Capsular contracture is one of the most common complications of implant-based breast reconstruction or augmentation surgery. Despite advanced molecular biology, the exact mechanism of this complication is not fully understood. PubMed was searched for studies, published from 2015 to 2020, focused on potential risk factors and preventions of capsular contracture (CC) in patients who underwent implant-based breast surgery. A total of 533 articles were identified from PubMed, and 13 articles were selected ultimately for our review after eligibility screening and quality appraisal. Common risk factors of CC include biofilm, surgical site infections (SSI), history of prior CC or fibrosis, history of radiation therapy, and implant characteristics. Interventions that decrease the rate of CC include antibiotic prophylaxis or irrigation, acellular dermal matrix (ADM), leukotriene (LTE) inhibitors, surgical techniques, and others. Multiple risk factors are proposed to be a component of the pathophysiology of CC. However, there is inconsistent evidence supporting these risk factors, and the current data was based on broad heterogeneous studies. While efforts are being undertaken to solve this complication with improved technologies and surgical practices, CC remains to be unsolved. Our objective was to provide a summary of the current data of contributing risk factors as well as preventative and treatment measures for CC.

Cytokines predominate the inflammatory pathways in diseases like rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. Corticosteroids and immunosuppressants are presently the mainstays of treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe disease, but often accompany a poor side effect profile. In this review, we attempt to consolidate current data on various interleukins (IL) that participate in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) to further improve therapeutic strategies. For now, dupilumab is the most accepted biologic to be registered for treatment for moderate-to-severe disease. Recently, IL-37, IL-13, IL-26, IL-17 & IL-31/33 axis as well as proteins like thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) show promising results as future therapeutic targets because of their important role in the pathogenesis of AD. However, further studies are required to clarify the safety and efficacy of these interventions compared to current treatment modalities but it is worthwhile to pursue research into biologics as a more successful treatment option for moderate-to-severe AD.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the alimentary tract whose incidence has been increasing over the past few years. Even though there is a complex interplay of several factors in the pathogenesis of IBD, a decrease in the diversity of intestinal microbiome is commonly found in patients. Extensive research is directed towards the alteration of this microbiome to improve the symptoms of IBD. Probiotics, prebiotics, antibiotics, and diet are studied in this regard extensively. Among them, probiotics have gained more interest as some of the studies showed them to be effective in decreasing gut inflammation in vitro and in vivo. Although there is no cure for IBD as of today, the available medications do decrease gut inflammation and help prolong remission and decrease relapse rates. But their side effects preclude their long-term use. Probiotics may be a ray of hope among IBD patients as they are apparently safe. This article reviews each of the available literature from the past 10 years to see if there is any certain role of probiotics in induction, maintenance of remission, prevention of relapse, and improvement in the quality of life in IBD patients.