Journal of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences
Year:2022 | Volume:24 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Background and aims: This study aimed to compare the effect of the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) with cognitive approach, with that of the spiritual therapy with Islamic approach on quality of life among hypertensive cardiac patients. Methods: All cardiovascular patients referred to the cohort center in Shahrekord in 2019 were included in this semi-experimental (pretestposttest design) study. Using convenience sampling method, 75 patients were selected and randomly divided into two experimental groups and one control group in such a way that each group included 25 individuals. The McNew quality of life questionnaire was used to collect the required data. All groups received standard medical drugs under the supervision of a cardiologist. In addition to standard medical treatment, the experimental groups underwent MBSR with a cognitive approach (8 sessions lasting 90 minutes) and spiritual therapy based on Islam (8 sessions lasting 90 minutes),The control group received no non-medical intervention. Data were analyzed by using AVOVA and paired t test. Results: The overall score of quality of life in the MBSR and spiritual therapy groups increased significantly after the intervention (P < 0. 001). As for the control group, however, the overall score of quality of life remained unchanged after the intervention (P = 0. 10). Significant differences were observed in the total scores of quality of life among the three groups so that the mean score of the difference in the total score of quality of life in the spiritual therapy group before and after the intervention was higher than those in other groups (P < 0. 001). Conclusion: MBSR therapy and specially Islam-based spiritual therapy had the potential to improve the quality of life in hypertensive cardiac patients.

Background and aims: Cannabidiol (CBD) oil consumption can positively contribute to controlling the cardiovascular risk factors. Exercise can also be effective in rehabilitating myocardial infarction by strengthening muscle tissue. This study, therefore, aimed to evaluate the effect of eight weeks of swimming training together with CBD oil consumption on PI3K and ERK gene expression in the heart tissue of rats with myocardial infarction. Methods: In this experimental trial, 25 ovariectomized rats with myocardial infarction were divided into five groups, including 1) control, 2) MI 3) MI +training, 4) MI + supplement, and 5) MI +training+ supplement groups. Myocardial ischemia was induced by subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol (50 mg/kg intravenously) in myocardial infarction rats. Groups 3 and 4 received 50 mg/kg CBD as gavage on a daily basis for eight weeks, and groups 2 and 4 performed swimming training five days a week. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey’, s post hoc test was performed to analyze the findings (P < 0. 05). Results: Induction of myocardial infarction contributed significantly to reducing PI3k and ERK gene expression in the heart tissue (P = 0. 001). However, swimming training with CBD oil consumption contributed significantly to increasing PI3K (P = 0. 003) and ERK (P = 0. 001) gene expression in the heart tissue of rats with myocardial infarction. Conclusion: Seemingly, swimming training along with CBD oil consumption had more favorable effects on improvement of PI3K and ERK gene expression levels in myocardial infarction than either alone. Therefore, it was recommended that CBD oil together with swimming training should be employed when dealing with myocardial infarction.

Background and aims: Opportunistic fungi are known as important causes of nosocomial infections. Since drug resistance is one of the main problems when treating the infections, many efforts have been made to develop alternative drugs –,herbal compounds, in particular. Dracocephalum kotschyi is a medicinal plant widely used in traditional medicine, which also shows sufficient antifungal activities against different species of Candida. This study aimed to optimize condition for extraction of bioactives from D. Kotschyi and achieve the maximum antifungal properties by adopting response surface methodology (RSM). Methods: A three-factor-five-level central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was employed to determine the effects of extraction time (1-12 hours), temperature (40-80°, C), and plant powder to solvent (PP/S) ratio (0. 2-0. 8%) on well diffusion method (WDM), minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC), and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The methanol extracts were prepared using Soxhlet apparatus, and the antifungal activities against ATCC 1677s Candida albicans were evaluated. Results: The results showed that the P values of the model for WDM, MFC, and MIC were 0. 0062, 0. 0111, and 0. 0278, respectively. The determination coefficient for WDF, MFC, and MIC were 0. 853, 0. 770, and 0. 721, respectively. In addition, the lack of fit for all responses was non-significant (P value ˃, 0. 05). The optimal extraction parameters included the extraction time of 3. 23 hours, PP/S ratio of 0. 68 mg/ mL, and temperature of 68˚, C. Conclusion: In sum, RSM with CCRD was found to be an efficient method for designing and optimizing the extraction process. The optimized extracts exhibited an acceptable antifungal effect compared to the predicted effects against C. albicans.

Background and aims: Anxiety disorders and psychological manifestations play significant roles in the incidence of psychosomatic disorders. Moreover, personality traits are one of the psychological constructs associated with psychosomatic symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of integrative therapy on distress and psychosomatic symptoms in female patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction with type D personality. Methods: The present study was semi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design with a control group. The statistical population in this study included all the patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders who referred to the Institute of Psychology Hamdam Hamrah in 2020, 24 patients were selected by targeted sampling method (patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction, apart from the gastrointestinal cancer patients, who had a high de-personality score) and were randomly divided into two groups of experimental and control with 12 patients in each group. Data were obtained using the type D personality scale (DS-14), ROME III questionnaire, psychological distress scale, and depression anxiety stress scale-21 (DASS-21). Data analysis was performed using repeated measure analysis of variance by SPSS version 22. Results: Descriptive findings of psychological distress variables were obtained in the experimental group in the pre-test (40. 08 ±,7. 75), posttest (. 25 ±,7. 59), and follow-up (28. 33 ±,6. 45). Furthermore, descriptive findings psychosomatic symptoms were obtained in the pre-test (49. 17 ±,15. 65), post-test (42. 25 ±,10. 36), and follow-up sessions (40. 33 ±,9. 28), showing a decrease in the values of these variables in posttest and follow-up sessions. The results indicated that integrative therapy was effective in decreasing distress (P < 0. 001) and psychosomatic symptoms (P < 0. 001) in female patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction with type D personality. Conclusion: It can be concluded that integrative therapy effectively reduces distress and psychosomatic symptoms of female patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction with type D personality and improves psychological problems in female patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction.

Background and aims: Skin ulcers are caused by various reasons such as physical, chemical, and biological damages. Wound healing has long been considered one of the most important issues in surgery. Extensive research has been employed in this field and various chemical, herbal, homeopathic, and physical methods such as laser therapy have been used for treatment. Nowadays, wound healing is one of the most important aims of medical science. Furthermore, people prefer to use natural drugs because of fewer side effects. Therefore, the present study was designed considering these issues. Methods: For this study, 6 albino rabbits with an average weight of 3 kg were purchased. After preparing the rabbits, two pairs of fullthickness wounds were created in a completely round shape with a diameter of almost 6. 30 mm on both sides of the spine in two anterior and posterior parts at a distance of 3 cm from the midline of the body. The animals were divided into 2 groups of 3 rabbits, including 1 experimental group and 1 control group. The wounds of the experimental group were treated with fig fruit extract while the wounds of the control group received no treatment. The wounds were macroscopically examined at 4, 7, 12, 16, and 20 days after surgery. Results: The results of t-test showed a significant difference (P < 0. 05) among the groups on all days. Meanwhile, the average wound area significantly decreased in the group which was treated with the extract of fig fruit. Conclusion: This study showed that fig fruit extract contains phenolic compounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties which can accelerate the wound healing process.

Background and aims: Lichen planus (LP) and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) are two relatively common mucocutaneous lesions whose clinical and histopathological features overlap in some cases. The present study aimed to distinguish between these two lesions histopathologically in order to treat them more accurately. Methods: In a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study, 29 and 48 microscopic slides of skin samples of DLE and LP, respectively, were examined in the pathology archive of Al-Zahra hospital of Isfahan from 2008 to 2018. The slides prepared by hematoxylin-eosin staining were examined simultaneously and blindly by three pathologists with a light microscope and compared according to certain histopathological criteria. Then obtained data were analyzed by SPSS version 24 using chi-square, Fisher’, s exact, Mann-Whitney, and t tests (P < 0. 05). Results: Based on the findings, the presence of hyperparakeratosis with superficial hyperorthokeratosis, epithelial atrophy, deep perivascular infiltration, presence of edema in the papillary dermis, presence of plasma cells with lymphohistiocytes in inflammatory infiltration, and presence of mucin in the dermis were significantly higher in DLE than in LP (P < 0. 05). On the other hand, the intensity of lichenoid infiltration, presence of saw tooth hyperplasia of rete ridges, presence of cleft between the epithelium and connective tissue, spongiosis, hyperorthokeratosis alone, and wedge-shaped hypergranulosis were significantly higher in LP than in DLE (P < 0. 05). Conclusion: Perieccrine and perifollicular inflammation, presence of Civatte bodies (CBs), abundance of fibrosis, presence of pale keratinocytes, and presence of pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia were not the criteria for differential diagnosis of LP and DLE.

Background and aims: Since cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in the world, this systematic review aimed to investigate the effectiveness and mechanism of aromatherapy on hemodynamic parameters in patients with CVDs. Methods: This review was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Using relevant keywords, an extensive search was done in 1. 30. 2022 in most important databases including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. A form was designed for recording data related to randomized clinical trials (RCTs), hemodynamic changes (e. g., heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure), and information about possible mechanisms in non-RCT works was also extracted. Findings: In RCTs, aromatherapy with lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) oil, orange (Citrus sinensis) oil, lemon (Citrus limon), rose (Rosa damascena), and almond (Prunus dulcis) oil regulates pulse rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure in patients with CVD. Aromatherapy can affect the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems through inducing local effects on veins, resulting in vasodilation, increased blood flow, and decreased peripheral resistance. Conclusion: Aromatherapy can be used as a complementary agent for regulating heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate in patients with CVD. However, certain precautions such as allergic reactions in patients should be taken before administration.

Background and aims: The distraction of thought is a technique in which a pleasant stimulus is presented to the patient. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the distraction of thought by music on pain relief in patients undergoing extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Methods: This clinical trial was performed on 120 patients referring to Ayatollah Kashani Hospital in Shahrekord for ESWL in 2019. Patients were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups. In addition to routine care, the experimental group received the natural sound of the event, along with its beautiful scenery, while the control group only received routine care. The pain score was measured by the McGill Pain Questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed by SPSS (version 18) using paired and independent t-tests and Tukey’, s test. Results: The two groups were significantly different in terms of pain changes (P = 0. 007). The mean difference in addictive drug consumption between the control and experimental groups was significant (P = 0 004). Conclusion: Thought distraction by music reduces pain and narcotic use of analgesics by the patients under ESWL.