Background: One of the most critical public health issues in psychiatric and medical concerns is methamphetamine (METH) dependence. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate caff, eine (Rescuecaf) eff, ectiveness in reducing craving and relapse prevention in METH dependence. Methods: In this double-blind, randomized clinical trial, 15 participants in the experimental group received 4. 5 mg/kg of caff, eine (with an average daily dose of 300 mg for each participant for three months), and 15 patients with METH use disorder were treated with the placebo. Addiction severity was measured daily using the addiction intensity index (ASI). The Amphetamine Withdrawal Questionnaire (AWQ), Amphetamine Selective Severity Assessment (ASSA), and Drug Complications Questionnaire were used for data collection. Statistical analysis was carried out on weeks 1, 6, and 12 after the intervention and between caff, eineand placebo-treated patients based on repeated measures and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) at the 95% confi, dence interval. Results: There was a signifi, cant diff, erence between the experimental and placebo groups in METH-dependency and deprivation symptoms. In addition, in the experimental group, there was a signifi, cant diff, erence between weeks 1, 6, and 12 (P > 0. 05), but no signifi, cant diff, erence was found between weeks 6 and 12. No signifi, cant side eff, ects were seen during caff, eine consumption during the second, fourth, and sixth weeks. Conclusions: Caff, eine is an effi, cient, new drug capable of managing amphetamine withdrawal syndrome.

Background: Hydroxymethylglutaryl‑coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) are antihyperlipidemic drugs with an established efficacy in stabilizing atherosclerotic plaques and preventing atherogenesis and reducing cardiovascular events. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of simvastatin on serum Vitamin D status in dyslipidemic patients as Vitamin D status has an impact on monocyte/macrophage function and may also contribute to cardiovascular risk.Methods: Selected individuals (n=102) were treated with simvastatin (40 mg/day), or matching placebo in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Each treatment period (with simvastatin or placebo) lasted for 30 days and was separated by a 2‑week washout phase. Serum Vitamin D concentration was assessed pre-and post-treatment.Results: Seventy-seven completed the trial, noncompliance with the study protocol and drug intolerance or relocation were the causes for drop-out. No significant carry‑over effect was observed for the assessed parameters. There was a reduction in the serum levels of low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol (P<0.001), total cholesterol (P<0.001), and triglycerides (P<0.05).Nevertheless, simvastatin therapy did not significantly affect serum level of high‑density lipoprotein cholesterol and Vitamin D level (P>0.05).Conclusions: Short‑term treatment with simvastatin (40 mg/day) does not have a significant affect on serum levels of Vitamin D.

Background: Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been suggested as a treatment program for methamphetamine dependence. Objectives: The current brief report aimed to assess the effectiveness of 16 sessions of this treatment for abstinence from methamphetamine and improvement of psychological well-being among methadone-maintained patients. Methods: Overall, 200 male and female methadone patients who were on stable methadone doses were assigned to either an interventiongroup( n=100) or a controlgroup(n=100). Thestudywaspart of arandomizedcontrolled trial conducted in fivemethadone services in Shiraz, near the Persian Gulf of Iran. All methamphetamine-dependent participants were assessed using two questionnaires at baseline, post-test (the end of the 16th cognitive-behavioral therapy or control session), and a three-month follow-up that was conducted90days after the endof the 16th session. Urinalyses were also conducted to detectmethamphetamineuse at thesame assessment points. The control group was in a wait-list control condition. There was no participant attrition during the assessment procedures. Results: Overall, 30 participants in the treatment group became abstinent at post-test and remained abstinent at follow-up. 16 sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy led to a significant reduction in methamphetamine use (P < 0. 001) and improved psychological well-being (P < 0. 001) in the treatment group while there was no significant change in the control group. Conclusions: Cognitive-behavioral therapy can be an efficacious option for methamphetamine problem in methadone treatment although further studies are suggested on long-term abstinence.

Introduction: Thalassemia is a chronic hereditary anemia which can be associated with different psychological, emotional, and behavioral problems such as depression and anxiety. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on depression and anxiety of patients with thalassemia. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial study. A total of 76 patients were randomly allocated to an experimental (n=38) and a control group (n=38). Patients in the experimental group were provided with cognitive behavioral therapy while their counterparts in the control group received routine care services. Depression and anxiety assessments were performed four weeks before the intervention as well as four and six weeks after that. Between-group and within-group comparisons were performed through the independent-sample t-tests and the paired sample t-test, respectively. Results: The post-test mean score of anxiety in the experimental group was significantly lower than that for the control group, while there was no significant difference between the groups regarding the post-test mean score of depression. The mean score of depression in both study groups decreased significantly. The rate of decrease in the experimental group was significantly greater than that in the control group. Conclusion: Cognitive behavioral therapy can be used to prevent or alleviate depression and anxiety among patients.

Background: Microdermabrasion has recently become a popular procedure among physicians and patients, whereas few studies have assessed the efficacy of different microdermabrasion protocols nowadays applied. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of microdermabrasion, as well as to compare the effects of weekly and biweekly intervals of microdermabrasion sessions on skin biophysical parameters.Methods: Ten patients entered this randomized, investigator-blind, split face study and underwent a series of six microdermabrasion treatments. One side of the face was treated every week and the other side was treated every 2 weeks, randomly. Stratum corneum hydration, sebum secretion and skin Ph measurements were taken before and after the procedure on all sessions and also 1 and 4 weeks after the last treatment. Results: After 6 sessions of microdermabrasion and following comparison to baseline, a significant decrease in sebum content and a significant increase in skin pH were observed only on the side treated with the intervals of 2 weeks. Changes in skin hydration were not significant on either side. Conclusion: Microdermabrasion may have noticeable effects on skin barrier functions. It is recommended to have 2 week interval between sessions.

Introduction & Objective: While reviewing the literature on this topic and using self experiences, it will be tried to investigate the pros and cons about randomized controlled trial (RCT) as a technique for researches in the field of surgical investigations. It is not intended to review the classical methodologies as mentioned in the related textbook but only the main points about the classic milestones of researches and investigations will be reminded and the limitations in setting the surgical protocols along with those principles will be discussed.Material and Methods: Reviewing the history of research programs and methods in the fields of clinical and surgical researches, a brief recall will be made about the preventive health sciences and clinical therapies research methodology. It will be tried to confirm the necessity of performing randomized trials (RCT) specially in the field of surgery while denoting the difficulties and possible problems encountered.Results: We will come to the conclusion that even though there are limitations and draw backs in performing clinical trials and RCT in surgical investigations, but there are several key points that match between the main protocols.Conclusions: The milestone for confirming the best method for surgical management of a disease is RCT. The methodologist colleague should be aware of the surgical milestones and the surgeon fellow should know the principles and guidelines of evidence based surgery.

Dear Editor: It is important that randomized clinical trials (RCTs), as the most valuable research method for assessing the efficacy of treatments, are reported with the highest possible level of quality. To evaluate the quality of published RCTs reported in Hepatitis monthly, we examined whether there was a change in the quality of reporting over time. Of the 610 articles published from 2010 to 2014, 583 nontrial or non-human trials were screened, and 27 trials were identified. Within these 27 trials, ten reports were without a control group and failed to meet our eligibility criteria. Therefore, 17 RCTs were identified. We completed a comprehensive quality assessment of each report using the short form of the CONSORT 2010 checklist (www.consortstatement. org) and a five-point quality assessment instrument called the Jadad scale.

Context: randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are important tools for evidence-based health care decisions. It is, therefore, important that they be conducted and reported with the highest possible standards. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reporting quality of the RCTs published in nephrology urology monthly journal and to examine whether there was a change over time in the reporting quality.Evidence Acquisition: The quality of each report was assessed using the Consolidated Standards of Reporting trials (CONSORT) 2010 Statement checklist and a 5-point quality assessment instrument, i.e. the Jadad scale.Results: Eighteen (14 Iranian and 4 non-Iranian) RCTs were published from 2012 to 2014 on topics including renal stone (16.6%), hemodialysis and transplantation (38.8%), and prostate conditions (11.1%). Interventions comprised surgery, drugs, and teaching method in 7 (38 %), 10 (55%), and 1 (5%) of them, respectively. According to the CONSORT checklist, the weakest reported items were registration number, identification as a randomized trial in the title, and settings and locations where the data were collected. The mean Jadad score of the reports was 2.72±1.36 (54% of their maximum possible total score). According to the Jadad and CONSORT scales, there was an increase in the quality of reporting from 2012 to 2014.Conclusions: This assessment shows low reporting quality scores in reports. Training courses for researchers, using standard reporting tools (e.g. CONSORT 2010 Statement checklist), and consultation with methodologists can improve the quality of published RCTs.

Background: Erectile dysfunction is a common disease that has a significant negative impact on the quality of life of individuals. Low-intensity shockwave therapy (LI-ESWT) has been considered a new method for treating patients with erectile dysfunction. Objectives: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of LI-ESWT in the treatment of patients with erectile dysfunction. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in the major databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science up to February 2018. In order to find more articles, the reference list of the key review articles was searched as well. The quality of the studies was evaluated with the Cochrane Collaboration’ s tools. The outcomes included The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), Erection Hardness Score (EHS), and adverse events. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan software, version 5. 3. Results: Seven randomized clinical trials involving 519 patients met the inclusion criteria. A significant improvement was observed in IIEF (mean difference [MD] = 4. 54, 95% CI 0. 44-8. 63) and EHS (risk ratio [RR] = 2. 99, 95% CI 1. 16-7. 70) in the intervention groups compared to the control groups. Sub-analysis showed that shockwave therapy significantly improved IIEF at 6, 9, and 10 weeks after the treatment (P < 0. 05), and the EHS was improved at 5, 6, and 9 weeks (P < 0. 05). There was also a significant improvement in the intervention groups in IIEF and EHS for 1500 and 3000 pulses, respectively (P < 0. 05). No significant side effects were reported. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate LI-ESWT improves erectile dysfunction in patients, and it is safe and well-tolerated by patients.

Background: Diabetes is the most common endocrine disorder. Non-pharmacological methods can be used for treatment of these patients. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of acupressure point on fasting blood glucose and glycosylated levels of diabetic patients. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 102 patients who referred to Motahari Clinic of Shiraz during May-June in 2018. The participants were selected based on simple random sampling and divided into three groups via permuted block randomization. The control group only received the pharmacological treatments. The intervention group received acupressure at ST36 point in addition to medications. The placebo group also received medications and acupressure at a fake point. The intervention was carried out for six minutes (three minutes for each lower extremity), three sessions a week for 12 weeks. Fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels were checked in all patients immediately after the intervention. The data were analyzed using Chi-square, paired t-test, and ANOVA by the SPSS statistical software, version 21, and P<0. 05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The results showed no significant differences among the three groups’ blood glucose mean levels before (P=0. 89) and after the intervention (P=0. 36). However, a significant difference was observed in the intervention group’ s glycosylated hemoglobin mean levels before (8. 61± 1. 96) and after the intervention (8. 1± 1. 62) (P=0. 02). Conclusion: In sum, the study indicated that acupressure could only be effective in reducing the glycosylated hemoglobin in the intervention group. Thus, further larger studies are recommended to evaluate the effectiveness of this technique. trial Registration Number: IRCT20111224008505N47.