Comparison of Anxiety and Depression in Laundered and Unlaundered Nomads of Ashori Family of Ghashghaie Community

ABSTRACT: Introduction & Objective: Non laundered nomad populations in Iran experience more adverse living circumstances than laundered populations, but there is little research regarding the prevalence of mental health disorders of them. This study investigated the prevalence of depression and anxiety in laundered versus unlaundered nomads. Materials & Methods: 95 people of unlaundered nomads and 86 people of laundered nomads from Ashori family of Ghasghaee were assessed using Hamilton anxiety rating scale and Beck depression rating scale. The results were analyzed by SPSS software using chi - square test. Results: The depression rate in unlaundered nomads included 33.7% normal, 29.5 % mild and 36.5 % moderate and severe, but in laundered nomads, 84.7% were normal, 8.2% were mild and 7.1% were moderate and severe. The difference is statistically significant. The anxiety rate in unlaundered nomads proved to be 43.2% normal, 38.9% mild and 17.9 % moderate and severe, but in laundered nomads 87.2% were normal, 7% were mild and 5.7% were moderate and severe. The difference is statistically significant too. Depression rate in married uneducated and female subjects were more than those in singles and males in both laundered and unlaundered nomad. Anxiety rate in married uneducated and male subjects were more than those in singles and females in both laundered and unlaundered nomad. Conclusion: Depression and anxiety rates in unlaundered nomads were more than those in laundered nomads and these rates are higher than the national rates. These rates were more in married, group aged over 30 and in those with low education

Incidence of Acneform Lesions in Previously Chemically Damaged Persons-2004

ABSTRACT: Introduction & Objective: Chemical gas weapons especially nitrogen mustard which was used in Iraq-Iran war against Iranian troops have several harmful effects on skin. Some other chemical agents also can cause acne form lesions on skin. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of acneform in previously chemically damaged soldiers and non chemically damaged persons. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive and analytical study, 180 chemically damaged soldiers, who have been referred to dermatology clinic between 2000 – 2004, and forty non-chemically damaged people, were chosen randomly and examined for acneform lesions. SPSS software was used for statistic analysis of the data. Results: The mean age of the experimental group was 37.5 ± 5.2 and that of the control group was 38.7 ± 5.9 years. The mean percentage of chemical damage in cases was 31 percent and the time after the chemical damage was 15.2 ± 1.1 years. Ninety seven cases (53.9 percent) of the subjects and 19 people (47.5 percent) of the control group had some degree of acne. No significant correlation was found in incidence, degree of lesions, site of lesions and age of subjects between two groups. No significant correlation was noted between percentage of chemical damage and incidence and degree of lesions in case group. Conclusion: Incidence of acneform lesions among previously chemically injured peoples was not higher than the normal cases

Birth Injuries and Related Risk Factors in Neonates Born in Emam Sajjad Hospital in Yasuj in 2005 to 2006

ABSTRACT Introduction & Objective: The first days of life has the highest risk in everyone’s life and the mortality rate in these days is equal to the mortality rate of the whole life. One of the causes of mortality in these days is birth injuries. Determining the type and incidence of birth injuries and their risk factors can be useful in reducing the mortality rate in neonates. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive analytical study, 2005 neonates who were born in Imam Sajad Hospital in Yasouj/ Iran, between the years 2005 to 2006 were studied. The rate of birth injuries and their risk factors were evaluated. Collected data were analysed by SPSS software using chi-squar test. Results: Out of 2005 neonates, 70.4% born by NVD and 29.6% by cesarian section. The study showed that 10.8% of NVD and 3.7% of cesarian section neonates had birth injuries. Two hundered and four of these injuries which occured in 175 of neonates were incude: capute succedaneom (36.7%), sub conjectival hemorrhage (27.9%), cephal hematoma (10.2%), facial erythema and abrasion (8.8%), facial echymosis (6.3%), hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (3.4%), brachial plexus palsy (3.4%), clavicular fractures (1.4%), facial nerve palsy (0.4%) and other skin lesions (0.9%). Risk factors were included NVD (difficult vaginal delivery), high gestation age, and low Apgar score at first minute of life, shoulder dystocia, vacuum and birth at night. Conclusion: The present study revealed that the incidence of birth injuries in this area is high. Considering the serious complications of birth injuries and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy with no treatment for some cases, it seems that using the preventing methods to reduce the prevalence of birth injuries is nessesar

The Effect of Naproxen and Prednisolone in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Background & aim: Carpal tunnel syndrome is the entrapment of the median nerve in carpal tunnel of the wrist. Symptoms of this syndrome are numbness, tingling, weakness or pain in the fingers and wrist. Treatment includes rest, avoiding the many activities available, splints, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, oral steroids, steroid injection in wrist and surgery. This study compared the effects of oral prednisolone and naproxen (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) in the treatment of mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods: In the present clinical-trial study, 44 patients who had mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome were selected and randomly assigned into two treatment groups: group 1(n = 22) received naproxen 1000 mg daily for 4 weeks and the group 2 (n = 22) received oral prednisolone 20 mg, daily, in the first 2 weeks and 10 mg daily for 2 weeks. The 3 persons of the second group dropped out of treatment. Re-evaluation of treatment outcome was performed 2 months later. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS software. To describe the data, frequency tables were used. Furthermore, the Chi-square test was used to analyze the data. Results: 36(87.8%) of the patients were males and 12.2% were females. The electro diagnostic studies were shown 16 hands (19.5%) normal, 19 hands (23.2%) had mild and 47 (57.3%) had moderate involvement in beginning of treatment. Tingling fingers and pain in the prednisolone group had significantly lower rate than naproxen group (p< 0.05), but the symptoms were not significantly different in the two groups. Conclusion: The effects of treatments, relief of symptoms and the decrease intensity of carpal tunnel syndrome in patients who received prednisolone were more than naproxen

Nortriptyline versus fluoxetine in the treatment of major depressive disorder: a six-month, double-blind clinical trial

SN Hashemi1, HR Ghafarian Shirazi2,3, A Mohamadi4, GH Zadeh-Bagheri5, KH Noorian5, M Malekzadeh21Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, 2Research Center of Social Factors Affecting Health, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, 3School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 4Department of Psychiatry, 5School of Medicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, IranBackground: Depression is a common psychiatric disorder worldwide, including in Iran, and is estimated to affect 10%&amp;ndash;15% of the population. Antidepressant drugs can have multiple side effects, so a good choice of drug is important for successful treatment. This study compared the efficacy of nortriptyline with that of fluoxetine in the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder and assessed related factors, including age, gender, and level of education.Methods: The study was a double-blind, randomized clinical trial with a six-month follow-up period. Participants were 120 patients aged 15&amp;ndash;60 years with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder based on a psychiatry interview and the Beck depression rating scale, which were performed at the beginning, middle, and end of the study. The patients were treated with nortriptyline or fluoxetine. The paired t-test, independent t-test, and the k chi-square test were used to analyze the data.Results: Twenty-three patients dropped out and 97 remained in the trial. Before intervention, the mean depression score was 32.85 &amp;plusmn; 6.23 in the nortriptyline group and 33.12 &amp;plusmn; 6.50 in the fluoxetine group. The results of the independent t-test showed a significant difference between depression score means before and after treatment in both groups. Changes at the end of the trial compared with baseline scores were 13.4 &amp;plusmn; 4.68 and 16.96 &amp;plusmn; 4.96 for nortriptyline and fluoxetine, respectively. Paired t-testing showed a significant difference in the mean depression score for both the nortriptyline and fluoxetine groups. Age, gender, and level of education had no significant effects on the outcome of treatment in the two groups.Conclusion: The present study suggests that both nortriptyline and fluoxetine were effective in the treatment of depression, but that fluoxetine was more effective than nortriptyline after 3 and 6 months of treatment.Keywords: major depressive disorder, nortriptyline, fluoxetine, treatmen