[ efficacy of Rheum ribes L. stalk extract on lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic type II diabetic patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo - controlled, clinical trial]

Previous clinical and experimental studies suggested the valuable effect of some herbal medicines on hyperlipidemic profile. Rheum ribes an herbal medicine has been prescribed for the treatment of diabetes and hyperlipidemia by several herbalists in Iran. The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of Rheum ribes stalk extract on lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic type II diabetic patients. One month randomized double blind clinical trial was conducted on 36 hypercholesterolemic, type II diabetic patients, referred to Diabetic Clinic at Special Medical Center Tehran Iran. All the patients who participated were aged between 40 to 60 years had LDL cholesterol above 100 mg/dl and confirmed type II diabetes with fasting blood glucose above 150-200 mg/dl. The patients were not taking any antihyperlipidemic drug during last one month and continue their standard anti-diabetic therapy without any change during the study. The patients were randomly allocated in two groups. One group received 1200 mg Rheum ribes daily in three 400 mg capsule and other received placebo similarly. The patients fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, creatinine, SGOT and SGPT were determined at the beginning and at the end of the study after one month. At the end of the study in Rheum ribes treated patients fasting blood glucose, LDL and total cholesterol significantly decreased as compared to placebo treated patients as well as compared to beginning of the study. In placebo treated patients all blood level of biochemical determination at the end of the study were not significantly changed as compared to beginning of the study. Rheum ribes stalk extract treatment had beneficial effect on lipid as well as glucose profile in type II diabetic hypercholesterolemia patients without any adverse effect on liver and kidney

[Mental health status of beta-thalassemia major in Mazandaran Province in 2006]

Beta-thalassemia major [TM], a chronic, genetically determined hematological disorder, has received little investigation on the psychological aspects of the disease and the psychosocial adjustment of patients with this anemia. In the present study, the aim was to explore the nature of psychopathology according to age, sex, school performance, severity and complications of the disease in TM patients. A Cross-section descriptive study was conducted at the 14-Thalassemia Unit of different hospitals of Mazandaran province Iran in 2006,. Psychological aspects were evaluated by the Persian version of symptoms checklist-90-revised questionnaire. Information on relevant demographic characteristics, school performance, severity and complications of the disease was collected by one of the investigators who created the questionnaire. Analysis of data was done by Chi square method, t test and one way ANOVA. 687 [41.08%] of the 1672 eligible patients with TM completed the questionnaires. The mean age of the participations was 21.93 +/- 5.90 years and with a range of 15-45 years. 363 [52.8%] were female, 602 [6.87%] were single, 465 [67.7%] had not higher educational level. In our study, 446 [64.9%] of TM patients had GSI > 0.7 as psychiatric patients, 141 [20.5%] had GSI between 0.4 to 0.7 as suspected psychiatric patients, and 100 [14.6%] had GSI < 0.4 as non-psychiatric patients. These findings show that beta-thalassemia major patients are at risk for psychiatric symptomatology and need appropriated psychiatric consults

[Prevalence of giardiasis in daycare children at rafsanjan nurseries in 2003]

Giardia Lambelia is a unicellur parasite, and has been recognized to be the most common intestinal pathogen worldwide specially in the developing countries. The Giardia agent has been implicated as a common cause of diarrhea in children of daycare centers. Therefore, regular and continuous investigation of this infection is necessary to control and contain the epidemic of this disease particularly at the children nurseries. The present study was performed to determine the prevalence of giardiasis at Rafsanjan's nurseries in 2003. This cross sectional study was accomplished on 252 children who were selected randomly with the mean age of 5.33 +/- 0.96. All relevant variables including age, sex, type of nursery, parent's job and education, and past history of parasitic infectious disease were gathered from all the participants. Three stool samples were collected from chidren on an every other day basis. The samples were examined using direct and formalin-ether methods .The positive reports were then statistically analyzed. Of all 252 participants, at public nurseias 140 girls [55.56%] and 112 boys [44.44%], the stool exams of 44 children [17.5%] were positive for giardiasis. Twenty seven of the infected children were male. The percentage of giardiasis in children whose mothers were housewife with low education was 22.4% [19 cases]. This value among children with poor personal hygiene and with a history of parasitic infectious diseases was 44.4%, and 69.2% respectively. based on our findings, giardiasis still must be regarded as a hygienic problem especially in public nurseries and it can be prevented by continuous public education, and regular training of health workers focusing on improvement of personal hygiene

Effect of supplemented zinc on treatment period of acute diarrhea in 6 to 36 months old children

Despite the rapid diagnosis and treatment of diarrhea, it is still a health problem among infants and children. It has been shown that zinc deficiency, which is common in Iran, is one of the important causes of the diarrhea, Therefore, the aim of this study was to find the effects of zinc supplement on treatment period of acute diarrhea in 6 to 36 month old children. This double-blind clinical trial study was performed on 200 children with non-invasive acute diarrhea hospitalized in Amir Kabir hospital Arak. They were divided into two groups of the case and control by simple random assignment. The case and the control group had 3 mg/kg/day zinc and placebo, respectively. Independent t-test was used for analysis. The mean age of the children was 14.07 +/- 8.18 months. The average of hospital admission days for the case and control group was 3.14 +/- 0.125 and 3.59 +/- 1.83 days, respectively [p<0.05]. Also, the mean of admission days for children with moderate dehydration in the case and control groups was 2.69 +/- 0.73 and 3.11 +/- 1.29 days, respectively [p<0.05]. In the children with severe dehydration in the case and control group, it was 4.65 +/- 1.46 and 5.22 +/- 2.7 days, respectively [p<0.05]. The duration of admission of the case group was 3.29 +/- 1.41 days for children with 6-12 months, 3 +/- 0.98 days for children with 13-24 months, and 2.9 +/- 1.25 days for children with 35-36 months old [p>0.05]. Based on the results, zinc supplement reduces duration of diarrhea in the children with acute diarrhea. Therefore, it is recommended for treatment of this syndrome in these children

[Prenatal diagnosis of human fetal Rh blood group by heminested-PCR]

Background: The rhesus blood group antigen system is important in transfusion and clinical medicine, being involved in hemolytic disease of the newborn, transfusion reactions and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Despite the widespread use of rhesus immunoglobulin prophylaxis in rhesus D [RhD]-negative mothers, rhesus immunization still occurs. Knowledge of the RhD status of the fetus is important in the clinical management, because no further diagnosis or therapeutic procedures are necessary if the fetus is RhD-negative. RhD antigen can be detected using a sensitive PCR-based assay. It was shown that RhD negative individuals lack the RhD gene

Methods: We obtained 5m1 blood samples from thirty eight RhD positive and negative blood donors, as controls and forty chorionic villus samples [CVS] from pregnant women at 8 to 12 weeks of gestation DNA was extracted from CVS by standard salting out and blood DNA was extracted by boiling procedure. DNA amplification [heminested-PCR] was carried out with appropriate primers

Results: PCR products were analyzed on an agarose gel. RhD gene determined in all CV samples

influence of surgical audit on surgical training

It is assumed but not proven that surgical audit influences surgical training. Too many variables are involved and the relationship appears too direct to require proof. Absolute candor in completely free and open discussion at mortality conferences are often modulated to suit the prevailing climate of medical litigation. In a setting where this last consideration was ignored, surgical deaths were arbitrarily attributed to either patient's disease or some clearly defined "errors ". The impact of weekly audit meetings on the education of surgical residents was assessed over a six year period. Increased autopsy rates and completeness of patient's charts were taken to reflect a positive impact of the adopted audit method on the clinical performance of surgical residents