The effect of adult coloring (mandala pattern) on pain and anxiety associated with dressing changes in burn patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: The study investigated the effect of mandala coloring on pain and anxiety associated with dressing changes in burn patients. Method: This clinical trial was conducted on 60 patients in two groups. At the beginning of the study [baseline (T1)], anxiety and pain were assessed using the BSPAS and VAS. A mandala pattern with colored pencils was provided to the patients in the intervention group. Each patient was given 30 min to color. Anxiety was measured at the 35th minute (T2). A dressing change was performed and 15 min later, the variables were measured again (T3). The control group received no intervention. Results: The mean anxiety at the baseline (T1), 35th minute (T2), and 15 min after dressing changes (T3) in the intervention and control groups were 38.73 ± 5.55, 26.20 ± 6.08 and 28 ± 8.53, and 39.17 ± 4.17, 41.27 ± 3.68 and 41.63 ± 2.97, respectively. Anxiety at T1 was at the same for both groups. The anxiety in the intervention group decreased (P < 0.001) at T2 and T3 and increased in the control group. The mean pain intensity at the baseline (T1) and 15 min after dressing changes (T2) in the intervention group was 8.47 ± 1.432 and 5.9 ± 1.9, respectively, and in the control group was 8.33 ± 0.802 and 8.77 ± 0.626. Pain intensity at T1 was at the same level for both groups. The pain in the intervention group decreased at T2 (P < 0.001), whilst it increased in the control group. Conclusion: Mandala coloring can reduce pain and anxiety during dressing changes in burn patients. It can be used as adjuvant treatment. Lay Summary: Wound dressing in burn patients is accompanied by pain. This painful experience can lead to wound dressing anxiety in these patients. For this purpose, a study was conducted to check whether coloring before wound dressing can reduce the pain and anxiety of dressing in adults. Two groups of patients were included in the study; before the dressing, one group received a pre-prepared image of mandela designs along with colored pencils and colored the design to their taste. The other group did not receive any intervention. The intensity of pain and the level of anxiety of the two groups were measured before and after the dressing. The results showed that the coloring of the mandela design before dressing reduced the pain and anxiety related to the proceedure.

Effect of oral Calendula officinalis on second-degree burn wound healing.

Background: Treatment of wounds and burn injuries is very important. Nowadays, the tendency to research complementary medicine has increased. Method: In this clinical trial, 60 patients hospitalized in the burn ward who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to two groups: intervention (n = 30) and control (n = 30). In addition to treatments, the intervention group received one capsule (2 g) of Calendula officinalis daily, for two weeks, and the control group received the placebo. Wound status was assessed with the Bates-Jensen Wound Assessment Tool (BWAT) on the 1st, 7th, and 15th days of the study in both groups. Results: The mean total score of wound status using BWAT at the 1st, 7th, and 14th days in the intervention group was 48.23, 35.93, and 22.97, respectively, and in the control group was 48.90, 42.57, and 37.8. Statistically, wound condition on the first day was at the same level for both groups. Wound healing scores in the two groups increased during the 1st to 15th days of the study (P <0.001). However, in the intervention group, the range of wound healing changed on days seven and 15 and was greater than in the control group. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, C. officinalis may have beneficial healing properties and be effective in accelerating the healing of second-degree burn wounds and can be used as a supplement to treat wounds.

The Effect of Aloe Vera Clinical Trials on Prevention and Healing of Skin Wound: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Aloe vera is an herbaceous and perennial plant that belongs to the Liliaceae family and used for many medicinal purposes. The present study aimed to systematically review clinical trials regarding the effect of Aloe vera on the prevention and healing of skin wounds. METHODS: To identify all related published studies, we searched SID, IRANDOC, Google Scholar, PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and ScienceDirect databases in both the English and Persian languages from 1990 to 2016. The keywords used were Aloe vera, wound healing, and prevention. All clinical trials using Aloe vera gel, cream, or derivatives that included a control group with placebo or comparison with other treatments were included in the study. The PRISMA checklist (2009) was used to conduct the review. RESULTS: In total, 23 trials that met the inclusion criteria were studied. The results of the studies showed that Aloe vera has been used to prevent skin ulcers and to treat burn wounds, postoperative wounds, cracked nipples, genital herpes, psoriasis, and chronic wounds including pressure ulcers. CONCLUSION: Considering the properties of Aloe vera and its compounds, it can be used to retain skin moisture and integrity and to prevent ulcers. It seems that the application of Aloe vera, as a complementary treatment along with current methods, can improve wound healing and promote the health of society.

The effect of Aloe Vera gel on prevention of pressure ulcers in patients hospitalized in the orthopedic wards: a randomized triple-blind clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: One of the most common orthopedic problems is the incidence of pressure ulcer followed by immobility. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Aloe Vera gel on the prevention of pressure ulcer in patients hospitalized in the orthopedic ward. METHOD: This study is a randomized, triple-blind clinical trial which was done on 80 purposefully selected patients in orthopedic ward in Arak town, Iran, 2016. Patients were randomly assigned into two intervention and control groups based on blocking sampling method. In each group the routine daily cares to prevent bed sores were performed by nurses. In the intervention group in addition to routine nursing care to prevent bed sores, twice a day (hours of 9 and 21) pure Aloe Vera gel on the areas of hip, sacrum and heel were rubbed, but in the control group placebo (gel of water and starch) were used. Then sacral, hip and heel of both groups on days 3, 7 and 10 for of signs of pressure ulcers was evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age of patients in the control group was (42.34 ± 12.19) and in the intervention group Was (41.71 ± 11.50) years, respectively. In the intervention group 1 patient afflicted with sore of hip and two people with sacral pressure ulcer. In the control group 3 patients affiliated with sore of hip, 8 people with sacral pressure ulcer, and 1 person had pressure sore of heel. Analysis of the data showed that both groups had statistically significant differences in the incidence of pressure ulcers (P = 0.047). This means that Aloe Vera gel could prevent the occurrence of pressure ulcers in the intervention group. CONCLUSION: Due to the effect of Aloe Vera gel to prevent a rise in temperature, non-blanchable redness, swelling and pain of the skin of regions under study in hospitalized patients in the orthopedic ward, applying of it toward the prevention of pressure ulcers in patients at risk of pressure ulcer development is recommended. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in Iranian Registry of Clinical. Trials in 07/09/2016 with the IRCT ID: IRCT2016051027825N1 .

Study on genotoxicity, oxidative stress biomarkers and clinical symptoms in workers of an asbestos-cement factory.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the markers of oxidative stress could be altered in workers exposed to asbestos. A comparative cross-sectional research was conducted in a group of 50 subjects exposed to asbestos and another group of 50 with the same age and sex unexposed to asbestos. Malondialdehyde (MDA), total thiol molecule (TTM), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and DNA damage, were measured in the blood samples of workers and controls. Compared to the control group, the workers showed higher blood levels of DNA damage (P=0.0001) and MDA (P=0.0001). The workers showed lower TTM (P=0.02) as compared with the control group. There was no considerable difference on the level of TAC (P=0.1) between the groups. The workers indicated clinical symptoms such as breathlessness, phlegm, coughing and wheezing. There was a positive correlation between levels of 8-OHdG and MDA of asbestos workers and the smoking status suggesting the negative role of smoking.

Anti-Oxidative Stress Activity of Stachys lavandulifolia Aqueous Extract in Human.

UNLABELLED: Medicinal plants are presumed to be natural sources of antioxidants that protect organisms from oxidative stresses. The present investigation aims to study the anti-oxidative stress activity of the Stachys lavandulifolia (S. lavandulifolia) plant. This trial was conducted on 26 healthy human subjects. The study was done in a before after fashion. The included subjects were asked to consume the prepared infusion from 3 g aerial parts of S. lavandulifolia on a daily basis. Doses were administered in every morning and evening for 14 days. At the beginning and the end of the study, blood samples were acquired to determine the level of cellular lipid peroxidation and the total content of serum antioxidants. Biomarkers analyzed from samples obtained before start of treatment and 14 days post treatment, were subjected to paired t test analysis. Total blood antioxidants increased and reached from 2.3 ± 0.84 µmol/ml to 3.3 ± 0.54 µmol/ml. The lipid peroxidation reduced and reached from 8.38 ± 1.78 to 11.6 ± 2.64 nmol/ml. The results suggest that S. lavandulifolia possesses marked anti-oxidative stress activity and it can be useful as a supplement in the management of diseases related to oxidative stress ( REGISTRATION NUMBER: IRCT2013012210003N2).

A randomized control trial: the effect of guided imagery with tape and perceived happy memory on chronic tension type headache.

PURPOSE: To determine the effects of guided imagery techniques with tape and perceived happy memory on people with chronic tension-type headache (CTTH). METHODS: Sixty people with CTTH completed the demographic questionnaire and headache diary 1 week before the treatment, that is, for 3 weeks during the treatment and 1 week immediately after that. The people were randomly assigned into one of three different treatment groups: a Guided imagery (GI) with tape group (n = 20), a GI with perceived happy memory group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). In addition to individualized headache therapy, subjects listened to a guided imagery audiocassette tape or imagined the happiest personal memory three times per week for 3 weeks. It should be noted that 20 control subjects received individualized therapy without guided imagery. RESULTS: The guided imagery groups both tape and perceived happy memory had significantly more improvement than the controls in three of the outcome measures; headache intensity, headache frequency and headache duration. There were no other significant differences between the guided imagery groups (tape and perceived happy memory) at any time point. CONCLUSIONS: Guided imagery is an effective, available and affordable nonpharmacological therapy either with tape or with perceived happy memory for the management of the CTTH.

Oxidative stress in radiology staff.

UNLABELLED: Excessive production of reactive oxygen species has been observed following acute and chronic exposure to radiation in animal models which can lead to several detrimental and irreversible outcomes in vital organs. Aim of this study was to determine the oxidative stress status in radiology unit workers which are exposed to persistent low-dose radiation. METHODS: : A group of 32 radiology unit employees along with 32 sex- and age-matched hospital workers, not exposed to low-dose radiation were recruited from two separate hospitals for the study. Exposed subjects showed higher levels of lipid peroxidation (P=0.009), total antioxidant capacity (P=0.0006) and thiol groups (P=0.03). It is concluded that occupationally exposed individuals are oxidatively stressed and precautions such as antioxidant therapy seems reasonable.