Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Year:2011 | Volume:29 | Issue:160|Papers Count:5

Background: In recent years, applied climatology is using climate data in order to achieve industrial, economic and scientific goals. Climate effects on medical fields are also very important. The purpose of this research was to recognize the relation between some climate elements such as temperature, rain and height with the most prevalent diseases in the Province of Isfahan, Iran.Methods: Statistical data regarding the number of the deceased due to different diseases during 2002-2007 was collected from the report provided by the Climatology Organization and the Ministry of Health in 2007. The data was analyzed by regression equations. Disease distribution and climate elements maps were prepared by ArcGIS software.Findings: A direct relation was found between number of deaths and temperature. In fact, an increase in temperature would lead to higher death rates caused by different diseases. In addition, negative inverse relations were observed between death rates and rain and height, i.e. fewer people died in higher and rainier parts of the Province of Isfahan.Conclusion: In general, it is indicated that number of deaths increases as we move from west to east throughout the province.

Background: As medicl cares improve and mortality rates decrease, an increase in elderly population is seen. These people need more attention for their health status. Among the different aspects of health, quality of life has a special importance, because of its ability to performance of daily life duties, general health emotion, and also effect of different physical, psychology, social and economic causes on it. This study aimed to design and validate a questionnaire to measure health related quality of life in Iranian elderly.Methods: This triangulation study was developed in Isfahan city, Iran in 2008-9. An item pool was developed based on semi-structured interviews with some elder people and some experts in geriatics, literature review, and other quality of life questionnaires. We used principal component analysis and focus group methodology to reduce the items and assessment the face, construct, and content validity.Internal reliability was estimated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient.Findings: The finalised questionnaire contained 15 items and 4 dimensions including psycholosy, physical, social, and economic status. The validity was confirmed by experts and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 72.3%.Conclusion: The prepared quality of life questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument and will enable researchers to investigate quality of life patterns in the elderly and to assess the impact of interventions of quality of life change in this population. The instrument warrants further testing and development with different elderly populations.

Background: Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases. The relationship between enhanced endothelial permeability and initiation or progression of atherosclerosis has been indicated in previous studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of iron (Fe) and vitamin E on endothelial permeability of aorta and coronary arteries in rabbits on a high-cholesterol diet.Methods: Thirty male rabbits were randomly divided into five groups of 6, namely control, hypercholesterolemic (HC), HC +Fe (50 mg/kg), HC +vitamin E (50 mg/kg), and HC +Fe +vitamin E. After 4 weeks, blood samples were taken and endothelial permeability was measured by Evans blue dye method.Findings: Administration of Fe and/or vitamin E improved serum lipid profile (P<0.05). Administration of Fe could not change aortic endothelial permeability in hypercholesterolemic animals (P>0.05). However, vitamin E reduced aortic endothelial permeability (P<0.05). Fe and vitamin E did not alter coronary artery permeability (P>0.05).Conclusion: It seems that the effects of Fe on atherosclerosis are not through the alteration of vascular permeability. However, reduced endothelial permeability may be a mechanism for beneficial effects of vitamin E on cardiovascular system.

Background: The primary goal of wound management is to achieve a functional closure with minimal scarring. One of the ways of wound management is to prescribe prophylactic antibiotics. This study compared single-dose intravenous (IV) prophylactic antibiotic with the common five-day treatment in simple traumatic and contaminated wounds.Methods: All patients with simple traumatic and contaminated wounds that were sutured and determined to have indications for prophylactic antibiotic therapy by a physician at emergency wards of Shohadaye Haftom-e-Tir and Rasoul-Akram Hospitals during working shifts of researchers were divided into two groups. The first group received a single-dose of IV cefazolin and the second group was treated with oral cephalexin for five days. Infection symptoms such as erythema, pus secretion and swelling were described to the patients. Patients were suggested to inform the researchers whenever they saw the symptoms before the exact date of suture removal.Findings: In this research, 150 patients were studied in two groups of 75. The first group received a single-dose IV antibiotic while the second received five days of antibiotic. Infection was observed in 6 (8%) and 7 (9.33%) patients in the first and second group, respectively. However, the two groups were not significantly different in terms of infection rate.Conclusion: The period of prophylactic antibiotic therapy does not seem to make significant differences in treatment of wounds. Therefore, based on the findings of previous studies, as well as ours, it can be concluded that using a single-dose IV prophylactic antibiotic might be preferable because it is more acceptable by patients and has fewer side effects.

Background: Interleukin-6 (IL6) gene polymorphism is an important inflammatory cytokine. It may play a major role in complications observed after CABG surgery. Therefore, the present study was designed to study the relationship between IL6 174G>C gene polymorphism and complications after CABG. The aim of this study was to investigate any probable relationship between IL6 174 G>C polymorphism and complications observed after CABG surgery.Methods: In this case-control study, whole blood samples were obtained from all patients hospitalized for CABG surgery in Sina Hospital, Isfahan. Subject were divided into two groups of patients with (POC) or without (NPOC) complications. Information such as age, sex, degree of hemorrhage after the surgery, time spent in the intensive care unit (ICU), ventilation time, and inotropic support after the surgery was collected. Statistical analysis of the obtained data was performed using t-test and chi-square test.Findings: We did not find a correlation between IL6 gene polymorphism and complications after CABG surgery (P=0.126). However, a significant difference was observed. This difference for GG was P=0.05 and for GC was P=0.035 between two groups.Conclusion: GG genotype may play a role for the inflammation and complications after CABG. Further studies with larger number of patients are recommended.