Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal
Year:2004 | Volume:7 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Background: Sulphur Mustard (SM) is a major threat around the world not only on the battle field but also to civilian population. It has been used by Iraqi troops against Iranian veterans and resulted to severe inhalation injury and pulmonary complications in Iranian soldiers.Objectives: To determine the long-term pulmonary sequelae of SM gas exposure in Iranian veterans of Iraqi-Iran conflict, chemical victims of Babol, who have been referred for follow up examination a Shaheed Beheshti Hospital clinic, were studied.Methods: A total of 220 male chemical expose victims and 92 age matched healthy controls were studied. Diagnosis of SM-related disease was confirmed on the basis of prior history of SM gas exposure and excluding other unrelated diseases. The results regarded positive if the %FEVI or %FVC or absolute FEVI volume increased by 15%, 20% or 180ml respectively compared with baseline value.In statistical analysis, the frequency of respiratory signs and symptoms, radiographic changes of chest radiographs, and the proportion of persons with abnormal PFT results were determined and compared with age matched controls.Results: Emphysema in 2%, cor pulmonale in 4% and severe respiratory disease requiring permanent supportive treatment in 4.5% of patients. Abnormal radiographic findings were detectable in 64% of chest radiographs which were remarkable in only 13%. Obstructive airway disease was detected in 110 (50%) patients and 11 (5.4%) controls (P<0.0001). The degree of obstruction was mild, moderate or severe in 13.5%, 73% and 13.5% of patients and 80%, 20% and 0% of controls respectively. Restrictive airway disease was observed in 22 (10%) patients and 11 (12%) controls (P=NS). Normal PFT was seen in 40% of patients and 83% of controls (P<0.0001). Only 30% of patients with obstructive airway disease were responsive to bronchodilator test.Conclusion: The findings of the present study show that, a remarkable number of Iranian veterans are suffering from chronic lung diseases several years after exposure to SM gas.

Background: Doppler-derived Myocardial Performance Index (MPI) is defined as the sum of isovolumetric contraction and relaxation durations divided by ejection time. It is an easily measured and reproducible index that shows both systolic and diastolic myocardial function. The goal of this study was to define normal values of right ventricular MPI in neonates in the first 48 to 72 hours of life.Patients and Methods: Fifty-one quite or asleep healthy and term neonates underwent complete M-mode, two-dimensional color-doppler echocardiography examination and RV MPI was calculated for them. Statistical analysis was performed, using SPSS software. P values less than 0.05 was considered as significant.Results: RV MPI was 0.23±0.14 in healthy neonates. No correlation between RV MPI and either age or weight of the newborn infants was found.Conclusion: RV MPI in healthy neonates was 0.23±0.14 in our study. While this closely resembles to the results of some researches, but is lower than those previously reported by the other investigators in healthy children. The lower value of RV MPI in neonates can be possibly explained by the higher pulmonary arterial pressure of the lower ventricular mass in the first few days of life in neonates. Further studies for evaluation of the effect of pulmonary arterial pressure and right ventricular mass on RV MPI is recommended.

Objectives: This retrospective article reports the diagnostic experiences of forty six cases of hyperparathyroidism confirmed by operation and pathologic examination.Methods: From for hyperparathyroidism were investigated. Eleven surgeons performed the operations by doing only 1 up to 18 procedures. Experience of surgeon and the result of frozen section were determined adequacy of procedure and completeness of operation.Results: The clinical presentation was divided into four type: 24 cases (52.17%) with bone resorption: 15 case (32.60%) with bone lesions plus urinary calculus: 4 cases (8.69%) with urinary calculus and 3 cases (6.52%) with asymptomatic hypercalcemia. The mean age of 46 patients (35 women, 11 men) was 44 (rang 1 month to 67) years.Mean preoperative serum calcium was 13 (range 10.5 to 30) mg/100ml. Two patients had chronic renal failure. Neck sonography was done in 18 and parathyroid (Sestamibi) scan was done in 3 with accuracy of 66.66% and 100% subsequently. The pathological diagnosis was parathyriod adenoma in 37, hyperplasia in 5, parathyroid carcinoma in 1 and negative exploration in 3.Conclusion: The clinical picture of PHPT in south of Iran is similar to that recognized previously in west. We are expected routine measurement of serum calcium and highly suspicious of physician in patients with symptoms of musculoskeletal system or renal stone can lead to early diagnosis. By using parathyroid scan and sonography of neck localization of most parathyroid adenoma is possible. Therefore minimal access adenomectomy can be replaced conventional neck exploration.

In transfusion dependent thalassemia major patients, HBV infection is common, thus immunization against HBV will reduce and prevent the rate of infection.In this study we want to evaluate the anti-HBs titer after vaccination. This trail was done on 217 patients, 18.4% of patients had no response, 23% had low response and 58.5% had normal response to anti-HBV vaccination. Except the duration of vaccination, we did not fine any relation between age, splenectomy, chelation therapy, transfusion, serum ferritin level and anti-HBs titer.There were also 26 patients with positive HBc-Ab, among these patients, 42.31% was not detectable.Although we found acceptable anti-HBs titers after vaccination, but because of low incidence of HBV infection and high cost of producing the vaccine, and no response to booster, it seems that revaccination is unnecessary.

Objective: With regard to the presence of Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) in Dental Plaque (DP) and its association with gastric infection. Data from the literature are variable. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of H. pylori in DP of dyspeptic patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and to investigate its relationship gastric infection and oral hygiene.Methods: Dental plaque samples were taken from tooth surfaces of molars, premolars and incisors of 180 dyspeptic patients. DP samples were subjected to rapid urease test, histological examination, gram stain and culture for identification of H. pylori. During endoscopy six biopsies were taken to visualize H. pylori. Information concerning oral hygiene protocol was recorded. Fro statistical analysis of data chi square test was used.Results: Clinical diagnoses included 11.3% duodenal ulcer, 46% active chronic gastritis without ulcer, 22.7% chronic gastritis with ulcer and 20% normal gastro-duodenal mucosa. Patients were divided into two group of infected and uninfected according to H. pylori infection. Our study proved the presence of H. pylori in DP of infected and uninfected patients including subjects with normal gastric mucosa. H. pylori were identified in all three locations with different prevalence: 87% in the molars, 69% in the premolars and 61% in the incisors. There was no significant association between H. pylori colonization in DP and gastric infection. In this study oral hygiene did not have significant influence on the presence of H. pylori in dental plaque.Conclusion: There was no significant relationship between the presence of H. pylori in DP and gastric infection supporting the hypothesis that H. pylori may belong to the normal micro flora of the oral cavity. However, factors that influence the growth and distribution of H. pylori and conditions that favour gastric infection are still unknown.

One hundred fifty six medical students (90 female, 66 male) of the Gulf Medical College, Ajman 77 of them from 4th year and 79 from 5th year; participated totally in a series of learning style investigation consisting of the Gregorc style delineator. The R. Felder index of learning style and the Long/Dziuban learning style inventory was consisted of 18 different nationalities, and the mean age of the students was 22.3 years.There was no significant difference in learning style type of the medical students in the Gregorc style delineator and R. Felder index of learning style, demonstrating a great diversity in their learning style and showing the necessity of individualization of the students training. Female medical students demonstrated meaningful aggressive dependent general behaviour (P<0.03) in Long/Dziuban learning style inventory. Also 21, 22 and 23 years old students showed a significant aggressive dependent behaviour in the same inventory (P<0.005). The medical students did not show any significant auxiliary trait in the Long/Dziuban learning style inventory.The female medical students’ reason for choosing medicine was significantly due to knowledge acquisition, obtaining degrees and career development (P<0.005). U.A.E., Indian and Pakistani students selected Gulf Medical College because of quality of courses.Sub grouping the students to 4th and 5th years did not change the statistical results of the study.

Ectopia Cordis (EC) represent the partial or complete location of the heart out side the thorax. The extremely rare condition occurs in 5.5 to 7.9 per million live births and classifies to four types: Cervical, thoracic, thoraco-abdominal and abdominal. Anatomy of the heart may be normal in EC, but the presence of structural heart disease as well as extra cardiac malformation is common.

Liposarcoma is the second most common soft tissue sarcoma in adults. Well differentiated lipoma like liposarcoma is tumor of low grade malignancy that recurs but does not metastasis. Although it most often seen in the thigh and retroperitoneum, spermatic cord, chest wall, breast, mediastinum, omentum and mesentry.The tumor grows slowly, attains large size and forming a yellowish lobulated mass. One of these interesting cases is reported here.