Prognostic study, level III.

No abstract

No abstract

Patients with acute burns are more vulnerable to COVID‐19 because of physiologically weak immune systems. This study aimed to assess and compare individual characteristics, clinical features, and clinical outcomes of acute burn among COVID‐19 and non‐COVID‐19 patients. A retrospective study, with data collected from 611 acute burn patients with or without a COVID‐19 diagnosis referred to a burn centre in Iran. Data were collected from April 2020 to 2021. The mean age of acute burns patients with COVID‐19 was higher compared with acute burns patients with non‐COVID‐19 (47.82 vs. 32.59 years, P < .001). Acute burns occurred more frequently in COVID‐19 patients with comorbidities compared with non‐COVID‐19 patients (48.72% vs. 26.92%, P = .003). 58.97% of COVID‐19 patients and 55.42% of non‐COVID‐19 patients had grade II & III and II burns, respectively (P < .001). The mean total body surface area of the burn was higher in COVID‐19 patients compared with non‐COVID‐19 patients (32.69% vs. 16.22%, P < .001). Hospitalisation in the intensive care unit (ICU) was higher in COVID‐19 patients than in non‐COVID‐19 patients (76.92% vs. 15.73%, P < .001). Length of stay in hospital and ICU, the cost of hospitalisation, and waiting time for the operating room was higher in COVID‐19 patients compared with non‐COVID‐19 patients (15.30 vs. 3.88 days, P < .001; 9.61 vs. 0.75 days, P < .001; 30 430 628.717 vs. 10 219 192.44 rials, P = .011; 0.84 vs. 0.24 min, P < .001, respectively). Intubation and mortality in‐hospital were higher in COVID‐19 patients compared with non‐COVID‐19 patients (41.02% vs. 6.99%, P < .001; 35.90% vs. 6.12%, P < .001, respectively). Therefore, it is recommended that health managers and policymakers develop a care plan to provide high‐quality care to acute burns patients with COVID‐19, especially in low‐income countries.

No abstract

Background: The functional independence measure (FIM) is a practical tool for the evaluation of motor and cognitive independence, which has been validated in different languages; its Persian version has not been studied so far. Objectives: In this cross-sectional study, the validity, reliability, and replicability of FIM for Iranian patients with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) were determined. Patients and Methods: Forty patients with acute TBI that were hospitalized in emergency ward for evaluation of inter-rater reliability for the test replicability and 185 sub-acute TBI patients that were in the neurosurgery ward of Poursina educational hospital in Rasht were selected in the assessment of other psychometric indices by the consecutive sampling method. The tests used include the FIM for measuring motor and cognitive functioning, the Barthel Index for measuring physical disability, the mini mental state examination (MMSE), and questions on the physical dimension of quality of life in the short form health survey (SF-36) were used. Statistical analyses were performed using Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Cronbach's Alpha and Pearson correlation coefficients, independent t-tests, and hierarchical regression analyses. Results: The inter-rater reliability was acceptable on admission and at discharge (ICC = 0.779 to 0.895). The internal consistency of FIM and its subscales were excellent (α ≥ 0.97). The results for criterion validity by adjusting the values of GCS on admission and at discharge showed that the FIM motor dimension could predict a significant proportion of the variance of Barthel index scores; and the physical health components of quality of life and overall physical component of SF-36 (PCS) and FIM cognitive dimension could predict a significant proportion of the variance of MMSE scores (all P < 0.05). FIM and its subscales were correlated with the above variables in expected directions (all P < 0.01). In known-groups validity, patients with physical trauma and cognitive impairment obtained lower motor (t = 2.09, P = 0.038) and cognitive (t = 3.36, P < 0.0001) FIM scores compared to the groups with no physical trauma or cognitive impairment. Conclusions: This Persian version of the FIM can be used as a valid, reliable, and replicable instrument for research and rehabilitation purposes in TBI patients.

Background:The functional independence measure (FIM) is one of the most important assessment instruments for motor and cognitive dependence in rehabilitation medicine; however, there is little data about its confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and ceiling/floor effects from other countries and also in Iranian patients.Objectives:The aim of this study was to evaluate a two-factor model (motor and cognitive independence as latent variables) and ceiling/floor effects for FIM in Iranian patients with traumatic brain injuries (TBI).Patients and Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 185 subacute TBI patients were selected from emergency and neurosurgery departments of Poursina Hospital (the largest trauma hospital in northern Iran, Rasht) using the consecutive sampling method and were assessed for functional independence.Results:The results of this study showed that the floor effect was not observed; however, ceiling effects were observed for the FIM total score and its subscales. The confirmatory factor analysis showed that the chi-square/df ratio was 2.8 for the two-factor structure and the fit indices for this structural model including root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.099, normed fit index (NFI) = 0.96, tucker lewis index (TLI) = 0.97, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.97 were close to standard indices.Conclusions:Although ceiling effects should be considered for rehabilitation targets, the two-factor model of FIM (motor and cognitive independence) has an eligible fitness for Iranian patients with TBI.

Objectives: The use of herbs which has been increasing worldwide, requires special considerations particularly in pregnant woman. The present study was conducted at Alzahra Teaching hospital (from March 2016 to August 2017) to explore the pattern of herbal use during pregnancy in Guilan province (North of Iran). Materials and Methods: Data were obtained from 836 eligible women, who were interviewed at postnatal ward, and were analyzed. Results: The results of the study showed that 19.6% of the women consumed herbs during pregnancy. The most commonly used herbs included mint, flixweld, and cinnamon; in addition, the most prevalent indications resulted from these herbs consumption were gastrointestinal complications and cold. The rate of herbal consumption in pregnancy was related to education (P=0.001) and resistance (P=0.008); however, no relation was found regarding age (P=0.203), employment (P=0.255), or gravity (P=0.935). Conclusions: Although the findings of this study were preferable to those of some other studies, due to the importance of the issue, it is vital that health care providers to be open to question the herbal use during pregnancy.