Early experiences of abuse and current depressive disorders in Iranian women

Early experience of abuse may be viewed as a risk factor for mental disorders in women later in life. This case-control study in Isfahan screened 709 women aged 20-45 years using the Beck Depression Inventory and structured clinical interviews for Diagnostic Statistical Manual-IV criteria. Lifetime history of abuse was determined using a standard questionnaire. Among the women 35.1% had experienced fear of or actual abuse [physical, sexual or both] in childhood or adolescence. The risk of having major depression in adult life was significantly higher in women who experienced abuse in childhood and adolescence [OR 4.3], severe degrees of abuse [OR 3.9] or multiple forms of abuse [OR 3.8]

Expenditure to treat thalassaemia: an experience at a tertiary care hospital in India

The medical and economic problem of thalassaemia are considered to be a vast public health problem in the thalassaemia belt countries, emphasizing more on prenatal diagnosis as the solution of the problem. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the Institute of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine located in Medical College, Kolkata, India to assess the socio-demographic profile, clinical presentation, expenditure for treatment of thalassaemia patients and awareness about cause and prevention of the disease. Thalassaemia patients attended the Govt. setting were mostly from lower socioeconomic status with low level of literacy. Annual expenditure for treatment of thalassaemia ranged from $ 108 to 432; depending on type of treatment with average cost per transfusion was $ 5.2 +/- 2.2. Average 18.5% +/- 14.3 of the total annual income was spent on the treatment for thalassaemia. Average man days or school days lost for the patients was 29.87 +/- 18.5 and 19.07 +/- 12.7 for the accompanying persons. Blood transfusion and carrier screening facilities should be decentralized to decrease the expenditure for treatment and alleviate the harassment of the families. Folate and calcium tablets, hepatitis B vaccination can be made available at government setting free of cost

Pattern of adverse drug reactions due to cancer chemotherapy in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Nepal

Use of cancer chemotherapeutic drugs is associated with several adverse drug reactions [ADRs] ranging from mild nausea to fetal myelosuppression. Data regarding safety profile of cancer chemotherapy is lacking in Nepal. To study the pattern of ADRs caused by cancer chemotherapeutic drugs in Manipal Teaching Hospital [MTH], pokhara, Nepal. Hospitalized patients treated with cancer chemotherapy drugs from 1st January to 30th June 2006, was studied retrospectively. Necessary information was collected from the patients' hospital records. Total 60 patients underwent chemotherapy among which 25 [41.67%] developed ADRs. More than half [60%] were male and 40% were of age group 6170 years. The mean +/- SD age was 57.8 +/- 11.54 years. More than half of the patients [50%] who developed ADRs were on adjuvant chemotherapy. Alkylating agents were responsible for the ADRs in nearly half of the patients [52%] followed by antimetabolites [20%]. Cisplatin was the individual drug responsible for 44% of the ADRs. The onset of the ADR was within aday in 44% of the patients. Thirty six percent of patients developing ADRs stayed in the hospital for 14 days. Hematological system was affected primarily [40.47% of the patients], followed by the gastrointestinal tract [33.33%]. Grade I neutropenia was the most common ADR affecting 28.6% of the patients, followed by emesis [21.4%]. Increased dose of antiemetics was needed in 38.5% of the patients to manage the ADRs. Levamisole was the drug used primarily [30.43%] for managing ADRs. Male patients and age 61-70 years were highly predisposed to ADRs. Cisplatin was the common drug responsible for ADRs. Levamisole was commonly used in managing the ADRs. Similar studies covering more patients from different regions are needed to validate our findings

Psychological profile of Iranian patients with low-back pain

A hospital case - control study in Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran, compared the features of 200 patients with low - back pain with 350 matched controls. The control group psychological scored lower than patients in all dimensions of the Symptom Checklist - 90 checklist. Female patients were more psychologically affected by low - back pain than males. In both groups, grudge, general complaints, anxiety, depression, obsessive - compulsive behaviours, somatization and phobia varied with level of education. Patients' levels of depression and anxiety were related to occupational background. Longer duration of illness was accompanied by higher levels of anxiety, depression, obsessive - compulsive behaviours and somatization