Efficacy and safety of Iranian made deferasirox [Osveral]in Iranian major thalassemic patients with transfusional iron overload: a one year prospective multicentric open-label non-comparative study

To determine the efficacy, adverse effects and safety of a new Iranian generic product of deferasirox [Osveral] in Iranian transfusion dependent major thalassemic [TD-MT] patients. In 9 main thalassemia treatment centers, all of TD-MT patients [aged >/= 2 yrs] with serum ferritin [SF] levels >/= 1000 ng/ml, or >100 ml/kg of RBC transfusion, who could not tolerate parental iron chelating were recruited regardless of their previous iron chelation therapy. Periodical clinical and laboratory evaluations were conducted for adverse effects [AEs]. Primary efficacy end point was Mean of Relative Change of Serum Ferritin [MRC-SF] from the baseline level during one year. Analysis of variance [ANOVA], t test, chi-square or Fisher exact test were used for statistic analysis appropriately [P values <0.05 were considered as statistical significant]. In 407 cases the male/female ratio was 0.98. Mean age was 11.5 +/- 7.4 [2-58] years. The mean of initiating dose of Osveral and mean usage dose during the study was 23.5 +/- 4.9 mg/kg and 24.9 +/- 4.9 mg/kg respectively. MRC-SF was -11.44% +/- 38.92 and it showed significant decline in SF [P value<0.001] one hundred and forty eight patients out of 407 patients experienced at least one. AE, the most common of them were transient increase in serum creatinin [97;24.1%] and > 5 time increase in transaminases [24;5.89%].The causes of discontinuation of treatment were non-satisfactory treatment [24; 5.8%], poor or non-compliance of patients [21;5.1%], and adverse effects [13; 3.1%]. A detailed comparison with similar studies on deferasirox [Exjade] shows a promising efficacy and safety for its Iranian generic product [Osveral]

Relationship between the attraction of participation methods with voluntary activities among volunteers of Red Crescent society of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad in 2010

The process of attracting volunteers' participation is different from the past due to the increasing spread of science and technology, so appropriate actions should be taken in order to properly invite people to join voluntary activities. Because this research includes attitudes and practices of volunteers in Red Crescent society of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad in form of volunteer groups, the results can be used for designing appropriate strategies in order to continue to attract public participation. This descriptive study was done on 400 volunteers in Red Crescent society of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad in 2010. A Likert-style questionnaire was designed by the researchers. The questionnaire was composed of 40 questions. Independent variable namely attraction of public participation included three sub-scale [face to face methods, advertising techniques and making group techniques]; and dependent variable, i.e. voluntary activities covered 4 subscales [voluntary activities of support groups, skills groups, participation and also guidance groups].Correlation between these variables was identified. The results indicated, in view of respondents, there was a significant relationship between participation in voluntary activities with methods of attracting participation by using Qui square Test [p <0.05]. The methods of participation have a high impact on voluntary activities. Public participation in voluntary activities can be provided according to each group special conditions, cultural characteristics and facilities both individually and together as a group