Relationship between human leukocyte antigen [HLA]-DQA1*0102/HLA-DQB1*0602 polymorphism and preeclampsia

Background: Preeclampsia is a condition associated with systemic disorders in the mother and the fetus. However, the exact causes of preeclampsia are unknown, but several genetics and environmental factors play role in development of this disease. Major histocompatibility complex role is very important during pregnancy through which the fetus is not rejected by mother's immune system

Objective: In this study, we investigated the relationship of the human leukocyte antigen [HLA]-DQA1*0102/HLA-DQB1*0602 polymorphism with preeclampsia

Materials and Methods: Genomic DNA of 181 pregnant women with a history of preeclampsia as the case group and 228 pregnant women with no history of preeclampsia as the controls were extracted. The HLA-DQA1*0102/HLA-DQB1*0602 polymorphisms of all DNA samples were identified by the SSP-PCR method. Frequencies difference of variables between case and control groups were calculated by Chi-square test. The ethnic origin of the participants in this study was extracted from their medical records

Results: There was a significant association between preeclampsia and Sistani ethnic group [p=0.031]. Moreover, there was a significant association between preeclampsia and frequencies of allele HLA-DQB1*0602 [p<0.001], and genotypes of heterozygote [+0102/-0602] [p<0.001] and negative homozygote [-0102/-0602] [p=0.005]. There also was an association between allele HLA-DQB1*0602 and preeclampsia in Fars ethnic group [p=0.028]

Conclusion: It seems that immune incompatibility may have an important role in preeclampsia predisposition. According to our results, the lack of locus HLA-DQB1*0602 may be a risk factor for preeclampsia

efficacy and safety of tizanidine in treating spasticity in children with cerebral palsy

Spastic cerebral palsy [CP] is one of the most difficult and disabling conditions that requires medical attention and treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of oral tizanidine in treating spasticity in children with spastic CP. Sixty children with spastic cerebral palsy were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. These patients were randomly assigned to receive tizanidine or a matching placebo. Sample normalization was not performed either before or after the study in these two separate groups. Nevertheless, no significant statistical difference was found between the two concerned groups in terms of age, sex, or type of spasticity. Each patient received the treatment for 2 weeks between May 2010 and February 2011. Thirty-one boys and 29 girls with a mean age of 7.3 +/- 3.4 years were evaluated. Our study revealed that spasticity was reduced in 50% of the patients receiving the drug tizanidine compared to only 6.7% of the patients receiving the placebo. Additionally, 66.7% of patients reported less pain on the affected side receiving tizanidine [group A] compared to 13.3% of patients receiving the placebo [group B]. No serious side effects were reported in this study. Tizanidine is effective and safe in decreasing the spastic hypertonia associated with cerebral palsy in children

Pelizaeus-merzbacher disease: the first genetically approved case report from Iran

Classic Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease is a rare x-linked disorder of proteolipid protein expression first described clinically in 1885. This disease is characterized by abnormal eye movements, very slow motor development and involuntary movements. The causative gene is PLP1. A 1-year-old boy was referred to our clinic due to abnormal eye movements. He had horizontal and flickering eye oscillation, psychomotor retardation, hypotonia and head nodding. We found hypomyelination in brain MRI. The possibility of Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease should be considered in boys with abnormal eye movements, psychomotor retardation and hypotonia

How do parents think about the effect of food and alternative medicine on their epileptic children?

Parents of epileptic children are willing to know if specific foods precipitate or aggravate their kids' seizures. Nonetheless conclusive data are limited. Alternative medicine has become a popular approach to many diseases in the world and there are limited data about this approach to epilepsy in Iran. We tried to evaluate attitude of parents of epileptic children to food-epilepsy relationship and alternative therapeutic approach to epilepsy. We carried out a cross-sectional study with analytic aspect at Children's Medical Center, Tehran, Iran in 2008, by asking the parents of epileptic children to fill out a valid and excellently reliable questionnaire. We collected parents attitude and analyzed it using SPSS software. One-hundred and fifty one families participated in the study. Fifty-nine of participants [39.1%] believed that foods had no effect on epilepsy. Fifty one cases [33.8%] said that foods might have negative or positive effect on epilepsy and 27.1% [41 cases] had no idea. Higher percent of parents believed in food-epilepsy relation in cases that fathers had educational levels above high school graduation. Sixteen cases [10.6%] said that alternative medicine might improve epilepsy and 55% had no idea about efficacy of this approach to epilepsy. Compared with previous published study from Iran, parents of epileptic children believed less in food-epilepsy relation. Majority of parents either believed that foods had no effect on epilepsy or had no idea. More than half of parents had no idea about efficacy of alternative medicine to epilepsy. Only a few of them believed in ameliorating effects of alternative medicine on epilepsy

Febrile seizures: four steps algorithmic clinical approach

Febrile seizures [FS] are the most common form of convulsive phenomena in human being and affect 2% to 14% of children. It is the most common type of seizures that every pediatrician is dealing with. It is the most benign type of all seizures occurring in childhood. There are many debates on how to approach to febrile seizures in pediatric neurology and there are many possible malpractices in this field. Some of the most common frequent queries are: * How could we differentiate FS from seizures and fever associated with serious infections involving the central nervous system? * When should we refer the affected child for further investigations such as lumbar puncture, EEC, neuroimaging, and routine biochemical studies? * How should we treat FS in its acute phase? * How could we assess the risk for further recurrences as well as other risks threatening the child's health in future? * How could we select the patients for treatment or prophylaxis? * Which medication[s] should be selected for treatment or prophylaxis? Trying to answer the above-mentioned questions, this review article will present a four steps algorithmic clinical approach model to a child with febrile seizures based on the current medical literature

Sleep patterns and sleep problems among preschool and school-aged group children in a primary care setting

To describe sleep patterns and sleep problems among preschool and school aged group children in a primary care setting in Iran. This cross sectional study was conducted in two primary care pediatric clinics in Tehran from March 2006 to September 2006. Sleep patterns of 215 children studied [101 were in preschool age group; 2-6 years old, and 114 were in primary school age group; 7-12 years old]. Sleep problems were common in study group, as follows: bedtime problems 21.05%-56.44%, excessive daytime sleepiness 26.73%-42.98%, awakening during the night 13.86%-32.46%, regularity and duration of sleep 17, 54%-27.72%, sleep-disordered breathing 10.53%-17.82%. [These high frequencies of sleep problems in children explains the importance and burden of sleep disorders in children which unfortunately are not noticed by primary care providers in Iran and inadequate attention to them may have negative consequences on a host of functional domains, including mood, behavior, school performance, and health outcomes