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Introduction: Endodontic treatment errors (EEs) can lead to complications and require additional follow- up care. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of root canal treatment errors among dental students, identifying error types based on radiographic criteria, tooth type, location, and technical errors. Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional study analyzed data from 201 patients who underwent root canal treatment at Ilam University of Medical Sciences between 2021 and 2022. Inclusion criteria were confirmed root disease diagnosis, adherence to standard treatment protocol, availability of radiographs, and complete patient files. The protocol included rubber dam isolation, radiographic length determination, manual file canal preparation, irrigation, obturation with the lateral compression method, and temporary restoration. Two endodontists evaluated filling length, density, convergence, and technical errors such as floor perforation, broken instruments, transportation, ledge formation, and access cavity gouging. Results: The study included 89 male (44.3%) and 112 female (55.7%) dental students with a mean age of 25.36 years. Among the 201 patients (28.9% male, 71.1% female; mean age 35.24 years), 71.6% had fillings of appropriate length, 12.14% short, and 15.9% long. Appropriate density was observed in 67.6%, and convergence in 86.1%. Technical errors included ledge formation (8.5%), floor perforation (1%), access cavity gouging (1.5%), and broken instruments (0.5%). A significant relationship was found between density and tooth type (p<0.002) and convergence and tooth type (p < 0.009). Conclusion: Proper filling, convergence, and density were more frequent in anterior teeth. Maxillary teeth had higher rates of proper filling compared to mandibular teeth. The overall rate of treatment errors was low, likely due to professor supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Understanding the reasons for retreatment of dental restorations is crucial to preventing potential tooth failure. Due to limited information on retreatment causes in our region, this study aims to compare the factors leading to the failure of posterior amalgam and composite restorations. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study was conducted on patients referred to the restorative department of Ilam Faculty of Dentistry and private clinics who required retreatment of existing posterior restorations. Failure criteria for posterior restorations were evaluated based on established reference guidelines. Results: The study found that secondary caries had an odds ratio (OR) of 3.08 (95% CI: 2.85 - 3.29; p < 0.001), indicating a strong association with restoration failure. Additionally, restoration fractures were significantly correlated with retreatment, with an adjusted OR of 2.50 (95% CI: 2.46-2.86; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Secondary caries emerged as the most common reason for retreatment, regardless of whether composite or amalgam materials were used. Restoration fractures also significantly contributed to the need for retreatment. Therefore, it is essential to consider factors such as restoration material, classification, and the number of restoration levels to reduce the likelihood of retreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The syndrome of periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and cervical adenitis (PFAPA syndrome) is the most common type of recurrent fever in childhood. The aim of this study was evaluation of the levels of blood cells, vitamin D, and inflammatory factors in children with PFAPA syndrome. Methods: This retrospective descriptive study was conducted on the recorded information of children with PFAPA syndrome referred to the children's specialty clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ilam city from March 2021 to February 2022. Complete demographic information, presence of underlying disease, changes in blood cells, vitamin D level and inflammatory factors were obtained from the patients' records. Diagnosis of PFAPA syndrome was performed according to Thomas' criteria. Results: This study was conducted on 40 children with PFAPA syndrome. The majority of patients were male and in the age range of 3 - 4 years. The results show that the average percentage of neutrophil and lymphocyte cells in the blood of patients was 54.45% and 40.62%, respectively. Also, 6 (15%), 3 (7.5%), and 31 (77.5%) patients had normal neutrophil levels, neutropenia, and neutrophilia, respectively. Regarding lymphocyte cells, 26 (65%), 8 (20%), and 6 (15%) people had normal lymphocyte level, lymphocytosis and lymphopenia, respectively. ESR levels increased in all patients (average percentage: 16.72). CRP level was negative in 9 (22.5%) and +1 in 19 (47.5%) patients, respectively. The results showed that 33 (82.5%) patients were deficient in vitamin D level. Conclusions: The etiology and pathogenesis of PFAPA is still unknown; however, the rapid response to corticosteroid therapy is the indication of an immune deregulation. Treatment guidelines for PFAPA syndrome based on controlled studies are needed, as well as a better understanding of the disease itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The elderly population is increasing and one of the problems of this group is the increase in their care needs. This research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the compliance of public hospitals of Ilam province with the criteria of elderly friendly hospitals. Material & Method: This was a comparative quantitative-cross-sectional study with statistical population including 122 managers, supervisors and head nurses from eight hospitals in Ilam province using head count method during the calendar year 2021. The data collection tool was the elderly-friendly hospital list. Due to small sample size single-group comparative test was used, and one-way ANOVA and POST-HOC tests were used to compare the examined hospitals with each other. Results: The study population was all managers, supervisors of medical, surgical and emergency wards of eight hospitals in Ilam province, accounting total 122 people. Based on the findings and comparison of these public hospitals with the senior-friendly index, it was determined that the average indices were 0.725, 0.866, 0.966, 0.744, 0.945, 0.940, 0.734 and 0.918 for Mostafa, Abdanan, Mehran, Sarableh, Ivan, Darre Shahr, Emam and Dehloran hospitals, respectively. Mostafa Hospital has the lowest average with 0.725 and Mehran has the highest with 0.966. The negative values obtained for the T statistic also prove that these hospitals are at a lower level than the senior-friendly hospital index, however, the T values were significant only for Mostafa, Emam and Sarableh hospitals (P<0.01) and other hospitals, despite being lower than the desired average level, are not significantly different from it (P>0.01). Conclusion: The conditions related to the environment and equipment of the hospital are acceptable based on the indicators of the elderly-friendly hospital, but in the case of human resources and hospital staff, more attention needs to be paid to the field of training and employment of suitable people familiar with the methods. It was caring for the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is an effective and relatively safe method for crushing urinary tract stones Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of running on treadmill and rope jumping exercises on the excretion of mass-like urinary stones following ESWL in the patients referred to the Asia clinic in the city of Ilam. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study. The subjects were selected by the convenience sampling method and randomly divided into three groups, including control, treadmill running, and rope jumping (n = 50 per group). Data were collected by a questionnaire to record the sonographic characteristics of the stones before and after lithotripsy and analyzed by SPSS software version 24 using Chi-square, unpaired t-test, and one-way ANOVA at the significance level of 5%. Benieman-Hashberg method was used to correct multiple comparisons. Results: There was a significant difference in the number of excreted stones comparing the control, treadmill running, and rope jumping groups (F = 8.851, P = 0.002). There were significant differences between the control and both treadmill running (P = 0.038) and rope jumping (P = 0.002) groups regarding the rate of stone excretion. However, there was no significant difference between the treadmill running and rope jumping groups regarding the rate of stone excretion (P = 0.293). Conclusions: Rope jumping and treadmill running exercises can help to better and faster expel kidney stones, depending on their location, after lithotripsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Evidence-based performance is a problem-solving approach to provide more effective decision-making, avoid repetitive care, facilitate providingservices, and empower employees. Continuous training enables nurses to provide valuable services to patients. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of education on the understanding and acceptance of evidence-based performance by nurses working in the infectious and internal wards of Imam Reza Hospital of Kermanshah (Iran) in 2019. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, participants were selected by available sampling and randomly divided into two groups (n=50 per group). The data was collected using 3 questionnaires: a standard questionnaire for understanding a standard evidence-based performance acceptance questionnaire (Robin and Parish, 2010), and a demographic questionnaire addressing age, gender, work experience, monthly income, education, ward, employment status, and acquaintance with evidence-based performance. Data analysis was performed in SPSS 19 software. Results: The mean score of the understanding significantly increased from 78.24 at pre-education to88.04 at post-education in the intervention group while there was no significant alternation in the mean score of control group comparing pre- and post-education (85.38 vs., respectively). The mean score of acceptance also significantly increased in the intervention group comparing before (37.66) with after (37.66) education. In the control group, the mean acceptance scores were 35.02 and 34.98before and after education, respectively. Conclusion: Education can improve the level of understanding and acceptance of evidence-based performance by nurses; therefore, it is recommended to include continuous educational programs in hospitals and encourage all nurses to attend these courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) incidence has dramatically increased in Tehran, Iran. The health impact of air pollution in Tehran underscores the attention to a possible association to this environmental risk factor. In this study, the authors aimed to analyze the spatial distribution of prevalent MS cases and their association with the spatial patterns of air pollution. Methods: Patient records meeting McDonald’s criteria for definite MS diagnosis with disease onset during 2003–2013 were obtained. Next, the location of 2,188 patients was successfully geo-referenced within Tehran metropolis by geographic information system (GIS) bureau of Iran’s post office based on their phone numbers. A cluster analysis was performed using the average nearest neighbor index (ANNI) and quadrat analysis. The long-term exposures of MS patients to particulate matter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) were estimated using the previously developed land use regression models. Results: Prevalent MS cases had a clustered pattern in Tehran. A significant difference in exposure to PM10 , SO2 , NO2 , and NOx (p < 0.001) was observed in MS cases compared with controls. Conclusion: This study revealed the potential role of long-term exposure to air pollutants as an environmental risk factor in MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]