Effects of oral N-acetyl cysteine on pain and plasma biochemical parameters in fibrocystic breast disorder: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Fibrocystic change is the most common benign lesion in breasts of a woman in her reproductive age. It is an outcome of estrogen excess due to sex hormone imbalance. Cyclical pain as the most common symptom worsens life quality, compels patient to seek health care support continuously, and imposes large amounts of expense to both patient and health system. Current study aims to evaluate effects of N-acetyl cysteine on decreasing pain and changes in plasma biochemistry. Method: A total of 64 eligible women participated in this double-blinded randomized controlled trial. They were between 18 and 40 years. Participants were randomly allocated into oral N-acetyl cysteine and placebo receivers. Intervention and follow-up lasted for, respectively, a 12-week drugs-on and 12-month drugs-off period. Visual analog scaling was applied to measure severity of pain. Peripheral venous plasma was extracted and compared for inflammatory parameters including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde, total plasma glutathione, lipid profile, and fasting blood sugar. Results: Oral N-acetyl cysteine significantly decreased feeling of cyclical mastalgia (P < .01) after 12 weeks of consumption. In addition to lowering of plasma level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (P = .008), total plasma glutathione significantly increased (P = .02) among N-acetyl cysteine receivers. No change in lipid profile and insulin sensitivity was seen. Conclusion: N-Acetyl cysteine could mitigate cyclical mastalgia. Inflammation as a considered reason for cyclical mastalgia also was halted by N-acetyl cysteine consumption.

Morphology of the corpus callosum and schizophrenia: A case-control study in Kashan, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Corpus Callosum (CC) plays a significant role in hemispheric communication and in lateralized brain function and behaviors. Structural abnormalities in the corpus callosum of schizophrenic patients were reported. However, previous studies regarding the relationship between morphology of CC in patients with schizophrenia and healthy people are controversial. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the morphological differences of the CC between patients with chronic schizophrenia and healthy people and to examine the relationship between the characteristics of the CC and schizophrenia severity. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 63 patients with chronic schizophrenia (the case group) referred to Kargarnezhad Psychiatric Hospital in Kashan, Iran, and 63 healthy people (the control group) between January 2013 and December 2014. All participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging. Shape, anteroposterior length, and area of the CC were measured and compared in both groups. The severity of the symptoms occurring in patients with schizophrenia was evaluated using the positive and negative syndrome scale. In this study, we employed Chi-square test, t-test, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient test, bivariate analysis of variance and logistic regression were used to test the association between different variables using SPSS software version 20. RESULTS: Results showed that the most common shape of the CC in each group was splenial bulbosity. The length and area of the CC in patients with schizophrenia were less than those of the control group and were greater in men compared with women in both groups. Although there was a significant difference in the surface area of the CC between the schizophrenic and control groups (p<0.001), no significant difference was seen regarding the anteroposterior length of CC (p=0.75). Moreover, a significant correlation was found between the surface area and anteroposterior length of the CC (p<0.001 and p<0.014, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Morphologic characteristics of the CC can be helpful to anticipate schizophrenia especially in patients' family, and it can be used for suitable and faster treatment to prevent progressive cognitive dysfunction.

Evaluation of QT Dispersion in Children with Breath Holding Spells.

OBJECTIVE: Breath holding spells (BHS) are common involuntary reflexes in infancy and early childhood. Differential diagnosis should embrace Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) and paroxysmal abnormalities of rhythm. The aim of this study was to compare QT dispersion (QTd) in children with breath holding spells and normal controls. MATERIALS & METHODS: QT dispersion and Corrected QT(QTc) dispersion were measured in 12 lead surface electrocardiograms in 56 patients with BHS and compared with healthy children of the same age referred to the clinic for regular checkup visits. RESULTS: The most common type of BHS was cyanotic (83.9%). Seven patients (12.5%) had pallid and two patients (3.5%) had mixed spells. There was a history of breath holding spells in 33.9% of the children. QT dispersion was 61.6± 22.5 and 47.1±18.8 ms in patient and control groups, respectively. QTc dispersion (QTcd) was 104 ± 29.6 and 71.9 ±18.2 ms, respectively. There was a significant difference between patient and control groups in terms of QTd and QTcd (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: QTd and QTcd were increased in children with BHS. Therefore, the evaluation of EKG for early diagnosis of rhythm abnormalities seems reasonable in these children.