Evaluation of intravitreal injection of pentoxifylline in experimental endotoxin-induced uveitis in rabbits.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the clinical and histopathological effects of intravitreal injection of pentoxifylline (PTX) the management of an experimental model of uveitis. Fifty-two rabbits were divided randomly into six intravitreal treated groups as below: 1) Balanced salt solution (BSS), 2) Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide endotoxin (LPS) + BSS, 3) LPS + PTX 100 µg, 4) LPS + PTX 500 µg, 5) BSS + PTX 100 µg and 6) BSS + PTX 500 µg. Inflammation was evaluated by clinical examinations using slit lamp on days 1, 3, 5 and 7 post injections and histopathological examinations were also performed at the end of the study. Clinical examinations demonstrated a statistically significant difference between group 1 and group 2 on day 5 and day 7. Moreover, the comparison of clinical severity scores of group 1 with groups 3, 4, 5 and 6, on third, fifth and seventh post-injection days showed statistically significant differences. The mean histopathological inflammation intensity score in groups 5 and 6 was significantly higher than group 1. The mean histopathological inflammation intensity score in groups 3, 4, 5 and 6 was significantly higher than group 2. Intravitreal injection of PTX in an experimental model of uveitis in rabbits not only does not reduce inflammation but also leads to inflammation when used alone or in combination with LPS.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Iran: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome) MetS( is a complex risk factor which increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. There are many studies with various populations and results about the prevalence of MetS in Iran; in order to authenticate these studies and have an overall estimation of its prevalence in Iran, performing a meta-analysis seems to be necessary. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of MetS and its components in Iran via meta-analysis method. METHODS: All associated published papers in national and international journals of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Magiran, Iranmedex, Science Direct, Medlib, and SID databases were searched from January, 2000 to October, 2016. All types of studies, including local and national surveys that reported the prevalence of MetS among healthy populations in Iran were reviewed. The effects of age, sample size and publication date as possible sources of heterogeneity among the study findings was examined by meta-regression. P-values less than 0.05 were considered as significant in heterogeneity tests. All analysis was done by R Ver. 3.2.1 and STATA (version 10). RESULTS: Seventy eligible studies were selected for meta-analysis. The overall estimation of MetS prevalence was 25% (95% CI: 22-29%) based on the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria, 30% (95% CI: 25-36%) according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and 39% (95% CI: 26-52%) based on the Joint Interim Societies (JIS) criteria. The prevalence of MetS was lower in men than in women (26.9% versus 35.7%). The prevalence of various MetS components including High TG (triglyceride), Low HDL-C, High BP and High FBS (fasting blood sugar) was 43%, 54%, 38% and 22% among the adult population. CONCLUSION: Findings from the present meta-analyses study displayed a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Iran, especially in women, which increases with age in both sexes. It alerts health care providers and policy makers to find solutions in order to take action to reduce MetS risk in society.

The prevalence of visual disorders in Iranian students: A meta-analysis study and systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Visual defects have dramatic effects on health, self-esteem, and educational function of students, and delayed diagnosis will cause complications, like academic failure and psychologic disorders. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of ocular disorders in Iranian students in a systematic review. METHODS: We searched databases, including PubMed, SID, Magiran, Google Scholar, and Iranmedex using the following keywords in Persian and English: disorders, vision, amblyopia, refractive errors, astigmatism, student, and Iran with all the possible combinations, important, chief, and sensitive words. Search resulted in 28 articles, conducted during a period from 1996 to 2014 in Iran and their data was analyzed using meta-analysis and random effects model. Heterogeneity of studies was assessed using I2 index, and data was finally analyzed with R Software and STATA (Version 11.2). RESULTS: Total number of subjects in the study was 1,117,274, aged 2 to 18 years. The prevalence of disorders related to amblyopia, refractive error, and strabismus was 8%, 7% and 1%, respectively. The greatest amount of refractive error was related to astigmatism (19%) followed by myopia (17%). CONCLUSION: According to the study results, the prevalence of visual disorders among Iranian students indicated the critical necessity of screening programs for prevention of visual disorders in this age group.

Findings of Optical Coherence Tomography of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Two Common Types of Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most prevalent disease caused by the inflammatory demyelinating process that causes progressive nervous system degeneration over the time. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive optical imaging technology, which can measure the thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer as well as the diameter of the macula. The purpose of the study is evaluation OCT findings in two common types of multiple sclerosis. For doing the cross-sectional study, 63 patients with two prevalent types of multiple sclerosis (35 patients with Relapse Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) and 28 patients with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS) were evaluated for 6 months. Exclusion criteria of the study were a history of optic neuritis, suffering from diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ocular disease, and the presence of other neurologic degenerative diseases. Then, the thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), as well as thickness and volume of the macula, were measured in the patients using OCT technology. The disability rate of patients was evaluated according to Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Finally, data was analyzed by means of SPSS software. Overall, 35 patients with RRMS (with mean age of 32.37+10.01, average disease period of 3.81+3.42 and mean EDSS of 1.84+0.45) and 28 patients with SPMS (with mean age of 39.21+9.33, average disease period of 11.32+5.87 and mean EDSS of 5.12+1.46) were assessed and compared in terms of retinal nerve fiber layer and size and thickness of macula. In all of these sections, the thicknesses were smaller in SPMS patients than patients with RRMS. But, there was a significant difference in total thickness (81.82µm versus 96.03µm with P=0.04) and thickness of temporal sector (54.5 µm versus 69.34 µm with P=0.04) of retinal nerve fiber layer and macular size at the superior sector of external ring (1.48 mm³ versus 1.58 mm³ with P=0.03), and nasal sector of external ring surrounding macula (1.53 mm³ versus 1.66 mm³ with P=0.03). No significant correlation was found among rising disability and reduced thickness of macula and optic nervous layer. Based on the study results, it can be said that OCT is a useful method for showing axonal degeneration severity and evaluation of various drugs effects on the course of MS disease, and thus we can change drugs based on OCT findings for achieving best results.

Helicobacter pylori eradication effect on patients with functional dyspepsia symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Dyspepsia is a common symptom with a broad differential diagnosis and complex pathophysiology which annually affect about 25% of the general population. Results of Helicobacter pylori eradication in the patients with dyspepsia symptoms in the different studies are controversy. Aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication in the patients with functional dyspepsia. METHODS: In order to doing the clinical trial study, demographic and clinical symptoms of the patients that referred to the gastroenterology center of the Ilam County from 1391 to 1392 was recorded in a standard questionnaire (including criteria of ROM III). Overall 120 patients with dyspepsia were selected and divided into two groups of "control" and "treatment". Helicobacter pylori presence was confirmed by stool antigen test in all of the patients. Selected patients were randomly divided into two groups. Standard therapy for the Helicobacter pylori eradication was done for two weeks periods in the one group. Then in this group antacid medication (morning and night) was continued. Four weeks treatment with antacid medication (morning and night) was performed for second group (control) and then both groups were treated with antacid for three month and both groups were finally evaluated with same questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 32 years; 55.8% of the patients were female. The most prevalent symptoms of functional dyspepsia (25.7%) were in the age groups of 16-34 years and 35-43 years. All of dyspepsia symptoms in the both groups of cases (Helicobacter pylori standard treated) and control (treated with antacid) decreased after treated. However, this reduction in all symptoms was not significant except for epigastric pain and vomiting. CONCLUSIONS: Helicobacter pylori eradication has a little effect in improving of the functional dyspepsia syndrome and the effect was justly seen in the symptoms of epigastric pain and vomiting.

A 7-Years Retrospective Study of Gastrointestinal Cancers Incidence in the Western Iran.

INTRODUCTION: In Iran, cancer is the third reason of the death and every year 500,000 new cases were detected, and 14% of all death is related to cancer. The most common system that is affected by cancer (after the skin) is gastrointestinal (GI) system. The purpose of the study is evaluation of the 7 years incidence (2002-2008) of the GI cancers in Ilam province in the west of Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, total 307 record health related to the patients affected by the gastro-intestinal system cancer were evaluated after referring to the pathologic centers of the Ilam province and neighboring provinces. Patient's data were recorded from their file based on the standard questionnaire. RESULT: The mean age ± standard deviation of participants was 63.8+1.5. More than half of participants study was men (58.3%). The prevalence of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colorectal cancers was significantly higher in the men than the women (unlike liver cancer) (p<0.001). The most common site of GI cancer were esophagus (38.1%) and stomach (34.2%) but small intestine was allocated the least prevalence (1%) to itself. The most common pathology type of cancer was adenocarcinoma in the GI system (68.1%). CONCLUSION: According to the high prevalence of the GI cancer and also the ascending incidence of the patient with disease in the Ilam province, special measures should be considered for the reduction of the life and property load resulted from this disease. People by introduction of the warning signs of the gastrointestinal system cancer should be screened for GI cancer.

Associated factors with male infertility: a case control study.

OBJECTIVE: Sperm analysis is an important step to evaluate and diagnose male's infertility. The present study aimed to determine associated factors with males' infertility by using semen analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study 96 men were evaluated who attended to the infertility clinics of Ilam province, western Iran between May 2010 to May 2011. Semen analysis was done using the Weili Dynamic Sperm Analysis software adapted to the WHO classification. Based on movement and speed characters, sperms were classified to either A, B, C or D classes. Participants were stratified into two groups that called "Oligospermia (OS)" with sperm counts of less than 20 million in mL (n=48) and "Non-Oligospermia (NOS)" with values more than determined cutoff point (n=48). RESULTS: The Mean age ±SD for OS and NOS group were 29.9 ±5.1 y and 31.17 ±5.24 y, respectively (p>0.05). Overall, 62.5% of OS and 31.2% of NOS were clinically infertile (OR=3.6, CI, 1.5-8.5, p=0.01). A significant difference was found between job and live ratio(A+B+C) in NOS group (F=2.8, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of infertility was higher in the OS men compared to the NOS group. The main risk factors in the OS group were History of Varicocele surgery and residence site of patients that are totally similar to the NOS men. Further case-control studies and clinical trials are recommended to recognize infertility causes in men.

Using VARK Approach for Assessing Preferred Learning Styles of First Year Medical Sciences Students: A Survey from Iran.

BACKGROUND: Preferred learning styles of learners are different, which depend on tastes, mentality preparedness, as well as physical condition, in terms of sensory modalities. Identifying and employing appropriate learning styles could play an important role in selecting teaching styles, which can improve education ultimately. AIM: The present study aimed to assess the diversity of learning styles amongst medical students of a medical sciences university which was located west of Iran, in 2010. METHODS: A cross-sectional study which employed VARK learning style's questionnaire was done on 141 first year medical sciences students at Ilam University of Medical Sciences in 2010. Data was collected with use of VARK questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was assessed on basis of experts' views and its reliability was calculated by using Cronbach's alpha coefficients (α=0.86). Data were analysed by using SPSS software and Chi-square test. RESULTS: Overall, 41.6% of the samples preferred to use a single learning style (Uni-modal). Of these, 17.7% preferred the Aural style, 17% preferred Reading and Writing, 6.4% preferred Kinesthetic style and 0.7% preferred Visual styles. Among the rest of the 82 students who preferred more than one style (multimodal), 17% chose two modes (bimodal), 13.5% chose three modes (tri-modal), and 27.6% chose four modes (quad-modal). There was a significant difference between educational levels and majors on one hand and choice of quad modal of VARK styles on the other hand (p=0.008). A significant association was also found between participants' genders and selection of visual and reading/writing styles (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: The preferred learning styles of medical students in the present study were aural and reading/writing. It is suggested that all medical students must be tested to determine their desired learning styles by using VARK questionnaire, also to choose appropriate teaching methods and to improve educational goals.

Celiac disease prevalence in the patients with irritable bowel syndrome in the ilam province; a cross sectional study from Western iran.

INTRODUCTION: Many studies have shown that the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) is increasing in the patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but the present evidences are controversy and all of the researches don't suggest evaluation of the patients with IBS for the CD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the cross-sectional study, 1000 patients that affected by IBS with the predominant feature of diarrhea who referred to the gastroenterology clinic were evaluated during 2009-2012 years. Blood samples were taken from the patients for ELISA of IgA tissue transglutaminase (TTG) Ab. Then biopsy was taken from the second part of duodenum of all of patients by endoscopy and the sample was referred to pathologist for histopathology evaluation in order to confirm diagnosis. RESULTS: About half of the patients with IBS were women (50.3%) and the mean age ± Standard deviation of the men and women was 29.59±11.41 and 28.42±11.73, respectively. The mean titer of TTG IgA Ab in the women and men affected by IBS was 5.25±17.77 and 7.22±25.4, respectively. Seventy six cases (7.6%) that affected by IBS had high serum level of Ab titer (TTG IgA.Ab≥10) that including 41 women and 35 men. In the patients with high serum level of Ab titer, 57 cases (75%) were affected by celiac disease (based on histopathology report). Therefore, the prevalence of CD was 5.7% among patients with IBS. CONCLUSION: In the current study the incidence of CD was evaluated 5.7 cases per each 100 people with IBS. It's suggested that all of the patients with diarrhea predominant IBS and high serum level of TTG IgA Ab must be examined for evaluation of CD.