Jundishapur Scientific Medical Journal
Year:2023 | Volume:22 | Issue:3|Papers Count:12

Background and Objectives Bedsores are one of the major problems observed in patients admitted to intensive care units. Two common tools for assessing the risk of bedsores are Braden and Waterlow scales. Evidence for the agreement between these two scales in predicting the incidence of bedsores is scarce. Subjects and Methods This was a prospective cohort study conducted from July to November 2017 in the ICUs of hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The risk of bedsores was assessed every two days using two scales, namely Braden and Waterlow, for a maximum of one month or until the patient died or was discharged. Results The findings of the study showed that the mean score of Braden scale in patients who developed bedsores was significantly lower than that of patients who did not develop bedsores (P = 0.002). Also, the mean score of Waterlow scale in patients who developed bedsores was significantly higher than that in patients who did not have bedsores (P <0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of the Braden scale were 82.6% and 53.6%, respectively, and its positive and negative predictive values were 29.7% and 92.9%, respectively. Waterlow scale had a sensitivity of 73.9% and a specificity of 68%, and its positive and negative predictive values were 35.4% and 91.7%, respectively. Conclusion Considering the area under the curve of the two scales and the sum of the two sensitivity and specificity indices, the Waterlow scale is a more suitable tool, compared with the Braden scale, for predicting bedsores in patients.

Background and Objectives Chronic hypertension causes structural and functional changes in the heart, ultimately leading to heart failure (HF), which further increases mortality. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of intermittent aerobic exercise on the serum level of Apelin-17 and factors related to blood pressure in patients with HF. Subjects and Methods In this quasi-experimental study, 20 men with HF were selected based on the inclusion criteria and were randomly divided into exercise and control groups. The exercise program included interval aerobic training exercise that involved three sessions per week continued for eight weeks. Fasting blood samples and physiological variables were measured 48 hours before and after the intervention. Results After eight weeks of training, there was a significant increase in the levels of Apelin-17 (P = 0.039), Ang I (P = 0.005) and FMD (P = 0.008). A significant decrease in the levels of Ang II (P < 0.001) and SBP (P < 0.001) was observed, but no significant difference was found in the values of ACE-2 (P = 0.234) and DBP (P = 0.363). Conclusion According to the results, it can be stated that one of the adaptations of exercise that improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure in patients with HF is increasing the level of Apelin-17 in these patients.

Background and Objectives Ecstasy is one of the most famous derivatives of amphetamine. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of vitamin E on ecstasy-induced kidney histological damage in mice. Subjects and Methods This study included five weeks of intervention on 28 male albino mice that were divided into four groups: control, ecstasy (10 mg/kg ecstasy intraperitoneally), ecstasy + vitamin E 150 mg/kg through gavage), vitamin E solvent (olive oil). Kidney tissues were evaluated histologically by H&E and Masson’s trichrom staining methods. Serum urea and creatinine levels were also measured. Results Tissue changes were indicative of kidney tissue disorder in the ecstasy group. Evaluation of renal fibrosis showed that in the ecstasy group, large areas of fibrosis were seen in the kidney tissue, and in the glomerular structure and renal tubules. On the other hand, the degree of fibrosis in the group receiving vitamin E was significantly lower compared with the ecstasy group. Also, taking ecstasy caused a significant increase in serum creatinine and urea compared to the control group. However, vitamin E improved these conditions. Conclusion Ecstasy consumption can lead to glomerular infiltration, Bowman capsule injury, and renal fibrosis. In contrast, the use of vitamin E treatment after taking ecstasy can significantly inhibit the progression of injury.

Background and Objectives Asprosin is an adipokine that has a positive relationship with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It plays an important role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance due to its gluconeogenic and metabotropic effects. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of six weeks of high intensity interval training (HIIT) on insulin resistance, body fat percentage, and asprosin serum in obese men with T2DM. Subjects and Methods In this quasi-experimental research, 24 obese men with T2DM were randomly divided into HIIT and control groups. Participants in the HIIT group did six weeks of HIIT training with an intensity of 80-85% heart rate reserve in 3 training sessions per week. Fasting blood samples and anthropometric variables were measured 48 hours before and after the intervention. Paired sample t-tests and analysis of covariance were used for statistical analysis. Results After the intervention, there was a significant difference (P<0.001) between the two groups in terms of serum asprosin (-10.47% vs. +0.13%), body fat percentage (-5.17% vs. +0.13%), and insulin resistance (-23.94% versus +10.02%). Conclusion According to the results, it can be stated that adjustment of fasting asprosin to body fat percentage is one of the effective mechanisms for reducing insulin resistance in T2DM via adaptation to HIIT.

Background and Objectives Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the leading cause of death and disability globally, and type 2 diabetes is a risk factor of this disease. Cardiogoniometry is a non-invasive method developed to diagnose IHD, but its accuracy in diagnosing IHD in diabetic patients has not yet been studied. Therefore, this study evaluated the accuracy of cardiogoniometry in diagnosing IHD in diabetic patients in Ahvaz, Iran.Subjects and Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study included 142 diabetic patients with suspected IHD who were candidates for primary coronary angiography. Cardiogoniometry was performed for diabetic patients with chest pain before diagnostic angiography, and the results were compared to those of angiography. Finally, its sensitivity and specificity were calculated.Results The mean age of the participants was 59.8 years. A comparison of the results of cardiogoniometry and angiography in diabetic patients showed a sensitivity and specificity of 64.48% (95% CI 58.41-77.07) and 78% (95% CI 44.87-81.28) for cardiogoniometry in IHD diagnosis, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of cardiogoniometry were 63% and 76% in women and 75% and 62% in men, respectively. Conclusion Cardiogoniometry has relatively high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing IHD in diabetic patients and can be regarded as a useful screening tool for IHD diagnosis in these patients.

Background and Objectives This study was aimed to determine the relationship of job satisfaction and quality of work life with the organizational citizenship behavior of the staff working at rehabilitation clinics affiliated to Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences. Subjects and Methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the first half of 2021. Participants were selected from among all staff working at the rehabilitation clinics affiliated to Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences using census method. Data were collected using Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire, Walton's Quality of Work Life Questionnaire, and Oregon Organizational Citizenship Behavior Questionnaire. Results The results showed a positive and significant relationship between job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior (p < 0.001, r= 0.55) and between quality of work life and organizational citizenship behavior (p < 0.001, r= 0.45). As far as the domains of organizational citizenship behavior were concerned, further analysis indicated that job satisfaction and quality of work life were significantly associated with politeness and consideration (p < 0.001, r= 0.76, p < 0.001, r= 0.66, respectively), civic virtue (p < 0.001, r= 0.52, p= 0.01, r= 0.26, respectively), and altruism (p= 0.009, r= 0.28, p= 0.04, r= 0.21, respectively). Conclusion Managers of health centers are advised to develop specific programs for the enhancement of the quality of work life and job satisfaction in the staff working at rehabilitation centers. This will instill in them the spirit of adopting roles and responsibilities far beyond their routine job description.

Background and Objectives Prostate cancer is the most common malignant cancer in men. In this study, the healthy eating index (HEI) and serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and zinc were evaluated in prostate cancer patients compared with healthy individuals. Subjects and Methods In this study, 30 men who had recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer were compared with 30 otherwise healthy age-matched men in terms of their serum levels of 25 hydroxyvitamin D and zinc as well as HEI. The latter was evaluated in both groups using a 3-day food record. Results There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, weight, BMI and waist circumference. The scores of all components of HEI were not significantly different in the two groups, and in spite of the lower total HEI score in the prostate cancer group, this difference was not statistically significant. Differences between the two groups in terms of serum zinc levels were marginally significant (P-value=0.053). However, the serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the prostate cancer group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P-value =0.046). Conclusion The results of this study showed that there are statistically significant and marginally significant differences between prostate cancer patients and their otherwise healthy aged-matched counterparts in terms of serum levels 25 hydroxyvitamin D and zinc, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the HEI score.

Background and Objectives The present study examined the oral health-related quality of life in patients with thalassemia major in Khuzestan province. Subjects and Methods This was a descriptive analytical study. The case group included 120 patients suffering from thalassemia major disease who presented to Shafa Hospital in Ahvaz city in 2021, and the control group consisted of 120 healthy people who were either companions of the patients or their family members. The data collection tools were two standard questionnaires related to dry mouth and a questionnaire dedicated to oral heal-related quality of life. Results There was a significant difference between patients with beta-thalassemia major and healthy people in terms of their mean overall score of oral health-related quality of life and its dimensions (except for physical disability) (P0.05). A significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of the mean score of functional limitation in an age-dependent manner (P

Background and Objectives Contrary to its weak role in angiogenesis, vascular endothelial growth factor beta (VEGF-β) plays a role in lipid metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of exercise and atorvastatin on the expression of the VEGF-β gene in the liver tissue of diabetic rats. Subjects and Methods In this study, 25 rats were divided into control, diabetes, diabetes + exercise, diabetes + atorvastatin, and diabetes + atorvastatin + exercise groups. The interventions included eight weeks of aerobic exercise, running on a treadmill, and taking 10 mg of atorvastatin by gavage. After the interventions, the rats were sacrificed, and the liver tissue was analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance and LSD post hoc test. Results The results showed that the induction of diabetes led to a significant decrease in hepatic VEGF-β gene expression and an increase in serum glucose and total cholesterol levels compared to the healthy control group. In the diabetes + exercise and diabetes + atorvastatin + exercise groups, the increase of VEGF-β and the decrease of glucose and cholesterol were significant compared to the control, diabetes, and diabetes + atorvastatin groups. Conclusion According to the results, it can be argued that continuous aerobic exercise can prevent diabetes-induced liver complications by increasing the expression of VEGF-β gene. However, despite the positive effects of atorvastatin on serum glucose and total cholesterol levels, it does not have any significant effect on hepatic VEGF-β gene expression in diabetic rats.

Background and Objectives One of the safety methods to prevent the spread of Covid-19 is to wear face masks. The aim of the current research was to compare the effect of wearing cloth vs. medical masks during exercise on lung function in healthy non-athlete young men during the Covid-19 epidemic. Subjects and Methods In this quasi-experimental research, 40 healthy men (mean age: 29.40 years, mean height: 175.30 cm, mean weight: 73.37 kg, and mean body mass index: 23.56 kg/m2) were selected by purposive sampling method and randomly allocated into 4 groups: 1- combined exercises + medical mask, 2-combined exercises + cloth mask, 3- combined exercises, and 4- control. Pulmonary function was measured using a spirometer. The training intervention included three sessions of combined training (aerobic-resistance) continued for eight weeks. Statistical analysis involved paired sample t-tests, analysis of covariance, and Benferroni's post hoc test. Results A significant increase in tidal volume (VT), vital capacity (VC), total lung capacity (TLC), and peak expiratory flow (PEF) was observed after exercise training (P <0.01). However, using medical or cloth masks led to a significant decrease in VT, VC, TLC and PEF indices compared to the activity group not wearing masks (P <0.01). Other results also showed that there is no significant difference between cloth and medical masks in terms of the pulmonary indices of the healthy young men studied (P>0.05). Conclusion The results of this research show that wearing masks during exercise reduces lung function by increasing airway resistance.

When men are exposed to the coronavirus infection (SARS-CoV-2), compared with women, they will suffer from more severe consequences of this disease, leading to a higher death rate. These differences are probably due to sex-specific behaviors, genetic and hormonal factors, and sex differences in biological pathways associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Several socio-behavioral factors are involved in pathogenesis in men compared to women. However, sexual-biological differences and their effects on SARS-COV-2 outcomes have received less scholarly attention. Sexual-biological differences between healthy populations and age- and sex-specific conditions such as pregnancy and menopause also play a role. More extensive studies on gender-specific differences and robust analyses are needed to determine how gender can alter the cellular and molecular pathways associated with SARS-CoV-2. This will improve biomarker interpretation and clinical management of SARS-COV-2 patients by facilitating a personalized medicine approach to risk stratification, prevention, and treatment. The present review summarizes the available literature on the proposed molecular and cellular markers associated with SARS-COV-2 infection, their association with health outcomes, and any gender-specific variation reported.

Background and Objectives Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease which causes disorders in the reproductive system. Recent studies have revealed that the main components of saffron like crocin and safranal have several physiological effects on different biological systems. Given the role of crocin in the modulation of antioxidant defense system, this study aimed to determine the effect of crocin on pituitary-testicle hormonal axis in alloxan-induced diabetic male rats. Subjects and Methods In this experimental study, 28 Wistar male rats were allocated into 4 equal groups: control, diabetic control, and two diabetic groups treated with crocin at two concentrations. Induction of diabetes in the diabetic control and the diabetic groups treated with crocin was done by an intraperitoneal injection of 240 mg/kg alloxan. Crocin at concentrations of 50 and 100 mg/kg [0.5 ml] was intraperitoneally injected into the two diabetic groups for 25 days. Saline solution [0.5 ml] was injected into the animals in the control and diabetic control groups for 25 days. At the end of the treatment period, serum levels of LH, FSH, estrogen, testosterone and DHT were measured by ELISA. Statistical analysis was carried out using one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Compared with the diabetic control group, administration of crocin at concentrations of 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly increased serum levels of LH, FSH, estrogen, and DHT testosterone in a dose-dependent manner [p<0.05]. Conclusion The results show that by increasing the activity of pituitary-testicle hormonal axis, crocin improves hormonal disorders in diabetic rats.