Comparison of effects of home visits and routine postpartum care on the healthy behaviors of Iranian low-risk mothers

Postpartum care at home is a post delivery care method that can be provided by public health nurses, trained health workers, or midwifery nurses. A study conducted to compare effect of two midwife visits at home to usual postpartum care on the healthy behaviors of low-risk Iranian mothers. A randomized controlled trial conducted on 200 mothers at a reference center for screening for infant hypothyroidism in Tehran. Mothers were randomized to either home-based [n =100] or routine-based postpartum care [n= 100]. Each mother and her neonate received two cares. Home-based cares were provided by a midwife in the intervention group. Postpartum cares in the control group were provided by care providers of primary health care system. Healthy behavior was measured using a validated and reliable researcher made instrument. The data were analyzed using independent sample t-tests, paired t-test, and chi[2]-test. The data showed that a significant number of subjects in the control group did not receive their postpartum care [P< 0.001]. The mean score of maternal healthy behaviors in the intervention group increased from 120.5 [SE= 0.76] to 148.9 [SE= 1.02] [P< 0.001] and in the control group from 119.9 [SE= 1.06] to 140.9 [SE= 1.08][P< 0.001]. The mean score of maternal healthy behaviors in the intervention group had significant differences with that in the control group at the end of study [P< 0.001]. Early postpartum care at home by trained midwives can be positively effective for improving maternal healthy behaviors in less developed countries

[Electromyographic activity of the vastus medialis obliques and vastus lateralis longus muscles during squat with isometric hip adduction in athletes with patellofemoral pain syndrome and healthy athletes]

Patellofemoral is a pain syndrome, common among athletes and the theraputic regiment based on the improvement of muscle involved in this disorder. This study was done to compare electromyography activity of the vastus medialis obliques and vastus lateralis longus during squat with isometric hip adduction in athletes with patellofemoral pain syndrome and healthy athletes. This case-control study was carried out on 16 national team male athletes [volleyball, handball and taekwondo] aged 30-18 years with patellofemoral pain syndrome and 16 healthy male athletes. Subjects were matched based on weight, height, age, dominant of lower extremity and voluntarily participated. Electromyography activity of vastus medialis obliques and vastus lateralis longus muscles recorded by surface electrodes at 15, 30 and 45 knee flexion degrees. Paired t test was used to compare electromyography activities in each group and One-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test was used to compare each muscle in different angles. There was significant differences in the activity of vastus medialis obliques and vastus lateralis longus muscles in athletes with patellofemoral pain syndrome at 45 knee flexion degree [P<0.05]. There were no significant differences between the muscle activities in healthy athletes at none of the knee flexion degrees. There were significant differences in the activity of vastus medialis obliques [P<0.05] and vastus lateralis longus [P<0.05] muscles at 45 degrees in comparison with muscle activities in each group in knee flexion degrees. Electromyography activity of the vastus medialis obliques in healthy athletes during squat with isometric hip adduction at 45 knee flextion is greater than other degrees and in athletes with patellofemoral pain syndrome is greater than healthy athletes

Comparison of effects of streptase and heberkinasa in treatment of acute ST elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI]

Streptokinase [SK] is the most widely used thrombolytic agent in treatment of acute STEMI in our country. Recent studies have showed the poor quality of SK products in use in the developing countries. this clinical trial study was performed between 2005 and 2006 at Ghaem and Javad-al-Aemeh Hospitals of Mashhad and Shariati Hospital of Fasaa. Two hundred sixty thrombolytic eligible acute STEMI patients were randomly assigned to Streptase, produced in Germany [group I; n=130] or Heberkinasa, produced in Cuba [group II; n=130].Dose of drugs was 1, 500, 000 units administrated in 60 minutes. Response to treatment were assessed by clinical [angina, re-MI, heart failure, mortality], laboratory [CK_MB], electroeardigraphy [resolution of ST elevation, arrhythmia] and echocardiographical [LVEF, MR] parameters. All data were analyzed by the SPSS version 11 and comparison between the treatment groups was performed using the chi-square and Z-test. The patients in two groups were similar in age, sex, risk factors, site of MI and killip class. More than 50% decline in the sum of ST elevation was observed in 76.9% of group I and 53.1% of group II, [p=0.000]. Peak of CKMB at 6[th] hour was higher in group I than II, 70.8% vs 60%, [p=0.01]. Occurrence of re-MI was not significantly different, 1.53% vs 0.76% [p=0.56]. Superiority of Streptase to Heberkinasa was shown also in the rate of pulmonary edema, 9.2% vs 19.2% [p=0.02] and cardiogenic shock, 6.9% vs 19.2% [p=0.003]. Mean LVEF was higher in group I, 50.8% vs 40.5% [p=0.0001] and significant MR [mitral regurgitation] was lower, 3.3% vs 8.3% [p=0.03]. Mortality rate wasn't different in two groups. According to clinical and paraclinical parameters streptase was significantly more effective than Heberkinasa in the treatment of patients with acute STEMI