2-year follow-up of spirometric parameters in workers of a tile and ceramic industry, Yazd, southeastern Iran

Respiratory diseases cause a considerable amount of morbidity and mortality in the world. Pulmonary function tests are important measures for the diagnosis and management of respiratory disorders. Workers in tile and ceramic industry are exposed to high amounts of respiratory pollutants. To identify the changes in spirometric parameters in a 2-year period among tile and ceramic workers in Yazd and compare it with a control group. The study was conducted in 5 tile and ceramic factories selected by cluster sampling between 2009 and 2011 in Yazd, southeastern Iran. Demographic data and spirometric parameters of participants were recorded. Spirometric parameters were significantly reduced during the 2 years. The largest decrease was observed in FVC [=500 mL] in ball-mill and grinding after 2 years. Decrease in all spirometric parameters was significantly higher in industrial workers than office workers. Respiratory exposure in tile and ceramic industry can significantly affect pulmonary function tests

Assessment of conventional Crigler massage in recovery of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction

We aimed to determine the success rate of conventional massage in congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. 45 children attending to eye clinic with congenital nasolacriml duct obstruction initially were treated with Crigler massage ad conventional procedure. We therefore evaluated the effect of the implemented message upon one week. The overall success rate in all age groups was 84.4%, whereas it was 100% in group 1 [under 8 months], 75% in group 2 [8-12 months] and 100% in group 3 [13-24 months]. One eye did not response to treatment. Congenital nasolariml duct obstruction was more common in girls than boys and left eye involvement was more prevalent than right eye. Conservative treatment of nasolacrimal duct obstruction as a conventional procedure by ophthalmologist could be an efficient outcome

[Risk factors for diabetic retinopathy in type II diabetes mellitus]

To determine the correlation between presumed risk factors and diabetic retinopathy [DR] in patients with type II diabetes mellitus [DM]. This descriptive analytical study was performed on medical records of patients with type II DM referred to a diabetes clinic in Birjand Valiasr Hospital from September 2006 to September 2007. Parameters included age, sex, duration of DM, type of ocular involvement, blood lipid profile and levels of fasting blood sugar [FBS] and hemoglobin A1C [Hb A1C]. The study included 359 patients with mean age of 51.2 +/- 0.8 [range 35-65] years including 66.6% female subjects. Duration of DM was less than 5 years in 54.2%. Overall, 37.3% of patients had ocular involvement including non-proliferative retinopathy in 71.6%, proliferative retinopathy in 20.2% and cataracts in 3.0%. There was a positive correlation between presence of retinopathy and DM duration [P=0.001], age [P=0.006], male sex [P=0.002], high FBS levels [P=0.03] and low Hb A1C levels [P=0.001] but there was no significant correlation between retinopathy and blood lipid profile. Duration of diabetes, aging, male sex, high FBS levels and low Hb A1C levels increase the chance for developing diabetic retinopathy in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2