ABSTRACT
No abstract available.
Subject(s)
Computer Graphics , Editorial Policies , Marketing/methods , Periodicals as Topic , PublishingABSTRACT
Tuberculosis pericarditis as a potentially fatal complication of tuberculosis requires effective diagnosis and treatment. We evaluated the efficacy of interferon-gamma [IFN-gamma] and adenosine deaminase [ADA] for diagnosing tuberculosis pericarditis in a cohort of Iranian patients presenting with pericarditis. We enrolled 38 patients with presentation of pericarditis. All patients underwent diagnostic and therapeutic pericardiostomy with drainage and biopsy. Adenosine deaminase and interferon-gamma levels were determined in pericardial fluid samples of all patients. Pericardial tissue samples were submitted for histopathologic and microbiologic studies. Polymerase chain reaction [PCR] was performed on all pericardial fluid samples to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis. From 38 patients with pericarditis, 7 cases were diagnosed as having tuberculosis pericarditis [18.4%]. Mean concentration of interferon-gamma in tuberculosis group was significantly higher compared to non-tuberculosis group [69257 pg/l [range: 26600-148000] vs. 329 pg/l [range: 0-2200], P<0.000]. Receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve showed a value of 14400 pg/l as the cutoff point with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 100% for diagnosing tuberculosis pericardial effusion. Adenosine deaminase was not found to be significantly higher in tuberculosis group in comparison with non-tuberculosis causes of pericardial effusion [35.7 [range: 9-69] vs. 36.03 [range: 8-420], P=0.28]. In this study interferon-gamma showed to be a valuable diagnostic test for detection of tuberculosis pericarditis among a cohort of Iranian patients. We suggest using interferon-gamma to diagnose tuberculosis pericarditis to make diagnose in case of suspicion. While in this study, adenosine deaminase measurement did not prove to have the characteristics of an accurate diagnostic test for tuberculosis pericarditis
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Male , Pericardial Effusion/chemistry , Interferon-gamma/analysis , ROC Curve , Cohort Studies , Adenosine DeaminaseABSTRACT
Multiple risk factors are introduced for Multiple Sclerosis [MS]. Recent studies have suggested a possible correlation between vitamin D deficiency and an increase risk of MS. This study was therefore undertaken to compare vitamin D levels in new cases of MS and their relatives as healthy controls. Seventy five new diagnosed MS patients and 100 matched healthy controls among their relatives were enrolled in this study. Two groups were matched for gender, age, season in which serum level of vitamin D was checked and region and diet. Serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D was measured, recorded and analyzed. Seventy five patients [57 female and 18 male] and 100 healthy subjects [75 female and 25 male] were enrolled in this study. The mean serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in case and control groups were 11.31 and 17.9 ng/ml, respectively [P=0.003]. Compared to the healthy subject, serum levels of vitamin D were significantly lower in patients with MS. This difference was only significant in women. Observed difference of vitamin D levels of both groups were significant in summer. This study continues to support the role of vitamin D deficiency in MS
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A probable concordance and association between pulmonary tuberculosis and anthracosis was observed in the published literature. We conducted this study to evaluate the clinical and radiologic characteristics of patients with bronchoscopic evidence of anthracosis as well as the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with anthracosis. Included in the study were 150 consecutive patients with evidence of anthracosis as evidenced by bronchoscopy. Pulmonary tuberculosis diagnostic work up which included bronchoalveolar lavage, sputum smears and cultures, or histologic examination of lung biopsies was performed on all patients. Patients' clinical, pathological, and radiological findings were also recorded and analyzed. A total of 88 men and 62 women, ranging in age from 42 to 92 years were included in the study. Dyspnea [38.7%] and productive cough [35.3%] were among the most common chief complaints. The abnormal bronchoscopic findings were seen most frequently in the right middle lobe bronchus. In 42 patients pulmonary tuberculosis was confirmed either bacteriologically [n = 32] or histologically [n = 10]. CT scans of 26 patients were examined, of which the most frequent findings were consolidation and a reticular pattern. Pleural involvement was observed in 14 patients. Prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis was higher among those with bronchial stenosis [P < 0.05]. These findings have suggested that bronchial anthracosis, especially cases of localized anthracosis, in patients with bronchial stenosis and in those without a history of smoking or occupational exposure may be caused by tuberculosis
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A variety of sign, symptoms and laboratory findings are more common in children with organic abdominal pains. This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of organic and functional abdominal pains and relation of red flags to organic pains in 100 children with recurrent abdominal pain [RAP]. One hundred consecutive patients with RAP were enrolled in the study. A complete interview and physical examination was made for each patient, accompanied by a series of laboratory, clinical and paraclinical examinations. The data were recorded and analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was used to model and formulize correlations between sign, symptoms, and laboratory findings with organic and functional abdominal pain. Among 100 patients [52% male, 48% female, Age: 9.29 +/- 3.17] diagnostic works up revealed organic pain for 57 patients. The most common symptoms of the patients included constipation, diarrhea, chest pain, cough, headache, vomiting, hematuria, and dysuria. Fecal incontinence, delayed puberty, organomegaly, jaundice, and family history of inflammatory bowel disease were reported in none of the patients with RAP. Fever, pain not located in periumbilical area, nocturnal pain, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, weight loss, growth disorder, and abdominal tenderness were among the red flags which revealed diagnosis of organic pain in this study. A series of red flags could increase likelihood of finding organic pain in children with RAP
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This study was conducted to determine the effect of fish oil [FO] supplements on high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], apolipoprotein-Al [Apo-Al], malondialdehyde [MDA], arylesterase [Aryl], and paraoxonase-1 [PON1] activity in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis [RA]. A total of 90 RA patients were randomly allocated into two groups that were treated with one FO pearl [1 gr] daily or placebo for three months in addition to conventional treatment. HDL-C, Apo-Al, and MDA levels as well as POW and Aryl activities were measured before and after treatment. Independent t-test was used to match basal parameters of case and control groups. Paired t-test was used to assess significance of the differences. Correlation was evaluated by Pearson's test and the statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. No significant differences were noted between FO and placebo patients with regards to age, disease duration, post-menopausal status, conventional therapy, body mass index [BMI], and numbers of swollen and tender joints at the beginning of the study. There were 83 patients who completed the three-month follow up. Serum levels of HDL-C [P = 0.018], Apo-Al [P = 0.165], Aryl [P = 0.026], and POW [P = 0.049] activity increased, whereas MDA levels decreased significantly with FO supplementation [P= 0.077]. Significant correlations between increased POW activity and both HDL-C [P = 0.007, r = 0.419] and Apo-Al [P < 0.001, r = 0.742] concentrations as well as between HDL-C and Apo Al levels [P= 0.01, r = 0.403] were found. According to the results of this study, EQ could increase serum HDL-C and PQN1 levels and Aryl activity in female patients with RA