Original Article
Payam Khomand; Ghobad Moradi; Behrooz Ahsan; Setareh Abtahi
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017, Pages 1-6
Abstract
Background: This study was performed to compare the effects of low dose interferon beta-1 (IFN-β-1) (CinnoVex, 30 mcg) and high dose IFN-β-1 (REBIF, 44 mcg) on the reduction of the number and size of plaques in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).Methods: This ...
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Background: This study was performed to compare the effects of low dose interferon beta-1 (IFN-β-1) (CinnoVex, 30 mcg) and high dose IFN-β-1 (REBIF, 44 mcg) on the reduction of the number and size of plaques in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).Methods: This historical cohort study, which was performed in 2014 in Sanandaj (western part of Iran). 43 MS patients in two groups were investigated. The first group, which included 19 patients, was treated using high dose IFN (44 mcg) and the second group, which was consisted of 24 patients, was treated using low dose IFN (30 mcg). Patients’ data were collected and analyzed by the Stata version 11 software; the analyses were performed using statistical t-test, chi-square test, Fisher test, and logistic regression.Results: Both drugs were effective in controlling active demyelinating plaque and in preventing plaque activation (P = 0.633). The impact of both drugs in the reduction of the number and size of plaques was evaluated. Based on the results of the MRI, high dose IFN therapy was more effective than the low dose IFN drugs and had a better performance in terms of reducing the number of plaques and in stop-and-recovery (P = 0.039), as well as in reducing the plaque size (P = 0.050).Conclusion: The high dose IFN therapy was more effective than the low dose IFN therapy in reducing the number and size of brain plaques in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS).
Original Article
Mozaffar Hosseininezhad; Hannan Ebrahimi; Seyed Mohammad Seyedsaadat; Babak Bakhshayesh; Motahareh Asadi; Amir Reza Ghayeghran
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017, Pages 7-14
Abstract
Background: Stroke is the leading cause of death and functional disability. While there have been major advances regarding the management of stroke, a significant proportion of people are still unaware of stroke-related symptoms and risk factors. This study was performed to assess the awareness of stroke’s ...
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Background: Stroke is the leading cause of death and functional disability. While there have been major advances regarding the management of stroke, a significant proportion of people are still unaware of stroke-related symptoms and risk factors. This study was performed to assess the awareness of stroke’s warning signs and risk factors among a sample of Iranian population.Methods: A total of 649 participants were randomly selected using systematic randomization from the list of telephone numbers obtained from the telephone directory. Demographic characteristics were recorded. Participants were asked to answer questions regarding the awareness about stroke, its warning signs and risk factors.Results: Patients’ mean age was 32.0 ± 12.2 years old, and 56.4% were women. Hypertension and history of stroke were major risk factors, and loss of consciousness, vertigo and ataxia were major warning signs of stroke correctly identified by respondents. Multiple linear regressions showed that age (β = 0.277, P < 0.001), academic level of education (β = 6.41, P = 0.01), housewifery (β = 8.9, P < 0.001), jobs related to medical care (β = 13.17, P = 0.016) and previous information about stroke (β = 18.71, P < 0.001) were significant predictors of the overall awareness about stroke.Conclusion: The awareness of people about stroke, its risk factors and warning signs were good in this study. The awareness toward stroke can be associated with factors such as age, academic level of education, job and previous information about stroke. Further studies are recommended to program public multimedia and health education in academies and colleges.
Original Article
Seyed Ali Ghaffari; Maryam Nemati; Hossain Hajghani; Hossainali Ebrahimi; Abdolkarim Sheikhi; Abdollah Jafarzadeh
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017, Pages 15-25
Abstract
Background: Interleukin (IL)-17/IL-23 axis performs a prominent role in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune disorders. This study aimed to investigate the concentrations of IL-17 in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and its relationship with gender, medication, disease forms and single nucleotide ...
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Background: Interleukin (IL)-17/IL-23 axis performs a prominent role in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune disorders. This study aimed to investigate the concentrations of IL-17 in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and its relationship with gender, medication, disease forms and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in IL-23R gene, including rs11209026 and rs1004819.Methods: The blood specimens were obtained from 135 healthy individuals and 135 MS patients. The patients exhibited relapsing-remitting (RRMS; n = 65), primary progressive (PPMS; n = 19), secondary progressive (SPMS; n = 35) or progressive relapsing (PRMS; n = 14) MS. The DNA was analyzed for SNPs using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and IL-17 concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results: We have observed elevated serum IL-17 concentrations in MS patients compared with healthy individuals (P < 0.001). The men with MS had higher IL-17 concentrations than women patients (P < 0.050). Untreated patients had significantly higher IL-17 concentrations than healthy individuals and treated patients (P < 0.001 and P < 0.010, respectively). The IL-17 concentrations were significantly decreased in patients treated with interferon-β (IFN-β), methylprednisolone or both drugs as compared with untreated MS patients (P < 0.050, P < 0.020 and P < 0.050, respectively). The IL-17 concentrations were also significantly higher in patients with RRMS and PRMS compared with healthy individuals (P < 0.005 and P < 0.010, respectively). The genetic variations at SNPs rs11209026 and rs1004819 were not significantly different between healthy individuals and patients. The IL-17 concentrations were not influenced by genetic variations at investigated SNPs.Conclusion: These results indicated higher levels of IL-17 in MS patients that may be influenced by disease patterns, medication and gender. No association was observed between investigated SNPs and MS.
Original Article
Kaveh Shafiei; Fatemeh Sedaghati
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017, Pages 26-29
Abstract
Background: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is a current practice in medicine to produce clinical practice guidelines from well-designed, randomized, controlled trials. We studied knowledge, attitude, and practice of EBM of neurologists who participated in the Iranian congress of neurology.Methods: A self-administered ...
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Background: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is a current practice in medicine to produce clinical practice guidelines from well-designed, randomized, controlled trials. We studied knowledge, attitude, and practice of EBM of neurologists who participated in the Iranian congress of neurology.Methods: A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was distributed and filled by neurologists. A total of 200 neurologists were randomly sampled and with response rate of 56%. 33.9% of responder had previously participated in EBM courses.Results: The average total knowledge score was 4.05 ± 0.80 out of a maximum possible score of 5.0. Textbooks were still the most favorite source of knowledge for our neurologists. A lack of time was the highest, and motivation the least mentioned barrier in using EBM.Conclusion: Overall, the Iranian neurologist had acceptable knowledge and attitude toward EBM and had same similar as found in other studies.
Original Article
Ehsan Kheradmand; Shaghayegh Haghjooy-Javanmard; Leila Dehghani
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017, Pages 30-33
Abstract
Background: Activated protein C (APC) inactivates factor V (FV) by cleavage of its heavy chain at Arg306, Arg506, Arg679, and Lys994. Mutational changes, which abolish APC cleavage sites, may predispose thrombosis by altering the inactivation process of FV. FV Leiden (FVL) (Arg506Glu) has been demonstrated ...
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Background: Activated protein C (APC) inactivates factor V (FV) by cleavage of its heavy chain at Arg306, Arg506, Arg679, and Lys994. Mutational changes, which abolish APC cleavage sites, may predispose thrombosis by altering the inactivation process of FV. FV Leiden (FVL) (Arg506Glu) has been demonstrated as a strong risk factor for thrombosis. In the current study, we have studied whether mutations in the cleavage sites of FV for APC, not due to FVL, would have a role in presenting APC resistance (APCR) and initiation of a cerebral thrombotic event.Methods: A group of 22 patients with a history of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), who were not carriers of FVL enrolled in the study. The patients who had conditions associated with acquired APCR were excluded from the study. APCR test was performed on the remaining 16 patients, which showed APCR in 4 plasma samples. DNA sequencing was performed on four exons of FV of APCR patients, encoding Arg306, Arg506, Arg679, and Lys994.Results: Mutations were not found within nucleotides encoding the cleavage sites; neither was found within their close upstream and downstream sequences.Conclusion: Our results show that polymorphisms affecting cleavage sites of FV other than Arg506Glu it would be less likely to be the basis for APCR and its increased thrombosis susceptibility. In addition, it emphasizes on the importance of screening for APCR in the patients diagnosed with CVT.
Review Article
Mohammad Ali Sahraian; Mohammad Sahebkar; Rouhollah Dehghani; Milad Derakhshan-Jazari; Vahid Kazami-Moghaddam; Ebrahim Kouchaki
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017, Pages 34-40
Abstract
There has been a global rising trend in recent years in the incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite being an MS low-risk region, this disease has also been recently on the rise in the Middle East. As part of the Middle East, Iran has not been spared either; however, the cause of this dramatic increase ...
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There has been a global rising trend in recent years in the incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite being an MS low-risk region, this disease has also been recently on the rise in the Middle East. As part of the Middle East, Iran has not been spared either; however, the cause of this dramatic increase remains to be discovered. This study reviews possible reasons for this increase in Iran. Although many factors such as the increased rate of smoking, lifestyle changes, modernization, and contact with toxic solvents can be proposed as reasons for this sudden rise in the prevalence of MS in Iran, these factors cannot be taken as definite causes and further studies are required to prove their impact.
Letter to the Editor
Sama Bitarafan; Kiana Amani; Mohammad Ali Sahraian; Payam Sarraf; Danesh Soltani; Abdorreza Naser Moghadasi; Mohammad Hossein Harirchian
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017, Pages 41-42
Abstract
The first attack of multiple sclerosis presented immediat
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The first attack of multiple sclerosis presented immediat
Letter to the Editor
Ahmad Reza Khatoonabadi; Shohreh Kaviani; Noureddin Nakhostin-Ansari; Mahsa Saadati; Ehsan Shahverdi
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017, Pages 43-44
Abstract
The effects of intensive language therapy in aphasic patients
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The effects of intensive language therapy in aphasic patients
Clinical Notes
Josef Finsterer; Gabor Geza Kovacs
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017, Pages 45-49
Abstract
Psoriasis, bulbar involvement, and diarrhea in late myoclonic epileps
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Psoriasis, bulbar involvement, and diarrhea in late myoclonic epileps
Clinical Notes
Masoud Mehrpour
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017, Pages 50-52
Abstract
Endovascular management of chronic internal carotid occlusion with Penumbra system
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Endovascular management of chronic internal carotid occlusion with Penumbra system
Neuroimage/Video
Gholam Ali Shahidi; Mahdi Safdarian
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017, Pages 53-54
Abstract
Fahr disease: Idiopathic basal ganglia calcification
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Fahr disease: Idiopathic basal ganglia calcification
Iranian journal of neurology Iranian journal of neurology
Volume 16, Issue 1 , January 2017
Abstract
Official journal of Iranian Neurological Association
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Official journal of Iranian Neurological Association
