Factors Associated with Quality of Life in Mothers of Children with Cerebral Palsy in Iran

SummaryObjective/BackgroundChildren with cerebral palsy (CP) need more attention and care, especially from their mothers. This can affect the mothers' quality of life (QOL) adversely. This study aimed to assess the QOL of Iranian mothers who have a child with CP, compared with mothers with a healthy child, focusing on some individual and social underlying factors.MethodsUsing a cluster-sampling approach, two groups of eligible mothers having children aged 4–12 years, with and without CP, from Tehran's randomly selected clinics, were chosen in a convenient way and enrolled in a cross-sectional study. A group of mothers with healthy children whose demographics closely matched with the group of mothers having children with CP were selected and recruited in the study. The group with mothers with children with CP was selected randomly from a convenience sample in 14 rehabilitation and occupational therapy clinics in Tehran, Iran. To collect data on characteristics of interest, mothers were interviewed, and the SF-36 Questionnaire was used to measure their QOL. The relationship between each characteristic and the mothers' level of QOL was assessed, and the crude odds ratios (ORs) and adjusted ORs were measured by logistic regression.ResultsSixty mothers with CP children, and 60 mothers with healthy children participated in this study. Their mean (±standard deviation) age was 33.79 (±6.02) years, and their children's mean age was 7.11 (±2.71). The two groups were significantly different in QOL mean score (57.35 ± 18.39 vs. 71.7 ± 13.58; p ≤ .001). It was shown that having a child with CP with intellectual disability is significantly related to a worse level of QOL of mothers (adjusted OR = 5.4, p ≤ .001), whereas having full-time jobs is reversely associated with it (adjusted OR = 0.2, p = .02).ConclusionTwo important factors that lead to a worse QOL of mothers with a CP child are the unemployment of mothers and having a CP child with concurrent intellectual disabilities. To diminish the adverse effects of having a CP child on QOL of mothers, unemployed women who have a CP child with concurrent intellectual disabilities need more psychological support and help

Depression and Suicidal Ideation among Patients Receiving Opioid Maintenance Treatments Considering Cognitive Flexibility

Objective: Cognitive flexibility is associated with psychiatric disorders. Drug addicts experience more psychiatric disorders. This research aimed to examine depression and suicidal ideation among those receiving opioid maintenance treatment (OMT), taking into account the mediating role of cognitive flexibility. Method: This cross-sectional research was conducted on patients who were enrolled in the OMT program in Semnan in 2021 and abstained from opioid use for at least one year. 126 participants (115 males and 11 females) were randomly selected from among patients in three therapeutic groups (42 from each of the methadone, buprenorphine, and opium tincture groups). The main data collection tools were the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSSI), Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and Beck Depression Scale (BDI-II). Data analysis was done through logistic regression models. Results: Correlation analysis between depression scores, suicidal ideation, and cognitive flexibility showed a significant correlation between each of them. Adjusting for the type of treatment, the increase in cognitive flexibility was associated with a decreasing chance of depression (odds ratio [OR] = 0.87; 95% CI [0.82, 0.92]), and the use of buprenorphine (OR = 15.1) and opium tincture (OR = 9.3), compared to methadone, were associated with a depression increase. Yet, multivariate analysis did not show an independent and significant association between cognitive flexibility and the risk of suicide. Conclusion: Based on the results, patients receiving maintenance treatments are in different conditions in terms of depression and suicide, and psychological flexibility is in correlation with depression and suicidal thinking and behavior in them. This suggests that these patients seem to benefit from cognitive training, at least in reducing their depression

Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule expression in oral squamus cell carcinoma and its association with clinical and histopathologic parameters

Introduction: The aim of the present research was to study the expression of activated-leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) in oral squamus cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its association with histopathological and prognostic parameters.Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, samples of OSCC tumors from tongue and oral mucosa available in Institute of Cancer of Imam Hospital in Tehran were simultaneously studied in term of tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and differentiation and ALCAM expression. Analysis was performed using multiple logistic regression models. Results: 39 samples of tongue and 19 samples of oral medusa belonged to 35 men and 23 women with mean (Standard deviation) of age 58(15.69) years of old were studied. More than half of lesions had good differentiation and lymph node metastasis. From all, 42 (72.4%) of samples were positive of ALCAM. Odds of ALCAM total expression in tumors with size of at least 20 mm was more (OR=3.9, p=0.001). Odds ratios for membranous and cytoplasmic expression of ALCAM in positive samples of lymph node metastasis (OR=0.4, p=0.03) and in patients with age 40 and more (OR=2.7, p=0.002) were respectively significant.Conclusion: The study confirmed positive relationship between ALCAM expression and tumor size as while as ambiguity of ALCAM role as a "Paradox" indicator. Next researches may make the role of ALCAM in different phases of tumor developing cleare

Comparison of the effect of vitamin D on osteoporosis and osteoporotic patients with healthy individuals referred to the Bone Density Measurement Center

Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic disease of the bones. Osteoporosis reduces bone density, predisposes a person to fractures, and imposes high costs on societies. Osteoporosis develops from a variety of causes, one of the most significant is vitamin D deficiency. This study investigates the impact of vitamin D on osteoporosis

Risk factors for genital wart in men

Introduction: Many evidences show the association between genital warts and cancer. By identifying the related risk factors, in addition to prevention, timely detection of cancer can be taken. Due to its prevalence in the population, the present study was done to determine the risk factors associated with genital warts in men in Semnan, Iran. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was done on <15 years of old men referred to general and specialized clinics at Fatemieh hospital in Semnn in 2013. Case group was included of 70 incident patients newly diagnosed by a medical specialist in the dermatology clinic while 280 people were randomely selected of who referred to other clinics as control group. Age, age at first intercourse, marital status, level of education, number of sexual partners in the last 6 months, cigarette and alcohol consumption, condom use and new sexual partner were considered as risk factors of interest. Results: Except for age and smoking, the other factors examined in the study had shown association with the disease. Having new sexual partner was the most associated factor with the disease in term of odds ratio (OR=3.21; 95% CI: 1.69 to 6.08; P<0.001). Number of sexual partners and the level of education (P<0.001), as well as the age at first sexual contact (P=0.001) in case group was significantly higher than the control group.The percentage of married and alcohol consumers in the case group was higher (p<0.05) while condom use was lower in the case group (P=0.03). Conclusion: According to the results having a new sexual partner can be considered as the most important risk factor for genital warts. The observed association between the uses of alcohol with increasing of the odds of disease can be justified by more sexual contacts and partners of these people. The married men with a higher education level can be considered as more vulnerable men to the disease.According to the above and the observed association between older age at first intercourse with increases of the odds of the disease, early marriage and fidelity are the most important preventive measures can be obtained suggested from this study

Association between islamic fasting and quality of life, physical disability, disease activity and depression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease that due to destruction and deformity of the joints, is associated with physical disability, mental problems and reduced quality of life of patients. Several therapeutic advantages for fasting are mentioned in recent studies and islamic references. One of these advantages is decreasing the severity of auto-immune diseases. This study was performed with the aim of evaluating the effect of fasting on quality of life, physical disability, disease activity and depression in RA patients. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, 25 eligible women with RA were participated in the study. Quality of life (SF-36), physical disability (HAQ), disease activity (DAS-28) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaires were completed for patients in four sessions in days zero (before Ramadan), 30, 60 and 90. Analysis were performed with SPSS-16 statistical software using a general linear model with repeated measure and Bonferroni adjustment for the subsequent comparisons. The significance level of 5% was considered for the test. Results: Mean age &plusmn; SD of the 25 participating patients was 43.8 &plusmn; 11.2. Changes in the quality of life (p=0.002) and the depression scores (p=0.029) during the study were statistically significant and relatively stable. While changes in other indicators showed&nbsp; a numerical improvement of the situation immediately after Ramadan (day 30) comparing to what it was before, but these changes were not statistically significantand were not stable during the time. Conclusion: This study confirmed the relationship between fasting and improvement of quality of life and the level of depression in patients with RA. Due to the side effects of the common drugs, more detailed studies is recommended to use fasting as a complementary method in order to reduce the dosage of drugs and symptoms of patients

Arterial oxygen saturation and severity of nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy: A pilot study

Background: Nausea and vomiting is one of the most important complications in chemotherapy. Serotonin and dopamine are important neurotransmitters in nausea and vomiting. It seems that oxygen therapy and increase oxygen saturation can cause decrease these neurotransmitters. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) of patients and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was performed in Koosar Hospital in Semnan, Iran, from 19 September 2013 to 25 April. At first, SaO2 of 30 patients in three periods (pre, during and post chemotherapy) were measured. Severity of nausea and vomiting in three days after chemotherapy was measured with an index of nausea, vomiting and retching (Rhodes Index). Also during chemotherapy, anxiety and depression of patients was measured with Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: In this study thirty patients were evaluated. Most of them were women (66%) with mean age of 55.07±11.9 years old. The most common cancer in patients was breast cancer (46.7%). Mean of SaO2 was 92.1%±3.4 that was not significant difference during the chemotherapy. Mean of nausea and vomiting severity in first day of chemotherapy was (3.27±5.5), in second day was (4.5±6.2) and in third day was (7.2±8.7). The Pearson correlation coefficient did not show the relationship between oxygen saturation with severity of nausea and vomiting (P>0.05). Although severity of anxiety of patients was significant relationship with nausea and vomiting in third day (P=0.03). Conclusion: In this study there was no significant relationship between oxygen saturation and severity of nausea and vomiting, but anxiety of patients was related to nausea and vomiting in third day. Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting was more common in third day and it seems that further research is needed for relationship between oxygen saturation and nausea and vomiting in third day of treatment

Comparison of echocardiographic findings in infants of mothers with gestational diabetes and healthy mothers

Background: Gestational diabetes is associated with increased risk of congenital heart disease in neonates. The study was performed to evaluate the cardiac parameters in neonates of mothers with abnormal glucose tolerance test (GTT) and compare them with data of normal newborn. Methods: In a cross-sectional study in Amiralmomenin Hospital, Semnan City, Iran from April to October 2013, two groups of infants were eligible for the study. Sampling was performed in succession for the infants who were eligible. Echocardiography was performed for the babies on the second day, and cardiac parameters including interventricular septal diameter, left ventricular shortening fraction and mass, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, aortic and left atrial diameter were measured. Maternal glycemic control and HbA1c were measured indicators. Analysis with the SPSS software version 16, the Student’s t-test, Mann-Whitney and Chi-square test were performed. Results: Thirty five newborn infants of mothers with impaired GTT and newborn of 33 healthy women were studied. Birth weight, maternal age and HbA1c among infants of mothers with impaired GTT were greater than the control group (P=0.003 and P=0.000 and P=0.000 respectively). Diastolic and systolic ventricular septal thickness, ratio of diastolic ventricular septal thickness to diastolic diameter of the left ventricular posterior wall, the aortic diameter and left ventricular outflow tract diameter in infants of mothers with impaired GTT were significantly increased in comparison to data of the normal group (P=0.008, P=0.034, P=0.016, P=0.017 and P=0.020 respectively). No significant difference was reported in other diameters. Conclusion: Gestational diabetes mellitus results in changes of echocardiographic findings particularly relevant in diastolic ventricular septal thickness. The increase in wall thickness especially during diastole, is associated with pathological cardiac hypertrophy. Based on the results of the present study, cardiac hypertrophy can be related to gestational diabetes. Poor control of disease may cause or aggravate the process