RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Although visual impairment of drivers is a very important risk factor for car accident, a few published papers have explored this issue in Iran. This study aims to evaluate the visual fitness of public vehicle drivers in Kerman province, southeast of Iran. METHODS: A total of 4,003 public vehicle drivers were examined by one ophthalmologist for visual fitness in Kerman province between January 2009 and June 2010. Data are presented as Mean±SD or percentage, and with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Pearson Chi-square and McNemmar tests along with crude odds ratio (OR) were used to compare vision deficit between groups. RESULTS: Almost 361 drivers (9.0%; 95% CI: 8.1-9.9) had insufficient vision to drive public vehicles before the refractive errors (RE) correction and this number, was reduced to 68 drivers (1.7%; 95% CI: 1.3-2.1) after the correction. A number of them including 200 drivers (5.0%; 95% CI: 4.3-5.7) had insufficient vision to drive personal vehicles before the correction and this was reduced to 30 thereafter (0.8%; 95% CI: 0.5-1.0). We also found out that the vision status got worse with aging, and RE was the most prevalent cause of sight defects. CONCLUSION: It seems that visual fitness of public vehicle drivers is a point of real concerns which might somewhat explain the high rate of car accidents in Iran.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Accessory Deep Peroneal Nerve (ADPN) is an anatomic variation that can potentially cause disturbance in electrodiagnostic studies. This anomaly could be detected by nerve conduction studies. There are no recent updates about prevalence of this anatomic variation. Electrodiagnostic medicine clinic is the best environment for detecting presence and prevalence of this nerve, so present study enrolled. MATERIALS & METHODS: In this cross sectional descriptive study that take place from March 2009 to July 2010, 230 cases comprising 460 legs referred for electrodiagnostic studies of upper limbs problems participated in the study. Compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and Nerve conduction Velocity (NCV) of Deep Peroneal Nerve (DPN) were measured by using EMG machine by stimulating DPN at knee, ankle and lateral malleolous areas accordingly, with recording from extensor digitorum brevis muscle. Results were analyzed and conclusion made. RESULTS: The study population included 120 females (52%) and 110 (47%) males with mean age of 42.1 ± 13.5 years. ADPN was detected in 28 patients (12%). Among them,10(17.9%) had bilateral ADPN and in remained 18 cases (82.1%) APN was unilateral. In 8 patients there was no recorded CMAP from EDB by proximal and distal stimulation implying EDB agenesis. Gender distribution was similar which means half of the cases (14 patients) belonged to each gender. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of ADPN in this study was 12.2%, (17.9% bilateral and 82.1% unilateral).