Health Science Reports

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Electrical stimulation (ES) has been shown to substantially enhance the quality of life by alleviating pain in patients with chronic wounds. This study aimed to observe the effects of low-frequency pulsed wearable ES at the common peroneal nerve on chronic refractory wounds of the lower limb. METHODS: Forty-eight participants were randomly divided into control group ( n  = 24) and treatment group ( n  = 24) in this study...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) are susceptible to complications, including iron overload, which can significantly impact their prognosis and overall health. This scoping review aimed to study the prevalence and implications of iron overload in CKD patients undergoing PD. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted across five databases, leading to the selection of 18 papers for in-depth analysis. These studies collectively involved 381 PD patients, 60...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Delayed implementation of new knowledge into clinical practice poses patient safety risks. This study investigates agreement on use of the dental caries interventions, sealing, and stepwise excavation. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey, based on 11 constructed cases with descriptions of patient symptoms, radiographic, and clinical findings. Interrater agreement on dental caries- and pulp diagnoses and interventions were measured with Cohen's and Light's κ ...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: COVID-19 patients might be admitted to the hospital based on their clinical manifestations or to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to the severity of their symptoms or critical situation. Our main objective was to investigate clinical and demographic factors influencing COVID-19 patients' admission to the ICU and length of stay (LOS) using extracted data from the hospital information systems in Iran. METHODS: The data of hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 were retrieved from the health information system of Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran, Iran between March 2020 and February 2022...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In the neurobiological theory of attention, the orienting network mainly supports the temperamental regulatory function in infancy, with soothing methods such as visual attention distraction influencing its development. The attention distraction method chosen for soothing is thought to be influenced by maternal sensitivity, which has been found to decrease with poor maternal mental health. We hypothesize that the degree of maternal distress may affect the choice of attention distraction soothing method...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Several factors exist regarding the risk for, healing and prevention of pressure ulcers (PUs). A mobile PU team with an individualized holistic approach adapted to the home or outpatient clinic setting could be beneficial for the prevention, and management of PUs. AIMS: To describe the mobile PU team's interventions among individuals who had deep PUs and were living at home. Another aim was to describe the patients' perceptions of the quality of the care and having a deep PU...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Childbirth is a multifaceted and distressing event that can profoundly affect mothers' psychological and physical well-being. Noninvasive interventions like music therapy have been explored to improve labor outcomes by decreasing pain and anxiety levels, promoting relaxation, and enhancing maternal-fetal health. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Iranian traditional music on cervical dilation and labor progress in the active stage of term pregnancy. METHODS: This study was a nonrandomized controlled trial that included pregnant women between 20 and 35, with a gravidity of two or three...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a significant public health concern transmitted by ticks. This study seeks to thoroughly grasp the epidemiology and transmission patterns of CCHF, which is caused by the CCHF virus (CCHFV), a member of the Nairovirus genus in the Bunyaviridae family. METHODS: The study investigates the global distribution and endemicity of CCHF, its mortality rates, modes of transmission (including tick bites, contact with infected animal blood, and limited person-to-person transmission), and factors influencing its prevalence across different regions...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Taxi drivers play a significant role in urban mobility and safety as professional drivers. They typically have poor incomes, long work hours, lack of sleep, and high levels of stress, which increase the risk of physical and mental illnesses. The goal of this study was to explore the relationship between sleep disorders and depression among Tabriz metropolis taxi drivers. METHODS: Using the street intercept technique, a cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of 402 taxi drivers in Tabriz during January and March 2020...

BACKGROUND: Pediatric psoriasis accounts for nearly one-third of the global psoriasis burden. Multiple lines of evidence have shown the relationship between Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) Insertion (I)/deletion(D) polymorphism with psoriasis susceptibility, and oxidative stress (OS) in psoriatic patients. However, such studies, particularly on pediatric psoriasis, are scarce in the local setting. AIMS: Our study investigated the prevalence of ACE I/D polymorphism and its associations with oxidative stress in pediatric psoriasis patients in Sri Lanka...

BACKGROUND & AIM: Timely identification of the patients requiring intensive care unit admission (ICU) could be life-saving. We aimed to compare different machine learning algorithms to predict the requirements for ICU admission in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: We screened all patients with COVID-19 at six academic hospitals in Tehran comprising our study population. A total of 44,112 COVID-19 patients (≥18 years old) were included, among which 7722 patients were hospitalized...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A growing number of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients suffer from opportunistic intestinal coccidian infections. Instead of human immuno deficiency virus (HIV) infection itself, opportunistic infections like intestinal coccidian parasites cause death of over 80% AIDS patients. Factors like exposed drinking water sources and poverty aid the prevalence of opportunistic intestinal coccidian parasitic infections in HIV/AIDS patients. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal coccidian parasites and associated factors in HIV/AIDS patients...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endocan is a marker of endothelial damage. Data regarding the association of this proteoglycan and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is discrepant. Hence, this study sought to investigate the possible correlation between serum/plasma endocan concentration and ARDS. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of international online databases was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, and Web of Science were searched in March 2023, with the leading search terms being "ARDS" OR "respiratory distress" AND "endocan" and other associated terms...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Thoracic spine manipulation (TSM) increases the thoracic spine's range of motion (ROM), effectively reducing pain intensity and disability in patients with mechanical neck pain. We aimed to determine the effect of TSM on neck pain intensity and functional impairment in patients classified under the "mobility" category in Childs' classification. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, patients with mechanical neck pain who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to either the TSM ( n  = 21) or sham manipulation ( n  = 20) group...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Sleep is a complex physiological process during which the body and mind enter a period of rest. For a healthy lifestyle, different cohort groups can be affected in different ways. One such cohort is healthcare workers (HCWs)-an unexplored group in Afghanistan. Therefore, the present study examined the association between a range of sociodemographic factors including having night shift work and sleep quality among Afghan HCWs. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was administered in January 2023 among HCWs ( N  = 342) in the Herat province of Afghanistan...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: While the number of female physicians has increased since the 1970s, there continues to be a lack of female surgeons compared to their male counterparts, with the gender gap more prominent in surgical subspecialties such as neurosurgery. While surgical subspecialities have accelerated initiatives to close the gap, potential disparities in research opportunities may position women at a disadvantage, particularly in neurosurgery, where academic publications are an indicator of residency match success...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ocular trauma (OT) is a a major cause of ocular morbidity and blindness. This study was systematically conducted to determine the factors contributing to OT in Iran. METHODS: In this study, a systematic review of all published articles in Persian and English languages from 2000 to 2023 was conducted to investigate the factors affecting OT in Iran. The included studies encompassed cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control designs. Articles were selected from internationally recognized databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, as well as Persian databases such as SID and Magiran...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) are well-known independent predictors of cardiovascular disease especially in adulthood. However, there is insufficient evidence regarding the statistical significance of the relationship between childhood CIMT, blood pressure and BMI. This systematic review and meta-analysis was therefore conducted to ascertain the relationship. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis was reported in accordance with the PRISMA statement...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Antibiotic misuse represent a significant global health challenge, with medical students positioned as key figures in promoting responsible antibiotic usage. This study investigates the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding antibiotic use among medical students in Bangladesh, aiming to identify areas for targeted educational and policy interventions. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 501 medical students across various years of study in Bangladesh, collecting data over a 3-month period...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Before performing any surgical or endovascular procedure, the anatomical classification of the patient is essential for treatment planning. Computed Tomographic Angiography (CTA) is a standard method to evaluate thoracic aortic anatomy and associated variations. METHODS: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was performed among adult participants without any peripheral vascular diseases undergoing thoracic CTA. Demographic data were collected along with factors retrieved from the patients CTA, such as the type of aortic arch, length, and diameter of ascending and descending aorta, the diameter of the main branches and the distance between branches, the angles by which the main arteries rise from their origins, and left anterior oblique angle of the aortic arch...