Iranian Journal of War and Public Health
Year:2009 | Volume:1 | Issue:3|Papers Count:13

Summary: Background: Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) usually have permanent and often devastating neurologic deficits and disability and pain (1). According to the National Institutes of Health, "among neurological disorders, the cost to society of automotive SCI is exceeded only by the cost of mental retardation"(2). Neurogenic pain constitutes one of the enigmatic clinical syndromes faced by patients, clinicians, and researchers (3). Materials and Methods: Current observational descriptive cross-sectional survey is performed among 270 patients with spinal cord injuries including veterans and non-veteran disabled subjects in Tehran-City during 2005. Results: Mean age of the subjects was 37.8±12.2 years. 26.3% were female and 73.7% were male. 17.4% had spinal cord injury in cervical level, 41.5% thoracic, 38.1% lumbar, and 3% Quada Equina level. 76.3% had complete and 23.7% incomplete injuries. 19.3% had injury duration of less than 5 years, 11.9% between 5 to 10 years, and 68.9% upper than 10 years. Phantom pain below the lesion level was present in 89 patients (33%) that included 26% of veterans and 37% of non-veterans. There was a statistically significant association between age, marital status, and injury duration with having phantom pain (P< 0.05). Conclusion: it is concluded that frequency of phantom pain in current study is less than all of previous studies and our patients were totally resistant to analgesic treatments which may be due to physiopathologic basis of such pains in comparison with other pains due to spinal cord injuries.

In this research we design a passive controller for an above knee prosthesis. The controller is a linear spring and damper for swing phase motion, parameters of which determined via optimization of adjustment of the prosthesis shank motion with a desired shank angle trajectory comes from experimental data. In this way, we exerted a certain thigh motion, hip movement included, into the system as its input and found a set of unknown parameters such that the model output gets as close as possible to a certain output which is shank motion in normal level walking. Also a robustness analysis of the controller with respect to input motion changes included to show the effectiveness in real application.

Background: Sulfur mustard (SM) is a chemical warfare agent which has been used extensively during Iran- Iraq war. One of the major late complications is ocular complications. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of zinc and calciumdependent endopeptidases which play important roles in the homeostasis of extracellular matrix (ECM) and inflammatory conditions. It has been proved that MMP-9 , as a member of MMPs, is involved in many inflammatory ocular disorders. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between serum MMP-9 and late ocular complications of SM exposure. Methods: In this study, 72 chemical veterans with late ocular complications (case group) & 63 chemical veterans without ocular complications (control group) were selected from Sardasht via a systematic sampling. Ophthalmologic examinatia of the study group was performed by slit lamp and serum MMP-9 was measured by ELISA sandwich method. Results: The median of serum MMP-9 was 849.3pg/ml in the case group and 787.0pg/ml in the control group. There was no significant statistical difference (p=0.700). There was also no statistical relationship between serum MMP-9 and each involved ocular region.Conclusions: In many studies, It has been proved that MMP-9 expression is increased in tear fluid & culture media of conjunctival & corneal epithelial cells from patients with ocular inflammatory diseases. Therefore, assessment of MMP-9 in mentioned samples of chemical veterans with ocular complications would be valuable.

Objective(s): The aim of study was to determine history of genitourinary diseases in war related bilateral lower limb amputees who were injured during Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988). Methods: Subjects with war related bilateral lower limb amputation (335 persons) were examined by two physicians for any history of genitourinary diseases and their documents were reviewed.Results: The mean age was 42 (SD=6.3) year. Most of the cases were male (97.7%). Both below knee was the most common level of amputation 37.6% (N=126). History of renal diseases were found in %45.3 (N=152). Renal calculi was the most common genitourinary diseases %35.2 (N=118). Sexually dysfunction was reported in 24.3% (N=83). Comparing with normal population nephrolithiasis in amputees was higher. There were no significant relationship between nephrolithiasis and level of amputation. Sexually dysfunction was higher in both below knee amputees than others but no significant relationship was found. Conclusion: According to the results of the study, lower limb amputees are prone to nephrolithiasis. Suitable diet and more daily activities can help to prevent the future ris.

Introduction: Limitation of exercise and deprivation of match participation, are inevitable results of sport injuries during professional athletic competitions and require especial and costly medical care, to overview the rate of sport injuries in veteran or disabled athletes, we proposed a descriptive study. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 6000 disabled and veteran athletes throughout the summer 1382 MILAD-e-KOWSAR festival in Tehran were investigated in 20 fold games. During these 10 day competitions, all of the newly injured athletes were closely examined and especial questionnaires were completed.Results: During these competitions, 125 athletes (%29.8 veterans and %70.2 disabled) (%42.7 female and A%57.3 male) were newly injured and 222 injuries were recorded. there were no injuries in 8 fields including Bastani, Bochia, Judo, Chess, blind 5- player football, wheelchair – tennis, Karate and Mounting-climbing. Among the other competitions (track and field, seated-volleyball, weightlifting, shooting, CP – football, Amputee football, table-tennis, Archery, Swimming, cycling and Goal-ball), the most injured athletes belonged to Goal-ball (19.8% of injuries), 72.5% of injuries were carried out in upper limbs and most of the injured athletes were amputees (31.4%). There was no significant correlation between sport classification and injuries in upper extremities, lower extremities or head and trunk injuries. Conclusion: Our results revealed a high prevalence of injuries in Goal-ball, seated volleyball, shooting and weightlifting; so in order decrease or prevent injuries we need more especial attention and supervision in these fields.

Objective: The goal of this study was to design and manufacture the new Spider splint and compare the effect of it with conventional metallic splint on improvement of function in patients with radial nerve injury. Material & Methods: In present study 24 patients with radial nerve injuries was treated with new splint and conventional metallic splint. For the first visit R.O.M at wrist, M.P, P.I.P and D.I.P was measured and evaluated the comfortance level and skin exema. After 4 months follow up the variables was evaluated again. Results: The results showed that the R.O.M of the M.P, P.I.P and D.I.P in both groups, increased. Conclusion: The new splint and conventional metallic splint were effective on improvement of radial nerve problems, but new splint was more effective on improvement the hand function.

Introduction: war wounded (Janbazan) are people who need a new adaptation with their physical and social situations, because of their physical damages. Since, any terrible change in human life may result in psychological pressure; Janbazan may be more willing to use drugs and substance abuse to cope with their physical and psychological damages. Aim: the main aim of this research was to find out the amount of drug addiction spreading among Janbazan in Kerman city in terms of the degree and the type of wounding, age and so on. Methodology: the type of this investigation is an applied and survey research. Statistical society comprised the entire Kerman city Janbazan who had war wounded file in Janbazan foundation. The sample included 400 who were randomly selected using classical sampling method. In order to assess the degree of addiction, addiction checklist and also population feature questionnaire were used. The data were statistically analyzed using Pearson correlation test and Spearman, Kendall, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis respectively. Results: the results showed that 31% of the war wounded (Janbazan) had dependence to drug addiction. It was also found that thee is a meaning relationship between the degree of wounding, age, spouse and mother academic level, income, living costs, smoking and drug addiction.

Objectives: Regarding to importance of Dynamic Psychotherapies in treatment of psychiatric disorders, especially their increased development in recent years the purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of one kind of short term dynamic psychotherapy called Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) on major depression and the role of classic and tactical defense mechanisms (as mediators) in the process of change. Materials & Methods: Current study is a single subject design with a sample size of six patients (2 male, 4 female). Interventions are arranged based on multiple baselines, across subject design. Patients were on average 28 years old. All patients were diagnosed with major depression in two separate interviews by a psychiatrist for a preliminary evaluating axis I & II and through using the SCID by researcher for implement inclusion /exclusion criteria accurately. Analysis was carried out visually and with non parametric ANOVA (friedman). Results: analysis of data demonstrated that, scores of depression (BDI) and social adjustment (SAS) were significantly different in three phases of pre, during and post treatment. Also there was significant difference between average scores of tactical defense mechanisms in these phases. But there were no difference between average scores of classical defense mechanisms in these phases. Conclusion: AEDP was significantly effective in reducing depression symptoms and using tactical defense mechanisms .but AEDP was not effective on classic defense mechanisms in 20 therapeutic sessions.