Advanced Biomedical Research
Volume:2 Issue: 1, Mar 2012

To optimize dialysis prescription and fluid balance of the peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, it is important to assess their dry weight accurately. The experimental evaluation is the method which is widely used in PD centers which needs continuous and controlled reduction of the postdialysis weight down to the point where patient does not show any signs of hypotension and volume overload. This study intends to indicate that the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method can be used as an alternative method to evaluate the dry weight.

The demographic data of 101 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients of Alzahra and Noor hospitals of Isfahan University (50 males and 51 females) who had been referred for periodical examinations from April 2009 to April 2010 were extracted from their files. The normal body volume was selected as the inclusion criteria and identified by an examiner group (a nephrologist, a general practitioner and a PD nurse). The patients' dry weights were calculated based on both methods. The bioelectrical impedance analysis method was done by the Maltron Bioscan ver916 and data were analyzed by SPSS program ver18.

There were 49.5% males and 50.5% females with the mean age of 54.6±17 years. The mean dry weight in the experimental method was 63.4±13.3 kg in comparison to the other (61.5± 13.7 kg). There was a significant difference between the results (P value <0.001) depended on the gender t-test, but there was a 98% correlation between the results by two methods. No correlation observed between the patient's age, body mass index, blood pressure, previous hemodialysis history, PD duration time, and underlying disease.

The study showed that there is significant difference between the two methods. However, there was 98% direct correlation between them. It is concluded that bioelectrical impedance analysis could be a better alternative for accurate evaluation of dry weight in PD patients because it is a fast and cheap method and does not depend on examiner's capability. Further studies based on the results of this method are recommended to consider this method as the gold standard.

The antiemetic efficacy of midazolam and ondansetron was shown before. The aim of the present study was to compare efficacy of using intravenous midazoalm, ondansetron, and midazolam in combination with ondansetron for treatment of nausea and vomiting after cesarean delivery in parturient underwent spinal anesthesia.

One hundred thirty two parturients were randomly allocated to one of three groups: group M (n = 44) that received intravenous midazoalm 30 μg/kg; group O (n = 44) that received intravenous ondansetron 8 mg; group MO (n = 44) that received intravenous midazoalm 30 μg/kg combined with intravenous ondansetron 8 mg if patients had vomiting or VAS of nausea ≥ 3 during surgery (after umbilical cord clamping) and 24 hours after that. The incidence and severity of vomiting episodes and nausea with visual analog scale (VAS) > 3 were evaluated at 2 hours, 6 hours, and 24 hours after injection of study drugs.

The incidence of nausea was significantly less in group MO compared with group M and group O at 6 hours postoperatively (P = 0.01). This variable was not significantly different in three groups at 2 hours and 24 hours after operation. The severity of nausea and vomiting was significantly different in three groups at 6 hours after operation (P < 0.05).

Our study showed that using intravenous midazolam 30 μg/kg in combination with intravenous ondansetron 8 mg was superior to administering single drug in treatment of emetic symptoms after cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia.

Optic neuritis (ON) and nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) have some overlapping clinical profiles. We evaluated the usefulness of B-scan ultrasonography in distinguishing ON from NAION by measuring diameter of the optic nerve.

Consecutive patients with an acute noncompressive unilateral optic neuropathy with relative afferent pupillary defect and onset of visual loss during the last 2 weeks were included. Diagnosis of ON was based on age ≤ 35 years, orbital pain associated with eye movement, and no disk edema, and diagnosis of NAION was based on age ≥ 60 years, no orbital pain associated with eye movement, and presence of disk edema. Age- and gender-matched subjects without ocular disease were selected for comparison. The diameter of the optic nerve was measured by a single radiologist with B-scan ultrasonography.

In ON patients, the mean diameter of the affected nerve was significantly larger than that of the unaffected nerve and also larger than that of the right nerve of young controls; P < 0.05. In NAION patients, however, there was no significant difference between the mean diameter of the affected nerve and of the unaffected nerve or the right nerve of elderly controls; P > 0.05. Also, the diameter of the affected nerve was significantly larger in ON than in AION patients; P < 0.05.

B-scan ultrasonography is helpful in the early stages of optic neuropathy to distinguish ON from NAION in those cases for which the diagnosis is still uncertain after clinical evaluation.

Epilepsy is a rare neurologic disorder during pregnancy. Despite its rarity, it could cause different clinical problems in this natural phenomenon of a woman's life. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the course of pregnancy and labor and their outcome in epileptic and healthy women.

This study was performed during years 2009--2011 in Alzahra and Beheshti hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. A total of 51 pregnant women, who were known cases of epilepsy and were on antiepileptic drugs treatment for at least 3 months, were compared with 47 matched healthy pregnant women without epilepsy. They were followed before and during their pregnancy in several visits and all of their neurologic and obstetric information were collected. For statistical analysis of continuous variables, the t-test was used. The chi-square test was used for dichotomous variables.

The rate of monotherapy was more than polytheraphy especially during the pregnancy. The epileptic attacks stopped in majority of patients during the pregnancy. Vaginal bleeding (P=0.020) and abortion (P=0.015) were significantly more frequent among epileptic mothers. The gestational age was lower meaningfully (P= 0.010) in epileptic patients' neonates and the first minute Apgar score was lower in these babies too (P=0.028).

Antiepileptic drugs could have some unsuitable effects on pregnancy course especially by increasing the rate of abortion, preterm labor, and vaginal bleeding. Their adverse effects on neonates' health could not be neglected.

Little is known about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among females who engage in illegal sexual behavior in Iran .So, this study was conducted to obtain knowledge about the prevalence and associated risk factors in this population.

In a cross-sectional study, a total of 100 women who had exchange of sex for money in previous 3 months according to self report were recruited during 2009-2010 by simple non probable sampling method in Isfahan, Iran. HIV-Ab, Chlamydia trachomatis -IgG and syphilis infection were measured. A questionnaire on demographics and prostitution-associated risk data was collected as well. Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression models were used for data analysis.

Of 100 participants, the samples of 91 ones could be tested for STI markers (nine samples were hemolysis or insufficient). The overall prevalence of C. trachomatis was 19.8%. There was no case with syphilis or HIV infection. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that participants who reported temporarily marriage were less likely to be infected with C. trachomatis (AOR=0.003, 95%CI=0.001-0.58). The other risk factors for the tested STIs were not statistically significant in multiple logistic regressions.

The results of our study indicated that seroprevalence and associated risk factors of HIV and other STIs among female with illegal social behaviors is not considerable in Isfahan, Iran.

The aim of this study was to compare the differences in the quality of analgesia by patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and nurse-controlled analgesia (NCA) for post-caesarean section analgesia.

350 women who undertake elective cesarean section were assigned to the three groups. Group I (n=200), IV-PCA morphine; group II (n=100), IV-PCA methadone; group III (n=50) NCA morphine. Data collected during the 24 h observation period included visual analog scale (VAS) pain and patient satisfaction scores, the incidence of nausea and vomiting, severe sedation and pruritis.

VAS pain scores for each time at which it was evaluated were higher for NCA group than other groups. Also patient satisfaction was significantly increased in the IV-PCA Group as compared with group III. The prevalence of pruritis was higher for NCA group than other groups.

In post caesarean section, PCA morphine or methadone improves 24-h VAS compared with NCA.

There are significant limitations in repair of irrecoverable bone defects. Stem-cell therapy is a promising approach for the construction of bone tissue. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been introduced as basic tools for bone tissue generation. Through MSCs, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are more interesting. Since the similarity of native osteoblasts and differentiated osteoblasts from ADSCs in terms of gene expression pattern is unknown, this study was designed to compare gene expression patterns of some genes involved in osteogenesis between human native osteoblasts and adipose-derived differentiated osteoblasts.

Realtime qRT-PCR was used for studying the gene expression of osteocalcin, osteopontin, and core binding factor alpha 1 (Cbfa1) in human native osteoblasts and adipose derived osteogenic osteoblasts at days 7, 14, 21, and 28 of differentiation.

This study demonstrated that native osteoblasts and differentiated osteoblasts, cultured in common osteogenic medium, have significant differences in gene expression levels for osteocalcin and osteopontin. Compared to native osteoblasts, these genes are expressed lower in all four groups of differentiated osteoblastic cells. We also found, there is a progressive increase in cbfa1 expression over the differentiation period of ADSCs from day 7 to day 28.

Our findings help for better assessment of adipose-derived differentiated cells as a source for cell-based therapy.