Ultrasound-Guided Injection of Dextrose Versus Corticosteroid in Chronic Plantar Fasciitis Management: A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

DESIGN: Chronic plantar fasciitis (PF) is a common cause of chronic heel pain, with different conventional treatment options. In this randomized clinical trial, the effect of ultrasound-guided injection of dextrose versus corticosteroid in chronic PF was evaluated and compared. METHODS: A total of 44 patients suffering from chronic PF who visited the physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic were enrolled in the study. Two table-randomized groups were formed. They received an ultrasonography-guided, single injection of either 40 mg methylprednisolone or 20% dextrose. Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Foot and Ankle Ability Measure questionnaire with 2 subscales, Activities of Daily Living (FAAM-A) and Sports (FAAM-S), along with ultrasonographic parameters were evaluated before and at 2 and 12 weeks after the injection. Results. A total of 40 participants completed the study. Both interventions significantly improved pain and function at 2 and 12 weeks postinjection. After 2 weeks, compared with the dextrose prolotherapy, the corticosteroid group had significantly lower daytime and morning NRS scores (2.55 vs 4.1, P = .012, and 2.75 vs 4.65, P = .004), higher FAAM-S (66.84 vs 54.19; P = .047), and lower plantar fascia thickness at insertion and 1 cm distal to the insertion zone (3.89 vs 4.29 mm, P = .004, and 3.13 vs 3.48 mm, P = .002), whereas FAAM-A was similar in both groups (P = .219). After 12 weeks, all study variables were statistically similar between corticosteroid and dextrose prolotherapy groups. No injection-related side effects were recorded in either group. CONCLUSION: Both methods are effective. Compared with dextrose prolotherapy, our results show that corticosteroid injection may have superior therapeutic effects early after injection, accompanied by a similar outcome at 12 weeks postinjection. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Level II.

Involvement of oxidative stress and toll-like receptor-4 signaling pathways in gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in male Sprague Dawley rats.

Gentamicin (GM) is an antibiotic belonging to an aminoglycoside family that might induce nephrotoxicity in human and animal models via oxidative stress. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are part of innate immune systems that participate in inflammatory responses. In this regard, we investigated the effect of GM on kidney functional and structural parameters, enzymatic antioxidant levels, and mRNA expression of TLR4 and IL6 in the rat kidney. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups (n = 10): Control and Gentamicin (100 mg/kg, i.p.). After ten days of GM administration, a blood sample was taken, and the kidneys were removed. The serum levels of creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured. Furthermore, the right kidney was preserved in formalin 10% for hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and the left kidney was kept at -80 °C for molecular and oxidative indexes analysis. Administration of GM caused tubular damages and functional disturbance. So that, Cr and BUN values in the GM group were higher than Control group. Furthermore, molecular findings showed upregulation of TLR4 and IL-6 mRNA expression in renal tissue of the GM-received group. In this study, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was slightly increased as a compensatory mechanism in response to elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the GM-treated group. On the other hand, the activity of catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were significantly declined. Our results demonstrated that oxidative stress and subsequent TLR4 upregulation signaling pathways are involved in GM-induced nephrotoxicity.

Effects of Placenta Location in Pregnancy Outcomes of Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS): A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS) affects approximately one in a thousand deliveries. Very few studies evaluated PAS risk factors based on their location. In this study, we have investigated the effects of placenta location on placental adhesion-related complications, its risk factors, and outcomes. Materials and methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of pathology-confirmed cases of PAS from patients with peripartum hysterectomy, at a large educational hospital in Qazvin, Iran, from 2009 to 2019. Placenta location was found by ultrasound reports and intraoperative evaluation. We measured demographic features, basic characteristics, maternal and neonatal outcomes based on placental location including anterior, posterior, and lateral in Placenta Accreta Spectrum. Chi-square, t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used to examine the relation of complications, risk factors, and outcomes in PAS. Results: A review of 70 cases showed the distribution of placenta location as follows: 57% anterior, 27% posterior, and 16% lateral. The mean gestational age at delivery was 35 (33-39) weeks. In 78.6% (n=55) of the patients, an association with placenta previa and in 94/2% (n=66) of cases a history of cesarean section was found, however, it was not significantly correlated with placenta location (p=0.082). We found that surgery duration was significantly longer in patients with lateral PAS (155±38, vs 129.35±33.8 and 133.15±31.5 for anterior and posterior placenta respectively, p=0.09). Patients with lateral PAS also bled more than the remaining two groups (2836 ml for lateral PAS vs 2002 and 1847 for anterior and posterior placenta respectively, p=0.022). Moreover, women with a history of uterine surgery were more likely to have posterior PAS compared to those with anterior and lateral PAS (p=0.035). Conclusion: Differences in complications, risk factors, and outcomes of PAS based on placenta location may lead to improved diagnosis and decreased morbidity in women.

Repeated sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation evaluation on fatigue and daytime sleepiness in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson is a common and disabling disease that affects patient's and career's quality of life. Unfortunately, medications, such as dopaminergic and sedative-hypnotic drugs, as an effective treatment have unwilling side effects. Recently, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in conjunction with medication becomes popular as a complementary safe treatment and several studies have proved its effectiveness on controlling motor and specially non-motor aspects of Parkinson's disease. In this randomized double-blind parallel study, 23 patients with Parkinson's disease divided into two groups of real tDCS plus occupational therapy and sham tDCS plus occupational therapy and the effects of therapeutic sessions (eight sessions tDCS with 0.06 mA/cm2 current, 20 min on dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) were evaluated on fatigue and daytime sleepiness just after therapeutic course and in 3-month follow-up. tDCS had a significant effect on fatigue and no effect on daytime sleepiness reduction in patients with Parkinson's disease. tDCS is an effective and safe complementary treatment on fatigue reduction in Parkinson's disease.

Electronic medical record in central polyclinic of isfahan oil industry: a case study based on technology acceptance model.

INTRODUCTION: Today, health information technologies are base of health services and Electronic Medical Record is one of them. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) on EMR at Central Polyclinic Oil Industry that is a pioneer in implementation of EMR in Isfahan. METHODS: This study was an applied and analytical survey that it was done at the Central Polyclinic Oil Industry. Because statistical population were limited, sampling bas been done by conducting the census and the sample was according to the population. The data was collected by a researcher-made questionnaire that it was validated by experts and its reliability was confirmed by test retest. The questionnaire was developed in 5 scopes including external factors (data quality and user interface), perceived usefulness, perceived ease of usefulness, attitude toward using, and behavioral intention to use. The Results analyzed by SPSS. RESULTS: There was a significant relationship between data quality with PU(r=/295, p/005). DISCUSSION: The survey of the scopes in the polyclinic showed that there is relationship among user interface, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of usefulness, attitude toward using, and behavioral intention to use, but data quality has no relationship with attitude. It seems the system designers didn't consider to data quality characteristics. It is proposed that they consult with health information management professionals for improvement the existing system.

Users' acceptance and attitude in regarding electronic medical record at central polyclinic of oil industry in Isfahan, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Simultaneous with the rapid changes in the technology and information systems, hospitals interest in using them. One of the most common systems in hospitals is electronic medical record (EMR) whose one of uses is providing better health care quality via health information technology. Prior to its use, attempts should be put to identifying factors affecting the acceptance, attitude and utilizing of this technology. The current article aimed to study the effective factors of EMR acceptance by technology acceptance model (TAM) at central polyclinic of Oil Industry in Isfahan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a practical, descriptive and regression study. The population research were all EMR users at polyclinic of Oil Industry in 2012 and its sampling was simple random with 62 users. The tool of data collection was a research-made questionnaire based on TAM. The validity of questionnaire has been assigned through the strategy of content validity and health information technology experts' views and its reliability by test-retest. FINDINGS: The system users have positive attitude toward using EMR (56.6%). Also, users are not very satisfied with effective external (38.14%) and behavioral factors (47.8%) upon using the system. Perceived ease-of-use (PEU) and perceived usefulness (PU) were at a good level. CONCLUSION: Lack of relative satisfaction with using of EMR derives from factors such as appearance, screen, data and information quality and terminology. In this study, it is suggested to improve the system and the efficiency of the users through software' external factors development. So that PEU and users' attitude to be changed and moved in positive manner.