Health Status and Inconveniences of Asthmatic Children During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been the most significant health concern in recent years, with respiratory symptoms being the most prominent. In children, asthma is the most prevalent chronic disease. Due to the similarities between the symptoms of these two conditions, we sought to assess the general health status of pediatric patients with asthma and their COVID-19-related difficulties during the first year of the pandemic in Iran. We collected data for this study by administering a questionnaire to the parents of 200 children with asthma who were registered in the database of the Asthma Clinic at a tertiary medical center in Tehran, Iran. Forty-five (22.5%) of 200 patients were suspected of having COVID-19, 11 (24.4%) underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, and 10 (90.9%) assays were positive. During the first year of the pandemic, 41 patients (20.5%) were referred to a medical center at least once, with 31.7% due to an asthma attack. One hundred eighty-nine patients (94.5%) reported an improved disease status than the previous year, and only 31 patients (15.5%) were using asthma-related medications such as Salbutamol. The estimated mean Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores for two age categories, 4-11 years and 12-18 years, were 25.55±2.27 and 23.28±3.31, respectively, indicating satisfactory disease control. In the majority of our study population, asthma control was acceptable. However, the pandemic caused a significant increase in the anxiety levels of patients and their parents.

Kliničko i patohistološko istraživanje očnih novotvorina u mliječnih goveda

The aim of this study was to show the natural occurrence of ocular neoplasms in dairy cattle kept in 8 dairy farms around Tehran consisting of approximately 5000 dairy cows, over a period of two years. Animal characteristics, type of husbandry and climatic conditions were recorded. Tumours were removed surgically and examined grossly and microscopically. In the present study 32 cases of ocular neoplasms were diagnosed. The affected animals were female (100%), adult and more than 50% of them aged more than five years. In most of the cases (70%) the lesion were located in the nictitating membrane and palpebral conjunctiva. Intraocular invasion was noted in 7 cases (21.87%). Microscopically, in 12 cases out of 32 (37.5%) the tumours were noninvasive squamous cell carcinoma or carcinoma in situ; 18 cases (56.25%) were invasive squamous cell carcinoma; a single case (3.12%) was lymphosarcoma while a further single case (3.12%) was malignant hemangioendothelioma. The grade of malignancy was assessed for each case of neoplasms based on descriptions appearing in the literature. Most of the ocular neoplasms diagnosed were squamous cell carcinoma, mostly located in the nictitating membrane and palpebral conjunctiva.Cilj istraživanja bio je prikazati pojavu očnih novotvorina u tijeku dvije godine u približno pet tisuća mliječnih goveda držanih na osam mliječnih farmi u okolici Teherana. Prikazane su osnovne značajke životinja, tip uzgoja i klimatski uvjeti. Tumori su bili kirurški uklonjeni te pretraženi makroskopski i mikroskopski. Novotvorine oka ustanovljene su u 32 goveda od kojih je više od 50% bilo starijih od pet godina. Promjene su u većini slučajeva (70%) bile smještene na trećoj očnoj vjeđi i spojnicama. Intraokularne promjene zabilježene su u sedam slučajeva (21,87%). Mikroskopski je u 12 (37,5%) slučajeva ustanovljen neinvazivni skvamozni karcinom ili karcinom in situ, u 18 (56,25%) invazivni skvamozni karcinom, u jednom (3,12%) je ustanovljen limfosarkom te također u jednom (3,12%) slučaju bio je ustanovljen maligni hemangioendoteliom. Stupanj malignosti za svaki tumor bio je određen na osnovi literaturnih opisa. Većinom je dijagnosticiran skvamozni karcinom, pretežno smješten na trećoj očnoj vjeđi i spojnicama vjeđa

Single-Layer versus Double-Layer Laparoscopic Intracorporeally Sutured Gastrointestinal Anastomoses in the Canine Model

This study shows that the 1-layer gastrointestinal suture technique is feasible, safe and has fewer complications compared with a 2-layer suture technique

Endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux using calcium hydroxyl apatite in dogs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Injection of biomaterial to suburetral region, using minimally invasive procedure, has become an interesting topic for urologists to treat vesicoureteral reflux. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of injecting newly introduced calcium hydroxyl apatite to suburetral region, for treating an experimentally induced vesicoureteral reflux in dogs.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Bilateral vesicoureteral refluxed (VUR) mixed breed dogs (n = 12; 10-15 kg live weight, 3-6 months of age) were selected for this study. The presence and grade of the reflux were determined using cystography. Accordingly, 6 dogs displayed grade 1 & 2 and the other 6 showed grade 3 & 4 bilateral VUR. Every single dog, with bilateral VUR, underwent endoscopic treatment and received an injection of calcium hydroxyl apatite (an Iranian made product) into the left (treated side) and an injection of the similar volume of normal saline in to the right (control side) subureteric space. One week, 3 and 6 months after treatment, cystography was performed. On each occasion, 4 dogs were euthanized by gas inhalation and biopsy samples were collected for histopathological study from ureter, bladder, kidney, lung and spleen in order to investigate the biomaterial migration into different organs. Data were analyzed using Chi-squared test. In control sides, radiographs confirmed the same grade of VUR, found at the initiation of the study. VUR was resolved in 100% (6/6) of Grade 1 & 2 and 83.33% (5/6) of Grade 3 & 4 in treated side. Therefore, the total success rate of this study was 91.67% (11/12). Macroscopic examination of the vesicouretral region of the treated side revealed a firm and consistent biomaterial mass at the site of injection. Histological findings confirmed inflammation at treated side. In contrast, there was no tissue reaction on control side. There was no evidence for biomaterial migration in macroscopic and microscopic observations in this study.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In the present study, a new biocompatible material produced a firm, consist and sustainable biomaterial mass in the suburetral region for treating vesicouretral reflux without any evidence of biomaterial migration.</p

The Association between Neonatal Icterus or Neonatal Phototherapy and the Likelihood of Childhood Asthma among Iranian Children

Background: There might be a close link between neonatal icterus and/or neonatal phototherapy and childhood asthma. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between neonatal icterus and/or phototherapy and the likelihood of childhood asthma among Iranian population. Materials and Methods The present case-control study was performed on 102 consecutive asthmatic children hospitalized at Children’s Medical Center, Tehran, Iran. Asthma was diagnosed by a pediatric asthma and allergy specialist based on clinical manifestations and/or spirometry results for children older than 5 years. A total of 113 sex and age-matched children without asthma who were admitted to other wards during the same period of time were selected as the control group. Data were collected by a researcher-made checklist including data regarding participants’ age, gender, and gestational age, history of neonatal icterus and history and duration of phototherapy, filled by participants’ parents/guardians. Results: There was a significant difference between cases and controls with respect to preterm birth, history of phototherapy and duration of phototherapy. History of icterus was not associated with childhood asthma. In the multivariable logistic regression model, both history of phototherapy (P=0.029), and duration of phototherapy (P=0.03) were considered as determinants for occurrence of childhood asthma. Conclusion According to the results, history of neonatal icterus was not associated with childhood asthma, but history and duration of phototherapy were both determinants of childhood asthma

Association of HLA class II Alleles with Childhood Asthma and Total IgE Levels

Asthma is a complex and multifactorial disorder. Several studies have reported association between different HLA- DQB1 and HLA- DRB1 alleles and allergic asthma. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of HLA-class II alleles and haplotypes, with total serum IgE and the results of the skin prick test in Iranian children with allergic asthma. A total of 112 patients with allergic asthma symptoms (75 males and 37 females) were selected randomly from the pediatric hospital. In some patients total serum IgE and prick test were determined. Data of this study shows that HLA-DRB1*12 significantly increased in asthmatic patients (4.5% vs. 0%, P-value=0.04). HLA-DQB1*0603 and 0604 alleles were significantly higher in asthmatics than those in normal controls (10% vs. 0%, P-value= 0.0001; and 9.3% vs. 3.7%, P-value= 0.04, respectively). The statistical significance was relinquished after p value correction for all alleles except for HLA-DQB1*0602 (Pc=0.03) and HLA-DQB1*0603 (Pc=0.0015). Conversely, HLA-DQB1*0501 and 0602 were decreased in asthmatics compared to normal controls (7.5% vs. 13.5%, P-value= 0.05; and 4% vs. 12.5%, P-value= 0.002, respectively). The mean of total IgE in patients was 483 IU, and it was significantly high about 1140 IU in asthmatic patients with positive skin prick test to house dust. The most frequent alleles in asthmatic patients with the total IgE>200 IU/mL were HLA-DRB1*11and 1401, HLA-DQA1*0505, HLA-DQB1*0301 and in patients with total Ig

Association Between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of the Interleukin-4 Gene and Atopic Dermatitis

ABSTRACT Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin disease in which both genetic and environmental factors seem to be involved. Several studies investigated the association of certain genetic factors with AD in different ethnic groups, but conflicting data were obtained. This study was performed to check the possible association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of interleukin 4 (IL-4) and the IL-4 receptor α chain (IL-4Rα) and AD in a group of Iranian patients. The allele and genotype frequencies of genes encoding for IL-4 and IL-4Rα were investigated in 89 patients with AD in comparison with 139 healthy controls, using methods based on polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primers. The most frequent alleles of IL-4 in patients were T at -1098 (P&lt;0.001, odds ratio (OR)=2.35), C at -590 (P&lt;0.001, OR=4.84) and C at -33 (P=0.002, OR=2.08). The most frequent genotypes of IL-4 in patients were TT, CC, and CC at positions -1098 (P&lt;0.001, OR=3.59), -590 (P&lt;0.001, OR=31.25) and -33 (P&lt;0.001, OR=3.46), respectively. We found a significant lower frequency of GT at -1098 GT, TC at -590, and TC at -33 in patients. There were no statistically significant differences in the frequency of alleles and genotypes of IL-4Rα gene at position +1902. A strong positive association was seen between TCC haplotype and AD (68% in patients vs. 23.4% in controls, P&lt;0.001, OR=8.91). We detected a significantly lower frequency of TTC, GCC, and TTT haplotypes (P&lt;0.001, OR=0.02, P&lt;0.001, OR=0.40, P&lt;0.001, OR=0.39, respectively) in patients compared to controls. A significant association between the polymorphisms of the IL-4 gene promoter at positions -1098, -590, and -33 and AD was detected in the Iranian population. Key words: atopic dermatitis; polymorphism, single nucleotide; interleukin-4 gene</p

Filaggrin Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is a relapsing chronic pruritic inflammatory disease of skin in which no monogenic cause has been identified so far. Meanwhile Filaggrin (FLG) gene is considered as the most important gene associated with predisposition to the disease.One hundred and six patients with AD and 105 healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. Real time polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine frequencies of alleles and genotype in six variants of FLG gene.Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a relapsing chronic pruritic inflammatory disease of skin for which no monogenic cause has been identified so far. Meanwhile, the filaggrin (FLG) gene is considered as the most important gene associated with predisposition to the disease.One hundred and six patients with AD and 105 healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. Real time polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine frequencies of alleles and genotype in six variants of the FLG gene. The frequencies of allele A in variants of rs3126065, rs2786680, and rs1933063 as well as allele C in variant rs3814300 were 100%. There was no significant difference between allele frequencies in variants rs2485518 and rs3814299. The only genotypes in variants of rs3814299 and rs2485518 were GG and CC, respectively, with no significant difference between the patients and controls. This study demonstrated that there was no significant association between polymorphisms of FLG gene variants and AD.</p

Association of Interleukin 10 And Transforming Growth Factor β Gene Polymorphisms with Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) are two anti-inflammatory cytokines that are implicated in the pathogenesis of urticaria. The goal of this study was to examine the possible association of polymorphisms of TGF-β and IL-10 genes with susceptibility to chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU). This study was conducted on 90 patients with CIU. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was done to determine the genotype at 5 polymorphic sites; TGF-β (codon10C/T and codon25G/C) and IL-10 (-1082G/A, -819C/T, and -592C/A). The C allele at codon 25 of TGF-β was more prevalent in CIU patients compared to controls (OR = 9.5, 95% CI = 5.4-16.8, P<0.001). Genotypes of CT and CG at 10 and 25 codons of TGF-β gene, respectively, and AG, CT, and CA for loci of -1082, -819, and -592 of IL-10 gene were significantly higher in CIU patients (P<0.001). In haplotype analysis, frequency of TGF-β haplotypes differed between patients with CIU and controls; CC haplotype was overrepresented, while CG and TG haplotypes were underrepresented (P<0.001). These results suggest that TGF-β and IL-10 genetic variability could contribute to susceptibility to CIU. Additionally, patients with CIU seem to have genotypes leading to high production of TGF-β and IL-10.</p