[Effect of theory based education on blood sugar control in type-2 diabetic patients]

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of educational intervention based on a self-efficacy model and its effect on two constructs of self-efficacy and outcome expectations in order to promote self-care and glycemic control in patients with type II diabetes

Materials and Methods: This pretest-posttest with randomized control group study was conducted on 80 patients with type-2 diabetes. These patients were selected based on inclusion criteria and were randomly divided into the intervention and control groups [n=40 each]. The intervention group attended six sessions of group and face-to-face consultation sessions focused on self-efficacy and outcome expectation strategies. Data were collected through laboratory tests and questionnaires before and three and six months after the intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 21 and Independent T-test and ANOVA for repeated measures tests

Result: Three months after the intervention a significant increase occurred in intervention groups in self-efficacy, outcome expectations and self-care and these changes were statistically significant at 6 months after the intervention. Six months after the intervention a significant decrease in HbA1c was observed. After the intervention diet, physical activity and foot care improved significantly. No significant improvement occurred in self-monitoring of blood glucose and medication adherence

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that educational interventions based on the self-efficacy model in six months is beneficial for diabetic patients. It seems that implementing these educational strategies can be effective for patients with diabetes and are recommended to be used in their education for metabolic control

Assessment of some predicting factors of self-efficacy in patients with type 2 diabetes

Increasing patient empowerment in order to improve diabetes self-care plays an important role in disease control. One of the most important measures/steps in this field is promoting patients' self-efficacy which can lead to greater participation of the patient in treatment and prevention of serious complications in patients. The purpose of this study hence was to determine the predictors of self-efficacy for self-care behavior in patients with type II diabetes In order to plan educational interventions in health promotion strategies. This is a descriptive study conducted on 187 diabetic patients referred to Hazrat Ali diabetes clinic in Isfahan, using the convenience sampling method. Health literacy, self-efficacy and diabetes knowledge in patients were assessed by standard questionnaires i.e FCCHL, DMSES and DKQ respectively. The data collected was analyzed, using descriptive and inferential statistics by means of SPSS vr.17 software. There was a statistically significant association between functional, communicative, and critical, health literacy and diabetes knowledge with patient's self-efficacy for diabetes self-care. Pearson's correlation coefficient revealed that all of these factors had a linear and direct relationship with self-efficacy and the predictive power [R2] was equal to 0.37. Functional health literacy is a better predictor of self-efficacy for self-care behaviors in diabetic patients. Considering the importance of self-efficacy in educational interventions for improving diabetes self-care, well documented in various studies, raising patient levels of knowledge and health literacy as predictors affecting self-efficacy is imperative

[Comparison of therapeutic effcets of dorsal wrist splint with cockup splint in carpal tunnel syndrome based on median sensory nerve conduction measurements]

Carpal tunnel syndrome [CTS] is one of the most common disease among the entrapment neuropathies. The purposes of this study was to compare the efficacy of a new dorsal wrist splinting versus common palmar splinting for CTS based on sensory nerve conduction measurements. This single blind randomized control trial study was carried out on 22 idiopathic CTS patients. Subjects were randomly divided in two groups: Dorsal splint group [n=12] and palmar splint group [n=10]. Both groups used splints for 4 weeks. Sensory conduction study of median nerve were done initially for having baseline and after 4 weeks follow up. SPSS-16 and Kolmogorov-Smirnov, independent T, and paired T tests were used for analysis of Data. After four weeks median nerve sensory distal latency and conduction velocity improved significantly in both groups [P<0.05]. There was significant difference between both groups due to electro-diagnostic improvement. This study showed that based on electro-diagnostic method, dorsal wrist splint is more effective than cockup splint in carpal tunnel syndrome

[DFNB59 gene mutations and its association with deafness in schoolchildren in kohgilooyeh and Boyerahmad province]

Hearing loss is a common disease affecting millions of people worldwide. Hearing loss can be caused due to genetic or environmental factors or even both. The genetic of hearing defect is highly heterogeneous and more than 100 genes are predicted to cause this disorder in humans. A newly identified gene [DFNB59] has been shown to cause deafness in some populations. Here we report mutation analysis for DFNB59 gene in 88 genetic non-syndromic hearing loss subjects. In this descriptive-lab based study which was conducted at the Cellular and Molecular Research Center of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood samples using standard phenol chloroform procedure. Mutation analysis for DFNB59 gene was performed using PCR-SSCP/HA protocol. The suspected DFNB59 which was detected as shifted bands on PAGE were then confirmed by direct sequencing strategy. Two DFNB59 polymorphisms including c.793C>G and c.793C>T were detected in 8 and 1 deaf subjects respectively. We conclude that there is no association between DFNB59 mutations and deafness in the studied patients in the region

[DFNB59 gene mutations screening in non syndromic deaf subjects in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province]

The incidence of pre-lingual deafness is about 1 in 1000 neonates from which more than 60% of cases are inherited. Deafness is a heterogeneous disorder and may be due to genetic or environmental cause or both. Mutations in the DFNB59 gene encoding pejvakin protein has been very recently shown to cause neural deafness. In the present study, we have conducted type and frequency of the DFNB59 gene mutations in a cohort of 100 non syndromic deaf subjects in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province. In this descriptive-lab based study we investigated the frequency of DFNB59 gene mutations in the entire coding exons of the gene. DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood samples following the standard phenol chloroform procedure. DFNB59 gene mutations were investigated using PCR-SSCP/ Heteroduplex Analysis [HA]. The results of PCRSSCP/HA were confirmed by sequencing of exon 7, nested PCR and PCR-RFLP of 3 known DFNB59 mutations. Altogether 3 different gene polymorphisms [793C>G, 793C>T and 874G>A] and one mutation [988delG] were detected in 7, 5, 2 and 1 subjects respectively. Based on our data from the present study and previous study, we conclude that DFNB59 gene mutations have a very low contribution to deafness in patients in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province and are not of great clinical importance in this region

[Alterations in urinary sodium and blood pressure after permanent pacemaker implantation]

Permanent pacemakers are applied to treat some 2[nd] and 3[nd] degree AV blocks. Previous studies have shown the hemodynamic changes that may occur after pacemaker implantation. In this study, we have evaluated these hemodynamic changes from a different view point, with measurement of urinary sodium and blood pressure. This is a before and after clinical trial study in which 30 patients, who were hositalized for permanent pacemaker implantation for the first time in Tehran heart center during 3 years, including 12 women [mean age 62.92 years] and 18 men [mean age 60.07 years], were tested for urinary specific gravity and sodium, blood pressure, blood sodium and potassium, before and after pacemaker implantation. Paired sample T test and Chi Square test were used for statistical analysis. Systolic blood pressure was 136.5 mmHg and 120.6 mmHg before and after pacemaker implantation, [P< 0.001]. Also, after pacemaker implantation, urinary sodium rose from 83.45 meq/L to 106.61 meq/L [p=0.018]. This study is consistent with previous studies, which showed hemodynamic changes after permanent pacemaker implantation including decrease in blood pressure and elevation of serum neuropeptides