Association of 757 C/T polymorphismin PRODH gene with Schizophrenia in Iranian population

Evidence is emerging for the association of polymorphisms in PRODH gene and increased risk of schizophrenia. In this project, peripheral blood sampling was obtained from 175 schizophrenia patients that their diseases were confirmed by psychiatrists. 185 healthy individuals were considered as control group. The related tests were administered on the basis of PCR-RFLP. In the continuation, statistical analysis was made on the basis of obtained genotypes from two groups of healthy and patient groups using SPSS16.0 software. The administration of this project aims at investigating the hypothesis that proline dehydrogenase gene, as one of the most important genes involved in schizophrenia incidence which is proved in various populations [outside Iran], may also be involved in incidence of schizophrenia in Iran. This study has analyzed one single nucleotide polymorphism in the PRODH gene, including 757C/T in the incidence of this disease in the given statistical population. According to our results, SNP 757 C/T may be effective in incidence of the disease since P value was < 0.01. Ultimately, our results suggest that outbreak of mutation in PRODH gene in our population can be one of causes of increasing risk of Schizophrenia in this population

Effect of Laser-Assisted Hair Removal (LAHR) on the Quality of Life and Depression in Hirsute Females: A Single-Arm Clinical Trial

Introduction: Hirsutism, mainly due to poly cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), causes stress, anxiety and depression in females. LAHR is currently accepted as a good treatment option for hirsutism. The goal of the current study was to ascertain how LAHR affected the degree of hirsutism, quality of life, and depression in hirsute females. Methods: A single arm before/after clinical trial was designed and performed in the Razi Hospital Laser Clinic over a 15-months period. All hirsute females visiting Razi hospital laser clinic, were enrolled and received three sessions of LAHR every 4-6 weeks if they were interested and signed an informed consent. Before the commencement of LAHR and six to eight weeks after the last session, the Ferriman-Gallwey score (hirsutism severity), Beck score (depression index) and DLQI score (quality of life index) were calculated and stored. Results: There were 80 subjects in all. The mean± (SD) of the Ferriman-Gallwey score was reduced from 7.05 ± 2.27 to 4.91 ± 2.41, p<0.001. Beck depression score’s mean± (SD) was reduced from 13.3 ± 8.7 to 10.2 ± 8.4, p<0.001 and mean± (SD) of DLQI score was decreased from 5.6 ± 5.2 to 3.5 ± 2.3, p<0.001. No significant complication were reported. Conclusion:   LAHR can improve hirsutism related depression and degradation of quality of life as well as hirsutism physical signs

Situation analysis of local ethical committees in medical sciences in Iran

Background: Local ethical committees in medical sciences in Iran were established in 1999 in order to assess and evaluate the observance of ethical standards throughout the universities and research centers. The purpose of this study is to analyze the situation of local ethical committees in order to develop research ethics guideline. Methods: For this cross-sectional study which has been conducted with the support of WHO, 40 local ethical committees in all universities of medical sciences were evaluated by use of determined questionnaires. Results: In this study, 40 universities of medical sciences participated; all of them have established local ethical committees. Each committee has 5 to 11 members and in more than 80% cases, written guidelines for selecting the committee′s members are available. The minimum number of members for official session is at least 3 and replacement of absent members, did not take place in more than 85% of the committees. Informed consent in 95% of these local ethical committees is available. In all committees, researches regarding the use of human subjects are under ethical consideration. In half of the local ethical committees, penalties for non-compliance with the regulations are considered. The average number of research project evaluated in last session of these committees was 15.2 and the committees in 50% of cases have provided ethics training specifically for their members. Conclusions: Policymakers should develop a standard guideline for local ethical committees in medical science universities in Iran

A Survey on Socio-demographic Factors Related to Migrant’s Quality of Life (18-29 Years Old): A Case Study of Hesarak, Karaj, Iran in 2012

Objective: Given that Iran’s population is Migrant’s young, it is worthwhile (decent) to study the quality of life (QOL) of this stratum of society. The main objective of this study is to examine socio-demographic factors associated with QOL in a group of Adolescents (18-29 years old) of emigrants. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from the structured questionnaire designed for 400 migrants, who were selected using systematic random sampling. Statistical methods of Cronbach’s alpha for assessment (tools) reliability, Pearson correlation coefficient for testing hypotheses, analysis of variance to test statistical comparison and regression were used in this study. Results: According to research findings there is a significant relationship between the variables including: age (r = −0.241), housing status (t = 22.90), social class identity (f = 14.95), religious orientation (r = 0.41), social capital (r = 0.12), self-esteem (r = 0.34), and the QOL of migrants. Conclusion: Based on research findings, it can be concluded that the variable of QOL is affected by other variables including: Religious orientation, self-esteem, age, education, and changes in each of these variables will change the QOL of Migrant’s young

Prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder in patients referred to Razi hospital cosmetic clinic with complaints of cosmetic disorders

Background: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterized by a preoccupation with an imagined defect in ones appearance or an exaggeration of a slight physical anomaly. Any part of the appearance may be the focuse of BDD patients. Thus preoccupation with appearance leads to significant damages of social and job functioning. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of BDD in patients referred to cosmetic clinic of Razi hospital.Methods: Patients visiting cosmetic clinic of Razi hospital were selected if they agreed to participate in the study. They were evaluated by Yale brown obsessive compulsive scale modified for body dysmorphic disorder (YBOCS-BDD) as well as questionnaires containing demographic characteristics of patients including gender, educational status, marital status, history of reference to psychiatrist or psychologist, other medication, history of cosmetic surgery and rate of satisfaction of cosmetic surgery. YBOCS-BDD questionnaires then processed by educated specialist to determine BDD score of patie-nts. Demographic questionnaires, also analysed to evaluate epidemiologic properties of patients visiting cosmetic clinic of Razi hospital.Results: The prevalence of BDD in current sample was 33.3%. 70.7% of BDD patients were female while 29.3% were male. The commonest age range was 21-50 years (82.8%). 65.5% were educated to level of diploma or lower, while 34.5% had academic degrees. 51.7% were married. 20.7% had history of reference to psychiatrist or psycholo-gist. 17/2% had history of cosmetic surgery with satisfaction ranging from unsatisfied (20%) to relative satisfaction (80%). None were fully satisfied.Conclusion: BDD had high prevalence in patients visiting cosmetic clinic of Razi skin hospital. This high rate of prevalence show the necessity of diagnosis of BDD in skin patients and it is critical for them to refer to psychiatrists or psychologists

Case Report: The Effect of Neurofeedback Therapy on Reducing Symptoms Associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Case Series Study

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of neurofeedback on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study without a control group. The study population included all children aged 5 to 12 years old affected with attention deficit hyperactivity disorders in Tehran, Iran who were referred to psychiatric clinics and given the diagnosis. The sample included 12 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who were selected based on their availability (non-random sampling). They received 30 sessions of neurofeedback treatment, 2 times per week. Before and after neurofeedback training, the children were evaluated and compared with the use of cognitive assessment system test. Data were analyzed using dependent T-test. Results: The total mean score for pretest was 88.81 while the total mean score for the post test was 82.23. The mean in pretest for attention hyperactivity disorder was higher than the mean in the post test. Moreover, The difference of pretest and post test scores of children affected with learning disorder associated with ADHD was calculated that showed significant (P=0.003). Conclusion: Neurofeedback is effective in the improvement of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Evaluation of some psychological factors in psoriatic patients.

Background: Psoriasis is a disease which may have a direct impact on the psychological and social aspects of the patient, particularly due to its visibility. To date, we are unaware of any study showing a relationship between psoriasis and psychological parameters such as psychological vulnerability and coping strategies . Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of psoriasis on some psychological parameters in an Iranian population. Methods: Patients having histopathologically confirmed psoriasis for at least 6 months attending the Dermatology Clinic of Razi Hospital were included if they agreed to participate in the study. Patients with history of schizophrenia, major depression or other psychological disorders were excluded. All patients were at least 18 years old. The patients were then referred to the researchers for filling out the appropriate questionnaires under the guidance of an involved psychologist. To evaluate skin involvement, Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score was ca culated and used for all patients. All data were stored in files for further analysis. Results: There were 101 females and 99 males with the mean age of 43.2(±16.32). The mean PASI Score was 6.58 ± 6.04. Diffuse skin involvement was the commonest form of disease (133 patients, 66.5%). The highest score for Illness perception belonged to those with genitalia involvement (185.2, worst illness perception), and the lowest score for Illness perception belonged to those with nail involvement (168.2). Consistently, the lowest score of facing the problems (CISS: approach strategy to disease) belonged to those with hand involvement (50.5) whereas the highest score belonged to those with genitalia involvement (60.4). There was a significant correlation between psychological vulnerability vs. Illness perception score as well as psychological vulnerability vs. coping strategies score. Surprisingly, PASI score had an insignificant relationship with illness perception, coping strategies or psychological vulnerability scor. Conclusion: PASI score as a representing factor of skin involvement has a limited role in predicting the effect of psoriasis on mental status and illness perception of psoriatic patients. Psychological vulnerability of the patients is the main predicting factor of illness perception and coping strategies (representing patients approach to their disease or their treatment beliefs)

The study of psychiatric comorbidity in patient with pemphigus

Background: The relationship between skin, neuron system and mental status is complicated. Pemphigus is severe and painful autoimmune skin disorder that occurs in 0.5-1 person in 100000. Regarding the critical role of mental status in autoimmune diseases such as pemphigus, the aim of this research was to investigating psychiatric comorbidity in patient with pemphigus. Methods: This research was a descriptive survey study. The society of this research included the patients with pemphigus referred to Razi Dermatology University Hospital in Tehran. Participants were 200 persons who were selected through available sampling. Finally, 198 persons filled out the demographic questionnaire and symptom checklist-90 (SCL-90). Results: This research showed that the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in this sample was 62.62%. 28.78% (57 persons) of patients were male and 33.84% (67 persons) were female. In both genders the symptoms of paranoia were the most prevalent disorders (45% in female and 60% in male) and phobia was the least prevalent in our sample (8.2% in female and 24% in male). The upper grade in education, the less prevalent disorders. 81.45% of participants with mental disorders were married and 18.55% of them were single. Of patients only 26.32% had visited the psychiatrist or psychologist and 95.15% of them had used medications. This research also showed that there was a significant difference between two genders. Men showed higher rate of prevalence in psychiatric symptoms than women. Conclusion: The results showed that psychiatric disorders in patients with pemphigus are high compared to general population. This research congruent with other researches showed that higher age, lower grade of education and marriage related to worse prognosis in psychological status in patient with pemphigus. Thus dermatologists must recognize and manage these psychiatric comorbidities to treat patients effectively and to improve the quality of life in patients with autoimmune diseases such as pemphigus.&nbsp

Additional file 2: of Quality of life in patients with vitiligo: a cross-sectional study based on Vitiligo Quality of Life index (VitiQoL)

Persian version of Vitiligo Quality of Life (VitiQoL) [4]. (PDF 535 kb

Additional file 1: of Quality of life in patients with vitiligo: a cross-sectional study based on Vitiligo Quality of Life index (VitiQoL)

Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI) for evaluation of disease extent and severity [6]. (JPG 213 kb