Prevalence of stress among Iranian medical students: a questionnaire survey

A cross-sectional study measured the frequency of self-reported stress symptoms among a weighted random sample of medical students in Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran. The data were gathered using the Kessler IQ-item psychological distress scale. The overall prevalence of stress among 222 students was 61.3% and there were no statistically significant differences in stress levels between students in the pre-clinical and clinical phases or different years of study. Married students had significantly lower scores than single students but there were no differences between the sexes. Students who chose to study medicine had lower stress scores than those who were influenced by family or had no choice about the subject. Students with mild to moderate stress were significantly more likely to suffer physical problems [OR = 4.42]. Interventions are needed to tackle stress and improve Iranian medical students' physical and psychological well-being

study on serum level of zinc in heamodialysis patients

Zinc is one of the important elements necessary for human growth. CNS utilizes zinc for its biological functions. Zinc is one of the important cofactors of many enzymes in the body and about 200 enzymes contain zinc as their integral part of their structure. If for any reason zinc is omitted from the enzyme structure, those enzymes can not catalyze any biological functions. The fluctuation of this trace element in the body is clinically important. The concentration change of this trace element can lead to some overt and unrecognized manifestations in haemodialysis patients. This study is to determine the possible fluctuation of serum level of zinc in haemodialysis patients before and after dialysis, to explain the differences in concentration of such trace element in these patients. This study is a comparative and nonexperimental study which was carried out on 50 haemodialysis patients chosen randomly from the patients referred to the department of haemodialysis in 5[th] Azar hospital in Gorgan university of medical sciences. The concentration of urea, creatinine, zinc of these patients were determined using laboratory kits and spectrophotometry tchnique before and after the dialysis. The findings were analyzed by wilkacson non parameter analytical method. Results of this study indicated that the average concenteration of zinc in haemodialysis patients after dialysis was 135.32 +/- 59.32 microgram / deciliter which markedly increased in comparison to the serum concentration of this trace element before the dialysis which was 78.38 +/- 37.46 microgram / deciliter [p < 0.05]. Uremia, dialysis membrane, contaminations, heavy metals, and the quality of consumed water in the dialysis procedure, all can pave the way for the abnormality of trace element and clinical manifestation in haemodialysis patients. The trace element variation concentrations in human body clinically are very important because the decrease and increase in level of each trace element has its own clinical manifestation. The increased concentration of this trace element leads to toxification accompanied with clinical syndromes such as diarrhea and vomiting. Therefore, it is suggested that before the process of dialysis the level of released zinc from the different part of dialysis machine [such as pipeline, consumed water and dialysis membrane] be determined and on the basis of such information the level of zinc in haemodialysis patients can be replaced by proper nutrition

Serum zinc and copper level bofore and after haemodialysis

Zinc and Copper are those trace elements which are necessary for human growth and biological functions. Concentration changes of these elements in the body is clinically important. This research has been set up to study the possibility of zinc and copper variations after haemodialysis, and to determine the serum zinc and copper concentrations before and after haemodialysis. This project is a comparative, non-experimental study. The sample population were 50 of haemodialized patients chosen randomly from the patients referred to Azar hospital in Gorgan in the year of 2003 [33 male and 17 female]. The concentration of serum urea, creatinine, and copper of these patients were determined before and after dialysis, and were analyzed by SPSS software using the Wilkacson tests. The results of this research indicate that the average concentration of zinc and copper in haemodialized patients after dialysis were 135.32, 59.32 and 136.40, 51.25 microgram/deci litre respectively which is markedly increased in comparison to the serum concentrations of these trace elements before dialysis which were 78.38, 37.46 and 89.92, 32.54 microgram/deci litre respectively. In this study the average increase in concentration of zinc and copper after the process of dialysis among the haemodialized patients had a meaningful statistical variation [P<0.001]. Uremia, quality of dialysis membrane and quality of water used for the process of dialysis could be a reason for increase in concentration of zinc and copper

[Effect of haemodialysis on plasma lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme [superoxide dismutase] in Haemodialysis patients in Gorgan [south east of Caspian sea]]

Introduction and Objective: free radicals are formed in all living organisms during normal cell metabolism. Patients with chronic renal failure which are regularly dialyzed are candidates for free radical damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of haemodialysis on lipid peroxidation [the level of lipid peroxidation expressed as malondialdehyde] and erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme [superoxide dismutase] before and after the dialysis in haemodialysis patients

Material and Methods: the sampling procedure was purposive sampling. 22 patients with chronic renal failure[CRF] disease who were haemodialysed at 5th azar hospital of Gorgan dialysis center and 22 age and sex matched healthy control were recruited for this study. Haemodialysed patients and control groups that received antioxidant medicine and foods were excluded from the study. The data were analyzed by SPSS software using T-student Tests

Results: plasma malondialdehyde showed significant difference between the predialysis and control group. It increased in the postdialysis group [2.32 +/- 0.38 nmol /ml] compared with predialysis [1.27 +/- 0.23 nmol/ml] and control group [0.98 +/- 0.17 nmol/ml]. Erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme decreased in postdialysis group [951.4 +/- 17.71 unit/gram hemoglobin] compared with predialysis [1019 +/- 20.06 unit / gram hemoglobin] and control group1402.68 +/- 18.3 unit / gram hemoglobin]. Erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme was lower in dialysis group than in control group

Conclusion: the significant difference of erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme between pre and postdialysis phases might be related to uremia. Loss of this antioxidant through membranes during the dialysis process and the decreased antioxidant enzyme might be due to an increase in lipid peroxidation in haemodialysed patients. This situation may play a role in the development of atherosclerosis in these groups. For this reason, control of dialysis membrane and haemodialysis techniques, exogenous supplementation of reactive oxygen species and prevention of sudden atherosclerosis are important in improvement of haemodialysis patients life quality