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BACKGROUND: Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is an important biomarker to monitor patients after treated with radiation therapy (RT). The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the PSA data and prostate cancer recurrence using the joint modeling. METHODS: This historical cohort study was performed on 422 prostate cancer patients. Inclusion criteria included: patients with localized prostate cancer referring to Cancer Institute in Tehran (Iran) from 2007 to 2012, and under radiation therapy. Joint model has two components or sub-models. We showed the results by parameter estimating the longitudinal sub-model and survival sub-model. EM algorithm, Newton-Gauss and Gauss-Hermit law were used for final model parameters. R software version 3.2 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: In this study, considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, out of 422 patients, the data on 314 cases were selected for analysis and the main result of joint model was obtained. PSA directly and significantly was associated with recurrence risk, therefore increasing 2.6 ml/lit PSA (one unit in transformed PSA) increases 39% recurrence risk (95% CI for RR: 1.09-1.77). Also, slope of PSA trend has significant association with prostate cancer recurrence risk (95% CI for RR: 1.05-1.41). CONCLUSION: This study showed a significant relationship between PSA, and its slope with the recurrence risk by joint model, with regard to the pathological, demographic and clinical features in the Iranian population.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a public health problem worldwide. Secondary damage of brain injury begins within a few minutes after the trauma and can last a long time. It can be reversible, unlike primary injury. Therefore, therapeutic intervention can be used. The aims of this study were to assess the effects of minocycline on neurological function and serum S100B protein and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels in patients with moderate to severe TBI. Patients with acute onset of TBI and surgical evacuation of hematoma were randomized to receive either minocycline 100 mg orally twice daily or placebo for 7 days. The primary outcomes included changes in level of S100B and NSE at different time points during the trial. Additionally, changes in Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score were evaluated. The Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E) score at 6 months after injury was assessed in discharge patients. Thirty four patients were randomized into the placebo (n = 20) and treatment (n = 14) groups. There was a marginal statistically significant differences in the normalized value of S100B between groups (p < 0.1). The reduction in serum NSE level from baseline to day 5 was statistically significant (p = 0.01) in minocycline group while it was not significantly decrease in placebo group (p = 0.2). Also, GCS improvement over time within the minocycline group was significant (p = 0.04) while was not significant in placebo group (p = 0.11). The GOS-E scores were not significantly different between minocycline and placebo group. Based on this study, it seems that the use of minocycline may be effective in acute TBI.
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BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic periodontitis (CP) show common pathophysiological features. We investigated the serum levels of IL-23 and IL-35 in people with type 2 DM and CP. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 72 patients were divided into four equal groups: group A, participants without type 2 DM and CP; group B, patients with type 2 DM without CP; group C, patients with CP and without type 2 DM; and group D, patients with type 2 DM and CP. Demographic data were obtained and periodontal conditions including clinical attachment loss, bleeding on probing, plaque index, gingival index, and probing depth was evaluated on all existing teeth. Fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels, hemoglobin (Hb) A1c, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed. In addition, serum levels of IL-23 and 35 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The serum levels of IL-23 and 35 showed no significant differences between all groups (P>0.05). A significant positive correlation between the serum concentration of IL-23 and clinical attachment loss in the control group (r: 0.548, P=0.019) was detected. A significant negative correlation between IL-35 and the plaque index in group B (r: -0.578, P=0.012), plus significant negative correlations between IL-23 with ESR (r: -0.487, P=0.040) and CRP (r: -0.498, P=0.035) in groups C and D were also detected. CONCLUSION: Despite significant associations of serum concentration of IL-23 and 35 with certain periodontal and inflammatory indices, neither type 2 DM nor CP differentially affects serum levels of these two cytokines.
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Background: There are some discrepancy in association between activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the periodontal status of outpatients with RA. Methods: The study was conducted in 2013-14 in a rheumatology clinic in Sari, north of Iran on 74 patients with RA. Evaluation of RA disease activity was according to disease activity score 28 (DAS28). Periodontitis was evaluated by probing depth (PD), gingival index (GI), clinical attachment level (CAL index), plaque index (PI), and panoramic X-ray. Statistical analysis included independent ttest and Mann-Whitney U test for quantitative, and chi square and OR for qualitative variables and evaluation of RA activity and periodontitis severity. Results: The mean±SD of age and disease duration were 47.01±8.1 and 8.93±8.6 years, respectively and the mean±SD number of teeth was 20.70±6.8. Twenty-seven (36.5%) patients had moderate to severe disease. Forty-seven cases (63.5%) were found with periodontitis and 14 (12.2%) were identified to have moderate to severe periodontitis, unrelated to disease activity (p=0.22). For active/inactive periodontitis OR =1.33 (95% CI: 0.46 - 3.87) was computed. There was no association between RA disease activity and number of teeth, CAL, PI, PD, and GI, (p>0.05). Conclusion: About 60% of RA patients suffered from periodontitis, but there was not any significant relation between RA disease activity and severity of periodontitis. Periodontitis may interfere with management and follow up of RA, so periodic periodontal examination is suggested in these patients.
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OBJECTIVE: Chronic infection of hepatitis B and hepatitis C are considered as the most important infectious diseases, which lead to drastic consequences such as liver dysfunction. Depression is a psychiatric disorder which is concomitantly present in these patients, and decreases the patients' quality of life. It may lead to suicide, homicide or intentional transmission of infectious to others. Medical treatment with interferon can also lead to depression which is comparable to the depression caused by disease. METHODS: We performed a cross sectional study on 205 patients with hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection. We aimed to determine the prevalence of depression via Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and its correlates with hepatitis drugs. RESULTS: Of 205 patients, 154 cases had hepatitis B and 51 cases had hepatitis C infection. The frequency of depression was 68% in hepatitis B and 86% in hepatitis C infected patients (p<0.05). The frequency of mild depression was 14%, moderate depression was 57.3% and severe depression was 28.7% (p<0.05). Depression frequency in Interferon recipients was 100%, in interferon-ribavirin recipients was 94.4%, in lamivudine recipients was 64%, and in patients that receive no drug was 66.7%. Depression prevalence was significantly higher among those on interferon therapy (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence of depression among patients with hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection, especially patients on interferon therapy. Hence these patients should be repeatedly evaluated for depression. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: None.
