مجله دانشکده پزشکی اصفهان
پیاپی 655 (هفته سوم اسفند 1400)

At the time of disease outbreaks, hospital staff's mental health may be affected. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the level of health anxiety of employees in the corona referral hospital and non-referral hospital of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

This cross-sectional study was performed on staff working in Khorshid and Chamran hospitals in Isfahan City, Iran, during the year 2020. 380 participants were selected by a simple random sampling method. Health Anxiety Inventory-18 (HAI-18) anxiety questionnaire was used to measure health anxiety in addition to questions related to demographic characteristics of the employees. The short form of this questionnaire has 18 questions and assesses health-related concerns, emotions or bodily changes, and the dire consequences of contracting a disease.

The mean anxiety score was statistically higher in women staff than men, in those with underlying disease than staff without it, in non-physician staff than physicians, and in hospital admitting patients with COVID-19 than non-accepting one.

During COVID-19 pandemic, the mean anxiety score was higher among women staff, non- physician staff, and staff of hospitals admitting patients with COVID-19.

One of the important criteria for acute myocardial ischemia is the level of troponin. The fact that troponin is excreted by the kidneys, and patients under dialysis may have a high level of it, makes the diagnosis of acute ischemia difficult. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of hemodialysis on serum troponin I level in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

In this cross-sectional study, 106 patients with ESRD and LVEF of more than 50% who underwent hemodialysis during 2018-2019 in Khorshid and Alzahra hospitals in Isfahan, Iran, were studied. The serum levels of troponin I were measured and compared before and after hemodialysis. -

The mean serum level of troponin I was 0.031 ± 0.068 and 0.028 ± 0.036 ng/dl before and after hemodialysis, respectively, with no statistically difference (P = 0.590). The mean difference of troponin level before and after the hemodialysis was 0.003 ± 0.06 ng/ml. Moreover, the changes of troponin levels were not significantly associated with age, sex, duration of dialysis, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, LVEF, cause of renal failure, and type of underlying disease.

The findings of the present study showed that hemodialysis did not have a significant effect on changes in troponin I levels, and the level of troponin I did not appear to be a suitable biomarker for the expression of cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis patients with normal LVEF.

In recent years, outpatient cervical ripening and induction of labor has been considered because of reduced costs and increased patient satisfaction. Moreover, due to the side effects of chemical drugs, the tendency of patients for use of herbal medicines has increased. The aim of this study was to evaluate and summarize the results of clinical trials about outpatient herbal medicines in cervical ripening and onset of labor.

Clinical trials related to outpatient use of herbs in cervical ripening and onset of labor, were searched without time and language restrictions in Scopus, Pubmed, Cochrane library, Science direct, Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, and Google Scholar search engines until March 30, 2021. Data analysis was performed using STATA software.

16 articles that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Meta-analysis was only possible on castor oil and date fruit. The chance of spontaneous onset of labor in was 5.760 and 2.205 times the castor oil and date groups, respectively. Moreover, the increase in bishop score in castor oil group was 2 times higher than the control group. The results of funnel plot and Egger test found no evidence of publication bias (P = 0.710). Peganum, Sisymbrium, chamomile, and saffron were effective in cervical ripening and onset of labor. Evening primrose was effective on Bishop score, but had no effect on spontaneous onset of labor. Red raspberry leaves were not effective in spontaneous onset of labor.

Among the mentioned plants, castor oil and date fruit have more evidence in cervical ripening and onset of labor. Further studies with stronger methodologies are needed.