RESUMEN
Objective: To evaluate the frequency and significance of brain imaging findings in methanol poisoning patients and to propose a criterion for prioritizing brain imaging. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 306 patients (286 men and 34 women, mean age 32.10 ± 9.9 years) with confirmed methanol poisoning who were admitted to two hospitals in Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed their demographic, clinical, laboratory, and brain imaging data. Results: The main brain computed tomography (CT) scan findings were hypodensity in the putamen (11.1%), cerebellar nuclei (8.2%), diffuse cerebral edema (7.5%), and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH; 1.6%). These findings were associated with blood pH, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), renal failure, bicarbonate, oxygen, carbon dioxide, potassium, and glucose levels (p < 0.05). Poor prognosis was related to blindness, opium addiction, chronic alcohol use, hyperglycemia, and abnormal CT scans (p < 0.001 for all). The most predictive brain imaging findings for poor prognosis were hypodensity in the cerebellar nuclei, diffuse cerebral edema, and ICH. Conclusion: Brain imaging can provide valuable information for the diagnosis and management of methanol poisoning patients. We suggest that patients with severe acidosis, low GCS, low pH, low oxygen saturation, and high glucose levels should undergo brain CT scan as a priority.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE(S): The impact of fasting in Ramadan as a unique type of nutritional regimen on biochemical and hematological parameters is still an issue of debate. Almost very little is known regarding the regulatory role(s) of this nutritional status on immune responses or inflammation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The levels of biochemical parameters were determined using commercial diagnostic kits. Hematological parameters were also examined. We also employed ELISA for detection of CXCL1, CXCL10 and CXCL12 chemokines. The Student-T test was used to compare the values of different parameters obtained in the first and last day of Ramadan fasting by employing SPSS (version 18) software. RESULTS: As our findings demonstrated, there was a markedly difference between before and after Ramadan BMI of the individuals who fast. Our results also revealed that there was a remarkable difference between the levels of total cholesterol, FBS, Triglycerides and LDL before and after Ramadan fasting. RESULTS revealed that among studied hematological parameters only the numbers of platelets were markedly different before and after Ramadan fasting program in individuals who practice fasting. Our results also showed decreased levels of pro-inflammatory CXC chemokines but unaltered levels of homoeostatic ones. CONCLUSION: The results of this study may reveal that Ramadan fasting is quite safe for normal healthy adults and so very useful in reduction of cholesterol and triglycerides in relation with dyslipidemia. It is also possible to conclude that fasting is important in controlling of inflammation via chemokines.
