Mohammad Barzegar

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a surge in the consumption of beverages containing methanol, as individuals have erroneously surmised that the ingestion of alcohol could potentially serve as a protective measure against the virus. Objectives: The aim of this systematic study was to investigate methanol toxicity and its clinical complications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A comprehensive search for sources was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus, as well as Iranian databases such as Magiran, Iran Doc, and SID. The search spanned from December 2019 to November 2022. The inclusion criteria for this review specified cross-sectional studies that examined the prevalence of methanol toxicity and its complications during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran. Methodological quality was assessed for each study included in the review. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the consumption of alcohol, including ethanol and methanol, increased. Men were more likely to consume alcohol compared to women, and a higher number of deaths were reported among young individuals. Visual impairment emerged as one of the most common complications of methanol poisoning, with an increase in its incidence during the disease outbreak. Conclusions: Given the growing concerns about methanol poisoning, enhancing public awareness could significantly reduce both the prevalence of clinical complications and mortality rates. Therefore, it is recommended that greater emphasis be placed on improving education and raising awareness about methanol poisoning within Iran.

Background: The symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) range from asymptomatic to severe respiratory distress or death. Reviews on potential COVID-19 treatments show no established therapy. Photobiomodulation can help in reducing inflammation and speed up tissue repair. In addition, due to its few side effects, it appears to be effective in restricting COVID-19. Therefore, it was decided to use this method in disease control to achieve the systemic impact of intravascular photobiomodulation therapy in this study. Methods: A total of 60 patients were randomly divided into three groups of 20 subjects: A control group that received common treatments for COVID-19, a group treated with a low-power gallium arsenide laser diode (660 nm) with an output dose of 2 J/cm2 for 7 minutes and 5 days in a row in addition to standard treatments, and another group that received common treatments with the same laser dose at the same time as the first group with a low-power diode laser (450 nm). Laboratory data and clinical criteria between groups were compared before and after the treatment. Results: An increase in O2 and partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) was significant in the two laser therapy groups (P < 0.05). In addition, the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) decreased significantly in the blue laser group (mean difference = -1.44 ± 12.72). The COP score was reduced in all groups; however, only in the blue laser group the reduction in COP score was significant (P < 0.05). In the blue laser group, the COP score before and after the treatment was reduced. Conclusions: The use of an intravenous laser with red and blue wavelength with an output dose of 2 J/cm2 for 7 minutes and 5 days in a row, in addition to standard treatments, showed the improvement of oxygenation (O2 and PO2 in arterial blood gas [ABG]) and the reduction of inflammatory factors (erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR] and C-reactive protein [CRP]) and COP scores. However, further extensive studies are needed to prove the therapeutic effects of intravenous lasers, along with the usual treatments for COVID-19.