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Patients with diabetes mellitus frequently experience urinary tract infections (UTIs). In the present study, we looked at how glycemic control affects diabetic patients' rates of UTI, the causing pathogens, the presence of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant organisms, and the infections' relation to diabetes. Diabetes patients' midstream urine samples were included, after collecting and identifying the organisms, disc diffusion antibiotic sensitivity tests were conducted. The HbA1c was measured for all patients. A total of 500 diabetic patients provided urine samples for this study, and 189 (37.2%) of them had UTIs. Compared to 59 patients with managed glycemia, 130 individuals in the uncontrolled glycemic group experienced the most UTI cases. In both diabetic groups, females had a significantly higher prevalence of UTI than males (88.4% and 11.6%, respectively). The most common bacterial isolate, E. coli, displayed 58.4% MDR. Regardless of age or gender, glycemic control in diabetes patients is essential for decreasing UTI rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: The simultaneous occurrence of ectopic pregnancy in both fallopian tubes and a live intrauterine fetus is very rare. The increase in the use of reproductive technology methods has caused an increase in the prevalence of this type of pregnancy. The aim of this study is to report a case of simultaneous occurrence of ectopic pregnancy in both fallopian tubes and live intrauterine fetus following the use of ovulation induction medications. Case Report: The patient was a 29-year-old pregnant woman in her 7th week of pregnancy with a one-year history of infertility and the use of ovulation induction medications, with a transvaginal ultrasound report a week ago, live intrauterine pregnancy (6th week) and normal fallopian tubes, and complaints of vaginal bleeding. In repeated ultrasound, a live fetus was seen in the uterus (7 weeks and three days) and a live fetus in the left adnexa (7 weeks and three days), and the right adnexa was normal. The patient underwent laparoscopy. An incidental finding during surgery was the presence of ectopic pregnancy in both tubes. Left salpingectomy and right salpingostomy were performed and progesterone suppositories were prescribed to maintain intrauterine pregnancy. One week after the surgery, the fetus was observed without a heartbeat in the control ultrasound. Conclusion: Based on the results of this report, the correct use of assisted reproductive methods, control of infertile patients under the supervision of infertility centers, and accurate ultrasounds due to the possibility of heterotopic pregnancy in high-risk patients are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data sets of Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) backscatter intensities (ABS) were used to evaluate suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) in the Mahshahr Channel (MC) of the Persian Gulf. Since the echo intensity is closely related to turbidity in water, the ADCP may be a promising tool to monitor the sediment transport. The low susceptibility of the acoustic backscatter to bio-fouling and the ADCP provision of current profiles as well as sediment time series makes this monitoring method more advantageous compared with the traditional methods. Time series of ADCP backscatter intensity profiles were used for improving temporal resolution of SSC estimates. Backscatter and traditional observational data were separated into two segments. The first part was utilized for calibrating the backscatter data and attributing the intensity to suspended particle concentrations and using the second part acoustic intensities were validated. Acoustic based SSC estimates are slightly underestimated in comparison with traditional water sample based SSC values, but still there is good agreement between acoustic SSC and traditional observations. Results illustrate a rather high correlation between lab based and acoustic based particles in suspension (R² = 88 %). Additionally measurements reveal the domination of a semidiurnal ebb asymmetric system in the MC. Tidal currents provide the main energy source for particle resuspension and transport. Maximum suspended load concentrations are evident in ebb tides, while the currents strengths are enough to refloat loads from the bed. In general spring tides show higher SSC values compared with neap tides in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of offshore bottom-mounted ADCP measurements and wind records carried out from August to September 2003 in the coastal waters off Freidoonkenar Bay (FB) in the south Caspian Sea (CS) are examined in order to characterize the shelf motion, the steady current field and to determine the main driving forces of currents on the study area. Owing to closed basin and absence of the astronomical tide, the atmospheric forcing plays an important role in the flow field of the CS. The lasting regular sea breeze system is present almost throughout the year that performs motive force in diurnal and semi-diurnal bands similar to tides in other regions. In general, current field in the continental shelf could be separated into two distinguishable schemes, which in cross-shelf direction is dominated by high frequencies (1 cpd and higher frequencies), and in along-shelf orientation mostly proportional to lower frequencies in synoptic weather bands. Long-period wave currents, whose velocities are much greater than those of direct wind-induced currents, are dominating the current field in the continental shelf off FB. The propagation of the latter could be described in terms of shore-controlled waves that are remotely generated and travel across the shelf in the southern CS. It has also been shown that long term displacements in this area follow the classic cyclonic, circulation pattern in the southern CS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Shigellosis is one of the common causes of bacterial diarrhea in children. Seizures are common in shigellosis. It is essential to identify the risk factors of seizure in this disease., Materials & Methods: This study was conducted on 224 children with shigellosis. The patients were divided into: With (case groups = 63 cases) and without seizures (control group = 161 cases). Groups were compared regarding different variables such as age, gender, clinical symptoms, and laboratory findings. Data analysis was done using statistical tests and SPSS software. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors of seizures., Results: Out of 224 cases of children with shigellosis, 107 (47.8%) were male and 117 (52.2%) female. Significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of age, history of febrile convulsions, frequency of bloody diarrhea, frequency of fever, duration of diarrhea before hospitalization, abdominal pain, increase in BUN, hyponatremia, hypocalcemia, and red blood cell count in stool (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that a history of febrile seizure, fever, and hyponatremia are the risk factors for seizures in shigellosis., Conclusion: This study concluded that a history of febrile seizure, fever, and hyponatremia are risk factors for seizure in childhood shigellosis, thus rapid diagnosis and treatment of childhood shigellosis with risk factors is very important., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no competing or potential conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Introduction: Limited resources and the large number of children in need of services in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) emphasize the need for effective allocation of resources for improving the outcome of at-risk patients. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the accuracy of PRISM4 and PIM3 systems in prediction of in-hospital mortality of patients admitted to PICU., Methods: The present retrospective cross-sectional study was a diagnostic accuracy study performed on patients admitted to PICU of Qods Hospital, Qazvin, Iran, during one year. Scores of PRISM4 and PIM3 scales were calculated for each patient using the available calculators, and the outcome of patients regarding in-hospital mortality was recorded. Finally, screening performance characteristics of the mentioned scales in prediction of patients' mortality were calculated and reported., Results: 218 patients with the mean age of 40.68 ± 37.92 (2-160) months were studied (57.8% female). There was a significant direct correlation between PIM3 score and duration of stay in PICU (p < 0.0001; r = 0.259), need for inotropic drug administration (p = 0.001), and mortality rate (p = 0.001). In addition, area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of PIM3 and PRISM4 in prediction of mortality among patients admitted to the PICU was 0.939 (95%CI: 0.880 - 0.998) and 0.660 (95%CI: 0.371 - 0.950), respectively (p = 0.001). Based on the findings, the best cut-off point for PIM3 scale in prediction of mortality was the score of 4 and it was estimated to be the core of 8 for PRISM4 scale. Sensitivity and specificity of PIM3 scale in prediction of mortality in the cut-off of 4 points were 100.00 (95% CI: 56.09- 100.00) and 81.51 (95% CI: 75.47- 86.38), respectively. These measures were 42.85 (95%CI: 11.80- 79.76) and 98.10 (95%CI: 94.89- 99.39) for PRISM4 model, which indicates the higher sensitivity of PIM3 system in this regard., Conclusion: based on the results of the present study, the accuracy of PIM3 is significantly higher than PRISM4 in prediction of in-hospital mortality among patients admitted to the PICU. It seems that considering the 100% sensitivity of PIM3 in prediction of outcome, this model is a better tool for screening patients who are at risk for in-hospital mortality in order to pay more attention and allocate more resources to improve their outcome., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this study.

Introduction: Osteoporosis-pseudoglioma syndrome (OPPG) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by severe osteoporosis and eye abnormalities that leads to vision loss. In this study, we report the outcome of a short period of treatment with teriparatide in one patient with OPPG., Case Presentation: The patient was a 17-year-old girl who suffered a bone fracture at the age of two and was diagnosed with OPPG at the age of three. Genetic testing was performed for the patient, and a novel homozygous nonsense mutation (c.351G>A) in exon 2 of the LRP5 gene was reported. She was treated with pamidronate, but the bone fracture increased, and the disability progressed. Therefore, at the age of 11 years and nine months, teriparatide was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 20 micrograms per day for four consecutive months. After the treatment with teriparatide, physical activity was achieved, and no further fractures were observed besides the gradual rise in bone mineral density (BMD) (from 0.532 to 0.711 gr/cm 2 in lumbar spine and 0.372 to 0.635 gr/cm 2 in femur neck)., Conclusions: In children and adolescents diagnosed with OPPG who do not respond to other conventional therapies, short courses of teriparatide therapy may be helpful., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022, International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism.)

Background: Unpleasant experiences of dysmenorrhea can lead to increased anxiety. The anxiety associated with dysmenorrhea is a pain-related anxiety which might reduce the efficacy of medication as well as enhance the perception of pain. The present study evaluated the efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in reducing anxiety among female university students with primary dysmenorrhea., Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 88 female university students were recruited from April 2019 to February 2020. Eligible participants were selected by convenience sampling and were allocated into study groups (44 individuals in the intervention group and comparison group) using balanced block randomization. The final sample comprised 78 participants who completed the study (39 individuals in each group). Data were collected using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Subjective Units of Distress Scale, and Validity of Cognition Scale before the intervention and at the time of the first menstrual period after completion of the intervention. The intervention group received EMDR in two individual interventional sessions which lasted approximately one hour. Data analysis was performed using analysis of variance with control of covariance method at a significance level of 0.05., Results: The results of the study showed that EMDR did not have a statistically significant effect on State-Trait Anxiety of patients with dysmenorrhea (p > 0.05). Based on the Cohen's d effect size of 0.06 for state-anxiety, -0.01 for trait-anxiety, and partial eta square less than 0.059 for both uncorrected and corrected models, the intervention was within a trivial effect., Conclusion: EMDR intervention did not have a statistically and clinically significant effect on State-Trait Anxiety of patients with dysmenorrhea. Therefore, the efficacy of EMDR in treating dysmenorrhea-related anxiety remains inconclusive. Trial registration IRCT20180823040851N2 on 2019-02-09., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Ectopic pregnancy (EP) and its treatment methods may affect subsequent fertility outcomes., Objective: To compare methotrexate (MTX), laparoscopic salpingostomy, and salpingectomy methods of EP treatment and their effects on fertility outcomes., Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study was performed on women receiving a definitive diagnosis of tubular EP from 2014 to 2017 at Arash Medical Center, Tehran, Iran. In total, 194 women were studied, of which 64 were treated with MTX, 52 underwent salpingostomy, and 78 underwent salpingectomy, depending on their clinical status. Basic information, obstetrics history, and major outcomes of the treatment after an 18-month follow-up, including recurrence of EP, miscarriage, and successful intrauterine pregnancy (IUP), were recorded and variables were compared among the three groups., Results: There was no significant difference in fertility outcomes among the three groups. Among the studied variables, predictors of successful IUP after EP treatment were multiparity (Hazard Ratio (HR): 1.37; 95%CI: 1.06-1.77), no history of miscarriage (HR: 2.37; 95%CI: 1.01-5.56), and a higher number of live births (HR: 1.54; 95%CI: 1.01-2.37). On the other hand, predictors of EP recurrence included nulliparity (HR: 1.61; 95%CI: 1.02-2.53) and a lower number of live births (HR: 3.84; 95%CI: 1.43-10.98). The effect of other factors, including the utilized therapeutic modalities, was not statistically significant., Conclusion: The current study results demonstrated that after an 18-month follow-up, fertility outcomes, including recurrence of EP and successful IUP, were not significantly different among the subjects with EP treated with MTX, salpingostomy, or salpingectomy. Further studies with long-term follow-ups are recommended., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Asgari et al.)

Introduction: Patients with COVID-19 infection may present a wide range of symptoms that make its diagnosis challenging, especially in patients with underlying conditions., Presentation of Case: A 30-year-old postpartum woman presented to the Emergency Department (ED) of Arash Women Hospital with right flank pain. Physical examination revealed tachycardia and decreased sounds in the base of the lung. Chest CT scan demonstrated patchy consolidations in bases of the lungs in favor of COVID-19 infection. The patient underwent pharmacotherapy with Remdesivir, steroid, and interferon beta-1a for eight days and was discharged in a good condition., Discussion: This study suggests that involvement of lungs' bases may be associated with gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal or flank pain in the COVID-19 patients. It makes the diagnosis difficult in a scenario such as the described patient in our study where there may be other differential diagnoses correlating with the patient's clinical course., Conclusion: COVID-19 should be in the differential diagnosis of any patient presenting to ED with relevant complaints. Correct and immediate diagnosis is critical for proper treatment and isolation of patients with COVID-19., Competing Interests: Authors have no conflict interest to declare., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Thymolipoma is a benign and rare tumor that could be found at any age. Thymolipoma associated with the myasthenia gravis, Graves disease, aplastic anemia, and hypogammaglobulinemia was reported previously, but in this case, thymolipoma is associated with lymphocytosis. A 6-year-old girl was brought to the hospital because of a chronic cough. Her evaluation revealed a 130 × 160× 160 mm fat-containing soft tissue mass arising from anterior mediastinum with complete left lung collapse and contralateral mediastinal shift. Her past medical history showed that she had been evaluated and treated unsuccessfully due to severe lymphocytosis two years earlier. Her peripheral blood and bone marrow cell morphology were normal; in contrast, blood cell count and CD flow cytometry showed severe lymphocytosis. The patient's tumor was excised entirely without any complications, and lymphocytosis resolved during the follow-up period. Because the T lymphocytes are developed in the thymus, and more than 80% of cells in CD flow cytometry were T lymphocytes, and the lymphocytosis resolved with tumor removal; therefore, the authors suggested that Thymolipoma could be associated with lymphocytosis., Competing Interests: The authors whose names are listed immediately below certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript., (© 2020 The Author(s).)

Background: Menopause is associated with changes in sexual function which are partly due to vaginal atrophy in response to estrogen reduction. Estrogen administration temporarily reduces the symptoms of vaginal dryness, but long-term exposure to this drug is likely to be associated with serious complications. Considering the promising results of previous studies concerning the effect of vitamin D on vaginal dryness, the proposed study will investigate the effect of vitamin D vaginal suppository on the sexual function of postmenopausal women., Methods: In a randomized, controlled clinical trial, 105 postmenopausal women will be randomly assigned to three groups receiving vitamin D vaginal suppository, placebo vaginal suppository, or control (no intervention). Vitamin D vaginal suppositories contain 1000 units of vitamin D3. The timing of the use of vitamin D vaginal suppositories and placebo suppositories will be every night in the first 2 weeks, and every other night in the following 6 weeks (8 weeks in total). The primary outcome will be the sexual function of participants which will be assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) before and immediately after the intervention, and at 1 and 2 months after the end of the intervention. The side effects of these suppositories will be examined as a secondary consequence of the study. Data will be analyzed using SPSS software version 25. In the case of normal distribution of data, the mean score of sexual function will be compared between the groups using a repeated measurements ANOVA. If statistical analysis leads to significant results, the post-hoc test will be used to determine the differences between the groups. Comparison of demographic and fertility characteristics of the women will be carried out using statistical tests such as chi-squares and t-tests. A significance level of p < .05 will be used for statistical analyses., Discussion: If vitamin D vaginal suppositories improve sexual function among premenopausal women with long-term effects and minimum side effects, the suppositories will be considered a safe complementary and alternative choice for alleviating sexual dysfunction among this group., Trial Registration: IRCT20180704040346N1 at 2018-10-13 prospectively registered.

Objective: Dysmenorrhea is one of the most common problems for women, especially during their reproductive age. Various studies have examined the effects of vitamins D and E and ginger supplements. This study aimed to investigate the individual effects of each of these supplements on dysmenorrhea., Methods: This single-blind clinical trial was conducted in 2016 on students aged 18 to 25 years who complained of mild to severe dysmenorrhea. The participants were randomly assigned into 4 groups: vitamin D, vitamin E, ginger, and placebo. The effects of the supplements on the severity of dysmenorrhea were evaluated in 2 successive cycles using the visual analog scale (VAS) and a questionnaire., Results: Initially, 240 female students were enrolled in the study; thereafter, 40 students were excluded from the study owing to follow-up loss. The average VAS score for dysmenorrhea in the entire study population was 7.13±0.80 before the intervention; the mean VAS score after the first and second months of supplement use was 5.37±1.51 and 4.93±1.48, respectively. The highest reduction in pain severity was observed in the ginger group (F=74.54, P <0.001)., Conclusion: Vitamin D, vitamin E, and ginger significantly reduced the severity of dysmenorrhea, with ginger having the most significant effect followed by vitamin D and vitamin E. Given the low risk of these supplements, more studies must be conducted on their use as opposed to analgesics., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (Copyright © 2019 Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

Background: Unpleasant experience with the previous menstruation can increase the sensitivity to pain which may lead to moderate to severe pain in patients with dysmenorrhea. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychological method to alleviate the distress from unpleasant memories and related events and can be used for other conditions such as anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. This protocol was designed to investigate the effect of EMDR therapy on pain intensity in patients with dysmenorrhea., Methods/design: A randomized clinical trial was designed in compliance with the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT). Female students who have moderate to severe primary dysmenorrhea (based on a visual analogue scale [VAS] score of at least 4 for two consecutive months) and who live in dormitories at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences in Qazvin, Iran will be invited to participate in the study. The total sample size will be 88 girls, who will be randomly assigned to intervention (N = 44) and control (N = 44) groups. EMDR therapy will be performed for the intervention group, while the control group can use sedative or other pain relife methods as their routin... There will be six treatment sessions, which will be held twice a week. The duration of each session is 30-90 min, according to the convenience of each participant. The data will be collected using the demographic characteristics questionnaire, the VAS, the Subjective Units of Anxiety or Distress Scale (SUD), and the Validity of Cognition Scale (VOC). The data on pain intensity due to primary dysmenorrhea in both groups will be collected at 1 and 2 months before the intervention (to identify eligible participants) and 1 and 2 months after the intervention (follow-ups). Data will be analyzed by using SPSS version 25 software and analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures with appropriate post hoc tests. A P value of less than 0.05 will be considered significant., Discussion: The results are expected to provide the information on the efficacy of EMDR therapy to manage moderate to severe pain in patients with primary dysmenorrhea., Ethics and Dissemination: The research proposal is approved by the human ethics committee of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences (IR.QUMS.REC.1397.100). The results of this trial will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed research journal., Trial Registration: IRCT20180823040851N1 . Registered on 6, October 2018.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of intravenous tranexamic acid (TA) and sublingual misoprostol on reducing bleeding after cesarean section., Materials: One hundred and fifty-eight participants with term pregnancies scheduled for cesarean section were randomly divided into two groups. In M group, two sublingual misoprostol pills (400 mg) were administrated, immediately after the delivery. In TA group, ten minutes before skin incision, TA ampoule (1 g) was injected. In both groups, immediately after the delivery, 20 units of oxytocin in 1 L ringer lactate with speed of 1000 CC/h was injected. At the end of the operation, the amount of bleeding was measured based on the number of small and large gauzes, the blood in the suction container and the difference of patient's hemoglobin before and 24 h after surgery., Results: Hemoglobin level reduction in the TA group was higher than the M group (- 2.45 ± 0.84 vs - 2.14 ± 1.38 g/dL) ( P  < 0.001). Furthermore, number of used gauze and blood suction in the TA group was significantly higher compared to sublingual misoprostol (4.67 ± 1.34 vs 3.25 ± 1.31 and 260.25 ± 79.06 vs 193.94 ± 104.79 cc, respectively) ( P  < 0.001). Mean blood pressure during the entire duration of surgery in the TA group decreased significantly as compared to the M group ( P  < 0.001)., Conclusion: Total bleeding was significantly lower in sublingual misoprostol as compared to the tranexamic acid group. Furthermore, in misoprostol group hemodynamic variables were stabilized greater than tranexamic acid group., Registration Number: IRCT201708308611N6., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declared no conflict of interest. The authors have no financial conflict of interest to declare.

Background: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is an iatrogenic complication, which can cause high morbidity and mortality. Use of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist instead of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in GnRH antagonist cycles causes luteinizing hormone surge by GnRH stimulation which reduces the risk of OHSS by reducing the total amount of gonadotropin; however, there is no possibility of transferring fresh embryos., Objective: The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of hCG along with GnRH agonist administration in the occurrence of OHSS and pregnancy rate in females undergoing in vitro fertilization., Materials and Methods: The current randomized clinical trial was conducted on 80 cases in 2 groups. Gonal-F was used to stimulate the oocyte from the second day of menstruation. When follicle size was 12-14 mm, GnRH antagonist was added to the protocol till the detection of more than two follicles greater than 18 mm. Then, GnRH agonist was added to the protocol as a trigger. In group A, 35 hr after the administration of GnRH agonist, the low-dose human hCG, 1500 IU, was used. In group B, low-dose hCG, 1500 IU, was used at the same time by GnRH agonist administration. The rate of pregnancy, OHSS, and its severity were compared between 2 groups within 2 wk., Results: There was no significant difference regarding chemical and clinical pregnancies between the 2 groups. Severe OHSS was significantly higher in group B (p= 0.03)., Conclusion: Administration of hCG 35 hr after GnRH agonist administration results in lower rate of severe OHSS., Competing Interests: None.

Identification and classification of intertidal areas provides the basic knowledge needed for studies of biogeography, macro-ecology, and faunal populations, as well as for conservation planning and managing human activities in coastal areas. In this research, the eastern coast of Bushehr Province was classified using the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS). Seven substrate subgroups, five geoform types in unconsolidated mineral substrate, five micro-habitats in rock substrate, and nine biotic groups were identified in study stations. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) ordinations and one-way analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) showed that macroinvertebrate species composition differed significantly among different geoform types (habitat types). Eight biotopes are introduced for the eastern coast of Bushehr Province based on observational and statistical methods. The results presented here show that identifying intertidal biotopes using CMECS is an appropriate method both for classifying the southern coastal areas of Iran and for integrating biotic and abiotic components.

Objectives: The role of zinc in the pathogenesis of diarrhoea is controversial. This study was conducted to compare serum zinc levels in children with acute diarrhoea to those found in healthy children., Methods: This case-control study was carried out at the Qazvin Children's Hospital in Qazvin, Iran, between July 2012 and January 2013. A total of 60 children with acute diarrhoea (12 children with bloody diarrhoea and 48 children with watery diarrhoea) and 60 healthy children were included. Zinc levels for all subjects were measured using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer and data were analysed and compared between groups., Results: Mean serum zinc levels in the patients with acute bloody diarrhoea, acute watery diarrhoea and the control group were 74.1 ± 23.7 μg/dL, 169.4 ± 62.7 μg/dL and 190.1 ± 18.0 μg/dL, respectively (P = 0.01). Hypozincaemia was observed in 50.0% of children with acute bloody diarrhoea and 12.5% of those with acute watery diarrhoea. None of the patients in the control group had hypozincaemia (P = 0.01)., Conclusion: Children with acute bloody diarrhoea had significantly reduced serum zinc levels in comparison to healthy children. However, a study with a larger sample size is needed to examine the significance of this trend.