Cinnarizine/betahistine combination vs. the respective monotherapies in acute peripheral vertigo: a randomized triple-blind placebo-controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of cinnarizine/betahistine combination with the respective monotherapies in patients with acute peripheral vertigo (APV). METHOD: A randomized, triple-blind placebo-controlled phase III trial was performed on 162 patients with APV to compare the efficacy of cinnarizine/betahistine combination with the respective monotherapies. Patients were randomly allocated into three groups (n = 54 each) of Bet. (betahistine and placebo), Cin. (cinnarizine and placebo), and Bet. + Cin. (betahistine and cinnarizine). The first group received cinnarizine tablets (25 mg) plus placebo three times a day, the second group received betahistine tablets (8 mg) plus placebo three times a day, and the third group received betahistine (8 mg) plus cinnarizine (25 mg) combination three times a day. The treatments were continued for 1 week. Patients were followed up to 3 days and 1 week after initiation of the treatments for changes in vertigo severity measured by visual grading scale (VAS), mean vertigo score (MVS), and mean concomitant symptom score (MCSS). RESULTS: Results showed a significant difference between the groups in VAS (p = 0.001), MVS (p = 0.0001), and MCSS (p = 0.0001) at 1-week follow-up, where the respective values were significantly lower in the Cin. + Bet. group as compared with the respective monotherapies. Efficacy and tolerability of the treatment were found to be higher in the Cin. + Bet. group at 3-day and 1-week follow-up periods (p = 0.0001, for all comparisons). None of the patients reported any side effects during the study. CONCLUSION: This study indicated the superiority of the cinnarizine/betahistine combination over the respective monotherapies in the treatment of APV. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20130710013947N9.

A 14-year-old boy with multiple trauma and bilateral basal ganglia hemorrhage due to coronavirus disease 2019: a case report.

BACKGROUND: In December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 spread worldwide, causing acute respiratory distress syndrome. Coronavirus disease 2019 presents from an asymptomatic infection to severe disease causing multiorgan failure. Neurological manifestations were observed in some patients, including intracerebral hemorrhage. Bilateral basal ganglia hemorrhage is rare due to trauma. CASE PRESENTATION: Our patient was a 14-year-old Iranian boy with multiple trauma and loss of consciousness who tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019. The brain computed tomography scan reported bilateral basal ganglia hemorrhage. Bilateral ground glass opacity was reported through a chest computed tomography scan. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we reported a 14-year-old boy referred to the emergency room due to multiple trauma. Through the medical interventions, bilateral basal ganglia hemorrhage was discovered incidentally. Coronavirus disease 2019 was detected in this patient on the basis of findings in chest computed tomography scan and positive real reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test. Several clinical reports and series exploring the relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 and ischemic strokes have been published. Coronavirus disease 2019, like other acute respiratory syndromes, can invade the central nervous system through hematogenous and neuronal dissemination or it can be an immune response to the cytokine storm. In conclusion, it is vital to know the pathophysiology of the neurological manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 and prevent the mild neurological manifestations leading to severe conditions.

Evaluation of patterns, cause and risk factors of burns in patients with seizure.

BACKGROUND: Burns following convulsion could be an important problem for patients with epilepsy. In the present study we aimed to identify the pattern and the cause of burns in these patients. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study that was performed in 2017-2019 in Guilan on 40 patients with burns following seizure. The information in the records of patients were reviewed. We collected data including age, sex, marital status, occupation, place of residence, length of hospital stay, anatomy of the burn site, percentage of burn, degree of burns, cause of burns and disease outcome. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 42.2±2.99 years. Seven cases (17.5%) had burns due to fire, 5 cases (12.5%) due to gas explosion, 3 cases (7.5%) due to electrocution, 15 cases (37.5%) with hot water, 1 case (2.5%) with hot liquids, 5 cases (12.5%) with hot surface, 1 case (2.5%) with hot bath, 2 cases (5%) with hot food and 1 case (2.5%) with hot glue. The mean burning percentage of patients was 19.3±3.18%. The most common patterns of burns were observed as 7 (17.5%) upper limbs and 7 (17.5%) lower limbs. The mean duration of hospitalization was 5.05±0.69 days ranging from 1 to 18 days. 37 patients (92.5%) recovered partially and 3 patients (7.5%) died. CONCLUSION: Hot water, fire and hot surface are most common causes of burns and there were significant direct correlations between age with percentage of burns and duration of hospitalization. We believe further studies should evaluate the preventive strategies in this regard.

Traumatic brain injuries in children during COVID-19 pandemic: a national report from northern Iran.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that referral cases of traumatic injuries have decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic both in childhood and in adulthood. Still we have very little evidence of referrals due to traumatic brain injury among children during the COVID-19 outbreak. The present study aimed to describe epidemiological and clinical features of pediatric traumatic brain injuries. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on all patients under 15 years with any evidence of head trauma, referring to Poursina teaching hospital, a referral center for trauma and road accidents in northern Iran. The patients' data were retrospectively collected by reviewing the hospital recorded files and the trauma-specific hospital information system. RESULTS: Of all 543 pediatric traumatic injuries referred to our hospital during the two pointed periods, 166 had any evidence of head and neck injuries leading to an overall prevalence rate of 30.6%. In this regard, the prevalence rate of head/neck injuries was estimated to be 140 out of 436 within a pre-COVID-19 period (32.1%) and 26 out of 107 within the COVID-19 period (24.3%) indicating no significant difference between the two time periods (P = 0.243). However, assessing the rate of head/neck injuries pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods according to patients' age showed a higher rate of such injuries in pre-COVID-19 as compared to COVID-19 periods in patients aged less than two years (55.6% versus 37.5%, P = 0.013) as well as aged 2 to six years (45.8% versus 30.0%, P = 0.036). CONCLUSION: The rate of admission of children due to traumatic brain injury during the COVID-19 period does not show a significant change compared to before, and only in children under 6 years of age a decrease in referrals due to brain trauma during the COVID-19 period was observed.

Investigation of clinical findings and CT scan in children with minor head trauma.

BACKGROUND: The most common cause of death or severe impairment in children older than one-year-old is traumatic brain injury (TBI). Assessing TBI in children with minor head trauma (MHT) using clinical findings from history-taking and a physical exam is crucial to minimizing unnecessary brain CTs and more accurately predicting TBI. We aimed to evaluate the findings of brain CT scans in children with mild head trauma and their relationship with clinical signs and symptoms to avoid unnecessary interventions in many children with MHT. METHODS: This cross-sectional-analytical study was performed to evaluate the findings of brain CT scans in children with MHT and their relationship with clinical signs and symptoms that were referred to Poursina Hospital in Rasht in the first half of 2021. Children were divided into two age groups: under two years and 2-12 years, and analyzed separately. Initially, a list containing all demographic information, patients' clinical signs, and symptoms were prepared. The collected data were then analyzed using SPSS software version 26. RESULTS: According to the results, the mean age of patients was 66.01 months and 88 were boys (56.4%). The most common mechanism of injury was falling from a height. Most patients had isolated head injuries. Among the accompanying injuries, facial injuries were the most common. Among the clinical factors studied, cranial fracture on CT scan and GCS less than 15 were significantly associated with the occurrence of traumatic brain injury on CT scan. In addition, cranial fracture on CT scan, injury severity, and history of vomiting had the highest positive predictive value, respectively. CONCLUSION: Standard history and clinical examination are sufficient to identify high-risk cases of pediatric head injuries. GCS is the most important risk factor for pediatric MHT. Requesting a CT scan is not recommended without these risk factors.

The Effectiveness of the Anteroom (Vestibule) Area on Hospital Infection Control and Health Staff Safety: A Systematic Review.

The emergence of SARS-CoV2 in 2019 showed again that the world's healthcare system is not fully equipped and well-designed for preventing the transmission of nosocomial respiratory infections. One of the great tools for preventing the spread of infectious organisms in hospitals is the anteroom. Several articles have investigated the role of the anteroom in disease control but the lack of a comprehensive study in this field prompted us to provide more in-depth information to fill this gap. Also, this study aimed to assess the necessity to construct an anteroom area for hospital staff members at the entrance of each ward of the hospital, and specify the equipment and facilities which make the anteroom more efficient. Articles were identified through searches of Scopus, Web of Sciences, PubMed, and Embase for studies published in English until May 2020 reporting data on the effect of the anteroom (vestibule) area in controlling hospital infections. Data from eligible articles were extracted and presented according to PRISMA's evidence-based data evaluation search strategy. Also, details around the review aims and methods were registered with the PROSPERO. From the database, 209 articles were identified, of which 25 studies met the study criteria. Most studies demonstrated that an anteroom significantly enhances practical system efficiency. The results showed that the equipment such as ventilation system, high-efficiency particulate absorption filter, hand dispensers, alcohol-based disinfection, sink, mirror, transparent panel, UVC disinfection, and zone for PPE change, and parameters like temperature, door type, pressure, and size of the anteroom are factors that are effective on the safety of the hospital environment. Studies demonstrated that providing an anteroom for changing clothing and storing equipment may be useful in reducing the transmission of airborne infections in hospitals. Since the transmission route of SARS-CoV2 is common with other respiratory infectious agents, it can be concluded that a well-designed anteroom could potentially decrease the risk of SARS-CoV2 transmission during hospitalization as well.

Traumatic injuries in children during COVID-19 pandemic: a national report from northern Iran.

BACKGROUND: There are no comprehensive and accurate statistics on epidemiology and clinical features, especially during the COVID-19 period. The present study tries to describe the pediatric traumas in a referral treatment center in northern Iran during the COVID-19 period and to compare the available statistics with the years before pandemics to examine the differences in the epidemiology of this event in our country. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 543 children under 15 years admitted to this hospital due to different types of traumas in the first six months of 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and the first six months of 2020 (coinciding with the peak of the pandemic). The information was retrospectively collected by reviewing the hospital recorded files and the trauma-specific hospital information system. RESULTS: In total, 436 children were referred before the COVID-19 pandemic period and 107 within the pandemic outbreak. The peak age of patients admitted was 2 to 6 years (32.0%) and 70.5% were male. Most of the pointed children had normal weight. The most common mechanism of trauma before and during the COVID-19 pandemic was falling from a height (46.3% versus 42.1%), followed by road accidents (35.6% versus 36.4%). The overall prevalence of penetrating trauma was 6.9% and 9.3%. The most common body sites affected were the head and neck (32.1%) followed by extremities (before the COVID-19 period) and extremities (29.0%) followed by the head and neck (24.3%) (in the COVID-19 period). The overall rates of multiple trauma before and within the pandemic were also 35.6% versus 35.5%. In children aged 12 to 15 years, road accidents were more reported during the COVID-19 pandemic period (68.4% versus 50.9%) and contrarily falling from a height more before the pandemic (25.5% versus 0.0%). In children under two years of age, head and neck trauma was more reported before the COVID-19 period than in the COVID-19 period (55.6% versus 35.5%), while at this age, limb trauma was more common during the COVID-19 period than before (5.6% versus 20.8%) (P = 0.043). In lean children, abdominal and pelvic trauma were mainly seen in the COVID-19 period (28.6% versus 2.6%) (P = 0.035). CONCLUSION: Referrals of children from traumatic injuries decreased during the COVID-19 period. However, the main differences in the mechanism of trauma and the type and severity of traumatic injuries to children in this period emphasize the provision of specific guidelines for trauma management in children.

Evaluation of proximal femoral geometry and its relationship with body mass index in Iranian people: a cross sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: There are several studies on the angle of the femoral neck in different countries. It seems that data of diverse races might help the prediction of femoral neck fractures. The present study aimed to evaluate the femoral neck-shaft angle (FNSA) as a predictive factor of neck fracture in Iranian people. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the FNSA was measured using radiographs in 635 patients referred to Poursina Hospital in Rasht from September 2018 to October 2019. The body mass index (BMI) was calculated, age and sex of patients were recorded. Data were analyzed by SPSS. The level of statistical significance was adjusted to P<0.05. RESULTS: According to the measured variables, gender, age, BMI and right FNSA are significant in the way that participants with normal BMI have higher FNSA. FNSA decreased with age and height. Obese people had lower FNSA than normal and overweight people. Comparison of left and right angles using the Wilcoxon test showed a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). The right side FNSA was more than the left (59.94%). Only in 39.9%, the left FNSA was more than the right, and in 0.15% both were the same. CONCLUSION: The present cross-sectional study shows a significant relationship between BMI and FNSA. It is suggested that physician evaluates these parameters for prediction of fracture risk in individuals.

Evaluation the accuracy and cost effectiveness of using the Bernese and Ottawa rules in ankle Sprain.

INTRODUCTION: Ankle sprain is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries that occur most commonly in the active and working population. Ottawa and Burns Laws are tools for physicians to determine the need for a radiograph of an ankle injury. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the Ottawa and Bernese criteria in patients with torsion of the foot and the economical savings resulting from the application of these two criteria. METHODS: This prospective study was designed to evaluate the two rules burns of Bernese and Ottawa and their economic savings were designed in two phases. They were referred to Poursina Medical Center, Rasht, Iran from September 2019 to the achieved sample size. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 24 (Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) 21, Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: A total of 800 patients were included in this study to determine the accuracy of bronze and Ottawa criteria in ankle torsion and the economic cost of using them. Of the 800 patients studied, 430 (53.7%) were male and 370 (46.3%) were female, with a mean age of 35.77±16.42 years. The diagnostic accuracy of the Ottawa criteria is 90% and the diagnostic accuracy of the Bernese criteria is 90.75%. The sensitivity of the Ottawa evaluation method was 97.6% and the specificity was 88%. The sensitivity of Bernese evaluation method was 91% and specificity was 90.7%. CONCLUSION: Because of the higher sensitivity of the Ottawa criterion than the Bernese criteria, it is preferred to determine the probability of fracture for emergency unit personnel. Using these two methods can reduce the time, energy and cost of treatment for the patient during the treatment period.

Comparative study of the neck shaft angle in femoral neck and intertrochanteric fractures in north part of Iran.

BACKGROUND: A femur fracture is accounted for as one of the most common fractures in the population. The femoral neck has had an angle with the longitudinal axis of the bone shaft, which is defined as neck- shaft angle (NSA). Regional epidemiologic information about NSA might be useful for orthopedic surgeons. In the present study, we aimed conduct a comparative study of NSA in patients with femoral neck or intertrochanteric fractures in Rasht, Iran. METHODS: The study population consisted of all patients with hip fractures. Patients with femoral fractures (neck and intertrochanteric) were examined by an emergency medicine specialist at the time of admission. An Anterior-Posterior X-ray image was taken at the time of admission. Patients NSA was measured by expert orthopedic surgeons and was compared between patients. RESULTS: In the present study, we evaluated the data of 80 patients with femoral fractures and 40 healthy individuals as control group. Patients were divided into two groups of femoral neck fractures (40 patients) and intertrochanteric fractures (40 patients). Analysis of the NSA showed no significant differences between the NSA of patients with neck and intertrochanteric fractures and also control group (P>0.05). Our data showed that the mean NSA in patients with femoral neck fractures were 131.04±3.7° degrees while the NSA of patients with intertrochanteric fractures were 132.07±4.1°. The NSA of controls were also 132.8±6.9°. We also found no significant differences between the NSA of different age groups or between male and female patients. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that no significant differences could be indicated between NSA of healthy subjects and patients with femoral fractures. We believe that paradoxical results of former reports could be due to population and regional factors.

Continuous Education of Basic Life Support (BLS) through Social Media; a Quasi-Experimental Study.

INTRODUCTION: It is imperative, if not fundamental, for medical students to receive continuing education in Basic life support (BLS). This present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of continuing education using social media in this regard. METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, a questionnaire containing 20 items about BLS awareness was completed by the interns who were trained monthly in the emergency medicine training course. Then half of the interns received distant education through Telegram software up to three months, and the other did not receive any further education. Again, both groups completed the questionnaire at the end of the third month. RESULTS: 100 medical interns with the mean age of 25.05 ± 1.26 years were allocated to two groups of 50 subjects (65.0% female). Two groups were similar regarding the mean age (p = 0.304), gender (p = 0.529), mean awareness score at the beginning of the study (p = 0.916), and average pre-internship exam score (p = 0.080). The mean awareness score of medical interns increased significantly in intervention (11.44 ± 2.37 to 14.88 ± 1.97, p < 0.0001) and control (11.38 ± 3.22 to 12.54 ± 3.04, p < 0.0001) groups at second examination. But mean difference of awareness score, before and after the education, was significantly higher in intervention group (3.44 ± 1.48 versus 1.16 ± 1.51; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The increase in the BLS awareness score was significantly higher in medical interns who were continuously educated using Telegram social media software.

Electrocardiogram Changes as an Independent Predictive Factor of Mortality in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke; a Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Various factors such as age and severity of the stroke have been deemed connected with risk of mortality in patients with acute ischemic brain stroke. The present study was performed with the aim of evaluating the role of electrocardiogram (ECG) changes in predicting the outcome of these patients. METHODS: In this cohort study, patients who had presented to the emergency department of a teaching hospital during 1 year and were diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke were evaluated. Demographic data and 12-lead ECG findings of the patients were gathered and their relationship with 1-year mortality was analyzed. RESULTS: Finally, 546 stroke patients with the mean age of 69.5±12.7 (24 - 100) years were studied (53.3% female). 82.7% of the studied patients had at least one of the evaluated ECG abnormalities. The most common ECG findings included normal sinus rhythm (27.3%), inverted T wave (21.2%), sinus tachycardia (11.7%), atrial fibrillation (AF) (11.5%), and pathologic Q wave (9.9%). In the end, 117 (20.9%) patients died during the 1-year follow-up. Frequencies of non-sinus rhythm (p < 0.0001), inverted T wave (p = 0.0001), AF rhythm (p<0.0001), pathologic Q (p<0.0001), ST segment changes (p = 0.011), and atrioventricular (AV) node block (p = 0.007) were significantly higher in patients who died. ECG changes increased the odds of 1-year mortality of these patients 4 times (Odds ratio = 4.05 with 95% CI: 2.39 - 6.87; p < 0.0001). Additionally, age over 60 years and having a history of cardiac diseases increased the odds of mortality 6 (95% CI: 1.4 - 27.9) and 1.5 (95% CI: 0.9 - 2.1) times, respectively. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of the present study, it seems that along with age and history of cardiac diseases, ECG changes can be considered as an independent predictive factor of mortality in patients with ischemic stroke.

Significance of Cardiac Troponin I Elevation in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial dysfunction is frequently described as an underlying cause of mortality in traumatic brain injury (TBI) known as brain-cardiac link. However the impact on prognosis of a disease remains uncertain. OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed at investigating the correlation between TBI and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) rise and in-hospital mortality rate among patients with TBI. METHODS: In the current prospective study TBI patients with abbreviated injury scale score (AIS) > 3 and Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score ≤ 8 with cTnI measurement within the first 24 hours of admission were evaluated. Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U and Logistic Regression tests were used for data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 166 eligible patients were studied .The mean age of the cases was 37.64 ± 17.21 years, largely under 65 (93.4%) and male (86.7%).The most common injuries were cerebral contusion (35.1%), while motor vehicle crash (MVC) was the most common cause of injuries (83.73%); 59 % of the patients showed detectable cTnI concentrations within 24 hours of admission; 65.7% of the patients expired; they showed higher levels of cTnI compared to survivors that showed lower levels, 0.148 ± 0.074 vs 0.057 ± 0.055, respectively (P < 0.001). Moreover, a significant association was observed between mortality rate and lower admission GCS 3.49 ± 1.08 vs 6.79 ± 1.66, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Increased cTnI levels could be a predictor of mortality among patients with TBI. Its measurement and investigation for therapeutic strategies could lead to better management of these cases.

Blood Urea Nitrogen to Creatinine ratio in Differentiation of Upper and Lower Gastrointestinal Bleedings; a Diagnostic Accuracy Study.

INTRODUCTION: Finding easily accessible and non-invasive methods for differentiating various sources of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding before performing endoscopy and colonoscopy is of great interest. The present study was designed with the aim of evaluating the screening performance characteristics of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) to Creatinine (Cr) ratio in this regard. METHODS: The present diagnostic accuracy study was performed on patients with acute GI bleeding presenting to emergency department from 2011 to 2016, in a retrospective manner. BUN/Cr ratio was calculated for all patients and its accuracy in differentiation of upper and lower GI bleedings, confirmed via endoscopy or colonoscopy, was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 621 patients with the mean age of 59.49±17.94 (5 - 93) years were studied (60.5% male). Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of BUN/Cr ratio for predicting the source of GI bleeding was 0.63 (95% CI: 0.57 - 0.68). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of BUN/Cr ratio at 35 cut-off point were 19.63% (95%CI: 16.69 - 23.45), 90.16% (95%CI: 83.11 - 94.88), 89.09 (95%CI: 81.35 - 93.98), 21.53 (95%CI: 18.09 - 25.39), 8.16 (95%CI:4.76 - 13.98), and 3.65 (95%CI: 3.44 - 3.87), respectively. CONCLUSION: Considering the relatively proper specificity and positive predictive value of BUN/Cr ratio, in cases that bleeding source cannot be determined using other non-invasive methods, values higher than 35 can predict upper GI bleeding with high probability. However, due to the low sensitivity, values less than 35 are not diagnostic.