2023 CiteScore: 0.7
pISSN: 0044-6025
eISSN: 1735-9694
Editor-in-Chief:
Ahmadreza Dehpour, PharmD, PhD
This journal is a member of, and subscribes to the principles of, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Vol 40, No 1 (2002)
Articles
-
Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is the only definie cure in thalassemia and its most important complication is chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). We analysed the incidence of cGVHD and its associated risk factors in a group of 89 Iranian thalassemic patients of HLA-identical sibling transplants surviving at least 90 days after transplantation.In the majority of cases (39) cGVHD occurred in the first year following transplant (median 271 days). Actuarial probability of cGVHD in 1 year was 43.8±10% (95% CI). In univariate analysis, the most important risk factor was the type of transplant: 78.9% (15.19) of patients who underwent peripheral blood stem cell transplant developed cGVHD compared with only 34.3% (24/70) of those who underwent bone marrow transplant (RR=3.65 p<0.001). other risk factors were infused cell number (RR=1.09 p=0.001) and prir acute cGVHD grade (p=0.02); the probabilities of cGVHD in patients with grade 0, I, II, III-IV acute cGVHD were 17.6%, 36.4%, 46.4% and 68.2% respectively. In multivariate analysis, the only independent predicitive factor for development of cGVHD was the type of transplant (BPT> BM p<0.001). The probability of survival was 93.3% and there was no significant difference in the probability of survival between PBT vs BMT (94% vs 92% p=0.6
-
The immune responses that develop following Epstien-Barr Virus (EBV) infection are complex and involve both humoral and to a greater extent cell-mediated immune mechanisms. To evaluate the immune response, flow cytometric analysis of the peripheral blood of six patients during the acute phase of EBV infection was performed. This analysis revealed a significant increase in the percentages and the absolute number of CD8+cytotoxic and activated (HLA-DR+ - T lymphocytes and in some cases with a concomitan decrease in the percentages of B (CD19+) lymphocytes and T helper (CD4+) lymphocytes. These patient invariably had inverted CD4/CD8 ratio. All changes reversed to normal level during the recovery phase of infection. It is therefore concluded that EBV specific cytotoxic and activated T lymphocytes are essential in controlling acute EBV infection presented by the infected B cells.
-
A 35-year-old man was admitted because of a 2-year history of nasal obstrction, a nasopharyngeal mass, malaise, and massive cervical lymphadenopathy. Nasal symptoms and nasopharygeal mass were due to rhinoscleroma that was confirmed by an incisional biopsy and culture. The patient underwent cervical lymph node biopsy and culture. The patient underwent cervical lymph node biopsy that revealed the tissue compatible with Rosai-Dorfman disease, also called sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy. Rhinoscleroma was treated by a combination of excision and antibiotics. Culture became negative for Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis. Then prednisolone administered for one month and gradually tapered. Lymph nodes became small at the end of treatment. Twelve months follow-up showed no evidence of recurrence of both diseases. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of association of rhinoscleroma with Rosai-Dorfman disease. Association of these two rare diseases may be due to just a coincidence, or a common immunologic or microbiologic underlying factor
-
Idiopathic lobular panniculitis, sometimes called relapsing febrile nodular panniculitis or weber Christian disease first desribed in 1892 by pfeifer, is the term used to describe an group of disease that present as subcutaneous inflammatory nodules and histologically display an inflammatory focus primarily within the fat lobules. Weber-christian disease is the term applied to idiopatic cases of lobular panniculitis associated with systemic symptoms.the disease occurs predominantly in middle aged females although it can be seen in both sexes and at all ages. Hereby, we represent a case of diagnosed weber-christian disease in a 9-month-old boy. The diagnosis was approved by skin biopsy and exclusion of other differential diagnosis of lobular panniculitis. Weber-christian disease is a rare disease especially in children and can be misdiagnosed, so we found it interesting to report this case.
-
There is now clear evidence that the atherosclerotic process begins in childhood. A major and important cause of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CHD) is elevated cholesterol level. In order to clarify the sigificance of elevated Total Cholesterol (TC) in children who live in Tehran, we measured the lipid profiles including TC Triglyceride (TG), and High density Lipoproteein Cholesterol (HD –C) of 1000 twelve- year-old children. Low-density lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) value was calculated by using friedwald formula. The mean level of TC in all cases reached 170±39 mg/dl. The mean level of LDL-C, HDL-C and TG were 101±38 mg/dl, 48±12mg/dl, and 105±52 mg/dl, respectively. Tc level in 16.4% of the cases was above 200 mg/dl and 16% had LDL-C levels more than 130mg/dl. Mean LDL-C level in the boys was 6.2 mg/dl (with 95% confidence interval of 1.3 to 11.1) more than girls. Also mean HDL-C level in the girls was 4.1 mg/dl (with 95% confidence interval of 2.5 to 5.7) more than that of boys (P-value in both=0.000). TC and HDL-C levels in the northern parts of Tehran were significantly higher than the southern parts. Mean LDL-C and TG levels didn’t show any differences. Regarding the normal range of TC (<170mg/dl), the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in Tehran seems unacceptable.
-
Splenic Tuberculosis is a rare entity, particularly among immunocompetent hosts. Hererin, we present a 23 year-old man who was reffered with fever of unknown origin and eventually diagnosed to have splenic tuberculosis with an involvement of a single axillary lymph node as the sole site disease in the other organs.Despite two months of treatment with antituberculous agents due to necrotising granulomatous lesion of axillary lymphadenitis, the patient underwent splenectomy for complete recovery. It seems that in this rare from of tuberculosis, splenectomy in addition to standard antituberculosis treatment is curative
-
This report presents an 11 year-old girl with benign recurrent cholestasis (BRIC) who developed episodes of severe jaundice and pruritus at the ages of 2.5 and 10 years. Each episode lasted for 3-4 months. The peak level of serum bilirubin reached 33-37 mg/dl.Liver function tests were all normal during the attack except for increased alkaline phosphatase and prolonged prothrombin time responsive to vitamin K injection. All laboratory tests were normal between attacks. Other causes of liver diseases and cholestatic disorders were excluded. Imaging studies performed during the second attack all were normal.So, diagnosis of BRIC should be kept in mind in pediatric patients with cholestasis.
-
Animal models for H.pylori infection have been developed to clarify the pathogenesis, testing new therapies and developing vaccines against human H.pylori infection. Although rats have been used extensively for gastric ulceration and acid secretion studies, the animal is not normally infected with H.pylori.Several chemicals such as ethanol and ammonium hydroxide can induce gastric erosion and interact with gastric mucosal defense mechanisms. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of pretreatment with the gastroinvasive agents on colonization of H. pylori with the gastroinvasive agents on colonization of H. pylori in not germ-free rats in order to overcome the resistance against H. pylori in rats. After 24 h fasting, the rats were divided into three major groups. Animals in the first group were not pretreated with any chemicals. The two other groups were pretreated with ethanol (60%) or ammonium hydroxide (1%) before inoculation of 1 mL H. pylori suspension (3×108 cfu/ml). The results showed that H. pylori could not colonize in rats, even with ethanol or ammonium hydroxide pretreatment. An understanding of the mechanism of this resistance can help researchers to develop new therapeutic or preventive drugs against H. pylori and it is recommended to perform more investigation to clarify the reason of this resistance
-
Fue to the importance of selecting imaging parameters in magnetic resonance brain angiography, this study was carried out to choose optimum theoretical and experimental parameters for improving image controast and resolution and achieve shorter imaging time for practical reasons.A 1.5T super conductive magnet MRI with gradient power of 13 nT/m and Larmour frequency of 63 MHz with imaging coli of 30 cm was used.In this study, 5 healthy volunteers and 34 patients were the subjects of brain angiography. Flip angles of 15-20 degrees for peripheral brain vessels and 35-45 degrees for internal brain vessels were found to give higher contrast and better image resolution with a artifact. Using our optimum imaging parameters, (ie [TR/Te/FA/FOV] [40ms/7cm/20°/1mm 023cm], besides obtaining high quality angiography images, routine imaging time of 9-12 minutes was reduced to 7.3 mintues
-
Hirchsprung’s disease is a developmental disorder of the enteric nervous system, characterized by abdsence of ganglion cell in the myenterric and submucosal plexuese along a variable portion of the distal intestine.The purpose of this study is the presentation of a new procedure for reduction of the postoperative complications of Hirschsprung’s disease (HD) by offering a modified Swenson’s technique. This was a chieved through a 10 years study of 157 patients with HD, of whom 74% were male and 26% wre female. In 100 cases the disease was diagnosed in the early neonatal period, in 129 cases the involved segments were rectosigmoid or shortsegment. Our choice of operation was a new modification of swenson’s type of pull through (Swenson’s operation + posterior rectal wall myectomy). Phatholgical examination has confirmed the diagnosis of HD in all patients. The overall results of surgery were good in 81% and there was no mortality.
-
Fine needle aspiration (FNA) technique is a well-known procedure in the diagnosis of various organ diseases. This study was conducted to evaluate the utility of FNA in the dianosis of neck masses. Fine needle aspiration was performed upon 123 patients with palpable nonthyroidal lesions at neck during a five-year period. In ten cases, FNA findings were nondiagnostic. From the reminder 113 patients, histopathologic results of 55 patients were available. Histopathologic evaluation revealed that 71% of cases had benign lesions, and 29% had malignant tumors. False negative and False positive rates were 1.8% and 5.4% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of FNA in determining malignant lesions were 8.21% and 97.4% respectively. Predictive positive and negative values were 92.8% and 92.7% respectively. Sensitivity of FNA in determining malignancy in lymph nodes was 72% (12.5% false negative). Based on our study findings, and those of other studies, we recommend performing fine needle aspiration in those patients who present with neck masses.It is worthwhile to mention that except those cases with negative results of lymph node origin, most Fna findings are reliable and in such cases, open surgical biopsy is unnecessary.
-
Dislocation of the thumb carpometacarpal joint is a rare injury, and only 38 cases have been definitively described in the English-speaking literature. All the reported dislocations have been dorsal. We present a volar form of the thumb carpometacarpal dislocation which was managed surgically after three months from the injury with open reduction and volar ligament reconstrction, with satisfactory outcome.
-
Among 2357 prenant women at Tehran Valiasr hospital, 99 women under 18 years with their 102 neonates were evaluated retrospectively during Aprill 1999 to April 2000. frequency of adolescent pregnancy was detected in 41.5 per 1000 live birth 7 (7.1%) of mothers had preeclampisa, 7 thyroidal diseases, 3 valvular heart diseases, 2 urinary tract infections and 20.3% of women had prolonged rupture of membrane (more than 24 hrs). the route of delivery in 21.2% of women was cesarean section. 32% of neonates were low birth weight and the gestational age in 38.2% of neonates was lower than 37 weeks. Intrauterine growth retardiation was detected in 11.8% of patients 38.2% of babies were admitted into neonatal care unit. Perinatal resuscitation and ventilator care were needed in 9.8% and 3.9% of neonates respectively. Nonatal mortality occurred in 6.9% of patients. Compared with total deliveries the frequency of variables was higher than could be expected except for cesarean section. Our adolescent pregnancy rate is lower than worldwide range but rates for prematurity and low birth weight are the same as other reports from developed and developing countries. Frequency of cesarean section was lower than expected range in this group as in developed countries.With respect to higher rates for rheumatic heart disease, premature labor, prolonged rupture o membrane and low birth weight, it seems that lower socioeconomic factors may result in these adverse outcomes.Higher neonatal ICU admissions, artificial ventilation and resuscitation in adolescent pregnancies suggest that confinement in hospitals with level III nurseries is advisable in these high risk group
-
Nitric oxide (NO) is implicated as an important mediator of, or intermediary in, inflammation, immunity and neurotransmission. In the kidney, No is involved in haemodynamic regulation, control of vascular tone and tubular function. Formation of oxygen-derived free radicals (OFR) have been documented in renal ischaemia- reperfusion before. In this study , we investigated the significance of No formation, by the addition of nitroprusside (0.2 mm) as an No donor, in the ischaemia- reperfused (IR) kidneys. Induction of Ir significantly reduced renal function compared to controls. In this study, nitroprusside showed beneficial effects on renal morphology although did not alter function over a short period of time.
