[Evaluation of bone mineral density in carpet weavers in Tabriz]

Carpet hand weaving is a common practice in countries such as Iran. In Iran, hand-woven carpets are produced nearly in home-based workshops categorized as informal small-scale industry, often organized around families and done in homes. It is estimated that near 2.5 million people are directly involved in carpet weaving as their profession or a hobby. Long hours of static work with awkward posture at traditionally designed looms can potentially cause high abnormality in bone mineral density [BMD]. This study aims at evaluating BMD in carpet weavers in Tabriz in 2007. In a cross-sectional study, 80 professional carpet weavers aged 20-60 years, with at least 5 years of experience, not less than 5 hours a day for at least 3 days a week were recruited in Tabriz Imam Reza during 17 months. Patients with any history of diseases or condition with possible effect on BMD were excluded. The DXA method was employed for bone densitometry at three sites; pelvic bone, wrist and lumbar vertebrae. Presence of at least one abnormal result put the patient in osteopenia [-2.5

[Evaluation of bone mineral density in carpet weavers in Tabriz]

Background: carpet hand weaving is a common practice in countries such as Iran. In Iran, hand-woven carpets are produced nearly in home-based workshops categorized as informal small-scale industry, often organized around families and done in homes. It is estimated that near 2.5 million people are directly involved in carpet weaving as their profession or a hobby. Long hours of static work with awkward posture at traditionally designed looms can potentially cause high abnormality in bone mineral density [BMD]. This study aims at evaluating BMD in carpet weavers in Tabriz in 2007

Methods and Materials: in a cross-sectional study, 80 professional carpet weavers aged 20-60 years, with at least 5 years of experience, not less than 5 hours a day for at least 3 days a week were recruited in Tabriz Imam Reza during 17 months. Patients with any history of disease or condition with possible effect on BMD were excluded. The DXA method was employed for bone densitometry at three sites; pelvic bone, wrist and lumbar vertebrae. Presence of at least one abnormal result put the patient in osteopenia [-2.5

Results: eighty carpet weavers, 48 females and 32 males with a mean age of 37.81 +/- 9.79 years were enrolled. Frequency of osteopenia and osteoporosis was 55 and 17.5% in the studied population respectively. The according rates were 68.8 and 21.9 percent for males and 45.8 and 14.6 percent for females, separately. The rates of osteopenia and osteoporosis were 50 and zero percent in cases aged 20-29 years; 60 and 10 percent in cases aged 30-39 years, 57.9 and 31.6 percent in cases aged 40-49 years; and 64.2 and 38.5 percent in cases aged 50-60 years, respectively. The rate of osteoporosis was significantly higher in males. This predominance remained after adjusting for age and duration of carpet weaving

Conclusions: comparing the results of current study with the rates of osteopenia and osteoporosis among normal population present that the rates of these two entities were significantly higher in carpet weavers. So interventions should be planned for preventing BMD abnormalities in these people

Prevalence of foot and knee deformities among high school female students in Tehran District No. 5

Foot and knee deformities are among common complaints of patients referred to the orthopedic centers. Most of naturally occurring lower limb deformities in children, which are rather common, would be corrected with further normal growth. However, a small percentage of these problems remain unresolved and may cause complications in the future. The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the prevalence of foot and knee deformities [such as, genovarus, genovalgus, flat foot.....] among one thousand female high-school students in of Tehran District No. 5. Also relationships of deformities with age, familial and personal history and severity of clinical symptoms were studied. To indicate the severity of symptoms of genovarus and genovalgus, bilateral medial femorocondylar distance and bimalleolar distance were measured respectively. Severity of hallux valgus was determined by measuring the angle formed by medial border of foot and medial border of great toe. Also clinical observance of patient's sole while standing was used to evaluate whether the patient had the pescavus or flat foot. 30. 4% of the studied subjects had knee abnormalities, of which 27.5% were classified as genovarus and 2.9% as genovalgus. 11.2% suffered from foot anomalies, of which 0.2% hadpescavus and 11% had flat foot. Prevalence of hallux valgus was 12.7%. Meaningful relationships were observed between foot and knee deformities and other variables such as age, birth order and severity of clinical symptoms. There was a significant association between foot deformities and familial or personal history. No significant association was detected between knee deformities and familial or personal history. These findings point to the importance of proper physical examination, early diagnosis and on-time treatment of foot and knee deformities in children

Human dirofilariasis due to dirofilaria repens in Ahvaz-Iran: a report of three cases

Zoonotic filariasis due to Dirofilaria repens is prevalent in several regions of the world and because of recent rise in the number of human infections in countries of Europe, Africa and Asia, it is considered an emerging zoonoses in these continents. In 2002 three cases of dirofilariasis were diagnosed. The first case was a 34 year old man from Ahvaz referred to dermatologist with a nodule on the right cheek. During the excisional biopsy an adult dirofilaria measured 120 mm in length with white color was removed. The second case was a 37 year old man from a village around Ahvaz city who noticed a single moveable nodule with itching, irritation and swelling, 1.5 cm in diameter on his chest. The patient pressed the nodule and a white worm with 130 mm in length was revealed. The third case was a 35 year old man from Ahvaz presented at Imam Khomeini hospital because of eye irritation with symptoms and signs of itching, swelling and redness of the right eye. Examination noticed a living worm with the length of 110 mm which removed from the subconjunctival space. The worms were examined in parasitology department and based on morphological characters and microscopical identified as Dirofilaria repens. This is the second report of subcutaneous and the first report of subconjunctival dirofilariasis from Iran