Qom University of Medical Sciences Journal
Year:2009 | Volume:3 | Issue:1|Papers Count:10

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of isolated soy protein on prevention of rheumatoid arthritis in collagen-induced rats.Methods: A total of 24 female Sprague-Dawley rats (body weights: 180-200g) were randomly divided into four equal groups including normal; control of rheumatoid arthritis; rheumatoid arthritis + isolated soy protein (7g/kg); rheumatoid arthritis + dexamethasone (1mg/kg).Experimentally rheumatoid arthritis in rats was induced by subcutaneous injection of collagen .. emolsified in Incomplete Frund’s Adjuvant in days 1 and 7. Treatments were gavaged to animals for 30 days, once a day. The severity of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms in paws were daily measured in double blind format by standard method. The statistical comparison between the experimental groups was performed by Independent -samples ttest and One-Way ANOVA using SPSS software.Results: The clinical symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis started from day 17.4±2.4, 20±4 and 14.1±1.9 in isolated soy protein, dexamethasone and control groups, respectively (P<0.05). The severity of clinical symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis on day 30 was 3.84±2.04, 2±1.78 and 6.5±1.76 in isolated soy protein, dexamethasone and control groups, respectively (P<0.05). At the end of the study, the incidence rates of rheumatoid arthritis in isolated soy protein and control groups was %83.33 and %100, respectively. Conclusion: Isolated soy protein decreased the severity of clinical symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, it could be a key factor in prevention and even treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Background and Objectives: Immunosuppression is regarded among the risk factors for bacterial infection. But in recent studies, anemia was considered a predisposing factor for bacterial infections. The main goals of this study was to assess the rate of anemia in hospitalized patients with acute bacterial infection and to determine the relationship between anemia and bacterial infection as a predisposing factor.Methods: 311 hospitalized patients whose bacterial infection was well documented based on the files present in Kamkar, Arabnia, Fatemi, and Sahamieh hospitals in Qom, Iran, were selected for the present study. They were categorized into various age groups from newborns to the elderly. The data included, age, sex, Hb of the patients the first, third and discharge day, HCT in the first, third and discharge day, MCV, MCH, MCHC, WBC in the first, third,fourth day, Diff in the first and fourth days, ESR, CRP, maximum of fever and disease, chronic disease, smoking. A P<0.05 was considered as being significant.Results: On the basis of hemoglobin rate, 43.9 % of patients had anemia as a co-disease. There was no anemia among newborns, but 57% of infants had it. Patients who had pyorrheal lymphadenitis had maximum rate of anemia among other patients.Conclusion: On the average, the rate of anemia in this study was 2.1 times more than that of general population in Qom, as well as in any of the age groups. This difference indicates that anemia rate in patients with acute bacterial infections is more common than general population. However, more studies are needed for the assessment of the relationship between anemia and bacterial infection as a predisposing factor. But it seems that the hemoglobin level and severity of disease have direct effects on each other.

Background and Objectives: As clinical improvement of patients surviving stroke is frequently incomplete and is followed by residual neurologic deficit, evaluation of the consequent function of these patients in three respects i.e; physical, social and emotional, which are considered as quality of life is useful in decision making for health care providers. Since few studies have been carried out in this regard, the aim of the present study was to obtain the average life quality score in four levels in aphasic stroke patients and comparing it with the quality of life score of the healthy population which is 5.Methods: This study was a descriptive-cross sectional research carried out on 105 aphasic stroke patients referring to medical centers in Hamadan, Iran. Their diagnoses were confirmed by clinical and radiological findings. These patients were eligible for the study and had survived the stroke for at least six months. Sampling was non randomized and goaloriented. Dependent variables included psychological, communicational, energy and physical status of the patients measured quantitatively. Data were gathered using the SAQOL-39 questionnaire.Results: In this study the female population (58.1%) was greater than the male. The greater number of the aphasic patients (42%) was between 71 to 85 years old and the smallest number (6.7%) was between 39 to 50 years old. The greatest average score of life quality in the studied patients was related to the psychological state (2.17), while the smallest was related to the energy state (1.49). Average score of the life quality in the total population of the studied patients was calculated to be (1.88).Conclusion: The findings of the present study can lead to special supportive measures with the aim of improving life quality in aphasic stroke patients. We suggest that life quality of the patient after stroke should be compared to his/her own quality of life before stroke. Because there is no special service for care providers of stroke patients, an international program should be planned so that by reducing stress, they could have a better relation with the patients.

Background and Objectives: Autonomic system changes during ERCP lead to increased blood pressure(BP) and heart rate (HR) and decrease in arterial O2 saturation(SPO2). This study was carried out with the objective of evaluating the clonidine pre-medication effects on systolic BP, HR and SPO2 during ERCP.Methods: This randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 40 ERCP candidates. Patients were classified into two groups. The first group didn't receive any premediacation. The patients of second group were given 0.2 mg clonidine 2 hours before ERCP. BP, HR and SPO2 of all patients were recorded before, during and after ERCP. The collected data were analyzed using chi-square, t-test and repeated measures ANOVA (P<0.05).Results: Age, sex, systolic BP, HR and SPO2 values were identical in both groups before induction (P>0.05). Analysis of variance of systolic BP, HR and SPO2 showed that SBP and HR changes were significantly lower in the clonidine group at different times (during and after endoscopy) {in the order P<0.004, P<0.017}, but no significant difference was observed in SPO2 changes in either groups. The amount of administered sodium thiopental had no significant difference in either groups.Conclusion: On the basis of this study, clonidine as an alpha-2 agonist can inhibit BP and HR increase during ERCP by decreasing sympathic discharge but does not decrease the need for sedative drugs.

Background and Objectives: There has so far been controversy among researches about the effect of unilateral blunt testis trauma on structure and function of contra lateral testis. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of unilateral blunt testicular trauma after a time span of spermatogenesis (40 days) on the number of round and elongated spermatic cells, spermatogonia, primary spermatocyte, sertoli and leydig cells of contra-lateral testis as well as to assess the protective effect of zinc on unilateral blunt testicular trauma.Methods: In this experimental study 30 pre-pubertal male Wistar rats (age 7 weeks) were divided into three equal groups (n=10). Group 1(control) underwent a sham operation of the left testis under general anesthesia. Rats in group II and group III (with blunt testicular trauma) were subjected to left blunt testicular trauma to rupture the tunica albuginea. In group III just after the trauma, 30 mg/kg zinc sulfate were given intra-peritoneally followed by admission of Zn for 40 days at a dose of 500 parts per million (ppm) /day orally. Later on, all rats were sacrificed and their right testes were removed and after histological processing and staining by H & E method the samples were evaluated by counting round and elongated spermatid cells, spermatogonia, primary spermatocyte, sertoli and leydig cells and also by cell structures study. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, Tukey and Duncan's tests and pvalue of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: There were no significant differences in the number of round and elongated spermatid, spermatogonia, sertoli and leydig cells of testis of the three groups(P>0.05). Histological changes in sertoli and leydig cell were seen. Therefore, the protective effect of zinc was not significant on germ cell proliferation and structure. Conclusion: The results suggest that unilateral blunt testis trauma after time course of 40 days has no effect on germ cell layers and leydig and sertoli cells proliferation. This study suggests long term evaluation of testes after blunt trauma with use of electron microscope.

Background and Objectives: Exercise seems to be a simple and widely practiced behavior that activates molecular and cellular signaling cascades involved in various central nervous system processes. There has been more attention to the effects of exercise on nervous system and memory during recent years. So, we decided to examine the effects of treadmill exercise on memory consolidation and retrieval in young rats by passive avoidance learning.Methods: In this study fifty male Wistar rats (3-4 months old) were randomly divided into five groups (n=10). Those in the control group were trained in passive avoidance box and tested 10 min, 24 hrs, 10 days and 3 months later. Two groups exercised in treadmill one hour at 17 m/min for 10 days and 3 months respectively and then were trained in passive avoidance box and tested 10 min and 24 hrs later. Data were analyzed using T and paired T tests.The other two groups for research effects of exercise in memory retrieval first were trained and tested 10 days and 24 hrs later and then exercised in treadmill like the other two groups; the latter groups were tested after exercise. Results: The obtained results showed that short–term (10 days) and long – term(3 months) exercise before training had significant (P<0.05) effects on memory consolidation in passive avoidance learning, but no difference was observed in latency time in passive avoidance between short–term (10 days) and long–term(3 months) exercise groups after training with before exercise.Conclusion: Our results showed that physical activity produced a significant enhancement on learning and memory consolidation but there were no significant effects on memory retrieval.

Background and ObjectivesExperience with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) differs in different centers and there are lots of controversies surrounding this issue. The aim of this study was to evaluate Spontaneous resolution and prognosis of the disease among Iranian children.MethodsIn this case series study, 1278 children with urinary tract infection and visited at pediatric nephrology clinic in Tehran, Iran during 1999-2007 were studied. Primary VUR was found in 533 Patients. Following the diagnosis, the patients received prophylactic antibiotic and were annually followed with radionucleo cystography (RNC). Patients underwent surgery in case the medical treatment failed (breakthrough infection) or new renal scar formation. Results533 patients with VUR were studied. Patients’ mean age with VUR was 3.7±2.4 years (range: 2 days to 18 years old). During an average follow-up duration of 3.3+2.2 years, spontaneous resolution was observed in 40% of 279 patients who had follow-up RNCs. The mean interval between VUR diagnosis and spontaneous resolution was 1.5+ 1 years (range: 2 months to 6 years). The resolution rate was decreased with increment of reflux grade so that for grades I to V, VUR was resolved in 63%, 57%, 27%, 22% and 10% of the cases, respectively. Anti reflux surgery was performed in 27(10%) of patients during follow-up. ConclusionBased on the excellent results obtained from clinical therapy using low dose antibiotics, it is recommended that VUR grades 1 to 4 be managed medically with low-dose oral antibiotic prophylaxis and close follow-ups.

Background and Objectives: Adrenal myelolipoma is a rare benign condition. Most of these tumors are diagnosed as incidental findings during imaging. The asymptomatic patient with small lesion should be followed, but the symptomatic patient with functional tumor and large lesion requires surgery .Case Report: The 45 year-old male patient referred to the hospital. He was obese and suffering from back and left flank ache. He had also a history of hyper-lipidemia. He was sent for an Abdominal Sonogram and CT scan.Quite accidentally, a huge mass with the dimensions of 22´16cm and fat density within was observed in the right adrenal. Then, the required investigations regarding hormonal activity were conducted. Finally, due to the big size of the mass in order to prevent it from spontaneous rupture, he underwent the right adrenalectomy operation.