Validity and Reliability of the Persian Versions of National Institute of Health Stroke Scale and Modified National Institute of Health Stroke Scale in Hospitalized Patients.

BACKGROUND: National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and Modified National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (mNIHSS) are two valid and reliable questionnaires that assess stroke severity. This study aimed to examine and compare the validity and reliability of Persian versions of NIHSS and mNIHSS in hospitalized patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The English versions of NIHSS and mNIHSS were translated to Persian (forward and backward), and three neurologists examined the face and content validity of both questionnaires. The Persian versions of NIHSS and mNIHSS were used in 75 hospitalized stroke patients (hemorrhagic and obstructive) admitted to Namazi teaching hospital, Shiraz, Iran. The reliability and validity of the Persian versions were examined by Cronbach's alpha coefficient and convergent validity. RESULTS: The values of Cronbach's alpha for Persian versions of NIHSS and mNIHSS were 0.81 and 0.86, respectively. The scaling success of convergent validity in NIHSS and mNIHSS were 80% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The Persian versions of NIHSS and mNIHSS were reliable and valid. However, mNIHSS was more valid and reliable than NIHSS. Persian version of mNIHSS can be suggested to be used for assessing stroke severity in hospitalized stroke patients by neurologists and researchers.

Fingolimod versus natalizumab in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis: a cost-effectiveness and cost-utility study in Iran.

AIMS: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, autoimmune, and inflammatory disease. If the first-line medicines are not effective enough, specialists will prescribe second-line medicines, such as natalizumab and fingolimod. This study aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of fingolimod with those of natalizumab in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in Iran, Fars province in 2016. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a cost-effectiveness and cost-utility study in which a Markov model was used. The study used the census method to evaluate 81 patients with MS in Iran, Fars province who were being treated with fingolimod and natalizumab. In this study, costs were collected from the societal perspective, and the outcomes were the mean of relapse avoided rate and QALY. The cost data collection form, Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale, and EQ-5D-3L questionnaire were used to collect the required data. RESULTS: The results showed that, compared to natalizumab, patients who used fingolimod had decreased costs (58,087 vs 201,707), increased QALYs (8.09 vs 7.37), and a better relapse avoided rate (6.27 vs 5.83) per patient over the lifetime. The results of the sensitivity analysis showed that the results of the study were robust. Also, the results of the scatter plots showed that fingolimod was more cost-effective based on the QALY and relapse avoided rate in 62% and 56%, respectively, of the simulations for the thresholds below $15,657 for the studied patients. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of this study, the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of fingolimod were higher than those of natalizumab. Therefore, it is recommended that treatment with fingolimod be the first priority of second-line treatment for MS patients, and policy-makers and health managers are encouraged to make efforts in order to increase insurance coverage and reduce the out-of-pocket payments of these patients.

The effect of nurse-led care on stability time in therapeutic range of INR in ischemic stroke patients receiving warfarin.

PURPOSE: The current study is designed in order to investigate the effect of nurse-led care (the supportive and educational measurements by nurses) on stability time in therapeutic range of INR in ischemic stroke patients receiving Warfarin. METHOD: In this quasi-experimental study, 80 ischemic stroke patients were investigated, 40 patients in experimental group and 40 in the control group referred to the nurse-based warfarin clinics affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The mean±SD duration of the intervention was 144±84days. The patients based on the percentage stability time in the therapeutic range of INR were classified into 3 groups of good control (>75%), medium control (60-75%), and poor control groups (<60%). The results were analyzed using qui-square and independent t-test according to these categories. RESULTS: 38 patients in the experimental group and 39 in the control group had the therapeutic range of INR 2-3. The percentage of the stability time in the therapeutic range of INR (mean±SD) in the experimental group was 64.08%±18.7 and in the control group it was 44.58%±25.12 (P<0.001). The percentage of total INRs within the therapeutic range was 52.5% in the experimental group and 40.6% in the control group (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, using the stroke prevention guidelines, thrombotic therapy protocols and familiarity with patients' diagnosis and risk factors in the experimental group led to more patients' stability time (The time that patients could remain stable within the INR therapeutic range) in their therapeutic range of INR as the best indicator of clinical performance.

Prevalence and Incidence of Multiple Sclerosis in Fars Province, Southern Iran.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, which is accompanied by significant disabilities. Although there are some published data regarding the epidemiological features of MS in other parts of Iran, scarce data are available about the prevalence and demographic characteristics of MS in Fars province. The current study aimed to address the prevalence and incidence rate of MS as well as the temporal trend of the disease in Fars province, southern Iran. METHODS: This historical retrospective cohort study was carried out in Fars Multiple Sclerosis Society affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. All the consecutive patients who fulfilled 2010 McDonald criteria for definite MS were included in the study. The patients' gender, age at time of diagnosis, education, and clinical course were recorded. The prevalence and incidence rates were also calculated. RESULTS: This study was conducted on 3,354 patients. Among the patients, 2,689 (80.2%) were female and 665 (19.8%) were male. The female/male ratio was 4.04. The point prevalence rate of the disease was 72.1/100,000 persons in October 2013. This index was 116.5 per 100,000 persons in females (95% CI: 113.4-119.6) and 28.3 per 100,000 persons in males (95% CI: 26.8-29.9). The mean annual incidence rate was 5.2/100,000 from 2002 until 2012. CONCLUSION: Considering Kurtzke classification, Fars is a high-risk area for MS and women are affected more compared with men. Moreover, the incidence rate sharply increased in the last decade.

Role of insulin metabolism disturbances in the development of Alzheimer disease: mini review.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Different pathogenic processes have been studied that underlie characteristic changes of AD, including A beta protein aggregation, tau phosphorylation, neurovascular dysfunction, and inflammatory processes. Insulin exerts pleiotropic effects in neurons, such as the regulation of neural proliferation, apoptosis, and synaptic transmission. In this setting, any disturbance in the metabolism of insulin in the central nervous system (CNS) may put unfavorable effects on CNS function. It seems that disturbances in insulin metabolism, especially insulin resistance, play a role in most pathogenic processes that promote the development of AD. In this article, the relationships of disturbances in the metabolism of insulin in CNS with A beta peptides aggregation, tau protein phosphorylation, inflammatory markers, neuron apoptosis, neurovascular dysfunction, and neurotransmitter modulation are discussed, and future research directions are provided.