Journal of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences
Year:2002 | Volume:4 | Issue:3|Papers Count:10

Historically, surgical wounds are divided into clean, clean contaminated, and contaminated. In overall, surgical wound infections are now the second most common hospital-acquired infections accounting for at least 17 percent of nosocomial infections. The risk of developing a wound infection is estimated 0.8, 1.3 and 10.2 percent for clean, clean contaminated and contaminated wounds respectively, when antibiotic prophylaxis administered. To establish a baseline of a hospital infection problem and the wound infection rate, it is recommended to conduct a surveillance of clean (Class I) surgical procedures. Having considered this fact, the present study was conducted in order to determine the infection rate of clean surgical procedures, to study the relationship of wound infections with factors such as age, duration of operation and antibiotic prophylaxis. A total of 845 clean surgical wound cases were screened for infection during a period of nine months, January-December, 2000. The infection rate of post-operative clean wound was found to be 4.9% and it was more common in procedures lasted over one hour. The most common organism isolated was staphylococcus epidemidis (%73 of cases), the second was staphylococcus aureus (%17), and the third was enterobacter aerogenes (%4.9). The in vitro sensitivity of S. epidermidis and S. aureus to the common anti-microbial drugs showed that they were resistant to penicillin and ampicillin. This study calls for the need of a more organized and effective infection control program that includes an active infection surveillance system and the presence of vigorous control measures designed to eliminate recognized hazards.

During the past decade laser has become an effective means for treatment of illnesses. Low power laser has been used widely for treatment of lesions of soft tissues, arthritis, relief of pains, wound healing, etc. Although, the mechanism of its analgesic effect is not clear yet, probably nerve latency changes have some effects on pain conducting fibers. In this experimental study, the effects of irradiation of low power infrared laser of Ga-Al-As with wavelength of 830 nm were studied on median nerve latency of 42 healthy people of 20-30 years old. The latency of motor branch of the nerve was measured before irradiation, then left forearm in the area of the nerve was exposed to laser irradiation with energy densities of 1.5 j/cm2 and 6 j/cm2 per point. Temperature changes were controlled during the study and the latency was measured after stopping irradiation as well. Paired t-test showed a significant increase in the latency after laser exposure (P<0.001). This effect remained for a while after stopping irradiation. These findings could prepare a background for other studies using laser for treatment of some neurological disorders.

Because of high prevalence of functional dyspepsia and need for new drugs, this study was performed to evaluate and compare the effect of Ocimum basilicum with placebo for treatment of functional dyspepsia. Traditionally, Ocimum basilicum has been used for ages to treat dyspepsia, flue, bronchitis and nausea. 200 cases from all patients referred to GI endoscopy ward of Hajar hospital for dyspepsia with no pathologic findings in their upper GI endoscopy, were selected during summer 2001. Patients were divided into 2 groups (case and control groups). Type and severity of symptoms were evaluated using a questionnaire based on the reference books. Response to the treatment was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the case group (57%) compared to that of the control group (21%). This higher cure rate (P<0.05) was seen in all gradings of symptoms, and all types of functional dyspepsia. In both sexes and in all ages the treatment effect in case group was higher (P<0.05). In the case group the treatment rate was higher in females and in patients with ages less than 40 years old. Therefore, it seems that Ocimum basilicum could be an effective drug for treatment of functional dyspepsia.

The presence of natural background radiation and environmental radioactivity is due to distribution of radionuclides in the earth and cosmic rays. These causes exposure to biological area and human body. In most countries natural background radiation has been measured repeatedly, but there is no accurate and complete information in Iran. The contents of natural radio nuclides (uranium, actinium, and thorium) as well as the thin layer of atmosphere in the higher altitude regions are reasons of high level of human exposure. The aim of this survey was focused on determining the current background radiation of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, which is the highest altitude region in Iran. The outdoors" environmental monitoring exposure rate of radiation was measured in 100 randomly selected regions using a portable Geiger-Muller detector. Eight measurements were made for each region and averaged as exposure rate of natural background radiation of that region. The mean exposure rate was found to be 28.2±µR/h and an overall outdoor dose rate was 49 nGy/h which is higher than the worldwide mean value of 44 nGy/h as reported in UNSCEAR, 1998. The annual effective dose equivalent was found to be 0.49 mSv/y. The results showed that there is a good correlation between altitude and exposure rate. In relation to the altitude and geological structure of the province the results also showed that the higher altitude regions has the higher natural background radiation level.

Low-level lead exposure during brain development is known to affect functions of the central nervous system. The behavioral effects of lead have been studied extensively. Despite these efforts, the results are controversial so that the same behavioral test often produced conflicting results in different investigations. This study was carried out to assess the effects of exposure to chronic low level lead during two different phases of development: breast feeding (I) and after weaning (II) on learning and memory by active avoidance method. Wistar rats were exposed to the metal during breast feeding (I) and after weaning (II) for 21 days, by replacing the drinking water of experimental groups by 0.05, 0.1, 0.2% lead acetate solution. Each test group had a corresponding control group receiving twice distilled water. Compared to the control groups, in phase I, a dose of 0.05% of lead acetate caused an increase in learning and memory, 0.2% produced an increase in memory and 0.1 % caused a decrease in memory. In phase II doses of 0.05% and 0.2% of lead acetate caused an increase in learning and memory. These data indicate that in chronic low-level lead poisoning, learning and memory are influenced by both the doses of the lead and the developmental phase. Different effects of lead exposure in children and adults, as well as inconsistencies between in vivo and in vitro studies, suggest that lead toxicity may have multiple mechanisms in the central nervous system.

Alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) is one of the acute phase human serum proteins. The concentration of this protein changes in some illnesses, such as hepatic, renal and lung diseases. Following intestinal disorders especially diarrhea AAT is defecated. Estimating fecal AAT is used as a tool for diagnosis of abnormal protein losses. Determination of fecal AAT as a marker for differential diagnosis of different gastrointestinal disorders has been investigated. Differential diagnosis of bacterial from non-bacterial diarrhea is routinly performed using culture techniques that are time consuming. Therefore in this study estimation of fecal AA T as a marker for differential diagnosis of various diarrhea has been investigated. In this case-control study, fecal AAT concentration was estimated in children hospitalized in pediatrician department of Hajar hospital, Shahrekord Iran. Case group 1 consisted of 30 children with microbial diarrhea. Case group 2 consisted of 30 children with nonmicrobial diarrhea and control group consisted of 30 children without diarrhea. Fecal samples of all children were cultured and examined. Fecal AAT was estimated using radial immunodiffusion technique. The average fecal AAT concentration was 50±46/2 mg/dl in case group 1, 25±34/77 mg/dl in case group 2 and 1/08±3/35 mg/dl in control group. There was a significant difference in concentration of fecal AAT among the cases and the control group. Results of this study showed that the average concentration of fecal AAT in case group with bacterial diarrhea was higher than that of the other two groups. However, some individuals in this group had a low fecal AAT concentration. Therefore, it is suggested that in further investigations, both fecal and serum AAT concentration should be estimated simultaneously.

Despite studies on traumatic damages to skull, the incidences of posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) are unknown, and there is still controversy about medicine therapy and seizure control of these patients. In our study we compared medicine therapy in idiopathic epilepsy and war induced PTE. The test group was consisted of 50 war disabled persons, and the control group consisted of 50 adult men who had idiopathic epilepsy. Our questionnaires were analyzed by statistical methods. Occupation rate in control group was 60% and in test group was 44%. In 94% of the control group and in 80% of the test group, medicine therapy was started with a single drug. Convulsion occurred by drug dosage decreasing in 36.4% of the control and in 60% of the test group and by stopping the drug it occurred in 50% of the control we conclude that drug monitoring in test group in Chahrmahal province is relatively acceptable. It is possible that lower rate of epileptic attacks in test group is due to more attention of physicians to them. It is necessary to pay more attention for their occupations to help their rehabilitation.

Since in most labor departments a mixture of atropine and promethazine is used to decrease the labor period, but its effect is still controversial, this randomized clinical trial was performed to assess the effects of this drug mixture on the progress of labor and apgar of infants. 200 pregnant women were randomly assigned to two groups (case and control). The case group received 0.5mg atropine and 25mg promethazine. The control group received 2ml of sterile water. These drugs were injected once at the beginning of the active phase of labor. Labor progress and first apgar score were recorded. The mean labor progression of the case and control groups in nuliparolls women was 253.29 and 231.41 minutes respectively, which didn't indicate a significant statistical difference. These times in multiparous women were 232.67 and 199.04 minutes. The mean of the second stage of labor was 42.58 and 35.32 minutes in nulliparous women and 11.53 and 11.22 minutes in multiparous women that didn't indicate a significant difference. The mean of the first apgar score was not significant between two groups in nulliparous and multiparous women. These findings indicated that atropine and promethazine had no positive impact on the progression of the labor and was considered to be a waste of time and medicine.

Different reports about prevalence of eye complications after the eclipse watching drew our attention to the fact that by using eclipse happening in Mordad 20th 1378 (1999) we can evaluate the presence of ocular complications of watching solar eclipse. This prospective study was performed on patients who referred to the Shahrekord ophthalmologists following the solar eclipse for six months. Patients were examined by an ophthalmologist and a questionnaire was filled for each one. Our results showed that, mean age of patients was 20-45 years and in most cases eclipse-watching time was only a few moments. 55 cases didn't use nay filter for watching. All cases had signs and symptoms of keratitis. The most common symptoms were itching, tearing, photophobia, blurred vision and headache. 10 cases had central scotoma and 5 cases had metamorphoisia. 5 eyes had macular burn and visual loss about 2-4 lines of Snelen chart. After six-month F/U visual acuity returned to 20/30 in 4 eyes and 20/40 in one eye.

Surgery, especially heart surgery is a life threatening event for everyone. Candidates of heart surgery are prone to severe anxiety. So implementing measures to reduce anxiety of the patients is necessary to facilitate their healing process. In this case-control study, the effect of Benson's relaxation on 105 patients undergoing open heart surgery in Shahid Rajaee heart diseases hospital was assessed. The tools of this study were a questionnaire, a sphygmomanometer, a stethoscope and a thermometer. We found that the relaxation reduced the anxiety level in the experimental group, while in the control group it was remarkably higher. Moreover, relaxation in the experimental group reduced the vital sign parameters including blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration rate and temperature significantly one day before surgery. Also relaxation reduced the frequency and dosage of analgesics. Considering the positive effects of relaxation in reduction of anxiety level in patients undergoing open heart surgery, applying the relaxation is advisable.