The incidence of traumatic brain injury in Tehran, Iran.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To assess the demographics, causes, treatment and outcome of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Tehran, Iran. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted in a major trauma centre in south of Tehran using clinical data registry of 3818 traumatic patients who admitted to the hospital from 2009 to 2013. The main factors measured were the external cause of trauma, the type of TBI, and treatment outcome. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The highest rate of TBIs occurred in age categories 21‒30 (31.5%), 31‒40 (19.2%) and 41‒50 (12.3%) years. Transport accidents were the most common cause of TBIs (2915 cases, 76.4%). The most frequent types of head injuries were subarachnoid (1676, 43.9%) subdural (1140, 29.8%), and epidural haemorrhage (974, 25.5%). A binomial logistic regression showed that mortality (612 patients, 16%) was significantly associated with the external cause of TBI, the type of main and additional head injuries, cervical spine injury, intra-abdominal organ injury, having a brain or abdominal surgery, and length of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: The mechanism of TBI, the type of head injuries, and accompanying spine and abdominal injuries were significant prognostic factors in traumatic patients.

The effects of pentoxifylline adminstration on fracture healing in a postmenopausal osteoporotic rat model / 한국실험동물학회지

Previous studies report positive effects of pentoxifylline (PTX) alone or in combination with other drugs on some pathologic bone diseases as well as an ability to accelerate osteogensis and fracture healing in both animal models and human patients. The aim of this present study was to evaluate the effects of PTX administration on Hounsfield unit and bone strength at catabolic response (bone resorbing) of a fracture in an experimental rat model of ovariectomy induced osteoporosis (OVX-D). Thirty adult female rats were divided into groups as follows: 1 (OVX, control, no treatment); 2 (OVX, sham: daily distilled water); 3 (OVX, daily alendronate: 3 mg/kg); 4 (OVX, twice daily 100 mg/kg PTX) and 5 (OVX, PTX+alenderonate). OVX was induced by bilateral ovariectomy in all rats. A complete standardized osteotomy of the right femur was made after 3.5 months. PTX and alendronate treatments were performed for eight weeks. Then, rats were euthanized and had its right femur subjected to computerized tomography scanning for measuring Hounsfield unit; eventually, the samples were sent for a three point bending test for evaluation of the bone strength. Administration of PTX with 200 mg/kg and alendronate alone and in combination showed no significant alteration in Hounsfield unit and biomechanical properties of repairing callus of the complete osteotomy compared with the control group. Results showed increased bending stiffness and stress high load mean values of repairing complete osteotomy in PTX-treated rats compared to the control OVX-D.