Hormoz Ayromlou; Parisa Pourvahed; Fatemeh Jahanjoo; Homayoun Dolatkhah; Seyyed Kazem Shakouri; Neda Dolatkhah
Volume 20, Issue 11 , 2018, Pages 1-12
Abstract
Background: Antioxidants are considered essential components in neurodegenerative disease management since they can protect cells from oxidative damage. Objectives: The current study aimed at evaluating the intake and serum level of selected antioxidants in subjects possessing mild cognitive impairment ...
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Background: Antioxidants are considered essential components in neurodegenerative disease management since they can protect cells from oxidative damage. Objectives: The current study aimed at evaluating the intake and serum level of selected antioxidants in subjects possessing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) compared with a cognitively intact control.Methods: The current prospective, case-control study was conducted in Tabriz from December 2016 to August 2017 on a total of 45 patients with MCI as a case group and another 45 healthy subjects matched by age and gender were recruited for the control group. After completing the mini-mental state examination (MMSE-12) questionnaire, the cases with MCI were identified using the modified Peterson standard. By a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), the common dietary intakes during the previous year were recorded and blood samples were collected.Results: Of the 90 subjects in the current study, 61% were male and 39% female, with the mean age of 68.8 ± 5.5 years. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to dietary intakes of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and lycopene (P = 0.079, P = 0.413, and P = 0.455, respectively). The results of the studied parameters showed that serum beta-carotene and lycopene (P = 0.004 and P = 0.044, respectively) in healthy subjects were significantly higher than those of the elderly people with MCI. There was a significant correlation between Vitamin C dietary intake and serum level and cognitive scores in MMSE-12 (r = 0.231, P = 0.028 and r = 0.224, P = 0.033, respectively) and also between serum level of lycopene and cognitive scores(r = 0.388, P = 0.000). Conclusions: The subjects with mild cognitive impairment had a significantly lower serum levels of lycopene beta-carotene antiox- idants compared with healthy subjects, and there was a positive correlation between serum level of vitamin C and lycopene and also vitamin C dietary intake and scores in the MMSE-12 test.
Mohammad Rahbar; Fariba Eslamian; Vahideh Toopchizadeh; Fatemeh Jahanjoo; Ali Kargar; Neda Dolatkhah
Volume 20, Issue 9 , 2018, Pages 1-10
Abstract
Background: Plantar fasciitis (PF) is the most common cause of metatarsus pain. Objectives: The current study aimed at comparing the improvement of pain and function in patients with PF treated with extracor- poreal shockwave (ESWT) and dry-needling therapy. Methods: The current single-blinded, clinical ...
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Background: Plantar fasciitis (PF) is the most common cause of metatarsus pain. Objectives: The current study aimed at comparing the improvement of pain and function in patients with PF treated with extracor- poreal shockwave (ESWT) and dry-needling therapy. Methods: The current single-blinded, clinical study was conducted on 72 patients with PF selected from the outpatient and rehabil- itation clinics of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran from August 2016 to March 2017. Patients were randomly divided into two groups, and the subjects in the first group were treated with ESWT, while the second group were treated with dry-needling. The performance was evaluated based on FFI (Foot Function Index), and the pain level according to VAS (Visual Analogue Scale); subjects were evaluated at baseline, as well as four and eight weeks after treatment and the obtained results were compared and analyzed using appropriate statistical methods. Results: The subjects’ VAS and FFI scores significantly decreased compared with those of the baseline in both dry-needling and ESWT groups four and eight weeks after treatment (P < 0.005). Based on the criteria, no statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups four weeks after the treatment (P = 0.732 for VAS and P = 0.578 for FFI). However, eight weeks after treatment, significant changes were observed in pain reduction and FFI in the dry-needling group compared with the ESWT group (VAS: 1.7 ± 0.9 vs. 2.9 ± 1.9, P = 0.013 and FFI: 31.4 ± 28.0 vs. 50.4 ± 33.1, P = 0.008, respectively). Conclusions: Both extracorporeal shockwave and dry-needling therapies were effective in plantar fasciitis treatment; despite the fact that the results of the current study revealed that dry-needling therapy was more effective than extracorporeal shockwave, at eight weeks after treatment.
Fariba Eslamian; Fatemeh Jahanjoo; Vahideh Toopchizadeh; Banafshe Kharrazi
Volume 20, Issue 6 , 2018, Pages 1-9
Abstract
Background: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is characterized by anterior knee pain due to arthralgia in the joint between the patella and femur. Many factors, including improper biomechanics and skeletal disorders, are associated with PFPS. The role of Vitamin D deficiency in the pathogenesis of ...
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Background: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is characterized by anterior knee pain due to arthralgia in the joint between the patella and femur. Many factors, including improper biomechanics and skeletal disorders, are associated with PFPS. The role of Vitamin D deficiency in the pathogenesis of patellar chondromalacia has been known for several years. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in young people with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) and compare this with the prevalence in a healthy matched control group and to determine the correlation between the occurrence of biomechanical abnormalities and serum levels of 25(OH)D in patients with PFPS. Methods: In this case-control study, 40 patients aged 15 to 40 years old with a diagnosis of PFPS, that had referred to the rehabilita- tion clinic of a university hospital in Tabriz, Iran, were selected as the case group and 40 normal subjects of the same age range were selected as the controls. Serum 25(OH)D levels were assessed, and a postural examination was performed on both groups, while the severity of knee pain, plain knee radiographs, and serum levels of calcium and phosphorous were assessed only in PFPS patients. Results: Among the 80 participants, Vitamin D deficiency (cut-off level of 25(OH)D ≤ 20 ng/mL) was observed in 55 participants (68.75%), including 35 (87.5%) patients and 20 (50%) controls, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001). Females had a higher prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency than males, yet the difference was not statistically significant (71.21% versus 57.14%, P = 0.348). The serum levels of Vitamin D and pain severity were significantly and inversely related in the case group (P = 0.005). Clinicaland imaging findings showed that 18 (45%) of the patients and two (5%) of the controls had abnormalities, such as genu varus, genu valgus, or patellar tracking, indicating a high coexistence of biomechanical deficits in PFPS (P < 0.001).Conclusions: Severe and moderate Vitamin D deficiencies were more prevalent in young adults with PFPS than in normal adults. Knee pain severity and joint deformities were correlated with low levels of Vitamin D in the case group. Therefore, attention to diet, vitamin supplementations, and biomechanical correction are the mainstay treatment of PFPS.
