[Serum ferritin level in febrile children with and without seizures]

Background: Although febrile seizure is the most common cause of convulsion in childhood and strongly age-dependent, its incidence is rare before 9 months and after 5 years. Moreover, iron deficiency in these ages may have a detrimental effect on neurological and intellectual functioning. This study was designed to determine the serum ferritin level in febrile children with and without seizures

Materials and Methods: This case-control study was performed on 80 children [6 months to 5 years] referred to Kashan Shahid Beheshti hospital from January until June 2010. They were divided into two equal case and control groups [children with febrile seizures and febrile children without seizure, respectively]. Children with the CNS disorder, developmental delay, renal failure, and shigellotic gastroenteritis were excluded. Ferritin, Hb, MCV and MCH values between the two groups were compared

Results: The mean serum feritin levels were 97.6 +/- 90.6 ng/ml for cases and 109.2 +/- 106.2 ng/ml for controls [P=0.351]. The mean corpuscular hemoglobin was 11.17 +/- 0.881 g/dl in the case group and 11.04 +/- 0.963 g/dl in the control one [P=0.534]. Moreover, the mean MCV in the febrile seizure and fever groups were 73.71 +/- 4.16 fl and 71.86 +/- 4.42 fl, respectively [P=0.049]. Also, the mean MCH in the febrile seizure and fever groups were 24.80 +/- 1.64 pg and 23.83 +/- 2.16 pg, respectively [P=0.033]

Conclusion: No relationship between the serum ferritin level and febrile seizure is seen in both groups

[Efficacy of stool antigen test for the non-invasive diagnosis of helicobacter pylori infection in dyspeptic patients referred to GI clinic of Kashan Shahid Beheshti hospital during 2007-8]

Dyspepsia is one of the most common ailments today and Helicobacter pylori infection is known as one of the common causes of dyspepsia in adults and children. Histopathologic diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori is a standard method and biopsy samples can be obtained by invasive endoscopy method. The current study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic value of stool antigen test of Helicobacter pylori as a non-invasive method. In this study all dyspeptic patients referred to GI clinic of Kashan Shahid Beheshti Hospital from 2007 to 2008 were involved in this study. In upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, mucosal biopsy was taken from antrum and corpus; simultaneous examination of the stool antigen sample for diagnosing of Helicobacter pylori was evaluated using ELISA method [positive titer>1/1]. Data were collected and analyzed for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. Among the 100 dyspeptic patients 50 were men and the remaining 50 women with a mean age of 43.3 +/- 17.13. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value in stool antigen test were%83.3,%79.4, 88.7% and 71.7%, respectively. There was a direct correlation between the severity of Helicobacter pylori infection and stool antigen titer in biopsy samples. The stool antigen test as a noninvasive method of diagnosing Helicobacter pylori can be regarded as an affordable alternative to the invasive biopsy procedure

[Effect of different types of blood on the growth of cutaneus leishmaniasis agent in vitro]

As there is a high prevalence of cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Iran, the problems and expenses for culture of the parasite are important. The effect of different types of blood human, cattle, sheep and goat on growth of leishmania tropica promastigote, L.major were examined and compared with rabbit blood. This study was preformed during 2001-2003 in Kashan. This analytical study was performed on promastigote L. tropica and L. major which was confirmed by the World Health Organization. The examination was repeated 10 times. The time of compatibility with culture medium, maximum and minimum growth based on decrease in number of active parasite as compared to the basic number at the time of culture were determined and judged statistically. The time of compatibility with culture medium was equal in all cases and it was about 1 to 3 days. With human, sheep and goat blood, maximum growth of parasite was reached in a shorter time period as compared to0 cow blood. The minimum growth in the blood of rabbit and cow was more than human, goat and sheep blood. The growth of 2 kinds of parasites in rabbit blood was more than human, goat and sheep blood [P<0.05], but it was similar to the amount of growth of these parasites in rabbit and cow blood. In places where it is difficult to have access to rabbit or cow blood, human B negative blood can be used