Showing 3 results for Shojaa
Aghaei M, Gharibdost F, Zayeni H, Akhlaghi M, Sedighi S, Rostamian Ar, Aghdami N, Shojaa M,
Volume 68, Issue 12 (6 2011)
Abstract
Background: Systemic scleroderma (SSc) is a generalized
connective tissue disorder of unknown origin which most notably is
characterized by skin thickening and organ damage. Endothelin-1
(ET-1) antibody plays a role in skin fibrosis. The
aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and correlation of different
manifestations of SSc with ET-1
plasma levels.
Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 95
patients (91 women and four men)
with scleroderma in 2006. The patients had
been referred to the Rheumatology Clinic of Shariati Hospital in Tehran, Iran.
The demographic data and signs and symptoms were entered in a questionnaire and
endothelin-1 concentrations were measured.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 38±12.29 years.
Diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc)
was diagnosed in 52 and limited cutaneous
SSc (lcSSc)
in 43 patients. Raynaud's phenomenon (91%)
was the most common manifestation in the patients. The relationship between the
resorption of terminal phalanges due to fibrosis with the plasma concentration
of Endothelin-1 was statistically significant (p=0.001).
Pitting ulcers had significant relationships with endothelin-1 concentrations
too (p<0.05). No other significant relationships
were found between the other manifestation of the disease and Endothelin-1
concentration.
Conclusion: In
this study, Reynaud's phenomenon was the most frequent sign in patients with
scleroderma. Thus, it could serve as a tool for the diagnosis of scleroderma.
As there were no significant relationships between the other manifestations of
scleroderma with endothelin-1, a cohort study with a
larger sample size is suggested.
Aghaei M, Sedighi S, Behnam Pour N, Hezar Khani Sh, Jamshir M, Agh A, Shojaa M,
Volume 70, Issue 7 (6 2012)
Abstract
Background: Low bone mass is a serious health problem mostly seen in postmeno-pausal women with rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of osteoporosis and some related risk factors in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis.
Methods: The data for this descriptive analytical study was extracted from the medical records of 98 postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis who had attended the 5th of Azar Teaching Hospital affiliated to Gorgan University of Medical Sciences, in Iran, in 2009.
Results: The mean durations of menopause and rheumatoid arthritis were 9.39 and 5.13 years, respectively. The overall prevalence of osteoporosis was 13.3%. We found a significant correlation between age, disease duration, and duration of menopause with bone mineral density (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Our results indicate a high prevalence of osteoporosis at the lumbar spine of postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis.
Mahdieh Shojaa, Mehrdad Aghaie , Mahsa Amoli , Patricia Khashayar , Naemeh Javid, Fatemeh Shakeri, Mostafa Qorbani , Ramin Mohebbi,
Volume 73, Issue 2 (May 2015)
Abstract
Background: Cytotoxic lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) plays an important role in regulating T cell activation. CTLA-4 gene polymorphisms are related with genetic susceptibility to various autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We analyzed the role of CTLA-4 polymorphisms at positions -318CT in patients who suffer from SLE.
Methods: This study was performed on 180 SLE patients referred to 5th Azar University Hospital in Gorgan, Iran. Three hundred and four ethnically-and age-matched healthy controls with no history of autoimmune diseases entered the study between 5th May 2008 and 23rd October 2009. DNA was extracted from blood samples according to the standard procedure. Polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragments length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to analyze the genotype and allele frequencies of this polymorphism. PCR was carried out using the following primers: forward 5′-AAATGAATTGGACTGGATGGT-3′ and reverse 5′-TTACGAGAAAGGAAGCCGT G-3′. The frequency of alleles and genotypes were assessed using direct counting. Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare the association between the alleles and genotype frequencies and SLE. P<0.05 were considered statistically significant.
Results: The CC genotype was observed in 94.5% of the SLE patients and 82.4% of the controls the difference was statistically significant (P=0.0001, OR=3.51, CI95%=1.77-7.53). The CT genotype, on the other hand, was more frequently observed in the control group (17.1% vs. 5.5%, P=0.0001, OR=0.28). T allele was significantly more common in the controls compared to SLE patients (P=0.0001, OR=0.26, CI95%=0.13-0.53).
Conclusion: Our results suggest that the -318C/T polymorphism of CTLA-4 gene might play a significant role in the genetic susceptibility to SLE. Therefore, further studies on populations, especially from other Middle East countries, are needed to confirm our results.
