[Effect of acupressure at the Sanjiao point [SP6] on women's general heath with dysmenorrhea: a randomized controlled trial]

Dysmenorrhea is one of the most prevalent gynecological problems among women. The aim of this randomized, single-blind clinical trial was to examine the effectiveness of SP6 acupressure on women's general health. This was a single-blind, placebo-controlled study and included 86 single students who had regular menstrual cycles. The students were randomly allocated to either acupressure group or sham pressure group. Participants in acupressure group received acupressure at the Sanyinjiao point [SP6] in the first 24 hours after menstruation. Using General Health Questionnaire [GHQ] we assessed general health of both groups before and 3 hours after intervention. The general health scores improved significantly after intervention. We found significant differences between the two groups in relation to the 4 domains of general health after the first and second months of intervention [p<0.05]. The results of this study showed that both acupressure and placebo were effective in promoting women's general health, but, acupressure was more effective than placebo. Sp6 acupressure is a self-manageable approach which can improve women's general health

[Evaluating the effect of adding omega-3 fatty acids to antipsychotic regimen of schizophrenic patients on positive and negative symptoms]

The recognition of omega-3 fatty acids and their multiple roles in cellular biology and neuronal functions, and also some hypotheses based on the role of this substance in pathogenesis and treatment of schizophrenia made us test the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. This study is a double blind placebo-controlled clinical trial which was carried out on 106 schizophrenic inpatients in Mashhad Ebne-sina hospital in 1385-86. The diagnosis of schizophrenia was based on DSM-IV-TR criteria. Subjects were randomly divided into omega-3 and placebo groups. The omega-3 group received Risperidone up to 6mg/day [maximum dose] and 3gr/day of omega-3 for six weeks. The placebo group received Risperidone and placebo with the same doses during the same time. Positive and negative symptoms of patients were assessed by PANSS test in weeks 0, 3, 6, and the movement and pharmacological side effects by AIMS test in weeks 0, 6. Positive and negative symptoms of patients were compered in each group by Friedman test in weeks 0,3,6 and between two groups by T test. Both groups had no significant differences in age, sex, education, duration of illness and the number of previous hospitalizations. There were no significant differences in scales of PANSS test in both groups in weeks 0, 3, 6. In this study, omega-3 fatty acids had no superiority to placebo in decreasing positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia over six-week trial

[ there any difference between patients depression symptoms pattern who come to clinic in different seasons?]

Depression is a serious and prevalent disorder known with persistent pathology of mood as the main symptom. Lifetime prevalence of depression is up to 25 percent. In different studies depression symptoms pattern of patients is reported different by sex, age, season and place and '. For this reason in this study we evaluate the differences of depression symptoms pattern by season. In a prospective descriptive study all of the patients that come to psychiatric clinic of Imam-Reza Hospital in winter of 1382 and summer of 1383 with chief Complaint of depression and were entered to the study all of the patients visited by a psychiatrist and for all of them we were filled both demographic information questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]. Data From different items of depression based on BDI were compared in two groups of winter and summer with 15 percent sensitivity. 101 patients with mean age of 28.94 years enter to the study; mean score of BDI was 27.64 with standard deviation of 12.43. There was no meaningful difference between severity of depression among two groups of winter and summer although items of preoccupation with body and somatic health meaningfully were in winter then in summer [P=0.03]. Total score of BDI in male and female patients were not different meaningfully [without relation to the season], but items of difficulty in beginning of the work [P=0.008] and diminished sexual desire [P=0.018] were meaningfully upper in men than in women. Mean of total score of depression in rural patients were meaningfully upper than urban patients too [P=0.025]. In this study there was no difference between depression symptoms patterns of patients by sex and season