Hormozgan Medical Journal
Year:2006 | Volume:10 | Issue:1|Papers Count:18

In addition to G6PD deficiency, human erythrocyte pyruvate kinase (PK-R) deficiency is one of the most common causes of non-spherocytic hemolytic anemia. Clinical severity of this disorder is not the same in homozygote form of this disease and ranges from mild to chronic and anemia; so it has a wide variation. Severely effected individuals require blood transfusions or splenectomy.Methods: In this experimental study, a complete blood count (CBC) was performed on 2300 individuals aged 15-30 years from Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province, to determine the possible hemolytic anemia. From this cohort 800 non-related individuals who had hemoglobin levels below 11.5 g/dl were selected for further investigation and measured erythrocyte PK activity.Results: The enzyme activity levels expected in normal population had a range of 2.2-9.7 U/gmHb while in the anemic group; the range was 0.1-11.7 U/gmHb. In 123 cases (15%) among the anemic group, 20% to 40% of the normal enzyme activity was measured when compared with the values expected in heterogeneous individuals. Only three individuals (0.3%) in this group had below 20% of normal enzyme activity.Conclusion: The study revealed that the estimated gene frequency of PK deficiency in this area is about 36 in 1000 population and the observed carrier frequency is about 5%. If we can identify the couples who are at risk of PK deficiency, it may be possible to reduce the burden of chronic anemia caused by PK deficiency.

Thalassemia is an important disease in East Mediterranean area and especially in Iran. The disease is more prevalent in Hormozgan province (South of Iran) than other parts of the country. Thalassemia has several complications including convulsion. In thalassemia patients, hypocalcaemia was correlated with hypoparathyroidism and is accompanied with convulsions. This study’s aim was to determine the serum levels of calcium and phosphorus in thalassemic patients with a prior history of convulsion.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 607 major thalassemia, thalassemia intermidia and sickle thalassemia patients referred to thalassemia center of Bandar Abbas were sorted according to type of thalassemia, demographic data, presentation, and convulsion history. Level of calcium and phosphorus were detected with standard lab analysis methods. Fisher exact test and Chi-Square test were used to analyze the data.Results: According to our findings, among 607 identified cases aged 12.2±6.6 years, 46.1 percent (280 cases) were female and 53.9 percent (327 cases) were male. Prevalence of hypocalcaemia was 26.5% (95% CI, 23.1%-30.3%), prevalence of hyperphosphatemia was 37.4% and the prevalence of convulsion history was 9.9%. In spite of hypocalcaemia being more prevalent in thalassemia patients with convulsion, there was no significant difference between hypocalcemia in patients with prior history of convulsion and patients without convulsion.Conclusion: This study shows indirect relation between prevalence of hypocalcaemia and hyperphosphatemia in thalassemic patients with or without convulsion and direct correlation between severity of thalassemic and convulsion history.

The bed nucleus stria terminalis (BST) is a part of the limbic system, which plays a role in regulation of heart beat and blood circulation. It was recently shown that microinjection of L-glutamate in the BST elicits cardiovascular depressive, but the role of glutamate receptor subtypes has not been investigated yet. In this study, the role of glutamate receptor subgroups in regulation of heart and blood circulation was investigated.Methods: In this experimental study, experiments were performed on 36 anaesthetized and paralyzed rats with Urethane. Drugs were microinjected into the BST in 50 nl volume using streotaxic system. Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded before and after each injection. The average changes in the mean arterial pressure and heart rate at different intervals, were compared both within each case group and between case and control groups using analysis of variance.Results: Microinjection of L-glutamate (0.25 M) into the BST, resulted in a decrease of mean arterial pressure (-25.8±3.7 mmHg) and heart rate (-19.2±3.8 bpm). Injection of AP5, antagonist of glutamate NMDA receptor (2.5mM, 5mM) and CNQX, antagonist of glutamate AMPA receptor (0.5, 1mM) had no remarkable effect on the mean arterial pressure and heart rate.Conclusion: This study shows that activation of glutaminergic system in BST causes decrease of heart rate and mean arterial pressure, which is similar to previous findings, but inhibition of AMPA and NMDA receptors had no effect on mean arterial pressure and heart rate. These findings suggest that the glutaminergic neurons of the BST are quiescent or have little activity to be detected by microinjection of antagonists under these experimental conditions. Introduction: The bed nucleus stria terminalis (BST) is a part of the limbic system, which plays a role in regulation of heart beat and blood circulation. It was recently shown that microinjection of L-glutamate in the BST elicits cardiovascular depressive, but the role of glutamate receptor subtypes has not been investigated yet. In this study, the role of glutamate receptor subgroups in regulation of heart and blood circulation was investigated.Methods: In this experimental study, experiments were performed on 36 anaesthetized and paralyzed rats with Urethane. Drugs were microinjected into the BST in 50 nl volume using streotaxic system. Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded before and after each injection. The average changes in the mean arterial pressure and heart rate at different intervals, were compared both within each case group and between case and control groups using analysis of variance.Results: Microinjection of L-glutamate (0.25 M) into the BST, resulted in a decrease of mean arterial pressure (-25.8±3.7 mmHg) and heart rate (-19.2±3.8 bpm). Injection of AP5, antagonist of glutamate NMDA receptor (2.5mM, 5mM) and CNQX, antagonist of glutamate AMPA receptor (0.5, 1mM) had no remarkable effect on the mean arterial pressure and heart rate.Conclusion: This study shows that activation of glutaminergic system in BST causes decrease of heart rate and mean arterial pressure, which is similar to previous findings, but inhibition of AMPA and NMDA receptors had no effect on mean arterial pressure and heart rate. These findings suggest that the glutaminergic neurons of the BST are quiescent or have little activity to be detected by microinjection of antagonists under these experimental conditions.

Melissa Officinalis (MO) overgrows in different parts of Iran. In previous studies, ethanol extract of aerial parts (leaf & stem) of MO showed anti-nconvulsant and sedative effects in rats. This study was designed to evaluate anti-nociceptive effects in different doses of aqueous decoction extracts of MO and the role of opioid receptors in rats.Methods: In this experimental study, 63 male mice (weighing 25-30g) in Tail Flick model were examined. Different doses of extract (5, 10, 25, 50 mg/kg IPMO) were injected to the separate groups and saline (10ml/kg-IP) was injected intrapeditoneal in control group. In four groups the role of opioid receptors (Naloxone 2mg.kg) was designed to evaluate anti-nociceptive effects in the aqueous decoction extracts of MO (5mg/kg) and 25 minutes after the injection the anti-nociceptive effect was evaluated. Analysis of variance was used to analysis the data.Results: The results showed that average time of Tail Flick had significant difference in two groups (P<0.0001) but the test groups had no significant difference in different doses. Based on the results, naloxone caused reduction in anti-nociceptive effects of 5 mg/kg Melissa Officinalis dose (P<0.0001).Conclusion: It is concluded that the aqueous extract of MO has anti-nociceptive activity which is not dose related, and is probably related to opioid receptors.Determination of other receptors which may have anti-nociceptive activity needs further investigation.

Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and cigarette smoking are major coronary artery disease risk factors. This study was performed to detect the correlation between major coronary risk factors and the number of diseased vessels in coronary angiography.Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 196 patients with coronary artery disease who underwent coronary angiography in Shafa hospital of Kerman during a six-month period. Data were collected by a questionnaire that was used to record coronary risk factors and number of involved vessels in angiography.Narrowing of more than 50% of the vessel was considered remarkable stenosis.T-test Chi-Square, Man-Whitney and Kruscal-Wallis tests were used for data analysis.Results: The sample included 142 (72%) males, 54 (28%) females, and the mean age was 55.1% years. Single, two and three vessel involvement was detected in 42.3% and 23% 42.3% of the patients, respectively. Patients with one vessel disease had diabetes mellitus and hypertension in comparison with those who had two or three vessel involvement (P<0.05). There was no significant relation between hyperlipidemia and cigarette smoking with the number of involved vessel. In the diabetic patients, the likelihood of two or three vessel involvement was higher than that in non-diabetics (odds ratio = 2).Conclusion: In our study, hypertension and diabetes mellitus were the main risk factors for the presence of three vessel disease. Diabetic patients were at high risk with respect to the number of vessel involvement because of accelerated atherosclerosis process in diabetes.

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance at alarming rates has received a great deal of attention. Worldwide hospitals are facing with increasingly rapid emergence and spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria, among which pseudomonas aeroginosa is the most significant one. The aim of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of 94 strains of pseudomonas aeroginosa to these antibiotics.Methods: In this experimental study, 94 non-repetitive isolates of pseudomonas aeroginosa from different clinical samples were collected. Susceptibility of each strain to 21 currently used antibiotics was determined by Kirby-Bauer method on Muller Hinton medium.Results: All of the strains (100%) were sensitive to imipenem. Among fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides, ciprofloxacin and amikacin with 74.4% and 66.6% sensitivity were found to be the second and third most active agents, respectively.Conclusion: Several studies have been conducted on antibiogram profile of pseudomonas aeroginosa expressing different results. These differences may be due to diversity in distribution of different strains of this bacterium, kind, amount and duration of antibiotic therapy and also quality of disks manufactured by different companies.

Based on reviewing several large reports in literature, less than 3 percent of glioblastoma occurred in the first two decades of life. In the Asian reports glioblastoma is more common than western reports. As there was no similar report in Iran; this study was designed for evaluating the presence of glioblastoma cases in first two decades of life.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 107 cases that had undergone neurosurgical operation at Shahid Bahonar hospital (1994-2003) and the obtained specimens were pathologically approved as glioblastoma multiform were included. Information containing demography (age and sex), clinical data (main presenting symptoms; tumor location), radiological and laboratory findings was obtained from records in pathology and neurosurgery departments and the central records of the hospital. The results were analyzed by SPSS software and chi square statistical test.Results: Of 107 cases of glioblastoma; 8 (7.4%) were under 20 years age group and the male to female ratio was 3 to 1. Most of the tumors (87.5%) were supratentorial and the temporal and parietal lobes were most commonly involved main presenting symptoms included headache (87.5%); nausea or vomiting (37.5%) and seizures (25%). Neutrophilic leukocytosis was the persistent laboratory finding (62.5%).Conclusion: The results show that glioblastoma multiform in Iran is more prevalent in childhood than that in western communities. Clinical and Para clinical findings are the same as other studies. Difference of corrected age based values with other studies are not statistically significant, and it probably seems that increased incidence of glioblastoma in first two decades of life is probably related to population pyramid and a large number of young people in Iran.

Analysis of death statistics of each province, according to main variables, such as gender, age, and living place, and comparing them with such data from other provinces, the whole country, and other countries, is necessary for health programming and priority setting.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the death statistics of Fars province during 2001 has been collected from several available sources; and the causes of death have been registered based on the death witnesses and verbal autopsies.These data have been analyzed and compared with corresponding data from 18 other provinces and of the world statistics.Results: The crude death rate in the Fars province in the year 2001 was 373.1 per 100000 populations. The most prevalent groups of death causes in the province, and also in the country, were cardiovascular disease (135 per 100000), imprecise and non well-defined symptoms and conditions (54.6 per 100000), unintended accidents (50.8 per 100000), and cancers (32.5 per 100000). The most prevalent subgroups, except for subgroups of imprecise and non well-defined symptoms and conditions, were myocardial infarction (66.5 per 100000), and traffic accidents (34.9 per 100000).Conclusion: The results imply the importance of controlling the risk factors of ischemic heart diseases and traffic accidents. In the case of cancers, although the mortality rate of cancer in the province is lower than other provinces, but it needs to be recognized as a health priority in the province.

Natural water normally consists of mineral compounds, suspended solids and dissolved gases. Some of these components are necessary for human health, but if more than allowable limits, they will endanger the human health. In this research, important clinical parameters in drinking water of Bandar Abbas were evaluated to compare with the national standards.Methods: In this descriptive study, 33 samples were taken from the reservoirs in the second half of the year 2003 and were analyzed. Titrimetric and instrumental tests were performed on the samples. Titrimetric tests included total hardness, calcium, magnesium, chloride and the alkaline contents of the water; and the instrumental tests included electro conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, PH, fluoride, iron sodium, nitrate content of the water.Descriptive statistics and Excel software were used for data analysis.Results: The study revealed that the concentration of fluoride, sulphate, chloride, sodium, nitrite, calcium ions, total hardness, EC, TDS in ground water reservoirs were more than maximal allowable limits. All of the tested parameters in Minab surface reservoir met the related standards except for TDS.Conclusion: Chemical quality of drinking water in Bandar Abbas doesn’t cause any health problems, but as groundwater has low quality and being mixed with surface water, some of the parameters don’t meet the desirable.

Zoontic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is one of the most important vector-born diseases in Iran, transmitted by phlebotominae sandfiles and its foci exist in different parts of the country. In Hormozgan province, south of Iran, cataneous leishmaniasis mainly reports from Hajiabad, Banda-Lengeh and Kahoorestan. This study is conducted to investigate epidemiology of leishmaniasis in Hajiabad.Methods: In an epidemiological study that was conducted to determine the situation of the disease in Hajiabad, 306 families containing 1392 inhabitants of the rural district (48.4% male and 51.6% female) were examined. One percent of the cases had active lesions and 8.3% showed scars. Isolated parasites from three locally infected humans were injected to nine Balb/c mice that produced acute lesion in two animals (22.2%). The results of PCR test confirmed leishmania major as the disease agent in the area. The data was analyzed using Chi-square statistical test.Results: Primary survey on the probable reservoir host(s) in the area, using live Sherman traps on 11 rodents from Gerbillidae family demonstrated 2 species of Tatera indica (54.5%) and meriones persicus (45.5%). All trapped animals were negative to be infected with leishmania parasite.Conclusion: This investigation showed that zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) due to L.major exists in Hajiabad. The most probable vector and reservoir host of the disease in the area are P.papatasi and T.indica, respectively. More studies are needed to isolate the parasite from them.

Changes in saliva and its biochemical content in diabetic patients can effect on supportive dental tissues and cause dental damage. Low carbohydrate diets, and good control of disease can reduce dental damage in diabetics. The aim of this study was to compare dental damage in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients and healthy individuals.Methods: In this case-control study, a number of 151 NIDDM patients aged 35-80 years were the case group and the same number of healthy people referred to dental clinic were selected as control group. Both group’s oral cavity was examined and DMFT index in the groups was compared. T-test and correlation coefficient were used to analysis the data.Results: The average of DMFT in NIDDM patients was 16±7.79 that was significantly more than in healthy people (P<0.001). Dental caries in NIDDM patients and healthy people did not differ significantly, but the average of missing teeth in NIDDM patients was significantly higher than that in healthy people (P<0.001).Conclusion: Higher DMFT index and number of missing teeth in NIDDM patients my be due to effect of the disease on saliva, the dental supportive tissue and poor oral hygiene in these patients or progressive caries of teeth that leads to end stage of dental life and extraction of teeth.

Hepatitis C is one of the most important liver diseases in the world. The most common cause of hepatitis is blood transfusion. Children with thalassemia who receive frequent blood transfusions are at high risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Thus their diagnosis and treatment on them causes reduction of next consequences.Methods: In this descriptive study all the patients with major thalassemia (630 cases) in Semnan, Damaghan and Garmsar were investigated. Five cc bloods were taken 2 weeks after the last blood transfusion. All the blood samples were sent to the blood transfusion organization regarding the cold chain. In the first stage antibody against HCV was checked by ELISA method, and in the second stage all the patients with positive anti-HCV antibodies in the first stage were re-sampled again and re-checked using ELISA. Being positive in to stages indicated that they had hepatitis C. In the third stage all positive samples with anti-HCV antibodies were re-checked via PCR to determine the RNA of the virus. The mentioned sample was taken for anti-HCV antibody test and HCV-RNA PCR. Other required data were obtained from their records. The results were presented using descriptive methods.Results: The mean age of patients was 11.8 (SD=4.7). 39.7% of the patients had positive anti HCV antibodies and in 60% of those who had positive anti HCV antibodies, the PCR was also positive. 31.7% of the patients had first-degree family history of major thalassemia and in 50% of them; anti HCV antibodies and PCR were positive. But in those who didn’t have a family history of major thalassemia, 34.95% had positive antibodies and 33.3% had positive PCR.Conclusion: Due to increase of hepatitis C in thalassemia patients, performing specific tests, frequent follow up, and prompt treatment is necessary for them.Furthermore, more attention is required to prevent hepatitis C infection in thalassemia cases.

Comparing to other health problems, substance use epidemiology is a new area of research in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of opioid use among referees to a clinical laboratory by drug testing.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the urine sample of 1120 consecutive individuals referred to a major clinical laboratory in Kerman city were tested for opioid metabolites anonymously. At first, a screening test was done on samples (chromatographic Immunoassay test, Enison, U.K) and then solid-liquid column chromatography and thin layer chromatography (Sam phannavar, Tehran, Iran) was done on positive samples as a confirmatory test. The results were analyzed using Chi-Square test and descriptive methods.Results: Ninety-three percent of subjects were urban dwellers and the mean (±SD) age of the sample studied was 46.5 (±16.5). In 28.4% (318) of the specimens the screening test became positive and thin layer chromatography confirmed half of them as true positive. So, 14.4% of samples were positive regarding opioid metabolites.Conclusion: Although individuals attending laboratory clinics may not be a representative sample of the whole Kermani population, but the relatively high figures obtained have significant implications for further research.

Motion sickness is a normal response to real. Perceived or anticipated movement. Although the prognosis is excellent it may be incapacitating for people with an occupation that requires constant movement, such as a flight attendant, pilot, astronaut, or ship crew members. The symptoms progresses from initial dizziness to vomiting. Fortunaterly most symptoms disappear once the stimulus is over.Case Presentation: This a 48 year old man with history of Dizziness, generalized weakness, lightheadedness and nausea during microscopic examination of the slides. Recurrence of this problem has left him avoidant to educate in subspecialty of dermatopathology course. After unyieldfull evaluation for circulatory insufficiency as the cause of his dizziness, taking history again and more accurate, led to diagnosis of motion sickness.Conclusion: Wi000th development of modern and new recreational and visuspatial technology, unusual predentations of the motion sickness is unavoidable. Therefore it is essential to think to this diagnosis to avoid unnecessary diagnostic evaluation wich inturn adds anxiety to patients and perpetuates their problem.