Arch Iran Med
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Statistical methods (SM) are a ubiquitous tool in research. This study aimed to review SM used in original article published in the Archives of Iranian Medicine (AIM) and assess their effect on article acceptance period. ⋯ Contrary to the researchers' misconceptions, the acceptance period was not affected by SM, study design, statistical population, sample size, or type of software.
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Breast cancer represents the most frequent cancer and cause of death in women worldwide and in Tunisia. Cyclin D1 is a gene of cell cycle regulation. It represents a potential oncogene in invasive breast cancer; however; the results are conflicting. We performed a retrospective study aiming to analyze the prognostic impact of cyclin D1 expression in patients with invasive breast carcinoma of no special type and its relation with clinical-pathological features. ⋯ These results confirm that cyclin D1 overexpression can be employed as a beneficial prognostic marker and suggest that anti-cyclin D1 therapy may be efficient, especially for ER positive tumors.
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Retinopathy of prematurity (RoP) is a cause of newborn blindness. Several predisposing factors have been reported to contribute to the disease process. The current study aimed to compare serum vitamin D levels in infants with and without RoP. ⋯ The incidence of RoP was higher in infants with lower gestational age, lower birth weight, low first and fifth minutes Apgar scores, and male sex. Low serum levels of vitamin D in premature infants and their mothers were associated with incidence of RoP. The higher the stage of RoP, the greater was the severity of vitamin D deficiency. Thus, controlling the maternal vitamin D level during pregnancy, consumption of vitamin D supplements, and investigation of serum vitamin D levels in premature infants are recommended. Early correction of vitamin D deficiency may lead to reduction of RoP.
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Case Reports
A Patient with Acute Abdominal Pain Caused by an Unnoticed Swallowed Toothpick Misdiagnosed as Acute Appendicitis.
The differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain is a challenging task for medical doctors working in the department of gastroenterology. It is clear that acute abdominal pain may be associated with a number of pathologic conditions. We report an unusual case of an unnoticed swallowed wooden toothpick stuck in the ileocecal area of a young man with right lower abdominal pain who was misdiagnosed as acute appendicitis. ⋯ The elongated foreign body was identified as a wooden toothpick, which was then grasped with a foreign body forceps and successfully removed through colonoscopy. The patient's abdominal pain was significantly relieved within 2 days following treatment. On the basis of the case report, we suggest the importance of abdominal computed tomography scans for the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain and highlight the need for extra vigilance in excluding the diagnosis of foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract of patients with acute abdominal pain.
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Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative, spiral-shaped, and microaerophilic bacterium that inhabits the human gastric mucosa and is considered to be the most important etiologic agent for gastrointestinal disorders. Recently, however, there is ample evidence to suggest an association between H. pylori infection and extragastric complications, particularly atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of H. pylori infection and the risk of atherosclerosis in an Iranian population. ⋯ We confirmed a positive relationship between H. pylori infection and atherosclerosis in the Iranian population, which is similar to other reports from Western countries. Most likely, H. pylori infection can increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis.