ABSTRACT
Heparin and enoxaparin possess anti-inflammatory properties. We compared the effects of these drugs on inflammatory biomarkers in patients with ST-segment Elevated Myocardial Infarction [STEMI]. Thirty four patients with STEMI randomly separated in two groups and received standard doses of heparin and enoxaparin. The serum concentration of Serum Amyloid A [SAA], C-Reactive Protein [CRP], Interleukin [IL]-6. ferritin and Myeloperoxidase [MPO] were measured at baseline ,12 .24 and 48 hours after drug administration. Serum concentrations of SAA [P: 0.02], CRP [P: 0.02] and ferritin [P: 0.01] significantly reduced in heparin group during measurements compared to baseline, circulating levels of IL-6 [P: 0.002], SAA [P: 0.009], CRP [P: 0.01] were significantly decreased in enoxaparin group. The overall difference in inflammatory biomarkers between heparin and enoxaparin group was not significant. Both heparin and enoxaparine reduced serum levels of inflammatory biomarkers in patients with STEMI. This effect may provide additional clinical benefit of these drugs in the treatment of STEMI patients
ABSTRACT
Conservative treatment needs to be tried prior to surgical treatment of knee osteoarthritis. This study was designed to evaluate the short-term effects of dextrose prolotherapy on pain relief and functional improvement in knee osteoarthritis in comparison with intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections. In this double blind clinical trial, 100 patients, aged 40-70 years, with complaints of knee pain lasting >3 months were recruited in Akhtar hospital during the years 2010 to 2011. The patients met the criteria proposed by the American College of Rheumatology [ACR] for knee osteoarthritis. 50 patients in hyaluronic acid group received five 2 ml injections of hyaluronic acid [Synocrom Forte[R] 1%] weekly and 50 patients in dextrose prolotherapy group received three 2 ml bimonthly injections of 25% dextrose. The patients were evaluated before and after treatment in terms of pain and functionality using the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score [KOOS] self-questionnaire. The patients were followed up for 12 weeks and were examined 12 weeks after the injections by an observer unaware of group assignments. The data were recorded for statistical analysis. The mean age of the patients was 60.6 +/- 8.2 years. No significant differences were found between the two groups with respect to pre- and post-treatment KOOS scores. The scores showed significant improvements in all items following treatment in both groups [P<0.001]. It seems that intra-articular injections of 25% dextrose prolotherapy could be as effective as hyaluronic acid injections for the treatment of knee pain due to OA