A study of psychological well-being in people with multiple sclerosis and their primary caregivers.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common disabling disease of the central nervous system. In these patients, fatigue is the most common symptom that causes disorder in the work, social activities and daily functions of the patients. Given the assumption that MS reduces the patients' psychological well-being, this study aimed at assessing the psychological well-being of both the patients and their primary caregivers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Current research as a descriptive study was conducted on 200 MS patients and 200 primary caregivers. For data collection, the Reef questionnaire was used to determine psychological well-being of these individuals. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: According to the obtained results, the mean duration of MS was estimated 6.37 years. The psychological well-being score of the people with MS and their primary caregivers was slightly higher than average. The total score of psychological well-being in primary caregivers was higher than the patients. CONCLUSION: The mean score of psychological well-being subscales was significantly different in patients and their caregivers. Regarding the autonomy subscale, there was a significant different in patients with MS, that is, it was lower than average. In terms of two subscales of "positive relationship with others" and "personal growth," there was no difference between people with MS and the primary caregivers, and for other subscales, the mean score of caregivers was higher than the patients.

Comparing the impact of acupuncture and pethidine on reducing labor pain.

BACKGROUND: Generally 50 to 70 percent of women suffer from a severe and unbearable pain during their childbirth. Abnormal fetal heart patterns, an increase of caesarian delivery rate, prolonged labor and low APGAR score in newborn are some of adverse effects of labor pain. Disagreement between different studies regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of acupuncture on labor pain led us to do this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a clinical trial study. Sampling was done randomly in Esfahan, Shahid Beheshti Hospital, based on the subjects' characteristics. Patients were classified into three groups of control, Pethidine and acupuncture (27-30 women in each group). All women with a first and second pregnancy. VAS pain ruler was used as data collection tool. Data were analyzed in SPSS software, and using ANOVA and kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS: The average pain score in control group 30 min after intervention was 7.80, while in Pethidine and acupuncture groups respectively were 6.87 and 5.77. Kruskal-Walis test showed that three groups in pain severity had significant difference at this time. The average length of the active phase of labor in Pethidine and acupuncture groups was 175 min while this time in control group was 243 min that ANOVA test showed a significant difference (P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: Results showed that acupuncture can significantly reduce labor pain in 30 min after intervention, while it had no effect on labor pain at full dilatation. However, both in Pethidine and acupuncture groups, the length of the active phase has been considerably shortened.

A comparative study of vaginal estrogen cream and sustained-release estradiol vaginal tablet (Vagifem) in the treatment of atrophic vaginitis in Isfahan, Iran in 2010-2012.

BACKGROUND: Atrophic vaginitis is a disease, which affects up to 50% of postmenopausal women. This study compared the effectiveness and user-friendliness of Vagifem (an estradiol vaginal tablet) and vaginal estrogen cream in the treatment of atrophic vaginitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and sixty postmenopausal women with symptoms of atrophic vaginitis were randomly divided into two groups of treatment with Vagifem or with vaginal estrogen cream for 12 weeks. Patients used the medication daily for the first 2 weeks of the study, and twice weekly. Severity of vaginal atrophy and four main symptoms of atrophic vaginitis including dysuria, dyspareunia, vaginal itching, and dryness were evaluated and compared before and after treatment. In addition, patients were asked regarding user-friendliness and hygienic issues of medications. RESULTS: Both vaginal estrogen cream and Vagifem significantly improved symptoms of atrophic vaginitis but in terms of effectiveness for the treatment symptoms of atrophic vaginitis, there was no significant difference between the two medications. Vagifem compared to estrogen cream resulted in significantly lower rate of hygienic problems (0% versus 23%, P < 0.001), and was reported by the patients as a significantly easier method of treatment (90% versus 55%, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: This investigation showed that Vagifem is an appropriate medication for the treatment of atrophic vaginitis, which is as effective as vaginal estrogen creams and is more user-friendly.

Effectiveness of hysteroscopic repair of uterine lesions in reproductive outcome.

BACKGROUND: Small intrauterine lesions such as septum, adhesion, polyp, and submucous myoma may be of greater significance in causing implantation failure, poor reproductive performance and abnormal uterine bleeding. We studied effectiveness of therapeutic intervention through operative hysteroscopy in improvement of pregnancy outcome and cessation of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) in women with pregnancy and fertility problems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective cohort study was performed between 2003- 2009 on 65 patients with primary or secondary infertility, recurrent abortion and structural uterine lesions reported in sonography or hysterosalpingography. After hysteroscopic metroplasty, myomectomy, adhesiolysis and polypectomy under laparoscopic guide, we evaluated reproductive outcome, early and late complications, one year after surgery. RESULTS: Among all patients with recurrent abortion, 6 patients (75%) complete their pregnancy successfully. Our results showed that pregnancy rate after metroplasty was 58%. Reproductive outcome was poor after myomectomy and adhesiolysis. Abnormal uterine bleeding was improved in 62% of patients. CONCLUSION: Structural uterine lesions has been assumed to cause infertility, while several studies have shown very poor reproductive performance with high miscarriage and low term delivery rates when malformation is not treated. We show improvement in conceptional outcome and in patient's chief complaints after hysteroscopy surgery of these anomalies.

Complete bicornuate uterus with complete transverse vaginal septum.

Bicornuate uterus has two symmetric uterine cavities that are fused caudally and have some degree of communication between two cavities, usually at the uterine isthmus. A complete bicornuate uterus has a seperatory cleft of tissue that is extended to the internal OS. Lesser degree of septation of the two uterine horns has constitution, a partial bicornuate uterus. Bicornuate uterus is a class of four anomaly of American fertility society classification of mullerian anomalies. Here we report a case of a 19-year-old female patient with complaint of abdominal pain and spotting since 4 months ago. In sonography it revealed bicornuate uterus and hematocolpos. The patient underwent general anesthesia and examination that reveal the transverse vaginal septum. Septum removed by resectoscope was successful.

Ovarian ectopic pregnancy: A rare case.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian pregnancy is a rare form of the non-tubal ectopic pregnancy. It ends with rupture before the end of the first trimester. One of the important risk factors for ovarian pregnancy is in the use of Intra uterine devices (IUD). CASE: We report here one such uncommon case of ovarian ectopic pregnancy. Our patient is a 30 years old multiparous woman with two previous cesarean sections with severe hypogastric abdominal pain. During laparotomy, ruptured ovarian ectopic pregnancy was diagnosed, and wedge resection of the ovary was only done. Histopathological examination confirmed it to be an ovarian ectopic pregnancy. CONCLUSION: IUD is one of contraceptive methods which prevents intra-uterine implantation in 99.5%, if implant occurs with IUD, it is tubal implantation in 95% of cases, and it is very rare in other places such as ovary. The most important risk factor of ovarian ectopic pregnancy is IUD as in this study it was showed.

A comparative cohort study for detecting the incidence of trisomy 21 in ART and non-ART neonates.

BACKGROUND: One of the most important points concerning the patients who undergo assisted reproductive techniques (ART) for getting pregnant can be the possible neonatal chromosomal abnormalities as a result of these methods. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to help answering a part of this question. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a historical cohort study from April 2006 to April 2007. Data were collected from women admitted in Mehregan Hospital and Esfahan Infertility Center. 225 of 2000 infertile women who had taken ART methods and 225 of 1800 women undergoing no ART treatment were included in our study. All of the cases were aged 35 or more. Data were obtained from patient files from 2 infertility centers of Isfahan, Iran. RESULTS: Chromosomal analysis was successfully performed for all clinically suspicious infants for trisobmy 21. As a result, 4 cases of trisomy 21 in ART group and 7 in non-ART group were found. Two cases from IUI, 1 case of IVF and 1 of ICSI were found to have trisomy 21 in infants. There was no statistically difference in occurring trisomy 21 in our two groups of study and this was also the same for women undergoing IVF and ICSI. CONCLUSION: ART methods did not increase the rate of Trisomy 21 according to our study although we found less in ART group, it was not statistically significant.

The comparison of anxiety and depression rate between medical staff of infertility centers and obstetrics and gynecology centers of Yazd, Shiraz, Isfahan and Kerman hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Regarding the close and continuous interaction of infertility staff with hopeless infertile couples and in the contrary the atmosphere of happiness especially in obstetric wards make a sense that considering anxiety and depression it would be a difference between these two wards. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is the comparison of the rate of depression and anxiety between the two wards of infertility and obstetrics and gynecology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a descriptive-correlation study based on cross-sectional method. 199 individuals who were the staff of infertility and obstetrics and gynecology wards in four provinces enrolled in this study through stratified sampling. Data collection was done by demographic questionnaire, Spiel Berger and Beck depression inventory tests. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using ANOVA test. RESULTS: The result showed the rate of anxiety in obstetrics and gynecology staff of Isfahan center (54.69±13.58) and depression rate had increased level in infertility staff of Shiraz center (14.94±10.87). Overall, there was significant correlation between anxiety, depression and work place (p=0.047, 0.008 respectively). According to ANOVA test, the mean value of anxiety level was higher in the staff of four obstetrics and gynecology centers and one infertility center Conclusion: As long as we know that infertile couples have little chance for success rate and obstetrics and gynecology wards patients have little risk of failure in treatment, it could be mentioned that the anxiety and depression in the staff are not correlated with the client illness.

Comparison study on effectiveness of pentoxifyllin with LD to prevent recurrent endometriosis.

BACKGROUND: About 75% of the symptomatic patients who involved with endometriosis have pelvic pain and dysmenorrhea. Pentoxifyllin is one of the drugs that according to its mechanism could be effective for pain relief of endometriosis which has been used for endometriosis treatment recently. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a comparative study for detecting the effect of pentoxifylin (as an immonomodelator) in preventing recurrence endometriotic pain with pentoxifylin plus a combined contraceptive pill with low dose estrogen (LD) and also the LD pill alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a comparative clinical trial on 83 patients with the chief complaint (CC) of pain (dysmenorrheal /or pelvic pain) and with the end diagnosis of endometriosis, in an operative laparoscopy. Patients, dividing to 3 groups, were treated with pentoxifylin, pentoxifylin+LD and LD alone for 10 months. The severity of pain (dismenorhea and/or pelvic pain) was detected by visual analogue scale (VAS) before and after the treatment. The severity of endometriosis in the patients was: I in class I and II in class II and III in class III. The groups were matched for the pain. The number of the patients in group 1, 2 and 3 were 28, 28 and 27 respectively. RESULTS: The pain was reduced in the groups of pentoxifylin+LD (p<0.001) and LD alone (p=0.00). The pain relief was not significant in the group of pentoxifylin alone (p=0.136). After treatment, the severity of pain was not significantly different between the LD group and the LD+penthoxyfillin group, but there was difference between these two groups and the group of penthoxyfillin alone. CONCLUSION: This study showed that penthoxyfillin actually could not have any effect on the pain relief of endometriosis. It also made it clear that penthoxyfillin could not increase the efficacy of LD when used with this medication.

Assessment of the diagnostic capability of serum creatine phosphokinase and its isoenzyme in ectopic pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Our goal was to assess the diagnostic value of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and its isoenzyme CPK- muscle brain (MB) in ectopic pregnancy (EP) in order to locate a simpler diagnostic approach for EP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study that performed consecutive sampling for 20 months in two major hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. All pregnant patients in their first trimester of gestation that presented with complaints of vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, or both enrolled in this study. Blood sampling was performed for laboratory analyses (CPK, CPK-MB). After their diagnosis was established, patients were put in either the EP or non-EP group. We used SPSS software version 10 for data analysis, diagnostic parameters were determined, and a relative operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted for each biochemical marker. RESULTS: A total of 106 patients, 53 in the EP group and 53 in the non-EP group enrolled in this study. The results for CPK were as follows: sensitivity (69.81%), specificity (64.15%), positive predictive value (PPV; 66.07%), negative predictive value (NPV; 68%), positive likelihood ratio (PLR) (1.95), and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) (0.49). The results for CPK-MB were: sensitivity (71.7%), specificity (56.6%), PPV (62.29%), NPV (66.7%), PLR (1.65), and NLR (0.5). The area under the ROC curve for CPK was 0.692 and for CPK-MB it was 0.647. CONCLUSION: Although we have observed a significant elevation in CPK and CPK-MB serum levels in EP, transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) is still the better diagnostic tool for EP.

IVF staff attitudes towards oocyte donation: a multi-centric study from Iran and Turkey.

The aim of this descriptive study was to evaluate the attitudes and knowledge of IVF staff towards oocyte donation (OD) programme. A total of 163 individuals (19% men and 81% women) were requested to fill out a two-part questionnaire. Part 1 of the questionnaire contained general demographic information: 62% of the participants were married; the majority of the subjects had university education; 21% of the participants had high school degrees. Part 2 contained 20 questions to reveal the knowledge and attitudes of the participants concerning OD: 16% completely objected to OD; 50% of the married couples and 68% of the single individuals disagreed with OD treatment for themselves, even if they remained childless. Most participants believed in informing the general public about OD in the mass media. In addition, nearly half of the participants were in favour of OD over adopting a child. Psychological counselling was strongly recommended by the majority of respondents for both donors and the recipients. The majority of participants in the study had a positive attitude towards OD treatment for infertile couples. In addition, counselling can play a major role in OD programme. Therefore, the health professionals should advance the OD programmes for informing the staff of infertility centres and infertile patients.