Tehran University Medical Journal

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Background: Urinary tract infection is a common bacterial infection in children and may lead to irreversible renal damage. TC 99-m Dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scintigraphy is the most sensitive method for diagnosing acute pyelonephritis. We designed a study to evaluate the ability of DMSA scan and ultrasonography to detect renal paranchymal lesion.

Materials and Methods: 62 children 1 month to 12 years of age with the first episode of acute pyelonephritis were prospectively studied with DMSA scan and ultrasonography during acute phase of infection. A Voiding Cystourethrogram was performed in 60 children when urine culture became negative. Children with renal paranchymal changes were older at the time of acute pyelonephritis (P=0.04) but no difference was found between the groups with regard to levels of CRP, ESR (P>0.05).

Results: Changes on the DMSA scan were found in 106 (85.5 percent) kidneys of 62 children but ultrasonography showed renal changes in 19.4 percent (sensitivity=20 percent, specificity=83 percent) (Kappa=0.06). Vesicoureteric reflux was found in 14 children (23.3 percent) but 83 percent of the affected kidneys were drained by non-refluxing ureters.

Conclusion: It is concluded that DMSA scan is more sensitive than ultrasonography in detecting renal paranchymal changes in acute pyelonephritis and we found out that renal paranchymal changes after acute pyelonephritis is common, even in those without VUR.

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Myocardial infarction sequel of coronary artery diseases, can be sometimes asymptomatic, called silent myocardial infarction. Some risk factors predispose the patients to this condition. In this study, we intend to determine the predisposing factors in such patients.
Methods and Materials: We included those patients with electrocardiogram changes, consistent with myocardial infarction, who had not any symptoms of ischemia or a previous history of coronary artery disease, consulted for preoperative work up of eye surgery during the year 2000.
Results: We analyzed 100 patients with the diagnosis of silent myocardial infarction. (59 males and 41 females). Among our patients. 99 percent were above age 50 years of age. Their mean age at the time of study was 69.7 years. 78 percent of patients were illiterate. In 41 of them body mass index was above the normal limits (overweight and obese). Their past medical history revealed that 46 patients had hypertension, 38 patients had hyper-lipidemia. and 26 patients had diabetes mellitus. Also, a positive family history of coronary artery disease was seen in 52 percent of the patients. The rate of cigarette smokers and opium addicts, among our patients, was 33 and 13 percents. respectively. Analysis of electrocardiogram changes, showed that 43 patients had inferior myocardial infarction, 24 had antero-septal. and 17 of them suffered from anterior myocardial infarction.
Conclusion: Almost all of our patients with silent myocardial infarction were in old age group. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, overweight, hyper-lipidemia, and a positive family history of coronary artery disease were the most important predisposing factors, found in such patients, thus taking into account these predisposing factors and control of them would dramatically reduce the prevalence of morbidity and mortality of silent myocardial infarction.

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Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide distribution. Despite its control in many developing countries the disease remains endemic in Iran. The symptoms, signs and laboratory results are variable and nonspecific. This case series study was conducted to determine the liver complications of Brucellosis in Iran
Materials and Methods: We studied 188 patients (108 males and 80 females) with Brucellosis, fulfilled the diagnostic criteria, aged 1-79 years (mean 34.8 years) were registered in Imam Khomeini Hospital, a referral center in Tehran, during the six years (1995-2001).
Results: Thirty-four of 188 cases (18.08 percent) had elevated liver enzyme (elevated SGOT only, 6 patients elevated SGPT only 1 patient elevation of both transaminases, 27 patients). The prominent symptoms included anorexia (74 cases), weight loss (62 cases), right upper quadrant pain (32 cases), epigastric pain (25 cases) and nausea and vomiting (23 cases). Among the gastrointestinal signs were found in these patients, hepatomegaly was seen in 28 patients. Jaundice and ascitis were present in only 7 and 3 patients, respectively. Other laboratory results showed elevated alkaline phosphatase in 28 cases and abnormal bilirubin in 10 cases. Fifty-seven patients had a focal illness, representing 30.32 percent of all patients. Osteoarticular complications were the most frequent focal forms, being present in 34 cases. Twelve male patients had genitourinary Brucellosis, representing 10.53 percent of focal forms. Also, 5 patients had neurologic complications.
Conclusion: In conclusion liver involvement is frequent in Brucellosis, although the rate of this complication in our study was lower than other studies. So, in patients with evidence of overt clinical or laboratory findings compatible with liver disturbance etiologies other than brucellosis should be considered in Iran.