ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Amiodarone is a useful antiarrhythmic drug. Phlebitis, caused by intravenous amiodarone, is common in patients in coronary care units (CCUs).</p><p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of topical chamomile on the incidence of phlebitis due to the administration of an amiodarone infusion into the peripheral vein.</p><p><b>DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS</b>This was a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, conducted on 40 patients (n = 20 per group) in two groups-an intervention group (chamomile ointment) and a control group (lanoline, as a placebo), hospitalized in the CCUs and undergoing an amiodarone infusion into the peripheral vein over 24 h. Following the cannulation and commencement of the infusion, placebo or chamomile ointment was rubbed in, up to 10 cm superior to the catheter and repeated every eight hours for three days. The cannula site was then assessed based on the phlebitis checklist.</p><p><b>MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES</b>The incidence and time of occurrence of phlebitis, relative risk, severity of phlebitis were the main outcome measures.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Nineteen patients (19/20) in the control group had phlebitis on the first day of the study and one patient (20/20) on the second day. In the intervention group, phlebitis occurred in 13 cases (13/20) on the first day and another two (2/7) was found on the second day. The incidence of phlebitis was significantly different between two groups (P = 0.023). The cumulative incidence of phlebitis in the intervention group (15/20) is significantly later and lower than that in the control group (20/20) during two days (P = 0.008). Two patients in the intervention group did not develop phlebitis at all during the 3-day study. Also, the relative risk of phlebitis in the two groups was 0.68 (P = 0.008 5). A significant difference was not observed with regard to phlebitis severity in both groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It seems that phlebitis occurred to a lesser extent and at a later time frame in the intervention group compared to control group. Topical chamomile may be effective in decreasing the incidence of phlebitis due to an amiodarone infusion.</p><p><b>TRIAL REGISTRATION</b>This protocol was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT2014042017361N1).</p>
ABSTRACT
One of the most important points concerning the patients who undergo assisted reproductive techniques [ART] for getting pregnant can be the possible neonatal chromosomal abnormalities as a result of these methods. This study was conducted to help answering a part of this question. This is a historical cohort study from April 2006 to April 2007. Data were collected from women admitted in Mehregan Hospital and Esfahan Infertility Center. 225 of 2000 infertile women who had taken ART methods and 225 of 1800 women undergoing no ART treatment were included in our study. All of the cases were aged 35 or more. Data were obtained from patient files from 2 infertility centers of Isfahan, Iran. Chromosomal analysis was successfully performed for all clinically suspicious infants for trisobmy 21. As a result, 4 cases of trisomy 21 in ART group and 7 in non-ART group were found. Two cases from IUI, 1 case of IVF and 1 of ICSI were found to have trisomy 21 in infants. There was no statistically difference in occurring trisomy 21 in our two groups of study and this was also the same for women undergoing IVF and ICSI. ART methods did not increase the rate of Trisomy 21 according to our study although we found less in ART group, it was not statistically significant
ABSTRACT
According to the World Health Organization, the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Iran is 4 in 100,000. One of MS manifestations is peripheral facial palsy. There has not been any study of the prevalence of facial palsy secondary to MS in Iran. Therefore we conducted a retrospective descriptive analytical cross sectional study in which we reviewed the medical records of all patients diagnosed with MS who visited the neurology clinic between years 1991 and 2007. One thousand and sixty nine patients were studied and among them 53 patients (5%) had isolated facial palsy. In 22 patients (2.1%), isolated facial palsy occurred as the first MS clinical manifestation. In these patients, the interval to the second neurological symptom was 52 months. We compared the occurrence of other neurologic manifestations in patients with and without facial palsy. Facial numbness, internuclear ophthalmoplegia, gustatory disturbance and pyramidal disorders were significantly more prevalent in patients with facial palsy. In conclusion, isolated facial palsy occurs in about 5% of MS patients in Iran. It may rarely be the presenting feature of MS.