Tehran University Medical Journal

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Background: To compare the success rate and side effects of letrozole and misoprostol versus misoprostol alone for medical termination of early pregnancy. Methods: The patients requesting termination of pregnancy up to 63 days of gestation were randomized into two groups. The letrozole group received letrozole 10 mg daily for 3 days followed by 800 micrograms of vaginal misoprostol, while the placebo group received placebo for 3 days followed by the same dosage of misoprostol. The complete abortion rate and the side effects profiles of the two groups were compared. The primary outcome measure was the abortion rate. Results: A total of 214 women were recruited. Overal complete abortion rate was 81.3%, complete abortion rate in the letrozole group was not significantly higher than that of the placebo group (84.1% compared 78.5%). After receiving 800 mcg misoprostol, 37 case (17.3%) had complete abortion that 13 cases (12%) of the misoprostol group and 24 patients (22.5%) of the cominabtion group and after receiving 1600 mcg, misoprostol, in 137 cases (77.4%) had complete abortion that 71 patients (75.5%) of the misoprostol group and 66 cases (79.5%) was obtained for the combination group. This difference was not statistically significant (P> 0.05). D & C in 40 cases (18.7%) reported that was not significantly different in the two groups, 17 cases (15.9 %) in the combination group versus 23 (21.5%) in the misoprostol group. Side effects such as fever, tachycardia, diarrhea and pain were similar in the two groups there were not significantly fewer women complaining of side effects in the letrozole group than those in the placebo group (P> 0.05). Conclusion: Combination of letrozole and misoprostol is as effective as misoprostol alone in complete abortion rate. Based on these results, the use of misoprostol in combination with letrozole is safe and not expensive.

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Background: Hormonal, physical, and psychological fluctuations occur during the menstrual cycle. Previous studies have shown that hormonal changes during the normal menstrual cycle affect anesthesia and analgesia. The limitation of previous studies are that they did not measure luteal hormone (LH), Follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, progesterone and cortisol levels. Our goal was to find more suitable conditions in menstrual periods for intubation of patient. Methods: American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I patients, 16 to 40 years, undergoing general anesthesia for elective surgery were enrolled in this study and conducted at Imam Khomeini Medical Center in 2013. The patients were assigned into two groups according to the phase of their menstrual cycle. Levels of sex hormones and hemodynamic variables were recorded for all the patients and statistical analysis performed. Results: In 77 patients, 38 women were in the luteal phase (49.4%) and 39 women were in the follicular phase (50.6%). All tracheal intubations were successful on the first attempt with a mean duration of 2558±5.07 and 25.84±5.32 seconds in groups F and L, respectively (P=0.489). None of the patients were excluded for long tracheal intubation time. Systolic blood pressure after intubation in the follicular phase (138.4±20 mm Hg) was significantly higher vs. the luteal phase (127.7±18 mm Hg) (P<0.01), as well as the women’s heart rate after intubation in the luteal phase (90.7±12 beats per minute), was significantly higher than in the follicular phase (85.3±11 beats per minute) (P=0.05). Heart rate was higher in the luteal group than the follicular group thus the women’s heart rate after intubation in the luteal phase (90.7±12 bpm) was significantly greater than the follicular phase (85.3±11 bpm) (P=0.05). Conclusion: Reviewing and comparing the results show that elective surgeries are bet-ter to be done in the luteal phase because of stable hemodynamic conditions.

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Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is one of the most important complications associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI). ARDS is caused by inflammation of the lungs and hypoxic damage with lung physiology abnormalities associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome. Aim of this study is to determine the epidemiology of ARDS and the prevalence of risk factors.

Methods: This prospective study performed on patients with acute traumatic head injury hospitalization in the intensive care unit of the Shohaday-e Haftom-e-Tir Hospital (September 2012 to September 2013) done. About 12 months, the data were evaluated. Information including age, sex, education, employment, drug and alcohol addiction, were collected and analyzed. The inclusion criteria were head traumatic patients and exclusion was the patients with chest trauma. Questionnaire was designed with doctors supervision of neurosurgery. Then the collected data were analysis.

Results: In this study, the incidence of ARDS was 23.8% and prevalence of metabolic acidosis was 31.4%. Most injury with metabolic acidosis was Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) 48 (60%) and Subdural hemorrhage (SDH) was Next Level with 39 (48%) Correlation between Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) were significantly decreased (P< 0.0001). The level of consciousness in patients with skull fractures significantly lower than those without fractures (P= 0.009) [(2.3±4.6) vs (4.02±7.07)]. Prevalence of metabolic acidosis during hospitalization was 80 patients (31.4%).

Conclusion: Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a common complication of traumatic brain injury. Management and treatment is essential to reduce the mortality. In this study it was found the age of patients with ARDS was higher than patients without complications. ARDS risk factor for high blood pressure was higher in men. Most victims were pedestrians. The most common injury associated with ARDS was SDH. Our analysis demonstrates that Acute respiratory distress syndrome is common after traumatic brain injury. Management of traumatic brain injury is necessary to manage and reduce the mortality.

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Background: To assess patient' reaction towards bedside teaching in the nephrology ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex (Tehran) and to identify the factors that may influence it.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the nephrology ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex from march to September, 2014. All inpatients present on the day of the study were interviewed using a structured questionnaire.

Results: 146 patients were examined in this study that 62 patients (42.5%) were women and 84 cases (57.5%) were men. 112 (76.7%) of patients had a good feeling about the training to physicians. The behavior of students was evaluated respectful by 132 individuals (90.4% of patients). Total number of 106 individuals (72.6% of patients) had trusted to the health care team and 120 people (82.2% of patients) knew that the physicians’ behaviors are associated with the respect to their religious beliefs. Not being same sex of the examiners was important for 47 individuals (32.2% of patients). The number of 123 cases (84.2% of patients) evaluated the physicians' behavior with respect to their privacy. The number of 119 individuals (81.5% of patients) received their responses from the examiners. Statistical tests indicate a significant relationship between the respectful behavior of students with patient and good feeling about training to physicians, so that the 95.5% of people who have seen the respectful behavior of students to oneself had a good feeling about training to physicians (P˂0.001). The relationship between the presence of teacher with students and good feeling on training to physicians was significant (P=0.013). Positive feeling about practicing physicians was associated with patient age. So the age average of people who feel good about practicing physicians was significantly lower than the other people (47.2±17 versus 55.6±18 and P=0.028). Conclusion: The relationship between respectful behavior and presence of teacher with students and age and good feeling on training to physicians was significant.