Is opioid dependency related to coping strategies?

Using opioid for recreational purposes has a very long history in Iran. Social influence is a useful framework in understanding how the social environment affects the individual's behavioral choices to use drugs. We compared opioid dependents (n=149) with controls (n=221) on measures of coping strategies using the Jalowiec Coping Scale and some socioeconomic factors. The differences in 10 of 15 coping strategies were significant in the study groups (P<0.05). Although, the combined score of problem-oriented and affective-oriented items did not show any significant difference between the two groups. There was a significant relation between opioid dependence with smoking cigarettes (P<0.001), lower education (P=0.002), being employed (P<0.001), having children (P<0.001), and being married (P<0.001). Educational programs to improve problem solving and coping skills can be helpful to reduce the rate of dependency to opioid and smoking cigarettes. © 2015, Sadeghali Taziki, et al

Cytoprotective effects of melatonin against amitriptyline-induced toxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes

Purpose: Amitriptyline, one of the commonly used tricyclic antidepressants, caused rare but severe hepatotoxicity in patients who received it continuously. Previous findings showed that the intermediate metabolites of amitriptyline produced by CYP450 are involved in hepatic injury. Melatonin is an antiaging and antioxidant hormone synthesized from pineal gland. The aim of present study was to evaluate the protective role of melatonin in an in vitro model of isolated rat hepatocytes. Methods: Markers such as cell viability, reactive oxygen species formation, lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial membrane potential, and hepatocytes glutathione content were evaluated every 60 minutes for 180 minutes. Results: Present results indicated that administration of 1mM of melatonin effectively reduced the cell death, ROS formation and lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial membrane potential collapse, and reduced cellular glutathione content caused by amitriptyline. Conclusion: Our results indicated that melatonin is an effective antioxidant in preventing amitriptyline-induced hepatotoxicity. We recommend further in vivo animal and clinical trial studies on the hepatoprotective effects of melatonin in patients receiving amitriptyline. © 2015 The Authors

Evaluation of mental disorders’ symptoms in students of Golestan University of Medical Sciences by SCL-90-R questionnaire

Background&Objective: Nowadays epidemiologic paterns of the diseases are verifying rapidly non-contagious diseases like mental disorders are replacing contagious one. Several people, unaware of their psychiatric problems seek medical advise and treating. College students are susceptible to mental disorders because of their conditions. This research was done to evaluate mental health state in students of Golestan University of Medical Sciences. Materials&Methods: 218 students of Golestan University took part in this research. SCL-90-R was the test for evaluation, after collecting the questionnaires and entering into SPSS-10 software, data were analyzed with chi-square and Fisher-exact test. Results: The momental prevalence was estimated 72%. 157 persons had disorder, at least in one dimension, and 16 persons (7.34%) had severe disorder at least in one. Marriage and psychosis, paranoid & anxiety had meaningful relations (P<0.05), residental site and paranoid had meaningful relations (P<0.05), higher levels of father’s education and interpersonal sensitivity had meaningful relation (P<0.05), Family history of mental disorders, moderate interest in education, field of study and phobia had meaningful relationships (P<0.05), females had higher scores in depression (P<0.05). Conclusion: According to this high prevelence of mental disorders it seems that mental health’s problem is critically high in this region, much more attention should be paid to prevent further complications

Influence of dressing on the rate of wound infection in clean surgeries

Background&Objective: The ways of prevention of wound infections are too much, and some references mentioned that one of those ways is dressing. Dressing can cause a sort of spiritual transquility for patients, too. In the other side, doing it causes some kinds of limitations such as preventing of taking a bath or spending expenses. So, we decided to consider the influence of continuation of dressing, on the rate of wound infection, after first 48 hours post operation. Materials&Methods: In this research, we studied on 150 patients who were under the same surgeries, So that in the half of them, after 48 hours dressing were removed, and in the half remaining, dressing were changed daily for one week. In both groups, in the third, seventh and thirtieth day after surgery were inspected and examined by surgeon, in the case for having or absence of symptoms and signs of infection. In subgrouping patients we considered some factors include age, sex, type of operation and predisposing diseases. The 30 th day post operation was the end of our study and information analyzed in the computer with SPSS software. Results: The average age in the group of without dressing was 35.12±20.19 and in the group with full dressing was 37.61±18.78 years. There were 74 men and 76 women. There was Just one wound infection in our study, who had dressing for one week. The case was woman without serious disease, and a half day before surgery was admitted in the hospital. In the group without dressing, we did not have any wound infection. 5.3% were nervous in the no dressing group and the 17.3% of patients with dressing were anxious of having their bath with delay. Conclusion: According to the no impression of dressing on the rate of wound infection in the clean surgeries after first two days and also lack of considerable anxiety in the non dressing group, we recommend picking up the clean wounds dressing after 48 hours and make patients feel guaranteed

Esophageal cancer: 5-year survival rate at south-east of Caspian sea of northern Iran

Background: Locating at southern margin of Caspian sea and Asian esophagus cancer cordon Golestan state is one of the most common sites of this cancer. Objective: This study designed to evaluate the 5-years survival rate of esophagus cancer. Materials and Methods: 55 patients with esophagus cancer diagnosed by pathologic examination, age, gender, type of tumor, clinical manifestation on the time of tumor metastases, treatment and patient survival time studied. The collecting data were analyzed by SPSS 11.5, and life table and Kaplan Meier methods were applied. Results: 55 patients studied included 11 females and 44 males respectively with average survival life time of 12.8 months for the 5-year survival rate for patients diagnosed at early stage was 0.025, patients with systemic symptoms such as weight loss was 0.00. Far metastases adverse effect on highest survivals was observed among patients who underwent surgery; the survival rate for such patients was about 0.014. Conclusions: Esophageal cancer is high in southern margin of Caspian Sea, it is suggested to design studies to find the probable risk factors and the screening tests for on-time diagnosis

Prevalence of intra abdominal injuries due to penetrating trauma in Gorgan, Iran (2002-07)

Background and Objective: Trauma is the most common cause of death in all individuals between 1 and 44 years and the third most common cause of death regardless of age. The abdomen is the third most commonly injured region of the body. Some intra abdominal organ injured more than others, related to mechanism of injury, size and location of organ in abdominal cavity. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of intra abdominal injuries due to penetrating trauma. Materials and Methods: This retrospective descriptive study was done on 114 patients admitted to 5 Azar hospital in Gorgan, Iran due to penetrating abdominal trauma during 2002-07. Gender, age, type of injury causes of trauma and hospitlalization period were obtained form patients files. Results: 92.1% of patients were male. The mean age of subjects was 24.8 years (9-70 years) with highest frequency between 20-24 years. Two (1.8%) deaths directly related to abdominal stab wounds related to hemorrhagic shock. The most common cause of penetrating abdominal injury was knife wound (78.9%). The mean time spent in hospital was 4.6±2.8 days. In 53 patients, cause of trauma were either related to pentration into peritoneum or passing through in. Small intestine injuries (14 %), rupture of diaphragm and concurrent lung injuries (7%) were the common damage organs. Conclusion: This study showed that the knife was the main cause of abdominal penetrate trauma and peritoneum was the most common damage tissue

Occurrence and risk factors of nontuberculous mycobacteria in tuberculosis-suspected patients in the north of Iran

Background and Objectives: Some Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) can occasionally infect the human population and cause infections having symptoms similar to tuberculosis (TB). This study tried to provide updated data about the fre-quency and diversity of NTM species. Materials and Methods: Suspicious samples of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) with both positive results in Zie-hl-Neelsen (ZN) staining and Löwenstein-Jensen medium culturing were evaluated during January 2016 and December 2018 in Gorgan, Iran. After determination of MTB isolates by the growth rate, pigmentation status, the niacin test, and the insertion sequence 6110 (IS6110) PCR assay, other unknown isolates (presumably NTM) were detected by the 16S rDNA sequencing method and drawing the phylogenetic tree. Based on the patients� demographic information, their risk factors were also assessed. Results: Among 226 culture-positive samples, obtained from 2994 individuals with suspected symptoms of TB, the analyses found 12 (5.3) NTM and three Mycobacterium caprae isolates. Mycobacterium simiae (6/12) was the most prevalent NTM species. The average nucleotide similarity value was 98.2 ± 3.7. In comparison to patients with MTB (211 confirmed cas-es), other mycobacterium infections were more common in patients over 65 years old (Odd ratio (95 convenience interval): 2.96 (0.69-12.59), P = 0.14). Conclusion: Although the NTM species has a small portion in TB suspected patients, their prevalence has increased, mainly in elderly patients. Moreover, M. simiae was the most prevalent NTM species in our region. Therefore, identification of common species in each region is recommended and clinicians should pay more attention to them in each region. © 2021 The Authors. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Epidemiological survey of suicide in Golestan province in the North of Iran (2003)

Background and purpose: Suicide is one of the most important causes of death in the world. The prevalence of suicide varies in different parts of Iran and the world. This study was done to determine the prevalence and types of suicide and its relation to gender, age and education in Golestan prevalence in North of Iran.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 1857 patients admitted to general hospitals in Golestan province during 2003. The data were collected through questionnaires filled by health workers and analyzed using SPSS software.Results: The prevalence of suicide was 117.8, 88.5 and 147.4 per 10000 in general population, males and females respectively. The rate of suicide in 20-24 age groups was 285.8 per 10000. The highest rate of suicide was observed in spring. Thirty one percent of samples had high school education. 48 percent of suicide attempts were with drugs and opium. Considering the ethnicity, the rate of suicide was 177 among native Fars, 79.6 in Turkman and 270 in Sistani per 10000, respectively.Conclusion: This study has shown that the rate of suicide is higher in this province comparing to other studies in some parts of Iran and other countries