Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Year:2011 | Volume:29 | Issue:145|Papers Count:6

Background: Spinal cord injury is one the diseases that Iran-Iraq war veterans are suffering from it.These lesions can cause problems for the veterans. In addition, due to the inactivity of spinal cord injury, other complications such as skin diseases, kidney diseases, psychological disorder can occur. In this study we investigated the disability and diseases caused by spinal cord injury in war veterans.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that conducted in a Alzahra hospital, Iran. All records of war veterans were gathered from their files that saved in the archive of hospital. The collected data including demographic indicators, disability and associated diseases was analyzed by SPSS15.Findings: 201 spinal cord injured patients were studied. The mean age of studied population was 42.3 ± 5.7 years. Only 27.4% of them have a complete ability to doing their personal affairs. In 66.7% of the veterans exercise was conducted by themselves or a physiotherapist. Acording to results of this study 36.3% have a metabolic disorder, 51.7% suffered to urinary tract infection, 64.9% have muscolo skeletal disorders, and 21% have a kind of psychological diseases. The frequency of kidney infections, metabolic, psychological, musculoskeletal and skin disorders were significantly higher in veterans with disabilities.Conclusion: Our findings show that physical and mental illness were more frequent in disabled veterans.Therefore, it seems that rehabilitation program with emphasis on physical activity, psychiatric counseling and health promotion classes is suitable for disabled veterans.

Background: This study was done to determine the frequency of cardiomyopathy related to Daunomycin in children and adolescents with improved acute lymphoblastic leukemia and its relationship with cardiac troponin-T and cumulative dose of drug.Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on children and adolescents under age 18 years with improved acute lymphocytic leukemia disease (ALL) and a history of receiving daunomycin who referred to Al-zahra hospital, Iran. People with inclusion criteria based on cumulative dose of daunomycin were divided into two groups. First group of patients were those who received cumulative daunomycin dose fewer than 250 mg/m2 and second group with cumulative dose equal to or greater than 250 mg/m2. In all patients after obtaining consent and taking history, blood levels of cardiac-troponin-T and Shortening Fraction (FS) and Ejection Fraction (EF) indices was measured. Collected data was analyzed by SPSS.Findings: Among 55 patients treated with daunomycin, three patients were diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, all of which were in the second group (P<0.048). The mean EF in the first group and second group were respectively 65.03+4.26 and 61.4+6.56 (P<0.02). The mean SF in the first and second group were respectively 34.23+4.19 and 31.92+4 (P<0.04). Cardiac troponin-T test result was positive in 4 patients from the second group but in the first group there were no positive tests (P<0.037). There was no significant relationship between cardiomyopathy and increased level of cardiac troponin-T (P=0.21).Conclusion: Acute lymphocytic leukemia patients treated with daunomycin were at risk for cardiac complications. It is recommended to avoid therapy with a dose more than 250 mg/m2. Since there was not any correlation between cardiac troponin-T level and cardiomyopathy, cardiac troponin-T can not be a reliable marker of delayed cardiotoxicity.

Background: It is well known that a brief exposure to 100% oxygen for only a few minutes could be toxic to the preterm infant. We compared the effectiveness of neonatal resuscitation with low concentration oxygen (30%) and high concentration oxygen (100%).Methods: Thirty two preterm neonates with gestational age 29-34 weeks who required resuscitation were randomized into two groups. In low concentration oxygen group (LOG), resuscitation begun with 30% O2. Infants were examined every 60 to 90 seconds, and if their heart rate was less than 100, 10% was added to the previous FIO2 until the heart rate increased to 100 and SO2 increased to 85 percent.In high concentration oxygen group (HOG) resuscitation begun with 100% O2 and every 60 to 90 seconds, FIO2 was decreased 10–15% until the heart rate reached to 100 and SO2 reached to 85 percent.Findings: The FIO2 in LOG was increased stepwise to 45% and in HOG was reduced to 42.1% to reach stable oxygen saturation more than 85% at 5th minute in both groups. At first and third minutes after birth and there was no significant differences between groups in heart rate, and after 1, 2, 4 and 5 minutes after birth there was no significant differences in oxygen saturation (SO2) between groups, regardless of the initial FIO2.Conclusion: We can safely initiate resuscitation of preterm infants with a low FIO2 (approximately 30%) oxygen and then oxygen should be adjusted with the neonates needs.

Background: Teenage pregnancy is known as a high risk pregnancy. However, some study show that good prenatal care can decrease the rate of complications. This study was done to evaluate the frequency of preterm labor, still birth, premature rupture of membranes, cesarean section, eclampsia, low birth weight and interest of mother's about the type of delivery.Methods: This study was conducted from October 2009 to November 2010 in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Five hundred mothers were followed during their pregnancy and were divided into two groups, under 20 years (teenagers) and-over 20 years. The complications and outcome of pregnancy were evaluated and the collected data was analyzed by SPSS16.Findings: Five hundred pregnant women were evaluated during their pregnancy. The mean age of teenage women was 18.12 ± 1.11 years and the mean age of over 20-years mothers was 26.53 ± 3.08 years.15 (6%) teenage women have experienced eclampsia, while only 4 (1.6%) women over 20 years old had eclampsia (P=0.01).Conclusion: This study showed that teenage pregnancy has more complications than older age, and more education is needed to reduce this type of pregnancy.

Background: Peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand activated transcription factors, comprising of three isoforms in human: PPARb/d, PPARg and PPARa. Since PPARs affect on cytokines and growth factors, it is suggested that PPARs may be regulated angiogenesis process. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that activation of PPARb/d by GW0742 can restore coronary angiogenesis in diabetic and control rats.Methods: Twenty-four male rats were randomly divided into four groups. For induction of diabetes we used streptozotocin (50 mg/kg). The groups were as follows: group 1: control rats were given placebo, group 2: control rats were given GW0742 (1 mg/kg/day) subcutaneously, group 3: diabetic rats were given placebo and group 4: diabetic rats were given GW0742 (1 mg/kg/day) subcutaneously.After 21 days capillary density was evaluated in cardiac muscle by immunohistochemistry.Findings: The mean capillary density in cardiac muscles of diabetic rats were lower than control (P=0.08). GW0742 administration could restore capillary density of the heart in diabetic rats (215.82± 11.3 versus121.71 ± 13.32 number of capillaries per mm2) while could not alter capillary density in control rats (156.3± 8.97 versus 153.78 ± 11.08 number of capillaries per mm2).Conclusion: this study showed that diabetes is associated by reduced capillary density in the heart.PPARb/d activation by GW0742 could restore coronary angiogenesis in diabetic rats while did not change angiogenesis in non diabetic rats.