The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus resulted in a health and economic crisis worldwide. Although everyone is susceptible to COVID-19, the elderly have compromised immune systems and often suffer from chronic underly...The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus resulted in a health and economic crisis worldwide. Although everyone is susceptible to COVID-19, the elderly have compromised immune systems and often suffer from chronic underlying diseases, which makes them more vulnerable. This study aims to assess variation in COVID-19 vaccine distribution patterns across different age groups in European countries and to understand the extent to which European countries have prioritized vulnerable age groups (age > 70) in their vaccination programs. The study utilized open data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and employed an observational, retrospective study design to examine the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine among various age groups in several European countries from September 2021 to September 2023. Results reveal that vaccination rates increase with age, peaking at the 25 - 49 age group (1.34 × 10−4), after which there was a decline in vaccination rate. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to investigate the equality of vaccination rates across the 29 countries in Europe, which resulted in a p-value of 70) during the study period as no country achieved the 70% coverage aimed by WHO. Continuous efforts must be made to ensure larger coverage of COVID-19 vaccination among this vulnerable population in order to protect them from severe outcomes in this region.展开更多
Post-stroke epilepsy(PSE)is a common complication of stroke,signifcantly impacting patient’s quality of life.Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)is an emerging potential non-invasive treatment for PSE.T...Post-stroke epilepsy(PSE)is a common complication of stroke,signifcantly impacting patient’s quality of life.Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)is an emerging potential non-invasive treatment for PSE.This review explores current evidence for rTMS in PSE,highlighting its potential benefts and limitations.Initial studies suggested that rTMS may reduce the seizure burden.Some studies observed a trend towards fewer seizures within two weeks of treatment initiation,indicating a relatively rapid response.Additionally,rTMS may be more efective when used in combination with medication,particularly for patients with specifc lesion locations(frontal/temporal lobes)and seizure types(complex partial seizures).This points towards the potential of personalized treatment protocols.However,current evidence has limitations.Studies often involve small sample sizes and methodological variations,necessitating larger,well-designed trials with standardized protocols to confrm the efcacy and safety of rTMS in PSE.Future research should also focus on the optimization of treatment parameters,including stimulation frequency,duration,coil placement,and treatment course.Long-term studies are needed to evaluate the persistence of treatment efects on seizure control,cognitive function,and overall patient outcomes.Refning patient selection criteria and investigating the underlying mechanisms of therapeutic efects of rTMS in PSE are also crucial areas for future exploration.展开更多
文摘The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus resulted in a health and economic crisis worldwide. Although everyone is susceptible to COVID-19, the elderly have compromised immune systems and often suffer from chronic underlying diseases, which makes them more vulnerable. This study aims to assess variation in COVID-19 vaccine distribution patterns across different age groups in European countries and to understand the extent to which European countries have prioritized vulnerable age groups (age > 70) in their vaccination programs. The study utilized open data from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and employed an observational, retrospective study design to examine the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine among various age groups in several European countries from September 2021 to September 2023. Results reveal that vaccination rates increase with age, peaking at the 25 - 49 age group (1.34 × 10−4), after which there was a decline in vaccination rate. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to investigate the equality of vaccination rates across the 29 countries in Europe, which resulted in a p-value of 70) during the study period as no country achieved the 70% coverage aimed by WHO. Continuous efforts must be made to ensure larger coverage of COVID-19 vaccination among this vulnerable population in order to protect them from severe outcomes in this region.
文摘Post-stroke epilepsy(PSE)is a common complication of stroke,signifcantly impacting patient’s quality of life.Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)is an emerging potential non-invasive treatment for PSE.This review explores current evidence for rTMS in PSE,highlighting its potential benefts and limitations.Initial studies suggested that rTMS may reduce the seizure burden.Some studies observed a trend towards fewer seizures within two weeks of treatment initiation,indicating a relatively rapid response.Additionally,rTMS may be more efective when used in combination with medication,particularly for patients with specifc lesion locations(frontal/temporal lobes)and seizure types(complex partial seizures).This points towards the potential of personalized treatment protocols.However,current evidence has limitations.Studies often involve small sample sizes and methodological variations,necessitating larger,well-designed trials with standardized protocols to confrm the efcacy and safety of rTMS in PSE.Future research should also focus on the optimization of treatment parameters,including stimulation frequency,duration,coil placement,and treatment course.Long-term studies are needed to evaluate the persistence of treatment efects on seizure control,cognitive function,and overall patient outcomes.Refning patient selection criteria and investigating the underlying mechanisms of therapeutic efects of rTMS in PSE are also crucial areas for future exploration.
