Iranian family caregivers' challenges and issues in caring of multiple sclerosis patients: A descriptive explorative qualitative study.

BACKGROUND The broad spectrum of problems caused by multiple sclerosis (MS) imposes heavy responsibility to caregivers in caring of their patients. Therefore, they encounter many issues and challenges in this situation. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and challenges of MS family caregivers. MATERIALS AND METHODS A qualitative design, based on a thematic analysis approach, was used to reach the study aim. Data were collected and analyzed concurrently through in-depth unstructured interviews, field notes, and observations that were held with 23 participants (14 family caregivers and 9 MS patients) at two referral centers in Ahvaz, Iran. FINDINGS THREE MAJOR THEMES WERE EXTRACTED FROM THE ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSCRIPTS: "emotional exhaustion of caregivers," "uncertain atmosphere of caring," and "insularity care." The first theme consisted of three subthemes: "stressful atmosphere of caring," "conflict and animism," and "continuing distress affecting the caregiver." The second theme consisted of three subthemes: "unstable and complicacy of disease," "caring with trial and error," and "frequent hospitalization of patients," and the third theme consisted of two subthemes: "caring gap and disintegration" and "lack of sufficient support." CONCLUSIONS This study will be useful to healthcare system for managing the challenges of MS patients' family caregivers. Improving the conditions and performance of family caregivers is crucial in order to provide high-quality care to people with MS

The Perspectives of Iranian Patients With Multiple Sclerosis on Continuity of Care: A Qualitative Study

Background: Continuity in multiple sclerosis (MS) care has been cited as a critical feature of this care and necessary to improve medical outcomes. Purpose: This exploratory and descriptive research attempts to identify continuity of care from the experience and perspective of patients with MS at two teaching hospitals and the MS Society in Ahvaz, Iran. Methods: In this study, 23 patients with MS were selected through purposeful sampling. Data were collected through in-depth and unstructured interviews and were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Results: Four main themes emerged from the analysis: human-oriented attention, the necessity of purposeful planning, importance of responsibility, and caring with empathetic sensing. Conclusions/Implications for Practice: Because of the importance of professional caring practice to continuity of care for patients with MS, we suggest that healthcare providers should include these aspects in care planning

The Effects of Exposure to Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields in the Treatment of Migraine Headache: A Cohort Study

Introduction: Findings have indicated that increased usage of mobile phones may be concomitant with higher rate of headache attacks due to the low radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of low RF-EMF on the treatment outcome in migraine patients. Methods: This cohort study was performed on 114 migraine patients referred to the Neurology Clinic of Golestan Hospital in Ahvaz, Southwest Iran, from September 2014 to March 2015. Patients with migraine were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire exploring mobile phones, Wi-Fi devices and fixed-line telephone use as RF-EMF sources. After 3 months, we determined patients' response to treatment. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) tests were carried out to analyze data, using SPSS version 17. Results: Out of 114 individuals who participated, 82 (71.9%) were female and 32 (28.1%) cases were male. The number and severity of migraine headaches were correlated significantly with an increased use of mobile phones during day and Wi-Fi per week (p<0.05). The usage of fixed-line telephones had no significant relationship with the study variables (p>0.05). Conclusion: It is recommended that the patients with migraine headache limit mobile phone use and instead, use the fixed-line telephone for their daily telecommunications

Tapering Oral Steroid Treatment After IV Methylprednisolone Pulse Therapy in Demyelinating Optic Neuritis

Background: Optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve. Because of importance of vision for human, management of optic neuritis is an important issue in neurology. Objectives: This study aimed at assessing the effect of oral steroid treatment after intravenous (IV) methylprednisolone therapy on demyelinating optic neuritis. Materials & Methods: 60 Patients with first episode of acute demyelinating optic neuritis who referred to a neurology clinic in an academic hospital in south-west of Iran in 2015-2016 included in this randomized double-blind clinical trial study (No: IRCT2015102724735N1). They were divided into two groups with (A) and without (B) tapering oral steroid treatment after IV methylprednisolone. Visual acuity and color vision were measured before treatment, before oral tapering, 1 and 3 months after treatment. Independent t-test in SPSS software version 20 was used to analyze the data. P<0.05 was considered as the level of significance. Results: Visual acuity in two groups did not have any significant difference in any time point of assessment (P>0.05).Frequency of color vision abnormality in groups A and B were at baseline (53.3% vs. 56.6%) (P=0.796), before oral tapering (43.3% vs. 30%, P=0.284), 1 month after treatment (23.3% vs. 30%, P=0.559), 3 months after treatment (0% vs. 23%, P=0.011).  Conclusion: Oral steroid treatment after IV methylprednisolone pulse therapy improves color vision after 3 months in patients with demyelinating optic neuritis but has no effect on visual acuity

Incidence and Risk Factors of Diabetic Foot Ulcer: A Population-Based Diabetic Foot Cohort (ADFC Study)—Two-Year Follow-Up Study

Aim/Introduction. This study was carried out to assess the incidence and risk factors of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). Materials and Methods. In this prospective cohort study in a university hospital, all the participants were examined and followed up for new DFU as final outcome for two years. To analyze the data, the variables were first evaluated with a univariate analysis. Then variables with P value < 0.2 were tested with a multivariate analysis, using backward-elimination multiple logistic regression. Results. Among 605 patients, 39 cases had DFU, so we followed up the remaining 566 patients without any present or history of DFU. A two-year cumulative incidence of diabetic foot ulcer was 5.62% (95% CI 3.89–8.02). After analysis, previous history of DFU or amputation [OR = 9.65, 95% CI (2.13–43.78), P value = 0.003], insulin usage [OR = 5.78, 95% CI (2.37–14.07), P value < 0.01], gender [OR = 3.23, 95% CI (1.33–7.83), P value = 0.01], distal neuropathy [OR = 3.37, 95% CI (1.40–8.09), P value = 0.007], and foot deformity [OR = 3.02, 95% CI (1.10–8.29), P value = 0.032] had a statistically significant relationship with DFU incidence. Conclusion. Our data showed that the average annual DFU incidence is about 2.8%. Independent risk factors of DFU development were previous history of DFU or amputation, insulin consumption, gender, distal neuropathy, and foot deformity. These findings provide support for a multifactorial etiology for DFU

COVID-19 Vaccination Willingness and Acceptability in Multiple Sclerosis Patients:A Cross Sectional Study in Iran

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, predominantly immune-mediated degenerative disease of the central nervous system. Due to prolonged use of immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive medications, vaccine hesitancy could be common among MS patients. Our main aim in the current study was to evaluate the willingness and acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with MS. In our multicenter cross-sectional questionnaire-based clinical study, 892 patients completed the questionnaire between May to June 2021. The questionnaire consisted of demographic data, MS disease-related factors, history of COVID-19 infection/vaccination, and any existing comorbidities. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 19. Overall, 68% of the participants expressed willingness to be vaccinated. Major causes of vaccine refusal in our patients were the fear of reducing the efficacy of disease modifying drugs (DMDs) upon vaccination as well as distrusting the vaccines and overestimation bias in the power of their innate immunity and potential COVID-19 resistance. Some demographic factors affected vaccination enthusiasm in our study. Our findings did not show significant correlation between the age and comorbidity and vaccine willingness. Only one-third of our patients received their vaccine information from healthcare providers. The majority of them received these data from official broadcasting channels and social media. However, despite several concerns, the willingness of COVD-19 vaccination in the Iranian MS patients is remarkable