The reporting quality of Observational Studies (OSs) is an important measure of their overall quality. We aim to assess the reporting quality of OSs of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) in Iran in the years 2012-2015, using Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies checklist. Systematic online search was performed. A random sample of SUMS affiliated published articles was selected. Articles were appraised and scored by two reviewers. Variables such as the study design, publication year, journals' impact factor etc. were retrieved and their correlation with the articles' scores was assessed. Out of 4297 published articles during 2012-2015, 1742 (40.5%) were OSs of which we assessed 171 (~ 10%) studies. Among these, 87 (50.9%), 74 (43.3%) and 10 (5.8%) articles had a cross-sectional, case-control and cohort design, respectively. Overall score of the reporting quality was 79% ± 0.01. It was at 81% ± 0.1, 77% ± 0.01 and 83% ± 0.02 for cross-sectional, case-control and cohort studies, respectively. A significant correlation was observed between the study design and the score for the reporting quality (P = 0.015). Reporting of "flow-diagram" (5%), "sources of bias" (28%) and "study size calculation" (30%) were the most missed items. Although the overall reporting quality of OSs was found to be at an acceptable rate, there are points of concern regarding some of the most important items that deserve the attention of authors as well as reviewers and editors.
Introduction. Lymphoma of the appendix is a rare cause of acute appendicitis; however, acute appendicitis is a common first manifestation of appendiceal lymphomas. Cytotoxic peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a type of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma that portends a generally poor outcome. Cytotoxic PTCL of the appendix is extremely rare with few cases reported in the literature. Case Presentation. This is the report of a 23-year-old man who had experienced lower abdominal pain for three months before presenting to the emergency department with severe right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and anorexia since the day prior to admission. The patient was diagnosed with acute appendicitis, and the pathology report confirmed cytotoxic PTCL of the appendix. Conclusion. Patients with appendiceal PTCL commonly present with signs and symptoms of acute appendicitis due to luminal obstruction by the tumor. Therefore, appendiceal tumors such as PTCL should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting as acute appendicitis. In addition, since there is no standard chemotherapy regimen for cytotoxic PTCL, this and other case reports hopefully help in providing the clinical evidence needed for establishing appropriate treatment guidelines.
Background: Measles, Rubella, and Hepatitis B are vaccine-preventable infectious diseases that cause several complications and impose a burden on health systems worldwide. Medical students are exposed to these viruses during their clinical training period and are more susceptible to these infections. Therefore, it is imperative to assess their immunity against these three viruses. Methods: In this cross-sectional study in 2013, 75 blood samples were collected from the medical students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The sample included 53 female and 22 male students with a mean age of 22 years. The IgG levels against measles, hepatitis B, and rubella were measured by the ELISA method. To analyze the data, chi-square test was applied using SPSS 22 software. Results: The protective levels of IgG against measles, rubella, and hepatitis B were detected in 88%, 97.3%, and 94.7% of the students, respectively. We found a significant correlation between a positive history of measles and hepatitis B vaccination and protection against these two viruses (P value = 0.016 and P value = 0.000, respectively). A significant correlation was detected between the number of hepatitis B vaccination doses and immunity against this virus (P value = 0.016). Conclusions: Immunity of medical students to measles, hepatitis B, and rubella was at an acceptable level. However, it is prudent to address any possible problems in measles vaccines. It is suggested that health planners evaluate medical students regarding their immunity to these viruses before they start their clinical training at hospitals.
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