فصلنامه ابن سینا
سال بیست و سوم شماره 3 (پیاپی 76، پاییز 1400)

On January 30, 2020, the WHO declared the COVID 19 outbreak as the sixth public health emergency all around the world. Due to the widespread prevalence of COVID-19 pandemic in the world, especially in Iran, it is necessary to extract the clinical and demographic information in Iranian patients to enable health planning. Therefore, this study was performed to determine the frequency of clinical symptoms in hospitalized patients with COVID 19.

This descriptive-analytical study was performed on the medical records of 600 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 at Be’sat Hospital in Tehran city between February and April 2020. The collected data were analyzed.

The mean age of patients was 55.9±16.4 years, and majority of them were in the age group of 60-69 years (20.8%). Totally, 60% of patients was men, and 86% of the subjects were discharged with partial recovery. The majority of expired patients were in the age group of 70-79 years (32%). The frequency of clinical findings included fatigue (87.8%), cough (77%), dyspnea (74%), body aches (64%), fever (63.2%), having underlying medical conditions (60%), and chills (55.3%).

The results showed that men are more likely to develop the disease, especially the elderly, and also there is a very high probability of recovery (86%). The most common observed symptom was fatigue, and then was dry cough.

The prevalence of diabetes has made necessary changes in lifestyle to prevent its complications. In this study, the effect of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with staxanthin supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers in the cardiac tissue of diabetic rats was investigated.

In this study, 42 male rats (age six weeks), after induction of type 2 diabetes,were randomly divided into seven groups (six in each group): 1)diabetic control; 2) diabetic Sham; 3) diabetes+supplement; 4) diabetes+HIIT; 5) diabetes+HIIT+supplement; 6) diabetes+MICT; and 7) diabetes+MICT+supplement. The HIIT groups ran with an intensity of 80% VO2max, and MICT groups ran with an intensity of about 65% to 75% VO2max on the treadmill (five sessions per week for eight weeks). The supplement was taken daily at a dose of 3 mg per kg. The cardiac tissue was removed 24h after the last training session (night fasting). Inflammatory biomarkers (IL-1b, IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP) of the cardiac tissue were measured by Western blotting.

After eight weeks of training, inflammatory biomarkers showed a significant decrease compared to the control group (p<0.05), and no significant changes were observed in the supplement group.

Due to the effect of MICT and HIIT in reducing inflammatory biomarkers, it can be used as a therapeutic strategy. It seems that the MICT with supplements may have more effective in these patients, while supplements alone have no effect on inflammatory markers.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver condition that is associated with the changes in transferase enzymes and atherogenic parameters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of eight weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on plasma levels of liver enzymes and atherogenic markers in NAFLD patients.

In this quasi-experimental study 25 women with NAFLD were randomly selected and allocated to exercise (n=13) and control (n=12) groups. HIIT protocol with an intensity of 80-85% of maximum heart rate was performed for eight weeks, four sessions in a week and 60 minutes in each session (15min warm-up, 30min training exercises, and 15min cooling down). The plasma levels of liver enzymes and atherogenic markers were compared before and after the protocol.

After eight weeks of HIIT, in both the intergroup and the intragroup comparisons, a significant increase was detected in plasma levels of HDL-cholesterol. Additionally, in both intergroup and intragroup comparisons, a significant decreases was observed in plasma levels of triglycerides, TC (total cholesterol), LDL-cholesterol, and ALT, as well as LDL/HDL, lipid accumulation product (LAP) index, atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), TC/HDL, body fat percentage, and body mass index (p<0.05). It should be noted that despite a decrease in the plasma levels of AST compared to the pre-test and control group, it was not statistically significant.

According to the findings of this study, HIIT can be suggested as a treatment and prevention strategy for NAFLD.

Providing quality services and meeting the needs of clients in the health system of countries are emphasized by policy makers. In order to stay competitive, it is important to introduce the organization to others. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the relationship between accountability and quality of health services and their relationship with organizational prestige in public hospitals in Abadan and Khorramshahr in 2019.

This descriptive-analytical study was performed by the census method in three hospitals under the auspices of Abadan University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected using a questionnaire of health care quality from patients and questionnaires of fast-response organizations and organizational prestige from hospital staff. Data analysis was performed by SPSS software using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation test.

The quality of medical services in the studied hospitals was moderate (63.54±15.42). Findings also showed that the response rate of hospitals was very good (62.12±15.59). Finally, the status of organizational prestige has been evaluated very well in terms of hospital staff (26.44±5.45). There was no statistical relationship among organizational prestige, service quality, and accountability.

In summary, in addition to responding quickly to patients' needs, improving the quality of services for hospital recognition and hospital prestige is also important and should be considered.

Adolescent period is associated with conflicting feelings, physiological and emotional stimuli, which causes conflicts in parent-adolescent relationships. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of family education classes on parental bonding and high-risk behaviors among adolescents.

The research was a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test study with a control group. The statistical sample of the study consisted of 30 female high school students in Babol city (in the academic year of 2019-2020) with high-risk behavioral problems and their mothers. The subjects were selected by purposive non-random sampling method and were randomly divided into two groups of 15 (experimental and control group). The experimental group received weekly the family education program in eight sessions of 120 minutes. Before and after the intervention, parental bonding questionnaire and risky behaviors questionnaire were performed in both groups. Data were analyzed by covariance test.

The results of this study showed that family education program increased parental bonding and reduced high-risk behaviors among adolescents (p<0.001).

In summery, the study showed that family education classes can be useful in improving the problems of adolescents with high-risk behaviors.

Infertility can be associated with numerous negative individual and social consequences. The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of psychological flexibility in the relationship between self-efficacy and health-promoting behaviors in infertile women.

This descriptive-correlational study was a structural equation modeling research. Among women who referred to an infertility center in Sari city to receive infertility services in autumn 2019, 291 subjects were selected by purposive sampling method. The general self-efficacy questionnaire (GSEQ), cognitive flexibility inventory (CFI), and health promoting lifestyle questionnaire (HPLQ) were used to collect data. In the present study, Pearson's correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data using Amos software.

The results showed that flexibility (r=0.31, p≤0.01) and self-efficacy (r=0.29, p≤0.01) had a significant positive correlation with health-promoting behaviors. Flexibility mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and health-promoting behaviors (p≤0.01).

In summery, in infertile women, flexibility and self-efficacy have a significant role in predicting health-promoting behaviors. It seems that health professionals can help to strengthen flexibility and self-efficacy by designing appropriate interventions and thus health-promoting behaviors in these people.

In the Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO), the patient's vision usually disappears within a few seconds without pain. Recommended treatments include anterior chamber paracentesis (the removal of fluid from the anterior chamber), the intravenous injection of acetazolamide, breathing a mixture of oxygen as well as carbon dioxide, and direct injection of thrombolytic agents. Another treatment is the use of high pressure oxygen. In this review article, we will examine the effects of such treatment.

A review of articles and texts was done in Pubmed, Scopus, and Google scholar using key words, "central retinal artery occlusion" "sudden vision loss", "painless vision loss", and "hyperbaric oxygen therapy in CRAO".

Oxygen therapy showed beneficial effects in improving visual acuity in CRAO patients.

Oxygen therapy can be normobaric and hyperbaric. When patients do not respond well to 100% oxygen at normal pressure, Hyperbaric oxygen (pressure above 1.4 atmospheres) can be used to treat patients.

The Covid-19 was considered as a health shock and led to stochastic demand, which affected the financial performance of the hospitals in 2020.This study aimed to examine the financial performance of a non-training general and governmental hospital in Tehran city, in the first peak of Covid-19.

It was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. Cost headings, revenue centers, and the amount of profit / loss of the selected  hospital were calculated for four months of the first peak of Covid-19 pandemic in Iran (20 March 2020 to 21 July 2020).The mentioned items and the number of patients referred in different wards of the hospital were compared with those of the equivalent months in previous year to determine the effect of Covid-19 on financial performance. Percentage changes in costs, revenues, number of patients, and the revenue-to-cost ratio were analyzed.

Costs and revenues were reported at about 75 and 128 billion rials, respectively. Our resuls showed that costs decreased by 3%, revenues increased by 21%, and finally, hospital profitability increased by 84%. The average of the revenue-to-cost ratio in the study period was estimated as 1.7. The hospiral bed occupancy rate reduced by 20%.

Although the financial loss of the hospital was expected due to the decrease in demand for hospital services in the first peak of Covid-19 pandemic, the reduction in variable costs and the increase in annual service tariffs by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education largely prevented losses.

Atherosclerosis is the most important reason for disability and mortality in Iran and around the world, which is mainly due to improper and sedentary lifestyle. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of eight weeks high Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on some atherogenic factors.

Subjects were obese young females who were divided into experimental (n=8) and control (n=8) groups. In the experimental group, HIIT training were done for eight weeks (three sessions per week) with the intensity of 90%-95% of maximum heart rate. Blood sampling was performed before and after training in both groups. ELISA method was used to evaluate dependent variables. Data were analyzed using t-test at the level of p≤0.05.

In the experimental group, weight values (p=0.01), BMI (p=0.01), fibrinogen (p<0.001), homocysteine (p=0.011), and LPA (p=0.002) had a significant reduction, but apelin decreased (p=0.959) and omentin increased (p=0.537) insignificantly. Only fibrinogen changes were significant between the two groups (p<0.001). There was no change in the control group.

Eight weeks of HIIT is effective in the reduction of weight and improving the levels of fibrinogen, homocysteine, and LPA in obese young females. Therefore, HIIT training can be used as short-time exercises in these people to prevent a heart stroke.

Social adjustment includes individual's adaptation to their social environment, which may be achieved by changing themselves or the environment. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of individual counseling based on compassion therapy with family therapy counseling according to Bowen's emotional system on social adjustment of depressed adolescent girls.

In a quasi-experimental (pre-test/post-test and follow-up) study with a control group, 30 female volunteers of 14-17 years old who were studying in public schools in Tehran city were randomly divided into three groups (two experimental and one control). Bell Adjustment Inventory (1961) was completed in four stages (pre test, post-test, two-month follow-up, and six-month follow-up). After collection, data was analyzed using a multivariate covariance analysis.

The results showed that both individual counseling based on compassion therapy and family therapy based on Bowen's emotional system were effective in reducing the non-adjustment of adolescent girls (p<0.001). The results also indicated that non-adjustment and its components significantly decreased in the family therapy group in comparison with the individual counseling group (p<0.001).

According to the results of this study, individual counseling based on compassion therapy was more effective on girls' social adjustment than family therapy based on Bowen's emotional system.