Hormozgan Medical Journal
Year:2003 | Volume:7 | Issue:3|Papers Count:13

Introduction: The pathway that a psychic patient go through in seeking psychiatric services and the way that he or she refer to a general practitioner or traditional healers is the main aim of this study. Method & Material: In this descriptive study, a total number of 600 patients who refer to psychiatrists or Ebn-e-Sina psychiatric Hospital were randomly selected and a questionnaire was completed for each of them. Results: Results showed that, the first choice of 27% of the patients is psychiatrists, 19.7% of them is general practitioners, 11.2% other specialists and 42.2% of them is traditional healers. Based on the results, 50.7% of all cases have risited a traditional healer during their treatment 44% of the cases were guided to a psychiatric medical center by a relative or a friend and traditional healers had no role in such referrals. Conclusion: The findings clear that in Hormozgan province, traditional healers have still a great role in attracting psychic patients. This problem not only escalates treatment expenses, but also causes a delay in receiving medical services.

Introduction: Diabetes is a chronic disease of life long duration, and its management requires a fundamental change in the patient’s lifestyle. The aim of this study was to determine behaviours of diabetic patients in relation to management of their disease and metabolic control. Method & Material: The target population was type 2 diabetic patients and a cross-sectional approach was used. A total of 80 patients were randomly selected. To determine behaviours of patients, data were collected using an interview schedule and metabolic control was assessed by measuring glycosylated hemoglobin (HBA1C).Results: A majority of patients had good compliance with adherence to the prescribed medicines and foot care practices. However, only 6.3% of them administered self monitoring blood glucose and 38.8% complied with dietary regimen. Among smokers, 13.8% stopped smoking after being diagnosed with the disease. The mean HBA1C in the whole patient group was 9.25±1.06 and ranged from 6.9 to 12.9 and only 2.5% of them had optimum control. Conclusion: It is recommended that every effort should be made to initiate and promote behavioural change and improve metabolic control in diabetic patients. To achieve this, an appropriate patient’s education program should be planned.

Introduction: Neuroblastoma is the most common extra cranial solid tumor in children, accounting for approximately 6-10% of all childhood malignancies. Survival rate in neuroblastoma depends on some variables such as the stage of the disease and children’s age. In the past decades, the incidence of neuroblastoma has increased and prognosis of the patients has improved. Method & Material: A historical cohort study was done. All children who were admitted in Isfahan university hospitals with the pathologic diagnosis of neuroblastoma during 1991 to 1999 were included in the study. 52 patients were available for follow-up and the median observation time was 80 months. Survival rate was analyzed by using life-table methods. Results: The patients were 52 (27 boys and 25 girls) with an average age of 4.5 years. At the time of the study, 22 of the patients were not alive. The median survival rate at 80 months from diagnosis for stages II, III and IV were 100%, 60% and 37%, respectively (p<0.0001). Frequency and percentage of the patients in stages I, II, III, IV and IV-S were 0, 9 (17.3%), 13 (25%), 29 (55.8%) and 1 (1.9%), respectively. Conclusion: The results suggest improvements in prognosis of children with neuroblastoma and it confirms the results of previous researches. Comparison of the survival rates of stages II, III and IV, show that, the patients’ survival rates are inversely correlated with their tumor stages. There is no significant relationship between the survival rate, sex and treatment procedures.

Introduction: Rats are the most common animals existing in the rural and urban areas. According to our ritual beliefs they are dirty and unclean. Therefore it was decided to determine their role as a risk factor to human and livestock health resulting from their transmission of zoonotic parasites. Method & Material: A total number of 63 rats were trapped alive from different rural areas in Bandar Abbas, and transferred to the laboratory. They were anaesthetized with chloroform. To examine blood and intestinal dwelling parasites, 5 ml of blood was taken directly from their heart, thick and thin blood films were prepared, blood films were stained Geimsa, faeces were collected in the fixative-preservative, faucal smears were prepared with the pellet obtained by formol-ether centrifugation, then slides were stained with modified Ziehl-Neelsen (Acid-Fast) and also permanent trichrome technique. Results: Most of the under study rats were brown rats (Rattus norvegicus). The presence of five species of enteric protozoa and three species of helminthes ova was detected. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in the faeces of 11 (17.4%) rats. Babesia, Borrelia, Anaplasma and Trypanosoma lewisi were seen in Geimsa stained blood smears. Mixed infections were common, overall infection rate with one or more species was 87%.Conclusion: The present study suggests that wild rats represent a risk to human and livestock health through the carriage and transmission of zoonotic parasites.

Introduction: Population growth and family marriages are the main causes of increase in thalassemia rates in Iran. This study is conducted to describe family planning status and its influencing factors, in order to perform successful family planning programs for the thalassemic couples in Bandar Abbas. Method & Material: This descriptive study was carried out on 300 thalassemic couples that were selected by judgmental and convenient sampling. Data were obtained through conductive structured interview. The results were presented with descriptive statistics and analyzed with Chi-square test. Results: Findings showed that 87.3% of 300 couples were using contraceptives, including OCP (40.5%), tubectomy (21%), coitus interruptus (19.1%), Norplant (1.9%) and vasectomy (0.8%). However, most of them didn’t have enough knowledge about contraceptive methods. 12.7% of couples were not using any of the contraceptive methods and the main reason for 28.9% of them was incorrect information. About 71.3% of subjects hadn’t received any family planning education. Prevention of pregnancy was related to men education (p<0.004).,women education (p<0.01) and the number of healthy children (p<0.05). Conclusion: According to the results development of appropriate family planning programs and education about thalassemia disease is necessary.

Introduction: Cognitive disorders are one of the most important of postoperative problems. These disorders and specially delirium, the most serious of them, can be associated with significant increase in mortality rate, major morbidity, length of stay and discharge to a long term care of rehabilitation facility. Method & Material: This analytic study has performed at surgical department of Saint. Alzahra Hospital. Min mental status Examination (MMSE) was questionnaire was used for 120 patients with elective surgery and the questionnaires were completed 3 days after the operation. Then the results were analyzed by SPSS in Wilcoxon and McNemar statistical tests. Results: The results showed a significant increase in cognitive disorder rates before and after operation (10% vs. 29.1%, p<0.0001). While, before operation, there was no significant difference in the rate of this disorder in males and females, the post operation rates were significantly higher and were different in both sexes. The rates increased by age and postoperative rates were significantly higher than those in pre operation in different age groups. Relative frequency of post operation cognitive disorders based on type and site of the operation was 40% in pelvic surgery, 30% in neck surgery, 30% in thoracic surgery, 24.4% in abdominal surgery and 28.5% in orthopedics surgery.Conclusion: According to this study relative frequency of postoperative cognitive disorders is higher than that of preoperative. The fore surgery with all stresses, physical and mental is effective to impair cognitive status.

Introduction: Central serous Chorioretinopathy (CSC) is a disease with unknown causes. This study is performed to determine the natural course and the effect of early Diode laser treatment on it, its recurrence rate and complications. Method & Material: In this descriptive study, 54 eyes from 54 patients with untreated CSC were compared with 55 eyes from 54 patients with treated CSC. In 55 ryes of 55 patients who had CSC, in the first 4 weeks of presentation, leakage points which were at least 350 micrometer from the center was treated by diode laser: Spot size 75 micrometer, power 100-300 Mw, exposure time 100-300 Ms; A very light barely discernible burn is produces. All patients were followed for at least one year. Results: In untreated group, visual acuity of 20.20 was obtained in 27.77% after 6 week and 85.8% after 1 year. 24% had recurrence during one year of follow up and 1.85% had developed choroidal neovascularization. Whereas in the treated group, in all of our patients CSC had resolved over a period of 2-4 weeks (mean 3.1 weeks).Visual acuity of 20.20 was obtained in 67% of patients within 2-6 weeks. 14.6% who had recurrences of the disease were retreated with full improvement. After 1 year, visual acuity of 20.20 was obtained in 87.3% of patients. During one year of follow up no laser related complication was noted. Conclusion: Early diode laser treatment of CSC patients during the first 4 weeks decreases the duration and recurrence rate of the disease. Earlier return of patients to normal vision may lower patients stress and decreases the rate of recurrences.

Introduction: Iron deficiency anemia is the most common anemia in pregnant women around the world. This type of anemia can lead premature delivery, increase neonatal and maternal mortality and morbidity. Assessment of iron status of pregnant women and their newborns plays a significant role in iron supplement recommendation. Method & Material: In this descriptive study 97 pregnant women and their newborns were investigated. Hemoglobin, serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and serum ferritin were measured. Relationship neonatal height, weight, head circumference and maternal iron status were evaluated. Results: Overall 22.5% of mothers had iron deficiency anemia and 27.8% non-anemic iron deficiency. 10.1% of newborns had anemia but none iron deficiency. Significant correlation between maternal and neonatal hemoglobin, ferritin were observed. Iron deficient mothers had newborn with lower level of serum ferritin. Negative relation between neonatal weight and maternal iron status were observed. Mothers with high parity were prone to iron deficiency. Conclusion: Based on high prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in pregnant women and their effect on neonatal iron status and increasing complication of pregnancy, more attention to mothers’ education for regular iron supplement is recommended.

Introduction: Vascular Malformations (VM) of the gastrointestinal tract are rare causes of GI bleeding. Bleeding from these lesions is often recurrent and diagnosis is often delayed from months to years. Preoperative diagnostic techniques have little value to determine these lesions. Surgical exploration is often useful for diagnosis. Cases: In this article two cases are reported. First one is a 10 year old boy with hemangioma in the proximal small intestine who needed urgent surgical assistance because of massive lower GI hemorrhage and after histopathologic examination of partial resection of jejunum, pathologist report was (Small Bowel Arteriovenous Hemangioma) and the second one is a 29 year old man that was admitted with history of intermittent melena and anemia and in barium study an abnormal mass was seen in ileum that after histopathologic examination of mass pathologist report was (Small Bowel Vascular Malformation). Discussion: Results after excision are excellent and by histopathologic examination diagnosis was performed exactly.

Introduction: Leukocytoclastic vasculutis due to cryoglubolins is a systemic vasculitis that affects primarily small vessels. Case: In this report a 47-year-old opium addicted man with arthralgia, skin rashes and urine discoloration due to cryoglubolinemic vasculitis in the presence of hepatitis C virus infection is introduced. Discussion: Cryoglubolinemic vasculitis is not rare but because of the lack of acquaintance with this type of vasculitis, some cases remain undetected.