The Effect of Adding Curcumin to Sertraline in the Treatment of Severe Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVES: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a chronic and debilitating disease influenced by inflammatory processes in the brain. Some evidence has represented the adding curcumin as a complementary regime to the standard medication in treating depressive symptoms. However, limited clinical trials have been conducted on the antidepressants effects of curcumin in MDD patients. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of curcumin in the treatment of MDD. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, 45 severe MDD patients referred to the psychiatric clinic of Ibn-e-Sina Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, during 2016 were selected. Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups who received sertraline plus curcumin or placebo at a dose of 40 mg/d for 8 weeks. The patients were evaluated using Beck Anxiety and Depression Surveys at the beginning of the study, fourth, and eighth weeks by a psychiatry resident. The data analyzed aiding SPSS software. RESULTS: While depression and anxiety significantly decreased during the 8 weeks of the study, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). However, the anxiety score was lower in the intervention group. Moreover, no severe adverse events were observed in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Adding 40 mg/d of SinaCurcumin to sertraline as a routine medical regimen did not improve the depression and anxiety levels in severe MDD patients. However, the anxiety score was lower in the intervention group than in the placebo receiver, which suggests curcumin may have a more effect on anxiety.

Comparing the Effect of Acupressure at the Spleen-10 (Xuehai) Acupoint and Vitamin E on Primary Dysmenorrhea.

Objective: Vitamin E and acupressure are 2 complementary and alternative therapies recommended for primary dysmenorrhea (PD). This study assessed the effect of acupressure at Spleen-10 (SP-10), compared to vitamin E on the pain severity of primary dysmenorrhea (PD). Materials and Methods: A quasiexperimental study was conducted on 70 eligible young female students with self-reported primary dysmenorrhea at Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran. Participants were assigned to 2 treatment groups: acupressure or vitamin E. Interventions were implemented at the onset of menstrual pain in each patient, for 2 consecutive periods: acupressure group (n = 35) received 20 minutes of acupressure to SP-10 on both legs; and vitamin E group (n = 35) took 1 capsule of 200 international units of vitamin E. Pain severity was assessed with a visual analogue scale for pain. Data were analyzed with a response-profile analysis in R, version 3.6.1. Significance was P < 0.05. Results: Both treatment groups had a similar pattern of change over time. The mean level of response profiles for pain severity was the same for both groups on all occasions. The effect of time was statistically significant (P < 0.001). A decreasing trend was noted in mean severity of pain over time. Changes at the second and third measured times were significant (P < 0.001). Conclusions: It seems that acupressure at SP10 point is an efficient nonpharmacologic, cost-effective, easy-to-learn way to treat primary dysmenorrhea, applicable in any time or place.

Nutritional knowledge, attitude and behaviours regarding Coronavirus Disease 2019 among residents of Gonabad, Iran.

OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease and a major global health-related issue. Knowledge, attitude and behaviours associated with this disease are being developed. Infected animals and consumption of contaminated foods are probably the main sources of this viral infection. Adhering to a healthy diet is effective in preventing patient affliction and recovery. Thus, the present research aims to determine the nutritional knowledge, attitude and behaviours associated with COVID-19 among Residents of Gonabad, Iran. DESIGN: The present online cross-sectional survey was conducted in March 2020 on 389 people selected through convenient sampling method. The data collection instrument was a questionnaire developed by the present researchers comprising four sections: demographic information, knowledge, attitude and nutritional behaviour. The collected data were analysed statistically in SPSS. SETTING: Gonabad city in Khorasan Razavi in the Northeast of Iran. PARTICIPANTS: All people at or above 18 years of age. RESULTS: The present results revealed that the mean age of the participants was 37·3 ± 11·3 years. The mean scores for knowledge, attitude and nutritional behaviour were, respectively, 9·7 ± 1·4, 14·3 ± 3·5 and 29·6 ± 4·2. The mean scores for nutritional knowledge and attitude showed no statistically significant correlation with age, education, occupation, marital status and economic status. However, the mean nutritional behaviour score was significantly higher among women than men (P = 0·004). CONCLUSIONS: Participants' nutritional attitude and behaviour regarding COVID-19, at its early stage in Iran, were average and above average. The public education provided with this regard can have affected this result.

Chordoma in paranasal sinuses.

Chordoma is a rare malignant intercranial tumor. Cranial base chordomas usually occur extradurally. In the current study, a 44-year-old man with chordoma in cranial base and paranasal sinuses was reported. The patient was managed with combination of surgery and radiotherapy. Surgical phase comprised anterior cranial base osteotomy, removal of lesions, and replacement of osteotomy segment. One-year follow-up showed no evidence of recurrence of lesions. Aggressive surgery with postoperative radiotherapy for treatment of chordoma in the cranial base can be suggested as a proper treatment modality.