100% of samples obtained by conventional D&C, while 98.2% of the samples obtained by Tao Brush were adequate for histopathology examination. In this study; Tao Brush had 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% predictive values and accuracy for diagnosing endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial carcinoma, proliferative and secretory endometrium, also, it had 86.7% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value (PPV) and 99% negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy for diagnosing endometritis (no significant difference compared to conventional D&C), while, it had 77.8% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% PPV and 99% NPV and accuracy for diagnosing endometrial polyps (no significant difference compared to conventional D&C) CONCLUSION: Endometrial sampling using endometrial brush cytology (EBC) is safe, accurate, cost-effective outpatient procedure, avoids general anesthesia with high sensitivity and specificity for detection of endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma. EBC could be used as complementary diagnostic tool when hysteroscopic biopsies or other blinded procedures for endometrial sampling are unwanted or not available.

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Objectives Headache is considered one of the most frequent neurological manifestations of COVID-19. This work aimed to identify the relative frequency of COVID-19 related headache and to clarify the impact of clinical, laboratory findings of COVID-19 infection on headache occurrence and its response to analgesics. Design Cross-sectional study Setting Recovered COVID-19 patients Subjects 782 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. Methods Clinical, laboratory and imaging data were obtained from the hospital medical records. Regarding patients who developed COVID-19 related headache, a trained neurologist performed an analysis of headache and its response to analgesics. Results The relative frequency of COVID-19 related headache among our sample was 55.1% with 95% CI (0.516–0.586) for the estimated population prevalence. Female gender, malignancy, primary headache, fever, dehydration, lower levels of hemoglobin and platelets and higher levels of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and CRP were significantly associated with COVID-19 related headache. Multivariate analysis revealed that female gender, fever, dehydration, primary headache, high NLR, and decreased platelet count were independent predictors of headache occurrence. By evaluating headache response to analgesics, old age, diabetes, hypertension, primary headache, severe COVID-19, steroid intake, higher CRP and ferritin and lower hemoglobin levels were associated with poor response to analgesics. Multivariate analysis revealed that primary headache, steroids intake, moderate and severe COVID-19 were independent predictors of non-response to analgesics. Discussion Headache occurs in 55.1% of patients with COVID-19. Female gender, fever, dehydration, primary headache, high NLR, and decreased platelet count are considered independent predictors of COVID-19 related headache.

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Objectives To assess risk factors for persistent neuropathic pain in subjects recovered from COVID-19 and to study the serum level of neurofilament light chain (NFL) in those patients. Design Case-control study Setting Persistent post COVID-19 pain Subjects 45 patients with post COVID-19 pain and another 45 age and sex-matched healthcare workers who recovered from COVID-19 without pain. Methods The included participants were subjected to medical history taking, screening for depressive disorders, comprehensive neurological examination, and pain evaluation using the Douleur Neuropathique en 4 questions (DN4). All patients who had a score at least 4/10 on DN4 were included. The serum NFL level was measured for both groups at the time of patients’ enrollment. Results The frequency of depression, moderate and severe COVID-19 cases, disease duration and serum ferritin were significantly higher in the cases with post COVID-19 pain than controls. Binary logistic regression revealed that depression, azithromycin use, moderate and severe COVID-19 increased the odds of post COVID-19 pain by 4.462, 5.444, 4.901, & 6.276 times, respectively. Cases with post COVID-19 pain had significantly higher NFL (11.34 ± 9.7, 95%CI: 8.42 – 14.25) than control group (7.64 ± 5.40, 95%CI: 6.02–9.27), (P-value= 0.029). Patients with allodynia had significantly higher NFL (14.96 ± 12.41, 95%CI: 8.58—21.35) compared to those without (9.14 ± 6.99, 95%CI: 6.43—11.85) (P-value= 0.05). Discussion Depression, azithromycin, moderate and severe COVID-19 are independent predictors of persistent post COVID-19 pain. Serum NFL may serve as a potential biomarker for persistent neuropathic pain after COVID-19.