Journal of Kerman University of Medical Sciences
Volume:21 Issue: 2, 2014

Sonography has enjoyed much attention as a noninvasive diagnostic tool for carpal tunnel syndrome in recent years. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of anatomic variations of existence or absence of palmaris longus and fifth superficial flexor tendons on the sonographic measurement of median nerve surface area in healthy individuals’ wrists.

93 volunteers without any symptoms related to carpal tunnel syndrome underwent clinical evaluation for determining presence of tendons in both wrists and also, sonographic measurement of median nerve surface area.

In 22 of 186 hands (11.82%), there was absence of the palmaris longus tendon and absence of the fifth flexor was noted in 8 (4.30%). The median nerve surface area in the hands without palmaris longus was meaningfully less than the hands with it (P = 0.025), while the difference in the median nerve surface area was not statistically significant regarding the presence of the fifth flexor (P = 0.324).

Based on the findings of the present study, it seems that the median nerve surface, area as a sonographic finding, is probably related to presence or absence of the palmaris Longus tendon. So, those hands with the tendon present have larger surface areas. Also, it seems that this sonographic finding is not dependent on the presence of fifth superficial flexor tendon.

Diabetes is one of the chronic diseases with no curative treatment; also, it is the most common cause of amputation, blindness and chronic renal failure and the most important risk factor of heart diseases. Logistic regression is one of the statistical analysis models for predicting that can be used to find out the relationship between dependent and predictor independent variables and control of the confounding variables. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of effective variables on diabetes and estimation of the logistic regression model for predicting. 5357 persons in Kerman city, Iran, were enrolled. Diabetes considered as the response variable and weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), age, gender, occupation, education, drugs, drug abuse, activities, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and levels of total cholesterol, the high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides were considered as independent variables in the model. Measures of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, Kappa measure of agreement and ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve was applied for determining the power of test. The Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy rate, Kappa measure of agreement and area under the ROC curve for the model were 0.764, 0.725, 0.731, 0.312 and 0.822, respectively. The following variables were significant according to their impact and their importance, respectively: WHR (? = 2.66, OR=14.32), anti-hypertensive drug (? =1.279, OR= 3.59), sex (? =0.707, OR= 2.028), level of education, walking and cycling (? = 0.136, OR= 1.146), waist circumference (? =0.12, OR= 1.127), weight (? = 0.112, OR= 1.118), BMI (? = 0.053, OR= 1.054), systolic blood pressure (? =0.052, OR= 1.054), age (? =0.046, OR= 1.047), diastolic blood pressure (? =0.043, OR= 1.044), total cholesterol (? = 0.003, OR= 1.003), triglycerides (? =0.01, OR= 1.011), LDL (? = 0.001, OR= 1.001), hip circumference (? = - 0.025, OR= 1.025), height (? = -0.071, OR= 0.932), HDL (? = -0.078, OR= 0.925), an intense 10-minute work activities (? = -0.507, OR=0.602). According to the criteria of accuracy and power of prediction, and considering ROC curve value (0.822) which could perform test accuracy as well for the diagnosis of diabetes, the logistic regression model was an appropriate model for the prediction of diabetes in this study.

Congenital heart disease is one of the most common malformations at birth that require timely recognition and treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and etiology of detected heart murmurs and association between congenital heart disease and heart murmurs. Recognition of murmurs etiology would help us to manage and treat them properly. In this cross-sectional study, 2757 infants between two to 24 months in Kerman city, Iran were enrolled. The infants who had heart murmurs in physical exam were referred to pediatric cardiologist for more evaluations such as echocardiography. 2757 infants were screened for the presence of heart murmurs and murmurs were heard in 145 (5.29%) including 71 girls (49%) and 74 boys (51%). Innocent and pathologic murmurs prevalence was 49 and 51 percent, respectively. Altogether, left to right shunts [ventricular ceptal defect (VSD), atrial ceptal defect (ASD), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD)] were the most common cardiac abnormalities in this study. The most common heart lesion was ventricular septal defect (21.6%). There was a significant correlation between younger infants, lower weights and girl sex with congenital heart disease. On base of our study, the incidence of pathologic heart murmurs related to congenital heart disease is more than innocent murmurs in infants; with accurate heart exam and timely screening, we can prevent irreversible heart complication in these ages.

Influenza viruses are important causes of mortality and morbidity in children. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of antibodies (IgG) against Influenza A in children in Kerman, Iran. In a cross-sectional study, 200 children aged 4-14 years referred to Besaat Clinic and Afzalipour hospital for diseases other than influenza were enrolled. Sera were tested for anti influenza A IgG with NovaLisa ELISA kits (NOVATEC, Germany). Anti-Influenza virus A IgG was detected in 12% (24/200) of the sera. This group had the highest mean age [9.62 (7-12) years]. Among studied variables, only age was related to seropositivness for anti-Influenza A serotypes. The majority of children aged 4-14 years in Kerman had no immunity to Influenza A. So, they are at risk for influenza and its morbidity during possible epidemics of this infection.

Whole body vibration exercise by affecting the neuromuscular system and mechanical mechanisms increase muscles strength. This study investigated the effect of whole body vibration training on neuromuscular function of elderly men. Based on a randomized controlled trial design, 72 retired elderly men with a mean age of 73.00 ± 2.67 years participated in this study. After obtaining subject's consent, they were divided into the four groups based on Bosco training program in a period of 6 weeks. Neuromuscular function after training protocol was evaluated by the standard 5-chair and timed up and go (TUG) tests. Then, data were analyzed. 5-chair practice and timed up and go tests results after whole body vibration exercise for three sessions in a week showed significantly improvement in nerve-muscle function (P < 0.05). Besides, the whole body vibration exercises significantly reduced the times of 5-chair practice and timed up and go tests (P < 0.05 for both) The whole body vibration exercises can significantly affect the nerve-muscle function in elderly and reduce the likelihood of falling.

Bunium persicum Boiss. Belongs to Apiaceae family and its fruit contains high level of essential oils used as native medicinal plant in traditional medicine. The essential oil of Bunium persicum (EOBP) was extracted by Clevenger apparatus using hydrodistillation. Lethal dose, 50% (LD50) was calculated based on Lorke’s method. Effects of EOBP (20-80 mg/kg) on upper gastrointestinal transit and on castor oil-induced diarrhea were investigated in adult Wistar rats weighting 200-220 g of either sex. The LD50 was determined as 375 mg/kg. Abnormal behavioural activities included lethargy, weakness, recumbence, and slow and shallow respiration. EOBP (20 mg/kg) showed inhibitory effects more than atropine where high doses (40 mg/kg) had same inhibition in contrast with atropine. EOBP inhibited intestinal motility more than atropine at lower doses. EOBP inhibitory effect was enhanced with atropine insignificantly. The EOBP (20 and 80 mg/kg) also caused a dose-dependent decrease of diarrheal parameters and markedly protected rats against castor oil-induced diarrhea. The maximal effect of the EOBP was similar to loperamide, one of the most efficacious and widely employed antidiarrheal drugs at the present time. These primary data indicated that the plant may contain some biologically active constituents that may reveal antimotility and antidiarrheal effects and support the popular therapeutic use of Bunium persicum in traditional medicine for gastrointestinal disorders.

People`s health, life expectancy and quality of life have been affected by social determinants of health, significantly. Also, socio-economic factors may affect health expenditure, considerably. This study has evaluated the effects of socio-economic determinants on health expenditure for the low-income urban households in the informal sector of employment. In this study, the socio-economic data for the low-income urban households in the informal sector were obtained from the results of households’ budget survey from the Statistical Center and the Central Bank of Iran, for the years 1986-2009. This was the first study used the record data for contingent valuation method. The ordinary least squares regression model was used for data analysis. Increase in age, education level, income and family size increased health expenditure of the households in the informal sector; and increase in urban unemployment rate decreased health expenditure of the households. Besides, the mean age of the young years and the unemployment rate had the highest and lowest effects on households` health expenditure, respectively. In the two last decades, changes in the demand of low income households for health services mainly arise from changes in the socio-economic determinants of consumers’ behavior. Social health insurance is a suitable mechanism for financing health expenditure of the low income households. Arbitrary health insurance plan in the informal sector, existence of some rules and regulations, and inappropriate premiums with respect to the minimum wage make the universal coverage of social health insurance for this group of population problematic.

The aim of this study was to the compare perfectionism, aggression and coping styles in patients with migraine and tension-type headache and healthy individuals. In this casual-comparative method study, the studied sample consisted of 42 patients with tension-type headache diagnosis, 40 patients with migraine headache selected among those referred to medical centers and mental hospitals in Ardabil, Iran, and 41 healthy individuals matched with the other two groups according to gender and educational level. The Perfectionism scale, Aggression scale, and Stress Coping Styles scale were used. In addition, the intensity and frequency indexes were collected. Data were analyzed using multivariable analysis of variance (MANOVA). There were significant differences in perfectionism, aggression, and cognitive-avoidance coping style mean scores between both the patients with migraine and tension-type headaches with healthy individuals. No significant differences were observed between three groups in behavioral coping style scores. Maladaptive perfectionism, aggression and dysfunctional coping styles are associated with the severity of migraine and tension-type headaches. These results have important implications in explaining the role of personality variables in headaches.

Toxocariasis or visceral larva migrans syndrome is a disease that appears by attack of extra intestinal animal nematode larvae of Toxocara canis to the human tissues. The present study was performed to evaluate the frequency of Toxocara eggs in public parks of Shiraz /Iran. A total of 20 parks from different regions of shiraz city were selected, and from different parts of each park (children's play area, living area and four sides of the park) 10 surface soil samples were collected. In the laboratory, after washing and filtration with flotation method, microscopic study was done for parasitic elements. From total of 20 parks, 3 ones (15%) were infected with Toxocara eggs. Microscopic identification of eggs in each field ranged from 1 to 8 eggs. Furthermore, 2 polluted parks were in the south and one was in the North East of the city. Since the soils of some public parks are infected with Toxocara eggs, to reduce the risk of human contamination, preventative programs and more studies are recommended.