[Usage and costs of treatment with beta interferon among patients with multiple sclerosis in Fars province]

Introduction: Multiple Sclerosis is an inflammatory and demyelinating disease of central nervous system. It is the second most common cause of disability in young adults after trauma. Nowadays, Beta-Interferons are used as the best choice of disease modifying therapy in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. There is a remarkable difference in the uses of these medications between developed and developing countries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rate and costs of treatment with Beta-Interferon in patients with MS in Fars Province

Methods: In a descriptive study, all patients who were registered in Shiraz multiple sclerosis society, and were treated with Beta-Interferon [confirmed by the MS Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences] were recruited to the study

Results: A total of 1791 patients had received Beta-Interferon. The most and the least types of the medications used by the patients were Cinovex [28%] and Resigen [2.9], respectively. Many patients [No=587; 33.1%] used Iranian brand of interferon [Cinovex and Recigen] and 1185 patients [67.9%] used medications made in other countries. Prescription of Iranian brands of medications was considerably increased from 2006 to 2010. The annual costs of treatment with Beta-interferon were approximately 126 milliard Rials

Conclusion: A Majority of the MS patients used Beta-Interferon in Fars Province. In recent years, usage of Iranian brand of beta interferon has been largely increased. Despite this fact, more than half of Iranian patients received Beta-Interferons which were made in other countries. Annual cost of these medications was high [more than 126 milliard Rials] in Fars province

effect of methylprednisolone acetate injection at cervical trigger points in both chronic and drug resistant headache

Most adults have surely once experienced a headache. A high percentage of these headaches are the referred pain from cervical structures, such as neck muscles, known as cervicogenic headaches. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of injection of methylprednisolone acetate at the Gallbladder-20 acupuncture points in muscle originated chronic and drug resistant headaches. In this randomized clinical trial study conducted at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2009-2010, 25 patients with both chronic and drug resistant cervicogenic headaches, who had cervical muscle tender points, underwent methylprednisolone acetate injection. To evaluate the severity of these patients' headache, VAS [Visual Analogue Scale] was used. The collected data was analyzed using the SPSS software and Wilcoxon test. The Mean headache intensity on the visual scale of these people before the injection was 3 .2 +/- 76.7. This value was 2.60 +/- 2.9, 3 days after injection. The values at 1 and 3 months post procedure were 3.52 +/- 3.3, and 3.48 +/- 3.5, respectively. In other words, a statistically significant loss of pain score [P<0.001] was observed. The frequency of headache attacks 1 and 3 months after injection decreased 72% and 76% among patients, respectively. Average duration of headache attacks, one month and three months after injection, was decreased in 72 percent of patients. Injection of methylprednisolone acetate at the GB-20acu points in muscle originated cervicogenic headache could be used as an appropriate therapy that has significant therapeutic efficacies only when injected once