مجله مطالعات علوم پزشکی
سال سی و چهارم شماره 11 (بهمن 1402)

Esophageal cancer is an invasive malignant tumor that kills more than 90% of people with this disease within 5 years. The metastasis rate of esophageal cancer is faster compared to other cancers. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of neoadjuvant treatment on the survival rate of esophagectomy patients from 2016 to 2019.

In this case-control study, we included 187 patients with esophageal cancer whom underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and referred to Imam Khomeini (ra) Hospital in Urmia for esophagectomy between 2015 and 2018. The collected data were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier test using SPSS version 17 software.

A total of 187 patients with esophageal cancer underwent esophagectomy with a mean age of 60.4 ± 10.6 years were included in the study. 61% of the patients were male and 39% were female. 93.2% of preoperative endoscopic reports were consistent with postoperative pathological reports (P <0.05). The frequency of three-year survival was different based on the age of the patients, and the survival of the patients with age group 55-64 years old was higher than the others (P <0.05).

The results of this study showed that the survival of patients based on age in patients with esophageal cancer underwent esophagectomy in two groups of complete and incomplete response to neoadjuvant was not the same, and this difference is significant. Also, survival of the patients in age group 55-64 years is more than others. There was no significant difference between the survival rates of patients in terms of gender and body mass index.

Breast cancer is the most common type of malignancy among women. Today, various methods of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy are used to treat cancer. However, among the disadvantages and side effects of these methods are the destruction of normal cells. This has led researchers to turn to new treatment methods with low side effects. Azurin is a direct bacterial redox metalloprotein with cytotoxic effects produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Recombinant azurin toxin can be used to treat breast cancer by reducing side effects on normal cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anticancer effect of recombinant azurin toxin on breast cancer cell line.

In this experimental study, after cloning and expression of recombinant azurin in E. coli, the cytotoxic effect of different concentrations of azurin on MCF7 breast cancer cells and normal HEK293 cells was evaluated by MTT assay.

Azurin at all concentrations and even at a concentration of 1 mg/ml had a potential cytotoxic effect on MCF7 cell line than HEK293 cell line. The increase in cytotoxicity and decrease in the survival of cancer cells was associated with the increase in the concentration of azurin protein; therefore, the percentage of cytotoxicity of this protein in the MCF7 cell line was directly related to the concentration of recombinant protein, and the percentage of survival of cancer cells was inversely related to the concentration of recombinant protein.

The results of this study showed that azurin can partly act selectively against breast cancer cell. These findings are hopeful for the use of azurin as a new and low-cost therapeutic agent for the treatment of breast cancer.

Acute Sympathetic Seizure (ASS) is a medical emergency that occurs due to systemic or neurological complications affecting the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, causes, and contributing factors of acute symptomatic seizures in adult patients hospitalized at Imam Reza Hospital in Tabriz.

This study was a descriptive-cross-sectional study conducted over a three-year period using a total sampling method on the patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of acute symptomatic seizures in the Neurology Department of Imam Reza Hospital in Tabriz. Data related to the type of seizure, findings of systemic and neurological examinations, laboratory results, and imaging and EEG findings were extracted from the patients' records. Information regarding the final diagnosis of the patients, as well as demographic and medical details such as underlying diseases, medications, and substance abuse history was analyzed by statistical methods using SPSS version 18 software. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

A total of 200 patients with an average age of 49.60 ± 12.20 years, including 52% males and 48% females, were enrolled in the study. Among these patients, stroke with a prevalence of 36.5% and infectious causes with a prevalence of 29.5% were the most common reasons for seizure attacks. Among the types of strokes observed, hemorrhagic stroke (21%), ischemic stroke (10%), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (5.5%) were notable. Additionally, infections such as meningoencephalitis (17.5%), sepsis (9.5%), and brain abscess (2.5%) were diagnosed in the patients. Metabolic causes included hyperglycemia (7%), hypoglycemia (5%), uremia (3%), liver disorder (2.5%), and hyponatremia (1%). Poisoning (4%) and alcohol consumption (3%) were identified as toxic causes leading to seizures.​

Considering the results obtained in this study, it can be concluded that stroke and infections were the most common causes of acute symptomatic seizures in our study population. These findings highlight a high prevalence of such cases in developing countries, emphasizing the need for attention. It seems that more extensive studies with larger sample sizes and multicentric approaches are necessary in the country so that the obtained results can be effectively utilized for the control of risk factors and healthcare decision-making.

Asthenozoospermia is an infertility condition in which a person has reduced sperm motility and so, the chance of the sperm fertilizing the egg in the female reproductive tract is reduced. This study aimed to investigate sperm DNA damage using SCSA and TUNEL tests in a large population of infertile men with asthenozoospermia, comparing them with a population of normozoospermic individuals with healthy sperm samples.

In this observational case-control study, semen parameters were assessed according to the World Health Organization guidelines (2010) guideline in a large population of asthenozoospermic (1383) and normozoospermic (2235) men referring to Isfahan Fertility and Sterility Center. In addition, sperm DNA fragmentation were assessed by TUNEL, and SCSA tests. For comparison of study variations between two groups, independent samples t-test was used, and for correlation between parameters, Pearson's correlation coefficient was carried out. P<0.05 was considered significant.

Despite no significant differences in sperm volume and body mass index, the means of sperm concentration, count, total sperm motility and total progressive were significantly lower in the asthenozoospermic men compared to normozoospermic men (P<0.001). In addition, the means of high DNA stainability as well as sperm DNA fragmentation assessed by SCSA and TUNEL tests were significantly higher in asthenozoospermic men compared to normozoospermic men (P<0.001).

In asthenozoospermic men, sperm DNA is severely damaged, so before using assisted reproductive techniques in these individuals, it is better to use antioxidant treatment and/or novel sperm preparation methods for treatment of them.

Male infertility is a common problem among couples, which is partly caused by environmental pollution. Aluminum is one of these pollutants with the property of increasing free radicals. Coenzyme Q10 inhibits oxidative damage through its antioxidant function. In this study, the supportive role of this coenzyme in sperm production disorder caused by aluminum chloride is studied.

In this interventional study, 35 male Wistar rats were selected and randomly divided into 5 groups of seven as a control group, a group receiving coenzyme Q10, a group receiving aluminum and two groups treated with coenzyme Q10 with doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg are divided. After that, different sperm factors, the amount of sex hormones, the amount of fatty acid peroxidation, and the antioxidant capacity of the serum are studied and compared with the group receiving aluminum. SPSS program v.20 was used for data analysis. ANOVA and Tukey statistical methods were used to analyze the tests. All data are expressed with a significance level of 5%.

In the rats receiving aluminum, sperms characteristics decreased and the amount of abnormal sperm increased. Sex hormones become out of balance, malondialdehyde level in serum and homogenized testicular tissue increased, and antioxidant capacity decreased. This study showed that coenzyme Q10, especially with a dose of 20 mg/kg, can improve sperm parameters, reduce the amount of malondialdehyde, and maintain hormonal balance.

Coenzyme Q10 can be a suitable supplementary treatment in the management of infertility caused by aluminum chloride toxicity and plays a significant role in reducing its damage.

The study is a bioequivalence study aimed at assessing the equality of pharmaceutical characteristics between two different products. This research investigates the physicochemical properties and in vitro bioequivalence of various formulations of 200 mg ibuprofen tablets available in the Iranian market and the reference brand after entering the market.

Three formulations of ibuprofen tablets, including one foreign brand as reference and two domestic brands were selected. They were evaluated for the amount of active ingredient (assay), content uniformity, dissolution test according to USP, and the calculation of the difference factor (f1) and similarity factor (f2).

The assay test results for companies G1, G2, and the reference were 106.85%, 100.44%, and 104.8% of the claimed drug amount on the label, respectively. The acceptance value (AV) in the content uniformity test was 10.22, 25.8, and 10.57 for companies G1, G2, and the reference, respectively. In the dissolution test, the average percentage dissolution at the end of 60 minutes was 88.2%, 91.96%, and 92.74% for G1, G2, and the reference, respectively. The difference and similarity factors for G1 were 16.63 and 38.28, and for G2 were 6.06 and 82.51, respectively.

Based on the assay test, all three companies fall within the acceptable range of 90% to 110% of the label, confirming their compliance. In the content uniformity test, which requires an AV below 15, only brands G1 and the reference were approved. All brands were able to release more than 80% of the drug in the tolerance test. Additionally, concerning factors f1 and f2, which should respectively be below 15 and 50, only company G2 was confirmed. According to the results of the in vitro bioequivalence test, none of the generic brands examined have the ability for complete substitution with the reference brand. For company G1, the observed difference in dissolution may be related to differences in the type of coating between the test and reference products; in this case, an in vivo test is also necessary to demonstrate bioequivalence between these two products.

Colorectal and gastric cancers are among the most common types of cancers. Understanding the relationship between dietary factors and these cancers is crucial for preventing malnutrition and managing it in patients. This study aimed to conduct a comparative investigation into the nutritional intake and anthropometric indices of patients with non-metastatic colorectal and gastric cancer compared to a healthy control group.

In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, 167 participants, including gastric cancer patients (51 individuals), colorectal cancer patients (58 individuals), and a control group (58 individuals), were evaluated. Anthropometric parameters were measured using standard methods, and dietary intakes were assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire. Subsequently, statistical analyses were performed using SPSS-21 software.

The study findings indicated that the body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio were significantly higher in the control group (p< 0.01). Moreover, colorectal cancer patients exhibited higher ratios compared to gastric cancer patients (p < 0.01). Evaluation of dietary intakes in all three groups revealed a significantly lower intake of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and energy in the gastric cancer group compared to the colorectal cancer group (p < 0.01). Additionally, in the gastric cancer group, the intake of energy, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats was significantly lower than in the other two groups (p < 0.05).

According to the results of this study, it appears that cancer patients exhibit significant differences in anthropometric indices and dietary intakes compared to non-afflicted individuals. It is recommended to involve specialized nutrition therapy groups to enhance their health status.

Monoclonal antibodies cazirivimab and imdevimab are used as a combination drug in the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effectiveness of the combined medication of casirivimab and imdevimab in patients with COVID-19.

Searches were conducted in the electronic databases of PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify relevant articles from 2020 to 2023. Additionally, a manual search was performed in primary review sources and key studies. There were no language restrictions for the studies. The quality assessment of the studies was conducted using the ROBINS-I tool. Data analysis was performed using Review Manager Software version 5.4.

A total of 14 studies involving 461598 patients were included in the study. The results of the meta-analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the casirivimab and imdevimab and standard of care groups in terms of mortality rate (odds ratio [OR]: 0.29, %95, 0.10-0.86, P<0.00001), hospitalization rate (OR: 0.35, %95, 0.22-0.44, P<0.00001), need for oxygen therapy (OR: 0.23, %95, 0.12-0.46, P<0.00001), hospitalization or death (OR: 0.40, %95, 0.38-0.43, P<0.00001), and mechanical ventilation (OR: 0.19, %95, 0.08-0.43, P<0.00001).

The results of this meta-analysis study showed that casirivimab and imdevimab is an effective treatment in reducing mortality rate, hospitalization rate, need for oxygen therapy, hospitalization or death, and mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19.