Comparison of quality of life between hemophilic children receiving prophylaxis and on demand therapy in Tehran

Improving quality of life in a chronic disease such as hemophilia is a major goal of treatment. Hemophilic patients can be treated either prophylactically or on demand. Since haemophilia quality of life may be affected by the disease and treatment outcomes, comparison of these regimens in respect to quality of life outcomes provides useful information. The purpose of this study is to compare the quality of life between hemophilic children receiving prophylactic and on demand therapy in Tehran, Iran. A descriptive -comparative design was used. The sample of the study consisted of 60 hemophilic children which were recruited from haemophilia treatment centres in Tehran. Of these children 30 were receiving prophylactic therapy and 30 of them were treated on-demand .Data was collected by haemophilia-specific QoL questionnaire [HAEMO-QoL]. The questionnaire consists of 8 dimensions: physical health, feeling, view of yourself, family, friends, others, sport and dealing with haemophilia.The questionnaire consists of 18 items using a5-point scale.The Higher scores represent a poorer quality of life and lower scores represent better quality of life. Data were analyzed by SPSS 15 statistical software. The mean age of children was 5.3 +/- 1.2 and 6 +/- 1 in prophylactic and on demand therapy respectively. The mean total score of quality of life was 40 +/- 9.8 and 58 +/- 10.9 for children in prophylactic therapy and on-demand treatment respectively. There was a significant difference between the quality of life scores in two groups. Analysis of subscale scores showed a lower quality of life score for family domain in prophylactic therapy group, while the scores for family and physical health subscsles in on-demand group showed a poor quality of life. Results of the study suggest that quality-of-life may be better for haemophilia children treated prophylactically

"Vitality" a missing link in adjustment to childhood cancer

A number of randomized trial studies and longitudinal researches emphasize that despite problems in social adjustment and cognitive damages, children with cancer demonstrate good emotional adjustment. Most of the research findings in this area are obtained using objective tools such as questionnaires. "Vitality of children", as a drawing tool, was used as a basis to draw a comparison between children with cancer and healthy children in this study. Accordingly, 112 children with cancer [5 girls and 57 boys aged 3 to 12 years] and 123 healthy children [77 girls and 46 boys aged 3 to 12 years] participated in the study. Findings showed that the vitality of the two groups differed significantly. Perhaps, children with cancer repress negative emotions and avoid expressing their feelings. MANOVA was used to compare the vitality scores between groups and to explore the impact of different variables. Making use of such tools that indirectly examine the emotional experience of children with cancer would be beneficial. Neglecting this issue can cause children with cancer to be deprived of r receiving supportive counselling

[Comparison of anxiety sensitivity and neuroticism in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and healthy individuals]

Background: irritable bowel syndrome [IBS] is a common disease; it seems that psychological factors play a role in development and maintenance of IBS. The main purpose of the current study is to compare patients with IBS and healthy individuals regarding anxiety, sensitivity, and neuroticism

Materials and Methods: participants included 76 IBS patients [41 female and 35 male] who referred to the Qazvin Bou Ali Sina especial Center and 76 individuals not diagnosed with IBS. All participants filled out the Anxiety Sensitively Scale and Neuroticism subscale of the Eysenk Personality Questionnaire-Revised [short scale]

Results: results showed no significant difference between the two groups in terms of psychological factors. Sampling method and the complex nature of IBS among other factors has been discussed to account for such results

Conclusion: it can be concluded that anxiety, sensitivity, and neuroticism cannot predict the development of IBS

[Evaluating the relation between diabetic nephropathy and urinary copper level]

Diabetes is the most important metabolic disease in human. The prevalence of both types of diabetes is rapidly increasing over the world. Diabetes causes many complications including ESRD. Diabetes is responsible for 30% of ESRD. The prevalence of diabetic nephropathy in Iran is also high. Many of these patients are becoming dialysis dependent. Many studies have shown the changes of trace metals' levels in diabetic patients including cupper, zinc, Manganese and Chromium. This study evaluates the Correlation between urinary cupper and diabetic nephropathy. This is a case-control study. Samples were selected among type 2 diabetic patients attending to diabetes clinic in Vali-e-Asr hospital in Arak. Diabetic patients were divided in two groups based on microalbuminuria, 42 patients in case and 40 patients in control group. Then the patients were classified based on duration of diabetes into 4 groups and based on the HbA1c into two groups. Then urinary cupper was determined with atomic absorption spectophotometry and compared. Independent T test was used to analyze data. The patients were 28.1% male and 69.9% female in case group and 37.5% male and 62.5% female in control group. The mean cupper level was 36.14 micro g/L [14.54-57.74] in case group and 14.77% micro g/L [10.17-19.37] in control group. There was a statistically significant difference between two groups [p=0.003]. The results show a positive relation between urinary cupper and diabetic nephropathy and confirmed the results of other studies that reported the elevation of cupper in microalbuminuria. This study also showed that age, gender, duration of diabetes and HbA1c level have no effect on urinary cupper

Study on human taeniasis by administering anti-taenia drug

Mazandaran province, northern Iran, has been an area with highest prevalence of infectivity with human taeniasis during past decades. In order to assess current situation of taeniasis in the province by a method which can yield a correct estimation of infection rate, this study was performed by administrating anti-Taenia drug, during 2003-2004. A total of 417 people were randomly selected from rural areas of Mazandaran province. All of them were at first given a dose of niclosamide [2-4 500 mg tablets] and bisacodile [1-3 5 mg tablets]; then their 36 h stool passage was collected and examined macroscopically and microscopically. The results revealed that 2 individuals [0.5%] were infected with Taenia saginata. Compared with previous decades, there is a sharp drop on human taeniasis in the study area. Infected peoples were followed up till complete treatment

[Comparison of glycosylated hemoglobin and oral glucose tolerance test in diagnosis of diabetes in person withimpaired fasting glucose]

Glycosylated hemoglobin gives an average plasma glucose level over the past two to three months period. Diabetes is one of the most important causes of mortality and morbidity in the old ages, that usually due to it's slow progress, patients do not pay attention to the disease. Early diagnosis can decrease many complications. This investigation is carried out with the aim of comparison results of FBS, GTT and HbA[1]c especially in persons with impaired fasting glucose.Our study is a cross sectional analytical study. 81 persons, 40 to 65 years old, without any history of diabetes, with FBS 103 to 140mg/dl were selected according to convenience sampling method. FBS, GTT and HbA[1]C tests were done for all samples. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predict value and negative predict value of tests were determined.In this study comparison of HbA[1]C with FBS showed 100% sensitivity and 12.5% specificity, with positive predict value of 82% and negative predict value of 62.7%. In comparison of HbA[1]c with GTT, we observed 100% sensitivity and 63% specificity with positive predict value of 6.3% and negative predict value of 100%. In the other part of this investigation in comparison of FBS with GTT, 9.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity and positive predict value of 100% and negative predict value of 18.8% was reported.According to results of the present study, due to very high sensitivity and significant positive predict value of HbA[1]C as compared to FBS, HbA[1]C measurement seems to be a good test in screening and diagnosis of diabetes. Therefore, in impaired fasting glucose, we recommend measurement of both HbA[1]C and FBS. Also HbA[1]C can be used as a good replacement test for GTT in person with impaired fasting glucose