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Introduction: A high prevalence of HCV infection among hemodialysis patients has been reported worldwide. Risk factors such as history of blood transfusion, duration of hemodialysis and recently nosocomial transmission of HCV in hemodialysis units have been identified. In this study the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus antibody and risk factors in hemodialysis patients in Markazi province is investigated. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional analythical study, blood samples were obtained from all 204 hemodialysis patients. Samples were tested for anti-HCV antibodies by using third generation enzyme immunoassay. The reactive samples on ELISA were confirmed by the third generation RIBA. Risk factors were evaluated by a questionnaire. Data was analysed using Chi square and logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of anti-HCV antibody among hemodialysis patients was 4.9%.Duration of hemodialysis was identified as a major risk factor in transmission of HCV (p=0.004). There was a significant relationship between anti-HCV positivity and previous renal transplantation (p=0.032). Female sex was another risk factor for HCV infection (p=0.030). There was no significant relationship between anti-HCV positivity and history of blood transfusion. Conclusion: Nosocomial transmission of HCV within hemodialysis units seems to be a route of infection in patients on hemodialysis in Markazi province. Application of dialysis precautions recommended by CDC can reduce the prevalence of HCV infection among hemodialysis patients in this province.

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Introduction: Hypertension is a common asymptomatic and usually easy to treat disease. Regarding the fact that genetic, social and nutritional factors responsible for inducing hypertension are not the same in different societies, it is necessary to performe a study to introduce a model of hypertention which includes laboratory measures as risk factors of hypertension at Arak city in 2004. Materials and Methods: This is a case-control study. Study samples were 1000 persons (263 patients with hypertension and 737 healthy people). Samples were selected using multi-stage method in which the population ratio in city and village in both groups was considered. Laboratory findings and ECG results were documented. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and logestic regression. Results: In this study hepertensive patients were compared to healthy people. Some risk factors in this study were LVH (p<0.0001), high triglyceride, hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia. Also a model was made based on ECG results and laboratory findings to predict the probability of hypertension. Conclusion: By educating physicians about the determined risk factors in this study, they can control them better and decrease hypertension complications in heart, brain, kidney and eye. On the other hand the obtained model can be used in determination of the propable hypertension in people with positive family history

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Introduction:Decubitus ulcer is a pressure-induced tissue injury that may affect skin, muscle, connective tissue, cartilage and bone. The present study was designed to find out risk factors of decubitus ulcer in head and spinal cord injured patient admitted to intensive care units (ICU). Materials and Methods: In this cross - seetional analythical study all consecutive craniospinal trauma patients admitted to intensive care unit were included.Upon arrival at the hospital and every 48 hours, all patients were examined for existence of bed sore. Braden scale, age, kind of mattress, site of primary injury and level of consciousness were used to determine risk factors. Data was analyzed using T and Chi square tests and logistic regretion. Results: Among 198 patients (171 male, 27 female with mean age of 31.4=19.8), 166 patients (3.8%) had cranial and 32 (16.2%) patients had spinal trauma. Of samples, 45 (22.7%) patients had 67 sores in 13 different sites. Incidence of bed sore was 22.7% (in cranial and spinal injured patients was 4.54% and 18.18% respectively). The most common sites were intergluteal cleft (33.3%) and sacral regions (28.9%). Bed sores were observed more frequently in immobile patients and those with impaired sensation, the difference were statistically significant (p<0.005 and p<0.005 respectively) hence immobility and impaired sensation are known as risk factors. Patient’s sores were not influenced by age, moisture, activity, nutrition and type of mattress variables. Time of hospital stay in patients with bed sore was significantly more than those without bed sore (P<0.00001). Coma patients (GCS 8) had developed bed sore more frequently than conscious ones (OR=6.1, RR=4.4, P=0.00001). Conclusion: Results show that risk factors of deubitus ulcers in ICU admitted craniospinal trauma patients were decreased sensation, activity and level of conciousness and lenglt of hospital stay.

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Abstract Background: The University is a stressful place can cause depression symptoms and it's a critical context for studying of students’ psychological health. Because of moving away from family, living with other students, academic atmosphere pressures and uncertain future, students are often in risk of depression. This study was done to determine prevalence and related factors of depression in students of Arak, Iran. Materials and Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was carried out on 304 undergraduate medical and basic students in Arak universities, from May to July 2008. General Health Questionnaire -28 question (GH-28) has been used for data gathering and analyzed by T-test, chi2 and logistic regression tests. Results: Mean of students' general health was 26.18±11.02 and 52.3% of students were scored above the threshold of GHQ- 28, that indicating depression. Female sex, major uninteresting, uncertain future and positive family history were the most important risk factors of depression but significant relationship between age, education Course and year were not seen. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression was higher than society and in girls is more than boys students. But there wasn’t any difference between medical and non medical students. So attention to financial and occupational future of graduated and under graduated students is essential.

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Background: Leukemia is the most common type of cancer in children which its relapse decreases the patients’ survival rate. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors involved in leukemia relapse in patients in Shahid Faghihi Hospital, Shiraz, during 2004-2009 years. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 280 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia were included. Patient characteristics were analyzed with respect to their association with recurrence through Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression model using SPSS software version 16 (P-value<0.05). Results: Logistic regression model revealed a statistically significance relationship between age and recurrence of the disease (odds ratio (OR) = 0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.15-0.82), odds ratio of relapse in the 5-10 years old age group was 0.35 times more than the 0-5 years old age group (p=0.01). Conclusion: Noticing the greater likelihood of relapse in 0-5 years old age group compared with the 5-10 years old age group, more attention and better follow-up for decreasing the side effects of the disease and enhancing the survival rate of the 0-5 y/o age group are recommended.

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Background: Treatment failure and relapse is a major problem in the treatment and control of brucellosis. The present study directed to determine risk factors for failure of treatment and relapse in patients treated for brucellosis.

Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive - analytic and prospective study and were conducted in 72 patients with acute brucellosis.Patients were followed up during treatment and for six months after completion of therapy, and patients with treatment failure or relapse were analyzed. All data analyzed using SPSS software and P-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The mean value of age in patients was 40.2 ± 16.5 years. Treatment failures was 6.9% and the relapse at the end of the ninth month was 12.5% that recurrence of symptoms were associated with increased titers of serological tests and 80.6 percent had successful treatment. In this study gender of male (P = 0.026), occupational exposure (P = 0.005), delayed treatment in less than two weeks (P = 0.016), hepatosplenomegaly (P = 0.003), thrombocytopenia (P = 0.023), CRP &ge +2 (P = 0.017) and Wright &ge 1/320 and 2-ME &ge 1.160 at the end of the sixth week of treatment (P = 0.004 and P = 0.010) were risk factors of treatment failure and relapse in brucellosis.

Conclusion: The diagnosis and treatment of relapse and treatment failure in acute brucellosis is not clear, therefore, the prediction of relapse may be useful in preventing recurrence and treatment of patients.

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Background: Demodex mites can infect the sebaceous glands and hair follicles from almost every area of human skin especially on the face. Demodicosis is considered to be a factor in the pathogenesis of some skin disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Demodex mites and to identify the association between risk factors and Demodex infection.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 100 university students in Khorramabad, Iran. Samples were collected from three different regions of the face (nose, cheeks and forehead) using two different methods, including cellophane tape method (CTP) and skin pressurization. A questionnaire was filled for each individual and data were subjected to statistical analyses using chi-square test.

Results: The overall prevalence of Demodex mites was 55%. The detection rate of infection by cellophane tape method was much higher than that of the skin pressurization (p<0.01). The incidence of Demodex was found to occur more frequently in males and in people with oily skin (p<0.05). Furthermore, the infection rate among students with acne vulgaris was significantly higher than that of students without acne (p<0.05). We found a significant difference between acne vulgaris and density of Demodex mites (p<0.01).

Conclusion: The cellophane tape method (CTP) is an easy and suitable method for epidemiologic investigations. Skin types and gender were identified as risk factors. Our study suggests that Demodex infection could be associated with acne vulgaris.

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