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Showing 112 results for Type of Study: Review Article
Evaluation of nodule incidence as findings of lung involvement in Covid-19 infection and its comparison in three CT scan centers of Shiraz
Razieh Behzadmehr, Ariana Rasekhi , Banafsheh Zeinali-Rafsanjani , Alireza Rasekhi,
Volume 81, Issue 5 (8-2023)
Abstract
Background: Several typical and atypical findings have been observed in Covid-19 high-resolution computer tomography (HRCT). To our knowledge, there is no study investigating the relationship between the presence of nodules in Covid-19 patients and the patient's condition. Therefore, the present study assessed the frequency of pulmonary nodules in Covid-19 patients according to their condition.
Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed the medical images of the patients referred to three university-affiliated centers (Nemazi, Ali Asghar and Shahid Faghihi Hospital) to perform Covid-19 HRCT from April to September 2020. The centers have been named H1, H2, and H3. Patients who were referred to these centers had good, poor, and fair conditions, respectively. The history of patients was assessed carefully. Patients' demographic information, nodule shape, number, size, location, presence of cavitation, and GGO around the nodule were assessed and recorded.
Results: Overall, 20576 patients (mean age=46.75±16.64 years old) were included in the study. Only 2.1% of cases had solid nodules. Most of them (96.76%) were accompanied by a GGO (halo sign), and only 10.42% were associated with a cavity. The good condition, patients showed significantly more solid nodules (3.46%) than others. In size of the nodules in good-condition patients (1.8 cm) is significantly larger than in fair-condition (1.22 cm) or poor condition patients (1.15 cm). 79.86%, 12.5%, and 7.64% of nodules were multiple, dual/triple, and single, respectively.
Conclusion: The frequency of nodules in the HRCTs of good-condition patients was significantly higher than in fair- or poor-conditionpatients; they also had more multiple and larger-sized nodules. The Pearson-coefficient test also revealed a small negative correlation between the presence of nodules and the patient's condition. It seems the presence of nodules indicates higher immunity to viral infections. In the follow-up, it was revealed that people who had nodules were not hospitalized in the ICU. Further study is needed to prove this point.

Response to treatment of osteoid osteoma after radio frequency ablation and a comparison between drilling and curettage techniques before radio frequency ablation
Alireza Rasekhi, Ali Vatankhah , Saeed Solouki-Mootab , Banafsheh Zeinali-Rafsanjani ,
Volume 81, Issue 5 (8-2023)
Abstract
Background: Osteoid osteoma is a painful benign osteoblastic lesion occurring mainly in the long bones. On the one hand, some studies have declared that post-treatment CT cannot determine the success or failure of radiofrequency ablation, on the other hand, some studies have stated that imaging follow-up can be helpful or even mandatory in some cases. The present study aims to evaluate Osteoid Osteoma's imaging features before or after radiofrequency ablation with or without curettage and during the follow-up period.
Methods: In this retrospective and cross-sectional study, we reviewed twenty seven Osteoid Osteoma patients with radiofrequency ablation who were assessed via drilling with or without curettage from March 2015 to December 2019 at Nemazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.
Results: Radiofrequency ablation with drilling was used in 22(81.5%) patients, and for the rest 5(18.5%), radiofrequency ablation with curettage and drilling was performed as a treatment procedure. The overall clinical success rate was 92.6%(25/27), with a low complication rate (7.4%). The mean diameter of nidus in pre/pos treatment was 3.46±2.02 and 2.22±1.75 mm, respectively. Femur 12(44.4%) was the most common bone in the patients. Significant differences between pre/post treatment follow up examinations in nidus size (P=0.03), nidus diameter (P=0.02), bone and calcification size (P=0.005) were detected. Additionally, it depicts that the mean values of tumor size and cortical thickening decreased after treatment.
Conclusion: It is noteworthy that the present study had some limitations, including the small sample size and the relatively short follow-up period. There is no significant difference between radiofrequency ablation after drilling and curettage in treating Osteoid Osteoma. It is concluded that although there was a significant difference in pre/post-treatment imaging, there is no need for continuous imaging follow-up in treated patients without clinical complications such as pain to mitigate radiation dose risks and healthcare expenses.

Approach and management of congenital cataract: A review article
Parisa Abdi, Zakieh Vahedian, Atefeh Dehghani, Mona Safizadeh, Elias Khalilipour ,
Volume 81, Issue 5 (8-2023)
Abstract
Congenital cataract refers to the presence of any opacity in the lens at birth or during early childhood. Cataracts in children can manifest as unilateral or bilateral, congenital or acquired, with specific inheritance patterns or occurring sporadically. Additionally, the condition can be stable or progressive. Congenital cataracts can be associated with certain systemic diseases, or they may occur in the eye of an otherwise healthy child in isolation. Congenital cataract is one of the main causes of blindness in childhood. According to the report of the World Health Organization in 2001, congenital cataract is responsible for about 5 to 20 percent of cases of childhood blindness in the world based on different geographical regions. Untreated cataract in children leads to a tremendous social, economic and emotional burden for the child, family and society. Common complaints associated with congenital cataracts often include leukocoria (white pupil), reduced vision, a child's inability to track objects up close, light sensitivity leading to eye closure, squinting, the presence of either small eyes (microphthalmos) or large eyes (buphthalmos), strabismus (eye deviation), and abnormal eye movements such as nystagmus. Childhood cataract-related blindness can be cured with early detection and appropriate management. Managing pediatric cataracts is a challenge. Increased intraoperative complications compared to adults, tendency to increase postoperative inflammation, associated with complications such as aphakic glaucoma and persistent fetal vasculature, change in refractive status of the eye, and tendency to develop amblyopia, all complicate the achievement of good vision. Congenital cataract has a good prognosis if it is diagnosed early and surgery is performed before 6 weeks. Factors that may adversely affect the outcome, include the presence of unilateral cataract, presence of nystagmus, strabismus, or any ocular defect such as microphthalmos and PFV. Pediatric cataract surgery has evolved over the years, and with improved knowledge about myopic shift and axial growth, outcomes for these patients have become more predictable. Optimal results depend not only on effective surgery, but also on careful postoperative care and visual rehabilitation. Hence, it is the combined effort of parents, surgeons, anesthesiologists, pediatricians and optometrists that can make the difference.

A survey on the effect of recording rates and causes of surgery cancellation on the incidence of rates in candidates for surgery: a brief report
Arash Heroabadi, Mahsa Zargaran , Alireza Khajehnasiri, Reza Atef Yekta ,
Volume 81, Issue 5 (8-2023)
Abstract
Background: Preventing the cancellation of surgeries is an important and devastating challenge in operating room management. Cancellation of pre-scheduled surgeries at the last moment in the operation room leads to increased length of stay, patient dissatisfaction, human resource consumption and financial burden for patients and the health care system. In this study, we have investigated the effect of recording the causes of surgery cancellations in the operation room on the incidence of surgery cancellations in patients who have been candidates for non-emergent surgeries.
Methods: A total of 545 surgeries which had been canceled in different types of surgery between March 2014 and March 2015 were recorded according to the reasons for cancellation in predetermined forms and the information was analyzed. The most common reasons for cancellation included changing the plan of treatment from surgery, a high-risk comorbidity with a high probability of mortality, patient’s refusal from surgery, an unanticipated duration of previous surgery longer than anticipated, the unavailability of an ICU bed in the hospital, requested laboratory data not being ready, failing to prepare requested packed RBCs and other hospital or patient-related problems.
Results: The percentage of surgery cancellations in most groups including orthopedics, urology, cardiac surgery, general surgery, gynecology and maxillofacial surgery, decreased during the course of this study. According to our findings the most relevant cause of non-emergent surgery cancellation was the unpredictable increased duration of previous surgery. The maxillofacial surgery group reached the highest surgery cancellation reduction rate and the cardiovascular surgery group experienced the lowest cancellation reduction rate. Also, the percentage of surgery cancellations in the field of neurosurgery increased during the study period.
Conclusion: Recording the reasons mentioned by the surgical team as the reason for canceling surgeries and reducing the rate of their occurrence during the study and providing appropriate feedback and dialogue in this case had a positive effect on reducing the rate of cancellation of the surgeries and reducing the mentioned reasons.

Considerations of in-vivo breast tissue assessment using raman spectroscopy: a review article
Sadaf Alipour, Zohreh Dehghani-Bidgoli ,
Volume 81, Issue 6 (9-2023)
Abstract
Raman spectroscopy, as an emerging and promising molecular assessment tool, has attracted the attention of researchers, especially for disease diagnosis in human organs such as the breast. Although most of the Raman studies on the breast have dealt with ex-vivo examination of either intact or processed excised tissue specimens, there are some in-vivo studies, including intraoperative tumor margin assessment and a few non-invasive studies. Since the non-invasive or minimally invasive Raman assessment technique is an essential need for translation to clinical approaches, in the present article, the most recent and relevant studies in this regard have been reviewed to find and introduce the most proper Raman spectroscopy system’s specifications for in-vivo assessment of breast tissue.
Scholarly documents, including articles, books, and dissertations related to Raman assessment of breast tissue or in-vivo Raman assessment of other human organs, were perused in search of the most relevant technical details of Raman systems employed so far. On the one hand, the present study has covered Raman instrumentation aspects of diverse types of Raman spectroscopy, different types of laser source and their specifications, optical elements used in the delivery and collection of light to and from the tissue such as lenses and fibers, detectors and even calibration settings. On the other hand, the main Raman features corresponding to different breast pathologies have been studied, speculating their variations in a non-invasive setting. Having studied all, we tried to find the best feasible configuration for a Raman system in terms of the ability to meet the needs of a non-invasive, in vivo clinical examination of the breast. 
In terms of the Raman spectroscopy modality and laser source, SORS/TRS and 785nm laser diode, were selected for in vivo examination of the breast respectively. The pertinent parameters of the spectrograph, detector, and fiber optic probe were introduced as well.
In the present study, detailed specifications of a non-invasive, in vivo Raman apparatus for examination of breast tissue have been studied and specified.

Efficacy of filgrastim and Lenograstim drug treatment in patients with neutropenia: a systematic review
Sogol Shirzad, Zeinab Karimi, Mehdi Mohsen Zadeh , Masoud Mohammadi,
Volume 81, Issue 7 (10-2023)
Abstract
Background: Neutropenia refers to a decrease in the absolute number of neutrophils in the blood circulation, certain drugs are used in connection with the treatment of neutropenia. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate and compare the efficacy of filgrastim and lenograstim drug treatment in patients with neutropenia in a systematic review.
Methods: This study is a systematic review study conducted in connection with the comparison of the effectiveness of filgrastim and lenograstim in neutropenic patients based on the search in Google scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Irandoc, SID, Magiran databases in the time range of January 2000 to August 2023. This systematic review was based on the criteria of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, including systematic search of databases, organization of documents for review, selection of studies, information extraction and finally presentation of the final report. The keywords used for searching in this study were selected based on published primary studies and MESH, and after a detailed examination of the study questions, they were selected according to the PECO criteria.
Results: 1099 articles were identified in the review of the investigated databases, and after removing duplicate articles, unrelated articles, as well as articles that did not have access to their full text or did not have the required information, eight studies were the final phase, and were checked. Out of the eight selected articles, three articles declared the effectiveness of lenograstim more than filgrastim. Two articles mentioned the greater effect of filgrastim and three articles published in recent years declared the effect of two drugs to be the same. Among these articles, the studies that considered the drug dosage to be the same in the investigated groups and the studies that had a larger statistical population in order to generalize to the society are more important.
Conclusion: According to studies conducted in recent years, both filgrastim and lenograstim recombinant drugs have the same effectiveness in the treatment of neutropenia.

Enhancing bioterrorism defense, leveraging animal models for viral drug and vaccine development: a review article
Hadi Lotfi, Morteza Izadi, Ehsan Lutfi , Hadi Esmaeili Gouvarchin Ghaleh,
Volume 81, Issue 7 (10-2023)
Abstract
Deliberate or threatening use of viruses, bacteria, toxins, or poisonous substances prepared from living organisms to cause death or disease in humans, animals, and plants is called bioterrorism. These agents can be spread by spraying them in the air, causing infection in animals, transferring this infection to humans, or contaminating water and food sources. Defense measures, such as emergency responses to this type of terrorism, are unfamiliar and unknown. The general state of helplessness caused by the lack of complete preparation and the lack of anti-pollution strategies complicates the issue. The ability and widespread interest of civilian personnel to participate in the development of chemical and biological weapons is directly related to easy access to academic excellence around the world. Another factor is the tempting misuse of freely available electronic data and knowledge about the production of antibiotics, vaccines, and conventional weapons with their various complex details. The use of animals in laboratory research to better understand the mechanisms of disease and treatment and to overcome the limitations of clinical trials has a long history. For many viruses, laboratory diagnostic methods and reagents must be continuously modified to account for genetic variations and variants. Unlike bacterial diseases, many of which can be treated with antimicrobial drugs, there are fewer medical countermeasures to combat viral infections. Many of these pathogens are lethal or cause debilitating diseases in humans, making it ethically inappropriate to test the effectiveness of these countermeasures on human volunteers. Researchers must have a correct understanding of various animal models so that they can make the correct choice, gain a better understanding of the clinical symptoms of viral diseases, and provide possible options for treatment and vaccine development. It should be noted that decision-making when faced with a biological attack should be done away from too much fear, and this requires researchers to have prior knowledge of facing these threats. Despite all these checks and measures taken in advance, the international preparedness against these attacks is weak, which can be attributed to the lack of global plans to deal with the epidemic.

An overview of future developments of exosomes in cell-free therapies: a review article
Seyed Khalil Pestehei, Mahdieh Ghiasi, Seyed-Hassan Emami-Razavi ,
Volume 81, Issue 7 (10-2023)
Abstract
Human mesenchymal stromal cells are multipotent cells capable of differentiating into the mesenchymal lineage that can be isolated from bone marrow and adipose tissue or from umbilical cord blood and fetal tissues. Among the widely characterized in vitro properties, MSCs show strong anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects on immune responses Exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells derived from different tissues are promising cell-free treatments for tissue damage repair. Exosomes serve as a potential portal for cell-free drug delivery systems, as these drugs possess the properties of the parent cell from which they are derived. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play key roles in cell biology and may provide new clinical diagnostics and therapies. Exosomes, called extracellular vesicles (EcVs), are present in almost all cells, tissues, and body fluids. They contribute to intercellular signaling and maintain tissue homeostasis. The biogenesis of exosomes starts in the endosomal system. Researchers have identified 9769 proteins, 2838 miRNAs, 3408 and 1116 lipids present in exosome of mRNA cargo. Isolation of exosomes from cells, tissues and body fluids follows a different pattern. Exosomes interact with receptor cells through their surface receptor molecules and ligands and are internalized into receptor cells through micropinocytosis and phagocytosis. This varies depending on the origin of the EV, its physiological and pathological state, and even the exact site of cellular release. The composition of the protein inside can also indicate the presence of disease pathologies such as cancer or inflammatory diseases; However, exosomes also contain a number of common proteins as well as proteins involved in vesicle formation. Advanced technologies in regenerative medicine have caused researchers to use exosomes isolated from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with high regeneration ability in diseases. Exosome cargo plays a key role in diagnosis and treatment by controlling the disease process. Various studies in laboratory conditions have shown the effectiveness and therapeutic potential of exosomes in cancer, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and orthopedic diseases. This article describes the therapeutic role and potential of exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells, as well as the necessary precautions for their processing.

Management of left ventricular thrombus: diagnostic and therapeutic methods: a review article
Maryam Mehrpooya, Zahra Sadeghi,
Volume 81, Issue 8 (11-2023)
Abstract
Left ventricular thrombosis (LVT) is a very serious condition and life-threatening complication that usually occurs after acute occlusion of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery followed by acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation (STEMI), which leads to significant regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA). It should be noted that its diagnosis, treatment, and management are challenging now and depend on various factors such as the type of thrombus, time of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and underlying disease. The preferred diagnostic method is cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), but transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is routinely used for diagnostic and screening purposes also follow-up of response to treatment. It is worth mentioning that when the diagnosis of left ventricular thrombus is not clear with conventional echocardiography, contrast echocardiography is used for more resolution and detailed information. Left ventricular thrombosis can appear in both acute and chronic forms and lead to significant complications, the most important of them are stroke and systemic arterial embolism (SE). According to previous studies, vitamin K antagonist (warfarin) by keeping INR within the therapeutic range currently used to treat left ventricular thrombosis. Although the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) has brought excellent outcomes, but due to the lack of large clinical trials, the routine use of these agents is controversial, and only in case of warfarin intolerance or contraindications, DOACs can be used as an alternative. Generally, the best way to prevent left ventricular thrombosis is primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty (primary PCI) which preserves left ventricular function. Depending on the sensitivity of the diagnostic method, thrombus will likely resolve in >50% of patients by six months after the MI. On the other hand, in rare cases, surgery is indicated if a thrombosis remains despite the medical treatment especially if it is accompanied by a left ventricular aneurysm. The purpose of this narrative review is to evaluate the latest evidence in the field of left ventricular thrombosis management and to adopt the best approach for these patients.

Preventable risk factors of hospital readmission in stroke patients: an integrative review
Mohammad Rajabpour, Abbas Heidary , Kavian Ghandehari , Amir Mirhaghi,
Volume 81, Issue 10 (1-2024)
Abstract
Background: Despite advances in medical treatments, readmission of stroke patients remains high and has been reported between 31% and 56.1% during the first year after discharge. The difference between the risk factors of readmission and the risk factors of stroke is not clear. The purpose of this study is: 1) to determine the preventable risk factors associated with stroke readmission and 2) to provide a conceptual model for preventable factors that effective in the readmission of stroke patients.
Methods: This integrated review was performed according to Whittemore and Knafl (2005) method in five stages including problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, data analysis, and presentation. In order to find relevant articles, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus databases and Google Scholar search engine were searched. The search was conducted using the keywords "stroke," "readmission," "recurrence," "re-hospitalization," "review," and "systematic review," for the period between January 2023 and September 2023, following the PRISMA guidelines. In addition to providing a qualitative synthesis of readmission factors categorized into categories, a conceptual model of these factors was also presented.
Results: Out of a total of 3785 article titles, 38 articles were included in the study for the final analysis after screening and removing duplicates. The most important risk factors for readmission in four categories: (1) knowledge deficit about the comorbidities (such as hypertension, atrial fibrillation, diabetes), (2) unhealthy diet and medicine, (3) high-risk behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, and tobacco use disorder), and (4) psychological distress (depression and worry about the future). In addition, the conceptual model showed that the most important preventable factor in readmission of stroke patients is of knowledge deficit about comorbidities (especially hypertension). 
Conclusion: The most important preventable risk factors that are effective in the readmission of stroke patients are knowledge deficit regarding clinical risk factors, especially high blood pressure, high-risk behaviors and unhealthy diet and medicine. Therefore, more detailed care and follow-up programs should be designed for stroke patients after discharge.

The relationship between stroke and physical activity: effects of exercise on prevention and rehabilitation: a review article
Hamid Reza Choobdari , Mohammad Ali Gharaat ,
Volume 81, Issue 10 (1-2024)
Abstract
Stroke is a medical condition in which occluded blood flow to the brain causes cell necrosis. The main types of stroke are ischemic (due to lack of blood flow with much higher prevalence) and hemorrhagic (due to bleeding with low prevalence). Ischemic stroke is caused by the reduction of blood to the brain tissue or complete occlusion of brain vessels by a blood clot following arterial plaques rapture of cerebral arteries due to atherosclerosis, cerebral myocardial infarction and small vascular lesion infarction. Inflammatory reactions, increased oxidative stress, cell death and autophagy are the most aggravating factors in this condition. Instead, hemorrhagic stroke is caused by spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage, highly common in men. To prevent the possible causes of stroke, investigators attempted to study about the ways that may decrease the risk factors such as trauma, high arterial hypertension, alcohol, low-density lipoprotein and glycerides, tobacco and drugs. Physical activity is a potent inhibitory factor which reported to be effective in prevention of stroke and post-stroke rehabilitation. Aerobic, combined or strenuous activities protect brain tissue by balancing apoptotic and anti-apoptotic pathways, stimulating angiogenesis, reducing oxidative stress, increasing antioxidant activity, optimizing Integrity and preservation of the blood-brain barrier, improving nerve functions and preventing neuronal death. The mechanisms involved in rehabilitation after ischemic stroke with physical activity mostly refer to improved dendrites and synapses, synaptic flexibility, regulation of inotropic receptors with glutamate, increased BDNF, GAP43 and insulin-like growth factor. In patients with cognitive impairments following acute ischemic stroke, high intensity exercise improves processing timing and attention allocation, self-independence, walking ability, aerobic power and reduces memory degradation. Moreover, early start of physical activity after ischemic stroke inhibits the initial physiological response to stroke and prevents optimal recovery. In contrary, reports show positive effects of onset of physical exercise a day after stroke. In hemorrhagic stroke, exercise reduces systolic blood pressure, moderates resting blood pressure via parasympathetic regulations and triggers angiogenesis in the nervous system. Light to moderate or long-term physical training is recommended in comparison to short-term high-intensity training. In addition, early onset of physical activity during recovery after stroke may be beneficial.

Microbiota and probiotics, a new approach in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer: a review article
Saeedeh Keyvani-Ghamsari , Kiana Nouri, Ali Khaleseh Nejad , Shokoufeh Hassani,
Volume 81, Issue 11 (1-2024)
Abstract
Today, despite vast advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment, breast cancer is still the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Various factors such as race, age, family history, mutation in the BRCA1/2 gene, diet, inactivity, alcohol consumption, and estrogen levels have been identified as risk factors for breast cancer. In recent years, microbiota has also been recognized as a new risk factor in breast cancer. In fact, the change in the microbial balance that occurs due to many environmental and internal factors of the body can be effective in the spread of cancer by affecting the intracellular pathways and signals. Studies have shown that intestinal dysbiosis affects the spread of breast cancer by affecting the metabolism and production of estrogen, or mechanisms unrelated to estrogen, such as the production of microbial metabolites that affect the immune system and lead to chronic inflammation. In addition, it has been proven that the breast tissue also has its microbiota, the types of which are different in healthy people, patients, even in different stages of breast cancer, and its subgroups. In such a way that a large amount of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Lactobacillus, and Actinobacteria are observed in healthy breasts, while their ratio changes in cancerous tissues. Considering the relationship between microbiota and breast cancer, maintaining a healthy microbiota is a new and significant approach to reducing the risk of developing, spreading, and managing this cancer. In this regard, compounds such as probiotics that can affect the balance of intestinal microbiota are considered as an effective approach to prevent and treat breast cancer. Probiotics can stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria by causing physicochemical changes and affecting the metabolism of the intestinal microbiota. Furthermore, the consumption of probiotics can prevent the proliferation of cancer cells and reduce the tumor size by balancing the immune system, reducing inflammation, and inducing apoptosis in the cancer cells. This study describes the importance of microbiota in breast cancer, the difference between microbiota in a healthy person and a sick person, and the role of probiotics in the treatment of breast cancer.

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