مجله دانشکده پزشکی اصفهان
پیاپی 580 (هفته چهارم امرداد 1399)

An effective vaccine against leishmaniasis is not available, and chemotherapy is the only effective way to treat all forms of the disease. However, current therapy is toxic and expensive, and the resistance has emerged as a serious problem, which has compelled the search for new antileishmanial agents such as glucocorticoids. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of prednisolone and mometasone on the improvement of cutaneous leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice.

In this experimental study, 60 female Balb/c mice were used. The promastigote form obtained from the culture medium was injected into the mice's tail base. After the creation of wound, the mice were divided into 6 treatment groups of prednisolone, prednisolone and amphotericin B, mometasone, mometasone and amphotericin B, positive control (amphotericin B), and negative control (phosphate buffered saline or PBS). The duration of treatment was 28 days. The lesion diameter was measured at the end of each week.

After the end of the treatment period, significant reduction was observed in wound size and parasite load in the spleen in the two groups treated with prednisolone and prednisolone combined with amphotericin B (P < 0.050).

According to the findings of the study, it seems that glucocorticoids likely prevent chronic disease, and accelerate wound healing by regulating immune pathways.

Urgent restlessness is a common condition following ketamine anesthesia in the emergency. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of intravenous midazolam, oral melatonin, and placebo in controlling of ketamine-induced agitation in adult patients undergoing minor emergency surgery.

 In a randomized clinical trial study, 96 patients in the emergency department who needed ketamine for sedation were divided into three groups of 32 cases. Prior to administration of ketamine, the first group received intravenous midazolam plus oral placebo, the second group received intravenous placebo and oral melatonin, and the third group received oral placebo plus intravenous placebo. The time of re-consciousness and recovery time were determined and compared in the three groups.

The mean score of restlessness was significantly lower in the midazolam and melatonin groups than in the control group (P = 0.020); but there was no difference between the midazolam and melatonin groups (P > 0.999).

 According to the findings of the study, oral melatonin, as intravenous as midazolam, appears to be effective in reducing ketamine-induced agitation in anesthesia for minor emergency surgeries.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the 10th</sup> most common infectious disease in the world, and it is one of the major health problems in Iran despite the implementation of the National Tuberculosis Control Program.

Tuberculosis data in Iran were used in 2016 by the Ministry of Health and Treatment. The data on mortality and incidence of disease were determined by age groups, sex, and the provinces of country. Data were analyzed using Excel (2010) and SPSS software.

The overall incidence rate of tuberculosis in the country was 9.7 per 100000 population (10.7 in men and 8.7 in women). The highest incidence rate of TB and mortality in both sexes were over 80 years. The death rate was 1 person per 100,000 populations, 57.7% of whom were men. Most of the deaths were from pulmonary tuberculosis. The highest incidence and mortality rates were reported in Golestan and Sistan and Baluchestan provinces.

The incidence and mortality rate of TB has decreased in recent decades in Iran. Nevertheless, considering the raising trend of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among the patients with TB, and the neighborhood with endemic countries, TB should be noticed as one of the most important health priorities in the health system of the country.