[Tehran university of medical sciences: participation in twenty five percent of pediatric science production in Iran]

Scientific articles are indicators of research interests and efforts in every country. The aim of our study was to compare the scientific output between universities of medical sciences in Iran on pediatrics in the Pubmed database. In a descriptive study, we searched in Pubmed in order to assess the Iranian pediatrics publications with these words: "[Pediatric [*MeSH] OR Neonate [MeSH] OR Newborn[MeSH] OR Infant [MeSH] OR Child [MeSH] OR Children [MeSH] OR Adolescent[MeSH] OR Adolescence [MeSH]]" AND [Iran [*AD] OR Iranian [AD] OR Persian [AD]]. The identified articles were published May 1957 to December 2007 and we selected all articles from universities of medical sciences in Iran. We extracted year of publication, affiliation of authors and impact factor from hard copy of articles. From 819 papers published, 565 were authored by members of universities of medical sciences. Tehran University of Medical Sciences with 142 articles [17.3% of all, 25.1% from publications of universities of medical sciences] held the first place, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences with 116 [14.2% of all, 20.5% from publications of universities of medical sciences] the second place and Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences with 88 [10.7% of all, 15.5% from publications of universities of medical sciences] the third place. Regarding Impact Factors [IF] Tehran, Shaheed Beheshti and Shiraz Universities of Medical Sciences with 153, 93 and 81 were in the first, second and third place, respectively. Tehran University of Medical Sciences had twenty five percent of pediatric science production in Iran. This university had published higher number of papers on pediatrics among of medical sciences in Iran

Health-related quality of life in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: are disease-specific and generic quality of life measures correlated?

Generic and disease-specific health-related quality of life [HRQoL] questionnaires are commonly used in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]. However, it is not clear whether generic and disease-specific measures should be used in parallel, as they focus on different aspects of life. This study aimed to investigate the association between two most commonly used generic and disease specific HRQoL measures: Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36Item [SF-36] and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire [SGRQ]. Materials and In a cross-sectional study, 58 subjects were selected through non-randomized systematic sampling from all COPD patients admitted to the "Respiratory Clinic of Baqiyatallah Hospital" during 2006. Each subject completed both SF-36 and SGRQ forms. Spirometry was also performed for each patient. The correlations between SGRQ total score and its subscores, including symptoms, activity and impacts, and SF-36 total score and its subscores, including physical functioning [PF], role-physical [RP], bodily pain [BP], general health [GH], vitality [VT], social functioning [SF], role-emotional [RE] and mental health [MH], were assessed. No significant correlation was found between the total score or subscores of SF-36 and the total score or subscales of SGRQ [p>0.05]. The generic SF-36 and the disease specific SGRQ questionnaires assess different aspects of HRQoL in COPD patients and each should be used separately. The optimal approach appears to be the application of generic and disease-specific measures together, at least in the research setting. Further studies are recommended with larger sample size

socioeconomic status and quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] is associated with poor pulmonary function, respiratory symptoms, incapacity to perform daily activities, as well as mental and cognitive disorders. Although there exists some evidence regarding the effect of socioeconomic status on the quality of life in the general population and those with chronic diseases, research is scarce on this issue in COPD patients. This study aimed to investigate the association between income and quality of life in COPD patients. In a case-control study, 131 subjects were selected through systematic sampling from all COPD patients admitted to the pulmonology Clinic of the Baqiyatallah Hospital during the year 2006. Subjects were then divided into three groups based on their household monthly income as follows: group I [n=52], income < 2,000,000 Rials; group II [n=62], income between 2,000,000 and 3,000,000 Rials; and group III [n=17], income > 3,000,000 Rials. The groups were matched with regard to gender, age, educational background, marital status, comorbidity burden, and insurance coverage. Spirometric measures and quality of life [SF-36] were compared between the groups. The overall quality of life and physical health subscale were significantly different between the groups [p < 0.05]. Other parameters of SF-36 including physical functioning, role limitation due to physical problems, bodily pain, social functioning, general mental health, role limitation due to emotional problems, vitality, and mental health exhibited no significant difference between the groups [p > 0.05]. Quality of life and physical function of COPD patients are significantly correlated with their socioeconomic status. Future prospective studies are needed to find potential causative associations between the level of income and life quality in these patients

Association of depression with body mass index in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

There are several reports on the association between body mass index [BMI] and depression in the general population and in patients with some chronic diseases. However, despite the established effects of weight changes and depression on the outcomes of patients suffering from respiratory disorders, little data exists on the topic in relation to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]. This study assessed the relationship between BMI and depression in patients with COPD. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 148 COPD patients admitted to the chest clinic of Baqiyatallah Hospital from October 2006 to February 2007. Patients were selected by systematic sampling. Demographic data [gender, age, marital status, monthly income and level of education], clinical data [symptoms, and medications], spirometric findings [VC, FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, PEF, MMEF, predicted VC, predicted FVC, and predicted FEV1], depressive symptoms assessed by "Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale" [HADS], and body mass index [BMI] were recorded for each patient. Patients were divided into three groups. Group I had [GOLD] stage I; FEV1 > /= 80%, group II had GOLD stage II, 50% < /= FEV1 < 80% and group III had GOLD stage III, FEV1 < 50%. The two-by-two correlations between BMI, depressive symptoms and pulmonary function indices were evaluated separately. A significant association was found between BMI and depressive symptoms [r=0.429, P < 0.001], but not between pulmonary indices and BMI or the severity of depressive symptoms. There was a significant correlation between BMI and depressive symptoms indicating the important effect of mental health on weight in COPD patients. A multidisciplinary approach by a team of specialists from different disciplines is mandatory to address these factors in COPD patients

Evaluation of the severity of depression and anxiety in hepatitis B and hepatitis C patients: a case control study

Although several studies have reported the poor mental health of patients with chronic viral hepatitis, few reports exists over the correlation of mental health and virus type. Current study was conducted to compare the severity of anxiety and depression in chronic hepatitis C, B and healthy subjects. This case control study was conducted in Tehran Hepatitis Center [THC] in 2006. Group I [chronic hepatitis C, n=14], group II [chronic hepatitis B, n=65] and group III [healthy subjects, n=65] were matched for age, sex and educational level and were compared by means of the severity of anxiety and depression measured by Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale [HADS]. The correlation between clinical or para-clinical findings of the patients with viral hepatitis and severity of anxiety and depression was also assessed. Group I in comparison to other groups reported a higher anxiety [9.57 +/- 3.86 vs. 7.45 +/- 4.52 vs. 4.81 +/- 4.80, p=0.001] and depression [6.43 +/- 3.76 vs. 5.23 +/- 3.74 vs. 4.76 +/- 4.40, p=0.05]. Anxiety and depression score were also both correlated with total serum bilirubin level, but were not correlated with other para-clinical findings. However the patients who had received interferon reported higher depressive symptoms but the difference did not reach statistically significant level. According to the higher severity of anxiety and depression in the case of chronic HCV infection in comparison to HBV infection or healthy subjects and the importance of mental health issues in viral hepatitis, we recommend a more close mental health observation in patients affected with HCV infection. Psychiatrist and psychologist visits and consultations can help in this approach