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Suffering from multiple diseases simultaneously has turned the elderly into the largest group of drug users in society. On the other hand, the situation of the pattern of drug consumption by the elderly vulnerable group has received less attention. The present study was conducted to determine the pattern of drug consumption among the elderly in the country between 2010 and 2023. The present study is a narrative review. Based on the defined keywords, a targeted search has been conducted in available Persian and English databases. 114 articles were found, and by removing duplicates and appraisal of abstracts based on the inclusion criteria and the purpose of the research, finally, 14 articles (8 English and 6 Persian) were analyzed. The most common drugs used by the elderly in Iran were cardiovascular, pain relievers, and digestive drugs, and more than 90% of the drugs were taken orally. Also, according to the findings, polypharmacy is common among the elderly in the country, and with the increase in the number of drugs used, self-administration of drugs, non-adherence to drugs, and the use of potentially inappropriate drugs have also increased. Previous recovery experience and easy access to medicine are also mentioned as the most important factors of self-treatment. The use of drugs by the Iranian elderly does not follow a logical pattern, which can not only lead to serious consequences in the health status of this age group but will also have significant economic and social consequences for the elderly and their families, the health system, and the society.

Abstract Background A error in intravenous injection in pediatric wards can cause irreparable injuries. This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge and performance of nurses in terms of preparation and injection of intravenous drugs in pediatric wards of hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 on 156 nurses working in pediatric wards. The data was collected with demographic information questionnaire and the knowledge and performance of the participants were determined using a researcher-made questionnaire, including the five rights of medication administration (preparation and injection, medication error, drug side effects, family empowerment, and documentation) using self-reporting and observation methods. Formal and content validity was calculated using the opinions of 10 experts and Cronbach's alpha with 40 samples. Results The mean and standard deviation of total nurses' knowledge and performance scores were 58.31 + 10.1 and 66.1 + 14.4, respectively. Moreover, the mean and standard deviation of nurses' knowledge scores were 63.55 + 14.3 for documentation, 46.1 + 7.9 for preparation and injection, 73.9 + 12.3 for drug side effects, 58.4 + 10.2 for medication error, and 69.4 + 9.4 for family empowerment. Besides, the mean performance was 69.1 + 17.6 for documentation, 61.3 ± 9.9 for preparation and injection, 78.21 + 12 for drug side effects, 58.6 + 15 for medication error, and 65.4 + 17.7 for family empowerment. Conclusion The results showed that the mean knowledge and pharmacological performance of nurses working in pediatric wards in different areas of the principles of medicine were not at the desired level, and this can affect children adversely.

Background: Eating disorders in some infants can be due to the inability to reach a level of relaxation necessary to start the feeding process. Gabapentin (GB) has been proposed as a stabilizer of nerve function in improving this disorder. This study aimed to investigate the effect of GB on improving feeding resistance in infants aged 3–6 months. Materials and Methods: This randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial was done on 64 infants aged 3-6 months with feeding resistance who were referred to the pediatric clinics and assigned to two groups of 32. The case group was given a dose of 5 mg/kg of GB in the first week, and if not too much sedation, it was increased to 10 mg/kg in the second week every 8 hours, whereas the control group received a placebo. The number of effective breastfeeding and the volume of formula in cc before and after 2 weeks of drug usage were recorded in both groups. Results: The number of breastfeeding sessions significantly had a higher increase in the GB group compared with placebo (median [IQR]: 1 [0,1] vs. 0 [0,1], P = 0.005) as well as an increase in consumed formula volume (mean ± SD: 42.81 ± 24.49 vs. 18.67 ± 14.57, P = 0.003). Conclusion: Considering the significant increase in formula consumption and the number of breastfeeding sessions in the GB group, it is possible to use this drug as a nerve-stabilizer and pain reducer to treat this disorder.

Abstract Background The use of oxytocin as a therapy to treat social deficiencies in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is gaining popularity. This study aimed to determine oxytocin nasal spray’s effect in combination with applied behavior analysis (ABA) method in improving social impairments in pediatrics with ASD. Results Our study’s main findings have revealed that intervention with INT-OXT compared to NS effectively reduced the ASD index and stereotyped behaviors on the GARS-2 scale (p

Objective: Aluminum phosphide (ALP) and zinc phosphide (ZnP) are toxic agrochemical pesticides, which are commonly used as an agent of self-harm in developing countries. Because of high toxicity of phosphides, we evaluated toxico-epidemiology ALP and ZnP poisoning in with respect to outcome. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study with retrospective chart review including the records for patients admitted due to phosphide poisoning (ALP, ZnP) in a poisoning referral center in Khorshid Hospital, affiliated with Isfahan University of Medial Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, outcome (survived or death), and length of hospital stay for the patients were recorded in a data collecting form. Binary backward stepwise logistic regression was used for outcome prediction. Findings: Sixty patients were evaluated in the study. The mean age of patients was 27.61. Thirty-nine patients were men. 96.7% of the patients ingested it intentionally. Most of the patients on admission were conscious (66.7%). Abnormality of EKG was noted in 8.3%. The mortality in ALP and ZnP poisoning was 39.2% and 22.2%, respectively. Serum bicarbonate and base excess in the venous blood gas analysis, systolic blood pressure, and serum sodium level were significantly different between patients with ALP and ZnP poisoning on admission time (P < 0.05). On admission, systolic blood pressure was an important predictive factor for mortality (odds ratio 4.87; 95% confidence interval: 1.5–15.45; P = 0.007). Conclusion: The rate of mortality in phosphide poisoning is high. Knowing predictive factors for mortality help physicians for selecting patients in intensive care unit admission and aggressive treatment.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an oral combined tablet of Glycyrrhiza glabra, Viola odorata, and Operculina turpethum (Anti-Asthma®) as an add-on therapy for the relief of the severity of symptoms in mild-to-moderate childhood asthma. Methods: This randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed on 60 children and adolescents with chronic mild-to-moderate childhood asthma. Patients were randomly divided into cases who received Anti-Asthma® oral combined tablets 2 tablets twice dailt for 1 month and controls, received placebo tablets identically the same to Anti-Asthma® (2 tablets, twice daily, for 1 month) as add-ons to their standard therapy according to the guideline. The severity and frequency of cough attacks and shortness of breath, respiratory test indices (based on spirometry), and the extent of disease control and treatment adherence were measured clinically by validated questionnaires at the beginning and after the study. Findings: Respiratory test indices improved and the severity of activity restriction decreased significantly in the cases compared to the controls However, the mean difference before and after the study was significantly different between the cases and controls only for the number and severity of coughs and the severity of activity restriction. In the scores of the Asthma Control Questionnaire, the cases group had a significant improvement compared to the controls. Conclusion: Anti-Asthma® oral formulation may be effective as an adjunct add-on treatment in the maintenance therapy of mild-to-moderate childhood asthma.

Objective: Tricyclic antidepressants poisoning (TCA) is associated with cardiovascular complications, electrocardiographic abnormalities, and central nervous system toxicity. This study aimed to compare the clinical manifestations of poisoned patients with tricyclic antidepressants alone or with benzodiazepine (BZD) intoxication according to the dose of BZDs. Methods: In this case–control study, 120 patients with TCA poisoning were divided into four groups: the first group of TCA poisoning alone, the second group of TCA and BZD poisoning of

Objectives: One of the major duties of nurses is proper medication administration while maintaining patient safety, which requires sufficient knowledge and practice. Any gaps in knowledge used by nurses can lead to irreversible injury or death of the patient. This study is aimed to determine and compare the pharmacology knowledge and performance of nurses and nursing students in using the information resources in pediatrics wards. Method: This descriptive observational study was performed on 300 nurses and nursing students. Sources of knowledge and performance of nurses and nursing students were analyzed with researcher-made tools to determine their pharmaceutical knowledge, sources of knowledge, and attitudes by independent t-test, chi-square, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson, and Spearman tests. Result: Three hundred questionnaires were examined. The clinical experience of nurses and students was their most important source of information in drug challenges for 33.7% of the participants. About 24.6% of nurses obtained the required information from specialized books on pediatric medicine. About 17.1% of the participants attained their knowledge from multiple sources (e.g. various available sources such as the Internet, pharmacy books, software, and their experiences and colleagues), while electronic sources and the Internet were the sources of knowledge for 15.5% and 7.7% of the nurses, respectively. Concerning nursing students, 6.3% used books, 41.7% considered colleagues (clinical experiences), 20.8% employed electronic resources, 22.8% used the Internet, and 9.1% relied on multiple sources. There were significant differences in the knowledge and performance of the nurses based on their source of pharmacological knowledge (P

Objective: Opioid abuse is widespread throughout the world. Aspiration pneumonia is a serious problem following opioid overdose and poisoning. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of antimicrobial management of opioid-overdose induced aspiration pneumonia in a referral poisoning management university hospital in Iran. Methods: In an observational cross-sectional study (September–March 2019), opioid poisoned patients diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia within a maximum of 48 h of their overdose were evaluated regarding several variables, including the level of consciousness on admission, drug regimen used for the treatment of aspiration pneumonia, and its appropriateness, and the correctness of the used antibiotics dose and the therapeutic outcome. Findings: During the study, 53 eligible patients were identified and included in the study. The most frequently abused opioids were methadone (60.4%) and opium (17%). “Ceftriaxone + Clindamycin” (54.7%) and “Meropenem + Vancomycin” (9.5%) were the most frequently administered regimens. Regarding treatment outcome, most cases (n = 36, 67.9%) were discharged with a stable and satisfying medical status, while 3.8% of the cases (n = 2) died. Conclusion: The use of antibiotics in the treatment of aspiration pneumonia in hospitalized patients with opioid overdose in our referral university hospital is associated with notable antibiotic regimen choice issues. The implementation of strategies for improving the pattern of antibiotic prescribing for these patients is necessary.

Objective: Acute low back pain is a common ailment and causes pain and disability. Physicians often prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat acute low back pain; however, due attention has recently been drawn to muscle relaxants to reduce the severity of patients' daily physical dysfunction. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the administration of indomethacin alone compared with methocarbamolas a muscle relaxant and indomethacin as an NSAID on the treatment of acute low back pain. Methods: The present double-blind clinical trial was performed on 64 patients with acute low back pain. The patients were categorized into two groups and received the treatments as follows. Indomethacin capsules of 25 mg every 8 h and placebo tablets every 8 h were administered in the first group (Group I). Indomethacin capsules of 25 mg every 8 h and methocarbamol tablets of 500 mg every 8 h were administered in the second group (Group I + M). Patient pain intensity and physical function based on Back Pain Function Scale (BPFS) were recorded before and 1 week after the intervention. Findings: The present study results revealed that the mean pain reduction of patients in Group I + M was significantly higher than that of Group I (3.66 ± 3.17 vs. 1.84 ± 1.53; P < 0.001). Moreover, the mean BPFS increase in Group I + M was significantly higher than that of Group I (19.44 ± 8.66 vs. 4.75 ± 4.35; P < 0.001). Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, concomitant administration of indomethacin and methocarbamol can be more effective in reducing pain intensity and improving the patient's physical function (or performance).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to document the demographic data, to assess the proportion of consumed medicines and the amounts and types of drugs available to households, and to to estimate the probable prevalence of certain diseases in the southern region of Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional population-based study carried out in Shiraz (the central city in the Southern part of Iran), we documented and evaluated the drug usage details in a random sample of 1000 households during 2018–2020. We analyzed the usage of drug categories based on the anatomical therapeutic chemical classification, which the World Health Organization recommends. Findings: In the studied population, the average age (± standard deviation) was 45.54 ± 15.82, ranged 18–91 years. More than 90% had medical insurance coverage. About 81.8% of the participants had individual family medicine practitioners, and most of them (93.8%) received medications with a physician's prescription. The most frequently used medications were cough and cold preparations (12.9%), nervous system drugs (12.6%), and cardiovascular system drugs (11.6%). Conclusion: Despite the easy access to medications for most participants, few individuals (about 6%) received their medications without a prescription. The most frequently prescribed medicines were the common cold, acetaminophen, and metformin. Common cold, gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, and diabetes were the most commonly used medication classes. Furthermore, we have found a probably higher than average prevalence of cardiovascular, GI, and endocrine disorders. This information could be used by the local policymakers as a basis for the estimation and allotment of health-care resources.

Objective: In this study, we evaluated the predictive factors for the occurrence of metabolic acidosis in patients with multi-drug poisoning, including antidepressants (Ad)/antipsychotics (Ap). Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the referral poisoning center, Khorshid University Hospital, affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. All patients with multi-drug ingestion, including Ad/Ap, were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups with and without metabolic acidosis. Demographic factors, time from ingestion to admission, clinical manifestations, length of hospital stay, and outcome were compared in two groups. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the risk of metabolic acidosis occurrence. Findings: Among the 206 evaluated patients, 45 patients (21.8%) had metabolic acidosis whom the majority were female (73.3%) with intentional purposes (77.8%). 31.1% of the patients with metabolic acidosis had tachycardia on admission (P = 0.03). Among all variables, time from ingestion to admission (P = 0.02) and lengths of hospital stay (P = 0.002) were significantly different between patients with and without metabolic acidosis. Tachycardia on admission (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.24; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–4.76; P = 0.036) and time from ingestion to admission (adjusted OR, 1.06; 95% CI: 1.00–1.13; P = 0.04) were also the predictive factors in occurrence of metabolic acidosis. Most of the patients survived without any complications (94.6%), of whom 72.3% had no previous underlying somatic diseases (P = 0.05). Conclusion: Admission tachycardia and the time elapsed from ingestion to admission may be considered important factors for predicting metabolic acidosis in multi-drug poisoning, including Ad/Ap.

Objective: This study aimed to measure patient satisfaction with community pharmacy in Isfahan, Iran, in 2019. Methods: In this cross-sectional study (2019), we selected 104 pharmacies located in the second largest city of Iran (Isfahan) based on systematic random sampling and at least five clients at different times of a day who finished the process of obtaining medications from the pharmacies were randomly selected for a short and structured interview using the Persian version of the MacKeigan and Larson questionnaire for measuring patients' satisfaction with pharmacy services. Findings: The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed after distributing 520 among the patients (r = 0.958). No significant difference was observed between sex, marital status, housing status, and total satisfaction score based on the results. In addition, there was a significant difference between educational levels, location, job status, insurance status, real income, and total score of satisfaction (P < 0.05). Our results revealed acceptable satisfaction in some aspects, such as paying attention to pharmacists, the general condition of the pharmacy, and their technical competence. On the other hand, the patients were not satisfied enough in different aspects, for example, counseling, accessibility to their needed drugs, and expenses. Conclusion: Patient satisfaction needs to be improved and enhanced in the case of counseling the patients on their medications, and drug accessibility and expenses remain the primary source of dissatisfaction in the studied population, which should be noted by the Iranian Food and Drug Organization and other related authorities.

Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) is an extremely transmittable microbial infection that has emerged in Wuhan (China) in late 2019, leading to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 syndrome, and caused a pandemic all over the globe. This study is a systematic review of all 927 clinical trial studies performed worldwide from the beginning of the COVID-19 mysterious pandemic in China. These researches have registered in different databases. According to the best of our knowledge, China (74.82%), the United States (4.49%), and France (2.72%) have the most significant number of clinical trials, respectively. Clinical trials can be randomized or nonrandomized. Due to our results, 32.58% of studies were randomized, and 7.12% were not randomized. Most of the studies were open-labeled studies (22.44%), and double-blinded (4.42%) and quadruple blinded (2.48%) studies stand in second and third place regarding the number of trials, respectively. The direction and quantity of clinical trials attempted to identify a possible cure for COVID-19 demonstrates the depth of this crisis. As we are writing this article, a significant international endeavor will find a cure or vaccine for containing this devastating and mysterious disease.

Objective: Opioids poisoning is of the most important cause of mortality. The objective of the study was to compare the demographic factors, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of the most common opioids involved in drug overdose presenting to the Emergency Department. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2016 to March 2017 in the Clinical Toxicology Department of the main referral center of the university. All poisoning cases with common opioids were included in the study. Demographic factors, clinical manifestations, and outcome were recorded in a check list. ANOVA, Chi-square or Fisher's exact test, and binary logistic regression analysis were used for outcome prediction. Findings: Two hundred and thirty six patients with opioids poisoning were evaluated during the study period. The most common opioids involved in poisoning were methadone (47.9%), tramadol (24.2%), and opium (21.6%). Patients with opium poisoning were older than others (P < 0.0001). The rate of suicide was more in the tramadol group, while the past history of psychological problems was more observed in the methadone group (P < 0.0001). Increasing age (odds ratio [OR], 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.09; P = 0.05) and addiction (P = 0.01; OR, 7; 95% CI: 1.55–31.52) was associated with an increased complications or death. Also patients with somatic disease had more chance of complications/death (P = 0.04; OR, 3.71; 95% CI: 1.06–12.97). Kind of opioids was not a predictive factor in the outcome of the patients with acute poisoning. Conclusion: Age, addiction, and somatic disease should be considered as more important factors in outcome prediction with opioids poisoning, including opium, tramadol, and methadone.

Objective: Patients' complain regarding pharmaceutical services at community pharmacies is a fundamental issue as it can directly affect people's service utilization. For the first time in Iran, this survey aimed to investigate the experience of people regarding declare a complaint against the pharmacy sectors as a community-based study. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, over 100 samples based on postal codes were randomly selected from the city of Shiraz in 2017–2018. The data collection instrument was designed in two parts (demographic and social profile which record the complaint experiences against pharmacists, pharmacy services, etc.). The data were analyzed by SPSS. Findings: All 1035 eligible participants had a mean age of 45.54 ± 15.82 years (ranged from 14 to 91). Nearly 70% of the participants were female. Around 81.8% had a family physician coverage, whereas 7.4% of them had no medical insurance coverage. The frequency of complaints from the pharmacies was 35.6%. Nearly 55% of the complaints were related to governmental pharmacies. Homemakers were 1.36 times more likely to have experienced complaints in comparison with their employed female counterparts. Health status had an inverse association with complaints. Those participants who had received prescription medication were about two times more likely to have filed a complaint in comparison with those who received medication without a prescription. In addition, females aged 40–59 and above 60 and unemployed participants were more satisfied with respect to complaint follow-up process. Conclusion: Low level of satisfaction with respect to the complaint process is a concerning issue; hence, strategies are warranted to improve the quality of services provided in the pharmacies.

Objective: We aimed to find the toxicoepidemiological indicators of tramadol poisoning in children and also the relationship of these indicators (such as demographic characteristics, and referral time) with the final therapeutic outcome. Methods: In this cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection, we included the records for all the patients under 18 that have been admitted due to tramadol poisoning between 2010 and 2015 to Noor and Ali-Asghar (PBUH) University hospital which serves as the referral medical center for acute poisonings management in the central part of Iran and is located in Isfahan. Demographic characteristics, ingested dose, dosage forms, clinical manifestations, coingested drugs, and the outcome of treatment for all pediatric patients were documented and descriptively analyzed. Findings: Demographic and clinical data of a total of 189 patients including 101 male (53.4%) with a mean age of 16.66 ± 2.64 years were abstracted and included in this study. The average time between tramadol ingestion and hospital admission was 3.39 ± 3.23 h. Mean duration of hospitalization was 12.3 ± 10.7 h. In all cases, the route of drug exposure was oral, and the most common form of drug dosage form was 100 mg tablets (n = 122) proceeded by 200 mg tablets (n = 32). The mean estimated dose of ingested tramadol was 1126 ± 1061 mg (median, 900 range, 50–7000 mg). 43.9% of the poisoned patients were high school students, and 23.3% had a high school diploma. Intentional intoxications were reported in 93.1% cases and 42.9% had coingestions. Activated charcoal (87.3%), gastric lavage (59.3%), oxygen therapy with mask (46.6%), naloxone (11.6%), anticonvulsants (13.2%), and intubation and ventilation (5.3%) were done as first-line therapeutic measures. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the trend of acute tramadol poisoning among children is decreasing, mostly accidental in adolescents and commonly intentional among young children. Proper education to improve emotional intelligence for young adults and to keep drugs out of reach of the children and safer packaging is recommended to reduce tramadol poisoning incidence in the pediatric population.

Background. Different epidemiologic aspects of drug-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) in children are scarce. Aim. To compare the clinical and epidemiological features of patients with drug-induced SJS and TEN in children and adults. Method. This retrospective study was conducted at two academic referral centers (Isfahan, Iran) over 5 years. SJS and TEN were clinically diagnosed and confirmed by skin biopsy as needed. Results. One hundred one patients (31 children and 70 adults) with a female to male ratio of 1.1 : 1 was identified in the present study. SJS was more commonly diagnosed in both pediatric and adult patients. The most frequent reason for drug administration identified was the infection (45.2%) and seizure (45.2%) in children and infection (34.3%) and psychiatry disorder (27.1%) in adults (P=0.001). The most common culprit drugs in the pediatric were phenobarbital (9/31), cotrimoxazole (4/31), and amoxicillin (4/31); however, in the adult group, the most common drugs were carbamazepine (11/70) and lamotrigine (9/70). Fever was significantly more common in adults (44.3%) compared to pediatric patients (22.6%) (P=0.03). Multiple logistic regression models showed that pediatric patients had significantly lower odds of hospitalization (OR [odds ratio]: 0.14; 95% CI 0.02, 0.67). In addition, patients with SCORTEN 1 had significantly higher odds of hospitalization (OR: 6.3; 95% CI: 1.68, 23.79) compared to patients with SCORTEN 0. Conclusions. The present study showed several differences between the pediatric and adult patients with SJS and TEN, including the reason for drug administration, culprit drugs, length of hospital stay, presence of fever, and final diagnosis of disease.

Background: Acid-base disturbances are common in critically ill patients, and contribute to morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the prevalence of acid-base disturbances in cases with acute poisoning admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, patients with acute poisoning hospitalized in ICU of a university hospital affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran, from March 2016 to December 2017 were included. The acid-base status of the patients on admission time in emergency room, and its association with demographic factors, as well as clinical manifestations and outcome was recorded. Outcome was defined as survived without complication and complication/death. Findings: The majority of patients had acid-base disorder (89.7%). Most patients had metabolic acidosis (31.3%) on admission time, and most of them were men (71.6%) (P = 0.01). 48 patients (22.4%) were alert, of whom, 93.8% had an acid-base disorder. 60 patients (28.03%) were admitted with stupor and coma, of whom, 89.1% had acid-base disorder. There was a significant relationship between acid-base state with gender and level of consciousness at the time of admission (P < 0.05). There was also a significant correlation between treatment outcome with age, ingested toxic agents, and abnormal electrocardiography (ECG). Among different evaluated variables, age was the determinant factor in outcome prediction (P = 0.01; odds ratio (OR) = 1.02; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.004-1.04). Conclusion: Acid-base disorders are common in patients with acute poisoning. The level of consciousness on admission and gender are important associated factors. The status of acid-base on the admission is not the only factor affecting outcomes and prognosis, and should be assessed along with other factors.

Background: In view of the high prevalence of poisoning with antipsychotics, antidepressants, and benzodiazepines, the aim of this study was to compare the cardiovascular complications of poisoning with antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs with or without benzodiazepines. Methods: In this case-control study, 120 patients poisoned with psychiatric drugs were divided into two groups of case (with benzodiazepine) and control (without benzodiazepine). Demographic and clinical features as well as cardiac complications of patients were extracted from their files at the time of admission to the emergency department, and then the data were analyzed. Findings: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of demographic information, poisoning way, drug type, duration of hospitalization, pupil size, hemodynamic data, electrocardiography findings, and outcomes (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Poisoning with antidepressants and antipsychotics, when combined with benzodiazepines, led to a decreased level of consciousness than those who did not take benzodiazepine. Meanwhile, hemodynamic symptoms, changes in electrocardiography, vital signs, nervous system status, and even the outcome of patients in the benzodiazepine group were not significantly different from those who did not take this drug.

Objective: We aimed to detect and report the frequency of occurrence of drug-related problems (DRPs) in a Middle Eastern University Children's Hospital (Isfahan, Iran) and classify them in terms of their nature and cause to clarify the responsibility of clinical pharmacists for the safe utilization of medications in hospitalized children. Methods: In this cross-sectional study which was carried out in Imam Hossein Children's University Hospital affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (Isfahan, Iran) from September 2017 to May 2018, DRPs during the hospitalization of pediatric patients in three medical wards, the pediatric intensive care unit, and two neonatal intensive care units were detected and identified concurrently with the treatment process using Pharmaceutical Care Network of Europe data gathering form for DRPs v. 8.01. All cases were verified and validated in a professional focus group before documentation. Findings: We detected 427 DRPs in 201 out of 250 randomly included hospitalized children in which 86% of them were directly reported by the hospital's clinical pharmacist. The highest frequency of DRPs (47.3%) was observed in the age range of 1 month–2 years. Safety of treatment was the most frequently reported as the nature of the problem (43.5%), followed by effectiveness issues (36.8%). The most frequent cause of DRPs was dose selection issues (34.2%), followed by drug-type selection (25.5%), and unavailability of appropriate dosage forms (13.6%). Ninety-eight interventions were proposed by the clinical pharmacist, in which 59.2% of them were accepted. Conclusion: This study confirms the necessity for the active role of clinical pharmacists before, during, and after drug therapy in hospitalized pediatric patients for the safety and proper utilization of drugs in this vulnerable population.

Background: Paraquat (PQ) poisoning is a serious public health concern, especially in developing countries, due to its easy access and lack of awareness of potential harms. No effective treatment has been reported yet. Conventional hemodialysis (HD) is still used in many centers for excreting PQ or reducing acute kidney injury, but there is no consensus on its efficacy. Therefore, we aimed to review the HD efficacy in PQ poisoning mortality. Materials and Methods: We searched Web of Science, PubMed, Excerpta Medical Database, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane, Web of Knowledge, Pro-Quest, ScienceDirect, Springer, Clinical Key, Scientific Information Database, Magiran, and Iran-doc, in publications before January 1, 2020. We compared patients who underwent HD (Group 1) with those who did not (Group 2). The outcome was considered mortality/survival. The data were analyzed by Comprehensive Meta-analysis Software. Results: This systematic review and meta-analysis included five studies with a combined total of 203 patients. The patients in the Group 1 had higher mortality than Group 2 (odds ratio, 2.84; 95% confidence interval: 1.22–6.64; P = 0.02). There was no evidence of publication bias (P value for Egger's test = 0.833). Conclusion: Although HD did not affect the survival of patients, other variables such as the amount of ingested PQ, poisoning severity, the time between PQ ingestion and the start of HD, duration, and times of HD sessions may influence the results regarding mortality.

Objective: The trend of methadone toxicity in children and adolescents seems to be increasing in Iran since it is used as a legal measure of the treatment for opioids addiction in methadone maintenance therapy clinics. In the present study, we describe the clinical and demographical characteristics of acute methadone toxicity in a cohort of pediatric poisoned patients in Isfahan, Iran and discussed the predictive factors for their treatment outcomes. Methods: In this 4-year cross-sectional study which was performed from 2013 to 2016 in a referral university hospital (Isfahan, Iran), medical records of the demographic and admission time clinical characteristics of all in-patients aged

Objective: Bispectral index (BIS) is one of the several methods used to monitor the depth of anesthesia. Poisoning with ingestion of different drugs is one of the most common poisonings that have different clinical signs from drowsiness to coma. This study was performed to compare the BIS index number in poisoned patients with multi drugs ingestion with or without the need for endotracheal intubation. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on poisoned patients with ingestion of different drugs referring to Clinical Toxicology Department of Noor University Hospital, Isfahan, Iran. The clinical signs and symptoms and the vital signs at the admission time were measured, and the required therapies were given. The endotracheal intubation was done for patients who had the indication of intubation. BIS was monitored and compared for all patients with or without a need for intubation on the admission time and time of endotracheal intubation. Obtained data were analyzed by SPSS software. Findings: At the admission time, the mean (standard error [SE]) BIS index value for poisoned patients who needed endotracheal intubation was 66.47 ± 2.57 in comparison with 85.21 ± 1.47 for patients who did not need intubation (P < 0.001). The results of receiver operating characteristic curve (mean ± SE) showed the discrimination was excellent for BIS (0.899 ± 0.04; 95% confidence interval: 0.81–0.98) (P < 0.0001). BIS

Objective: Suicide is a social health problem worldwide. Anemia has been associated with depression. Since it remains debated whether anemia is associated with suicide independently of depression, we evaluate this probable association in women who attempted suicide through acute poisoning. Methods: The study design was cross-sectional and performed on women who attempted suicide through intentional poisoning with age more than 18 years old. Different variables were evaluated and compared in patients with respect to anemia, depression, other psychiatric diseases and history of suicide. Independent t-tests and binary logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. Findings: Nearly 26.2% of the women had anemia (n = 55). Most women with anemia were in the age group of 20–40 years (68.8%). 52.2% of the women were married. Mixed-drug poisoning was the most common (60.1%) followed by pesticide (8.9%), and antipsychiatric medications (8.4%). There was a significant difference in duration of hospitalization between anemic and nonanemic patients. Nearly 72.7% of the patients survived without complications. Anemia and depression were not significant predictive factors for depression and suicide. However, in our patients, the presence of other underlaying psychiatric disorders was a risk factor for suicidal attempt through acute poisoning. Conclusion: In women who attempted suicide through acute poisoning, anemia and depression were not predicting factors for suicide. However, the presence of other underlying psychiatric psychiatric disorders had a predictive value for the outcome of treatment. Length of hospital stay was also correlated with anemia.

Objective: The dramatic increase in the consumption of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) products in nonapproved indications, its high cost, and the severe shortage has developed the concerns of its irrational utilization, especially in the Middle East countries. Therefore, this clinical study attempts to describe the pattern of IVIG administration in one of the largest hospitals in Iran and find the variables associated with inappropriate IVIG utilization. Methods: This cross-sectional medication utilization study was conducted in one of the largest referral hospitals in Iran. Random IVIG administrations were assessed from different wards for 9 months. Different data were collected to evaluate the pattern of IVIG administration and find variables, which could predict this behavior. Findings: IVIG was prescribed for approved indications in 72% of 201 patients recruited in our study. Although, the rate of drug administration was appropriate in most of the study population, hydration and pre-medication were unsuitable in more than one-third of the patients. Among the variables analyzed to find the factors affecting the misuse of IVIG, female gender, older age of patients, and longer time to start IVIG administration due to hospital admission were statistically significant in the multivariate model. Conclusion: Despite the fact that inappropriate use of IVIG was confirmed in less than 30 % of its utilization for the studied patients, it caused a potential risk of treatment complications and a notable and unjustifiable burden of unnecessary costs for this University hospital.

Background: Methadone is a common medication used for pain relief and addiction treatment. We evaluated clinical, demographic, and forensics findings in deceased cases of acute methadone poisoning. Methods: An 11-year chart review study was done on deceased cases diagnosed with methadone poisoning admitted to a referral emergency ward affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Data were obtained through patients' records from 2005 to 2016 and analyzed using SPSS statistical software. Findings: Of 81 deceased cases, 86.5% were men. The mean age of cases was 42.70 ± 19.22 years. The majority of men were 20-45 years old compared to less than 20 years old in women (P = 0.005). Methadone abuse (55.6%) and suicide (35.8%) were the main causes of methadone poisoning in the deceased cases. Eighty two percent of cases had low consciousness on admission. Causes of poisoning, history of suicide, self-mutilation, smoking, and underlying diseases were significantly different in the various age groups. Respiratory failure as a mortality cause was recorded for the majority of cases (37.0%). Pathologic findings of liver and brain were recorded in 43.9% and 31.7% of cases, respectively. Multiorgan damages were noted in 42.6% of cases without any significant differences in the various age groups. Conclusion: Given the prevalence of deceased cases due to methadone abuse at a young age, it is necessary to manage administration of methadone in different age groups to reduce mortality.

Background: Aspiration pneumonia is among overdose complications, requiring timely appropriate treatment. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of ampicillin-sulbactam, compared to our usual regimen ceftriaxone + clindamycin on aspiration pneumonia in opioid-poisoned patients. Methods: In a randomized-controlled clinical trial, opioid-poisoned patients with aspiration pneumonia were randomly divided into the experimental and control groups to receive ampicillin-sulbactam 3 g Intravenously (IV) every 6 hours (experimental group) and ceftriaxone 1 g IV every 12 hours + clindamycin 600 mg IV every 8 hours (control group) followed by co-amoxiclav 625 mg orally every 8 hours and cefixime 400 mg once daily + clindamycin 600 mg orally every 8 hours in experimental and control groups, respectively, to complete a 7-day course of therapy. White blood cell count and temperature (axillary) at baseline and the third day of the intervention and the treatment outcome on the third day of the intervention, defined as either complete response, partial response, or failure, were evaluated and recorded for all patients. Results: Except for the number of cases of leukocytosis on the third day of the intervention, i.e., lower in the control group (5 patients, 26.30%) than the experimental group (13 patients, 68.40%) (P=0.020), no significant difference was observed between the study groups regarding other outcome variables. Clinical response was similar between the study groups; so that, 10.50% and 63.20% of patients in the experimental group and 21.10% and 47.4% of patients in the control group presented complete and partial responses, respectively (P=0.550). Conclusion: The obtained data suggested that ampicillin-sulbactam is an effective antibiotic for the treatment of aspiration pneumonia in patients with opioid overdose, in which case, it has the same efficacy as the two-drug regimen of ceftriaxone + clindamycin.

Objective: This study was designed to compare the severity of gastrointestinal (GI) side effects in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients receiving tablet or capsule forms of metformin. Methods: In this prospective interventional study, patients were evaluated from June to November 2016 at DM clinics affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Adult patients with Type 2 DM who were eligible for inclusion criteria switched from metformin tablet to metformin capsule. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), GI side effects, and patient satisfaction based on visual analog scale (VAS) were assessed during a 6-week follow-up of receiving metformin capsule. Findings: One hundred and three patients were evaluated, and 75 patients participated in this study. At the baseline, 40 patients (53.3%) had GI side effects due to metformin tablet which was reduced to 16 patients (21.3%) after switching to metformin capsule (P = 0.001). There was also an improvement in HbA1c (from 7 to 6.8,P < 0.0001). The results of patients' satisfaction based on VAS and numeric rating scale indicated that in 59 patients (78.67%), GI side effects were reduced after switching to metformin capsule (mean score: 7.2 with the range of 6–9) while 16 patients stated no treatment preference. Conclusion: Switching to metformin capsule may result in less GI side effects, with no further side effect complications.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder associated with adverse mental status, impaired health-related quality of life (QOL), and high medical expenses. So, the impact of psychological factors on treatment-seeking behaviors in patients with IBS is not clearly defined. The aim of our study was to investigate the potential relationship between psychological factors and treatment-seeking behavior in patients with IBS.Methods: This cross-sectional study was a part of the SEPAHAN research project and was conducted on 4763 non-academic staff of 50 different academic centers in Isfahan Province, Iran. From among the study population, 1024 individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were evaluated. This process was repeated 15 days and a week before the distribution of the questionnaires. The demographic questionnaire, Rome III questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), and treatment-seeking behavior checklist‎ were completed for each participant and the results were compared between participants with and without IBS.Results: The participants with and without IBS were significantly different in terms of frequency of insurance coverage, visiting the doctor [general physician (GP) or specialist], leaving work because of somatic problems, leaving work because of gastrointestinal (GI) problems, visiting the GP, visiting the GP because of GI problems, visiting a specialist because of GI problems, and using medications (P < 0.001). Prescription of imaging and visiting a specialist were not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.014).Conclusion: It was found that treatment-seeking behavior had a relation with socioeconomic status and comorbid psychiatric disorders. Moreover, patients with IBS who presented more treatment-seeking behavior experienced more anxiety and depression.

Background: A low level of vitamin B6 may theoretically cause symptoms of depression. Aims: To investigate the effect of vitamin B6 on the prevention of postpartum depression (PPD) among mothers at risk for PPD. Methods: This single-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 81 pregnant women who were at risk of PPD from February to July 2016 at six selected health centers in Isfahan, Iran. A simple random sampling method was adopted. Forty cases and 41 controls received 80 mg vitamin B6 and placebo, respectively from the 28th week until the end of pregnancy. The risk of PPD was assessed as the main inclusion criteria using a structured clinical interview using hospital anxiety-depressive scale (HADS), social support appraisals scale (SS-A), and Holmes and Rahe life change and stress evaluation questionnaire (HRLCSEQ). The Edinburgh postpartum depression scale (EPDS) was used to assess the rate of depression prior to and 1.5 months after the intervention (end of pregnancy). Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 and statistical tests (Chi-square, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney's, and Exact Fisher Test). Results: Forty-three subjects were assigned to each group and the final analysis comprised 81 subjects (40 in the case and 41 in the control groups), the mean age of the case and control groups being 5.8 ± 29.6 and 4.6 ± 28.2, respectively. The mean depression score was 10.4 ± 1.4 in the case and 9.3 ± 4.2 in control groups (P = 0.34) before and 4.2 ± 2.7 in the case and 10.4 ± 3.4 in control groups (P < 0.001) after intervention. Conclusions: Vitamin B6 has a positive effect on reducing postpartum depression scores among mothers at risk for PPD. These may be clinically useful for preventing PPD in high-risk women.

مقدمه: مسموميت به دنبال مصرف داروها و سموم، می‌تواند منجر به بروز تشنج از نوع ایزوله، تکرار شونده یا پایدار گردد. با توجه به تفاوت در دسترسی افراد به سموم و داروها در جوامع مختلف و خطرات تشنج، این مطالعه با هدف بررسی علل و ارتباط تشنج با یک سری عوامل، در بیماران مسموم با داروها و سموم تشنج‌زا انجام شد. روش‌ها: نوع مطالعه، توصيفي- تحليلي- مقطعی بود. اطلاعات بيماران مراجعه‌ كننده به بیمارستان نور و علی اصغر (ع) اصفهان از فروردین 1393 تا مهر 1394 كه با داروها يا سموم تشنج‌زا مسموم شده و سپس دچار تشنج‌های ایزوله، تکرار شونده یا پایدار شده بودند، در چک لیست ثبت گردید. تمام تحلیل‎ها با استفاده از نرم‌افزار SPSS انجام شد. یافته‌ها: از 2319 بیمار مسموم با داروها و سموم تشنج‌زا، 137 بیمار دچار تشنج شدند. 101 نفر (3/74 درصد) از این افراد، دچار تشنج ایزوله و 35 نفر دیگر (7/25 درصد) دچار تشنج‌های پایدار و تکرار شونده شدند. 123 نفر اقدام به خودکشی کردند. خودکشی در سنین 29-20 سال و در مردان شایع‌تر بود. شایع‌ترین داروهای تشنج‌زا در نوع ایزوله، ترامادول (4/61 درصد)، مخلوط توأم داروها (0/8 درصد) و داروهای ضد تشنج (Anticonvulsants) (9/7 درصد) و در نوع تکرار شونده و پایدار، ترامادول (1/37 درصد)، مخلوط توأم داروها (6/28 درصد)، داروهای ضد افسردگی و شیشه (هر کدام 6/8 درصد) بودند. نتیجه‌گیری: ایزوله، شایع‌ترین نوع تشنج می‌باشد و تشنج پایدار، شیوع بسیار کمی داشته است. بیشترین شیوع تشنج در سنین 29-20 سال، در مردان و در مسمومیت با ترامادول بود.

BACKGROUND: Midazolam is commonly and safely used in poisoning management and intensive care for the control of the agitated poisoned patients. Despite the introduction of newer and safer antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) are still prescribed and used in many countries due to their cost-effectiveness. Severe morbidity and mortality associated with these drugs arises largely from their well-documented cardiovascular toxicity. In this study we aimed to investigate the probable effect of midazolam on some hemodynamic indices in TCA poisoned patients. METHODS: In this clinical study we have evaluated some cardiovascular and hemodynamic indices of 100 TCA poisoned patients whom were randomly allocated for receiving midazolam with a first loading dose of 0.1 mg / kg (2 mg /min.) followed by a 6-hours maintenance infusion of 0.1 mg /kg /h of the drug in dextrose-saline (3.33% of dextrose and 0.33% of NaCl) or placebo (dextrose-saline infusion without midazolam). Pulse rate, systolic/diastolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, neurologic status and the outcome of therapy were recorded at the time of admission and hourly for the next 6 hours. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant reduction in the heart rate of the midazolam treated group after the first hour of hospital admission. There were no significant differences in the respiratory rate, central nervous system manifestations and other indices between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Midazolam may reduce tachycardia (and its fatal consequences) in the first hour of admission in TCA poisoned patients.

Objective: Methadone poisoning is common in our society, mainly in drug addicts. One of its lethal complications is pulmonary edema. Therefore, we evaluated the prevalence of pulmonary edema in the deceased cases with methadone poisoning and its possible relationship with some medical variables. Methods: In this cross-sectional study which was done in 2014, we have investigated the deceased patients with methadone toxicity who underwent autopsy at Isfahan Forensic Medicine Department (Iran). All variables including age, gender, and autopsy findings were recorded and analyzed. Demographic characteristics and medical complications of the patients were compared between the patients with or without pulmonary edema in the autopsy findings. Findings: There were 64 cases who died with methadone poisoning during the 1-year study period. The average age of cases (±standard deviation) was 32.1 ± 10.29 years, among which 92.2% were male. Based on the autopsy findings, 64.1% were diagnosed with pulmonary edema. There was no statistically significant relationship between pulmonary edema and age, gender, history of addiction, and hepatic or cardiovascular complications. Conclusion: Pulmonary edema is a common finding in deceased methadone poisoning cases and must be considered and ruled out in patients with acute methadone toxicity.

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, progressive, and common disease affecting the central nervous system in young adults. Interferon-beta is one of the most widely used medicines to reduce the disease progression. Given the variety of drugs in this category, we aimed to identify the preferences of patients for IFN-β that play an important role in policymaking in this area. Discrete choice experiment method was used in the present study to identify and prioritize those attributes that are of interest to MS patients and increases the utility of the use of IFN-β in their treatment. Questionnaires were given to 358 patients in Isfahan-Iran, who were asked to choose between the two treatment choices in each scenario. The results of the logit model showed that the changes in the efficacy lead to the most changes in the patient utility. Changes in side effects and ease of injection have been placed in the next rankings. Considering the drug attributes considered more desirable by patients can lead to greater medication adherence and possibly better treatment outcomes. Also, pharmaceutical companies, the health ministry, the Food and Drug Administration, insurance organizations, and neurologists can benefit from this information in production and importation, policymaking, and prescription.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate possible interactions among Angiotensin-I converting enzyme genotype, insertion/deletion polymorphism and atherosclerosis of vein grafts in Iranian patients, and characterize their clinical and demographic profile. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery more than five years ago, were included for angiographic analysis. Atherosclerosis was determined by quantitative angiography and adjusted Gensini score. The gene angiotensin converting enzyme I/D polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: A total of 102 patients participated in this study. Eighty-four patients were male. The frequency distribution of DD, ID and II polymorphism were 23.6%, 62.7% and 13.7% respectively. There were no differences among genotypic groups in age, sex, number of risk factors, number of vein grafts and months since bypass surgery. According to adjusted Gensini score [0.18±0.12 (II) vs. 0.11±0.09 (ID) and 0.1±0.09 (DD) P=0.021] the II genotype was associated with severity of vein graft atherosclerosis. CONCLUSION: Although there are conflicting results about gene angiotensin converting enzyme I/D polymorphism and the degree of venous bypass graft degeneration, this study suggests an association between ACE genotype II and atherosclerosis of saphenous vein grafts, however, large samples considering clinical, demographic and ethnic profile are necessary to confirm these results.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the frequency of seizure after acute carbamazepine poisoning and the important risk factors related to the outcomes of therapy. Methods: In this two-year cross-sectional study conducted in a University Hospital in Iran, 114 patients with acute carbamazepine poisoning were divided into two groups of with seizure (n = 8) and without seizure (n = 106) after intoxication. Demographic data, average amount of drug ingestion, time elapsed from ingestion to hospital admission, history of seizure before poisoning, mental status, visual disturbances and nystagmus, duration of hospitalization, the outcomes of therapy, arterial blood gas values and serum biochemical indices were compared between the two groups. Findings: Patients with seizure had an estimated (Mean ± SD) ingestion of 14,300 ± 570 mg carbamazepine, which was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than the seizure-free group (4600 ± 420 mg). The estimated average time between drug ingestion and hospital admission in patients with seizure and the seizure-free group were 515 ± 275 and 370 ± 46 minutes, respectively (P < 0.0001). In this study, 104 out of the total number of patients had recovered without any complication. Need for respiratory support, including airway support or intubation were the most recorded complication. One patient died after status epilepticus and aspiration pneumonia. Conclusion: The ingested amount of carbamazepine and the time elapsed from the ingestion of drug to hospital admission may influence the occurrence of seizure after acute carbamazepine poisoning; however, the outcome of supportive care in these patients seems to be positive.

Background: Despite the importance of patients′ adherence to their drug treatments for achieving desired therapeutic goals and the proven role 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A inhibitors (statins) for the health status of patients with cardiovascular diseases, there is not enough information regarding diabetic patients′ adherence to statin therapy in developing countries. In this clinical study we aimed to assess the adherence of diabetes type 2 patients to statin therapy in a research based community clinic in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this prospective clinical study which was done at Isfahan Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, 204 diabetic type 2 patients under treatment with statin were interviewed twice and their demographic data (age, gender, body mass index, education), statin information (type, dose) and their serum lipid profile were recorded. Three months after the initial visits, patients were assessed using pill counting method and according to patients′ self-reporting and also assessed low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol goal attainment

Objective: Methamphetamine is the second most widely abused drug worldwide. We performed a study on the treatment outcome of acute methamphetamine intoxication in a referral tertiary care University hospital in Iran. Methods: In this hospital-based, retrospective study which was carried out from 2012 to 2013, medical records of all patients aged 18 to 65 years who were admitted with a reliable history and clinical diagnosis of acute methamphetamine intoxication were abstracted and analyzed. Patients’ data included gender, age, type and route of poisoning, clinical manifestations, duration of hospitalization, and the treatment outcome. ANOVA, Chi-square, and binary logistic regression statistical tests were used for data analysis. Findings: A total of 129 patients with a mean age of 30.70 ± 0.93 (mean ± standard error), including 111 (86%) males, had been fully evaluated. Most of the patients had intentional poisoning (93.7%). In 42.6% of patients, inhalation was the main route of exposure. Most of the patients had complete improvement without any complication (89.1%). Age (odds ratio [OR], 1.05; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.006–1.099), suicide history (OR, 30.33; 95% CI 3.11–295.24), route of poisoning ([ingestion: OR, 0.21; 95% CI 0.05–0.87], [inhalation: OR, 0.19; 95% CI 0.04–0.78]), and pulmonary system manifestations (OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.15–2.93) were predictive in patients outcome (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Methamphetamine poisoning was more common in males with intentional poisoning. Age, past history of suicide, route of poisoning, and pulmonary manifestations on admission could be considered as important predictive factors in patients’ outcome.

Silybum marianum, is known to have anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and anticarciogenic effects. The aim of this study was to compare effects of Silymarin, Rapamycin and FK506 on proliferation and apoptosis of human T cells stimulated with Con A. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were stimulated with concavalin A (Con A) (5µg/mL) and then treated with different inhibitors (silymarin, rapamycin and FK506) in various concentrations (5 days). Cells were examined using carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) assay for proliferation. Then cell apoptosis was analyzed by FITC annexin V/PI staining and flow cytometry. The effects of drugs on the activation of poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) pathway in PBMCs stimulated with Con A and treated with IC50 dose of drugs for 5 days were evaluated using the PathScan cleaved PARP sandwich ELISA kit. The results indicated that silymarin inhibited T cell proliferation. In addition, our results pointed out that 100 μM and 200 μM of silymarin significantly have more inhibitory effect on T cells proliferation than FK506 and rapamycin. None of these drugs at IC50 concentration had affected the level of cleaved PARP. Overall, with superior efficacy and lesser toxicity in comparison with other immunosuppressive drugs, silymarin could be a suitable choice of therapy for certain diseases.

Background: The β2-adrenoceptor agonist, isoprenaline, is an effective inhibitor of histamine release from human lung mast cells (HLMC). Since phosphorylations of the β2-adrenoceptors are probably important in inducing desensitization, we sought to investigate the importance of phosphorylation events by targeting protein phosphatases (PPs) in mast cells. To this end, the effects of the inhibitor of on the functional desensitization of β-adrenoceptor-mediated responses in mast cells were investigated. Materials and Methods: In this study the effects of PP inhibitors on the inhibition of histamine release from HLMC, on β-agonists in mast cells and on desensitization were investigated. Results: Long-term exposure of mast cells to both isoprenaline and salbutamol substantially reduced the extent to which isoprenaline inhibited histamine release. Pretreatments of up to 24 h with inhibitors alone had no effect on immunoglobulin E-mediated histamine release. Shorter (≤4 h) pretreatments had little effect on the activity of isoprenaline and salbutamol to inhibit histamine release from mast cells. Conclusion: Collectively, these data suggest that PP has an important role in regulating mast cell β2-adrenoceptors.

Background: Tramadol poisoning has increased in recent years. Seizure is one of the side-effects of tramadol toxicity. There is a controversy about possible preventive effect of naloxone in tramadol poisoning induced seizure. Therefore, this study was performed to compare seizure incidence in tramadol poisoning patients who received and did not receive naloxone, as an opioid antagonist. Methods: This study involved prospective data collection followed by retrospective analysis on 104 tramadol poisoning patients who were admitted in a referral poisoning center. The incidences of seizure were compared between patients received naloxone and those did not. Outcome was considered as survived without or with complications and death. Logistic Regression analysis was used to determine the effects of different variables on seizure incidence. Results: 70 (67.3%) of the patients were men. The mean age of the patients was 26.3 ± 9 years old. 18.3% of the patients received naloxone in their treatment period. Seizure incidence was significantly higher among tramadol poisoning patients who did not receive naloxone compare with those received naloxone (14.1% vs. 5.1%). Among different variable studied, age had a significant effect on predicting of seizure (odds ratio = 2.09; 95% of confidence interval: 1.82-2.26; P value, 0.004). Conclusions: Although the seizure incidence was lower in patients with tramadol poisoning who received naloxone, the logistic regression did not support the preventive effect of naloxone on seizure in tramadol poisoning cases.

Background: This study aimed to investigate and compare the bacterial safety of handmade and commercial ready-to-use enteral feeding formulas used in an Iranian teaching hospital. Methods: In this experimental study, a total number of 70 samples (21 handmade formulas sampled at two sampling times, i.e. the time of preparation and 18 h after preparation, and 28 commercial ready-to-use formulas) were studied. Total count of viable microorganisms, coliform count and Staphylococcus aureus count for all samples were conducted. Results: Out of 42 handmade samples, 16 samples (76%) had total viable counts greater than 10 3 CFU/g in the first sampling time and 17 samples (81%) had total viable counts greater than 10 3 CFU/g in the second sampling time. Also, 11 (52%) had coliform contamination in the first sampling time which reached 76% (16 samples) in the second sampling time. Regarding contamination with S. aureus, 5 samples (24%) were contaminated in the first- and 13 samples (62%) were contaminated in the second-sampling time. Out of 28 commercial formulas, 27 samples (96%) had total viable counts greater than 10 3 CFU/g. Also, 24 samples (86%) were contaminated with S. aureus and 27 samples (96%) were contaminated with coliforms. In order to compare these two formulas, the results of Mann-Whitney test showed that contamination of ready-to-use formulas in all three microbiological samples was significantly more than that for handmade samples. Conclusions: The results of the present study indicate that the microbial safety of enteral feeding solutions in this hospital is much lower than standard values, demonstrating that the development of protocols for clean techniques in the preparation, handling and storage of both commercial and handmade enteral feeds is necessary.

Background: Many studies have focused on the relationship between naloxone and seizure in tramadol poisoning but the results are in conflict. We performed a meta-analysis study to see whether naloxone prevents or increase the risk of seizure in tramadol poisoning. Methods: Bibliographic literature searches were conducted in the ISI Web of Science, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), PubMed, and Cochrane from January 1990 to December 2017 for relevant articles. Pooled data were analyzed by calculating odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The outcome includes seizure. To investigate the publication bias, Begg's and Egger's tests were used along with funnel plot as a graphical test. Results: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed I2, 27%, (P value, 0.23) indicating no significant heterogeneity. As a result, using the fixed effect, the OR was 1.14 (95% CI = 0.60–2.18, P value, 0.69) which was not significant, means naloxone did not increase the risk of seizure. Conclusions: Naloxone therapy did not increase the risk of seizure significantly in the treatment of acute tramadol poisoning. We suggest considering the risk/benefit when administration naloxone, especially for the seizure risk factors including previous history of seizure, tramadol misuse, and co-ingestion.

Background: Maternal–fetal tolerance plays a fundamental role in the maintenance of pregnancy. However, this immunological tolerance can be influenced by intrauterine infections. Human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs) have immunomodulatory effects and respond to invading pathogens through expressing various toll-like receptors (TLRs). We hypothesize that bacteria or bacterial products affect the immunosuppressive effects of hAECs through TLR stimulation. Here, we investigated how a successful pregnancy can be threatened by TLR4 activation on hAECs on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) engagement. Materials and Methods: hAECs were isolated from the amniotic membrane received from six healthy pregnant women. The immunophenotyping of hAECs was studied by flow cytometry. The isolated hAECs (4 × 105 cells/ml) were cultured in 24-well plates in the presence or absence of LPS (5 μg/ml). After 24, 48, and 72 h of incubation, the culture supernatants of hAECs were collected, and the levels of interleukin-5 (IL-5), IL-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: TLR4 activation showed a stimulatory effect on TGF-β1 production of hAECs (P < 0.001–0.05). PGE2 production of LPS-stimulated hAECs was significantly increased (P < 0.01–0.05). Moreover, TLR4 could induce TNF-α and IL-1β production of hAECs (P < 0.0001–0.01), while this effect was not observed on IL-6 production of hAECs. The IL-5 was produced at a very low level in two culture supernatants of hAECs, in which its production was independent of LPS effect. Conclusion: TLR4 activation by bacterial components on hAECs may be a potential risk factor for pregnancy complications.

Background: Paraquat (PQ) poisoning is a serious public health problem in many countries. In spite of different treatments, the mortality is still high. We performed a meta-analysis to see whether hemoperfusion (HP) in combination with other treatments reduces the mortality more than HP alone in patients with PQ poisoning. Materials and Methods: We searched EMBASE, PubMed, Google Scholar, ISI Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, Springer, TRIP, ProQuest, and references of the included studies from January 2000 to August 2017. Two reviewers independently searched and extracted data. We measured I2 to determine variance contributed by heterogeneity. To investigate the publication bias, Begg's and Egger's tests were used along with funnel plot analysis. Results: Ultimately 12 articles were included in the meta-analysis. Five articles compared HP with conventional therapy with a total of 1311 patients, and seven articles compared mortality of patients received HP versus those received HP in combination with an additional treatment. HP alone reduced the odds of death (odds ratio [OR] = 0.20; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.11–0.40, P < 0.0001) compared to conventional therapy. Furthermore, the odds of death was higher in HP group compared to those received HP in combination of additional treatments (OR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.05–1.46, P= 0.01). Conclusion: The mortality was less in HP-treated group compared to those received only conventional therapy. Addition of other treatments with HP reduced the mortality more than HP alone.

Background: Acute poisoning is one of the most threatening health problems around the world. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of intentional and unintentional poisoning in vulnerable groups in order to assist in planning and implementation of preventive measures. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 786 patients in vulnerable groups (children, women of reproductive ages and the elderly) with acute poisoning who attended the Emergency Department of Noor Hospital in Isfahan, Iran, during 2012. Findings: In 89.5% of cases, poisoning was intentional and 20.1% of these patients had a history of previous suicide attempts. Women at the age 19-44 were the most suicidal cases (95.1%). The most common medications were psychiatric drugs (51.9%). No significant difference was found between sexes, ingested drugs, and outcome between intentional and poisoning group compared to unintentional poisoning. Majority of patients recovered and the mortality rate was 0.5%. Conclusion: Our results showed that the women of reproductive ages were the most vulnerable groups at risk of intentional poisoning in our society that commit suicide by using drugs especially with psychiatric drugs. More attention and support for this vulnerable group is suggested.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Genetic is a proven risk factor in this disease. As breast cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2) affect the incidence of this type of cancer, identification of mutation carriers is important in reduction of the overall risk. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in patients with breast cancer using high resolution melting (HRM) analysis. Methods: Blood samples of 41 female patients with breast cancer and 20 healthy women were collected randomly. The studied mutations were 185delAG, 5382insC, 3889delAG and 1476delG in BRCA1 and 6174delT and 6033-34insGT in BRCA2. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples. Forward and reverse primers were designed for each mutation. DNA samples of healthy individuals were sequenced to make sure about the absence of the studied mutations. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and HRM analysis were performed and HRM and melting curves were plotted for all samples. For each mutation, some random samples were sequenced. The curves in the case and control groups were compared for each mutation. Findings: The desired mutations were not observed in any samples of the case group. Sequenced samples confirmed the HRM results. Conclusion: Due to the low number of samples and lack of known native mutations, observation and identification of mutations seem to be impossible in studies such as the present one. However, this study can serve as a base for extensive and applied studies of native and non-native mutations in Iranian population. Keywords: Breast cancer, BRCA1 gene, BRCA2 gene, High resolution melting

Objective: Tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) poisoning is among highly prevalent and potentially dangerous toxicities. ST-T changes are observed in the electrocardiogram (ECG) of most of TCA poisoned patients. We aimed to study ST-T segment changes in TCA toxicity and its probable relationship with other ECG findings. Methods: This retrospective study was carried out in Noor and Ali Asghar University Hospital, Isfahan (Iran) in 2012. Patients with TCA toxicity based on the patients′ history who had not consumed any cardio-active drugs and did not have a past medical history of cardiovascular disease in the recent 5 years, were randomly selected and investigated. Their demographic and medical data on admission including ECG, age, sex, type and amount of ingested TCA, poisoning severity score, QRS changes, QT interval, heart axis position and R-wave were all recorded. ST-T changes and their relation with other ECG parameters have been determined using statistical analysis. Findings: Medical records of 272 patients were analyzed. In symptomatic patients, ST change prevalence was 40.8% and T change prevalence was 9.5%. In asymptomatic patients, the frequency of ST and T changes were 4.8% and 0.8%, respectively (P < 0.05). The most common ST and T changes in baseline (on admission) ECG were non-significant elevation (15.4%), significant elevation (11%) in pre-cordial leads, and T-wave flattening (6.6%). A statistically significant correlation was documented between ST segment changes with QRS and R-wave in aVR. The correlation between T-wave changes and R-wave in aVR lead was also significant. Conclusion: ST-T changes in TCA poisoned patients are more prevalent in symptomatic patients. Obviously for a more definite conclusion, it is necessary to design a prospective study with the control group. This may facilitate a better understanding of ST-T segment changes.