Development of a PVA/PCL/CS-Based Nanofibrous Membrane for Guided Tissue Regeneration and Controlled Delivery of Doxycycline Hydrochloride in Management of Periodontitis: In Vivo Evaluation in Rats.

Antibiotic administration is an adjacent therapy to guided tissue regeneration (GTR) in the management of periodontitis. This is due to the major role of pathogen biofilm in aggravating periodontal defects. This study aimed to fabricate a GTR membrane for sustained delivery of doxycycline hydrochloride (DOX) while having a space-maintaining function. The membranes were prepared using a polymeric blend of polycaprolactone/polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan by the electrospinning technique. The obtained membranes were characterized in terms of physicochemical and biological properties. Nanofibers showed a mean diameter in the submicron range of < 450 nm while having uniform randomly aligned morphology. The obtained membranes showed high strength and flexibility. A prolonged in vitro release profile during 68 h was observed for manufactured formulations. The prepared membranes showed a cell viability of > 70% at different DOX concentrations. The formulations possessed antimicrobial efficacy against common pathogens responsible for periodontitis. In vivo evaluation also showed prolonged release of DOX for 14 days. The histopathological evaluation confirmed the biocompatibility of the GTR membrane. In conclusion, the developed nanofibrous DOX-loaded GTR membranes may have beneficial characteristics in favour of both sustained antibiotic delivery and periodontal regeneration by space-maintaining function without causing any irritation and tissue damage.

Comparing the effects of 3 oxygen delivery methods plus intravenous ketorolac on primary headaches: A randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare three different oxygen therapy methods in primary headaches. METHODS: Design: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted between January 2016 and October 2017. SETTING: The emergency department of a university-affiliated urban hospital in Tehran, Iran. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients (aged 18 years and above) with moderate and severe primary headaches (VAS score of 4 or more). INTERVENTIONS: Participants were allocated to one of four groups. Group A (n = 34) received 30 mg of intravenous ketorolac plus oxygen at 15 l/min (min) through a non-rebreather mask (NRB), group B (n = 34) received 30 mg of intravenous ketorolac plus 7 l/min of oxygen through a 60% venturi mask, group C (n = 34) received 30 mg of intravenous ketorolac plus 4 l/min of oxygen through a nasal cannula and group D (n = 34) received 30 mg of intravenous ketorolac and room air. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURED: Pain was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) at 0, 15, 30 and 60 min after admission. RESULTS: Altogether, 136 patients were included. The most significant VAS change occurred in the NRB group at 30 min (p-value = 0.001). At this point, pain reduction in the NRB group was clinically higher than for the venturi and nasal cannula groups, but this effect had disappeared at 60 min. CONCLUSION: Although the non-rebreather mask was significantly more effective at 30 min, after 60 min, none of the groups met the endpoint criterion of a 1.3-cm difference on the VAS scale.

Comparison of intranasal ketamine versus IV morphine in reducing pain in patients with renal colic.

BACKGROUND: Various drugs have been used to relieve abdominal pain in patients with renal colic. Ketamine is a popular choice as an analgesic. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of intranasal (IN) ketamine versus intravenous (IV) morphine in reducing pain in patients with renal colic. METHODS: A randomized double-blind controlled trial was performed in 53 patients with renal colic recruited from the emergency department (ED) in 2015. Finally, 40 patients were enrolled in this study. Patients in the ketamine group received IN ketamine 1 mg/kg and IV placebo while patients in the control group received IV morphine 0.1mg/kg and IN placebo. Our goal was to assess visual analogue scale (VAS) changes between the 2 groups. Patients' VAS scores were reported before and 5, 15, 30min after drug injection. RESULTS: Before drug administration, the mean±SD VAS score was 7.40±1.18 in the morphine group (group A) and 8.35±1.30 in the ketamine group (group B) (P-value=0.021). After adjustment by the appropriate analysis, the mean±SD VAS score in group (A) and (B) at 5min were (6.07±0.47 vs 6.87±0.47; mean difference -0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.48 to -1.04) (P-value=0.025), at 15 and 30min, the mean±SD VAS score in group (A) and (B) were (5.24±0.49 vs 5.60±0.49; mean difference -0.36, 95% CI -1.08 to 0.34) and (4.02±0.59 vs 4.17±0.59; mean difference -0.15, 95% CI -1.02 to 0.71) (P-value=0.304 and 0.719) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: IN ketamine may be effective in decreasing pain in renal colic.

Preventing blood transfusion failures: FMEA, an effective assessment method.

BACKGROUND: Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is a method used to assess the risk of failures and harms to patients during the medical process and to identify the associated clinical issues. The aim of this study was to conduct an assessment of blood transfusion process in a teaching general hospital, using FMEA as the method. METHODS: A structured FMEA was recruited in our study performed in 2014, and corrective actions were implemented and re-evaluated after 6 months. Sixteen 2-h sessions were held to perform FMEA in the blood transfusion process, including five steps: establishing the context, selecting team members, analysis of the processes, hazard analysis, and developing a risk reduction protocol for blood transfusion. RESULTS: Failure modes with the highest risk priority numbers (RPNs) were identified. The overall RPN scores ranged from 5 to 100 among which, four failure modes were associated with RPNs over 75. The data analysis indicated that failures with the highest RPNs were: labelling (RPN: 100), transfusion of blood or the component (RPN: 100), patient identification (RPN: 80) and sampling (RPN: 75). CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated that mis-transfusion of blood or blood component is the most important error, which can lead to serious morbidity or mortality. Provision of training to the personnel on blood transfusion, knowledge raising on hazards and appropriate preventative measures, as well as developing standard safety guidelines are essential, and must be implemented during all steps of blood and blood component transfusion.

Comparison of local anesthetic effect of lidocaine by jet injection vs needle infiltration in lumbar puncture.

BACKGROUND: Usual routes of drug administration are often painful and invasive. Nowadays, using jet injection has been introduced successfully, as a noninvasive and painless method of anesthetic delivery in performing different procedures. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to compare the local anesthetic effect of lidocaine by jet injection vs needle infiltration in performing lumbar puncture in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: A randomized single-blind controlled study was performed in 65 patients needing lumbar puncture recruited from the ED from July to November 2014. We enrolled 44 patients and excluded 21 patients by the exclusion criteria. Local lidocaine was delivered in 1 group by jet injector (group B), whereas in the other group conventional method, needle infiltration was used (group A). In both groups, intravenous midazolam 1 mg was administered as an anxiolytic drug before the procedure. Patients' pain score (visual analog scale [VAS]) from 0 to 10 was recorded both during drug delivery and performing the procedure itself. The observer who collected patients' data and fulfill the questionnaire was blinded to the study. RESULTS: During lidocaine injection, the mean ± SD VAS score was 5.27 ± 1.77 in group A and 2.95 ± 1.81 in group B (mean difference, 2.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.22-3.41) (P= .000). During performing the procedure, the mean ± SD VAS score in groups A and B was 3.77 ± 1.77 vs 2.18 ± 1.50 (mean difference, 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.59-2.58) (P= .003). CONCLUSIONS: Injecting lidocaine by jet injector is less painful than infiltrating it by needle and syringe.

Efficacy of the jet injector in local anaesthesia for small wound sutures: a randomised clinical trial compared with the needle infiltration technique.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in the application of needle free devices in medical procedure, there is a paucity of knowledge on the efficacy of the jet injector for suturing skin wounds. AIMS: Our study aimed to compare the severity of pain and time to initiation of anaesthesia between two methods of local anaesthesia for skin suturing of small facial wounds. METHODS: We conducted a double blind randomised clinical trial between December 2012 and February 2013 at a university hospital in Tehran, Iran. 53 patients with small facial wounds needing skin closure with sutures were assigned to either the jet injection group or the needle infiltration group. Pain severity after administration of local anaesthesia and during the stitching procedure, and time to initiation of skin numbness were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean pain score during the anaesthetic procedure was 1.1±1 in the jet injector group compared with 4.4±1.4 in the needle infiltration group (p<0.0001). Moreover, time to initiation of local numbness was significantly longer in the jet injection group than in the needle infiltration group (p<0.0001). Nevertheless, suture procedure related pain scores did not differ significantly between the two groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The jet injector is an effective device in reducing the pain of the anaesthetic procedure for small facial wounds. However, the remarkably lower pain should be evaluated in light of other parameters, including acceptance and preference of the newly introduced technique. TRIAL REGISTRATION NO: IRCT201201308872N3.

Comparison of intravenous lidocaine versus morphine in alleviating pain in patients with critical limb ischaemia.

BACKGROUND: Numerous drugs have been proposed to alleviate ischaemic limb pain, but none have been successful in relieving ischaemic pain thoroughly and rapidly. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of intravenous lidocaine and intravenous morphine in decreasing pain in patients with critical limb ischaemia. METHODS: A randomised double-blind controlled trial was performed in 63 patients with critical limb ischaemia recruited from the emergency department between October 2012 and December 2013; 23 patients were excluded and the remainder were randomly divided into two groups of 20 patients. Patients in the lidocaine group received lidocaine infusion (2 mg/kg) while patients in the morphine group received morphine (0.1 mg/kg). Patients' visual analogue pain scores (VAS), from 0 to 10, were reported before and 15 and 30 min after the infusion. RESULTS: Before the infusion the mean±SD VAS score was 7.50±1.93 in the lidocaine group and 7.65±1.92 in the morphine group. At 15 min the mean±SD VAS score in the lidocaine group was lower than in the morphine group (5.75±1.77 vs 7.00±1.83; mean difference 1.25, 95% CI 0.095 to 2.405) and, at 30 min, the mean±SD VAS score in the lidocaine group was again lower (4.25±1.48 vs 6.50±1.73; mean difference 2.25, 95% CI 1.218 to 3.282). CONCLUSIONS: Lidocaine may be helpful in decreasing ischaemic pain in patients with critical limb ischaemia. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: http://www.irct.irIRCT201210148872N2.

Nebulized fentanyl vs intravenous morphine for ED patients with acute limb pain: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: Intravenous morphine has been used as a common method of pain control in emergency care. Nebulized fentanyl is also an effective temporary substitute. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of nebulized fentanyl with intravenous (IV) morphine on management of acute limb pain. METHODS: This was a placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized clinical trial. Ninety emergency department patients with moderate to severe pain aged 15 to 50 years were blocked randomized and enrolled in this study. Forty-seven patients in the experimental group received nebulized fentanyl (4 µg/kg) and IV normal saline as placebo, and the remaining 43 patients in the control group received IV morphine (0.1 mg/kg) and nebulized normal saline as placebo. All participants' pain scores were assessed by Numerical Rating Scale before and after intervention at 5-, 10-, 15-, 30-, 45-, and 60-minute intervals. Patients' vital sign and possible adverse effects were recorded respectively. Finally, all participants were assessed for their satisfaction. RESULTS: The mean initial pain score in the experimental group was 8.7 and 8.4 in the control group (P = .1). Pain relief in both groups after 5 and 10 minutes were similar (P = .72). Although the pain relief was significantly greater with fentanyl at 15 minutes, this difference is not clinically significant. Pain management in both groups was successful and was more than 3 scores reduction in Numerical Rating Scale. Patient satisfaction in both groups was similar. No adverse effects were reported in the experimental group. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that nebulized fentanyl is a rapid, safe, and effective method for temporary control of acute limb pain in emergency department patients.

A new and rapid method for epistaxis treatment using injectable form of tranexamic acid topically: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Epistaxis is a common problem in the emergency department (ED). Sixty percent of people experience it at least once in their life. There are different kinds of treatment for epistaxis. This study intended to evaluate the topical use of injectable form of tranexamic acid vs anterior nasal packing with pledgets coated with tetracycline ointment. METHODS: Topical application of injectable form of tranexamic acid (500 mg in 5 mL) was compared with anterior nasal packing in 216 patients with anterior epistaxis presented to an ED in a randomized clinical trial. The time needed to arrest initial bleeding, hours needed to stay in hospital, and any rebleeding during 24 hours and 1 week later were recorded, and finally, the patient satisfaction was rated by a 0-10 scale. RESULTS: Within 10 minutes of treatment, bleedings were arrested in 71% of the patients in the tranexamic acid group, compared with 31.2% in the anterior nasal packing group (odds ratio, 2.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.68-3.09; P < .001). In addition, 95.3% in the tranexamic acid group were discharged in 2 hours or less vs 6.4% in the anterior nasal packing group (P < .001). Rebleeding was reported in 4.7% and 11% of patients during first 24 hours in the tranexamic acid and the anterior nasal packing groups, respectively (P = .128). Satisfaction rate was higher in the tranexamic acid compared with the anterior nasal packing group (8.5 ± 1.7 vs 4.4 ± 1.8, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Topical application of injectable form of tranexamic acid was better than anterior nasal packing in the initial treatment of idiopathic anterior epistaxis.

Haloperidol-Midazolam vs. Haloperidol-Ketamine in Controlling the Agitation of Delirious Patients; a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Agitation management in delirious patients is crucial in a crowded emergency department (ED) for both patient and personnel safety. Benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, and newly derived ketamine are among the most commonly used drugs in controlling these cases. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of haloperidol-midazolam with haloperidol-ketamine combination in this regard. Methods: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, delirious patients with agitation in ED were randomly assigned to a group: group A: haloperidol 2.5 mg IV and midazolam 0.05 mg/kg IV or group B: haloperidol 2.5 mg IV and ketamine 0.5 mg/kg IV. Sedative effects as well as side effects at 0, 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes and 1, 2, 4 hours after the intervention were compared between the 2 groups. Results: We enrolled 140 cases with Altered Mental Status Score (AMSS)≥+2 and mean age of 52.819.4 years (78.5% male). Agitation was significantly controlled in both groups (p<0.05). In group B, AMSS score was more significantly and rapidly reduced 5 (p = 0.021), 10 (p = 0.009), and 15 (p = 0.034) minutes after drug administration. After intervention, oxygen saturation was significantly decreased in group A 5 (p = 0.031) and 10 (p = 0.019) minutes after baseline. Time required to the maximum effect was significantly lower in group B versus group A (p=0.014). Less patients in group B had major side effects (p=0.018) and needed physical restraint (p=0.001). Conclusions: Haloperidol-ketamine can control agitation in delirium more rapidly than haloperidol-midazolam. This combination had lower adverse events with lower need for physical restraint.

Lavender essential oil in the treatment of migraine headache: a placebo-controlled clinical trial.

UNLABELLED: Lavender essential oil has been used as an anxiolytic drug, a mood stabilizer, a sedative, spasmolytic, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, analgesic agent as well as a wound healing accelerator. We have studied for the first time the efficacy of lavender essential oil inhalation for the treatment of migraine in a placebo-controlled clinical trial. METHODS: Forty-seven patients with definite diagnosis of migraine headache were divided into cases and controls. Cases inhaled lavender essential oil for 15 min, whereas the control group used liquid paraffin for the same time period. Patients were asked to record their headache severity and associated symptoms in 30-min intervals for a total of 2 h. We matched the two groups for key confounding factors. RESULTS: The mean reduction of headache severity in cases was 3.6 ± 2.8 based on Visual Analogue Scale score. The reduction was 1.6 ± 1.6 in controls. This difference between the controls and cases was statistically significant with p < 0.0001. From 129 headache attacks in cases, 92 responded entirely or partially to lavender. In the control group, 32 out of 68 recorded headache attacks responded to placebo. The percentage of responders was significantly higher in the lavender group than the placebo group (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that inhalation of lavender essential oil may be an effective and safe treatment modality in acute management of migraine headaches.

Less painful arterial blood gas sampling using jet injection of 2% lidocaine: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare pain levels from arterial blood gas (ABG) sampling performed with or without application of lidocaine via jet injector. BACKGROUND: Pain is still a primary concern in the emergency department. Arterial blood gas sampling is a very painful procedure. No better technique for decreasing the pain of the ABG procedure has been presented. An ideal local anesthesia procedure for ABG sampling should be rapid, easily learned, inexpensive, and free of needlestick risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the effectiveness of a lidocaine jet injection technique in achieving satisfactory pain control in patients undergoing ABG sampling. Forty-two patients were randomized to 2 groups: group A, which received lidocaine by jet injection (0.2 mL of lidocaine 2%), and group B, a control group that received a topical application of 1 mL of lidocaine gel 2% 2 minutes before the ABG sampling. Pain was assessed on a 10-cm visual analog scale (0, absence of pain; 10, greatest imaginable pain). RESULTS: The pain visual analog scale score during ABG sampling was considerably lower in group A compared with group B (1.29 ± 0.90 vs 4.19 ± 1.43; P < .001). The number of attempts required for ABG sampling was significantly lower in group A compared with group B (1.29 ± 0.46 vs 2.1 ± 0.12; P = .009). All residents reported ease of use with the lidocaine jet injection procedure (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Lidocaine jet injection provides beneficial and rapid anesthesia, resulting in less pain and a greater rate of successful ABG sampling. Therefore, it is recommended for use before ABG sampling to decrease the patient's pain and the number of unsuccessful attempts and to enhance the patient's satisfaction.

High doses of warfarin are more beneficial than its low doses in patients with deep vein thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of enoxaparin in outpatient treatment of deep vein thrombosis have been well studied. The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of a 10-mg loading dose of warfarin with 5 mg of the drug and enoxaparin in achieving the international normalized ratio (INR) range. METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was performed in the emergency department (ED) of our study. International normalized ratio was checked daily for 7 days and on the 14th day. Based on the patient's INR on the third day, the doses were adjusted. Patients received enoxaparin (1.5 mg/kg per day) simultaneously until the therapeutic range of INR was achieved for 2 consecutive days. RESULT: The side effects were compatible in both groups. There was a significant difference in the INR rates of the 2 groups recorded on the third, fourth, and seventh days. CONCLUSION: The 10-mg loading dose of warfarin induces the therapeutic range of INR earlier than the 5-mg dose without causing any significant difference in the side effects. More cases in the 10-mg group had INR levels higher than 3; the very dose, therefore, is recommended as the loading dose in cases of outpatients with deep vein thrombosis referring to the ED. Tight control of INR, after the third day of treatment, is also recommended in these cases.

Evaluation of sexual self-efficacy and sexual function in women with multiple sclerosis in Mashhad, Iran, in 2019: A cross-sectional study.

Background: In chronic illnesses, sexual dysfunction (SD) is one of the most prevalent complaints. Sexual self-efficacy (SSE) is an individual's beliefs about his/her ability to perform an effective sexual function and be favorable to their partner. The aim of the present study was to assess SSE and sexual function in women with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2019 on 260 married women referring to the MS clinic and MS society of Khorasan-Razavi in Mashhad, Iran. The research population was selected using convenience sampling. The Sexual Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (SSEQ), Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire -19 (MSISQ-19), and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) were completed by the participants who had the inclusion criteria. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient in SPSS software. Results: The participants had a mean age of 35.2 ± 8.4 years and their mean duration of MS was 4.46 ± 3.71 years. The findings showed a negative correlation between SSE and SD (r = -0.606; P = 0.001) and a positive correlation between SSE and sexual function (r = 0.644; P = 0.001). Moreover, MSISQ-19 and FSFI scores supported each other (r = -0.675; P = 0.001). Conclusion: SD is prevalent among women with MS. Moreover, sexual function is substantially associated with SSE in these women.

Procalcitonin and D-dimer for Predicting 28-Day-Mortality Rate and Sepsis Severity based on SOFA Score; A Cross-sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the possible relationship of procalcitonin (PCT) and D-dimer with the 28-day-mortality rate and severity of sepsis based on sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, patients were enrolled based on their signs and symptoms of sepsis confirmed by essential laboratory studies. Demographic data, Glasgow coma scale and vital signs, serum PCT and D-dimer levels, creatinine, bilirubin level, arterial blood gas analysis and platelet count were recorded. Disease severity index was assessed based on SOFA score. Patients' 28-day-mortality rate and hospital length of stay were compared with the study variables. RESULTS: Sixty-four patients with the mean age of 78.3±11.6 were included of whom 34 cases (53.1%) were male. The 28-day-mortality rate was 17%. The analysis showed that only patients' age (p=0.01) and platelet count (p=0.02) had a statistically significant association with the mortality rate. SOFA score had no statistically significant correlation with PCT or D-dimer; and these two markers didn't have any significant correlation in terms of predicting mortality due to the sepsis. CONCLUSION: In our study, PCT and D-dimer failed to show any significant correlation with 28-day-mortality rate of sepsis.

Oral Diclofenac Potassium Versus Intravenous Acetaminophen in Acute, Isolated, Closed-Limb Trauma.

Pain control is an important concern in limb trauma. The most ideal agent for this purpose varies among different hospitals. The objective of this study was to compare the analgesic effect of oral diclofenac potassium versus intravenous acetaminophen in patients with limb trauma. This was a double-blind randomized clinical trial conducted on 60 adult patients. Oral diclofenac potassium (50 mg) was given in Group D, and intravenous acetaminophen (1 g in 500 ml normal saline over 20 min) was administered in Group A. Patients' pain scores (visual analogue scale) were recorded and compared at baseline, 5, 15, 30, 60 min, and 4 hr after drug administration. The mean age was 42.62 ± 15.42 and 38.04 ± 17.48 years in Group A and Group D, respectively. No significant change was observed between the 2 groups (p = 0.11). In this study, both drugs could decrease the pain score effectively and safely in isolated limb trauma.

Comparison between intravenous morphine versus fentanyl in acute pain relief in drug abusers with acute limb traumatic injury.

BACKGROUND: Rapid and effective pain relief in acute traumatic limb injuries (ATLI) is one of the most important roles of emergency physicians. In these situations, opioid addiction is an important concern because of the dependency on opioids. The study aims to compare the effectiveness of intravenous (IV) fentanyl versus morphine in reducing pain in patients with opioid addiction who suffered from ATLI. METHODS: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 307 patients with ATLI, who presented to the emergency department (ED) from February 2016 to April 2016, were randomly divided into two groups. One group (152 patients) received 0.1 mg/kg IV morphine. The other group (155 patients) received 1 mcg/kg IV fentanyl. Patients' demographic data, pain score at specific intervals, vital signs, side effects, satisfaction and the need for rescue analgesia were recorded. RESULTS: Eight patients in the morphine group and five patients in the fentanyl group were excluded. Pain score in the fentanyl group had a significant decrease at 5-minute follow-up (P value=0.00). However, at 10, 30, and 60-minute follow-ups no significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of pain score reduction. The rescue analgesia was required in 12 (7.7%) patients in the fentanyl group and in 48 (31.6%) patients in the morphine group (P value=0.00). No significant difference was observed regarding side effects, vital signs and patients' satisfaction between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Fentanyl might be an effective and safe drug in opioid addicts suffering from ATLI.

Nebulized Budesonide vs. Placebo in Adults with Asthma Attack; a Double Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Asthma is one of acute respiratory diseases leading to emergency department (ED) referral. Management of acute attack plays an important role in its outcome. OBJECTIVE: This trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of nebulized budesonide versus placebo in moderate to severe acute asthma attack in adults in the ED. METHOD: In this clinical trial, we enrolled patients with acute exacerbation of asthma and standard treatment of acute asthma attack was administered to all of them. 41 patients in our study were randomly entered into 2 groups. In one group, we prescribed nebulized budesonide and in the other group nebulized placebo (normal saline) was administered. Patients' demographic data, vital signs, symptoms' acuity and the time of symptom relief, patient and physician satisfaction were all recorded and compared between the 2 groups. All cases were followed and disease outcome, readmission, mortality and morbidity rates were documented. RESULTS: In this study, 20 patients were entered the budesonide group and 19 patients were enrolled in the placebo group. The mean age ranges were 55.70±15.30 and 60.32±18.41 years old respectively. Heart rate, respiratory rate and O2 saturation in the first group were improved significantly after the treatment in comparison to the second group (p<0.05). The mean time of recovery and length of hospital stay were better in the first group than the second group but this difference was not significant (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The addition of nebulized budesonide to standard asthma treatment might result in more improvement in O2 saturation and less patient's distress.

Determining the Value of Cerebrospinal Fluid Lactate Dehydrogenase Level in Differentiating Subarachnoid Hemorrhage From Traumatic Lumbar Puncture.

Context Lumbar puncture (LP) is still an important modality in the diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Rapid and correct fluid analysis can provide patients with a better prognosis by appropriate intervention. Objective To determine the value of cerebrospinal fluid lactate dehydrogenase level in differentiation between SAH and traumatic LP. Design This was a cross-sectional observational study. Patients with a diagnostic suspicion of SAH who were admitted to the emergency department were enrolled in our study based on the inclusion criteria. All patients underwent head computed tomography scan without contrast. Patients with SAH confirmed on computed tomography scan and those who needed surgical intervention underwent LP by the neurosurgical service in the operation room (group 1). Other patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria but had a traumatic LP in the emergency setting were also enrolled in our study (group 2). The fluid samples of all LPs were sent to the laboratory to be analyzed. Finally, we compared the results of the 2 groups with each other. Results Fifty-two patients were enrolled in our study, 26 patients (50%) from each group. The cerebrospinal fluid lactate dehydrogenase level was significantly higher in group 1 than it was in group 2 ( P < .001), and based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the significant level of cerebrospinal fluid lactate dehydrogenase to differentiate SAH from traumatic LP was estimated to be 185. The red blood cell and white blood cell counts were significantly higher in group 1 than they were in group 2 ( P < .001). Conclusions Cerebrospinal fluid lactate dehydrogenase can effectively differentiate SAH from traumatic tap in LP samples.