[ prevalence of atrophic tongue in patients referring to Isfahan health clinics]

Introduction: Atrophic tongue or smooth tongue is resulted from atrophy of the filiform papillae. The tongue often shows a shiny red appearance. This lesion may be seen in many systemic diseases

Method: This descriptive analytic study was conducted on 200 patients referred to Isfahan health clinics in spring 2015. A questionnaire about demographic characteristics and history of mouth diseases was filled out for each patient and they were clinically examined afterwards. If the atrophic tongue was observed, a sample was taken by swab from the site of the lesion to assess fungal infection. For positive fungal cultures, Candida species were detected using germ tube method. Data were analyzed using chi[2] and binomial test and through SPSS15

Results: Of the studied patients, 174 ones had systemic diseases and 26 patients [13%] had atrophic tongue. Candida was found in 73.1% of the lesions. Germ Tube detected 57.9% Candida Albicans and 42.1% Candida Glabrata. Atrophic tongue showed no significant association with dry mouth, burning sensation of tongue, age and gender

Conclusion: This study showed a significant prevalence of atrophic tongue in patients with systemic diseases. Therefore, systemic diseases should be controlled and treated. There is high chance of detecting Candida in atrophic tongue with equal chance of detecting Candida Albicans and Candida Glabrata in this lesion

Duffy blood group genotypes among malaria Plasmodium vivax patients of Baoulch population in Southeastern Iran

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the distribution of Duffy blood group genotypes in Balouch population as a major ethnic group that living in a sub-tropical area in south East of Iran.@*METHODS@#In this study, the Duffy blood group FY phenotypes were determined using indirect anti-globulin technique and also genotype by PCR-RFLP in 160 vivax malaria patients and 160 control individuals.@*RESULTS@#The results showed that the most common Duffy genotype was FYA/FYB (46.6%) followed by FYA/FYA (15.3%), FYA/FYO (14.4%), FYB/FYO (11.9%), FYB/FYB (10%) and FYO/FYO (1.9%). In case individuals, frequency of FYA, FYB and FYO alleles were 0.471, 0.431 and 0.097, respectively compaired to 0.444, 0.353 and 0.203, respectively in control (non-infected) group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#This data provide evidence that individuals with the FYA/FYB genotype have higher susceptibility to malaria and there are significant associations between Duffy blood group variants and susceptibility or resistance to vivax malaria.

Comparison of right and left side heart functions in patients with thalassemia major patients with thalassemia intermedia, and control group

Heart disease is the main cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with beta thalassemia, rendering its early diagnosis vital. We studied and compared echocardiographic findings in patients with beta thalassemia major, patients with beta thalassemia intermedia, and a control group. Eighty asymptomatic patients with thalassemia major and 22 asymptomatic cases with thalassemia intermedia [8-25 years old] were selected from those referredto All Asghar Hospital [Zahedan-Iran] between June 2008 and June 2009. Additionally, 80 healthy individuals within the same age and sex groups were used as controls. All the individuals underwent echocardiography, the data of which were analyzed with the Student t-test. The mean value of the pre-ejection period/ejection time ratio of the left ventricle during systole, the diameter of the posterior wall of the left ventricle during diastole, the left and right isovolumic relaxation times, and the right myocardial performance index in the patients with beta thalassemia major and intermedia increased significantly compared to those of the controls, but the other parameters were similar between the two patient groups. The mean values of the left and right pre-ejection periods, left ventricular endsystolic dimension, and left isovolumic contraction time in the patients with thalassemia intermedia increased significantly compared to those of the controls. In the left side, myocardial performance index, left ventricular mass index, isovolumic contraction time, and deceleration time exhibited significant changes between the patients with thalassemia major and those with thalassemia intermedia, whereas all the echocardiographic parameters of the right side were similar between these two groups. The results showed that the systolic and diastolic functions of the right and left sides of the heart would be impaired in patients with thalassemia major and thalassemia intermedia. Consequently, serial echocardiography is suggested in asymptomatic patients with beta thalassemia for an early diagnosis of heart dysfunction and proper treatment