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Background:Preeclampsia is the most common serious disorder during pregnancy and studies show several immune-related processes in its pathophysiology. The role of cytokines and their expression remains controversial in this field. One of the cytokines of interest in recent studies has been TNF-α, which has been shown to have a higher level in maternal plasma of preeclamptic women.Objectives:This study was designed to evaluate the role of TNF-α polymorphism at position -238 in the risk of developing preeclampsia during pregnancy.Patients and Methods:One hundred fifty three preeclamptic cases and 140 healthy pregnant women were retrieved from two major hospitals of Mashhad, Iran. Methods a case-control study were designed. Anyone with a history of inflammatory disease, hypertension, or chronic kidney disease was excluded. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. Both groups were genotyped for the polymorphism of the TNF-α gene at position -238 by the RFLP method with Ava II enzyme. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared using one-way ANOVA and the Fisher’s exact test.Results:There were significant differences between the two groups in TNF-α genotype at position -238 (P < 0.001). In the preeclamptic group, the frequency of the AA genotype was higher (P < 0.001) and the frequency of the GG genotype was lower (P < 0.001). The overall prevalence of the A allele at position -238 was higher in preeclamptic cases (P < 0.001).Conclusion:In this study group, TNF-α -238 polymorphism was shown to be different in preeclamptic and non-preeclamptic pregnant women. The AA genotype and the A allele may carry an increased risk for developing of preeclampsia.

Background:Preeclampsia, a severe complication of human pregnancy is one of the main causes of maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality with unclear pathogenesis. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is one of the factors that can mediate cytoprotective, antiapoptotic, and immune regulatory effects.Objective:This meta-analysis was performed with aim to evaluate HSP70 in preeclampsia and normal pregnancy.Materials and Methods:The original publications reporting the serum HSP70 levels in preeclampsia and normal pregnancies published before November 2015 were identified by searching PubMed Central, Scopus, and ISI Web of Knowledge databases by two researchers, separately. The keywords were” preeclampsia” and “HSP70” or “Heat shock protein 70” Statistical analyses were performed using STATA software (version 11).Results:Out of 127 studies, seven eligible case-control studies were identified which consists of 350 preeclampsia and 429 normal pregnancies. Our pooled analysis of data from 7 studies which met the inclusion criteria, provides evidence that there is a significant association between HSP70 and preeclampsia. Cochran's test results showed the heterogeneity of the studies (p<0.001) and the I2 index was 91%. The standardized mean differences (SMD) based on a random effect model with trim and fill method was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.33-1.51); also there was a significant association between HSP70 and preeclampsia (Z=3.07, p=0.002).Conclusion: The results showed that serum HSP70 concentration was significantly higher in preeclamptic patients than the control group. Therefore HSP70 may be identified as a diagnostic factor.

The goal of this study was to compare the effect of Anethum graveolens (dill) vaginal suppositories and 100 mg clotrimazole vaginal tablets on vulvovaginal Candidiasis. This study was a single centre, single-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial, in which 60 women with microbiology-confirmed vulvovaginal candidiasis were randomly assigned to dill and clotrimazole groups. At the end of the study, the estimated prevalence of leucorrhoea, burning, and itching was 23%, 23% and 20% in dill users, respectively. This figure was 20%, 10% and 16.7% for the clotrimazole group, respectively. The difference between the two groups was not significant. 13% of suppository patients, compared with 10% of clotrimazole-treatment patients, had a positive culture, which was not significant (p = .68). According to findings, 2% dill vaginal suppositories were as effective as clotrimazole vaginal tablets in reducing both clinical and microbiological symptoms of Candidiasis. Studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm current findings. Impact statement What is already known on the subject? Based on results from in vivo and in vitro animal studies, dill (Anethum graveolens) has anti-candida activity. What do the results of this study add? It appears that 2% dill vaginal suppositories were as effective as 100 mg clotrimazole vaginal tablets in reducing both the clinical and microbiological symptoms. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and further research? Obstetricians and gynaecologists can offer dill as a useful alternative to chemical drugs, especially in women who are often interested in herbal medicine, or in women who are resistant or are not allowed to use antifungal drugs.

Background Anovulation is one of the common causes of infertility. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common disorder with chronic Anovulation. To the best of our knowledge, insulin resistance relates significantly to PCOS. Therefore administration of insulin-sensitizing drugs such as pioglitazone can be used for ovulation stimulation in PCO patients. Methods After obtaining approval from the Ethics Committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, 61 patients with PCOS were enrolled in the study based on inclusion/ exclusion criteria. Patients were divided into two groups. The first group received 30 mg (mg) of pioglitazone daily from the second day of the menstrual period. The second one received a placebo. 150 mg clomiphene citrate was administered from the third to the seventh day of the menstrual cycle. Vaginal sonography was performed in all women, and in cases with the mature follicle, intrauterine insemination was conducted after human chorionic gonadotropin injection. Ovary stimulation and pregnancy rate were compared between groups. Results There were no differences between groups regard to demographic characteristics and infertility type. Body mass index was higher in the pioglitazone group (28.3 ± 3.8 versus 26.2 ± 3.5, P value = 0.047). The size of the follicle was not significantly different between groups (2.2 ± 1.4 versus 1.3 ± 1.1, P value = 0.742). pregnancy rate [4 (12.9%) versus 4 (13.3%), P value = 1] had no differences between groups. Conclusion Although the number of follicles was higher in the pioglitazone group, our study showed no differences in ovary stimulation and pregnancy rate.