Tehran University Medical Journal

Background and Aim: Measuring the outcome of chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis is an important factor in assessment of disease impact on different dimensions of quality of life and in evaluation of therapeutic interventions. The aim of this study was to perform the cross-cultural adaptation of the MSIS-29 which is a MS-specific outcome measure for Iranian patients.

Materials and Methods: The Iranian adaptation process of the MSIS-29 included 5 steps. To evaluate psychometric properties of the translated version, the questionnaire was administered to a consecutive sample of 96 patients with clinically definite MS referred to our out-patient clinic. Test-retest reliability was assessed in a sub-sample consisted of 30 patients. These patients completed the questionnaire on two occasions separated by a 7-day interval. The Iranian version of the SF-36 was also administered to this sub-sample in order to evaluate the validity of translated MSIS-29.

 Results: Statistical analysis indicated that the Persian version of the MSIS-29 had high internal consistency (cronbach’s alpha coefficients > 0.70) and test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficients >0.70) and a good validity.

Conclusion: The Persian version of the MSIS-29 is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring MS outcome in Iranian patients. It can be used in clinical trials and cross-sectional studies.

Background: Cesarean delivery is the most common surgical procedure and this prevalence is on the rise. Given these trends, cesarean wound complications, such as disruption or infection, remain an important cause of post-cesarean morbidity.

Methods: We conducted a single-center randomized controlled trial that included women with viable pregnancies (≥24 weeks) undergoing cesarean delivery at Motahary University Hospital, Urmia, Iran from April to November 2014. All cesarean types were included: scheduled or unscheduled and primary or repeat cesareans. Women were excluded for the following reasons: inability to obtain informed consent, immune compromising disease (e.g. AIDS), chronic steroid use, diabetic mellitus and BMI≥30. Of 266 women, 133 were randomized to staples and 133 women to suture group.

Results: The mean±SD age of the staples group was 27.6±5.4 years and mean±SD age of suture was 28.7±5.9 years. Multiparity is the most frequent in both groups that by using Chi-square test, no significant differences were observed between the two groups (P=0.393). The most frequent indication for cesarean section in both groups was history of cesarean section in staple 40 cases (30.1%) and suture 32 cases (24.1%). The survey was conducted using the Chi-square test was not significant (P=0.381). Pain at 6 weeks postoperatively was significantly less in the staple group (P=0.001). Operative time was longer with suture closure (4.68±0.67 versus 1.03±0.07 minute, P<0.001). The Vancouver scale score was significantly less in suture closure (6.6±0.8 versus 7.5±0.9, P=0.001). Wound disruption was significantly less in suture closure (3.8% versus 11.3%, P=0.017).

Conclusion: The staple group had low pain and operation time but had a significant wound disruption and scar. The patients who have suffered a significant wound disruption were affected by age (P=0.022) and BMI (P=0.001) at compared those who were not affected by factors such as age or high BMI as risk factors for open surgical wound.

Background: Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) consists of a broad spectrum of benign and malignant tumors which are stem in human placental trophoblast. Vitamin D has several biologic rules. Among the effects of vitamin D on cells, we could mention induction of differentiation and apoptosis and also inhibition of proliferation, angiogenesis and metastatic potency. As nutrition plays a pivotal rule in GTN, in this study we compared serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH) vitamin D] in patients with GTN and normal pregnant women.

Methods: In this prospective case-control study, 30 GTN patients and 48 normal pregnant women were considered as control group who referred to Qaem University Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, from July 2013 to October 2015 were included. All included persons to the study had no history of chemotherapy or using vitamin D supplements. After filling informed consent forms and recording demographic data, 25(OH) vitamin D serum level were measured in both group by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.

Results: Age in two groups was the same (P=0.565). There was no significant difference in gestational age between two groups (P=0.887). Pathologic diagnosis in 83.33% (25 patients) was complete hydatidiform mole and in 16.67% (5 patients) was partial hydatidiform mole. 25(OH) vitamin D serum level in 73.3% of GTN patients and 2.1% of normal pregnant women was lower than 10 ng/ml and among all participants, only 6.3% of pregnant patients had 25(OH) vitamin D serum level higher than 30 ng/ml. Mean serum level of 25(OH) vitamin D in GTN patients was significantly lower than pregnant women group (9.09±5.46 vs. 20.06±6.37, P=0.000). 25(OH) vitamin D serum level between complete and partial hydatidiform mole groups had no significant difference (P=0.384).

Conclusion: Altogether, it was observed that 25(OH) vitamin D serum level is significantly lower in women with GTN than normal pregnant women. Modifying serum levels of vitamin D in molar pregnancy with low level of vitamin D may prevent the development of GTN.