We examined the effects of Ramadan fasting on cognitive function in 17 female athletes. Data were obtained from participants of two fasting (n = 9) and nonfasting (n = 8) groups at three periods of the study (before Ramadan, at the third week in Ramadan, and after Ramadan). Digit span test (DST) and Stroop color test were employed to assess short-term memory and inhibition/cognitive flexibility at each time point. There were no significant changes for DST and Stroop task 1 in both groups, whereas Stroop task 2 and task 3 showed significant improvements in Ramadan condition (p < 0.05). Interference indices did not change significantly across the study except in post-Ramadan period of fasting group (p < 0.05). Group × week interaction was significant only for error numbers (p < 0.05). Athletes in nonfasting showed a significant decrease in number of errors in Ramadan compared to baseline (p < 0.05). The results suggest that Ramadan fasting may not adversely affect cognitive function in female athletes.

Ghrelin is a gut hormone shown to have protective effects throughout the gastrointestinal tract. This study aims to investigate its protective effect in celiac disease induced in rats. Twenty-four rat pups were divided into 4 groups as follows: control, disease (1.5 mg/g intragastric gliadin), co-treatment (50 ng/g intraperitoneal ghrelin after gliadin gavage) and pretreatment (50 ng/g intraperitoneal ghrelin before gliadin gavage). Animals' weight gain was charted. Histological features assessed include villus length, villus width, crypt depth and number of intraepithelial lymphocytes. Tissue interferon-gamma was quantified by ELISA. ANOVA was used to compare results statistically. Results showed that villi were shortened in the diseased group, but were as long as the control in pretreatment and co-treatment groups. Crypt depth had increased in disease group, but turned to normal in co-treatment group. Number of intraepithelial lymphocytes was significantly higher in disease group than the control, while no difference was observed between co-treatment and control groups. Disease and control animals weighed equally at the end of the experiment, but ghrelin-treated animals had significantly gained more weight than these two. Interferon-gamma measurement revealed no significant difference among groups. We concluded administration of ghrelin led to histological improvement of celiac disease which was more obvious if administered after exposure to gliadin.

BackgroundPruritus is a troublesome side effect of intrathecal opioids. Midazolam can reinforce GABA-mediated inhibition of the medullary dorsal horn neurons, and thus theoretically has potential to suppress opioid-induced pruritus.ObjectivesThis prospective double-blinded randomized trial aimed at comparing the effects of propofol, midazolam, and a combination of the two on the prevention of pruritus induced by intrathecal sufentanil.MethodsEighty-four patients undergoing spinal anesthesia with 3 mL hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% and 5 μg sufentanil (1 mL) were randomly allocated to one of the three study groups: Group 1, who were administered 20 mg intravenous (IV) propofol bolus, then 50 μg/kg/min IV infusion; Group 2, who were administered 0.03 mg/kg IV midazolam bolus, then 0.02 mg/kg/h IV infusion; and Group 3, who were administered 10 mg IV propofol and 0.015 mg/kg IV midazolam bolus, then 25 μg/kg/min propofol and 0.01 mg/kg/h midazolam IV infusion. The incidence rates and severity of pruritus were assessed intraoperatively and postoperatively for 24 hours.ResultsThe Ramsay Sedation Score was highest for the propofol group throughout the duration of the anesthetic process. Overall, 17 patients in the propofol group (60.7%), eight patients in the midazolam group (28.6%), and nine patients in the propofol-midazolam group (32.1%) developed pruritus (P = 0.027). Intraoperative pruritus was observed in seven patients in the propofol group (25%), two patients in the midazolam group (7.1%), and five patients in the midazolam-propofol group (17.9%) (P = 0.196). Postoperative pruritus developed in 12 patients in the propofol group (42.9%), six patients in the midazolam group (21.4%), and four patients in the midazolam-propofol group (14.3%) (P = 0.041). There was no significant difference between the groups with respect to the severity of pruritus (P > 0.05).ConclusionsThis study showed that in comparison with propofol, the administration of 0.03 mg/kg IV midazolam bolus followed by 0.02 mg/kg/h could be more effective in the prevention of intrathecal sufentanil-induced pruritus without increasing sedation and other side effects.

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