Mohammad Reza Fattahi; Arad Iranmehr; Roghayyeh Saeedi; Mohammad Ali Sahraian; Rozita Doosti; Abdorreza Naser Moghadasi
Volume 21, Issue 4 , October 2022, , Pages 230-235
Abstract
Background: Despite special global considerations which have been made to prioritize vaccination of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), some are reluctant to get vaccinated. This study was aimed to evaluate the attitude toward coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccine and its probable correlations.Methods: ...
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Background: Despite special global considerations which have been made to prioritize vaccination of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), some are reluctant to get vaccinated. This study was aimed to evaluate the attitude toward coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccine and its probable correlations.Methods: Considering the study objectives, two valid questionnaires including Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and attitude questionnaires were administered pre and post COVID-19 vaccination among people with MS.Results: The questionnaires were administered among 349 people with MS pre and post vaccination. The mean age of participants was 38.78 ± 8.68 (range: 19 to 64) years. They all received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine (Sinopharm). Although about 90% of participants felt satisfied after getting vaccinated and respected the preventive actions like social distancing and wearing face mask after vaccination, about 40% of them did not recommend vaccination to other patients. None of the demographic data was predictor of attitude score in COVID-19 vaccine and the only effective factor regarding fear of COVID-19 among people with MS was gender (P = 0.001). It was found that the more a patient’s fear score was, the more he/she felt satisfied after vaccination. Those patients who had got the influenza vaccine last year felt more satisfied with the vaccine and accepted the COVID-19 vaccine easier than others.Conclusion: This study revealed that there was an inverse correlation between fear of coronavirus and less trust in the vaccine in patients with MS. However, it should be mentioned that the patients felt more satisfied after COVID-19 vaccination.
Soodeh Razeghi-Jahromi; Rozita Doosti; Zeinab Ghorbani; Roghayyeh Saeedi; Maryam Abolhasani; Naeemeh Akbari; Fatemeh Cheraghi-Serkani; Abdorreza Naser Moghadasi; Amirreza Azimi; Mansoureh Togha; Mohammad Ali Sahraian
Abstract
Background: Among multiple sclerosis (MS) related symptoms and complications, fatigue might impact roughly 90% of patients. Decline in cognitive function is one of the other complications that occur in the first years after disease onset. The Mediterranean diet is one of the well-known anti-inflammatory ...
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Background: Among multiple sclerosis (MS) related symptoms and complications, fatigue might impact roughly 90% of patients. Decline in cognitive function is one of the other complications that occur in the first years after disease onset. The Mediterranean diet is one of the well-known anti-inflammatory dietary approaches. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of a modified Mediterranean-like diet on cognitive changes and fatigue levels in comparison with a conventional standard diet over a 1-year follow-up. Methods: In the current single-blind randomized controlled trial, 34 MS patients in the Mediterranean- like diet group and 38 patients in the standard healthy diet group were studied for 1 year. The dietary interventions were modified each month by an expert nutritionist. MS-associated fatigue level was evaluated using the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS). Cognitive assessment was also performed using Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in MS (MACFIMS). Results: Intergroup comparisons demonstrated that after considering confounding variables in ANCOVA, fatigue scores appeared significantly lower in patients who were treated with the Mediterranean-like diet than those in the standard healthy diet group [Mean 95% confidence interval (CI)}: 33.93 (32.97-34.89) and 37.98 (36.99-38.97), respectively; P < 0.001]. However, the intergroup analysis of cognitive status only showed a difference in the mean score of Brief Visuospatial Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R) subtest of the MACFIMS. The BVMT-R was higher among standard healthy diet patients compared to the Mediterranean-like diet group after the intervention following adjustment for covariates [Mean (95% CI): 23.73 (21.88-25.57) and 20.56 (18.60-22.51), respectively; P = 0.020]. Conclusion: In conclusion, the results of this study highlighted the higher protective effects of the Mediterranean-like diet against MS-related fatigue than the standard healthy diet. However, no significant improvement was observed in the cognitive status of MS patients after a 1-year treatment with the Mediterranean-like diet. More randomized clinical trials with larger sample sizes are needed to elucidate the effects of dietary modifications on MS-associated symptoms and complications.
Rozita Doosti; Mansoureh Togha; Abdorreza Naser Moghadasi; Aida Aghsaei; Amir Reza Azimi; Saeideh Khorramnia; Zahra Moinfar; Fereshteh Ensani; Mohammad Hossein Harirchian; Alireza Minagar; Mohammad Ali Sahraian
Volume 17, Issue 2 , April 2018, , Pages 64-70
Abstract
Background: Since most patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) are women, the present study aimed to determine whether treatment of patients with MS by cytotoxic agents is associated with an increased risk of cervical dysplasia. Cancer screening is often neglected in the chronic diseases ...
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Background: Since most patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) are women, the present study aimed to determine whether treatment of patients with MS by cytotoxic agents is associated with an increased risk of cervical dysplasia. Cancer screening is often neglected in the chronic diseases such as MS, so more attention in this field was needed. Decreasing morbidity and mortality due to cervical cancer is the most important goal of screening in female MS patients especially in child bearing age. Thus, it can be said that this is the first study which investigated this important issue.
Methods: A total of 129 individuals participated in this cohort study. They were assigned into 3 groups including 43 patients with MS who were treated with cytotoxic drugs, 43 patients with MS on immunomodulators, and 43 normal healthy controls. Pap smears were performed following standard methods and the results obtained from the three groups were compared by statistical analysis. Demographic data, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and Pap smear changes were analyzed by SPSS software.
Results: The most commonly detected abnormality in all examined patients and healthy controls was inflammation. Five patients with MS who were treated with cytotoxic agents revealed benign cellular changes (BCC) in their Pap smear that were statistically significant in comparison with other groups (P = 0.03). Patients who took Mitoxantrone presented BCC more than other groups [Odds ratio (OR) = 9.44, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.46-60.70]. There was no significant difference between mean duration of MS diagnosis (P = 0.12), mean duration of previous MS treatments (P = 0.25), and mean duration of current MS treatments (P = 0.21) in patients with BCC compared to normal healthy controls or inflammatory change.
Conclusion: According to the results of present study, BCC is more frequently observed in patients with MS who were treated with cytotoxic agents with immunosuppressive effect. Since BCC is a ‘premalignant condition’, the authors suggest that mandatory annual Pap smear should be performed for patients with MS who are treated with cytotoxic agents irrespective of their age in order to detect early signs of malignancy.
Soha Mir-Reza; Maryam Tabatabaeiyan; Rozita Doosti; Mahsa Owji; Abdorreza Naser Moghadasi
Volume 12, Issue 1 , March 2013, , Pages 35-36
