[Evaluation of patients' satisfaction of departments in Islamic Azad University Dental branch, in 2009]

Patient satisfaction is one of the most important factors to improve the quality of educational centers thus increasing patient referral and promote practical training of the students. To now in this faculty no such study has been done, so this research aimed to evaluate patients' satisfaction from dental care given in different departments of Tehran faculty of dentistry, Islamic Azad University year1387. In this cross sectional study 1500 subjects who referred consequently were selected from clinics with the same proportional ratio of patient referral to every clinic. After explanation of project to every subject through interview, satisfaction was estimated by 13 questions about distant way, waiting time, treatment duration with a range of 3 options of completely satisfied, relatively satisfied, dissatisfied and ranking of 0, 1, 2. Total rank less than 1/3 was known as dissatisfied, between 1/3-2/3 as relatively satisfied, and higher than 2/3 as satisfied. The role of related factors was subjected to chi-square statistics. 71% of all subjects spoke out satisfaction, 27.5% were relatively satisfied, and 1.5% dissatisfied. The prevalence of dissatisfaction in the population was estimated from 26.7% to 31.3%. The most dissatisfaction was related to removable denture patients:64.7% and the least was in oral surgery clinic :13.5% [p<0.05]. The most dissatisfaction factor was long distance and waiting room ambiance but the least dissatisfaction was about student behavior, hygiene and professors behavior. The satisfaction level of patients in Tehran dental faculty of Islamic Azad University was acceptable but according to presence of dissatisfaction in patients and its consequences, appropriate improvements are recommended

evaluation of accuracy of article writing in scientific journals of dentistry in 2006

According to growing increase of scientific journals in Iran and importance of precise methodology and validity of findings, and also lack of information about quality of published articles, this study was designed to evaluate accuracy of article writing of articles published in dentistry journals in 2006. In this descriptive study, all original articles of dentistry journals were evaluated. Research methodology in different topics of articles, including abstract, introduction, methods and materials, results, discussion and references were assessed. Totally, 52 items were evaluated and classified as 3 categories of "correct", "relatively correct" and "incorrect". Data analysis was done by Chi-square. one-hundred original articles were published in the study period. Mean[ +/- standard deviation] number of authors was 2.9 +/- 0.84. The most frequent type of study was experimental-in vitro study [46%], followed by descriptive [33%], clinical trial [10%] and historical cohort [6%]. The frequency of instrument validity report absence was 96%, no exact calculation of sample size 93%, unjustification of article publication 73%, and lack of restriction and valuable findings report 87%. There are great defects in published articles of dentistry journals. Implementations for reducing mistakes in article writing result in increasing validity of articles and application of true study results

[Coitus during menstruation and cervical cancer]

Cervical cancer is a preventable disease and we can determin preventive methods by discovering ethiology of disease. There are no appropriate research about the relation between coitus during menstruation and cervical cancer in Iran. This study is done to investigate the relationship between coitus during menstruation and cervical cancer in Iran. This study is done to investigate the relationship between coitus during menstruation and cervical cancer in women referring to health care centers of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2007-2008. This case-control study was carried out on 100 patients with cervical cancer [case] and 100 healthy women [control]. All participates were Moslem with Iranian nationality and habitant in Iran. They had no previous history of frequent pelvic radiotherapy and alcohol consumption. Two groups were matched with: age, age of first coitus, age of first vaginal delivery, parity and type of delivery. Data was collected through structured interview and analyzed using Chi-square and logistic-regression. The study showed that 40% of case group and 10% of control group had coitus during menstruation. Coitus during menstruation in case group was 6 times more than control group [p<0.0001, odds ratio=6.0, CI=2.7-12.9]. Coitus during menstruation may increase the risk of cervical cancer. A research is recommended to find out the best educational method which to prevent this disease

[Comparing ginger with mefenamic acid and ibubrofen for the treatment of primary dusmenorrhea]

Primary dysmenorrhea is a frequent entity with known side effects on life quality. Ginger has been shown to inhibit prostaglandins, thus, the present study was designed to compare ginger with mefenamic acid and ibubrofen for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea in a group of students in dormitories affiliated to Isfahan and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. For this double-blinded clinical trial, 150 students with primary dysmenorrhea were enrolled. Subjects were matched according to dysmenorrheal severity, then, assigned in 3 equal groups of ginger [250mg], mefenamic acid [250mg], and ibubrofen [400mg] that were all prescribed 4 times a day for 3 days. Groups were matched according to the following criteria: age, age of menarche onset, weight, height, BMI, father's position, maternal occupation and level of education, regular exercise, and duration, interval and amount of menses' bleeding. Finally, verbal multidimensional scoring system was used to assess the efficacy of drugs on dysmenorrhea. ANOVA and chi square were used for data analysis. Dysmenorrheal improvement did not differ significantly among ginger [64%], mefenamic acid [58%] and ibubrofen [66%] groups. Thus, ginger is as effective as mefenamic acid and ibubrofen in alleviating dysmenorrheal symptoms. Ginger is an effective drug for alleviating primary dysmenorrheal symptoms

[Nosocomial sepsis in NICU department in Taleghani Hospital, 2001-2002]

Nosocomial sepsis continues to be a significant cause of mortality in neonatal intensive care unit [NICU]. Various interventional policies have been adopted to reduce its incidence. This study was designed to investigate the role of preventive strategies to bring down the incidence of nosocomial sepsis in the NICU. The NICU was moved to a new location in 2002. This study was conducted in two phases. Data was collected from case note of neonates admitted to NICU in 2001, and compared to data from neonates admitted to the new NICU in 2002, and followed prospectively. Changes in new location included: large space, elbow operated water taps, availability of disposable endotracheal tubes, and insistence on strict hand washing with continuous surveillance. Neonates who had a negative blood culture on admission, and a positive blood culture 48hr later, plus clinical and/or paraclinical signs compatible with sepsis, were selected. The incidence of nosocomial sepsis was compared in babies admitted during 2 study periods. In 2001, nosocomial sepsis developed in 41 out of 285 neonates [14.3%], however, in 2003 it was developed in 24 out of298 admissions [8%] [p<0.02]. Preventive measures including an increase in bed space from 1.5 M[2] to 2.5 M[2], using disposable endotracheal tubes, elbow operated water taps, and strict hand washing, result in a significant decline in nosocomial sepsis

[Long-term results of Endoresection of posterior choroidal melanoma]

Purpose: to determine the long-term visual and mortality outcomes of Endoresection for treatment of malignant posterior choroidal melanoma

Methods: this before and after clinical trial included 20 eyes of 20 patients with a diagnosis of posterior choroidal melanoma confirmed by indirect ophthalmoscopy and A and B ultrasonography. All tumors were medium sized according to measures of Collaborated Ocular Melanoma Study and no one had extraocular metastases. After obtaining informed consent, the eyes underwent vitrectomy and Endoresection of the tumors. Characteristics of the patients and tumors, visual acuity before and after surgery, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and enucleation rates were recorded. Patients were followed for 22 to 108 months [mean: 67.4 +/- 36.1]

Results: of 20 patients, 13 [65%] were male. Mean age was 47.1 +/- 16 years. Overall, 5 [25%] eyes were enucleated including 2 eyes [10%] due to severe intraoperative bleeding, 1 eye [5%] due to recurrence of intraocular melanoma, 1 eye [5%] because of a new focus of the tumor, and 1 eye [5%] secondary to intolerable pain. Final visual acuity of 15 saved eyes was 201200 in one eye [6.7%], counting fingers in 8 eyes [52.3%], hand motion in 3 eyes [20%], and no light perception in 3 eyes [15%]

Conclusion: endoresection of posterior choroidal melanoma is a reasonable globe saving treatment modality. Distant metastasis of choroidal melanoma is an infrequent result of this procedure

[Prevalence of cataract in Tehran]

Purpose: to evaluate the prevalence of cataract, lens opacity, and other conditions of the lens among residents of Tehran aged 40 or above, Tehran-Iran

Methods: this study was performed as a part of the population based study on the prevalence of glaucoma among citizens older than 40 in Tehran. A total of 2 160 participants joined the study [50% response rate]. After performing a medical history interview, all participants were examined according to a standard protocol including refraction, visual acuity testing, and slit-lamp biomicroscopy of the anterior segment. Cataract was diagnosed as any lens opacity with visual acuity of 20140 or less in the absence of other causes of visual loss

Results: the prevalence of lens opacity among right eyes, left eyes, and overall was 29.4%, 30.6%, and 32.4%, respectively. Prevalence of cataract was 8.1% in right and 9.1% in left eyes, respectively. The overall prevalence of cataract was 12%. The rate of pseudophakia or aphakia was 3.9% in right or left eyes and 5.2% overall. The prevalence of cataract in male and female subjects was 14.3% and 10.6%, respectively. The prevalence of cataract among adults older than 50 [17.1%] was 9 times that of the 40-49 age group [1.9%]. The prevalence of lens opacity among males and females was 39.1% and 28.3%, respectively. The prevalence of lens opacity among adults older than 50 [45.7%] was more than 7 times that of the 40-49 age group [6.3%]. The prevalence of grade II lens opacification or over was 33.4%. The most frequent type of lens opacity was nuclear sclerosis followed by cortical and posterior subcapsular opacities

Conclusion: the prevalence of cataract and lens opacity in residents of Tehran aged 40 or over is significant especially among elderly indivisuals and it may be estimated that 240,000 persons in Tehran population have cataract and 648,000 have lens opacity, which is a matter of concern for our health system