips were stage II (70.1%), and concomitant septic arthritis was present in eight (4.4%) hips. Most hips (147, 80.8%) were treated non-surgically, of which 143 (78.6%) hips received medical treatment, while 35 (19.2%) hips were surgically managed, 16 (8.8%) core decompression, 13 (7.1%) primary THA, five (2.7%) staged THA and three (1.6%) had first stage THA (debridement and application of antibiotic-loaded cement spacer). The outcomes were acceptable as regards hip function and pain relief. Femoral head avascular necrosis post-COVID-19 infection is a real concern, primarily attributed to corticosteroid usage, besides other factors. Early suspicion and detection are mandatory, as conservative management lines are effective during early stages with acceptable outcomes. However, surgical intervention was required for progressive collapse or patients presented in the late stage.

Introduction: Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) is a growing disorder. Standardization of its assessment tools is an integral part of its management. The modified Japanese orthopedic association (mJOA) score is one of the most commonly used tools. Currently, there is no available Arabic translated version of any cervical myelopathy functional score. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and measure the psychometric properties of an Arabic translated version of the mJOA. Methods: After translation of the score using the standard forward-backward translation procedure, a validation study including 100 patients was carried out from June 2019 to June 2020. The following psychometric properties were measured: feasibility, reliability, internal consistency, validity, minimal clinically important difference (MCID), ceiling, and floor effect. Results: No problems were encountered during the process of translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the score. The mJOA-AR was found to be a feasible score. It showed high inter-observer reliability (r = 0.833, P < 0.001), test-retest reliability (r = 0.987, P < 0.001) and good internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha (0.777) and Pearson interclass correlation coefficient (r = 0.717). The score showed good convergent and divergent construct validity correlating it to the Arabic validated version of the neck disability index (NDI). The mJOA-AR had an MCID of 1.506. Both the ceiling and floor effects of the total score and the first and second domains were within the acceptable range, while the third and fourth domains had a high ceiling effect (30% and 39%, respectively). Discussion: Our translated version of the mJOA score was found to be a feasible score with acceptable psychometric properties. This score can be utilized as a good outcome measure tool in Arabic-speaking countries.

Hb J-Paris-I [HBA2: c.38C>A (or HBA1)] is a stable fast-moving hemoglobin (Hb) that elutes in the P3 window on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The mutation can happen on either the α1- or α2-globin gene. Codon 12 changes from GCC to GAC to replace the alanine amino acid with aspartic acid. This change is external with no clinical significance. The elution in the P3 wave on HPLC can interfere with the glycated Hb assay by HPLC. In this study, data of 11 cases of Hb J-Paris-I were thoroughly presented. The majority of the cases were of Indian ethnicity. The mean value of Hb J-Paris-I on HPLC was 26.7 ± 2.0%. The retention time (RT) was 1.75 ± 0.03 min. The isoelectric focusing (IEF) mean value was −5.6 (range −6.1 to −4.9). Hb A₂ was consistently reduced to 1.8 ± 0.3%. A fraction of 0.8% corresponding to the Hb A₂-J-Paris-I (α₂^J-Paris-Iδ₂) is likely to be concealed within the A₀ …

Background

Internet addiction has been a topic of discussion in the academic literature for many years. As of April 2020, about 60 % of the world's population (nearly 4.6 billion people) were active internet user in their early adulthood. The prevalence among adolescent and college students ranged from 0.9 % to 33 %. The current study aimed to explore internet addiction's prevalence and correlates among undergraduate medical students at an Egyptian university. Also, to assess the relationship between internet addiction, depression symptoms, and socioeconomic status.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 321 undergraduate medical students at Assiut University using the Internet Addiction Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, and Family Affluence Scale.

Results

About 9 % of the study participants screened positive for internet addiction. The most important determinants among medical students were sex, mother's employment status, family affluence, depressive symptoms, and unmonitored internet access.

Limitations

We did not investigate another psychiatric disease, daily time of internet usage, most frequent time of usage, type of internet usage, and cost of use.

Conclusions

Internet Addiction is an important psychological problem affecting about 9 % of Assiut university medical students during their undergraduate stage, which may interfere with their lives and studies. Students with lower Internet addiction rates were female students whose mothers were employed, lived in a low affluence family, had fewer depressive symptoms, and had unmonitored internet privacy.

Background

Internet gaming addiction (IGA) is a serious condition that can significantly impact personal and social functioning. Many studies of IGA have been conducted in adolescents and young adults, but there are limited data available in children. We investigated the time spent using internet gaming apps in children and its association with behavioral problems, sleep problems, alexithymia, and emotional regulation.

Methods

The research populations (N = 564) were categorized based on the number of hours spent using online gaming applications. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire Abbreviated, the Children's Alexithymia Measure (CAM), and the Clinical Evaluation of Emotional Regulation–9 were used to assess all participants.

Results

Compared to other groups, children who used internet gaming applications for more than 6 h had a higher proportion of abnormal responses on the emotional symptoms and hyperactivity scales. Children who used internet gaming applications for more than 6 h had the poorest sleep quality (75%), while children who used internet gaming applications for 1–2 h had the best (36.7%). Participants who used internet gaming apps for 1–2 h had significantly lower mean total scores on the emotional regulation scale and total CAM, whereas those using internet gaming apps for more than 6 h had the highest mean scores in the CAM.

Conclusions

Excessive use of internet gaming apps during childhood may be associated with hyperactivity, peer problems, high socioeconomic level, alexithymia concerns, shorter daytime sleep duration, and a delayed morning wake-up.

Background: 

Congenital dislocation of the knee is a rare condition with an incidence of 1:100000 and can be idiopathic or syndromic. Our study evaluated percutaneous needle tenotomy for treatment of idiopathic flexible congenital dislocation of the knee.

Methods: 

A prospective case series was done on 15 infants with idiopathic congenital dislocation of the knee: nine boys and six girls. Closed reduction was first attempted, and if it failed the knee was examined. If the knee could be flexed beyond 0, serial casting was done. If the knee could not be flexed beyond 0, percutaneous needle tenotomy was done.

Results: 

Fifteen infants presented with idiopathic flexible congenital dislocation of the knee. Three dislocations were reduced closed, five were reduced with serial casting with gradual flexion, and seven that could not be flexed beyond 0 underwent percutaneous needle tenotomy. All patients could walk within the normal age range with no pain. All had full range of motion and good quadriceps function. Ultrasound was done in patients who had percutaneous needle tenotomy at walking age to ensure healing of the quadriceps tendon, which was adequately healed in all patients.

Conclusions: 

Percutaneous needle tenotomy is a good option for treatment of congenital dislocation of the knee. Careful selection of patients is mandatory.

Abstract

Background: This study evaluates submuscular locked plate in the pediatric femoral shaft fractures at the age from 6 to 12 years old.

Methods: A prospective study was done on 30 patients with fracture shaft femur. 18 of them were males and 12 of them were females. Fixation of all cases was done with a submuscular locked plate using the cluster technique.

Results: All fractures healed within 6 weeks. There have been no cases of non-union, malunion or infection.

Conclusion: Submuscular locked plate with cluster screw placement is a reliable and a useful option for fixation of pediatric fracture shaft femur.

Key words: Sub-muscular locked plate, pediatric fracture femur