masoud ghofrani

Periodontitis is an infectious bacterial disease that leads to increased production of cytokines including prostaglandins. During maternal delivery, the level of prostaglandin increases to the threshold level in the amniotic fluid which leads to delivery. In the presence of infection, an increase in the amount of prostaglandins may occur sooner than the due date. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between periodontitis and low birth weight in pregnant women.

114 pregnant women (40 cases and 74 controls) participated in this case-control study. Periodontal indexes including pocket depth (PD), plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), clinical attachment loss (CAL), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were evaluated in all mothers and infants' weights were recorded. Using SPSS software version 20, data were analyzed by descriptive and quantitative tests.

The results showed significant statistical differences between the two groups in regard to BOP, PI, GI (p<0.001) and PD (p<0.05). Mothers of 92.5% of neonates with birth weights of less than 2500 grams, had periodontitis, while periodontitis  was detected in the mothers of 1.4% of infants with birth weights of more than 2500 grams and this difference was statistically significant. (p<0.05)

According to the results of this study, the periodontal condition of the pregnant women can affect neonatal birth weight. Therefore, it is necessary to design educational programs on gum diseases and their effects on the newborn before pregnancy.

Codes of ethics are a set of moral standards based on a value system widely accepted by members of a profession. In order to choose the right course of action and resolve potential ethical challenges, these codes will need to be developed so that ethical values can be identified and prioritized. Medical ethics covers all areas of medicine, and surely, rehabilitation is not an exception. This study aims to codify the ethics of the rehabilitation profession while considering the cultural and religious issues in Iran. For this purpose, we used a qualitative research method, including literature review, questionnaire, targeted interviews, content analysis, group discussion, and code extraction. The results were categorized into seven sections: “respect and empathy”, “autonomy”, “offering responsible care and reducing suffering”, “doing the right thing”, “beneficence”, “privacy and confidentiality”, and “social responsibility”. The development of ethical codes for rehabilitation determines moral norms in order to protect the rights of people who need rehabilitation services. These codes can also be used as a guide to the ethical challenges of the profession.

Physiotherapy requires close and prolonged contact of physical therapist with patient during several sessions. For this reason, many associations in other countries have formulated code of ethics for physiotherapy which referred to the most important responsibilities in this field. Despite formulation of ethical codes in many countries, these codes have not yet been outlined in Iran. Therefore, this research has been conducted to identify the physiotherapy ethical imperfections and challenges and in Iran. This study was a qualitative research in which methods of interview with authorities and focused group discussions were used. Participants in this study were 15 persons, who were purposefully selected from four professional groups including physicians, physical therapists, specialists on medical ethics and directors of physiotherapy centers. After data saturation, texts of interviews were typed verbatim. These texts were repeatedly studied by the interviewer and their results were 187 raw and rudimentary sentences. Extracted data were analyzed, reviewed and revised by the authorities on the subject and eventually the data were arranged in 4 domains of patient, physician, physical therapist, and treatment center. Findings of this research indicate the ethical challenges present in our country in the field of physiotherapy in four domains. To promote professional ethics in physiotherapy, all four parties should be aware of their rights and duties and follow ethical principles and regulations.

Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP) may be associated with impaired proprioception which can result in joint instability and balance deficit. However, wearing a lumbosacral belt may be helpful in this situation. This study aimed to identify postural control impairments in patients with CLBP and determine the effect of lumbosacral support on postural control strategies in these patients.
A total of 16 patients with CLBP and 16 healthy subjects participated in this study. Center of Pressure (COP) data were recorded for 30 seconds while wearing or not wearing a belt in four standing positions; double leg with open eyes, double leg with closed eyes, single leg with open eyes, single leg with closed eyes. Postural control was assessed using range, area and total mean velocity for each experimental condition.
Patients with CLBP showed significantly larger mean COP range and mean area compared to the healthy controls in single leg stance with closed eyes (P Individuals with CLBP had poorer postural control compared to the healthy controls as determined by changes in COP. Lumbosacral belt can improve postural control during challenging tasks.