Caspian Journal of Neurological Sciences
Year:2019 | Volume:5 | Issue:3 (18)|Papers Count:7

Background: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are auto immune demyelinating disorders. Both MS and NMO patients suffer from urinary dysfunction. Objectives: Investigation of frequency and severity of urinary symptoms in two groups of MS and NMO patients. Materials & Methods: 56 MS patients and 20 NMO patients were enrolled in this cross sectional study conducted in Isfahan Kashani hospital from March 2018 to September 2018. Frequency and severity of urinary symptoms were assessed using the urogenital distress inventory (UDI-6) and international prostate symptom score (IPSS) questionnaire. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, Mann Whitney U test and Pearson correlation coefficient with the SPSS V. 18. Results: The Mean± SD of age was 40. 2± 11. 45 and 34. 1± 9. 09 in NMO and MS group respectively. There was a significant difference between MS and NMO patients regarding their overall IPSS score (9. 8± 7. 9 and 14. 6± 11. 3 respectively). The frequency of mild, moderate and severe urinary symptoms was 25%, 50 % and 25% among NMO patients and 48. 2%, 35. 7% and 16. 1% among MS patients respectively. Based on UDI-6 questionnaire the most frequent symptoms in MS and NMO patients were frequency and urgency respectively and they are more frequent among NMO patients rather than MS patients. Conclusion: Our results showed a significant difference in frequency and severity of urinary symptoms between NMO and MS patients and NMO patients tend to experience more severe urinary symptoms.

Background: Aging is a natural and physiological process. Moreover, balance disorders frequently occur in the elderly and cause many morbidities in this population. Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate balance disorders and their related factors in the healthy elderly population of the rural areas of Guilan province, in the north of Iran. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 425 individuals over 65 years old were selected by random cluster sampling method from the villages of Rasht, the capital city of Guilan province. After obtaining written consent, the subjects were examined for balance disturbance through gait and balance adjusted scale (GABS) index. The obtained results were reported as frequency. We applied the Mann-Whitney U test and non-parametric regression analysis for non-normally distributed dependent variables. The obtained data were analyzed in software version 18. Results: The Mean± SD score of GABS was 10. 07± 8. 00 [median (IQR): 7(10. 5)]. A total of 425 individuals were selected, but 413 completed the research (218 males and 195 females). In total, 73. 1% of the subjects reported at least one disorder among the investigated parameters, and 45. 2% mentioned a disorder in at least one of the studied parameters in medical history. By modified GABS; 42. 2% of the subjects reported disorders in at least one of the investigated parameters. Conclusion: Nearly half of the elderly population in the rural areas of the north of Iran suffer from balance disorder. This data was obtained by their medical history and physical examinations.

Background: Mental processes can make the pain and quality of life of women with chronic psychosomatic low back pain better or worse. acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and biofeedback have on some psychosomatic disorder. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ACT and biofeedback on severity and duration of pain and quality of life among women with chronic psychosomatic low back pain. Materials & Methods: This three-group Pre-test and post-test controlled quasi-experimental study was conducted from September 2016 to June 2017. Thirty women with chronic psychosomatic low back pain were conveniently recruited from Rasht pain clinic, Rasht, Iran, and randomly allocated to three ten-person groups including ACT, biofeedback, and control groups. Data were collected before and after the study intervention using the McGill Pain Questionnaire and the short version of the World Health Organization quality of life (QOL) survey. Data analysis was performed using the one-way analysis of variance as well as the Chi-square, the paired-sample Test, and post-hoc Scheffe Tests. Results: Both ACT and biofeedback interventions significantly and similarly reduce severity and duration of pain and improve the quality of life. ACT had significant effects on the psychological, social, and environmental health domains of quality of life, while biofeedback had significant effects only on the physical health domain. Conclusion: ACT and biofeedback are effective on psychosomatic low back pain. Unlike the ACT, biofeedback has significant effect on the physical health aspect of QOL and it has no effects on the other aspects of QOL.

Background: Severe Adverse Cutaneous Reactions to Drugs (SACRDs) are skin eruptions due to drugs, which can cause morbidity and morbidity in patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the offending drug/agents and clinical phenotypes of SACRDs leading to admissions to the hospital. Materials & Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study during one year (March 2012-2013) on patients admitted to the department of Dermatology at Razi Hospital of Rasht, Iran. First, the clinical and drug history of all patients were collected. Then, two dermatologists examined them and diagnosed drug eruptions according to the clinical types of adverse drug reactions included in the study. Collected data were analyzed in SPSS V. 18 software by using Chi-squared test, Fisher's Exact test, and one-way ANOVA. The significance level was set at p<0. 05. Results: Forty-six patients were diagnosed with SACRDs. The most common SACRDs were toxic epidermal necrolysis/stevens Johnson syndrome (TEM/SJS) and Drug Reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptom syndrome (DRESS) syndrome (30. 5% and 2. 1%, respectively). The most common culprit drugs were anticonvulsants (43. 5%) and antibiotics (26. 1%). Peripheral blood eosinophilia was observed in 30. 4% of patients. Conclusion: Anticonvulsants were the most common cause of ACDRs, leading to the hospitalization of the patients.

Background: Brain injuries are a major cause of mortality and disability. Sensory stimulation can reduce the complications of brain injuries in the patients. Objectives: To compare the effect of foot reflexology with tactile stimulation of the hand on level of consciousness and physiological indicators in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients Materials & Methods: 60 TBI patients hospitalized in the ICU of selected hospitals in Qazvin, Iran assigned to three intervention groups and one control group using block randomization. The patients were matched using the glasgow coma scale (GCS) (score of 8) and the Richmond agitation and sedation scale (RASS) (scores-2 to +2). The first intervention group received tactile stimulation of the hand from the wrist downwards, the second intervention group received foot reflexology, and the third both tactile stimulation and foot reflexology, while the controls received routine care. The Data collected were analyzed in SPSS V. 21. P<0. 05 was set as the level of statistical significance. Results: The Mean± SD level of consciousness was the highest in the foot reflexology group(9. 38± 3. 3) compared to that in the group of tactile stimulation of the hand (9. 03± 2. 18), the group receiving both treatments (7. 96± 1. 8) and the control group (6. 92± 3. 3) (P<0. 001). The findings also revealed reductions in the heart rate, respiratory rate and systolic blood pressure and increases in peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (O2 sat) and level of consciousness in the TBI of the foot reflexology group. Conclusion: Foot reflexology can decrease the heart rate, respiratory rate and systolic blood pressure, and increase O2 sat in TBI patients and increase the level of consciousness.

Background: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a major side effect of intravenous iodinated contrast and causes both short-and long-term adverse effects. While diagnostic and interventional procedures of brain ischemia are recently advanced, it is necessary to be cautious about its major side effect. Objectives: To evaluate CIN and its risk factors in neurology patients after brain and cervical CT angiography. Materials & Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on all patients who were admitted in stroke department of Nemazee hospital, affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Fars, Iran, and had undergone brain and cervical CT angiography from September 2014 to September 2016. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr) before contrast (BUN1, Cr1), 3 days after contrast (BUN2, Cr2), and 30 days after contrast (BUN3, Cr3) were recorded. t-test, paired t-test, Chi-squared test, repeated measurement-test and also SPSS V. 21 are used for statistical analysis. Results: 5(2. 7%) patients developed CIN after receiving contrast. However, repeated measurement of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and Cr at the end of one month showed no significant changes between Cr3 and GFR3 in 2 groups of non-CIN and CIN patients, and all patients showed normal renal function at that time. Multiivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that hemoglobin (Hb) level is related to CIN (OR: 0. 5, CI: 0. 28-0. 90). Conclusion: Our data showed that the rate of CIN in neurovascular evaluation was insignificant, but it is related to Hb level.

Dear Editor, Small number of demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) are associated with hemorrhage in the neural tissue, among which, the most well-recognized is acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis (AHL). There have been reports of hemorrhage in other demyelinating diseases of the CNS. Investigating these cases can help us understand the less recognized symptoms of the demyelinating diseases of the CNS. . . .