Novelty in Biomedicine
Volume:11 Issue: 3, Summer 2023

 Infectious diseases are associated with thyroid autoimmune disorders, mainly. Meanwhile, thyroid gland function as a risk factor for infectious diseases is a challenging debate topic that needs more evaluation. Considering the high burden of hypo and hyperthyroidism in many regions of the world and the consequences of these disorders on different aspects of human health, evaluating and screening high-risk populations and treating patients is of great importance. In the present research, we investigated any association between thyroid dysfunction and asymptomatic bacteriuria in women of reproductive and postmenopausal age.

 The study was performed for six years (between 2015-2021) in Tehran, Iran. Our study enrolled 188 women of reproductive and postmenopausal age with and without asymptomatic bacteriuria. All participants' thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and free T4 levels were evaluated. The association between thyroid dysfunction and asymptomatic bacteriuria was assessed.

 The mean level of TSH in all culture-positive samples was 2.39, while it was 3.11 in culture-negative samples (P value < 0.05). The mean TSH level was 2.4 and 2.3 in Escherichia coli and Non- E. coli positive urine cultures, respectively (P value= 0.67). Asymptomatic bacteriuria was significantly more common in patients with lower TSH levels. The mean level of free T4 in all participants was 8.21, with maximum and minimum levels of 12.3 and 4, respectively. Also, the mean level of free T4 in all culture-positive samples was 9.53, while 7.13 in culture-negative samples (P value=0.09). The mean free T4 level was 9.36 and 10.03 in E. coli and Non-E. coli positive urine culture respectively (P value= 0.35).

 Our study revealed a significant correlation between the population's TSH level and asymptomatic bacteriuria. Also, it showed no significant association between TSH level and any specific uropathogenic.

Electroacupuncture and exercise therapy have been used to treat knee osteoarthritis, but evidence for adding cupping to this treatment is lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of cupping and acupuncture combined with exercise on knee osteoarthritis.

This randomized control trial was done on 56 patients with knee osteoarthritis. We had two groups: a control and an intervention group. Both groups received electroacupuncture and exercise therapy programs. The intervention group received cupping after electroacupuncture plus exercise therapy. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Index (WOMAC) questionnaire and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) measured patient outcomes before and after treatment.

All patients' VAS and WOMAC scores decreased in these two groups after treatment. The difference between VAS and WOMAC scores and pain and knee function was significant compared to the intervention group with the control group (p<0.05). The difference in knee stiffness was not significant comparing the intervention group with the control group (p>0.05).

Adding cupping therapy following electroacupuncture and exercise therapy significantly decreased pain and improved function.

Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and carotid plaque can predict premature coronary heart disease (PCAD) in patients hospitalized due to coronary artery disease or undergoing therapeutic interventions. This study aimed to determine the relationship between intima media thickness and carotid plaque characteristics with the incidence and severity of premature coronary artery disease.

 The current study was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted on patients referred to Imam Hossein Hospital in 2021-2022 who underwent coronary angiography. Patients were classified into two groups with coronary artery involvement and the group without evidence of significant coronary involvement. Then the data of patients, such as sex, age, risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, and clinical history of individuals, were collected through interviews and aspects related to carotid intima media thickness and plaque formation through a specialized review of reports.

 A total of 59 women (%59) and 41 men (%41) participated in this study. The mean age was 51.50±9.54. The results of this study showed that there was a direct (positive) and significant correlation between carotid intima media thickness factors, including right and left carotid intima-media thickness, right and left carotid intima media thickness scores, and the number of carotid plaques with increasing severity of coronary artery involvement (P-values<0.05). There was a statistically significant correlation between carotid plaque number and severity of coronary artery disease (P-value<0.05).

 CIMT has a significant correlation with PCAD, and in patients at risk of PCAD, measurement of CIMT was a suitable method.

Heel pain is commonly caused by chronic plantar fasciitis, associated with pain and activity limitation in patients. Although steroid injection is a popular method to treat this disease, it has side effects and provides short-term pain relief. The study was designed to investigate the effects of dexmedetomidine and corticosteroid injection in treating chronic plantar fasciitis.

 A total of 70 participants were divided into two groups. The intervention group received a mixture of dexmedetomidine (1μg/kg) with 1 ml of lidocaine 2%. The control group received a combination of 1ml of corticosteroid (40mg triamcinolone) with 1ml of lidocaine 2%. Outcome measures were evaluated with Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) and Maryland foot score (MFS) before, one, and three months after the intervention.

 Significant improvements in NRS and MFS were observed in both groups at 1 and 3 months of follow-up compared to baseline(P<0.001). NRS score improvement in the first month was more significant in the corticosteroid group compared to the dexmedetomidine group. However, after three months, the dexmedetomidine group experienced greater pain reduction (P=0.012) and higher functional ability (P<0.001) than the corticosteroid group.

 Local injection of dexmedetomidine provided significant and long-term effects on pain severity and physical activity. Corticosteroids caused an immediate but short‑term effect, whereas sustained improvement in the dexmedetomidine group was observed during the follow-up.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was a pandemic that can involve the cardiopulmonary system. Long-term cardiac involvement evaluations were less studied in the literatures. In the present study, we aimed to investigate long-term electrocardiographic andechocardiographic findings of patients with severe COVID-19 after a year of follow-up.

This retrospective cohort study was performed on patients admitted to one of the university hospitals in Tehran, Iran, from the beginning of February 2021 to February 2022. Echocardiography and electrocardiogram were done for all patients at admission and after one year of discharge. Patients' demographics, medical history, echocardiographic, and electrocardiographic information were recorded and analyzed.

Sixty patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age of patients was 53.63±12.50 years, and 58.33% were male. After assessing electrocardiography changes and echocardiography results, it was observed that QRS abnormality and inverted T-wave after one year were significantly more than during hospitalization (P<0.05). The pulmonary arterial pressure had increased after one year (24.30±4.79 mmHg to 26.50±7.69 mmHg, p-value=0.026).

New cardiac problems in patients with severe COVID-19 disease may appear after one year, and these patients should be evaluated periodically

Forensic anthropology is one of the most important sub-fields of physical anthropology in which anthropometric indicators are used to examine the biological characteristics of corpses. In the meantime, the mandible bone is regarded as a significant bone following the pelvic bone due to its high resistance and dimorphism characteristics. Thus, this study aims to investigate the two parameters of the body's horizontal length and the mandible's gonial angle using radiographic images.

In this study, 120 orthopantomography images were used to examine the parameters of the horizontal length of the body and the gonial angle. The parameters were quantitatively checked using EASY-DENT software. Then, the statistical data were analyzed using Prism software version 9.0 and T-test.

In this study, the mean horizontal length of the mandible body in women and men was 97.16 and 83.97 mm, respectively, and the data analysis showed a significant difference between the two sexes. Also, the gonial angle in men was measured as 173.1 and 166.9 degrees on average on the right and left sides, respectively, and on average as 144.6 and 142.1 degrees on the right and left sides in women. The data analysis indicated a significant difference between the two sexes, while the gonial angle was greater in men than women.

According to the findings of this study, the two parameters of the horizontal length of the body and the gonial angle of the mandible can be significant indicators in forensic anthropology and other related studies.