Community Medicine

Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1; Systemic inflammatory response syndrome; C-reactive protein; Sepsis Abstract Purpose: Early diagnosis and assessment of the systemic inflammatory response to infection are difficult with usual markers (fever, leukocytosis, C-reactive protein [CRP]). Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) expression on phagocytes is up-regulated by microbial products. We studied the ability of soluble TREM-1 (sTREM-1) to identify patients with sepsis. Materials and Methods: Plasma samples were obtained on intensive care unit admission from patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome for sTREM-1 measurement. Results: Soluble TREM-1, CRP concentrations and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were higher in the sepsis group (n = 52) than in the non-infectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome group (n = 43; P = .00, .02, and .001, respectively). Soluble TREM-1, CRP concentrations, white blood cell count and ESR were higher in the sepsis group than in the non SIRS group (n = 37; P = .04, .00, .01, and .00, respectively).

Aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of suicide ideation and behavior in a community sample of an Iranian city, Karaj. Study sample consisted of 2,300 subjects, chosen randomly from the community. The WHO/SUPRE-MISS survey questionnaire, used in this study. Lifetime prevalence for suicide thoughts, plans and attempts were 12.7, 6.2 and 3.3%, respectively and for the previous year they were 5.7, 2.9 and 1%, respectively. Although it is not possible to generalize the results to the country, but in some area of Iran, the prevalence of suicide ideation, plan and attempt appeared to be similar to that of many developed countries.

Objectives Complaints of sleep disturbance increase with age and many studies have reported on the relationship of sleep problems to the greater use of health services, physical and mental morbidity, functional decline, and all causes of mortality. This study aimed to examine sleep patterns and sleep disturbances in Iranian elders and correlate their sleep quality to their health status. Methods Four hundred men and women, aged 60 years or older, were interviewed by trained interviewers regarding their physical and mental health status. The Pittsburghh Sleep Quality Index, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and a General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were then administered to each participant. The data gathered were analyzed using x 2 -test, t-test, and one-way analysis of variance and logistic regression. Results The results indicated that the majority of participants (82.6%) suffered from poor sleep quality and approximately one-third (29.2%) experienced sleepiness during the daytime. Difficulty falling asleep ( p 0.001) and maintaining sleep ( p 0.01) and the feeling of being too hot at night ( p 0.005) were significantly more prevalent in women, but men suffered more from leg twitching ( p 0.01). Being female (OR ¼ 2.52), and having GHQ scores of more than 11 (OR ¼ 4.14) increased the risk of poor sleep quality considerably. Conclusion Promoting sleep hygiene education of elders in primary health care services are recommended.

Surgery on the skeleton frequently requires harvesting of autogenous bone graft from the pelvis, but this procedure often is complicated by problems. The purpose of this retrospective, comparative descriptive study was to compare the efficacy of metal-derived bioactive glass (Novabone) versus autogenous iliac crest bone graft in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis surgery. The study was carried out on forty cases (aged 14-20 years) with 55 total curves fused for AIS. Posterior spinal fusion was performed using local bone grafts combined with autogenous iliac crest bone graft in 20 patients (group 1), and combined with Novabone in another twenty ones (group 2). The patients were observed for a minimum of 24 months after surgery, with a mean postoperative observation time of 34.7 months. The results were assessed clinically and radiologically. In group 1, average preoperative curve was 66° with immediate correction to 24.2° (59.7%) and final followup of 27.4° (54.3%), but in group 2 the calculated numbers included 63.8°, 25.8° (59.6%) and 28.4° (55.5 %) respectively. There were 5 indeterminate fusions (3 cases in group 1 and 2 in the other group), 1 acute infection, and 1 hook dislodgement in the synthetic group. These results justify and favor the use of bone substitutes for instrumented posterior spinal fusion in AIS. Potentially hazardous harvesting of pelvic bone is no longer necessary for such operations.

Objective: Several studies show co morbidity of anxiety disorders amongst patients with bipolar and unipolar disorders. It is associated with an intensification of symptoms, insufficient treatment response, non recovery, poor functional outcome and suicidality. The aim of this study was to show the frequency of anxiety disorders comorbidity and the relationship between comorbidity and suicide attempt in these patients. Method: In a descriptive study, 152 patients with bipolar and unipolar disorders in a psychiatric center were assessed with SCID. Current and lifetime comorbidity in bipolar and unipolar patients were analyzed. Results: One hundred fifty two subjects aged 18-60 years were included in the study and102 bipolar I, 11 bipolar II, and 39 unipolar patients were diagnosed. Co morbidity in each group was 21.2%, 11.5%, and 43.5%. Suicide attempt in patients with bipolar disorders and anxiety disorders comorbidity was significantly more than patients with bipolar disorders without co morbidity. Conclusions: Significant proportions of patients with bipolar and unipolar disorder had co morbid anxiety disorders. Moreover, anxiety disorders comorbidity may be associated with more suicide attempt in bipolar patients, highlighting the need for greater clinical attention to anxiety in this population, particularly for enhanced clinical monitoring of suicidality. In addition, it is important to determine whether an effective treatment of anxiety symptoms can reduce suicidality.

BACKGROUND:Health related quality of life is an important outcome measure in studies involving patients with chronic neurological conditions. Disease specific patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used as primary end points in clinical trials. The most widely used disease specific PROM is the 39 item Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). The aim of this study was to determine validity and reliability of Persian PDQ-39.METHODS:Two hundred Parkinson’s disease patients attending neurologic clinics of teaching hospitals were recruited. PD patients completed a translated version of the PDQ-39. Internal consistency reliability of the questionnaire was assessed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Reproducibility was assessed across the 3-week interval using the intraclass correlation coefficient. To assess convergent validity, results on the PDQ-39 were correlated with those gained on the SF-36. Discriminate validity of questionnaire was assessed by comparing PDQ-39 scores and the severity and the duration of disease.RESULTS:A value of 0.93 (Cronbach’s α) was gained for the summary score (PDQ-SI), indicating high levels of internal reliability. Alpha value of seven domains was greater than 0.70. The intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.47 to 0.90. The range of correlation coefficients between domains of SF-36 and PDQ-SI was from -0.40 to -0.61. There was a statistically significant difference between severity of disease and mean scores of PDSI.CONCLUSIONS:This study provides evidence that the Persian version of PDQ-39 is a valid and reliable measure of quality of life in PD.

Purpose: There are an increasing number of studies on the subjective experience of stigma amongst mentally ill persons but still few coming from low-and middle-income countries, and very few from Muslim countries. The objective of this study was to look into the experience of internalized stigma in mentally ill persons in Tehran, Iran.

Background: Rhinocerebral zygomycosis is a rare, rapidly progressive and often fatal fungal infection occurring in several immunocompromised states. Prior investigators have reported an increasing incidence among Iranian population; therefore, we decided to present the clinical features and treatment outcome of a group of patients with rhinocerebral zygomycosis. Patients and methods: Medical records of all cases with the diagnosis of rhinocerebral zygomycosis attending Rasoule-Akram Hospital, Tehran, Iran, were retrospectively reviewed from 1997 to 2007. Age, gender, predisposing illness, surgical procedures, and treatment outcomes were reviewed. Results: Totally, 30 patients (17 males and 13 females) were reviewed with a mean age of 49.4±20.3 years. The lag time between onset of symptoms referable to zygomycosis and commencement of amphotericin B was 1 to 90 days with median of 10 days. An association between delayed treatment and mortality was found (p=0.01). Visual loss was observed in 53.3%. The ethmoid (86.6%) and maxillary sinuses (66.6%) were most commonly involved. Eighteen patients had underlying diabetes mellitus (60%). All patients received medical treatment, while 28 (93.3%) underwent surgical intervention. Twenty three patients (76.7%) had orbital involvement with a mortality rate of 43.5%. The overall mortality rate was 40% (12 cases). Patients with higher doses of amphotericin B and multiple surgical intervention had lower mortality rate (p=0.00 and p=0.01, respectively). Factors such as age, gender, predisposing diseases, orbital involvement, multi-sinus involvement, and white blood cell count had no impact on survival rate. Conclusion: Institution of aggressive surgical debridement of devitalized tissue and the timely initiation of systemic medical therapy is critical for good outcome.