Tehran University Medical Journal

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Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is considered by researchers because of its high prevalence, and several studies have been done to find the causes and factors which increase the chance for the syndrome. These studies have shown relationships between this syndrome with some physical parameters like wrist dimensions, weight and systemic conditions. There is no investigation on risk factors in CTS in our country. So the main goal of this research is to find and introduce predisposing factors for carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods: Seventy patients and 33 controls 22 to 70 years old were studied. Standard methods for median and ulnar nerve studies were used and questionnaires included physical measurements, history of diseases and personal information were completed for each person. Results: Patients had higher wrist ratio (mean difference, 0.0267, P<0.001), weight (mean difference: 6.098, P<0.001) and body mass index (mean difference: 3.376, P<0.001). Regression analysis showed strong positive relation between wrist ratio and median latencies. The strongest correlation was found between wrist ratio and median minus ulnar distal sensory latencies (Y2=0.4014, P<0.0001). No relation was found between weight and body mass index with median latencies. Seventy-nine percent of patients and 48.5% of controls had wrist ratio of 0.7 or greater (P<0.05). Seventy-two percent of patients with repetetive hand activities and 78% with associated conditions had wrist ratio of 0.7 or greater. Seventy-six percent had wrist ratio less than 0.7. No relationship was found between obesity, diabetes, thyroid disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, taking oral contraceptive, hysterectomy, oophorectomy, menopause and repetetive hand activities with involvement of carpal tunnel syndrome. Discussion: Wrist dimensions seem to be an important predictor for carpal tunnel syndrome also in patients with associated conditions. If individuals with squarer wrists are involved in special conditions, they may show symptoms of the syndrom. Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by many factors but wrist dimensions seem to be a predisposing factor and provides an explanation for bilateral involvement or familial occurrence of it.

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The main goal of this study is to determine the auditory feedback effects in improvement of speech production process in prelingual totally deaf children who used cochlear implant prosthesis. For this reason, we recorded speech of four prelingual cochlear implant children pre and post of operation. Then we extract some static features of vowels-such as fundamental frequency, formant frequencies, vowel duration and vowel energy-from their stable mid-section and analyze them using a longitudinal prosthesis-on/off analysis. These patients-where are in the range of 7-13 years old-were operated in the cochlear implant clinic of Amiralam hospital. At each session, patients read the sentences once in device-on condition and then after 30 minutes stay in device-off condition. Quantitative results show that at least for the features under study, the patient's reliance on the auditory feedback decreased consistently by time (about 65%-averaged on all three vowels under study and all patients). So we concluded that after a sufficient time of operation, the speech motor patterns of patients will be trained for the correct production of static features of vowels and the relation of patients to auditory feedback for the production of such features considerably decreased by time.

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Background: Anemia is a common complication accompanied by high morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients. Considering the fact that the reduction of erythropoietin (EPO) synthesis is the main cause of uremic anemia, receiving recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) can improve the condition in these patients. Some of these hemodialysis patients, however, have acceptable hemoglobin levels without any need to EPO. Higher BMI, higher albumin and leptin plasma levels and longer durations of hemodialysis are possible factors contributing to the reduced need for rHuEPO in these patients. The present study is designed to asses the relationship between the plasma levels of leptin and the reduced EPO need.

Methods: Fifty eligible hemodialysis patients with hemoglobin levels higher than 11 mg/dl were enrolled in the cross-sectional study. The information on age, sex, hemodialysis duration and the cause of renal dysfunction were extracted from the files. The baseline plasma levels of Leptin and albumin were measured. The patients BMI and the weekly need for rHuEPO were also calculated.

Results: There was no correlation between the weekly need for rHuEPO and sex, BMI, the cause of renal dysfunction and the plasma levels of albumin and leptin it, however, was related with age and the duration of dialysis. While age negatively influences the weekly need, the duration of dialysis has a positive effect on the need.

Conclusion: The plasma levels of leptin are not directly correlated with the required amounts of rHuEPO, indicating that leptin is not an effective factor in erythropoiesis. Conversely, older age and shorter hemodialysis durations are accompanied by reduced need for rHuEPO.

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Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Background: Detection rate of Ductal Carcinoma Insitu of the breast (DCIS) have increased rapidly over the past decade, which is generally attributed to the widespread use of screening mammography. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of ductal carcinoma in situ in patients who had been referred to Tehran university medical centers.
Methods: In a retrospective study, medical records of the patients with diagnosis of breast cancer in 3 teaching hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Cancer Institute, Sina and Shariati Hospitals between 1994-2003) were reviewed and records with ductal carcinoma in situ were selected and analyzed.
Results: Between 2244 medical records of breast cancer 23 patients had DCIS (1.02%). Mean age was 47.3 years just one patient had been detected by screening mammography and others had clinical symptoms. 48% of patients had mass with mean size of 3.3cm. All had undergone open biopsy (four incisional, 19 excisional). Treatment included 65.2% modified radical mastectomy, 30.4% lumpectomy with axillary dissections and 3.8% lumpectomy alone. Nine patients had radiotherapy after surgery and ten took tamoxifen as hormonal therapy. Two patients (8.6%) in lumpectomy group had recurrence in follow ups. Median follow up time was 84 months.
Conclusion: This study shows that the Prevalence of early stages of breast cancer especially ductal carcinoma in situ is extremely low. (DCIS was 1.02 in comparison with 15-30% in western countries). These findings indicate the need for increasing public information about breast cancer in Iran and improving screening programs of breast cancer.

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Background: Pulmonary hydatic cyst is a common parasitic disease and health care problem in developing countries. In our study we assessed treatment outcomes of pulmonary hydatic cyst in our area. Methods: All patients presenting to Ghaem, Omid and Mehr hospitals of Mashhad- Iran since 1981 to 2008 with pulmonary hydatic cyst were enrolled in this study and demographic data, location and number of cysts, diagnostic methods, type of operations, out comes and rate of recurrence were statistically analyzed. Results: One thousand and twenty for patients enrolled in this study. The mean age was 30.6±16.1 years and male to female ratio was 1.2. The most common symptoms were cough (55.1%) and chest pain (33.8%). 53.8% of the patients had right side involvement, 40% had left side involvement and 6.2% had bilateral disease. Inferior lobe was the most common involved lobe. The cyst was intact in 52.6% and the other cases were complicated or perforated. The most common surgical technique was removing the cyst membrane without resection of pericyst and closure of air leaks (67.2%). The cyst was enucleated in 21.2% and parenchymal resection was performed in 10.3%. The mortality rate was 0.2% and morbidity occurred in 8.4% of patients. The most common complications were dead-space in pulmonary parenchyma in 3.4% of cases and wound infection in 1.5%. Conclusion: The best treatment for pulmonary hydatic cyst disease is surgery with low mortality and morbidity. The most common treatment is extraction of cyst membrane and closure of small air ways. Pulmonary resection should be reserved for complicated forms of disease.

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