What Are the Predictors of Work Impairment in Iranian Patients with Depressive Disorders?

Abstract The purpose of this study is to estimate the predictors of working ability in depressed patients. Two hundred and twenty-six patients with depression consecutively admitted on outpatient basis fro

A Case Report of Hydatid Disease in Long Bone

Hydatid cyst, caused by echinococcus granulosa, can produce tissue cyst everywhere in body. Skeletal cystic lesion is rare especially in long bones like tibia and because of its unusual presentation, its diagnosis may easily be missed, unless be kept in mind

Reliability and validity of the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score: A validation study from Iran

The aims of this study were to culturally adapt and validate the Persian version of Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) and present data on its psychometric properties for patients with different foot and ankle problems. The Persian version of FAOS was developed after a standard forward-backward translation and cultural adaptation process. The sample included 93 patients with foot and ankle disorders who were asked to complete two questionnaires: FAOS and Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). To determine test-retest reliability, 60 randomly chosen patients completed the FAOS again 2 to 6 days after the first administration. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. To evaluate convergent and divergent validity of FAOS compared to similar and dissimilar concepts of SF-36, the Spearman's rank correlation was used. Dimensionality was determined by assessing item-subscale correlation corrected for overlap. The results of test-retest reliability show that all the FAOS subscales have a very high ICC, ranging from 0.92 to 0.96. The minimum Cronbach's alpha level of 0.70 was exceeded by most subscales. The Spearman's correlation coefficient for convergent construct validity fell within 0.32 to 0.58 for the main hypotheses presented a priori between FAOS and SF-36 subscales. For dimensionality, the minimum Spearman's correlation coefficient of 0.40 was exceeded by most items. In conclusion, the results of our study show that the Persian version of FAOS seems to be suitable for Iranian patients with various foot and ankle problems especially lateral ankle sprain. Future studies are needed to establish stronger psychometric properties for patients with different foot and ankle problems. © 2009 Clinical Rheumatology

Mécano-Stimulation™ of the skin improves sagging score and induces beneficial functional modification of the fibroblasts: clinical, biological, and histological evaluations

Philippe Humbert,1,2 Ferial Fanian,1,2 Thomas Lihoreau,1,2 Adeline Jeudy,1,2 Ahmed Elkhyat,1,2 Sophie Robin,3 Carol Courderot-Masuyer,3 Hélène Tauzin,3 Christine Lafforgue,1,2,4 Marek Haftek5 1Research and Studies Center on the Integument (CERT), Department of Dermatology, Clinical Investigation Center (CIC 1431), Besançon University Hospital; 2INSERM UMR1098, FED4234 IBCT, University of Franche-Comté, Besançon, France; 3SARL BIOEXIGENCE, Besançon, France; 4Dermopharmacology and Cosmetology Unit, University of Paris Sud, France; 5University of Lyon 1, EA4169, Experimental, clinical and therapeutic aspects of the skin barrier function, INSERM US7 – CNRS UMS3453, Lyon, France Background: Loss of mechanical tension appears to be the major factor underlying decreased collagen synthesis in aged skin. Numerous in vitro studies have shown the impact of mechanical forces on fibroblasts through mechanotransduction, which consists of the conversion of mechanical signals to biochemical responses. Such responses are characterized by the modulation of gene expression coding not only for extracellular matrix components (collagens, elastin, etc.) but also for degradation enzymes (matrix metalloproteinases [MMPs]) and their inhibitors (tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases [TIMPs]). A new device providing a mechanical stimulation of the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue has been used in a simple, blinded, controlled, and randomized study. Materials and methods: Thirty subjects (aged between 35 years and 50 years), with clinical signs of skin sagging, were randomly assigned to have a treatment on hemiface. After a total of 24 sessions with Mécano-Stimulation™, biopsies were performed on the treated side and control area for in vitro analysis (dosage of hyaluronic acid, elastin, type I collagen, MMP9; equivalent dermis retraction; GlaSbox®; n=10) and electron microscopy (n=10). Furthermore, before and after the treatment, clinical evaluations and self-assessment questionnaire were done.Results: In vitro analysis showed increases in hyaluronic acid, elastin, type I collagen, and MMP9 content along with an improvement of the migratory capacity of the fibroblasts on the treated side. Electron microscopy evaluations showed a clear dermal remodeling in relation with the activation of fibroblast activity. A significant improvement of different clinical signs associated with skin aging and the satisfaction of the subjects were observed, correlated with an improvement of the sagging cheek.Conclusion: Mécano-Stimulation is a noninvasive and safe technique delivered by flaps microbeats at various frequencies, which can significantly improve the skin trophicity. Results observed with objective measurements, ie, in vitro assessments and electron microscopy, confirm the firming and restructuring effect clinically observed. Keywords: skin rejuvenation, skin sagging, mechanical stimulation, fibroblast synthesi