Background and aim: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a rare multisystem autoimmune disease developed by autoantibody production against human neutrophilic granulocytes, including proteinase-3 (PR3) and myeloperoxidase (MPO). The management of AAV patients is difficult due to the multiorgan involvement, high rate of relapse, and complications of immunosuppressive agents that make it challenging. This study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of rituximab (RTX) therapy in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) subtypes. Method: The PubMed/Medline database was searched for any studies related to RTX therapy in ANCA-associated vasculitis (GPA and MPA subtypes), from inception to 1 August 2022, and proceeded in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Results: Our search resulted in 1082 initial records. After the elimination of review papers, irrelevant studies, and non-English records, 223 articles were included, and the data related to the efficacy and safety of RTX therapy were extracted. Several randomized and non-randomized studies showed that RTX is an effective treatment option for patients with AAV. Most of the studies showed the very effective effect of RTX in controlling disease in AAV patients, including pediatrics, adults, and elderlies, although RTX cannot completely prevent relapse. However, maintenance therapy helps delay the disease’s relapse and causes sustained remission. Not only the licensed dose (375 mg/m² intravenous per week for 4 weeks) could induce disease remission, but studies also showed that a single infusion of RTX could be effective. Although RTX could resolve many rare manifestations in AAV patients, there are few reports showing treatment failure. Additionally, few sudies have reported the unexpeted worsening of the disease after RTX administration. Generally, RTX is relatively safe compared to conventional therapies, but some serious adverse effects, mainly infections, cytopenia, hypogammaglobinemia, malignancy, and hypersensitivity have been reported. Conclusions: RTX is an effective and relatively safe therapeutic option for AAV. Studies on the evaluation of the safety profiles of RTX and the prevention of severe RTX-related side effects in AAV patients are required.

Road traffic injury (RTI) is the second leading cause of death and disability, and motorcycle crashes rank as the first cause of traffic fatality in Iran. We aimed to compare various characteristics between traumatized motorcycle riders and pillion passengers registered with the National Trauma Registry of Iran (NTRI). This is a retrospective study of the NTRI, an ongoing multicenter trauma database built on a registry. This study included injured motorcyclists from six major trauma centers nationwide admitted between February 2017 and November 2023. Motorcyclists should have been hospitalized for RTIs and met the NTRI's inclusion criteria. We assessed patients regarding their demographics, clinical features, the pattern of injuries, and diverse in-hospital outcomes. Of 54,342 registered patients in the NTRI, 7,594 motorcyclists were included. Of them, 6,636 (87.4%) were riders, and 958 (12.6%) were pillion passengers. Among all, 7165 (94.5%) were male, and 420 (5.5%) female (p < 0.001). Only 656 (9.9%) of riders and 24 (2.5%) of pillion passengers were wearing helmets (p < 0.001). Lone motorcyclist crashes led to injuries in 1,394 (21.2%) riders and 332 (35.5%) pillion passengers (p < 0.001). Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was 3 to 8 in 204 (3.1%) riders and 16 (1.7%) pillion passengers (p = 0.016). The most frequent pattern of poly-trauma was "head and thorax," with 43 (32.3%) riders and 5 (25.0%) pillion passengers (p = 0.362). Univariable logistic regression analysis showed that Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission (OR = 0.78, CI 95% = 0.62 to 0.97, p = 0.028) and mechanical ventilation (OR = 0.58, CI 95% = 0.39 to 0.84, p = 0.004) were significantly lower in pillion passengers compared to motorcycle riders. After adjustment for age, gender, occupational status, and helmet use, being a rider or a pillion passenger didn't have a significant association with any of the in-hospital outcomes. Motorcycle riders and pillion passengers sustain the same injuries in terms of pattern, severity, and in-hospital outcomes. Therefore, healthcare providers can approach them similarly. Since there is a high number of underage riders and helmets are not used commonly, there should be more police enforcement in this case.

Background: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis is a systemic anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitides (AAVs), mainly involving the respiratory tract and renal system. Treatment by Rituximab as a next-generation therapy in ANCA-associated vasculitis is associated with promising outcomes in GPA patients. Despite symptoms improvements, disease recurrence and drug reaction are a challenging topic nowadays. Objectives: In this study, we examined six GPA patients who were confirmed to have paradoxical reactions to rituximab and then described how to control their symptoms. Methods: In this study, all the systemic GPA patients (diagnosed based on ACR/EULAR criteria) who received RTX in Amir-Allam hospital, were monitored for any sign of disease exacerbation up to 3 months after RTX exposure. Results: From 78 GPA-diagnosed patients, six, including one man and five women with the mean age of 37.3 ± 13.8, were identified for exacerbation after RTX administration. Conclusion: According to our observation, it could be recommended not to deprive the patient of the benefits of RTX treatment due to the early patient's possible complications.

Fibrous dysplasia is a benign fibro-osseous lesion where normal bone is replaced with immature dysplastic woven bone and fibrous tissue. Fibrous dysplasia has the potential to involve multiple bones of the craniofacial area in a rare condition. Management of this involvement type should be assessed carefully. Here, we report a 52-year-old man with progressive and bilateral frontal headache. The radio/pathologic diagnosis revealed fibrous dysplasia of paranasal sinuses with anterior skull-base extension and pneumocephalus. The patient underwent a craniotomy, and 2 weeks after the procedure, the symptoms were alleviated without any complications. in case of fibrous dysplasia, patients with new onset and/or mild symptoms may have extensive lesions in multiple craniofacial bones.