Designing and Validating The Persian Version of a Questionnaire for Estimating Exposure to Occupational Dust among Stone Carving and Stone Cutting Workers

Introduction: The accurate amount of stone carvers' exposure to dust cannot be always measured with dust measuring devices. In this study, the researchers tried to estimate long term exposure of stone carving workers to dust by using a researcher- made questionnaire. Methods: Stone carving workshops in Kerman, Iran were visited and after obtaining informed consent, the researcher-made questionnaire was completed for each worker. The questionnaire included 46 questions in 4 sections. Experts from Iran and abroad cooperated in confirming the face and content validity and according to their comments the questionnaire was validated in two stages. In order to prove the construct validity of the questionnaire, the scores of dust exposure and respiratory symptoms were compared. The reliability was determined by test-retest and calculating R-Cronbach. Results: Finally, 27 questions were approved for the final questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was r=0.954, P<0.001 according to test retest and 0.80 according to Kappa. Internal reliability of the questionnaire was 0.86. Construct validity was confirmed and those who had higher exposure to dust showed significantly more respiratory symptoms. Conclusion: With regard to the acceptable reliability and validity, this questionnaire can be used to estimate the amount of exposure to dust in stone carving workers

Effects of Tonsil size on Pulmonary Function test Results after Tonsillectomy in Children

Introduction: Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is a typical cause of surgery in children. Evaluation and identification of patients as potential candidates tonsillectomy is a primary concern for otolaryngologists. This study focuses on the results of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) after tonsillectomy in children. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study examined 50 patients suffering from tonsillar hypertrophy in 2013. Full details and results of otolaryngology examinations were recorded. Moreover, patients were examined with respect to forced inspiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity (FIF50%), forced expiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity (FEF50%), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), and FEV1/forced expired volume in 0.5 seconds (FEV0.5) before and after surgery using spirometry. All data were analyzed using SPSS Software (version 19), and central descriptive measures, and data were compared by performing T-test and Chi-square tests. Results: According to tonsil size, patients were distributed as follows: 18 patients (36%) with +1 tonsil size, 18 patients (36%) with +2 tonsil size, and seven patients (14%) with +3 tonsil size, and seven patients (14%) with +4 tonsil size. Thirty-three (66%) and 17 patients (34%) were female and male, respectively, with a mean of age of 9.7 2.97 years (range, 7–18 years). Seventy-eight percent of patients were aged 10 years or less. Moreover, 25 patients (50%), 17 patients (34%), and eight patients (16%), respectively, reported obstructive symptoms, recurrent tonsillitis, and both symptoms. In patients with +3 and +4 tonsil size, spirometric parameters indicated relief of symptoms of obstruction. Only in patients with +4 tonsil size were the changes statistically significant. Conclusion: Tonsillectomy can relieve obstructive symptoms in patients with tonsils larger than +3 to a great extent. Additionally, spirometry can identify patients with +3 and +4 tonsils who do not have clinical signs of an obstructive upper airway

An Integrative Bayesian Model Analysis Of Patient Characteristics And Treatment Variables To Understand Lung Cancer Survival Rates In Kerman Province, Iran

Introduction: Lung cancer (LC) is the most common type of cancer and causes of death among males. This study aims to estimate the survival rate of lung cancer patients by employing the benefits of Bayesian modeling in determining factors affecting the survival of lung cancer in Kerman province, Iran. Methods: We conducted a historical cohort study of 195 patients with lung cancer from 2016 to 2018. In this study, we used linear dependent Dirichlet process (LDDP), and employed some results of the previous study as informative prior for better estimation. Results: Of the 195 patients, 160 died. The mean age of patients at the time of diagnosis was 62.43±12.55. The median survival time of patients was 10.4 months. Men accounted for 75.9% of the total patients. One, two, and three-year survival rate was 44.5%, 22.9%, and 16.4%, respectively. The multivariable model results showed that treatments were significant. Other variables had no significant effect. Conclusion: Our study highlights the importance of prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment in improving the survival rate of lung cancer patients. We found that patients who received at least one usual lung cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery, had higher survival rates compared to those who did not receive any treatment. While our study has some limitations, such as its retrospective design, our use of Bayesian modeling techniques allowed us to effectively incorporate prior information from previous studies to improve estimation accurac

Early and late preventive effect of Nigella sativa on the bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats: An experimental study

Objective: Pulmonary fibhrosis is a disease of the connective tissues in the respiratory system. Nigella sativa has been used for the treatment of pulmonary diseases like asthma. This study investigated the early and late preventive effect of methanolic extract of N. sativa on a bleomycin- induced pulmonary fibrosis model. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out using 52 rats. Pulmonary fibrosis was induced by a single endotracheal injection of bleomycin (5 mg/kg). Extract of N. sativa (500 mg/kg per day) or methylprednisolone succinate (4 mg/kg per day) was injected intraperitoneally in two periods (i.e. days 1-14 as early preventive group and days 15-28 days as late preventive group). The lung tissues were histologically examined at the end of each period and inspected for the amount of hydroxyproline and biomarkers of oxidative stress. Results: The pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis were significantly decreased in groups treated with methylprednisolone and N. sativa extract compared to bleomycin group in both early and late prevention groups (

Prevalence of micro-aspiration of bile acids in patients with primary lung cancer: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer remains a serious public healthproblem and is the first cause of cancer-related death worldwide. There is some evidence suggests that bile acid micro-aspiration may contribute to the development of lung diseases. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of microaspiration of bile acids in patients with primary lung cancer.METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 52 patients with primary lung cancer referred to a teaching hospital affiliated with Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran were enrolled. Patients with pathology-confirmed lung cancer who did not receive specific treatment were included in the present study. All patients underwent bronchoscopy and the levels of bile acid was assessed in their Broncho-Alveolar Lavage (BAL) samples.RESULTS: According to the results, 53.85% of patients were in the age group of 40 to 59 years. Of the participants, 88.46% were male, 82.69% were smokers, and 69.23% were opium addicted. The most common presenting clinical symptoms of patients were heartburn (61.55%), hoarseness (17.31%), and epigastric pain (9.61%), respectively. Ninety-two point thirty two percent of patients had endobronchial lesions in bronchoscopy. Squamous cell carcinoma, small-cell lung carcinoma and adenocarcinoma accounts for 48.08%, 34.61% and 17.31% of all cases of lung cancer, respectively. Bile acids were found in the BAL sample of all patients with primary lung cancer. The mean Bile acids levels in patients were 63.42 (SD=7.03) μmol/Lit.CONCLUSION: According to the results of present study, there was a micro-aspiration of bile acids in all patients with primary lung cancer that may participate in shaping early events in the etiology of primary lung cancer. It seems that developing clinical strategies preventing the micro-aspiration of bile acids into the lungs could remove a key potential trigger in this process

Detection of Helicobacter Pylori in Bronchoalveolar Lavage of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most important causes of disability and mortality in the world. Although cigarette smoking and environmental pollutants have been recognized as the major causes of COPD, the role of infection in the pathogenesis and progression of COPD has also been reported. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to find the relationship between Helicobacter Pylori infection and COPD through anti H. pylori IgG serology, real time PCR of bronchoalveolar lavage and trans bronchial biopsy urease tests. Patients and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 60 adults with COPD. After obtaining the patient’s history, physical examination, spirometry and confirmation of COPD diagnosis by pulmonologist, subjects were selected through convenience sampling. In order to determine the severity and prognosis of disease, the global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) criteria and BODE index were used. Subjects underwent bronchoscopy for obtaining bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples and biopsy was performed. Biopsy and BAL samples were investigated respectively by urease test and real time PCR. Moreover, patients’ serum samples were serologically studied for detection of anti H. pylori IgG. Results: Mean age of the participants was 60.65 ± 9.15 years, and 25% were female and 75% were male. The prevalence rate of H. pylori in COPD patients was 10% according to real time PCR, 88.3% according to the serology test and 0% based on the urease test. According to the results of PCR and considering the severity of disease based on the GOLD criteria, from those with a positive PCR, one patient (16.6%) had very severe obstruction, three (50%) had severe obstruction and two patients (33.3%) had moderate obstruction. The relationship between H. pylori presence (based on PCR) and disease severity and prognosis was not statistically significant. Conclusions: These findings can justify the hypothesis of direct injury and chronic inflammation via inhalation and aspiration resulting in H. pylori colonization. In fact, it is thought that H. Pylori infection, beside the host genetic vulnerability and other environmental risk factors might make the patient susceptible to COPD or lead to COPD worsening. Although we found H. pylori infection in some patients with COPD, the results of this study, could not explain the pathogenic mechanisms of COPD

Formulation and Evaluation of the Anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidative, and Anti-remodelling Effects of the Niosomal Myrtenol on the Lungs of Asthmatic Rats

Asthma is a common chronic allergic disease that affects a significant percentage of the world’s population. Niosomes are nanoparticles consisting of non-ionic surfactants that can be used for drug delivery. This research was designed to investigate the impacts of inhalation of simple and niosomal forms of myrtenol against adverse consequences of asthma in rats. Asthma induction was performed via injection of ovalbumin, followed by its inhalation. Niosomes were created by a heating protocol, and their physicochemical features were evaluated. Forty-nine male Wistar rats were allotted into 7 groups (n=7 each): Control (CTL), vacant niosome (VN), Asthma, Asthma+VN, Asthma+SM (simple myrtenol), Asthma+NM (niosomal myrtenol), and Asthma+B (budesonide). Lung remodeling, serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), inflammatory  and cytokines, and antioxidant factors in the lung tissue and bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF), as well as), were evaluated. The results showed that myrtenol-loaded niosomes had appropriate encapsulation efficiency, kinetic release, size, and zeta potential. The thickness of the epithelial cell layer in the lungs, as well as cell infiltration, fibrosis, IgE, reactive oxygen species, interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor nuclear factor alpha (TNF-α) levels, decreased significantly. In contrast, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxide activity increased significantly in the serum and BALF of the treated groups. The niosomal form of myrtenol revealed a higher efficacy than simple myrtenol and was similar to budesonide in ameliorating asthma indices.  Inhalation of simple and niosomal forms of myrtenol improved the detrimental changes in the asthmatic lung. The niosomal form induced more prominent anti-asthmatic effects comparable to those of budesonide

Effects of Tonsil size on Pulmonary Function test Results after Tonsillectomy in Children

Introduction: Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is a typical cause of surgery in children. Evaluation and identification of patients as potential candidates tonsillectomy is a primary concern for otolaryngologists. This study focuses on the results of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) after tonsillectomy in children. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study examined 50 patients suffering from tonsillar hypertrophy in 2013. Full details and results of otolaryngology examinations were recorded. Moreover, patients were examined with respect to forced inspiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity (FIF50%), forced expiratory flow at 50% of vital capacity (FEF50%), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), and FEV1/forced expired volume in 0.5 seconds (FEV0.5) before and after surgery using spirometry. All data were analyzed using SPSS Software (version 19), and central descriptive measures, and data were compared by performing T-test and Chi-square tests. Results: According to tonsil size, patients were distributed as follows: 18 patients (36%) with +1 tonsil size, 18 patients (36%) with +2 tonsil size, and seven patients (14%) with +3 tonsil size, and seven patients (14%) with +4 tonsil size. Thirty-three (66%) and 17 patients (34%) were female and male, respectively, with a mean of age of 9.7 2.97 years (range, 7–18 years). Seventy-eight percent of patients were aged 10 years or less. Moreover, 25 patients (50%), 17 patients (34%), and eight patients (16%), respectively, reported obstructive symptoms, recurrent tonsillitis, and both symptoms. In patients with +3 and +4 tonsil size, spirometric parameters indicated relief of symptoms of obstruction. Only in patients with +4 tonsil size were the changes statistically significant. Conclusion:  Tonsillectomy can relieve obstructive symptoms in patients with tonsils larger than +3 to a great extent. Additionally, spirometry can identify patients with +3 and +4 tonsils who do not have clinical signs of an obstructive upper airway

Comparing Adrenaline with Tranexamic Acid to Control Acute Endobronchial Bleeding: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Hemoptysis occurs due to either pulmonary diseases or bronchoscopy interventions. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of the endobronchial instillation of adrenaline with that of tranexamic acid. Methods: Fifty patients were randomly selected as 2 double-blinded sample groups (n=25). In these patients, bleeding could not be controlled with cold saline lavage during bronchoscopy and they, therefore, required prescription of another medicine. Adrenaline (1 mg) in one group and tranexamic acid (500 mg) in the other group were diluted in 20 mL of normal saline and instilled through the bronchoscope. This technique was repeated 3 times at 90-second intervals, if necessary. In the case of persistent bleeding, 90 seconds after the last dose, a second medicine was given for bleeding control. Observation of clot through the bronchoscope meant that the bleeding had stopped. The efficacy of tranexamic acid and adrenaline was evaluated and then compared using the Mann–Whitney test. Results: The time of bleeding control had no significant difference between tranexamic acid and adrenaline (P=0.908). Another analysis was done to evaluate bleeding control with a second medicine; the results showed that 1 (4%) patient in the tranexamic acid and 8 (32%) in the adrenaline group needed the second medicine and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P=0.609). Conclusion: Our results suggested that tranexamic acid by endobronchial instillation was as efficient as adrenaline in controlling hemoptysis and required less frequent use of a second medicine. Trial Registration Number: IRCT201412022018