Avicenna Journal of Clinical Medicine
Year:2022 | Volume:29 | Issue:1 (SN 103)|Papers Count:8

Background and Objective: Oxidative stress is one of the causes of tinnitus. The therapeutic effect of nanocurcumin on the antioxidant processes of various diseases has been confirmed,however, no study, to the best of our knowledge, has been conducted on its therapeutic effect on tinnitus. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effect of nanocurcumin on treating tinnitus. Materials and Methods: This study was a randomized controlled trial (triple-blind intervention). A total of 62 patients with tinnitus were selected by randomized block design with observance of concealment. Then, the participants were divided into two groups of 31 and were treated with nanocurcumin and a placebo. Both groups were similar in terms of age and gender with frequency matching methods. Hearing tests were performed for all patients. Patients received 80 mg/day of nanocurcumin and similar placebo capsules for 21 days. Results: The mean and standard deviation of the age in the nanocurcumin and placebo groups were 44. 77 ±,15. 2 and 46. 32 ±,15. 2 years, respectively (P>0. 05). The difference between the mean duration of tinnitus was not significant in both groups (P>0. 05). The results indicated that the antioxidant nanocurcumin reduced the tinnitus score (P=0. 02). However, nanocurcumin failed to affect the frequency, high score, degree of annoyance, mean score of speech discrimination, and speech reception threshold (P>0. 05). Also, no side effect was reported from using nanocurcumin. Conclusion: Nanocurcumin is not effective in the treatment of tinnitus.

Background and Objective: Sepsis is a syndrome involving physiological, pathological, and biochemical abnormalities caused by infection. Very few studies have been performed to evaluate the prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-albumin ratio. The present study aimed to evaluate the neutrophil-to-albumin ratio in patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Materials and Methods: All patients admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of sepsis were included in the study. The inclusion criteria entailed the age range of ≥, 18years, having sepsis, and hospitalization in the ICU for more than two weeks. Results: A total of 75 patients with a mean age of 72. 34 years were evaluated, and 57. 8% of cases died. There was a significant difference between neutrophils on the second and third days between deceased and discharged patients. The neutrophil-to-albumin ratio at the time of admission, the second day, and the third day were 31. 62, 33. 36, and 34. 31, respectively,nonetheless, no significant difference was observed between the deceased and discharged (P>0. 05). Conclusion: As evidenced by the results of this study, the neutrophil-to-albumin ratio in deceased patients was higher than that in discharged ones,however, this difference was not statistically significant. Moreover, neutrophil percentage, duration of mechanical ventilation, and duration of hospitalization in deceased patients were significantly higher, as compared to those in discharged patients.

Background and Objective: Pulmonary hypertension is an increase in blood pressure of the pulmonary artery which leads to right ventricular dysfunction. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare echocardiographic parameters in the study of right ventricular failure in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Materials and Methods: In the present descriptive cross-sectional study, data were collected from 100 patients with pulmonary hypertension referred to Farshchian Heart Hospital, Hamadan, Iran between 2017-2019. The cases were detected by two-dimensional echocardiography and tissue Doppler and divided into three groups based on blood pressure of the pulmonary artery. The parameters of PASP, PVR, Tei Index, FAC, IVA, TAPSE, and DTI S Velocity were calculated for each patient. Results: Out of 100 patients with a mean age of 52. 95 ±, 16. 62 years, 0. 46% had lung problems. The parameters of PASP, PVR, and Tei Index were positively and significantly correlated with each other. Also, a positive and significant relationship was observed between the parameters of FAC, IVA, TAPSE, and DTI S Velocity. However, the parameters of the first and second groups were negatively and significantly related to each other. The results indicated that the mean difference of all indicators was significant between different groups of pulmonary hypertension. The parameter of PVR parameter was one of the factors affecting pulmonary hypertension based on regression analysis. Also, IVA and Tei Index were more consistent with pulmonary hypertension in terms of abnormal values. Conclusion: PVR, IVA, and Tei Index were effective parameters for evaluating the right ventricular function and more attention is recommended to be paid to these parameters.

Background and Objective: Hoffa’, s fat pad injuries are often caused by acute direct and indirect trauma and chronic recurrent micro-trauma, and its disorders are associated with other traumas and injuries that have been less paid attention to in radiological studies. Therefore, this study was performed to evaluate the injuries associated with Hoffa’, s fat pad injury in knee trauma using the diagnostic Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) method. Materials and Methods: The samples of this cross-sectional study (n=98) were selected using the available sampling method from patients with knee trauma referring to the imaging ward of Besat Hospital in Hamadan, Iran, for knee MRI from mid-April 2020 to mid-May 2021. The participants were examined in terms of the types of injuries associated with Hoffa’, s fat pad damage. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 23). Results: The mean age of the patients was obtained at 33. 13±, 10. 11 years, and 85. 7% of the cases were male. Based on the results, Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) rupture (77. 6%), bone marrow edema (71. 4%), effusion (61. 2%), periarticular edema (55. 1%), and meniscus rupture (38. 8%) were the most injuries associated with Hoffa’, s fat pad injury. There was no significant difference between the genders of patients and Hoffa's fat pad injury, including periarticular edema, ACL rupture, posterior cruciate ligament rupture, and collateral ligament rupture following knee trauma. However, the frequency of meniscus rupture was significantly higher in women than in men (P=0. 007). Moreover, patients with ACL rupture had a significantly higher mean age than patients without ACL rupture (P=0. 047). Conclusion: A significant number of patients with trauma and Hoffa’, s fat pad injuries suffer from associated injuries that can be detected on an MRI of the knee.

Background and Objective: One of the most important physical properties of vowels is their formant structure. One of the most obvious speech errors in hearing-impaired children is vowel errors. The present study aimed to determine and compare the formant structure of Persian vowels in deaf and cochlear implant children in the age range of 4-7 years. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was performed on 21 children with serious hearing impairment and 17 children with cochlear implants in the age range of 4-7 years. After considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the vowel production test was administered. The first and second formant of each of the six vowels were obtained separately by Praat software and compared between the two groups. Results: There was a significant difference between deaf children and those with cochlear implants in the mean of the first and second formant of the /o/, as well as the mean of the first formant of the /i /, /a/, and /e / (P<0. 05). Other vowel formants of the /æ, / and /u/ displayed no significant difference between the two groups(P>0. 05). Conclusion: As evidenced by the results of this study, the first formant of Persian language vowels related to tongue height was different in the two groups. It signifies that the vowels in cochlear implant children are closer to normal, compared to those in hearing-impaired children with hearing aids.

Background and Objective: Appropriate programs should be provided to improve the function of memory, learning, and the effects of processing efficiency in the daily life of children with intellectual disabilities. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of motor-working memory training and perceptual-motor exercises on digit span and letter-number sequencing in educable children with intellectual disabilities. Materials and Methods: The present study was quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design and two experimental groups and one control group. A total of 30 students with intellectual disabilities between 8-11 years were selected as a statistical sample using the available sampling method and then randomly divided into three groups: motor-working memory training, perceptual-motor activities, and control group. The experimental groups participated in a 16-session training course for two months (two sessions per week) according to specific protocols. Subtests of digit span and letter-number sequencing of the fourth edition of Wechsler intelligence were used to measure working memory. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA, one-way ANOVA, Kruskal–, Wallis and Friedman inSPSS software (version 24). Results: The results indicated a significant difference in subtests of digit span of direct, total digit span, and letter-number sequencing between motor-working memory training, and perceptual-motor exercises with the control group (P>0. 05). However, no significant difference was observed between perceptual-motor activities and motor-working training groups (P<0. 05). Conclusion: According to the results, motor-working memory training and perceptual-motor activities improve the function of memory in educable children with intellectual disabilities.

Background and Objective: The most important concern associated with diagnosing congenital toxoplasmosis is to determine when the mother has been infected. The importance of using serological diagnostic tests such as IgG-avidity assay which can distinguish between recent and past infections has been proven. The present study aimed to diagnose acute toxoplasmosis in the first trimester of pregnancy using IgG-avidity testing. Materials and Methods: The present descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Hamadan, Iran in 2019. A total of 340 blood samples were collected from pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy and stored at-70 °, C until experimenting. The IgG antibody titer was then determined. Also, IgM and IgG-avidity titers were measured for those samples with a positive IgG titer. Results: Out of 340 pregnant women, 106 (31. 2%) had a positive and 2 (0. 6%) had a suspected IgM test. Of the 106 pregnant mothers with positive IgG, 6 (5. 66%) had low IgG-avidity indicating recent infection of toxoplasmosis in the past 3 to 4 months. IgG-avidity titer was moderate in 10 patients (9. 43%) and high in 90 patients (84. 9%). Conclusion: Using the IgG-avidity test and its improved methods along with other serological and molecular methods can be effective in determining and differentiating acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy, and preventing its irreversible complications in the fetus.

Background and Objective: Conflict of interest is a situation in which professional judgment about a primary interest is unjustifiably affected by a secondary one,therefore, it is a subject that occurs objectively. Also, conflict of interest is not inherently immoral,however, the way to deal with these conflicts is a matter of professional ethics. Materials and Methods: The present qualitative study was conducted at Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran during the spring and summer of 2019. Samples were selected from the clinical professors of the university using purposive sampling until informational redundancy or saturation was achieved. Research data was obtained through face-to-face interviews with the professors and were analyzed using the method of Elo and Kyngas. Results: Three main categories of conflict of interest in research, education, and treatment as well as 19 themes were extracted from 16 interviews. In the present study, 10 professors had a clear definition of the conflict of interest in all three categories and the other 6 fail to provide a comprehensive one. Conclusion: The issue of conflict of interest and its implications in various fields should be seriously introduced to medical students, physicians, and researchers due to its widespread and destructive effects. Also, a framework is suggested to be provided to clarify the importance and increase awareness of the subject and explain comprehensive and operational rules for dealing with its potential adverse effects. In the interview, the participants were introduced to the topic of conflict of interest.