Cutaneous vasculitis following COVID-19 vaccination: a case-based review

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an emerging virus that causes a disease mainly known by its pulmonary and thrombotic complications. Although cutaneous complications, including vasculitis, have been reported in infected patients, the development of vasculitis after receiving vaccine is a rare clinical finding. Here, we report a case of vasculitis in a female patient who received a COVID-19 vaccine and was later infected with SARS-CoV-2, and was also diagnosed with hepatitis B during hospitalization. Our patient did not have a previous history of similar cutaneous manifestations of vasculitis, and the development of the symptoms approximately one month from the vaccination suggests immune complex hypersensitivity reaction

Mccune-Albright Syndrome: A Case Report Associated with Pamidronate Therapy and Literature Review

McCune-Albright Syndrome (MAS) is a rare sporadic disease characterized by bone fibrous dysplasia, Café au lait spots and a variable association of hyperfunction endocrine disorders. There is not any certain treatment available for this syndrome, and both physical and emotional disability in these patients is still a major concern for physicians. In present report we have described a 10- year-old girl, presented with precocious puberty, multiple Café au lait  macules and fibrous dysplasia, successfully treated with pamidronate in a four-year follow-up period

Effect of Chewing Gum on Post Cesarean Ileus in the North East of Iran: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background & aim: Cesarean section (CS) accounts for 35% of all surgical operations in Iran. Post cesarean ileus is a complication of CS. There are various pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical ways for the treatment of this condition. Given the fact that the non-pharmaceutical approaches are better tolerated and often inexpensive, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of chewing gum on post cesarean ileus. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 93 patients undergoing CS (i.e., elective or urgent CS) at Sabzevar Mobini Hospital, Savzevar, Iran, between July 2013 and September 2014. The study population was selected using convenience sampling technique and assigned into two groups of chewing gum (n=35) and control (n=58) groups. The subjects in the chewing gum group were encouraged to chew gum at defined intervals. Both groups were evaluated for pain, bowel sounds, first defecations, gas passage, and feeling bowel movements. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software, version 21. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the auscultation of first bowel sound, first record of gas passing, and first defecation. The logistic regression models showed that chewing gum was significantly associated with reduced post-operative pain while controlling for surgery duration as a confounding factor (OR: 0.79, 95% CI for OR=0.63, 0.99). However, chewing gum showed no significant relationship with bowel sounds, first defecations, gas passage, and feeling bowel movements. Conclusion: As the findings indicated, the use of chewing gum after CS was ineffective in the reduction of ileus. However, this practice was only capable of mitigating post-operative pain, and therefore can be used as an adjuvant technique for the management of post-operative pain

Antiphospholipid antibodies and COVID-19 mortality and thrombotic events; A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction:Among various proposed pathologic mechanisms during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, overproduction of autoantibodies is not widely studied. Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) are target proteins that have affinity toward charged phospholipids. APLs are thought to have pro-thrombotic potentials that increase during thromboembolism. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum aPLs level and COVID-19 mortality, severity, and thrombotic events.Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted on all open access published articles in Medline, Scopus and Google Scholar. Studies evaluating individuals over the age of 18 years who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and had positive aPLs; and provided data on mortality or thrombotic events were included. Results: Of the initially identified 512 articles, 22 studies (overall 1462 patients) were finally included in the analysis. The prevalence of positive aPLs was 48.1%. Among the 372 patients with positive aPLs, 156 patients (41.9%) had severe COVID-19 that indicated a significant relationship between COVID-19 severity and aPLs positivity (p<0.05). The prevalence of thrombotic events in aPLs positive patients was 26.3% that indicated a significant relationship between aPLs positivity and the development of thrombotic events (p=0.03). APLs positivity was related to anytime mortality in COVID-19 patients (p=0.01).Conclusion: The present review demonstrated that aPLs are linked to COVID-19 severity and thrombotic events but not short-term mortality. Further studies with longer follow up periods are warranted

Anatomical distribution and demographic data of gastric cancer in Mashhad, Iran

Introduction: The global incidence of gastric cancer (GC) has been decreased dramatically in recent decades and characteristics of this cancer has been changed. Most of these changes can be resulted from changes in dietary and nutritional habits. This cancer is the most common cancer in north and northeast of Iran. In present report we will briefly summaries the gastric tumor location in a population from north east of Iran. Methods: We have evaluated the stomach tumors location according to patient’s gender and age. Among 212 Iranian patients who were lived in Mashhad, Iran, the cardia was the most common involved anatomic location. There wasn’t any significant relation between patient gender and tumor location as well as patient age and tumor location. Results: According to our results, the incidence of gastric cancer in patients who are aged between 60 to 69 years is decreasing in our population while the most common anatomic site of tumor remains the same. Conclusion: By knowing the most prevalent tumor site and related risk factors, more precise diagnostic and preventing programs can be established. Increasing global awareness about the risk factors of GC seems to be the main reason and efforts should be made to speed up this issue

Lipid-modifying effect of vitamin D fortified products: A systematic review and meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objectives: Various fortification strategies have been proposed to account to treat or prevent vitamin D deficiency. However, the optimum fortification approach, and the effect of these on health is not widely understood. There have been controversial reports regarding the effect of vitamin D fortification on the lipid profile. The aim of present review is the evaluation of administration of vitamin D fortified products on lipid profile.Methods: We used databases including PubMed/Medline, ISI Web of Knowledge, Science Direct, Scopus and Cochrane Library. A search was conducted until 2020 Randomized controlled trials that have assessed the relationship between consumption of vitamin D fortified products and serum lipid profile were included. The relationship between fortification dose, dairy or non-dairy fortification as well as duration of intervention and plasma lipid profiles evaluated in separate sub-groups.Results: Among serum lipids including total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), low density lipoprotein(LDL) and high density lipoprotein(HDL), fortification of vitamin D was reported to have a significant effect on reducing total cholesterol (pooled estimate: -0.089 mmol/L, 95%CI: -0.134 to -0.044, p<0.001). Its effect on other lipid profiles were not significant (LDL pooled estimate:-0.115 mmol/L, 95%CI:-0.238 to 0.008; HDL pooled estimate:0.024 mmol/L, 95%CI:-0.024 to 0.071; TG pooled estimate:-0.176mmol/L, 95%CI:-0.499 to 0.148).Conclusion: This meta-analysis demonstrated that vitamin D fortification could significantly reduce TC both in long and short term interventions and in different products. However this reduction, whilst statistically significant, may not be clinically important. The effect of fortification on other lipid profile components vary depending on dose and duration

Female Sexual Dysfunction and its Associated Risk Factors: An Epidemiological Study in the North-East of Iran

Background & aim: Female sexual function (FSD) is a multifactorial phenomenon. Sexual function is influenced by different personal and environmental factors. This study aimed to evaluate FSD and its contributing factors using female sexual function index (FSFI). Methods:This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 264 women referring to 11 health centers of Sabzevar, Iran during October 2012 to January 2013 using a convenience sampling. Data were collected using a validated Persian version of FSFI containing six domains of sexual desire, lubrication, sexual arousal, sexual satisfaction, orgasm and sexual pain as well as demographic questionnaire. A total score of Results: The mean age of women enrolled in this study was 32.2±10.27 years . Considering the cut-off point of sexual dysfunction at 28, 62.1% of the study population had FSD. Highest rate of FSD was estimated at 49.2%, Age was associated with a significant decline in total scores of FSFI (P=0.042). Moreover, a significant correlation was observed between duration of marriage and total scores of FSFI (

Case Report of a Vanished Aspirated Foreign Body; Cough may be more Helpful

Foreign body aspiration is a potentially life-threatening event especially in those who are younger than 5 years old. Aspiration could be presented as a spectrum, ranging from absolutely asymptomatic event to more sever events including choking, respiratory distress and cyanosis or even death. Although foreign bodies in lung may not be visualized on X-ray, X-ray radiography is considered as a first step in localizing aspirated foreign bodies. Bronchoscope as rigid or flexible optic fiber is the main device used in removing aspirated foreign bodies. However, in some cases, as the present case report, previous foreign bodies which were localized in lung could travel back to the mouth and be ingested. In this report, we discussed a case of foreign body aspiration in a 10 year-old girl referred to Dr. Sheikh Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, whose foreign body located in the lower lobe of the left lung returned and was ingested before bronchoscopy after some episodes of sever coughing

Epigenetic drug therapy in the treatment of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers with a high rate of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The incidence of CRC is similar in men and women but is distributed uniformly globally. It has been demonstrated that epigenetic alterations which may cause changes in the expression of microRNA, DNA methylation and histone acetylation that results in inheritable modifications in gene expression in colorectal epithelial cells, plays a crucial role in the development of CRC. Recently, targeting epigenetic modification has emerged as a potentially important treatment approach in CRC. The US Food and Drug Association has approved the use of some epigenetic drugs that may be able to inhibit or reverse these alterations and also enhance sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy in CRC. In this review we have summarized the recent pre-clinical and clinical trial studies investigating the therapeutic value of using epigenetic drugs as novel therapeutic approach in CRC treatment. Keywords: epigenetic, colorectal cancer, drug, DNA methylation, histone acetylatio

Effect of citalopram and sertraline on the expression of miRNA- 124, 132, and 16 and their protein targets in patients with depression

Objective(s): This study aimed to evaluate the effect of SSRIs on the expression of miRNAs and their protein targets.Materials and Methods: In a 100 day open-label study of citalopram (n=25) and sertraline (n=25), levels of miRNA 16, 132, and 124 and glucocorticoid receptor (GR), Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and serotonin transporter (SERT) protein expression were measured by QRT-PCR and western blot in healthy control (n=20), patients with depression at the baseline, and same patients after 100 days of treatment.Results: Expression levels of GR and BDNF proteins were lower in the depressed group before treatment as compared with the healthy group (P<0.0001). The SERT level was higher among the depressed group before treatment in comparison with the healthy group (P<0.0001). The level of GR and BDNF significantly increased, and SERT expression decreased after receiving sertraline (P<0.05). When the depressed group received citalopram, only SERT and GR were altered (P<0.05). Among the microRNAs’ expression investigated, mir-124 and mir-132 were higher, and mir-16 was lower among the depressed compared with the healthy group (P<0.0001). Individuals receiving citalopram only showed an increase in the expression of mir-16 while administration of sertraline led to a significant increase in the expression of mir-16 and a decrease in mir-124 and mir-132 (P<0.05).Conclusion: This elucidated the relationship between antidepressant treatment and the expression of different microRNA that control gene expression in various pathways involved in depressed patients.  Receiving SSRI can affect the level of these proteins and their relevant microRNAs