[Short-term effect of foot massage on the values of arterial oxygen saturation in neurosurgical patients admitted to ICU]

Massage is performed in order to adjust the vital signs of patients in the ICU that needs long-term hospitalization. The aim of the study was to determine the short-term impact of foot massage on patients' arterial blood oxygen saturation values that hospitalized at Hospital of Imam Reza [AS] in Kermanshah. The present study is a quasi-experimental study to investigate the short time effect of massage on the feet on arterial oxygen saturation in patients admitted to the neurosurgical intensive care unit. After the pilot study subjects, 78 patients were selected by simple sampling. 39 patients were allocated in the intervention group and 39 patients in the control group. Forms and questionnaires and checklists were used for data collection and methods of data collection were interviews and physiological measurements. The patient's blood oxygen saturation in the first and fifth minutes before the massage was measured in both groups [from the monitor to the patient's bedside]. Then, researcher gave 5 min foot massage and blood oxygen saturation values were recorded. Immediately after the massage, arterial oxygen saturation values in the first and fifth minutes in both groups were recorded respectively and the results evaluated. Results showed that the Spo2 in the intervention group was increased after the first and fifth minutes of foot massage [p = 0.023 and p = 0.019]. It should be noted that the Spo2 levels in the control group were not significant when compared before and after the massage. Results showed that a significant increase in Spo2 level is a result of foot massage. It may be concluded that changes in metabolism occurred after foot massage is followed by decreased oxygen consumption and thus the value of massage increases

[ survey on the attitude of professors and residents of clinical wards about disclosing the results of diagnoses for incurable patients at Urmia university of medical sciences]

One of the most important and complicated problems in medical ethics is to disclose the full truth about diagnosis of incurable diseases which leads to death, and each therapist may be encountered with it during the years of medical profession. The aim of this study was to survey on attitude of professors and residents of clinical wards to disclose the diagnosis for incurable patients leading to death. In this descriptive study, sampling was carried out by a survey. All faculty members and their residents of teaching hospitals of Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran, were surveyed as sample in 2007. Of 145 subjects, 138 responded to the questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson and Spearman correlation tests with a p

[Mucocutaneons manifestation in end stage renal disease patients under hemodialysis in 5th Azar hospital in Gorgan, Iran [2009]]

Mucocutaneons manifestations are common in hemodialysis patients.The aim of this study was evaluate the prcvalence of cutaneous and mucosal manifestations in end stage renal disease [ESRD] patients who are on the maintenance hemodialysis. This cross sectional study was performed on 100 [51 males, 49 females] hemodialysis patients in 5 Azar hospital in Gorgan, North of Iran during 2009. Patients selected on randomly based an all of them completely examined by a deramatologist for any changes in skin, hair, nail and mucous membrane. If necessary biopsy perform and refer to a pathologist. Data analysed with SPSS-13, mann-whitney, t-test, Chi-Square and Fisher tests. The average age was 49 +/- 12.3 years. The most common causes of ESRD was dibetes mellitus. The most common skin lesion was xerosis [78.3%], after that pruritis [39.1%] lentigo [34.8%] skin discoloration [32.6%] leukonychia [32%] thining of nail bed [24%] were common lesions. Lentigo was more common in female than male 42.85% vs 21.50% [p=0.042]. Xerosis [p<0.01], scaling [p=0.042], lentigo [p<0.01], folliculitis [p<0.01], idio pathic guttate hypopigmentation [p<0.01] leukonychia [p<0.01] and half and half nail [p<0.01] have meaningful correlation with age. There was also meaningful correlation between dialyis duration and skin discoloration [p<0.031] and leukonychia [p<0.041]. Clubhing and ca-p product also have meaningful correlation [p<0.027]. Pruritis [p<0.048] and skin fungal infection [p<0.047] [tinea versi color] also have meaningful correlation with serum ferritin level. Mucocutaneous manifestation were common in end stage renal disease patients

Study of correlation between serum zinc levels and telomerase activity in bladder cancer patients

Telomerase is an active gene existing in almost all human cancerous cells. This enzyme is essential for immortality and recycling of these living cells, however it normally has not been expressed in the somatic cells. Role of zinc as a probably interfering microelement in telomerase gene expression and activity in human bladder cancer is the main subject of this study. Thirty three voided urine samples were gathered from patients, which were previously identified as bladder carcinoma cases using cytological methods. They had previously not given any treatment. Telomerase activity was determined using polymerase chain reaction, which refers to the telomeric repeat amplification protocol. In order to distinguish the fine signals, obtained the procedure was linked to an ELISA system [TRAP assay]. The patients' grades and stages were determined independently through cystoscopy. Also, the serum zinc levels of these patients and control groups measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer [AAS]. As a result; 17 [51%] of the 33-bladder carcinoma tested patients revealed positive results for cytology, whereas using TRAP assay presence of the telomerase was positive in all of the tested bladder carcinoma cases. Only 30% [3 of 10] of the grade I tumors, 83.3% [5 of 6] of the grade II tumors and 50% [9 of 18] of the grade III tumors were diagnosed by cytology. The detection accuracy rates was statistically significant [100% for telomerase vs. 51% for cytology]. The difference of relative telomerase activity [RTA] values between grades I, II and III was not statistically significant. Difference of serum zinc levels between the cases and control groups were significant [p= 0.04]. Zinc levels in the both affected genders had dominant decreases, besides this shift was slightly more significant [p=0.04] in the female patients. In all, there was an inverse significant correlation between the RTA and serum zinc level in the case group [r= -0.060, p= 0.48]. In conclusion our results showed a reverse relationship between zinc deficiency and increasing telomerase activity in our series of bladder cancer

[Sensitivity and characteristic of urinary bladder cancer in comparison with cytology in transitional bladder carcinoma cell]

Introduction: Bladder Cancer is one of the most common urologic malignancies. The risk of recurrence in the same place or a new growth elsewhere in the urothelium, with the same stage or higher, is always with the bladder cancer patient. Therefore, a close follow-up and surveillance is of fundamental importance. Cystoscopy is limited in its ability to discover early urothelial changes. Urine cytology does not have enough sensitivity

Objective: The aim of our study is to compare the sensitivity and specificity of urinary tumor marker Urinary Bladder Cancer- Linked Immunosorbent Assay [UBC-ELISA] with urine cytology in the diagnosis of transitional cell cancer of the bladder

Materials and Methods: Voided urine samples were collected from 73 patients with active or history of bladder cancer, prior to cystoscopy at Urmia and Tehran universities urology sections, from March 2004 until March 2005. Ninety-eight volunteers were sampled as controls. Fresh samples were processed and frozen. UBC-ELISA and urine cytology were done during next 3 months period

Results: UBC and cytology sensitivity and specificity were 70%, 97% and 30%, 98% respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 93%, 86% and 87%, 74% respectively. Accuracy of UBC was 87% as compared with urine cytology, which was 75%. There was no statistically significant relationship between UBC and grade or stage of the tumors [p= 0.11/ p= 0.28]. A statistically significant relationship was demonstrated between urine cytology and grade or stage of the tumors [p= 0.01/ p= 0.001]. Both tests had a statistically significant relationship to the size of the tumor if the cut-off was at 3 centimeters [p= 0.003/ p= 0.006]

Conclusion: Our study shows that the UBC test is much more sensitive than urinary cytology, but the specificity is not very different. Since UBC is less expensive and is an objective test, it can be used instead of urine cytology in the diagnosis and follow-up of transitional cell cancers of the bladder

Clinical, biological and pathological characteristics of breast cancer patients at the Taleghani University Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran

Breast cancer is the most common of all malignant neoplasms in women worldwide. This study aims to demonstrate certain biological, clinical and pathological characteristics of patients treated at the university hospital oncology unit. A descriptive study was conducted during a period of 2 years, from October 2003 through September of 2005 in Kermanshah, Iran. 555 patients were selected to participate, representing all the cases diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. Data was gathered according to questionnaires and pa-tients' records. The mean age at which breast cancer was first diagnosed was 46.5 +/- 11.6 year of age with 89% of tumors being infiltrating intraductal carcinoma. The majority of the patient population had tumors stage II and grade II. Mean tumor size was 2.14 +/- 0.57 centimeters. 58% of the tumors were localized to the upper outer quadrant of the affected breast and 89% of the patients received modified radical mastectomies with almost a 92% two year survival. Highest prevalence of breast cancer was recorded in the 40-49 [mean 46] years of age group which compares favorably with studies done under similar circumstances. Tumor size, grade, stage, tumor marker analysis, metastasis and other disease characteristics portray patient population tendencies for breast cancer patients in Kermanshah, Iran