[Comparison of pulmonary function in diabetic patients with and without retinopathy compared with control group]

All pulmonary complications of diabetes have not yet been identified completely and results of limited studies available show controversial results. This study aims to determine lung involvement in diabetic patients with and without retinopathy and compare them with healthy subjects. This cross-sectional study was conducted on three groups, 33 diabetic patients with, and 33 patients without retinopathy and 33 healthy subjects as the control group. Diabetic patients were matched with the control group in terms of weight, height, age and sex. Spirometry was performed using a portable spirometer and the results compared with the appropriate statistical software. Diabetic patients did not show significant reduction in FEV1 and FVC compared to the control group [p>0.05] but PEFR showed significant reduction [p<0.001]. Mean PEFR values were lower in patients with retinopathy compared to subjects without retinopathy, difference not statistically significant [p >0.05]. FEV1/FVC was significantly higher in diabetics than nondiabetics, and also in patients with retinopathy in comparison to patients without retinopathy [p<0.001]. PEFR and FEV1/FVC values, in regard to duration of diabetes [>/= 10 Yrs], had significantly reduced and increased respectively [p=0.039, p = 0.049]. Type of diabetes control [Insulin Vs Oral agents] did not show significant changes in spirometeric parameters between patients with and without diabetes [p >0. 05]. This study showed that the pulmonary function is impaired in diabetes mellitus. Increased FEV1/FVC and decreased PEFR present a restrictive pattern in diabetic patient. And the severity of pulmonary complications seems to be correlated with other complication of diabetes [retinopathy]. Duration of diabetes has a significant association with pulmonary complications, whereas the type of treatment has no effect on pulmonary function. To design screening tests for lung involvement in diabetic patients, we need more precise and extensive studies

[L-Asparginase effect with 6000U/m2 on lipid profile in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

One of the major etiologies of lipid disorders in malignancies is the use of chemotherapy drugs, the most important of which is L-Asparginase. Studies in different centers with high dosages of L-Asparginase demonstrated different results. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of L-Asparginase at a dose of 6000 U/m2 on lipid profile in Iranian children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Mofid Children Hospital of Tehran. We performed a nonrandomized trial in which all children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL] aged <15 years participated. Every case serves as his/her own control. The cholesterol, triglyceride [TG], HDL, LDL, VLDL, APOA, APOB and LPa were evaluated in three stages: before, during and 2 months after treatment with L-Asparginase after which the results were compared. In our study, 82 newly ALL diagnosed patients with the mean age of 6 years [within the age range of 0.12-14 and SD of 3.5] were evaluated. Mean seum level of TG in pretreatment stage was 163.9 mg% and during treatment with L-Asparginase 123 mg% demonstrating significant decline in TG serum level after administration of L-Asparginase [p=0.002]. Mean serum level of cholesterol before administration of L-Asparginase was 151mg% and during treatment 140 showing no statistically significant difference [p= 0.061]. LPa level in pretreatment phase was 24mg% and during treatment 14 showing a statistically significant difference [p= 0.0001]. L-Aspar resulted in decline in TG serum level and increase in HDL though with no significant difference in cholesterol level. Overall, L-Asparginase even at a dose of 6000U/M2 does not raise blood level of triglyceride and cholesterol

[Association between Helicobacter Pylori infection and first miscarriage]

Miscarriage is the most common problem in pregnancy. Major mechanisms responsible for abortion are not always clear. Some underlying factors have been proved. Hence, efforts are being done to determine the new factors; like chronic infection. In this study, we investigated relationship between helicobacter pylori [HP] infection and first miscarriage. In this study, 70 women with first miscarriage [case group] and 67 with normal [control group] delivery, aged 20-29 years old were studied. Interviews along with 5cc blood were taken from each case to test the specific IgG titer with ELISA method. A questionnaire was filled for each subject. Mean [ +/- SD] age of cases was 23.0 +/- 2.6 and control group was 23.8 +/- 2.7. This difference was not significant [P=0.076]. 45.7% of cases with the first miscarriage and 25.4% control group suffered from HP. Relationship between HP infection and miscarriage was significant [OR=2.48, 95% CI: 1.13-5.46, P=0.013. According to this study, it seems that there is an association between HP infection and first miscarriage. For determining the effect of HP infection on causing the first miscarriage, more studies are required

[Use of pleural fluid to serum bilirubin concentration ratio for the separation of exudates from transudates]

Differentiation between exudates and transudates is the first diagnostic approach of a patient with pleural effusion. The aim of this study was to evaluate usefulness of pleural fluid to serum total bilirubin ratio for distinguishing exudates from transudates and to compare accuracy of this parameter with three other criteria: pleural protein, lactic dehydrogenase [LDH], cholesterol and in relation to established etiology for differentiating exudates from transudates. We prospectively studied 50 patients with pleural effusion, 34 had exudates and 16 had transudates. Correlation of pleural fluid to serum bilirubin concentration ratio of 0.6 or more with the presence of an exudates as determined by other established criteria was statistically significant. Its sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value [PPV], negative predictive value [NPV] and efficiency were 76%, 87.5%, 93%, 63% and 87%, respectively. Therefore pleural fluid to serum bilirubin ratio can be effective for separation of exudates from transudates. In addition the bilirubin ratio is more cost effective in terms of laboratory processing and is more readily available

[ comparative study on the anticonvulsive effects of the aqueous extract of the Melissa officinalis plant with phenobarbital in pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures on mice]

Introduction: convulsive disorders are among chronic diseases, which usually need a long-term drug therapy. Unfortunately, most of the drugs used clinically to treat these disorders exert many side effects. Therefore, search for finding new drugs is being carried out in many laboratories

Objective: the object of this research was to compare the anticonvulsive effect of the aqueous extract of the plant Melissa officinalis with Phenobarbital in Pentylenetetrazol [P]-induced seizures on mice

Materials and Methods: after acclimatization, animals were randomly divided in different groups. Control group received normal saline [6ml/kg], standard groups received [10, 20, 30 and 40 mg/kg] Phenobarbital and the test groups received aqueous plant extract [3, 6, 9 and 12 ml/kg]. All injections were carried out as i.p. All animals were firstly exposed to P [80mg/kg, i.p]. The onset of seizures, behavioral changes, duration of the seizures and number of deaths were recorded in all groups during the first 24 hours

Results: all doses of the plant extracts delay the onset of seizures but the most effective dose was 12ml/kg, which was comparable to phenobarbital [30mg/kg]. All amounts of the extract, except 3ml/kg, significantly reduced the duration of seizures compared to the control group. Number of deaths was 45 and 10 percent in control, standard and test groups, respectively

Conclusion: findings showed that 12ml/kg of the aqueous plant extract is able to reduce the onset of seizures, duration of seizures and number of deaths after 24 hours in Pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures