Tehran University Medical Journal

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Metabolic alkalosis is characterized by high HCO3- as it is seen in chronic respiratory acidosis, but PH differentiates the two disorders. There is no characteristic symptom or sign. Orthostatic hypotension may be encountered. Weakness and hyporeflexia occur if serum K+ is markerdly low. Tetany and neuromuscular irritability occur rarely. We report the results of retrospective data analysis of metabolic alkalosis in 15463 patients hospitalized Pediatric Medical Center in Tehran during years 1995-1997. We found 50 cases of metabolic alkalosis (rate of 0.32 percent. 64 precent male and 36 percent female). Most of them had growth failure (40% were bellow 3 percentile of height by age, 44% bellow 5 percentile of weight by height). More than 60 percent had hypokalemia, hypocloremia and hyponatremia. The most common cause of Metabolic alkalosis was cystic fibrosis and pyloric stenosis. Fifty percent of cystic fibrosis patients and Bartter cases had metabolic alkalosis. Metabolic alkalosis should be considered in every pediatric patient presented with projectile vomitting.

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Background: Cardiovascular problems including arterial hypertension, coronary artery diseases, congestive heart failure are prevalent among chronic hemodialyzed patients. Ultrafiltration of hemodialyzed patient's serum, which culminating in intravascular volume reduction, is frequently used during hemodialysis. One of the restrictions of the echocardiographic evaluation of the diastolic heart function is the intravascular volume dependency of some echocardiographic parameters. In this study we have evaluated the volume dependency of certain echocardiography parameters in chronically hemodialyzed patients.

Methods: Thirteen patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis in Ghaem Hospital Hemodialysis Center in Mashhad, Iran, were evaluated one hour before and immediately after hemodialysis for the following: all diastolic echocardiographic parameters, left ventricular function, left ventricular systolic function, inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter and IVC collapsibility with inspiration, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The echocardiographic parameters were analyzed using the paired Student's t-test.

Results: With hemodialysis, there was no significant change in left ventricular function, A wave amplitude and E/F slope, however, there was a significant reduction of the E wave amplitude, increment in E wave deceleration time (p= 0.001, t=-4.14) and a decrease in the E/A ratio (p=0.03, t=2.46). Tissue Doppler echocardiography showed no significant change in mitral annular diastolic motion, E'/A' waves, with hemodialysis (p=0.728, t= - 0.356), although there was a reduction of the E/E' ratio.

Conclusion: Tissue Doppler imaging and color M-mode echocardiographic parameters are independent of the intravascular value status. With no change associated with hemodialysis, these parameters can be used as reliable criteria for evaluating ventricular diastolic function even when the volume status varies.

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Background: Paranasal sinus disease is one of the most common problems of patients that refer to ENT centers. Adding to clinical examination imaging plays an important role in diagnosis and treatment. Also the imaging of paranasal sinuses is necessary before surgery. Although computed tomography is the modality of choice for these areas, it has some disadvantages which the most important one is its high patient's dose. The aim of this study is the comparison between cone beam volumetric tomography and conventional computed tomography computed tomography, in evaluation of these areas.

Methods: In this descriptive-analytic study Coronal computed tomography imaged and cone beam volumetric tomography images were performed for 40 patients referred to ENT department of Amir Aelam Hospital in Tehran, Iran. Computed tomography images were observed by general radiologist and cone beam volumetric tomography images by Maxillofacial radiologist and their results' were recorded. Also ENT surgeon recorded her observations during surgery. Data were analyzed using McNemar test with Kappa and weighted Kappa agreement coefficient.

Results: No statistical difference was shown between the efficacy of computed tomography and cone beam volumetric tomography in evaluation of paranasal sinuses (p> 0.05).

Conclusion: As there was not any difference between conventional computed tomography and cone beam volumetric tomography in the assessment of paranasal sinuses and additional advantages of the later, cone beam volumetric tomography is suggested for paranasal sinus imaging before surgery.

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Background: Anosmia is a physical sign in post-traumatic patients, which significantly reduces the quality of life. Anosmia occurs in up to 30% of cases with head trauma. In this study we aimed to compare the Olfactory Bulb Volume (OBV) in patients with posttraumatic anosmia in different impact positions and also with healthy individuals to find the relation between the two variables.
Methods: Thirty-eight patients with posttraumatic anosmia and 27 healthy individuals with normal olfactory function were recruited in this case-control study performed in Amir Alam Hospital in Tehran, Iran. Variables of age, sex, time of trauma, site of trauma (frontoparietal/occipital), side of trauma, OBV, the results of olfactory identification tests and olfactory threshold were extracted and evaluated. We used non-contrasted 1.5-Tesla coronal brain MRI for the measurement of OBV.
Results: There were no significant differences between cases and controls regarding sex and age. Olfactory bulb volume was significantly smaller in cases compared to the controls (P=0.004). Among the case group, OBV was smaller in anterior versus posterior head traumas (P=0.02). OBV was also smaller in ipsilateral rather than the contralateral side of trauma (P=0.01).
Conclusion: The direction of trauma had a significant effect on OBV and it was smaller in traumas to the anterior and also ipsilateral sides of the head. It seems that changes in OBV differ due to the direction of head trauma and it can be helpful in predicting the prognosis of posttraumatic anosmia. Further studies are required for more conclusive statements.