Tehran University Medical Journal

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Background: Post-menopausal hemorrhage is one of the most common complains in gynecologic clinics. More than 60% of these cases have abnormal findings in diagnostic work ups. There is contraversy about the best diagnostic method for evaluating post-menopausal hemorrhage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of Trans-Vaginal Ultrasonography and compare its result to ones derived from direct endometrial biopsy and Hysteroscopy findings.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, menopausal women who attended the outpatient clinic of Arash Hospital, Tehran University of medical Sciences, from April 2005 to March 2006 with the complain of hemorrhage were evaluated. In all of these patients, after getting informed consent, Trans-Vaginal Ultrasonography, Dilatation and Curettage and Hysteroscopy were performed.

Results: The total number of 90 women was recruited to the study with the age range of 41-80 years. The mean age of participants was 53.84 ± 6 years and 4.3 ± 5.1 years had passed from their menopause. The mean thickness of endometrium, measured by Trans Vaginal ultrasonography was 6.25 ± 3.7 millimeter. In the biopsy derived specimens, the most finding pathological presentation was atrophy (48.9%) and the Proliferative endometrium had the second prevalence (36.7%). Atrophy (44.4%) and Proliferative endometrium (33.3%) were the most prevalent finding in Hysteroscopy. There was a significant difference in endometrial thickness between groups of different pathological findings. A significant difference in endometrial thickness was also seen between groups with different Hysteroscopic finding. By grouping the data according to endometrial thickness, it became evident that endometrial thickness can predict the outcome of endometrial biopsy and Hysteroscopic finding efficiently. We used ROC curves to find the best grouping threshold for endometrial thickness to achieve the best sensitivity and specificity.

Conclusion: Measuring the endometrial thickness by Trans-Vaginal Ultrasonography is an appropriate non-invasive test for screening post-menopausal hemorrhage. 

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Background: Exposure to low levels of lead increases blood pressure in humans and animals. Although there are controversial reports about the exact mechanisms of lead-induced hypertension, many factors such as alteration in the cardiovascular responsiveness to endogenous substances including catecholamines could be one of the mechanisms involved. In the present study, the effect of lead acetate on the systolic blood pressure and responsiveness to β-adrenergics was investigated in rats.

Methods: Through their drinking water, three groups of rats were exposed to 100 ppm lead acetate for periods of 4, 8 or 12 weeks. The blood pressures of the rats were monitored throughout the study. The rat hearts were isolated and perfused with Krebs-Henseleit solution (pH=7.4) at 37˚C and gassed with 95% O₂ + 5% CO₂. The heart rate (chronotropic) and contractile (inotropic) responses were recorded before and after adding isoproterenol at multiple concentrations to the perfusion solution.

Results: The mean blood pressures in the 8 and 12-week lead-treated groups were significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.01). The chronotropic response to many doses of isoproterenol was significantly increased in the 12-week lead-treated group compared to that of the control group (P<0.05). The inotropic response to this drug was significantly increased in both the 8- and 12-week lead-treated rats (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively).

Conclusions: Our results indicate that low-levels of lead increase systolic blood pressure as well as both chronotropic and inotropic effects of β-adrenergics, which could imply an important role in the pathogenesis of lead-induced hypertension.

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Background: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common abdominal emergencies. Many studies comparing the two routes of open and laparoscopic appendectomy have been performed comparing the duration of each operation, duration of hospitalization, amount of post-operative pain medication required and infectious complications were the most commonly evaluated factors.

Methods: This clinical trial study, performed between March 2005 and March 2006 at Golestan and Imam Khomayni hospitals in Ahvaz, Iran, included 100 patients. Open appendectomy and laparoscopic appendectomy were carried out on 50 patients each. Duration of surgery and hospitalization, amount of pain medication and infectious complications were compared, with chi-square, ANOVA and t-test used for statistical analysis.

Results: The average length of hospital stay for laparoscopic appendectomy was 44.48 hours and for open appendectomy was 54.80 hours (p<0.01). The average of amount of pain medication for laparoscopic appendectomy was 2.40 doses and for open appendectomy was 30.46 doses (p<0.01). The laparoscopic and open procedures averaged 31.8 and 35.2 minutes, respectively (p=0.5). Only one (2%) laparoscopic case had infection, while four (8%) open appendectomy subjects suffered from this complication. Patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy had no intra-abdominal abscesses.

Conclusions: Duration of hospitalization was statistically much shorter using the laparoscopic appendectomy than that of the open procedure (P<1%). The amount of pain medication administered was also statistically less in the laparoscopic procedure (P<1%). However, the amount of time to complete each procedure was not statistically different. Most importantly, complications such as wound infection and intra-abdominal abscess were remarkably less using laparoscopy. We recommend laparoscopic appendectomy over open appendectomy.

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Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 !mso]> ject classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui> Background: Chlamydia trachomatis is a common and curable STI that may be symptomatic or asymptomatic. The few studies on C. trachomatis among Iranian women have had, for the most part, small sample sizes and are therefore unsuitable for epidemiological deductions. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of urogenital C. trachomatis infections by PCR on urine samples of married women in their fertile years in order to determine the need for a C. trachomatis screening program for asymptomatic women in Iran.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study was performed on 991 married women. The research material consisted of questionnaires and urine samples, which were transported daily to Avesina Research Institute, Tehran, Iran, to extract their DNA and prepare them for PCR tests. The gathered data were analyzed by SPSS, version 13, and evaluated statistically by t-test, chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and logistic regression, considering p<0.05 as significant.
Results: Of all the subjects, 127 (12.8%) were positive by PCR for C. trachomatis. The mean age of the participants was 28.88± 6.19 years. Infection was more prevalent among those with lower levels of education, who were employed and not pregnant. This infection was more prevalent among those who were using contraception, especially condoms. Reproductive history revealed that infection was more prevalent among participants with a history of vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, infertility and low birth-weight infants, and less prevalent among those with a history of abortion, preterm delivery and ectopic pregnancy. However, these patterns were not statistically significant.
Conclusion: In populations with C. trachomatis prevalences higher than 4%, screening programs are recommended. Thus, Chlamydia screening should be part of the health care program in Iran to reduce the burden of this disease. 

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Background: Although nonoperative management is as an alternative method for surgery in the management of blunt splenic trauma, there are many contraversies in criteria for appropriate selection of the best method of management in patients. This study was conducted to find clinical and diagnostic criteria for selection of patients for surgery.

Methods: One hundred and one patients with blunt splenic injury entered in our prospective observational and cross sectional study. Patients with unstable hemodyna-mics and obvious abdominal symptoms underwent emergency splenectomy was performed. In stable patients, abdominal and pelvic CT scan with IV contrast was performed. Patients with stable hemodynamics who lack obvious abdominal symptoms, admitted in ICU ward. Patients' demographics, blood pressure changes, hemoglobin concertration, severity of trauma with injury severity score (ISS) scoring system, CT scan findings, amount of blood transfusion Hospitalization time and mechanism of injury were recorded.

Results: From 101 patients, 61(60.3%) underwent early laparotomy. 40 patients were planned for conservative management. In 30 patients (29.7%) nonoperative management was successful. In 10 patients (9.9%) This management failed and they underwent surgery. Hypotension, hemoglobin concentration dropping more than one episode and blood transfusion requirement more than one time, increased the risk of operation. Higher ISS number and ISS≥16 had a direct relation with operative management. In patients who underwent early laparotomy CT grade of injury was higher. CT findings correlated well with laparotomy findings.

Conclusion: Nonoperative management was successful in 75% of selected patients. With correct selection of patients and concerning to homodynamic status, hemoglobin concentration changes and injury severity score in conjunction with CT findings, we can use this management in greater number of patients.

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Background: Over the past 50 years, subtotal or supracervical hysterectomy has come to be viewed as a suboptimal procedure reserved for those rare instances in which when concern over blood loss or anatomic distortion dictates limiting the extent of dissection, the aim of this study was to compare total and subtotal laparoscopic hysterectomy.
Methods: The patients who were candidates for hysterectomy with benign disease, with no contraindication for laparoscopic surgery entered the study in Arash Hospital, from March 2007 to April 2009. By simple randomization 45 patients (25 for TLH and 20 for SLH) were selected. Demographic Details and intra and post operative complications, were recorded by the staff and were compared between two groups.
Results: The average time for TLH operations look significantly longer than SLH operation (148.6±29.7 minutes 128.5±25.64 minutes, p=0.03). Although, the hemoglobin (gr/dl) drop in TLH was significantly higher than SLH (1.54 Versus 0.9, p<0.05) Blood transfusion were common in SLH (1 case Versus 3 Cases). The total length of hospital stay, was significantly shorter after SLH than TLH (3.6±1.47 day and 2.85±0.59, p=0.04). The drug requirements to control pain during hospitalization after both surgeries with analgesic injection were not significantly different, but with suppositories analgesic in SLH more than TLH. The time of return to normal activity was reported (p<0.0001) significantly shorter after SLH than TLH (13.12±18.1 and 5.04±1.79, p=0.0001). Sexual function had no significant difference between two groups but dysparunia in SLH was significantly lower than TLH (p=0.02). Cyclic bleeding and cervical prolaps, was not reported in two groups. Finally intra and post operative complications were more frequent in TLH.
Conclusions: SLH is a safe and effective surgery. Our data suggest that SLH can replace TLH in selected cases.

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Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Background: Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is an idiosyncratic and potentially fatal reaction to neuroleptic drugs and is characterized by fever, muscular rigidity, altered mental status, autonomic dysfunction, elevated serum CPK and leucocytosis Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is treated with dantrolene, bromocriptin, amantadin and electroconvulsive therapy.
Case: A 22 years old, schizophrenic female was refered to the Emergency ward of Roozbeh hospital in Tehran, Iran in December 2008 with aggression, impulsivity, and reduced sleep. After injection of haloperidol, the patient developed a high grade fever, diaphoresis and muscular stiffness. She was diagnosed as neuroleptic malignant syndrome and the treatment with dantrolen, bromocriptin and amantadin initiated. Although fever subsided, other signs continued, therefore we applied electroconvulsive therapy to this case.
Conclusion: Due to excellent response of the patient to electroconvulsive therapy and the rare reports of electroconvulsive therapy in neuroleptic malignant syndrome in the Iranian population, this case may lead to develop studies for further investigations of this issue.

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Background: Botulinum toxin (Dysport) is a powerful semi-biological toxin. It has proved to be a remarkable therapeutic agent for treatment of benign anal disorders. Different results have been achieved from injection of botulinum toxin in order to treatment of anal fissure since 1993. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of botulinum toxin injection in the treatment of chronic anal fissure Comparing with lateral internal anal sphincterotomy (LIS).
Methods: 36 patients entered into two groups, Dysport injection and Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy, randomly. Dysport group were treated by injection of 50 units of botulinum toxin, 25 units of drugs in each side, and LIS was done in surgery group by open method in left side. Pain, recovery and incontinency were compared between two groups during six months of follow up.
Results: Based on this study, treatment of anal fissure does not affected by age and gender. Regarding to location of fissure, there was no difference between two different genders. Mean of age and ratio of gender were similar in both groups. The severity of pain in surgery group was lower than Dysport group six months after treatment (0.4±0.7 and 3.2±2.6 respectively, p<0.001). Recovery ratio in surgery group was higher than Dysport after six months (95% Vs. 44.4% p<0.001). Gas or fecal incontinency did not reported after six months in both groups.
Conclusion: Botulinum toxin is not efficacious in patients with chronic anal fissure, comparing with LIS. More future studies are necessary for final judgement.

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Background: Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the world, but the effect of this infection on male fertility is still controversial. Despite reports of interaction between Mycoplasma genitalium and sperm, this pathogen in semen samples of infertile men is less studied. We studied, the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium infection in infertile men.
Methods: Among attending Avicenna Infertility Center, 120 men who had abnormal semen analysis tests were selected and the samples were taken. After detailed analysis of semen quality, DNA was extracted from each sample by chelex. Samples were evaluated for these two pathogens by multiplex PCR. Results were statistically analyzed.
Results: Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium was detected in 23/3% and 12/5% of the samples, respectively. Although, Mycoplasma genitalium infection rises by increasing (P=0.640) and decreasing in age of first sexually activity (P=0.203), and also positive cases of Chlamydia trachomatis infection showed increase regarding age increase (P=0.619) and age decrease in first sexually activity (P=0.511), but these differences were not statistically significant.
Conclusion: All in all, regarding to the increased prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection compared with the only similar study in Iran and high prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium infection in infertile men, this assessment was done. A multiplex PCR protocol rapidly and simultaneously identify these organisms in comparison with uniplex from clinical samples. Based on our results screening for Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium infection among infertile men seems to be valuable.