Propofol-fentanyl versus propofol-ketamine for procedural sedation and analgesia in patients with trauma.

OBJECTIVE: Many procedures performed in emergency department are stressful and painful, and creating proper and timely analgesia and early and effective assessment are the challenges in this department. This study has been conducted in order to compare the efficacy of propofol and fentanyl combination with propofol and ketamine combination for procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) in trauma patients in the emergency department. METHOD: This is a randomized prospective double-blind clinical trial conducted in the emergency department of Imam Khomeini Hospital, a tertiary academic trauma center in northern Iran. Patients with trauma presenting to the emergency department who needed PSA were included in study. Patients were divided into two groups of propofol fentanyl (PF) and propofol ketamine (PK). Pain score and sedation depth were set as primary outcome measures and were recorded. RESULTS: Out of about 379 patients with trauma, who needed PSA, 253 met the criteria to be included in the study, 117 of which were excluded. The remaining 136 patients were randomly allocated to either PF group (n = 70) or PK group (n = 66). Pain management after drug administration was significantly different between the groups and the analgesia caused by fentanyl was significantly higher than ketamine. The sedation score after 15 min of PSA in the group PF was significantly higher than the group PK. CONCLUSION: It seems that regarding PSA in the emergency department, PF caused better analgesia and deeper sedation and it is recommended to use PF for PSA in the emergency departments.

Infertility in Mazandaran province - north of Iran: an etiological study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and etiology of infertility are not similar in different parts of the world. There are only few reports of this topic in Iran. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to determine the clinical patterns and major causes of infertility in Mazandaran province in north of Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of 3734 consecutive couples attending two infertility clinics in Mazandaran province, from 2003 to 2008, were reviewed. The couples had not had a viable birth after at least 1 year of unprotected intercourse and were fully investigated. RESULTS: Of the entire samples, 78.7% had primary infertility and 21.3% had secondary infertility. The mean duration of infertility in couples was 5.7±4 years. The etiology of infertility in couples revealed; male factor in 38.9%, female factor in 34.7%, combined factors in 14.6% and undetermined cause in 11.8%. CONCLUSION: In this study, delayed attendance of infertile couples to the infertility clinic was found. Therefore, there is a need to revise public health program on infertility to focus on the education and prevention of infertility and its risk factors.