[Correlation between iron deficiency anemia and febrile convulsion]

Febrile convulsion is the most common neurological disease of childhood. Regarding the current hypotheses about possible effect of iron deficiency on prevention of febrile convulsion and its relationship to neuronal stimulation threshold, we conducted this study to evaluate the relationship between iron deficiency anemia and simple febrile convulsion. In this case-control study, 382 children who met our inclusion criteria and had been admitted in Arak Amirkabir Hospital were assigned to two groups: case [with febrile convulsion] and control [other febrile diseases]. After the fever subsided, a 5 cc sample of blood was taken from every patient for complete blood count and iron reserve profile. The results were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and independent t-test. Iron deficiency anemia was significantly less frequent in our case group compared to the control group [22.5% vs. 34.0%] [p<0.001]. CBC indices such as Hb, HCT, MCV, MCH and MCHC were significantly [p<0.001] higher in the case group in comparison to the control group. Iron deficiency can prevent the febrile convulsion probably by increasing neuronal excitation threshold

[L-Asparginase effect with 6000U/m2 on lipid profile in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia]

One of the major etiologies of lipid disorders in malignancies is the use of chemotherapy drugs, the most important of which is L-Asparginase. Studies in different centers with high dosages of L-Asparginase demonstrated different results. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of L-Asparginase at a dose of 6000 U/m2 on lipid profile in Iranian children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Mofid Children Hospital of Tehran. We performed a nonrandomized trial in which all children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL] aged <15 years participated. Every case serves as his/her own control. The cholesterol, triglyceride [TG], HDL, LDL, VLDL, APOA, APOB and LPa were evaluated in three stages: before, during and 2 months after treatment with L-Asparginase after which the results were compared. In our study, 82 newly ALL diagnosed patients with the mean age of 6 years [within the age range of 0.12-14 and SD of 3.5] were evaluated. Mean seum level of TG in pretreatment stage was 163.9 mg% and during treatment with L-Asparginase 123 mg% demonstrating significant decline in TG serum level after administration of L-Asparginase [p=0.002]. Mean serum level of cholesterol before administration of L-Asparginase was 151mg% and during treatment 140 showing no statistically significant difference [p= 0.061]. LPa level in pretreatment phase was 24mg% and during treatment 14 showing a statistically significant difference [p= 0.0001]. L-Aspar resulted in decline in TG serum level and increase in HDL though with no significant difference in cholesterol level. Overall, L-Asparginase even at a dose of 6000U/M2 does not raise blood level of triglyceride and cholesterol

[Evaluating the cell proliferation markers; ki-67 and PCNA in pathogenesis of dentigerous cyst]

Dentigerous cyst is the most common type of developmental odontogenic cyst which originates from REE. It has the capacity for transformation to ameloblastoma, mucoepidermoid carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. ki-67 and PCNA are two cell proliferation markers which can be both detected in cysts and tumors of epithelial origin. In this study we detected these two markers to evaluate the role of cell proliferation in the pathogenesis of dentigerous cysts. This study was a descriptive one. Twenty cases of dentigerous cysts and twenty cases of dental follicles were selected from paraffin-embedded blocks stored in pathology department of Shaheed Beheshti Dental School. The slides were stained with IHC method and streptavidin-avidin biotin technique. Statisticals were applied to evaluate the results. 25% dental follicles stained with ki-67 and this was 70% in dentigerous cyst. 35% of dental follicles were positive for PCNA and this amount was 80% in dentigerous cyst. It seems that higher expression of these two markers in dentigerous cyst has an indisputable role in pathogenesis of such cysts. Further studies in this field is recommended