Crescent Journal of Medical and Biological Sciences
Volume:8 Issue: 4, Oct 2021

Cardiovascular disorders are the most common causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Complementary medicine reduces the complications related to cardiovascular disorders while improving the quality of life of patients. The aim of this study was to review the effects of aromatherapy on cardiovascular disorders from the perspectives of Persian and modern medicine.

In this review article, information related to Persian medicine was collected by searching through “Comprehensive Library of Traditional and Islamic Medicine” software (Noor Digital Library) using keywords such as “smelling”, “sham”, “lakhlakheh”, “bakhoor”, “heart”, and “dill”. Additionally, to find clinical trials (1994-2019) related to the effect of aromatherapy on cardiovascular disorders, electronic databases such as ISI, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were searched using several keywords including “cardiovascular disorder”, “heart,” “coronary”, “cardiovascular disease”, “cardiac”, “aroma”, and “aromatherapy”.

According to Persian medicine references, the heart is the most important organ and gives life to the whole body. Aromatherapy using odorous herbs such as rose, apple, quince, and saffron helps balance the heart temperament and improve cardiovascular disorders through their cardiotonic, anti-syncope, anti-depressant, and anti-arrhythmic properties.

Based on Persian medicine references and recent findings in modern medicine, aromatherapy is an effective approach for relieving cardiovascular disorders. Considering these findings, it is suggested to include aromatherapy as a palliative measure for cardiovascular patients. It is also recommended that more clinical trials derived from Persian medicine references be conducted to value the effectiveness of aromatherapy for treating various cardiovascular ailments.

Considering the rising prevalence of obesity in children and its many adverse health effects in childhood period, this study was conducted to understand the pattern of nutritional obesity in kindergarten children (4-6 years old) and investigate the effect of family history, healthy diet, physical activities, and other environmental factors on overweight and obesity.

In this cross-sectional study which was conducted from November 19, 2015, to August 29, 2016, 476 children from 5 different kindergartens in Sulaymaniyah city, Iraq, were included. Height and weight were measured in kindergartens and plotted on CDC chart for both age and gender, and those with a BMI of > 85th percentile (77 children) were sent to Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Sulaymaniyah for investigation. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity was reported to be 8% and 8.2%, respectively, while the total prevalence of overweight and obesity was 16.2% in kindergarten children, indicating no statistically significant difference between genders. The incidence of obesity in children whose both parents are overweight or obese is high. Spending more time (hours) watching TV or playing video games, consuming fast food, and decreasing outdoor activities increase the probability of developing overweight and obesity. Most of the children included in the study had normal or borderline results except for 2 obese children who had borderline HbA1C which predisposes them to diabetes mellitus.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is high in preschool age children mostly due to wrong idea that an obese child has good health. It is recommended that the time of watching TV and playing video games and the intake of high caloric diet should be decreased and sports and physical activities be encouraged

Few studies have so far focused on the role of the cluster of differentiation 10 (CD10) in the prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma in Iran. Accordingly, this study aimed at evaluating the diagnostic value of CD10 in follicular thyroid carcinoma.

This cross-sectional study was performed on 89 patients with thyroid carcinoma at Imam Reza Hospital (Tabriz Medical Sciences) during 2016-2017. The diagnostic value of the CD10 test was evaluated for the accurate diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Finally, data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney, chi-square, and Pearson correlation tests.

Among the studied samples by the CD10 method, it was found that 41 (46.06%) and 48 (53.94%) were positive and negative, respectively. There was a significant correlation between CD10 expression and tumor size (P=0.0001), as well as lymph node involvement (P=0.031) and capsular invasion (P=0.008).

In general, the CD10 biomarker could be an accessory diagnostic tool in addition to basic methods in the diagnosis of the follicular variant of papillary carcinoma although its diagnostic value in follicular carcinoma is not sufficiently high.

The purpose of this study was to assess the possible impact of hydroalcoholic extracts of cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) on glucose status, lipid profile, and histopathological changes in the kidneys of diabetic rats.

Thirty-two rats (male) were distributed into 4 groups (n=8), including one group as healthy control and three diabetic groups. Streptozotocin was used for inducing diabetes (50 mg/kg). Diabetic rats were grouped into a control group (DC), diabetic treated with 4 mg/kg hydroalcoholic extract of S. aromaticum (DSA), and the DG group receiving 5 mg/kg glibenclamide. After the treatment period, the blood samples of the rats were frozen in -70°C for measuring glycemic indices, insulin, lipid profile, some oxidative stress markers, and enzymes with antioxidant properties. Finally, the kidney was removed for the histological study.

Control, DSA, and DG groups had significantly lower levels of fasting blood sugar compared to the DC group (P<0.05) while the levels of insulin were significantly lower in the DC, DSA, and DG groups compared to the control group (P<0.05). The serum levels of urea and creatinine statistically reduced in all groups other than the DC group (P<0.05). Conversely, the levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and significantly increased in the DSA and DG as compared to the DC group although the serum levels of malondialdehyde statistically decreased in the therapeutic groups. S. aromaticum showed antioxidant properties and protected the kidneys of the experimented rats from renal damages, resulting from diabetes.

This study demonstrated that S. aromaticum may have beneficial effects in diabetes through improving glycemic control and lipid profile and preventing diabetes-induced kidney damages

Selenium (Se) is one of the elements of the body whose deficiency causes immune system weakness. Given that a weak immune system is one of the main causes of sepsis, in this study, it was decided to increase the serum Se level in sepsis patients in hospitals affiliated to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 82 patients with sepsis (common, severe, and septic shock) were selected using a two-year census sampling ending on March 21, 2019 from Sina and Imam Reza hospitals in Tabriz. Data related to the etiology of the disease, underlying diseases, comorbidities, and inpatient testing were collected for each patient, and serum Se levels were assessed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. To analyze the data, chi-square, t test, and Mann-Whitney U tests were run using SPSS, version 20, and a P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The results of a review revealed that the history of underlying diseases [diabetes (P = 0.009), hypertension (P=0.019), and malignancies (P = 0.029)], comorbidities [pneumonia (P = 0.001), malignancy and chemotherapy (P = 0.012), and meningitis (P = 0.009)], and disease etiology [bacteremia of uncertain origin (P = 0.001), pneumonia (P = 0.001), urinary tract infection (P = 0.009), and skin infection (P = 0.005)] was significantly higher in patients with septic shock compared to those with sepsis and severe sepsis. On the other hand, the severity of the disease was significantly associated with a decrease in the serum Se level (P = 0.010).

In general, serum Se levels decrease with the increased severity of sepsis. Thus, measuring Se levels may be helpful in rejecting the progression of the disease.

Speech perception problem in noise is the most common complaint among elderly people. Based on previous evidence, auditory training improves central auditory system plasticity in the elderly. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the designed hearing rehabilitation program in overcoming this problem.

This randomized, controlled clinical trial was performed on 80 elderly people aged 60-75 years old who were randomly assigned to four equal groups. One group received only dynamic spatial hearing rehabilitation (DSHR) while the other group received the DSHR combined with transcranial direct current stimulation (DSHRWTDCS). Groups 3 and 4 were the control and sham groups, respectively. All participants were evaluated by behavioral and electrophysiological tests and a questionnaire was administered before, after, and one month after the end of the intervention.

Based on the results of behavioral, electrophysiological tests and the intended questionnaire, there was a significant difference between the means of the second and third stages with the first stage in ODSHR and DSHRWTDCS groups. Further, there was a significant difference between the means of the second and third stages in both ODSHR and DSHRWTDCS groups and those of the other two groups.

The positive effects of the spatial hearing rehabilitation program with tDCS are confirmed by various aspects of self-assessment, electrophysiological and behavioral tests, and thus can be the basis for developing comprehensive rehabilitation programs

Many attempts have focused on controlling the progression of beta-cell destruction due to diabetes apoptosis. Therefore, any treatment with the least side effects inhibiting the progression of apoptosis and the destruction of the islets of Langerhans is valuable. This survey is the first one to compare the anti-apoptotic effect of the Peganum harmala seed extract with that of harmine in rats.

To this end, six equal groups (n=8) of rats (250-300 g) were selected in this experimental study. The diabetes condition was induced by the intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (STZ) (65 mg/kg). The methanolic extract of P. harmala seeds and harmine were gavaged to healthy and diabetic rats. The active substances of P. harmala were investigated by the highperformance liquid chromatography method. Flow cytometry was also employed to evaluate the apoptosis of beta cells. Hematoxylin and eosin and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region staining were applied to examine pancreatic tissues.

The obtained results from treatment with the seed extract and harmine were similar in the treatment groups. This treatment elevated plasma insulin levels while reducing plasma glucose levels and apoptosis (P<0.05). Finally, staining results showed that the seed extract could improve tissue damage more than harmine (P<0.05).

Our findings revealed that the seed extract of P. harmala is more effective in controlling diabetes and apoptosis due to diabetes compared to its active ingredient, namely, harmine. This feature seems to be due to its high percentage of antioxidants together with β-carboline compounds.

Diminished proprioception after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture causes disabilities following injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the trend of this change during six months following an isolated unilateral complete ACL rupture.

In this cohort study, a total of 58 male and female athletes, aged 20-40 years, were surveyed in equal groups with 29 subjects. The healthy (first) and ACLD (second) groups included athletes with isolated unilateral complete ACL ruptures (the ACL-deficient knee group). Knee proprioception was investigated in both groups in three stages, namely, at the beginning of the study (two months after the injury in the ACL-D group) and the intervals of two and four months after the first assessment. The active reproduction of passive positioning (ARPP) method was used in this study. The selected angles were 45° and 60° of knee flexion, and an isokinetic device was the measuring instrument. Three reproduction angular errors were compared between three measurements in each test, including constant error (CE), absolute error (AE), and variable error (VE).

The results showed that AE and VE, unlike CE, significantly changed within both groups. AE (P ≤ 0.002, P ≤ 0.001 for 45° and 60°, respectively) and VE (P ≤ 0.043 for 45°), as well as AE (P ≤ 0.002, P ≤ 0.001 for 45°and 60°, respectively) and VE (P ≤ 0.005, P ≤ 0.016 for 45° and 60°, respectively) were significant in the healthy and ACL-D groups, respectively. In addition, a significant difference was observed between healthy and ACL-D groups regarding knee proprioception. At 45°, CE, AE, and VE were significant in the first (P ≤ 0.024), the third (P ≤ 0.014), and all three (P ≤ 0.001, P ≤ 0.027, & P ≤ 0.001) tests, respectively. Finally, AE, VE, and CE were found to be significant in the second (P ≤ 0.001), second (P ≤ 0.004), and third (P ≤ 0.026) tests, at 60°, respectively.

In general, ACL rupture reduced knee proprioception after the injury in athletes compared to healthy individuals. Within-group differences, as well as differences between healthy and injured athletes diminished over time within six months after the injury. Eventually, knee proprioception improved in individuals with ACL rupture although the exact mechanism of these changes remains unknown

The fracture of the ankle is one of the most common fractures that is treated by an orthopedic surgeon. Different surgical methods have been described for treating the lateral alveolus fracture open reduction and platting is considered as the most commonly used surgical procedure. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the closed reduction and pinning with the open surgical method with platting.

To this end, 60 patients by the lateral malleolus or bimalleolar fracture were selected, who were referred to the emergency room of Shohada hospital of Tabriz. Then, half of the patients were treated by closed reduction and pinning and the remaining 30 patients received open reduction with plating. Finally, the two groups were compared for the infection rate, union, and skin necrosis.

In terms of union, all patients in both groups were completely union and there was no significant relationship in this regard. There was only one case in open surgery with a plate in terms of the infection rate, which was also significantly correlated with close pinning.

In general, the rates of union and infection were the same in both groups. Thus, it is recommended to use close pinning to the lateral malleolus fracture since it has less complications and easier surgical procedures.

Bloodstream infection (BSI) causes significant morbidity and mortality in patients, especially in developing countries. Changes in the epidemiological pattern of microorganisms, as well as the growth of antibacterial resistance have become important health concerns in Iran. The aims of this study were to evaluate the spectrum of pathogens causing BSIs in hospitalized patients in Shiraz, Iran, and their corresponding antimicrobial resistance patterns.

In this retrospective study, 1585 positive blood samples were analyzed from March 2013 to March 2014. Samples from all hospitals within Shiraz were transferred to Professor Alborzi Clinical Microbiology Center. Then, the isolates were identified according to standard methods such as the analytical profile index system, and antibiotic susceptibility patterns were established consistent with the recommendations of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (39%), Staphylococcus aureus (15.3%), Escherichia coli (8.5%), Pseudomonas spp. (7.5%), Enterococcus spp. (7.3%), and Acinetobacter spp. (6.6%) were the most frequent bacteria isolated from blood cultures. Linezolid and vancomycin (VA) had the highest effectiveness against gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria had high sensitivity to polymyxin B and colistin. Totally, 56.2% of Enterococcus isolates were VA-resistant (VRE) and 55.2% (122) of S. aureus were methicillin-resistant (MRSA). Finally, 59.02% (72) of E. coli isolates, 33.3% (5) of Serratia spp., and 42.85% (33) of Klebsiella spp. were extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) positive.

Considering the results, the emergence of resistant strains such as MRSA, VRE, and ESBL is an alarming threat that would be a severe clinical issue with critical restrictions on antibiotic therapy.