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Introduction: Patients with cancer may have many complications involving their psychosomatic systems, such as sleep disturbance, depression, and anxiety. Thus, many research studies were conducted to reduce these complications. Zolpidem, as a short-term non-benzodiazepine treatment of insomnia, and melatonin as a chronobiological functionregulatory hormone, are commonly used for improving sleep quality. This randomized clinical trial aims to compare the effects of zolpidem and melatonin on sleep quality, depression, and anxiety in patients with colorectal cancer. Methods: In this single-blinded trial, 90 patients with colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy who had obtained a score of 5 or higher on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were randomly divided into two groups (n=45). One group was treated with 10 mg zolpidem at bedtime, and the other group received 6 mg melatonin at bedtime for 30 days. PSQI on weeks 0, 4, 8, Groningen sleep quality scale, Hamilton rating scale for depression, and Hamilton anxiety rating scale questionnaires were performed to assess patients on weeks 0, 4, and 8. The outcome was then analyzed, and P=0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Both zolpidem and melatonin had significant impacts on sleep quality in week 4 (P<0.05). After stopping the treatments, the conditions were noticeably reversed on week 8 (P<0.05). Zolpidem and melatonin were relatively similar in affecting sleep duration, latency, efficiency, and disturbance. None of the two study medications had any considerable influence on anxiety and depression. Conclusion: Melatonin and zolpidem are promising agents for treating sleep complications and, to some extent, depression, and anxiety in cancer patients, according to the present study. However, further clinical trials are recommended to confirm the results of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a woman referred with underlying non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) masquerading clinically with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) like syndrome. At first evaluation, chest CT-Scan along with brain and whole spine MRI were normal. Electrodiagnostic studies were in favor of acute generalized polyradiculoneuropathy. Laboratory evaluation revealed hypoglycorrhachia. She treated with plasmapheresis after two weeks; she was discharged from hospital, but neurological recovery was not complete. After 6 months, she came back with acute onset of weakness in lower limbs, back pain, fever and urinary incontinence. Pinprick and light touch complete sensory loss was found beneath umbilicus. Thoracic MRI with contrast revealed a dorsal epidural mass extending smoothly from T8 to T12 (10 cm) with spinal cord compression. She underwent urgent laminectomy for spinal cord decompression. Histological examination revealed small round cell tumor suggestive of malignant T-cell type lymphoma. In cases with Guillain-Barré syndrome presentation, systemic hematologic disorders such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma should be considered as one of the differential diagnosis of underlying disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ketamine is used as a general anesthetic for short.term surgical procedures. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of intravenous (IV) ketamine and intramuscular (IM) ketamine in children admitted to the emergency department (ED). Materials and Methods: This is a clinical trial on 60 patients who were randomly classified into two groups. The first group received IV ketamine (1 mg/kg) and the second received IM ketamine (4 mg/kg). Data were collected before, during, and after the procedure. Time to reach sedation, severity of the sedation, and complications of the drug until discharge were studied. Results: In this study, 60 patients were evaluated. The average length of the procedures was similar in both groups (P > 0.05). According to this study, sedation levels in the two groups in 5, 10, and 15 minutes did not show significant differences (P > 0.05), but there was a significant difference in sedation levels of patients in 30, 35, 40, and 45 minutes during sedation (P = 0.03, P = 0.04, P = 0.03 and P = 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups. Dicussion: There was no significant difference in complications and level of sedation in both groups, but sedation was longer in the IM group; so, IV ketamine is the desirable approach for orthopedic procedures in sedating children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vancomycin is used abundantly in patients undergoing HSCT, especially during neutropenic fever. Despite its widespread use little is known about vancomycin pharmacokinetics in HSCT patients. We conducted this study to investigate vancomycin pharmacokinetic parameters in our HSCT patients and to evaluate current dosing regimen based on trough vancomycin concentrations measurement. Methods: Vancomycin serum concentration at steady-state was determined prospectively in 46 adult HSCT patients who received vancomycin as empirical treatment of neutropenic fever. Individual steady-steady pharmacokinetic parameters were also determined in 20 patients who had two vancomycin levels from an administered dose, assuming one-compartment model. Acute kidney injury was also evaluated in our patients during vancomycin therapy. Results: Mean (±SD) apparent volume of distribution (L/kg) and clearance (mL/min) were 0.6 (± 0.33) and 109.7 (± 57.5) respectively. With mean (±SD) total daily dose of vancomycin 31.9 (±10.5) mg/kg/day that was administered, more than 90 % of measured vancomycin trough concentrations were outside the range of 15-20 mg/L and 54.3% of patients had trough concentrations below 10 mg/L. Of 46 patients, 21 patients (45.7%) developed acute kidney injury (AKI) during vancomycin therapy; among them 19 patients were receiving nephrotoxic drug(s) concomitantly. Conclusion: Current vancomycin dosage regimen could not lead to recommended therapeutic serum concentrations in our patients. Large variation in vancomycin pharmacokinetic parameters observed among patients of this study along with difference of vancomycin pharmacokinetics in our study and other similar studies further explain the need for therapeutic drug monitoring and individualization of vancomycin dosing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]