[Effect of ginger and chamomile capsules on nausea and vomiting in pregnancy]

Nausea and vomiting are the most frequent complications in the first trimester of pregnancy. Herbal medicine is among the traditional effective treatments. Ginger and Chamomile are hypothesized to be useful in decreasing the signs. This study was done to determine the effect of Ginger and Chamomile capsules on nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. This triple-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial was carried out on 105 pregnant women in 6-16 weeks of gestational age with a mild to moderate nausea and vomiting, whome referred to the prenatal care clinic in Dezyani hospital and health centers, Gorgan, Northern Iran during 2009-10. Rhodes index questionnaire had been given to all participants to be completed before bed-time for two weeks. In the first week no intervention was done and prescribing the capsules was started the following week. Subjects randomly divided into 3 groups: In group 1, ginger capsules were consumped twice a day for one week, in group 2; twice daily chamomile capsule and in placebo group, glucose capsule was prescribed. Scores were calculated and all data were entered into the SPSS-16 software, analysis was done using variance analysis, Will-Cockson, paired T and Fisher-exact tests. The mean of Rhodes index before intervention in plasbo, Ginger and Chamomile groups were 12.71 +/- 5.88, 10.42 +/- 0.76 and 11.19 +/- 5.51, respectively. Also, the mean of Rhodes index after intervention in plasbo, Ginger and Chamomile groups were 11.47 +/- 6.43, 7.28 +/- 3.74 and 5.73 +/- 4.32, respectively [P<0.05]. Bonferroni test indicated that there is no difference about scor chang [after and before] between Ginger and Chamomile and Ginger and plasbo, but this difference was significant between Chamomile and plasbo group [P<0.05]. This study showed that Chamomile capsule was more effective on nausea and vomiting during pregnancy compared to Ginger

Hypertension in Iranian urban population, epidemiology, awareness, treatment and control

To assess the epidemiological characteristics of hypertension patients in urban population of Yazd, A central city in Iran. This cross sectional study was conducted from 2005-2006 and carried out on population aging 20-74 years. It is a part of the phase I of Yazd healthy heart program that it is a community interventional study for prevention of cardiovascular disease. Data obtained from questionnaires were analyzed by SPSS version 13. P value less than 0.05 were considered significant level. This study comprised of 2000 participants that 847 [42.5%] were diagnosed as being hypertensive. After age adjustment, prevalence of hypertension was 25.6% [23.3% for women and 27.5% for men [P<0.001]. Age, Total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, impaired glucose tolerance test, body mass index and waist were significantly higher in the hypertensive groups. 53.7% of hypertensive cases were aware of own condition, 45% were treated, and 33.9% of treated were controlled [30.7% and 35.4% in men and women respectively]. In other word, 24% of all hypertensives [aware or unaware about own blood pressure condition] were treated and only 8% of them were controlled. Men significantly had less awareness [P<0.001], lower tendency to take medication [P<0.001], and less were controlled [P=0.046]. We understand high prevalence, low awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension and higher prevalence of other traditional metabolic risk factors in these cases. It seems that urgent preventional studies should be conducted in this population

[ effects of Zingiber officinal R. on primary dysmenorrhea]

Prevalence of dysmenorrhea and its importance for women life as well as side effects of non steroid anti inflammatory drug used for its treatment increases the tendency for alternative complementary, and herbal therapy. This study was carried out to determine the effect of Zingiber offlcinale R. on primary dysmenorrheal on students residing in Dormitories' Shahed University. This clinical trial was performed on 78 unmarried students, average 21 years old with primary dysmenorrhea residing in Dormitories' Shahed University. Subjects were selected through a questionnaire which included demographic and menstrual cycle characteristics and graded of dysmenorrhea. Graded of dysmenorrhea were determined by verbal multidimensional scoring system and subjects who were graded moderate and severe dysmenorrhea were randomly allocated into two groups that received the Zingiber capsule and the placebo capsule. The subjects in Zingiber group received the 500 mg zingiber powders in capsules three times a day for three days and placebo group received 500 mg placebo capsule similarly from a day of starting of menstruation. Severity and duration of dysmenorrheal pain were determined in both groups and compared to each other. Results indicate that demographic characteristics [age, BMI and menstrual status] were similar between two groups before treatments. Severity and duration of dysmenorrhea in Zingiber group deceased significantly [p<0.01 and p<0.021 respectively] at the end of the study compared to placebo group. Administration of Zingiber 500 mg t.i.d decreases pain and duration of primary dysmenorrhea without any obvious adverse effects. The investigation for accurate effective doses of Zingiber and its adverse effect on long term administration is recommended

Utility of laboratory studies in seizures of children older than one month of age

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>Seizure is the most common paediatric neurological disease which occurs in ten percent of children. In approaching a convulsive patient, finding the causes of seizure is essential, and the patient's history as well as the physical examination are important. The role of routine laboratory tests for children's seizures (except neonates) is undetermined, but checking for serum sodium, glucose, calcium and urea routinely has been advised. The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic efficacy of these serum chemistry tests in the seizures of children older than one month of age.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this descriptive, retrospective study, medical records of 302 hospitalised children with seizure were reviewed. Results of laboratory tests, like sodium, calcium, blood glucose and urea levels, pertinent history and physical examination, and the change in patient management based on serum chemistry test results, were analysed. All the children in the study were classified as having seizure with or without fever.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 302 hospitalised children with seizure, about ten percent of 938 tests were abnormal. 27.7 percent of these abnormal results were seen in 1-12-month-old infants. Only 11 percent of abnormal tests (1.3 percent of total tests) might have caused a seizure. Also, 0.2 percent of the results could not be predicted from the history or physical examination, which was conducted in patients younger than one year of age.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Routine determination of serum chemistry values in seizures of children does not contribute to therapy, and are costly and time-consuming. It may not be helpful and informative unless the patient is less than one year of age.</p>

Analgesic effects of glucose and water in neonates

Several methods have been used to relieve pain in neonates. The objective of this study was to assess the analgesic effect of 50% glucose and water during hepatitis B vaccination. In this randomized controlled trial, 90 term neonates were studied. Infants were randomly assigned to one of the three equal sized groups. First, heart rates were measured by EKG monitor. Then, 2mL of either 50% glucose or sterile water was administered into the mouths of infants in groups one and two, respectively. No intervention was done for group three. During vaccination until three minutes after, crying of babies was taped. Heart rates were measured during injection until 60 seconds. Mean values of duration of crying for glucose, water, and no intervention groups were 21.1 s, 33.3 s, and 56.9 s, respectively, which were significantly different [P= 0.0003]. Post hoc test revealed substantial differences between groups one and three [P= 0.0001] and between groups two and three [P= 0.006]. However, groups one and two were not statistically different [P= 0.19]. Moreover, heart rate did not rise significantly in any of those groups. Both 50% glucose and water showed analgesic effects in neonates

Preoperative cervical cytology in endometrial carcinoma

We studied the correlation between preoperative cervical cytology, postoperative clinicopathologic findings, and sites of metastasis from 50 surgically staged patients with endometrial carcinoma Thirty-four patients [68%], had normal cervical cytology, and 16 [32%] had malignant preoperative cervical cytology. Malignant cervical smears were statistically correlated with surgical stage [P = 0.001], histopathology [P =0.010], tumor grade [P = 0.012]. depth of myometrial tumor invasion [P = 0.001], cervical involvement [P = 0.01], lymph node metastases [P = 0.002], and andexal metastases [P = 0.012]. Our study indicates that positive preoperative cervical cytology itself does not appear to be an independent prognostic factor and probably should not influence treatment decisions in endometrial cancer