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Background & Aim: Cardiac rehabilitation is one of the most effective ways of secondary prevention in patients with myocardial infarction manifestations. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation on clinical manifestations of myocardial infarction in post-MI patients.

Methods & Materials: In this interventional study, 66 patients (58 males and eight females) with myocardial infarction who were hospitalized in public hospitals of Ahwaz were selected using purposeful sampling. The participants were randomly allocated into intervention and control groups. Data was collected using a self-structured valid and reliable instrument. The intervention group participated in an 8-week cardiac rehabilitation program. Data on the clinical manifestations were collected eight weeks later. Data were analyzed in SPSS.

Results: The results showed that there was significant differences between two groups in hypertension crisis (P=0.03), chest pain, dyspnea, fatigue and palpitation after the cardiac rehabilitation (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Cardiac rehabilitation program decreased the clinical manifestations of myocardial infarction in post-MI patients. It is recommended to perform this procedure in the post-MI patients.

 

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Background & Objective: Labor pain is usually the most severe pain women experience in their lives. Most women suffer from low back pain during first stage of labor. The pain can produce adverse effects on delivery procedure. Because of potential side effects of medications used in labor, alternative methods for pain relief have received more attention nowadays. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of subcutaneous injection of sterile water on labor pain, type of labor, and satisfaction with pain management in nulliparous women.
Methods & Materials: This was a randomized single-blind study. Samples were consisted of 80 women who were randomly allocated to two intervention and control groups. In the intervention group (40 women) sterile water was injected subcutaneously in four sacral regions during first stage of labor. In the control group, we just inserted a needle in the same area. Low back pain intensity was assessed before and 10, 45, and 90 minutes after the injections using visual scales in both groups. Data were analyzed using descriptive (relative & absolute frequencies, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (t-test, paired t-test and c²) in the SPSS.
Results: There was no significant difference between two groups at baseline. The mean of pain intensity in 10 and 45 minutes after the injection was decreased significantly in the intervention group (P=0.00). There was no significant difference between two groups in the 90^th minute. There was no difference in the type of labor between two groups. The mean of the satisfaction score was higher in the intervention group than in the control one.
Conclusion: It seems that subcutaneous sacral injection of sterile water might be an effective and safe method to alleviate labor pain in women

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Background & Aim: Self-care and self-management, as two effective strategies play an effective role in controlling pain and quality of life. Therefore, considering the characteristics and dimensions of these two concepts, this study aimed to compare the effect of self-care education and pain self-management on the nature of pain and quality of life in patients with sickle cell disease.
Methods & Materials: In this clinical trial study, 75 patients with sickle cell disease, referred to the thalassemia clinic of Baqaei hospital 2 in Ahvaz and Shahid Beheshti hospital in Abadan, were selected and randomly divided into three groups of 25 people (self-care, pain self-management and control groups). The two intervention groups (self-care and pain self-management) were divided into groups of five people, and received specific training during four sessions for three months. The nature of pain and quality of life of patients were assessed four times (before the intervention, one month, two months and three months after the intervention) using the McGill Pain Questionnaire and Quality of Life Questionnaire. The SPSS software version 22 was used to analyze the data.
Results: The results showed that pain self-management and self-care programs were effective in improving the quality of life and pain of patients with sickle cell. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two intervention groups in the nature of pain and quality of life.
Conclusion: Self-care and pain self-management have similar effects on reducing patients’ pain and improving their quality of life.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT20160726029086N5
 

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Background & Aim: Pain and inflammation caused by needle insertion into the fistula is a common problem in hemodialysis patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of topical application of Rosemary essential oil on inflammation and pain severity caused by needle insertion into arteriovenous fistula in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis.
Methods & Materials: In this clinical trial, 60 hemodialysis patients from the hemodialysis ward of Golestan hospital and Imam Khomeini hospital in Ahvaz were randomly assigned to two groups using block randomization. The intervention group received rosemary essential oil, while the control group received distilled water applied to the needle insertion site 5 minutes before each hemodialysis session. Pain severity was assessed using the VAS scale and inflammation severity was determined using the Phlebitis checklist at baseline and during six sessions. Data were analyzed using t-test, chi-square test and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) on SPSS software version 22.
Results: The results showed that the mean score for pain increased in the control group from 5.13±1.74  to 5.93±1.67, while it decreased in the intervention group from 5.83±1.53 to 3.77±1.43 (P=0.003). Additionally, the mean score for inflammation increased during the sessions in the control group, ranging from 1.27±1.20 to 2.07±1.08. However, in the intervention group, the mean score for inflammation decreased from 2.57±1.92 to 1.33±1.44. Nevertheless, this difference was found to be statistically insignificant (P=0.267).
Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that the topical application of rosemary essential oil had a significant effect on reducing pain resulting from needling. However, its effect on reducing the severity of arteriovenous fistula inflammation in patients undergoing hemodialysis was not statistically significant. Based on these results, it is recommended to provide training to nursing staff and hemodialysis patients regarding the use of rosemary essential oil as a means to alleviate pain experienced during the procedure. Further research is required to investigate its potential for reducing the severity of fistula inflammation.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT2019102804526N1