ABSTRACT
Stroke is the most frequent and highly fatal neurologic disease. Many clinical symptoms and paraclinical methods have been suggested have a prognostic value in stroke, including the shift in white blood cell [WBC] count which has attracted much attention at the moment. The objective of this study is to assess the prognostic value of admission-time WBC count of patients with acute ischemic stroke on their hospital mortality in Rafsanjan. This is a descriptive-cross sectional study on 200 patients with acute ischemic stroke, that the diagnosis was confirmed with neuroimaging. WBC count during the first 12 hours of admission was assessed. Subsequently, the patients were divided in 2 groups of normal WBC count and high WBC count and followed until discharge or death. The data were analyzed statistically using Fisher Exact test. In our study, 54% of our patients were men and the others were women. 17.5% of patients had abnormal WBC count. 27 patients [13.5%] were expired, consisting of 5 patients with increased WBC count and 22 with normal WBC count. No significant relationship was observed between the WBC count and hospital mortality. Also, no significant relationship was observed between the WBC count and hospital mortality in terms of age and gender. The findings of our study show that WBC count doesn't have any predictive value on hospital mortality in patients with ischemic stroke
ABSTRACT
The activity level of Narcotics Anonymous group [NA] is expanding in many countries, including Iran. Some research has confessed the benefits of 12-step NA approach compared with similar methods. In the present study, the role of regular participation of opioid addicts in the NA group was studied in terms of abstinence rate and compared with routine program of detoxification centers of the person Welfare Organization and Medical Sciences University. All addicts who attempted to quit in self-introducer clinical centers of Medical Sciences University and the Welfare Organization of Rafsanjan were suggested to participate and not to participate in NA, based on even and odd numbers, respectively. Among them, two equal 120-person [NA and control] groups were selected, then evaluated every three months and followed up for 12 months. Their status was assessed through questionnaires, interviews, and morphine tests. The purity rate of NA group with 8.49 months was significantly different with normal addicts in 5.19 months [p=0.001]. The recurrence rate at 12 months was significantly lower in the NA group compared with the control group, calculated through independent t-test [p=0.001]. Quitting history and addiction duration in the NA group was significantly higher than control group. The findings of the research support a better prognosis for participants of NA group. Further researches are recommended to provide useful clinical information for patients and professionals.
ABSTRACT
Several cells of immune system such as regulatory T cells and macrophages secrete transforming growth factor-beta [TGF-beta] in response to different stimuli. This cytokine has inhibitory effect on immune system and diminished production of this cytokine is associated with autoimmune disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of opium addiction on serum level of TGF-beta in male and female diabetic and non-diabetic Wistar rats. This experimental study was performed on normal, opium addicted, diabetic and addicted-diabetic male and female rats. Serum level of TGF-beta was measured by ELISA. The results of our study indicated that the mean serum level of TGF-beta in female addicted rats was significantly increased compared to control group [p<0.004]. Conversely, in male addicted rats the mean serum level of TGF-beta was lower compared with control [p<0.065]. Our results suggest that opium and its derivatives have differential inductive effects on the cytokine expression in male and female rats
ABSTRACT
Drug abuse is a major health problem in the Middle East countries such as Iran. Drug dealers may add lead to increase the weight of opium. Several reports have found lead poisoning symptoms in opium dependent patients, which are usually non specific. To the extent of our knowledge, there is no comparative study about blood lead level [BLL] in opium dependent patients with healthy control group. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was comparison of serum lead level in oral opium dependent men with control group. In this study, BLL of forty-four subjects in two patient and control groups was evaluated. The patient group [22 cases] comprised patients who used oral opium. The control group [22 cases] was matched with patient group in age and sex with the mean age of 38.8 +/- 6.7. BLL was assessed immediately, using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. BLL in the patient group had a range of 7.2 to 69.9 micro g/dl [21.9 +/- 13.2]. in the healthy control group, BLL was between 4.1 and 17.4 micro g/dl [8.6 +/- 3.5]. The mean difference of two groups [t = 4.56] was statistically significant [p < 0.0001]. In the patient group, BLL had a significant correlation with the amount of opium consumption [r = 0.65, p<0.01]. However, there was no such correlation with the length of experience of opium consumption in the patient group. It would be concluded that the opium dependent patients have elevated BLL compared to the healthy control. Therefore, screening for blood lead concentration is helpful for the opium dependent patients, especially with non-specific symptoms
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Opium , Opioid-Related Disorders , Spectrophotometry, AtomicABSTRACT
Complete blood count [CBC] is one of the most common and conventional blood test that physicians usually request. However the results of this test are affected by different factors such as, the temperature and duration of incubation, therefore the aim of this survey was to evaluate the effect of temperature and time of incubation on CBC, red blood cells [RBC] indices and white blood cells [WBC] differential count. In a cross-sectional study, blood samples were taken from 30 healthy medical students of Rafsanjan University [15 males and 15 females]. The samples divided into three parts; CBC were done on the samples up to 48 hours incubation at temperature of 25, 30, and 37°C at the time of sampling, and after 2, 8, 24 and 48 hours. Data were statistically analyzed and the following results were obtained. RBC count, hematocrit, MCH, percent of monocytes and eosinophils were constant in different temperatures, WBC count, MCHC, hemoglobin, platelets count, the percent of lymphocytes and neutrophils were constant up to 24 hours and then tend to increase with increasing temperature except lymphocytes percent that tend to decrease. MCV decreased with increasing temperature up to 8 hours and then significantly increased [from 83.89 to 87.50 fmol/1, p<0.00l]. WBC, hematocrit, MCV, platelets count, and neutrophils' percent tend to increase by the time of incubation, but RBC count, MCHC, lymphocytes' percent decreased. Hemoglobin, MCH, and the percent of monocytes and eosinophils were constant. The finding of this survey showed that some of CBC parameters can be changed with the incubation, therefore it is better to do the CBC test after blood taking as soon as possible