Sleep quality and its relationship with quality of life among high-risk pregnant women (gestational diabetes and hypertension)

Background: Sleep is one of the most basic human requirements. This research aims at determining the status of sleep quality and its relationship with quality of life among high-risk pregnant women in Tabriz, Iran, in 2015.

Materials and methods: This research was a sectional study done on 364 qualified women in 28–36 weeks of pregnancy suffering from mild preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. The sampling was done as convenience. Personal–social–midwifery questionnaire, Pittsburg sleep quality, and quality of life in pregnancy (QOL-ORAV) were used for gathering data. Multivariate linear regression model was used for determining the relationship between sleep quality and its subsets with quality of life and controlling confounders.

Findings: In the current study, the prevalence of sleep disturbance was 96.4%. Mean (SD) of the total score of sleep quality was 10.1 (4.1) and the total score of quality of life was 61.7 (17.3). According to Pearson’s correlation test, there was statistically significant relationship between quality of life and sleep quality and all its subsets except sleep duration and use of sleep medication (p?Discussion: The findings of current research show that sleep quality is low among high-risk pregnant women and quality of life is medium. So, it is necessary that required training is given by health cares for improving sleep quality and quality of life to mothers.     

Morning melatonin serum values do not correlate with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional study

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the most prevalent autoimmune arthritis worldwide, usually presents with a circannual manner and, meanwhile, follows a circadian rhythm for symptoms like morning stiffness. Therefore, association between RA and some hormones such as melatonin (MLT) and vitamin D, whose serum values are related to body circadian rhythms or seasonal variations, has become more noticeable recently. Since some studies proposed that RA patients show altered MLT circadian rhythms, especially in concordance with symptoms, in this research, we present the correlation between MLT serum values and RA disease activity score (DAS28ESR). The current cross-sectional study was carried out on 80 volunteers (60 patients and 20 healthy controls). Fifty percent of the participants in each group were sampled in cold, and the same percentage were sampled in warm seasons at 8 a.m. Disease activity was estimated utilizing DAS28ESR. Patients with possible known confounders of MLT secretion were excluded. A commercial MLT ELISA kit was employed to measure MLT. Statistical analysis was conducted by SPSS-11 software. This study outlined higher serum values of MLT in RA patients compared with controls (P = 0.006, z = ?2.73). However, MLT did not correlate with DAS in patients (P = 0.45, r = ?0.09). GLM analysis demonstrated that DAS28ESR, age, disease duration, medications, gender, and season of sampling had no influence on serum MLT. However, newly diagnosed RA patients presented higher MLT values than established ones (P = 0.03, t = ?2.2). A cutoff point value of 23 pg/mL (63.3 % sensitivity and 90 % specificity) for MLT was computed between patients and controls. This study denoted that morning MLT serum values are higher in RA patients than in healthy volunteers. However, MLT and RA disease activity or other disease characteristics do not correlate. MLT serum values were higher in newly diagnosed RA patients than established ones.     

Histopathologic Findings of Pneumatocele in a Patient with Hyper-IgE syndrome, compatible with cystic adenomatoid malformation

Hyper-immunoglobulin E syndrome is a rare primary immunodeficiency disease characterized by recurrent abscess formation, respiratory tract infections and very high titers of serum IgE associated with peculiar face and skeletal features. We report a seven-year old girl presenting with persistent productive cough and history of chronic eczematoid facial lesions since infancy and two episodes of hospitalizations due to pneumonia and perianal abscess. Additionally, in physical examination finger tip clubbing, laxity of joints and crackles in both lungs were detected. Immunologic work up revealed markedly raised IgE level and eosinophilia. The patient was diagnosed as hyper IgE syndrome based on his clinical and laboratory findings. Chest X-ray revealed multiple large cystic lesions in left lung which were confirmed by spiral CT-scan. Pneumonectomy specimen examination showed cystic adenomatoid malformation, characterized by the presence of various cysts lined by epithelium in different sizes. There are few reports of cystic adenomatoid malformation in children. To our best known, this is the first report of cystic adenomatoid malformation in a child with hyper IgE syndrome. Early diagnosis and surgical therapy are helpful in prevention of repeated infections in these patients.     

Prevalence and predictors associated with severe pulmonary hypertension in COPD

Background

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is one of the most common complications of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), but its severe form is uncommon. Various factors play an important role in the occurrence and severity of pulmonary hypertension in patients.

Transition metal- and catalyst-free one-pot green method for the synthesis of N-sulfonyl amidines via direct reaction of sulfonyl azides with amines

In this report, a green synthesis of N-sulfonyl amidines via the direct reaction of tertiary or secondary amines with sulfonyl azides is described. Transition metal- and catalyst-free conditions were used for the synthesis of biologically important N-sulfonyl amidines. Further studies showed that the reaction proceeded via in situ aerobic oxidation of amines under reflux conditions.

A green synthesis of N-sulfonyl amidines via the direct reaction of tertiary or secondary amines with sulfonyl azides.     

Development and course of heart failure after a myocardial infarction in younger and older people

Background Acute myocardial infarction （AMI） is a common cause of heart failure （HF）, which can develop soon after AMI and may persist or resolve or develop late. HF after an MI is a major source of mortality. The cumulative incidence, prevalence and resolution of HF after MI in different age groups are poorly described. This study describes the natural history of HF after AMI according to age. Methods Patients with AMI during 1998 were identified from hospital records. HF was defined as treatment of symptoms and signs of HF with loop diuretics and was considered to have resolved if loop diuretic therapy could be stopped without recurrence of symptoms. Patients were cate- gorised into those aged 〈 65 years, 65-75 years, and 〉 75 years. Results Of 896 patients, 311,297 and 288 were aged 〈 65, 65-75 and 〉75 years and of whom 24%, 57% and 82% had died respectively by December 2005. Of these deaths, 24 （8%）, 68 （23%） and 107 （37%） oc- curred during the index admission, many associated with acute HF. A further 37 （12%）, 63 （21%） and 82 （29%） developed HF that persisted until discharge, of whom 15, 44 and 62 subsequently died. After discharge, 53 （24%）, 55 （40%） and 37 （47%） patients developed I-IF for the first time, of whom 26%, 62% and 76% subsequently died. Death was preceded by the development of HF in 35 （70%）, 93 （91%） and 107 （85%） in aged 〈 65 years, 65-75 years and 〉75 years, respectively. Conclusions The risk of developing HF and of dying after an MI in- creases progressively with age. Regardless of age, most deaths after a MI are preceded by the development of HF.