Factors affecting the outcome of community-acquired pneumonia among the patients hospitalized in Beheshti hospital (Kashan-Iran)

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common infectious disease with high morbidity and mortality. The goal of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting the outcome of pneumonia among the Beheshti hospital patients. Materials and Methods: This cohort study was done on pneumonia patients (n=140) in Kashan Beheshti hospital during 2014-2015. A questionnaire consisting the demographic, clinical and paraclinical findings and outcomes was filled-out. Results: Eighty three (59.3) out of 140 patients were male and 57(40.7) women. The majority of cases were ≥50 years old (mean age 60.02±1.70) .There was a history of diabetes in 54(38.6) .The most common signs and symptoms were coughing and the lung rales. The ninty-one and 9 of the cases were improved and complicated condition, respectively. The complication were: pleural effusion (77), empiyema (15) and abscess (8).There was positive CRP (100); increased ESR (82) and leukocytosis (80). While, there was no statistical association between the sex, age and clinical symptoms with the disease complication and outcome, there was a significant correlation between the first BS, HbA1C, CRP, duration of hospitalization, radiographic pattern and diabetes with disease outcome. Conclusion: Considering the association between the diabetes in one side and some factors (outcome of pneumonia, duration of hospitalization, history of pneumonia, times of admission, BS at admission, HbA1c, bilateral involvement, leukocytosis, increased ESR, CRP and CURB 65, the diabetes should be considered as an important factor affecting the pneumonia outcome. The managed control of diabetes can improve the pneumonia outcome

Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in immunodeficiency patients in Kashan and Qom during 2014-2015

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic parasitic protozoon, which is a causative agent of serious complications such as encephalitis in immunodeficiency patients. Considering insufficient data on toxoplasmosis in these patients, the present study was conducted to determine the seroepidemiology of T. gondii among immunodeficiency patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on cancer, ADIS, hemodialysis and renal transplant patients (case group) and healthy persons (control group) in Kashan and Qom cities. Totally, 317 serum samples were collected from the case group and 120 samples from the control group. The ELISA method was used to determine the anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies. Results: Totally, 60.3 of the samples from the case and 33.3 from the control groups were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG (P<0.001). In the case group, only 2 persons (0.6) were positive for anti-T. gondii IgM. The anti-T. gondii IgG detected in immunodeficiency patients was 55.2 in Kashan and 68 in Qom, which were higher than in the control group (P<0.001, P<0.006, respectively). The highest prevalence of T. gondii were seen in 40-59 years old (49.8) and illiterate (60) patients. There was a meaningful correlation between toxoplasmosis and blurry vision and dermal rash (P=0.001 and P=0.003, respectively). Conclusion: The prevalence of T. gondii was higher in different immunodeficiency patients compared to healthy persons. Screening examinations were recommended for the diagnosis and treatment of patients to prevent serious side-effects and health education

Effect of non-fiber carbohydrates on in vitro first order kinetics disappearance of cellulose

Summary An in vitro experiment was conducted to determine the effect of supplemental non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC) on the disappearance kinetics of cellulose (Ce) by mixed ruminal microorganisms. Non-supplemented or NFC supplemented cellulose (467 mg NFC/g cellulose as sucrose (CeSu) or starch (CeSt) or a 1:1 mixture of sucrose + starch (CeSuSt)) were incubated for 24, 48, and 96 h at 39°C. After each incubation time, pH, ammonia-N concentration and cellulose disappearance were measured. The disappearance kinetics rate of all samples was determined using first order exponential model of D (t) = D (i) .exp (-k. time) + I; where D (t) is potentially digestible fraction; D (i) is potentially digestible residues; k is digestion rate of cellulose (h -1 ) and I is indigestible fraction. In this experiment, inclusion of NFC to the rumen fluid medium resulted in a significant depression (P<0.01) in the extent of cellulose disappearance. The disappearance rate constant of cellulose was significantly higher (P<0.05) in non-supplemented samples as compared with those treatments containing NFC. The indigestible fraction of cellulose was significantly higher (P<0.05) for treatments containing sucrose or sucrose + starch as the source of supplemental NFC as compared with nonsupplemented cellulose. However, when starch was added, the indigestible fraction of cellulose was similar to those of non-supplemented samples. The inclusion of NFC resulted in a significant reduction (P<0.01) in pH of the medium, but had no significant effect (P>0.05) on ammonia-N concentration

Factors affecting the outcome of community-acquired pneumonia among the patients hospitalized in Beheshti hospital (Kashan-Iran)

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common infectious disease with high morbidity and mortality. The goal of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting the outcome of pneumonia among the Beheshti hospital patients. Materials and Methods: This cohort study was done on pneumonia patients (n=140) in Kashan Beheshti hospital during 2014-2015. A questionnaire consisting the demographic, clinical and paraclinical findings and outcomes was filled-out. Results: Eighty three (59.3%) out of 140 patients were male and 57(40.7%) women. The majority of cases were ≥50 years old (mean age 60.02±1.70) .There was a history of diabetes in 54(38.6%) .The most common signs and symptoms were coughing and the lung rales. The ninty-one and 9% of the cases were improved and complicated condition, respectively. The complication were: pleural effusion (77%), empiyema (15%) and abscess (8%).There was positive CRP (100%); increased ESR (82%) and leukocytosis (80%). While, there was no statistical association between the sex, age and clinical symptoms with the disease complication and outcome, there was a significant correlation between the first BS, HbA1C, CRP, duration of hospitalization, radiographic pattern and diabetes with disease outcome. Conclusion: Considering the association between the diabetes in one side and some factors (outcome of pneumonia, duration of hospitalization, history of pneumonia, times of admission, BS at admission, HbA1c, bilateral involvement, leukocytosis, increased ESR, CRP and CURB 65, the diabetes should be considered as an important factor affecting the pneumonia outcome. The managed control of diabetes can improve the pneumonia outcome

Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in immunodeficiency patients in Kashan and Qom during 2014-2015

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic parasitic protozoon, which is a causative agent of serious complications such as encephalitis in immunodeficiency patients. Considering insufficient data on toxoplasmosis in these patients, the present study was conducted to determine the seroepidemiology of T. gondii among immunodeficiency patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on cancer, ADIS, hemodialysis and renal transplant patients (case group) and healthy persons (control group) in Kashan and Qom cities. Totally, 317 serum samples were collected from the case group and 120 samples from the control group. The ELISA method was used to determine the anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies. Results: Totally, 60.3% of the samples from the case and 33.3% from the control groups were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG (P<0.001). In the case group, only 2 persons (0.6%) were positive for anti-T. gondii IgM. The anti-T. gondii IgG detected in immunodeficiency patients was 55.2% in Kashan and 68% in Qom, which were higher than in the control group (P<0.001, P<0.006, respectively). The highest prevalence of T. gondii were seen in 40-59 years old (49.8%) and illiterate (60%) patients. There was a meaningful correlation between toxoplasmosis and blurry vision and dermal rash (P=0.001 and P=0.003, respectively). Conclusion: The prevalence of T. gondii was higher in different immunodeficiency patients compared to healthy persons. Screening examinations were recommended for the diagnosis and treatment of patients to prevent serious side-effects and health education