Hepatitis C virus (HCV) seroprevalence and risk factors in north Iran were investigated in 105 thalassemia sufferers, 93 haemodialysis patients and 5976 blood donors by second generation ELISA. Our study showed that haemodialysis patients and thalassemia sufferers were at higher risk of having HCV infection; the prevalence being 55.9% and 63.8% respectively in comparison to the prevalence of blood donors (0.5%). A confirmatory immunoblotting was employed using HCV-positive cases (54 thalassemia sufferers and 19 blood donors). The result showed that 92.6% of samples of the first group and 10.5% of the latter were positive. Thus, it can be suggested that ELISA in low-risk cases may produce considerable false positives. In HCV-positive patients with thalassemia, the incidence of HCV among different age groups and genders was similar but a strong correlation in respect to the number of blood transfusion (P=0.008) was observed. In HCV-positive haemodialysis patients, it was found that there was no correlation with liver function tests (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase: ALT and AST), but a significant correlation was observed in respect to the duration of dialysis(P=0.000) and the number of units transfused (P=0.000). Consequently, it still seems blood transfusion is the main factor for increasing the incidence of HCV in thalassemia sufferers and haemodialysis patients.

We conclude that ovarian hormone withdrawal leads to higher body weight and visceral adipose tissue in rats, but surprisingly does not change adiponectin levels. Although a substantial decrease in body weight was achieved by estrogen replacement therapy in OVX animals, the beneficial metabolic effects of weight loss seems to be only mechanical, having a tendency to improve insulin sensitivity without elevating adiponectin production.

These results suggest that 8-week exercise training induces a decrease in visceral fat, and this reduction without weight loss does not change serum adiponectin levels and insulin sensitivity in ovariectomized rats.

BackgroundRetrobulbar block is one of the chosen methods for local anesthesia in cataract surgery. Since it is a painful procedure, using analgesic and sedative drugs is recommended. Current medications have side effects and evaluating of new drugs or new uses of existing safer drugs is necessary.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to compare the administration of melatonin and acetaminophen on pain and hemodynamic changes during retrobulbar block.MethodsIn a double-blinded randomized trial, 180 patients undergoing cataract surgery were randomly divided into three groups: Melatonin group (received melatonin 6 mg), acetaminophen group (received acetaminophen 500 mg), and control group (received placebo). All drugs were administered orally 60 min before arrival to the operating room by nurses blinded to the drugs administered. All patients received fentanyl 0.5 μg/kg before retrobulbar block intravenously. Hemodynamic variables and pain score in each patient were evaluated on arrival in the operating room, during retrobulbar block, during surgery, 20 min after operation, at the end of surgery, and in the recovery room. In case of pain score more than three, additional fentanyl was administered. All data were recorded in structured data sheets.ResultsData analysis indicated no significant differences among the groups at baseline on any of the demographic variables. Both acetaminophen and melatonin reduced the pain score significantly compared with control during retrobulbar block (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Administration of additional fentanyl was significantly lower in the melatonin group than the control group (P < 0.05). Hemodynamic changes were not significantly different among all groups.ConclusionsFor the first time, as far as we have studied, the analgesic effect of acetaminophen on the retrobulbar block was indicated. We also showed that melatonin can reduce pain during retrobulbar block leading to reduction of additional fentanyl during operation. It seems that both melatonin and acetaminophen may have a beneficial effect on pain control in the retrobulbar block.

Iron overload may contribute to brain damage that involves delayed brain atrophy, edema, and neuronal cell death as well as unfavorable outcome following ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This prospective study was performed to determine the association of serum ferritin level, an iron storage protein, with perihematoma edema (PHE) growth as well as in-hospital mortality and long-term clinical outcome of patients with ICH. Data was collected from patients with ICH from February 2011 to April 2012. Demographic and clinical data were recorded and serum ferritin was measured on admission. Brain CT scan was performed on admission and 72 hours later. Volume of hematoma and PHE was calculated using ABC/2 formula. Functional outcome was assessed using modified Rankin Scale. A total of 63 patients were included in this study, of those 11 (17.5%) patients died during the first 72 hours of admission. There was a significant correlation between PHE growth during first 72 hours of hospitalization and serum ferritin (P<0.001) as well as history of diabetes mellitus (P<0.001). PHE growth during the first 72-hours of hospitalization and baseline hematoma volume were both predictors of in-hospital mortality and poor outcome (P=0.026 and P=0.035, respectively). These results indicate the role of iron overload in the development of PHE following ICH. However, it seems that serum ferritin level is not directly associated with in-hospital mortality and long-term functional outcome.