Studies in Medical Sciences
Year:2013 | Volume:24 | Issue:4|Papers Count:9

Background & Aims: Quality of life is considered as an important issue in studies of chronic diseases, especially cancer. Currently, developing cancer is one of the principal issues in Iran as well as the whole world. Symptoms and side effects of esophagus and stomach cancer influence the quality of life. The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life in patients with gastrointestinal cancer 3 and 9 months after surgery.Materials & Methods: This study was a cross-sectional one and took place to compare the quality of life of 27 patients with cancers of the stomach and esophagus. Standardized QLQ-C30 questionnaire was used to data collection.Results: The mean score of the overall of quality of life was determined in subjects under study, (51.65+16.8) (79.2+13.02) three and 9 months after surgery, respectively. Quality of life was evaluated in a more favorable status 9 months compared with 3 months after surgery. Quality of life of patients after the manifestation of signs and symptoms was evaluated as moderate 3 months after surgery, following which it was evaluated as relatively favorable 9 months after surgery.Conclusion: According to available information, it becomes clear that after surgery both stomach and esophagus cancer patients have almost no problems in the levels of cognitive performance. However in terms of social performance they are impaired. These patients need more attention in terms of learning psychological skills, psycho-social counseling and economic support as well as increase in the insurance coverage.

Background & Aims: Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder. The impact of epilepsy on the quality of life is usually greater than the limitations imposed by the seizures alone. Level of information and attitudes of people toward epilepsy can affect psycho-social aspects and quality of life of many patients with epilepsy.Materials& Methods: This study was conducted on 800 randomly sampled participants in Shiraz, Iran. A questionnaire similar to the ones used in earlier studies in other reliable articles in other countries was prepared. We evaluated the level of familiarity, knowledge and attitudes of people in Shiraz toward epilepsy.Results: Overall, 57.8% of participants were familiar with epilepsy that mostly was seen in the age range of 10±30 years' old, urban people and those who had academic educations.74.8% of respondents believed that epilepsy and seizure are different. 11.1% mentioned that epilepsy was a kind of madness and insanity. Only 4% would allow their children to marry a person with epilepsy.18.4% believed epileptic patients were different from other persons in behavior. More positive attitudes and information was reported in urban people and those who had academic education.Conclusion: Group of our study in comparison with other studies had less familiarity with epilepsy. In spite of having positive attitudes in some aspects, there was not adequate knowledge about this disease and only some high educated and urban people expected a good prognosis for patients with epilepsy.Community education can have positive effects on increasing correct information and decreasing epilepsy stigma.

Background & Aim: Hepatitis B illness is recognized as a worldwide health problem. Hepatitis B virus infection and its consequences is a major health problem. This virus is an occupational hazard for health care workers. Since different factors involves in immune function, we aimed to focus on students with blood group antibody titer as a variable in immune function.Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive-analytic study conducted on 122 students of Tabriz Dental Faculty that was accompanied by a questionnaire and serologic tests. Through the questionnaire, questions such as age, sex, weight, height, blood, vaccines, Vaccine dosage, duration, time elapsed after the last dose of vaccine, medical history were studied. Next three cc of blood was obtained from them for Test of HBsAg, Anti HBs Ab, anti-HBe Ab, and anti-HBc Ab. Laboratory studies were performed using chemiluminescence method and those that HBsAg, anti-HBc and anti-Hbe markers were positive excluded from the study. Finally correlation between levels of anti-HBs Ab titers and variables such as blood group, smoking, age, and sex were studied, these data were analyzed using the version 15 SPSS software.Results: Anti-HBs titer status was divided in two groups: 1-antiHBs<100 (weak responders and those who lacked any response), 2- anti-HBs>100 (good responders). Anti-IgG antibody titer detected as blood group AB (68.623), B (60.660), O (34.657) and A (19.608) respectively. According to the results of the present study, there was no significant association between blood groups and anti-HBs in other variables but there was a significant association with age. Results suggested that 96.8% of subjects were positive for Anti-HBs markers, there was 100 good responders and 20 poor responders and 2 persons did not respond.Conclusion: About the absence of relationship between Anti-HBs with blood groups, it should be stated that current study was performed on limited samples and particular age groups, therefore, more research is needed.

Background & Aims: In the past serum creatinine concentration was used as one of the important markers for early detection of kidney disorders, however recent studies suggest serum cystatin C to be a better marker. Therefore in this study we compared the diagnostic value of cystatin C with serum creatinine to evaluate kidney function in patients with high blood pressure.Materials & Methods: This clinical trial study was conducted on high blood pressure patients referring to Mehrad hospital during 1387-1389 for checking their kidney function. Cobasmira automated analyzer was used to determine serum creatinine. The serum cystatin C was measured using ELISA method. The glomerular filtration rate was determined by measuring 24hr creatinine clearance.Positive and negative predictive value, sensitivity and specificity of cystatin C and creatinine were determined.Results: We studied 35 patients with high blood pressure (20 men and 15 women mean age, 49±11).This research work showed that positive predictive value and negative predictive value of creatinine were 94.3% and 31% respectively. And for cystatin C, were 92.3% and 44% respectively.The false positive and negative result for serum creatinine method were 2.8% and 31.4% and for cystatin C were 5.7% and 14.2% respectively.Total accuracy of cystatin C was 90% and creatinine was 65.8%. Finally based on results obtained from this study cystatin C had a sensitivity of 82 % and specificity of 57% and serum creatinine had sensitivity of 62 % and specificity of 41% for detecting crcl<78 ml/min/1.73m2.Conclusion: It seems that measurement of serum cystatin C can be applied to detect the reduction of kidney function in the primary stages of kidney disorder.

Background & Aims: Researches has demonstrated that self efficacy is related to smoking behavior and smokers have a poor quality of life compared with nonsmokers. The aim of this study was to assess the self efficacy and quality of life dimensions in smokers and nonsmokers.Materials & Methods: This study was conducted on 160 men (80 smokers and 80 nonsmokers) that were selected by haphazard sampling model. Data were gathered via Sherer's self efficacy questionnaire and world health organization quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) inventory. The data were analyzed using multiple analysis of variance (MANOVA).Results: The findings showed significant difference in self efficacy (P<0.05) and all dimensions of quality of life including physical (P<0.005), psychological (P<0.01), social relationship (P<0.05), and environment (P<0.005) between smokers and nonsmokers.Conclusion: The low rate of self efficacy and quality of life in smokers is approved by previous studies and revealed that smokers have a negative perception about their self efficacy and physical, psychological, social relationship, and environmental health than nonsmokers.

Background & Aims: Autopsies are recognized as valuable medical procedures. A number of digital radiology techniques, including multislice CT, MRI, and photogrammetry with 3D surface scanning have the potential to change traditional autopsy and improve the reliability of results. Virtual Autopsy is a non-invasive procedure with no damage to the tissues. Noninvasive virtual autopsying could, in some cases, replace the invasive examination altogether. Use of a Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS) and teleradiology) can be considered useful tools in medico-legal investigations.Materials & Methods: This study is a systematic review using key words "Virtual autopsy", "imaging technologies", "forensics" and "techniques" and "PACS", among about 325 research and review papers in Persian and English in the field of Virtual Autopsy from electronic databases such as CINAHL, Science direct, Ovid, Scopus, SID, Magiran, PubMed, Google scholar; and finally 82 article were assessed. This study has been in 15-year period from 1997 to 2013. Finally, 82 articles in Persian and English.Results: The results of this study show that medical autopsies rates are declining worldwide. New radiology imaging techniques has the potential to transform the traditional medical autopsy. The minimally invasive nature of virtopsy makes it more acceptable in cases where religious or ethical concerns arise. Virtual autopsy findings can be reviewed and audited in an objective manner at any time by any professional via the use of a Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS) and teleradiology.Conclusion: Results of studies indicate that findings identified during physical autopsy often raise additional questions that can be answered by virtual autopsy. In some countries, virtual autopsy is now used routinely for forensic work. Concluding from our observations, unenhanced virtual autopsy represents a valuable tool for documentation of pathologic findings.

Background & Aims: Primary Healthcare including family health, as one of the first contact services has basic role in health attainment. Quality of care remains one of the most significant challenges facing the health systems. In quality management, service users have critical roles in identifying their own needs and preferences. The objective of this study was assessing the consumers' perceptions and expectations of family health Services at selected cities in West Azerbaijan province heath posts.Materials & Methods: A sample of 390 regular female health care consumers participated in this cross sectional descriptive study which was done in 2011. A questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL instrument was used for data collection. For statistical analysis, descriptive statistics and X2, Friedman and Wilcoxon tests were applied.Results: The findings of this study indicated that of 390 individuals receiving services, 51% in Urmia, 28% in Khoy, and 21% were living in Bukan. The findings showed that expectations of 91.1% respondents were not met. Comparison of Quintet dimensions showed the smallest gap was in Impathy dimension and the largest in responsiveness respectively. City of residence had significant correlation with quality gap (P<0.001).Conclusion: Current status of the family health Services expectations were far from consumers expectations and thus quality improvement initiatives were required in all dimensions specially in responsiveness.

Background & Aims: Both headaches and sleep problems are the most common clinically reported problems. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between sleep quality and migraine headaches.Materials & Methods: General design of this study was a descriptive correlative. To achieve our aim, 263 subjects (137 female and 126 male) were randomly selected from Urmia University during 2010-2011 school year. First, the Questionnaires of Sleep Quality test and migraine headaches symptom assessment test of Najjarian were administered to the subjects. The data were analyzed using multiple regression and Pearson correlation coefficient methods.Results: The results showed that there were statistically significant associations between sleep quality and mental sleep quality, delay in going to sleep, helpful sleep, sleep disorders, taking hypnotic pills and daily function disorder subscales with migraine headaches (P<0.05) and (P<0.01). However, there was no relationship between the period of time and migraine headache (P<0.05). Also the results from regression analyses showed that sleep disorders, daily function disorder and delay in going to sleep could predict and explain 22.6% of changes associated to migraine headaches.Conclusion: Sleep quality and migraine headaches are associated and those who have well sleep quality experience less migraine headaches.