[Assessment of quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: a cross-sectional study in south-east Iran]

Background: Improving life is the main goal of therapeutic interventions for chronic diseases. Although we needed to determine quality of life by various variables. This study aimed to determine quality of life in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome [IBS] in Kerman

Materials and Methods: This is a cross sectional study of 143 patients with IBS referred to a specialist, assessed by IBS-QOL.34. Data analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, t-test and ANOVA, using SPSS software. p.Value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant

Results: In this study from 143 samples, 82 were females [57.3%] and 61 males [42.7%]. Quality of life score in patients was 37.16 +/- 16.72, and there was significant difference in terms of employment and education level [p.value<0.05]

Conclusion: Among patients with IBS, quality of life is far from desired. Therefore, health care providers should consider psychosocial support alongside medical management for achieving better quality of life in these patients

Distribution of myofibroblast cells and microvessels around invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast and comparing with the adjacent range of their normal-to-DCIS zones

This study seeks to determine the relationships between manifestation of myofibroblast in the stroma tissue of hyperplastic pre-invasive breast lesions to invasive cancer by investigating clinicopathological data of patients, their effect on steroid receptor expression and HER2, and angiogenesis according to CD34 antigen expression. Handred cases of invasive ductal carcinoma were immunohistochemically investigated for the presence of smooth muscle actin [SMA], ER/PR, HER2, anti-CD34 antibody and microvessel count [MVC]. Patients were scored in four different zones of invasive areas: invasive cancer, DCIS, fibrocystic disease +/- ductal intraepithelial neoplasia [FCD +/- DIN], and normal tissue. There was a significant difference in stromal myofibroblast between all areas except for the stroma of DCIS and FCD +/- DIN [P < 0.001]. We observed positive significant correlations between stromal myofibroblast, HER2 expression, and the numbers of involved lymph nodes in invasive cancer, DCIS, and FCD +/- DIN [P < 0.001]. More myofibroblast were present in grade III cases, with the least frequent observed among grade I cases in the stroma of those with invasive disease, DCIS, and FCD +/- DIN [P < 0.001]. MVC was inversely related to stromal myofibroblast in invasive cancer [P < 0.001] and DCIS [P < 0.001], whereas there was a positive correlation in the stroma of FCD +/- DIN [P = 0.002] and normal areas [P = 0.054]. There was a significant difference in MVC observed in all areas except for DCIS and FCD +/- DIN [P < 0.001]. We noted significant inverse correlations between MVC, HER2 expression, and the numbers of involved lymph nodes in invasive cancer and DCIS [P < 0.001]. Most MVC were present in grade I, with the least frequent observed in grade III cases in the stroma of invasive cancer, DCIS and FCD +/- DIN [P < 0.001]. Angiogenesis can be observed before any significant myofibroblastic changes in the pre-invasive breast lesions. The elevated content of myofibroblast in stroma of tumor; probably may be a worse prognostic factor and the steps from atypical epithelial hyperplasia to DCIS and then to the invasive carcinoma do not appear to be always part of a linear progression

Effect of hirsutism on quality of life: a study in Iranian women

To evaluate quality of life [QOL] in hirsute women in southeast Iran. In this cross-sectional study a convenience sample of hirsute females aged at least 18 years attending dermatology clinics of Kerman city, southeast of Iran, in 2005 was assessed. Each person with Ferriman-Gallway [F-G] score >8 or one area score equal to 4 was included as a hirsute case. QOL was assessed by self-administrated Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI] and SF-36 questioners. In this study 96 hirsute females with mean age 27.24 years [range, 18-52 year, SD=6.76] were assessed. The mean F-G score was 13.57 +/- 6.83 and the mean DLQI score was 10.95 +/- 6.76. Symptoms and feelings had the highest mean score among DLQI sections [2.66 +/- 1.51] and limit to work/role due to emotional problems had the lowest mean score in SF-36 sections [52.34 +/- 23.62]. In our setting, hirsutism had considerable effects on quality of life of the affected women. The most components of the QOL which take effect from the disease are those related to symptoms and feelings

Estimation of basic reproductive number of flu-like syndrome in a primary school in Iran

Iran, similar to other countries, had faced H1N1 flu outbreak in 2009. In order to assess its transmission dynamic, we estimated its force of infection [beta] and basic reproductive number [R[0]]. Within a middle size primary school in Iran, we actively followed students and detected flu-like syndrome among students and their families in the first three months of academic year; October through December 2009. We estimated the probability of disease transmission within families [beta] fitting random effects Poisson regression model. Moreover, R[0] within the school was computed based on the number of detected cases. In 452 students, 204 influenza-like syndromes were detected. The estimated beta within families was 0.10; increasing one infectious member within each family was associated with 30% increase in this number. The estimated R[0] for the first month was 1.21 [95% C.I.: 0.99, 1.47]; corresponding numbers for the first two and first three months were 1.28 [95% C.I.: 1.05, 1.54] and 1.32 [95% C.I.: 1.11, 1.59], respectively. It seems that the dynamic transmission of H1N1 virus was more or less comparable with that in other seasonal species. Our findings showed that the virus mainly circulated among students within schools. In addition, it seems that the transmission rate within families was relatively high

study on the lifestyle of the Iranian university students

Chaotic and unhealthy lifestyles in young generation will have a costly consequence for the health services in the future. The aim of the current study was to explore the way the Iranian University students live in order to inform the way for provision of better preventive strategies against chronic physical and psychological disabilities. Current study was carried out on 470 university students who completed a self administered questionnaire about various variables including their body mass index, nutritional status, physical activity, sleep pattern, physical and psychological wellbeing and substance use. Our study revealed that, in general, some students, particularly those who were studying medicine, were not enjoying a healthy lifestyle. However, female students were doing better than males in this regard. The findings of our study are overall in accord with the results of the studies published in other countries. This should inform policy makers and health service managers to develop health action programs for university students to promote healthy lifestyle

[ knowledge of interns of Kerman medical sciences university regarding child maltreatment]

Child maltreatment is not a new phenomenon and all communities have always been involved with various types of this problem. Physicians, being in the front line of diagnosis of child maltreatment, should have adequate knowledge in this regard. To determine knowledge of interns in Kerman Medical Sciences University about child maltreatment.A total of 86 interns participated in this cross- sectional study and data gathering was done by a semi- structured questionnaire developed according to valid sources of child maltreatment in the literature. The questionnaire's reliability and validity were assessed [a=0.85]. Based on the percentage of correct answers, the level of knowledge was classified as good [>75%] moderate [50-75%] and poor [< 50%]. Chi- square test was used to determine the relationship between knowledge and considered variables.Mean knowledge score was 28.3 [SD= +/- 4.8]. Half of the interns had good knowledge and the other half had not adequate knowledge. Interns' knowledge about risk factors of child maltreatment was moderate. In regard to the symptoms of child maltreatment, observable physical signs such as burning or fractures were' being considered as the evidence of child maltreatment, while psychological signs or those related to sexual abuse were not taken serious. None of the demographic features had significant relation with knowledge level of interns. Half of the participants had obtained their knowledge during their medical courses. The results of this study indicate that interns do not have adequate knowledge toward child maltreatment and considering the similarity of medical education in our country; planning educational programs to improve knowledge of Medical students and other health care providers in regard to child maltreatment seems to be highly required

[ survey on knowledge attitude and practice of interns regarding nutrition in Kerman Medical University]

Inappropriate nutrition has an important role in many pathological conditions, including such common diseases as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Despite the recognition that physicians are often called upon to provide counseling in nutritional aspects of diseases, nutrition does not hold the place it deserves in medical schools' curricula, especially in clinical and case-based teaching. The aim of study was to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice of interns in Kerman Medical University regarding the nutrition. Self-administered questionnaires, including 29 questions and in a cross-sectional study were completed by 105 interns. The mean knowledge, attitude and practice scores were 6.93 +/- 1.89 [out of 14], 15.50 +/- 3.54 [out of 40] and 1.48 +/- 1.58 [out of 7], respectively. There were no significant differences in knowledge and practice scores between males and females, but male interns had higher score in attitude [P<0.05]. We detected a statistically significant positive correlation between knowledge and attitude [r=0.22, P=0.023], so that higher knowledge level, the higher attitude score. A significant negative relationship was observed between interns' attitudes and their practices [r=-0.33, P=0.001]. Despite good attitude concerning nutrition principles, their practice scores were undesirable. The results of this study indicate there are serious defects in the knowledge of the interns concerning the principles of nutrition. Furthermore, their attitudes and practices about nutrition are undesirable. Considering the importance of proper nutrition for good health and treatment and prevention of diseases, there is a need for improvement of nutritional knowledge in future doctors. This requires careful planning and curricula changes to include the principles and practice of nutrition. In other words, nutrition needs to be re-evaluated and properly integrated into the medical school's curriculum