Search

Omid Moradi,1 Iman Karimzadeh,2 Dorna Davani-Davari,2 Mojtaba Shafiekhani,2 Mohammad Mahdi Sagheb31Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 2Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 3Nephrology-Urology Research Center and Department of Internal Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IranPurpose: Ever increasing number of patients who receive kidney transplantation as a therapeutic option, approaches to increase graft survival as well as to identify factors that reduce the treatment outcomes should be taken into account. One of the heightened concerns after transplantation is non-adherence to immunosuppressive medications, which increases the risk of kidney failure or even rejection. The aim of this study was to evaluate factors associated with immunosuppressant medications adherence in kidney transplant recipients.Patients and methods: Data were collected from 100 eligible kidney transplant patients referring to Shiraz Motahhari clinic and a private office of an attending nephrologist during 18 months. Adherence to immunosuppressive medications was assessed by Basel assessment of adherence to immunosuppressive medication scale at 2 time points.Results: According to the findings, 55% of patients did not adhere to their post-transplantation immunosuppressive medications. The rate of adherence to immunosuppressive medications was not either statistically or clinically significant between time points zero and six months. None of the investigated factors including demographic, clinical and social-economical-cultural factors were significantly associated with patients’ adherence to immunosuppressive regimen. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant association between immunosuppressive medication adherence and acute kidney rejection.Conclusion: The rate of non-adherence to immunosuppressive medications was high. These data can be exploited by both physicians and policymakers to improve the rate of adherence to immunosuppressive medications amongst kidney transplant recipients.Keywords: kidney transplantation, medication adherence, immunosuppressive agents

Introduction. Metabolic complications are common after kidney transplantation and can cause considerable morbidity and even threaten graft function. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of hyperlipidemia and its impact on graft function in 10 years of follow-up of patients undergoing kidney transplantation. Materials and Methods. This prospective study was conducted on 73 patients who underwent kidney transplantation between April 1996 and April 1998 to evaluate their lipid profile and graft function as well as the effect of hyperlipidemia in long-term kidney allograft function. Kidney allograft dysfunction was defined as a serum creatinine level greater than 1.8 mg/dL. Results. The mean serum triglyceride level was higher at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years, but not 7 years, among patients with graft dysfunction in comparison with patients with normal graft function. However, these differences were not significant. The mean serum total cholesterol level was significantly higher in patients with graft dysfunction at 1 year (P = .03). Of the patients with graft dysfunction, 94.7% developed hypercholesterolemia at the first year visit, as compared to 70.4% of patients with normal graft function (P = .03). The frequency of hypercholesterolemia was higher among those with a serum creatinine greater than 1.8 mg/dL at all other visits, but without significant difference. Conclusions. Hyperlipidemia is common after kidney transplantation, especially in the first year after transplantation. Higher serum total cholesterol levels might be related to graft dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. This study aimed to compare outcomes of kidney transplantation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and a matched control group of non-SLE kidney recipients. Materials and Methods. In a case-control study, 33 patients with kidney transplantation due to end-stage renal disease caused by SLE were matched to a control group consisted of 33 non-SLE patients who had been transplanted during the same period of time in our center. The clinical characteristics, complications, and patient and graft survival were compared between the two groups. Results. In each group, 12 patients (36.4%) received a kidney from a deceased donor, 15 (45.4%) from a living unrelated donor, and 6 (18.2%) from a living related donor. There was no significant difference between the outcome in SLE patients and duration of dialysis before transplantation. The mean duration of hospital stay was 23.4 ± 18.1 days in the SLE group, while it was 13.0 ± 7.3 days in the controls (P = .006). One-year graft survival was 79.0% in patients with SLE and 90.9% in non-SLE patients (P = .17). One-year patient survival was 93.9% in patients with SLE versus 81.8% in the controls (P = .26). Nine patients in the SLE group versus 11 patients in the control group developed posttransplant complications (P = .59). Conclusions. Although hospital stay after transplantation was longer in the SLE kidney recipients than controls, safety of kidney transplantation was comparable. Graft failure in the SLE patients was not significantly different between patients with different sources of kidneys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mental health in people with chronic diseases undergoes many changes due to conflict with the pain caused by the disease, which can have a reciprocal effect on the course and quality of the patient's treatment. The goal of the present study is to compare the correlation between locus of control, relationship quality, pain intensity and resilience with dialysis adequacy and laboratory indicators in peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis patients. Method : This causal-comparative study was conducted on 30 hemodialysis (HD) and 30 peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients through the convenience sampling method. The data was collected using Pierce Quality Relationship Inventory (QRI), Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Rotter's Locus of Control Scale (RLOC), and Von Korff's Chronic Pain Grade Scale (CPGS), and experimental data collected through blood and urine sampling and analyzed with Fisher's test and multivariate analysis of variance. Results: Conclusion of the Fisher test evinced that there was a significant difference between quality of relationships with parents and amount of Potassium (K), Phosphorus (P) and Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) as well between quality of relationships with friends and amount of Creatinine (Cr), and between the intensity of pain with K and Albumin (Alb) in patients with PD and HD (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Conclusion of analysis of variance showed that the mean scores of quality of relationships with friends, K, Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Cr, Alb and PTH in the PD group were significantly lower than the mean scores of HD patients (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Also, mean of dialysis adequacy in patients with PD was significantly higher (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Based on findings, in order to increase dialysis adequacy of patients, along with medical interventions, psychological variables and mental health improvement of patients should also be considered., (Copyright © 2022 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)

Background: Glucocorticoids are pivotal components of immunosuppressive regimens in solid organ transplantations. This study aimed to assess the possible association between the ER22/23EK, N363S, and Bcl1 polymorphisms, and short-term clinical outcomes, including acute rejection and delayed graft function (DGF), in kidney transplantation recipients., Methods: A case-control study was conducted in a two-year period on adults with transplanted kidneys, comprised of subjects without rejection (n=50, control) and those with documented rejection within one year after transplantation (n=50, case), between April 2017 and September 2018, in Shiraz, Iran. Demographic characteristics and clinical and paraclinical findings were gathered. The genotyping of the ER22/23EK, N363S, and Bcl1 polymorphisms was carried out via polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The association between the genotypes and DGF as well as rejection types was evaluated using either the Chi square test or Fisher exact test. A stepwise logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the independent factors of acute rejection within the first year after transplantation., Results: The study population consisted of 64 men and 36 women. The frequency of mutated alleles was 0.32 for G (Bcl1), 0.02 for S (N363S), and 0.065 for A (ER22/23EK). There was no significant association either between the studied polymorphisms and acute rejection or between the Bcl1 (P=0.17), N363S (P=0.99), and ER22/23EK (P=0.99) genotypes and DGF. The length of hospital stay after kidney transplantation was slightly more in N363N and ER22/23EK wild allele carriers. However, this difference was not statistically significant., Conclusion: Our data suggested no statistically significant association between the genotypes of the studied polymorphisms and early clinical outcomes after kidney transplantation., (Copyright: © Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences.)

Background: A doctor-patient relationship built on the concept of empathy is so essential to attain the best clinical outcomes in medicine. Since empathy has a positive role in interpersonal relationships and medical outcomes, its assessment is highly crucial. The aim of this study was to assess the empathy in last-year medical students using the Persian version of the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE) and correlate empathy scores with demographic features., Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, last-year medical students at Shiraz Medical School, Shiraz, Iran, were recruited for this study. In this research, we used the Persian version of JSPE. The validity and reliability of the Persian version of this tool were confirmed in the previous research. For the analysis of data, we employed descriptive statistics and the independent sample t -test., Results: One hundred and eighty-five final-year medical students were included in this study. The maximum score of the questionnaire was 140, and the total mean score of empathy was 98.15 ± 13.29. The females' total mean score (102.05 ± 11.89) was higher than the males' score (93.57 ± 13.46). The difference between the mean score of gender and empathy was significant ( P value <.001), but there was no significant difference between empathy and the two other demographic factors ( P > 0.05)., Conclusions: Although physicians would gain the essential characteristics of empathy during their career, attending professors and other responsible policymakers in medical education should focus more on the factors related to physicians' empathy to train better and more professional physicians., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Background: Medical images have been widely used for various aims, especially for the educational purposes. Patient confidentiality and consent should be deemed crucial. In this study, we sought to assess patients' satisfaction with taking medical photos of their skin lesions and giving their physicians consent to use them for educational purposes., Materials and Methods: This multi-method study included quantitative and qualitative phases and was performed from April to November 2018 in the Dermatology Department of Shiraz Faghihi Hospital in South Iran. Demographic information was analyzed using the descriptive statistics. To resolve the simultaneous effect of demographic variables on patient satisfaction, we conducted linear regression. All the tests were analyzed at the 0.05 significance level., Results: In this study, all the patients except one (99.5%) preferred that only a physician who had a direct role in their care can access their digital photos. Of 200 patients, 134 patients (62.33%) preferred the utilization of hospital cameras in photographing their skin lesions ( P = 0.002). On the other hand, 131 patients (49.81%) did not gave consent about using a personal phone camera for photographing their skin lesions ( P = 0.001). In the qualitative phase, two major themes (trusting attending physician and paying attention to patient confidentiality) and five sub-themes (considering their physicians as professional people who always do the right thing, allowing physicians to use their images for educational purposes, covering patient's face, using hospital cameras, and obtaining informed consent from patients) were derived from qualitative semi-structured interviews., Conclusion: The results showed that there is a need for developing international and national photography guidelines in the era of technology development., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Background and Purpose: The most important adverse reaction of amphotericin B (AmB) is nephrotoxicity. The aim of this study was to assess the potential effectiveness of intravenous saline + sodium bicarbonate versus intravenous sodium chloride hydration in preventing or attenuating AmB nephrotoxicity., Experimental Approach: A randomized, non-placebo-controlled, single-blinded clinical trial was conducted in two adult hematology-oncology wards of Namazi hospital. Eligible patients were randomly assigned into either the normal saline or normal saline + sodium bicarbonate groups by the ratio of 1:2. In the normal saline group, 1000 mL of sodium chloride 0.9% (154 meq sodium) was given intravenously as two equal 500 mL volumes before and during the infusion of AmB. Patients in the saline + sodium bicarbonate group received 500 mL sodium chloride 0.9% (72 meq sodium) before and 500 mL isotonic sodium bicarbonate (72 meq sodium) intravenously during AmB infusion., Findings/results: The rate of AmB nephrotoxicity was comparable between normal saline and sodium bicarbonate groups (54.2% and 41.6%, respectively; P = 0.3). This difference did not reach the level of statistical significance after considering AmB dose and duration of the treatment. The frequency of hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia did not differ significantly between the two groups even after adjusting the results according to AmB dose and treatment duration., Conclusion and Implications: The results of the current preliminary clinical trial suggested that the combination of sodium bicarbonate and normal saline compared to normal saline alone appears to have no superiority in preventing or attenuating different studied aspects of AmB nephrotoxicity in patients with hematological malignancies., (Copyright: © 2020 Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences.)

Background: Pomegranate has antioxidant, cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. We designed a crossover study aimed at determining if consumption of pomegranate juice (PJ) improves lipid profile and oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers of hemodialysis patients. Forty-one hemodialysis patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: PJ-treated group receiving 100 mL of natural PJ immediately after their dialysis session three times a week and the control group receiving the usual care. After 8 weeks, a 4-week washout period was established and then the role of the groups was exchanged. Lipid profile, blood pressure and oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers were measured before and after each sequence., Results: Based on the results of intention-to-treat analysis, triglycerides were decreased in PJ condition and increased in the controls. Conversely, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was increased in PJ and decreased in the control group. Total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol did not significantly change in either condition. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased in PJ condition. Total antioxidant capacity increased in PJ condition (P < 0.001) and decreased in the controls (P < 0.001). Conversely, malondialdehyde and interleukin-6 decreased in PJ (P < 0.001) and increased in the control group (P ≤ 0.001). The changes of these biomarkers were significantly different between the two conditions., Conclusions: Eight-week PJ consumption showed beneficial effects on blood pressure, serum triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, oxidative stress and inflammation in hemodialysis patients. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Number of patients undergoing kidney transplantation is ever increasing. Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) can complicate transplant patient's treatment course., Objective: To investigate patterns and factors associated with potential DDIs in kidney transplant recipients under maintenance immunosuppressive regimen at a referral transplantation center in Shiraz, Iran., Methods: 390 eligible kidney transplant outpatients referred to Motahhari clinic and one of the attending nephrologist's private office during an18-month period were assessed for DDIs. Using the Lexi-Interact online drug interactions software, the prescribed drugs were assessed for the number and type of potential DDIs. Only type D and X interactions were considered eligible for inclusion., Results: During the study period, 344 DDIs were detected of which, 290 were type D; 54 were type XDDIs. 81% of the detected DDIs were pharmacokinetics. Interaction between cyclosporine + mycophenolic acid (32.3%) was the most frequent DDIs followed by cyclosporine + atorvastatin (11.3%). Immunosuppressant (43.44%) was the most frequently used medication responsible for DDIs. Number of co-administered medications (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.12-1.51) and cyclosporine as main immunosuppressive main drug (OR: 10.43, 95% CI: 6.24-17.42) were identified as independent risk factors for DDIs., Conclusion: Major DDIs were common in kidney transplant recipients. Considering the importance of DDIs in kidney transplant patients, more attention is warranted in this regard by health care members, especially physicians and pharmacists.

One of the major concerns about taking amino acid supplements is their potential adverse effects on the kidney as a major organ involved in the metabolism and excretion of exogenous substances. The aim of this study is to review available data about renal safety of the most prominent amino acid supplements including L-arginine, glutamine and also L-carnitine as well as creatine (as amino acid derivatives) in athletes and bodybuilders. The literature was searched by keywords such as "L-carnitine", "L-arginine", "glutamine", and "kidney injury" in databases such as Scopus, Medline, Embase, and ISI Web of Knowledge. Articles published from 1950 to December 2017 were included. Among 3171, 5740, and 1608 records after primary search in the relevant databases, 8, 7, and 5 studies have been finally included, respectively, for L-carnitine, L-arginine, and glutamine in this review. Arginine appears to have both beneficial and detrimental effects on kidney function. However, adverse effects are unlikely to occur with the routine doses (from 3 to >100 g/day). The risks and benefits of L-carnitine on the athletes' and bodybuilders' kidney have not been evaluated yet. However, L-carnitine up to 6000 mg/day is generally considered to be a safe supplement at least in healthy adults. Both short-term (20-30 g within a few hours) and long-term (0.1 g/kg four times daily for 2 weeks) glutamine supplementation in healthy athletes were associated with no significant adverse effects, but it can cause glomerulosclerosis and serum creatinine level elevation in the setting of diabetic nephropathy. Creatine supplementation (ranged from 5 to 30 g/day) also appears to have no detrimental effects on kidney function of individuals without underlying renal diseases. More clinical data are warranted to determine the optimal daily dose and intake duration of common supplemental amino acids associated with the lowest renal adverse effects in sportsmen and sports women., (Copyright © 2018 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) protects other organs from subsequent lethal ischemic injury, but uncertainty remains. We investigated if RIPC could prevent acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery., Methods: This parallel-group, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial was done on adults undergoing elective or urgent on-pump CABG surgery from 2013 to 2017 in Shiraz, Iran. Patients were allocated to RIPC or control groups through permuted blocking. The patients in the RIPC group received three cycles of 5 min ischemia and 5 min reperfusion in the upper arm after induction of anesthesia. We placed an uninflated cuff on the arm for 30 min in the control group. The study primary endpoint was an incidence of AKI. Secondary endpoints included short-term clinical outcomes. We compared categorical and continuous variables using Pearson χ2 and unpaired t tests, respectively. P<0.05 was considered significant., Results: of the 180 patients randomized to RIPC (n=90) and control (n=90) groups, 87 patients in the RIPC and 90 patients in the control group were included in the analysis. There was no significant difference in the incidence of AKI between the groups (38 patients [43.7%] in the RIPC group and 41 patients [45.6%] in the control group; relative risk, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.69 to 1.33; P=0.80). No significant differences were seen regarding secondary endpoints such as postoperative liver function, atrial fibrillation, and inpatient mortality., Conclusion: RIPC did not reduce the incidence of AKI, neither did it improve short-term clinical outcomes in patients undergoing on-pump CABG surgery. Trial Registration Number: IRCT2017110537254N1.

Background: Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is one of the most important microvascular complications among the patients with diabetes. Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agent enacts a key role in PDR. Some studies have dealt with the systemic exposure to these agents after intravitreal administration. However, renal dysfunction following this therapy has scarcely been reported. Hence, this study aimed to determine the effect of intravitreal bevacizumab treatment on the deterioration of renal function and proteinuria., Materials and Methods: This present prospective observational study was performed on 40 patients with diabetic nephropathy and PDR and/or significant diabetic macular edema as the candidates for receiving intravitreal injection of bevacizumab. To evaluate renal function, changes in the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), serum creatinine (SCr), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) one month after injection were measured. Also, changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressures (BPs), plasma VEGF level, platelet, white blood cell (WBC) counts, and hemoglobin (Hb) level were measured at the baseline and one month after treatment., Results: The mean age of the patients was 60.3 ± 9.2 years, and 33 patients were female. The decrease in the plasma VEGF level and platelet count, as well as the increase in diastolic BP, and Hb level were significant. However, systolic BP and WBC count remained unchanged. There were no significant changes in UACR, SCr, and eGFR after the injection as compared to baseline (P>0.05)., Conclusion: Our study indicated that intravitreal bevacizumab injection was not associated with renal dysfunction and proteinuria in patients with diabetic nephropathy. Nevertheless, diastolic BP and Hb level could increase after one month., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article., (Copyright© 2018, Galen Medical Journal.)

Introduction: Nowadays, creatine is one of the most common oral supplements used by professional athletes for boosting their strength and muscle mass. In this review, we collect available experimental and clinical data about renal safety of both short-term and long-term use of creatine., Materials and Methods: Scientific literature was critically searched by keywords "creatine," "renal insufficiency," and "renal dysfunction" and their synonyms in medical databases (Scopus, MEDLINE, EMBase, and ISI Web of Knowledge). Overall, 19 relevant clinical and experimental articles were selected for this review., Results: Short- and long-term creatine supplementations (range, 5 days to 5 years) with different doses (range, 5 g/d to 30 g/d) had no known significant effects on different studied indexes of kidney function such as glomerular filtration rate at least in healthy athletes and bodybuilders with no underlying kidney diseases. In addition, although short-term (range, 5 days to 2 weeks) high-dose oral creatine supplementation (range, 20 g/d to 0.3 g/kg/d) stimulated the production of methylamine and formaldehyde (as potential cytotoxic metabolites of creatine) in the urine of healthy humans, there was currently no definite clinical evidence about their adverse effects on the kidney function., Conclusions: Although creatine supplementation appears to have no detrimental effects on kidney function of individuals without underlying kidney diseases, it seems more advisable to suggest that creatine supplementation not to be used by sportsmen or women with pre-existing kidney disease or those with a potential risk for kidney dysfunction.

Background: High blood pressure is an important risk factor for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity among Iranians. We aimed to estimate its prevalence, correlates, and its rate of awareness, treatment, and control in South of Iran., Methods: The Pars Cohort Study (PCS) was launched in a district of Fars province. All residents between 40 and 75 years old in the district were recruited from 2012 to 2014. Hypertension was defined as either systolic/diastolic blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mm Hg or taking medications. Logistic regression was used to identify the correlates of hypertension and awareness and its treatment and control. A total of 9264 participants were recruited. Of the total participants, 46.2% were men. The mean age was 52.6 years (SD: 9.7)., Results: Prevalence of hypertension was 26.9%. Of the total 2489 hypertensives, 49.6% were aware and 55.7% were under treatment. Blood pressure was controlled in 69.2% of treated hypertensives. In the adjusted model, female sex and history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) were positively associated with having hypertension, higher awareness, and better treatment and control. Older age, being overweight or obese, and having a history of diabetes were also positively associated with having hypertension and higher awareness and treatment; however, being overweight or obese was associated with poorer hypertension control. Older age and having a history of diabetes did not show a statistically significant association with control., Conclusion: Being underweight and higher physical activity were inversely associated with having hypertension but were not associated with awareness, treatment, or control. Prevalence of hypertension is high but the rates of awareness, treatment, and control are not adequate., (© 2018 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.)

Introduction: Teaching renal physiology for undergraduate medical students in an understandable way using methods which improve their deep learning has always been a problem. In this study, Early Clinical Exposure (ECE) was used in teaching renal physiology for the second year medical students in Shiraz Medical School. This article aims to introduce and develop this program and also measure the attitude of medical students toward ECE in learning renal physiology., Methods: This is a mixed method study conducted on 120 second year undergraduate students. After performing the course, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used for measuring the viewpoints of the students. In the qualitative part, 10 high rank medical students were selected. These students participated in brain storming sessions to express their opinion about the program based on the strengths and weaknesses. For trustworthiness of the qualitative part, member check and peer check were done. In the quantitative part, a researcher-made questionnaire was used based on the objectives of the program in a 4 point Likert scale. The validity of questionnaire was determined by medical education experts and reliability was determined after a pilot study., Results: Based on the results of the quantitative part of the study, 98 percent of the students stated that the ECE program was generally a useful program. In the qualitative part, the students' comments were obtained. The benefits of the program were summarized in 4 main themes. These themes are "understanding of renal physiology", "Integration of basic and clinical knowledge", "Improvement of attitude toward importance of physiology", and "encouragement to study". In response to the questions about negetive aspects of this program in qualitative part, the two main themes were insufficient time and large grup size., Conclusion: Students reported that ECE was useful, but they stated that they needed to have more encounter with patients and more hospital teaching. The results also reveal that this ECE program is an excellent approach to strengthen learning in a difficult subject like renal physiology. This approach is adjustable to other basic science topics and subjects as well.

Background: Gram-negative bacteria are associated with an increase in rates of antibacterial resistance. In most low- and middle-income countries such as Iran, there is no continuous surveillance system for antibiotic resistance., Objective: The purpose of this survey was to determine the pattern of antimicrobial sensitivity of gram-negative bacteria within 3 consecutive years at a nephrology ward of Nemazee hospital in Shiraz., Materials and Methods: During a 3-year period from 2013 to 2015 at the adult nephrology ward, bacteriological data of all biological samples of hospitalized patients in favor of gram-negative microorganisms were analyzed retrospectively. Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method., Results: The most common gram negative bacterium isolated from biological samples was Escherichia coli (43.9%). The highest (86.3%-94.1%) antibacterial resistance rate was associated with Acinetobacter spp. The most frequent resistance was seen with cephalosporins. In contrast to ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, nitrofurantoin and aminoglycosides remained their acceptable activity against E. coli. At least three-fourths (75%) of Acinetobacter spp. isolates was resistant to either aminoglycosides or imipenem. All (100%) isolated Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa species were susceptible to colistin. The rate of Acinetobacter spp. and P. aeruginosa resistant to three or more drugs was 81.7% and 74.6%, respectively., Conclusions: The resistant rate of gram negative pathogens to different tested antibacterial agents was considerably high and has increased during the recent three years in our center.

Background: Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) is an emerging cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) during the recent years., Objectives: There is no data about prevalence, causes, clinical manifestation and outcomes of AIN in our region. Hence, in this study we aimed to find the prevalence of AIN and describe the causes, clinical presentation, and the outcome of AIN in the native kidney biopsies., Patients and Methods: We reviewed 934 native kidney biopsies from 2006 to 2014 and collected the data of patients with the diagnosis of AIN including medical history, clinical findings, para-clinical data, pathologic findings, treatment and outcomes., Results: Prevalence of AIN in our center during 2006 to 2014 was 2.5% of all renal biopsies. The common cause of AIN in our study was drugs. Of those patients admitted to hospital due to AIN, 17 patients (70.8%) received corticosteroid, five of them (29.4%) received pulse of corticosteroid, and 12 patients (70.6%) received oral drug. Around, 54.2% of the patients had hemodialysis during admission. Eight patients had received both dialysis and corticosteroid. Two of them (8.3%) remained on dialysis and 8 (33.3%) developed chronic kidney disease, but 14 (58.3%) patients recovered., Conclusions: The prevalence of AIN in our study is comparable to other studies and we found the great impact of medications on development of AIN.

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to compare the changing pattern of urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) with serum as well as urine creatinine during amphotericin B treatment and determine its accuracy in the early detection of amphotericin B nephrotoxicity., Materials and Methods: A cohort study was performed during 9 months at 3 hematology-oncology services. Patients aged 15 years and greater with no documented history of acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease, planned to receive any formulation of amphotericin B for at least 1 week, were included. Serum as well as urine creatinine and urine NGAL were determined on days zero, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 of amphotericin B treatment., Results: Forty patients with the mean age of 38.0 ± 14.1 years were recruited. Eleven of 40 patients (27.5%) developed amphotericin B nephrotoxicity. The overall changes in the mean values of urine NGAL were not significant during amphotericin B treatment, neither within nor between the two groups. The area under the curve of urine NGAL (0.765; 95% confidence interval, 0.588 to 0.962) on day zero was significantly higher than that of serum creatinine (0.464; 95% confidence interval, 0.268 to 0.660; P = .01) for predicting amphotericin nephrotoxicity., Conclusions: The incremental pattern of urine NGAL during amphotericin B treatment was not significant compared to baseline values. The urine level of NGAL on the first day of amphotericin B administration was more accurate than serum creatinine in predicting acute kidney injury caused by this agent.

Introduction: Medical students should be familiar with the end of life ethical issues and its considerations. For teaching end of life care to medical students, literature is a source of excellent narratives of patients with experiences of terminally ill condition in their journey through suffering and one of the most favourite bioethics literature readings has been the death of Ivan Ilych by Tolstoy. We used this novel to show medical students end of life events and suffering and asked them to write a reflective essay on it. We aimed to find what students think about terminally ill patients and their journey to death., Methods: In an inductive qualitative content analysis model, 350 essays, collected by homogenous sampling, were analyzed. The fourth year medical students were provided with the Death of Ivan Ilych novel to read. They were asked to write a reflection essay based on the reflective stages defined by Sandars. These essays served as the unit of analysis, each being read several times and a coding model was formed according to main topics. The related concepts in each unit were named as themes and each theme was abstracted to a code and the related codes were compared and developed as categories., Results: Qualitative content analysis of 350 essays of fourth year medical students revealed three major categories in students' reflection on reading Death of Ivan Ilych as an end of life human body. These included: 1) Emotional experience, 2) Empathy and effective communication, 3) Spirituality and dignity. Analysis of essays showed that this reflection activity may help medical students have a deeper idea of the end of life situation and feelings., Conclusion: This project suggests that literature can be used as an example to introduce new ethical concepts to less experienced medical trainees. The students acquired the concept of the story and reflected the major aspects of the suffering of a human being in their essays. Having used and evaluated the effect of literature on facilitating ethical insight in the teaching end of life care, we strongly recommend this method and specially the novella, Death of Ivan Ilych .

Objectives: The pars cohort study (PCS) is a 10-year cohort study aiming to investigate the burden and the major risk factors of non-communicable diseases, and to establish a setting to launch interventions for prevention of these diseases and controlling their risk factors., Methods: All inhabitants of Valashahr district in South of Iran, aged 40-75 years, were invited to undergo interviews and physical examination, and to provide biological samples. A total of 9264 invitees accepted to participate in the study (95 % participation rate) and were recruited from 2012 to 2014. Active follow-up was also carried out after 12 months., Results: About 46 % of participants were male and 54 % were female. About 14.0 % of the participants were current smokers and 8.4 % were ever opium users. The prevalence of overweight and obesity were 37.3 and 18.2 %, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension was 26.9 %. A total of 49 participants died during a median follow-up of one year., Conclusions: PCS with its large scale and wealth of socio-economic and medical data can be a unique platform for studying the etiology of non-communicable diseases and effective interventions in Iran.

Background: Nephrotic edema is considered refractory if it does not respond to maximum or near-maximum doses of loop diuretics. This condition can be treated with loop diuretics and thiazides. However, animal studies show that the simultaneous downregulation of pendrin with acetazolamide and inhibition of the sodium-chloride cotransporter with hydrochlorothiazide generates significant diuresis, and furosemide administration following a pendrin inhibitor potentiates furosemide's diuretic effect. Therefore, we performed this study to compare the efficacy of acetazolamide and hydrochlorothiazide followed by furosemide versus furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide followed by furosemide for treatment of refractory nephrotic edema., Study Design: Randomized, double-blind, 2-arm, parallel trial., Setting & Participants: 20 patients with refractory nephrotic edema despite treatment with 80mg of furosemide daily and creatinine clearance > 60mL/min., Intervention: Patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups: group 1 (n=10) received 250mg of acetazolamide and 50mg of hydrochlorothiazide daily and group 2 (n=10) received 40mg of furosemide and 50mg of hydrochlorothiazide daily for 1 week in phase 1. In phase 2, both groups received 40mg of furosemide daily for 2 weeks., Outcomes: The primary outcome was absolute change in weight before and at the end of each phase., Measurements: Weight and 24-hour urine volume at baseline and the end of each phase., Results: The mean weight decrease was of significantly larger magnitude in group 1 compared with group 2 at the end of phase 1 (-1.4±0.52 [SD] vs -0.65±0.41kg; P=0.001) and phase 2 (-1.6±0.84 vs -0.5±0.47kg; P=0.005). The increase in 24-hour urine volume was also significantly higher in group 1 at the end of phase 2., Limitations: Small sample size, short follow-up duration, and lack of serum bicarbonate and chloride measurement., Conclusions: Acetazolamide and hydrochlorothiazide followed by furosemide is more effective than furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide followed by furosemide for the treatment of refractory nephrotic edema., (Copyright © 2016 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Ghrelin is a peptide hormone that has been shown to have numerous central and peripheral effects. The central effects including GH secretion, food intake, and energy homeostasis are partly mediated by Kiss1- KissR signaling pathway. Ghrelin and its receptor are also expressed in the pancreatic islets. Ghrelin is one of the key metabolic factors controlling insulin secretion from the islets of Langerhans. We hypothesize that the inhibitory effect of ghrelin on KiSS-1 and KissR in the islet cells may be similar to the same inhibitory effect of ghrelin in the hypothalamus., Materials and Methods: To investigate the effect of ghrelin, we isolated the islets from adult male rats by collagenase and cultured CRI-D2 cell lines. Then, we incubated them with different concentrations of ghrelin for 24 hr. After RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis from both islets and CRI-D2 cells, the relative expression of KiSS-1 and KissR was evaluated by means of real-time PCR. Furthermore, we measured the amount of insulin secreted by the islets after incubation in different concentrations of ghrelin and glucose after 1 hr. Besides, we checked the viability of the cells after 24 hr cultivation., Results: Ghrelin significantly decreased the KiSS-1 and KissR mRNA transcription in rat islets and CRI-D2 cells. Besides, Ghrelin suppressed insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells and CRI-D2 cells., Conclusion: These findings indicate the possibility that KiSS-1 and KissR mRNA expression is mediator of ghrelin function in the islets of Langerhans.

Introduction: Uremic pruritus is one of the most common disabling symptoms in patients with end-stage renal disease. We aimed to study the effect of montelukast sodium for the treatment of uremic pruritus lasting more than 3 months in patients undergoing hemodialysis and compare it with placebo., Methods and Materials: Eighty patients undergoing hemodialysis at 3 centers in Shiraz, Iran, were recruited to a randomized double-blinded controlled trial to receive 10 mg of montelukast or placebo, daily for 30 days. To assess the severity of pruritus, a visual analogue scale and the Detailed Pruritus Score, based on a combined score of severity and distribution of pruritus and sleep disturbance, were used. Sleep disturbance, severity, and distribution scores were added up to calculate the patients' final score at the start and the end of the study., Results: The mean reduction of visual analogue scale score was significantly greater in the montelukast group (2.73 ± 2.03) compared to that in the placebo group (5.47 ± 2.37, P < .001). Mean reduction in Detailed Pruritus Score was also greater in the montelukast group (3.24 ± 2.2 versus 6.44 ± 3.25, respectively, P < .001). The mean high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in the montelukast group decreased from 5.48 ± 3.86 µg/mL to 3.86 ± 3.58 µg/mL, while it increased in the placebo group from 6.69 ± 4.49 µg/mL to 8.14 ± 5.20 µg/mL., Conclusions: Montelukast can be an add-on therapy in uremic pruritus, especially when pruritus is refractive to other treatments.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the pattern of antimicrobial resistance of Gram-positive bacteria during three consecutive years at the nephrology ward of Namazi Hospital in Shiraz, Southwest of Iran., Methods: During a 3-year period from 2013 to 2015, data of all biological samples of hospitalized patients at the adult nephrology ward of Namazi Hospital were sent to the central laboratory for identification of Gram-positive microorganisms and subsequently, their antimicrobial susceptibility testing by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method were analyzed in a retrospective manner., Findings: Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CONS) (38.5%), Staphylococcus aureus (25.4%), and Enterococcus spp. (23.8%) were the most common isolated Gram-positive bacteria from all biological samples. All Enterococcus spp. isolates within the 3 years were resistant to oxacillin. The rate of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) increased from 40.63% in 2013 to 72.73% in 2015. Enterococcus spp. resistance rates to aminoglycosides during 3 years were above 85%. The frequencies of oxacillin-resistant S. aureus (ORSA) in 2013, 2014, and 2015 were 95.24%, 80.95%, and 36.36%, respectively. Two out of 11 (6.67%) S. aureus isolates were resistant to vancomycin. More than 90% of CONS were sensitive to vancomycin within the study period. The frequency of gentamicin-resistant CONS ranged from 40% to 57.14%., Conclusion: The rates of ORSA, VRE, and aminoglycoside-resistant CONS as well as Enterococcus spp. in our clinical setting were considerably high and concerning. These may be due to the failure or lack of infection control activities and antimicrobial selection pressure.

Background: Nephrotoxicity is the most clinically significant adverse reaction of amphotericin B. Different aspects of amphotericin B (AmB) nephrotoxicity have not been studied well in our population., Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency, time onset, and possible associated factors of AmB nephrotoxicity in hospitalized patients in hematology-oncology wards in the southwest of Iran., Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was performed over a period of 9 months at 2 hematology-oncology and 1 hematopoietic stem cell transplantation wards at Namazi Hospital. Patients aged 15 years or older with no documented history of acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease who were scheduled to receive formulations of AmB intravenously for at least 1 week were included. The required demographic and clinical data of the patients were recorded. Urine urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium, and magnesium levels were measured at days 0, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 of the AmB treatment. AmB nephrotoxicity based on serum creatinine increase, renal potassium wasting, hypokalemia, and hypomagnesemia were determined., Results: Among the 40 patients recruited for the study, 11 (27.5%) patients developed AmB nephrotoxicity with a mean ± standard deviation onset of 6.73 ± 2.36 days. In 5 patients, AmB nephrotoxicity resolved spontaneously without any intervention. According to the multivariate logistic regression model, none of the studied demographic, clinical, and paraclinical variables were significantly associated with AmB nephrotoxicity. The duration of hospitalization (P = 0.541) and the mortality rate (P = 0.723) were comparable between the patients with and without AmB nephrotoxicity. Hypokalemia and renal potassium wasting were identified in 45% and 27.5% of the patients during AmB treatment, respectively., Conclusions: Nearly one-third (27.5%) of our cohort developed nephrotoxicity within the first week of AmB treatment. Hypokalemia and renal potassium wasting were more notable, affecting about one-half and one-third of the AmB recipients, respectively.

Background: Malnutrition is a common finding in hemodialysis patients and can increase oxidative stress and inflammation levels., Study Design: A randomized, controlled, nonblinded, parallel trial., Setting & Participants: 92 hemodialysis patients from a single center with malnutrition according to subjective global assessment (SGA) score (SGA score > 7)., Intervention: 3 treatment groups (23 patients each) received 220mL of fermented vitamin E-fortified whey beverage (15g of whey protein concentrate + 600IU of vitamin E) or 220mL of fermented whey beverage (15g of whey protein concentrate) or vitamin E (600IU) 3 times a week for 8 weeks. The control group (23 patients) received no intervention., Outcome & Measurements: Primary outcomes were change in SGA score and malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS) from baseline to the end of the trial., Results: At the end of the study, 83 patients were analyzed (2, 3, 1, and 3 patients left the study in the vitamin E-fortified whey beverage, whey beverage, vitamin E, and control groups, respectively). Changes in SGA scores were -3.48 (95% CI, -4.90 to -2.00), -3.22 (95% CI, -4.13 to -2.30), -1.70 (95% CI, -3.20 to -0.24), and 1.56 (95% CI, 0.60 to 2.50) for the vitamin E-fortified whey beverage, whey beverage, vitamin E, and control groups, respectively (overall P<0.001; P≤0.001 for each treatment group vs control). Changes in MISs were -3.17 (95% CI, -4.40 to -1.90), -1.83 (95% CI, -2.50 to -1.10), -2.30 (95% CI, -3.50 to -1.10), and 1.48 (95% CI, 0.65 to 2.30) for the vitamin E-fortified whey beverage, whey beverage, vitamin E, and control groups, respectively (overall P<0.001; P<0.001 for each treatment group vs control). Few adverse effects were reported in any group., Limitations: Lack of blinding, small sample size, and short duration., Conclusions: Whey protein in the form of a new fermented whey beverage and vitamin E supplementation may improve SGA score and MIS in the short term., (Copyright © 2016 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Hemoglobin levels measured after hemodialysis, as compared to hemoglobin levels measured before hemodialysis, are suggested to be a more accurate reflection of the hemoglobin levels between hemodialysis sessions, and to be a better reference point for adjusting erythropoietin dosing., Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the hemoglobin levels before and after hemodialysis, to calculate the required erythropoietin doses based on these levels, and to develop a model to predict effective erythropoietin dosing., Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the hemoglobin levels of 52 patients with end-stage renal disease were measured before and after hemodialysis. The required erythropoietin doses and the differences in cost were calculated based on the hemoglobin levels before and after hemodialysis. A model to predict the adjusted erythropoietin dosages based on post-hemodialysis hemoglobin levels was proposed., Results: Hemoglobin levels measured after hemodialysis were significantly higher than the hemoglobin levels before hemodialysis (11.1 ± 1.1 vs. 11.9 ± 1.2 g/dL, P < 0.001, 7% increase). The mean required erythropoietin dose based on post-hemodialysis hemoglobin levels was significantly lower than the corresponding erythropoietin dose based on pre-hemodialysis hemoglobin levels (10947 ± 6820 vs. 12047 ± 7542 U/week, P < 0.001, 9% decrease). The cost of erythropoietin was also significantly lower when post-hemodialysis levels were used (15.96 ± 9.85 vs. 17.57 ± 11.00 dollars/patient/week, P < 0.001). This translated into 83.72 dollars/patient/year in cost reduction. The developed model for predicting the required dosage is: Erythropoietin (U/week) = 43540.8 + (-2734.8) × Post-hemodialysis Hb* (g/dL). [(R 2 ) = 0.221; *P < 0.001]., Conclusions: Using post-hemodialysis hemoglobin levels as a reference point for erythropoietin dosing can result in significant dose and cost reduction, and can protect hemodialysis patients from hemoconcentration. The prediction of the erythropoietin adjusted dosage based on post-hemodialysis Hb may also help in avoiding overdosage.

Background: The inappropriate use of aminoglycosides has harmful effects such as the development of resistant pathogens and the incidence of nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity. Therefore, drug utilization evaluation of these drugs may improve their usage remarkably. The aim of this study was to assess the usage pattern of amikacin in an internal medicine ward., Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Internal Medicine Ward of Nemazee Teaching Hospital, Shiraz, Iran, in 2011. The guideline for amikacin use was approved by the institutional Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, and the study criteria were developed to assess several parameters involved in amikacin therapy such as appropriateness of drug use, dosage, duration of therapy, toxicity monitoring, and serum concentration assay. Serum concentration was assayed using a Cobas Mira AutoAnalyzer. Clinical and paraclinical parameters such as glomerular filtration rate, culture, microbial sensitivity, white blood cell count, and fever were collected., Results: Sixty-three patients were evaluated. Fifty-seven percent of the patients needed dose readjustment; however, it was not performed for 89% of them. Culture between 48 and 72 hours after amikacin administration was not controlled for 79% of the patients. In 19% of the patients, optimum therapeutic effect was not achieved. The mean±SD of the trough and peak concentrations was 7.63±5.4 μg/mL and 15.67±7.79 μg/mL, respectively. Forty-five percent of the trough and 38% of the peak levels were within the therapeutic range. The overall adherence of amikacin usage to the guideline was only 48%., Conclusion: To achieve appropriate treatment and prevent toxic effects, we recommend that pharmacokinetic dosing methods, amikacin guideline, and serum monitoring be considered.

Preeclampsia, the leading cause of maternal morbidity and perinatal mortality, initiates as inappropriate immune response to trophoblastic invasion impairs placentation and placental circulation. A poorly perfused placenta generates superoxide anions as well as anti-angiogenic factors and this series of events result in impairment of endothelial function, followed by maternal morbidities such as hypertension, kidney injury and proteinuria. Renal loss of anti-coagulant proteins and subsequent hyper-coagulable state along with endothelial dysfunction accelerates progression of the disease toward eclampsia. Since Pentoxifylline, a methyl-xanthine derivative known for enhancement of vascular endothelial function, down-regulation of many inflammatory cytokines increased during preeclampsia, improvement of placental circulation, reduction of ischemia-reperfusion injury, enhancement of vasodilatation and endothelial function, ameliorating proteinuria, inhibition of platelet aggregation and decreasing risk of preterm labor, which are all amongst morbidities of preeclampsia, here it is hypothesized that Pentoxifylline prevents development of preeclampsia and/or decelerate progression of the disease., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: High blood pressure is a common condition in hemodialysis patients. Uric acid, which is high in these patients due to decreased clearance, had been shown to positively correlate with blood pressure in animal studies., Objectives: The goal of this investigation was to evaluate the impact of high uric acid level on blood pressure in these patients., Patients and Methods: Ninety-one patients, on three times weekly hemodialysis, were studied. Uric acid levels were measured just before and after hemodialysis along with blood pressures before, during and after each session. Data were analyzed by SPSS 15. A P value less than 0.05 was considered significant., Results: 40 (44%) of patients had serum uric acid ≥6 mg/dl. Before dialysis 51 (61%) and 19 (21%) had high systolic blood and diastolic blood pressures respectively. Also, 50 (55%) were with wide pulse pressure and 63 (69%) had high mean arterial pressure (MAP). Additionally 62 (68%) developed inter-dialysis hypotension. After measuring odds ratio for hyperuricemia in each group, we observed low risk of hypruricemia in the group with high systolic pressure (OR = 0.352; 95% CI: 0.147-0.844; P = 0.01), the high MAP group (OR = 0.382; 95% CI: 0.153-0.955; P = 0.03) and wide pulse pressure group (OR = 0.416; 95% CI: 0.177-0.975; P = 0.04). There was no association between high uric acid level and diastolic pressure (P = 0.11) and inter-dialysis hypotension (P = 0.33). No relationship was found between serum uric acid and KT/V (P = 0.2), normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR) (P = 0.07) and body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.4)., Conclusions: This study showed paradoxical association between high uric acid level and high systolic pressure, high MAP and wide pulse pressure and these effects were independent of dialysis duration, dialysis efficacy and nutrition, assuming that these relationships could be due to reverse epidemiology in dialysis patients.

Objectives: Iminoral is the generic microemulsion of cyclosporine. We performed a randomized double-blind multicenter trial to evaluate its efficacy and safety compared with the innovator medication Neoral for preventing acute rejection episodes in adult patients during the first year after renal transplant., Materials and Methods: We used 221 de novo renal transplant recipients from 6 transplant centers in Iran enrolled between April 2008, and January 2010. They were randomized to receive either Iminoral or Neoral as the calcineurin inhibitor component of the immunosuppressive regimen in addition to mycophenolate mofetil and oral corticosteroids. They were followed-up for 1 year. The primary endpoint was the rate of acute allograft rejection. Secondary endpoints consisted of 1-year graft survival rates, daily dosages of cyclosporine, trough and C2 cyclosporine blood level, serum creatinine levels, patient death rates, discontinuing the study drug, tolerability, and adverse events., Results: The risk of acute rejection episode during the first month after transplant was 9% for Iminoral and 10% for Neoral; these declined to 4% and 2% during next 11 months. One-year graft survival rate was 0.86 for both groups. Renal function stabilized during the first month. Declination of the creatinine levels was similar between the 2 groups and reached a stable value of 114.9 μmol/L five months after the transplant. The frequency of clinical complications was similar between the groups., Conclusions: Iminoral is safe and effective when used in de novo kidney transplant patients as an immunosuppressive medication.

Background: Malnutrition, inflammation and poor quality of life are prevalent among hemodialysis (HD) patients. Health-related quality of life is an important determinant of hospitalization and mortality in HD patients., Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between quality of life and malnutrition-inflammation status according to subjective global assessment (SGA) and malnutrition-inflammation scores (MIS) in HD patients., Patients and Methods: We randomly selected 87 of 180 stable HD patients from two HD centers. Those on hemodialysis for at least three months and with malnutrition according to the SGA scores were included in this study. They were divided into two groups of mild to moderate malnutrition (n = 39) and severe malnutrition (n = 49) based on the SGA scores. Serum levels of transferrin, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, kt/v, body mass index and malnutrition-inflammation scores were measured in all patients. Health-related quality of life was assessed by validated short form-12 (SF-12) questionnaire for each patient. These values were compared between the two groups of patients by independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. The correlations of nutritional variables with SGA and MIS scores were determined by Pearson and Spearman correlation tests., Results: There were no differences in measured parameters between the two groups except for MIS scores. Those with severe malnutrition showed higher MIS scores. All quality of life aspects and total scores (PCS, MCS) (rather than social functioning (SF) aspect) were significantly different between the two groups, which showed lower physical and mental scores in severely-malnourished patients. Physical functioning (PF), role limitations due to physical heath (RP), general health (GH), mental health (MH), SF, role limitation due to emotional health (RE), vitality (VT) aspects and total scores (PCS and MCS) had negative significant correlations with MIS and SGA scores (All P values < 0.05). No correlation was found between MIS and SGA scores and other measured variables., Conclusions: This study focused on important effects of malnutrition and inflammation on health-related quality of life aspects, both physically and mentally in HD patients. SGA and MIS are highly correlated with quality of life in HD patients.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of oral N-acetylcysteine (NAC) co-treatment in preventing amphotericin B (AmB)-induced nephrotoxicity (AIN), including creatinine clearance and biomarkers of renal function (cystatin C [Cys C] and kidney injury molecule-1 [KIM-1])., Methods: Either placebo or 600 mg oral NAC was given twice daily during the treatment course of AmB. Renal function test, serum as well as urinary level of Cys C and urinary KIM-1 were determined., Results: Among the study population (n = 54), 23 (42.59%) patients developed AmB nephrotoxicity during their treatment course. NAC co-treatment was significantly associated with mitigating AmB nephrotoxicity (OR = 0.286, 95% CI: 0.082 - 0.993; p = 0.049). No statistically significant difference regarding accuracy of measured biomarkers including serum creatinine, serum and urine Cys C and urine KIM-1 at days 0 and 7 of treatment in predicting and detecting AmB nephrotoxicity was identified. The changes in mean serum and urine Cys C and urine KIM during AmB treatment within and between treatment groups were not statistically significant., Conclusions: Co-treatment with 600 mg oral NAC twice a day during AmB treatment, after adjusting for multiple variables, was associated with prevention of AIN. However, significantly higher adverse reactions developed in the patients who were treated with NAC.

Background: Induction therapy regimens classified as conventional immunosuppressive agents and lower doses of conventional agents combined with antibodies against T-cell antigens have been purposed to prevent acute rejection after renal transplantation. Various induction agents with different doses and durations have been suggested based on the risk profile of patients., Objective: To assess the acute rejection rate (total rate and based on the type of induction therapy regimen) during the first year after kidney transplantation, the type of acute rejection based on Banff classification and to determine the associations between rate of acute rejection, type of the rejection and induction therapy regimen., Methods: 249 kidney transplant candidates were divided into two groups-low-risk patients (n=208) who received conventional immunosuppressive agents, and high-risk patients (n=41) who received alemtuzumab-and followed for one year to detect acute rejection first diagnosed clinically, and confirmed by percutaneous kidney biopsy based on Banff criteria., Results: The total incidence of acute rejection was 19.6% (20.7% of the low-risk and 14.4% of the high-risk patients). The most prevalent types of the acute rejection in patients treated with conventional immunosuppressive agents and patients received alemtuzumab as induction therapy were grade IB and grade IA, respectively. The incidence of acute rejection among recipients received a kidney from a deceased donor was 20.6% and grade IA was the most prevalent type (6.9%) whereas the most prevalent grade of acute rejection in patients who received living donor grafts was IB (8.3%)., Conclusion: Despite the expected greater risk for acute rejection among high-risk patients, no significant difference was observed between low- and high-risk patients, which may be justified by the greater efficacy of alemtuzumab compared with standard triple induction therapy in reducing the rate of acute rejection.

Background: Nutritional barriers may contribute to malnutrition in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Higher rates of morbidity and mortality rates have been reported in malnourished HD patients. These patients are faced with different challenges affecting their nutritional status., Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify most important barriers responsible for malnutrition in HD patients., Patients and Methods: We randomly selected 255 of 800 stable HD patients from three HD centers with an age range of 18-85 years, who had been on hemodialysis for at least three months without any acute illness. Each patient was interviewed to evaluate malnutrition [subjective global assessment (SGA), malnutrition inflammation score (MIS)], and potential medical, behavioral and socioeconomic barriers. Body composition of patients was checked through bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Routine clinical markers of malnutrition such as serum albumin and total protein were measured using standard automated techniques. Binary logistic regression model was used to find the association between nutritional markers and potential barriers., Results: Patients with higher SGA had lower knowledge about general nutrition [odds ratio (OR), 1.3], potassium (OR, 1.89), difficulty chewing (OR, 1.16), and shopping (OR, 1.16). Those with greater MIS scores had poor appetite (OR, 1.3), depression (OR, 1.21), and difficulty with cooking (OR, 1.15). Lower BCM (body cell mass) was associated with poor appetite (OR, 0.92) and needed help for cooking (OR, 0.88). Patients with higher BFMI (body fat mass index) had insufficient general nutrition (OR, 1.15), and protein (OR, 1.27) knowledge, and needed help for shopping (OR, 1.14). Moreover, patients with higher SGA scores were those with older age and longer duration of HD., Conclusions: Three medical barriers (poor appetite, depression and difficulty chewing), one behavioral barrier (poor total nutrition, protein, and potassium knowledge), and one socioeconomic barrier (needing help for shopping and cooking) were independently associated with nutritional markers.

Introduction: It has been found that the decision-making process in medicine is affected, to a large extent, by one's experience, individual mentality, previous models, and common habitual approaches, in addition to scientific principles. Evidence-based medicine is an approach attempting to reinforce scientific, systematic and critical thinking in physicians and provide the ground for optimal decision making. In this connection, the purpose of the present study is to find out to what extent the education of evidence based medicine affects clinical decision making., Methods: The present quasi-experimental study was carried out on 110 clinical residents, who started their education in September, 2012 and finally 62 residents filled out the questionnaires. The instrument used was a researcher-made questionnaire containing items on four decision-making approaches. The questionnaire was used both as a pre-test and a post-test to assess the residents' viewpoints on decision making approaches. The validity of the questionnaire was determined using medical education and clinical professionals' viewpoints, and the reliability was calculated through Chronbach alpha; it was found to be 0.93. The results were analyzed by paired t-test using SPSS, version 14., Results: The results demonstrated that evidence-based medicine workshop significantly affected the residents' decision-making approaches (p<0.001). The pre-test showed that principles-based, reference-based and routine model-based approaches were more preferred before the program (p<0.001). However, after the implementation of the program, the dominant approaches used by the residents in their decision making were evidence-based ones. , Conclusion: To develop the evidence-based approach, it is necessary for educational programs to continue steadily and goal-orientedly. In addition, the equipment infrastructure such as the Internet, access to data bases, scientific data, and clinical guides should develop more in the medical departments.

Introduction: The present study aimed to find an appropriate method to inform senior high school students to correctly select their academic field of study and their intentions., Methods: This is a descriptive-analytic and cross-sectional study. A verified questionnaire was given to a total of 2600 students selected by stratified random sampling method (ten different colleges and entrance year from the 1(st) to 4(th) are considered as the strata). The position of the present field of study (major) among the list of the fields in the entrance exam was asked. The students' methods of familiarity with different fields of study in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), the reasons for their selection, the students' motivation and insistence on studying in the same field and university were asked in the questionnaire. Data were analyzed using independent two samples t-test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Chi-Square test., Results: The most significant references for university field selection were high school teachers, the students' parents and the adjacency of university to one's living place. Also, the results revealed the good reputation of SUMS in the first year and its downward trend during the following years. 59.4% of the 1(st) year students were satisfied with their field of study and SUMS. 31.8% were satisfied with the university but not with their fields of study. 6.4% were dissatisfied with the university but not with their fields of study. 2% of the students were dissatisfied with both their fields of study and university. Dissatisfaction with SUMS and field of study increased little by little so that the results obtained among the students who had entered the university earlier (in the 4(th) year of their study) showed nearly 16.3% dissatisfaction with both the university and the study fields.  , Conclusion: The methods for introducing the university are recommended to be revised.

Background: This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Ferrans and Powers 3.0 quality of life index (dialysis type) in patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) in order to describe their health-related quality of life (HRQOL)., Methods: The sample (n = 150) consisted of adult HD patients receiving HD for at least 6 months from the establishment of the study. A total of 88 men and 62 women, with an average age of 50.47, from Shiraz, southern Iran, were enrolled in this study. The questionnaire was translated into Persian language using back translation and bilingual techniques. Convergent, discriminant, and construct validity of the Ferrans and Powers 3.0 dialysis version was evaluated. To check the internal consistency of the data, Cronbach's alpha, which indicates the reliability of the data, was used for the entire questionnaire and for the subscales., Results: The convergent and discriminant validity and success scaling rate for both sexes were 100 %. Cronbach's alpha was 0.95 overall, which was greater than 0.7 for all the subscales except for the family subscale. Our results suggest that HD patients in southern Iran have higher HRQOL scores when compared with those in other countries. Despite the higher mean HRQOL score for men compared with women, men had significantly higher HRQOL scores only in the health and functioning subscale. There was no significant correlation between HD patients' HRQOL and educational level., Conclusion: The Persian version of Ferrans and Powers 3.0 has sufficient reliability and validity for measuring the quality of life of Persian-speaking HD patients. Female HD patients need more support and attention from family and society.

Background: Serum creatinine as a classic marker of renal function has several limitations in the detection of renal dysfunction., Objectives: This study assessed the validity of serum cystatin C as a marker of renal function in critically ill patients with normal serum creatinine., Patients and Methods: Eighty adult patients referred to intensive care units with serum creatinine levels < 1.5 mg/dL and without hemodynamic instability were chosen and their serum creatinine and cystatin C levels were measured. A 24-hour urine sample was collected to calculate creatinine clearance (Ccr). Renal dysfunction was defined as Ccr < 80 mL/min/1.73 m(2)., Results: There were significant correlations between measured Ccr and 1/serum creatinine (R = 0.51, P < 0.001) and 1/serum cystatin C (R = 0.25, P = 0.028). The difference between false negative rates of serum creatinine (93.33%) and cystatin C (80%) in the detection of renal dysfunction was significant (P = 0.032). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis illustrated that area under the curve of serum creatinine and cystatin C for detecting renal dysfunction were 0.711 and 0.607, respectively; however, this difference was not significant (P = 0.222)., Conclusions: Our data demonstrated that serum cystatin C is not superior to serum creatinine in the early detection of renal dysfunction in critically ill patients.

Introduction: Consultation and guidance is a process of learning which is done through the relationship between two individuals. In this mutual relationship, the ounsellor, through his scientific and occupational skills and qualification, tries to help the students using the methods corresponding to their needs. The main objective of this study was to provide a framework for the management of the advisors' plans in the university based on the analysis of different schools., Methods: This research is a cross-sectional and descriptive-analytic study. Data were collected both qualitatively (centralized groups at the presence of advisors in universities) and quantitatively (self-assessment of teachers and students' evaluation). Sampling was done randomly from all students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. All the teachers who were advisor took part in this study., Results: This study was conducted in eight schools of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences simultaneously and 974 students and 125 teachers took part in it. At the time of data collection, 25.5 percent of the students declared that the advisors have provided allocated time to them and 45.4 percent believed that the advisors helped the students to understand the importance of the courses., Conclusion: The emergence of weaknesses and strengths of the academic advising program and the guidance through teacher's self assessment, not only may be the sign of realization of programmed objectives, but also may be the starting point for qualitative improvement of the situation. Moreover, in order to improve the advisory services and guidance, it is necessary to regard consultation as a scientific subject which needs training.

Levamisole as an immunomodulator drug has been demonstrated to improve the immune response to hepatitis B virus vaccination in haemodialysis patients. The aim of this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial was to evaluate the effect of levamisole supplementation on tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine response rates in haemodialysis patients. Forty haemodialysis patients who had not received tetanus vaccination in a year before investigation and had unprotective anti-tetanus immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels (<0.1 international unit/mL) were enrolled and randomized into two equal groups to receive one dose of intramuscular Td vaccine supplemented with either levamisole (100 mg) or placebo daily, for 6 days before and 6 days after vaccination. The anti-tetanus IgG levels were measured 1 and 6 months after vaccination. One month post-vaccination, four patients were excluded from the levamisole group and two from the placebo group because of either death or renal transplantation. At 1 month, 13 out of 16 (81%) patients in the levamisole group as compared with six out of 18 (33%) patients in the placebo group developed protective anti-tetanus IgG levels (relative risk = 2.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.21, 4.88). From 1 to 6 months post-vaccination, one more patient in the levamisole group and two more patients in the placebo group were excluded because of renal transplantation. At 6 months, 11 out of 15 (73%) patients in the levamisole group as compared with four out of 16 (25%) patients in the placebo group still had protective anti-tetanus IgG levels (relative risk = 2.93, 95% CI = 1.19, 7.23). Supplementation of Td vaccination with levamisole may enhance seroconversion against tetanus in haemodialysis patients., (© 2013 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.)

Cytokines are important factors determining the outcome of transplantation since host ability in cytokine production may be affected by cytokine gene polymorphisms. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of IL-17, IL-23R and IL-21 gene polymorphisms in the outcome of kidney transplantation. A total of 250 kidney transplant recipients were included in this study. Overall 70 recipients (28%) experienced an acute rejection. IL-17 197 A/G, IL-21+1472 G/T, IL-21 5250 C/T, and IL-23R C/T gene polymorphisms were evaluated by PCR-RFLP or ARMS-PCR methods. The serum levels of IL-17 and IL-21 were also checked by ELISA. IL-17 GG carriers and G allele were significantly more frequent in patients with acute rejection as compared to patients without any sign of rejection (P=0.045 and P=0.032, respectively). In addition after gender classification, IL-23R AA carriers and A allele were significantly more frequent in male patients who experienced an acute rejection as compared to non-rejected patients (P=0.03, P=0.011, respectively). The IL-17 serum levels have also shown significant differences between rejected and non-rejected groups (24.37±32.94 for AR and 8.6±9.9 for non-AR groups, respectively; P=0.035). The mentioned results indicate that IL-17GG genotype, G allele and its serum level have predictive values for acute rejection. GG genotype and G allele of IL-17 is a genetic risk factor for development of acute rejection. Also, AA genotype and A allele of IL-23R is a sex dependent genetic risk factor for the development of acute rejection, but this subject needs to be studied in a different population., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the health status and quality of life (QOL) of paid unrelated versus related living kidney donors postdonation at Shiraz Transplant Center in Iran. We invited all donors (n = 580, 347 paid unrelated, 233 related) who underwent donor nephrectomy at our center from 2004 to 2010 to participate in a health survey and physical examination. Of 580 donors, 144 consented to participate; participation of paid unrelated donors was significantly lower than related (52/347 vs. 92/233; p < 0.001). Participants underwent a complete physical examination, QOL assessment (using a 36-item short form health survey [SF-36] questionnaire) and laboratory work-up. The paid unrelated donors compared with related donors were younger (34.2 ± 7.2 vs. 40.7 ± 9.7 years, p < 0.001), had shorter time since donation (2.9 ± 1.6 vs. 3.8 ± 2 years, p = 0.004), had higher estimated GFR (72.6 ± 22 vs. 63.8 ± 15.3 mL/min/1.73 m(2), p = 0.006) and had a higher percentage of patients with microalbuminuria (35% vs. 0%, p < 0.001). Additionally, general health and social functioning scores among paid unrelated donors were significantly lower (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively) than related donors. Other SF-36 scores, although lower in paid unrelated donors, did not reach statistical significance. Iranian paid unrelated donors have lower QOL and higher incidence of microalbuminuria compared with related donors., (© Copyright 2013 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.)

Purpose: To collect available clinical data to define the role of diuretics and lipid formulations in the prevention of amphotericin B (AmB)-induced nephrotoxicity (AIN) in human populations., Method: A literature search was performed in the following databases: Scopus, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews., Results and Conclusion: Co-administration of mannitol failed to show any clinically significant benefit in preventing AIN. Potassium-sparing diuretics, such as amiloride and spironolactone, have been shown to have beneficial effects as an alternative or adjunct to oral/parenteral potassium supplements in preventing hypokalemia due to AmB. Lipid-based formulations of AmB are clinically effective and safe in preventing AIN. However, due to their high cost and limited accessibility, these formulations are generally used as second-line antifungal therapy in cases of conventional AmB refractoriness and/or intolerance or pre-existing renal dysfunction. The potential effects of other nephroprotective agents, such as N-acetylcysteine, AIN merit further considerations and investigations.

Introduction: Protein-energy malnutrition and inflammation are common and overlapping conditions in hemodialysis patients, which are associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Adiponectin is an adipocytokine exclusively produced by adipose tissue. The aim of this study was to further elucidate the association between serum adiponectin levels and the nutritional status of hemodialysis patients., Materials and Methods: Seventy-three patients on hemodialysis for at least 3 months, three times weekly, without any acute illness, were divided into 2 groups of well-nourished (n = 25) and malnourished (n = 48) based on their nutritional status, measured by the subjective global assessment. Serum levels of adiponectin, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine; body mass index; and the malnutrition-inflammation score were measured in all patients. These values were compared between well-nourished and malnourished patients. The correlations of nutritional variables with serum levels of adiponectin were determined, as well., Results: Except for the malnutrition-inflammation score, which was significantly higher in the malnourished patients compared to the well-nourished ones (11.1 +/- 3.6 versus 4.2 +/- 2.0, P < .001), no other significant differences were found between the two groups. A weak but significant positive correlation was found between the serum levels of adiponectin and subjective global assessment scores (r = 0.25, P = .03)., Conclusions: The results of our study point to potential utility of serum adiponectin level as an indicator of nutritional status in hemodialysis patients. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of adiponectin in the pathogenesis of malnutrition in hemodialysis patients.

Background: End-stage renal disease patients on chronic hemodialysis are among high risk groups for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection for whom routine HCV screening is recommended. Anti-HCV antibody (ab) testing may not be reliable to detect all infected cases because of the blunted ab response due to depressed immune state in these patients. Using a more reliable, cost-effective and non-complex HCV screening test may be necessary in this group of patients for case finding and management, and also for prevention of infection spread., Objectives: The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of HCV infection in HCV ab negative hemodialysis patients by Real time PCR and total HCV core antigen (ag) test and comparing the results of the two tests., Patients and Methods: From a single hemodialysis center, 181 anti- HCV ab negative patients were screened by total HCV core ag using an ELISA kit. Real time PCR was used for determination of the virus and viral load quantity., Results: Among the 181 anti-HCV ab negative patients, 13 (7.2%) were positive for HCV core ag and 11 (6%) had detectable HCV RNA with a range of 40-336543 IU/ml by PCR. The two tests had a high measurement agreement (Kappa=0.82, P<0.001). Of the 13 patients with positive HCV core ag test results, 3 were negative for HCV RNA. Considering real time PCR for HCV RNA as the gold standard for HCV infection determination in this patient population, HCV core ag assay yielded a sensitivity of 90.9%, specificity of 98.2%, positive predictive value of 76.9% and negative predictive value of 99.4%., Discussion: The rate of HCV infection among HCV ab negative hemodialysis patients was high. HCV core ag testing could be used as a sensitive method for HCV infection screening in this group of patients.