Background: Uremic pruritus or chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus (CKD-aP) is a frequent compromising symptom in end-stage renal disease. Despite the little attention paid to drugs used among hemodialysis (HD) patients, investigating medications used in this population of patients and examining the status of CKD-aP may lead to the identification of medications that improve or worsen the pruritus condition. We aimed to assess the role of underlying diseases-related drugs on CKD-aP in HD patients. Materials and Methods: We performed a case − control study on HD patients aged over 18 years old. The demographic data and clinical parameters including HD parameters, drug history, dermatologic assessments, and laboratory examination were assessed. Results: We compared 128 patients with CKD-aP as cases and 109 patients without CKD-aP as controls. Cases were on the longer course of dialysis (44.69 ± 43.24 months for cases vs. 38.87 ± 50.73 months for controls; P = 0.02). In multiple analyses of variables related to CKD-aP, backward LR logistic regression revealed that only atorvastatin (P = 0.036) was considered to be a predictive factor associated with CKD-aP. Thus, the use of atorvastatin reduced the index of CKD-aP (95% confidence interval: 0.256–0.954, odd's Ratio = 0.494). Conclusion: Atorvastatin was associated with decreased frequencies of CKD-aP among HD patients in our study. This knowledge may guide further clinical trials to evaluate atorvastatin's immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects on the CKD-aP in HD populations.

Background: Migraine is a chronic headache manifested with attacks. Here we aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of 15-point Dysport injection with 31-point Xeomin injections. Materials and Methods: This is a randomized clinical trial performed in 2020–2021 in Isfahan on patients with refractory chronic migraine. A total number of 60 patients entered the study. The pain of patients was also determined using headache impact test (HIT) questionnaire. Patients were randomized into two groups: Group 1 underwent 31-point Xeomin injection and Group 2 underwent 1 vial of Dysport injection into 15 points of the scalp. Results: Our study revealed that the data regarding aura, nausea, vomit, photosensitivity, sensitivity to sounds and smells did not change significantly between two groups compared to the beginning of the study. Frequency, duration, intensity of headaches, and the mean HIT score of all patients improved significantly within 3 months after interventions. Comparing both groups showed no significant differences (P > 0.05). HIT score was decreased from 21.26 ± 3.58 before intervention to 15.51 ± 4.58 after 3 months in Group 1 and 22.23 ± 2.59–10.33 ± 2.26 in Group 2. In both groups, these changes were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Although we found more decrease of HIT score in Group 2 comparing with Group 1 (10.33 ± 2.26 vs. 15.51 ± 4.58), this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.12). Conclusion: Although Xeomin and Dysport injections are both effective and reduced pain in patients with chronic migraine, our new technique is probably better than the standard technique. Because the injection points are halved, increase patients comfort and reduce overall cost.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of intradialytic cycling exercise on quality of life (QOL) and recovery time in patients who underwent hemodialysis. Materials and Methods: Hemodialysis patients were recruited from the referral dialysis centers affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Patients were randomly assigned into the intervention and the control groups. Patients in the intervention group exercised on a stationary bike for 12 weeks (3 times per week for 30 min); however, patients in the control group received usual hemodialysis. The kidney disease QOL (KDQOL)-short-form version 1.3 was used to assess QOL. Patients were asked to answer the question “How long does it take to recover from a dialysis session?” to assess recovery time. Results: A total of 110 hemodialysis patients, including 60 in the intervention group and 50 in the control group were analyzed. A significant increase was observed in the generic (mean difference ± SE: 1.50 ± 0.44, P = 0.001), kidney disease (mean difference ± SE: 0.84 ± 0.28, P = 0.004), and overall QOL (mean difference ± SE: 1.18 ± 0.33, P = 0.001) scores after 12 weeks of intradialytic cycling exercise in the intervention group. Furthermore, a significant difference was noted between the intervention and the control group regarding the mean difference of all QOL scores after the intervention (P < 0.05). We also found a significant difference in the mean difference of recovery time between the intervention and the control group after the intervention (P < 0.001). Conclusion: KDQOL and recovery time could improve in hemodialysis patients after 12-week intradialytic exercise.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in young adults. The Extended Glasgow Outcome Score (GOSE) has been introduced to assess the global outcome after brain injuries. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic factors associated with GOSE. Materials and Methods: This was a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted on 144 patients with TBI admitted at trauma emergency centers. The patients' information, including demographic characteristics, duration of hospital stay, mechanical ventilation and on-admission laboratory measurements, and on-admission vital signs, were evaluated. The patients' TBI-related symptoms and brain computed tomography (CT) scan findings were recorded. Results: GOSE assessments showed an increasing trend by the comparison of on-discharge (7.47 ± 1.30), within a month (7.51 ± 1.30) and within 3 months (7.58 ± 1.21) evaluations (P < 0.001). On-discharge GOSE was positively correlated with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)(r = 0.729, P < 0.001), motor GCS (r = 0.812, P < 0.001), Hb (r = 0.165, P = 0.048), and pH (r = 0.165, P = 0.048) and inversely with age (r = −0.261, P = 0.002), hospitalization period (r = −0.678, P < 0.001), pulse rate (r = −0.256, P = 0.002), white blood cell (WBC) (r = −0.222, P = 0.008), and triglyceride (r = −0.218, P = 0.009). In multiple linear regression analysis, the associations were significant only for GCS (B = 0.102, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0–0.202; P = 0.05), hospitalization stay duration (B = −0.004, 95% CI: −0.005–−0.003, P = 0.001), and WBC (B = 0.00001, 95% CI: 0.00000014–0.000025; P = 0.024). Among imaging signs and trauma-related symptoms in univariate analysis, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), interventricular hemorrhage (IVH) (P = 0.006), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) (P = 0.06; marginally at P < 0.1), subdural hemorrhage (SDH) (P = 0.032), and epidural hemorrhage (EDH) (P = 0.037) was significantly associated with GOSE at discharge in multivariable analysis. Conclusion: According to the current study findings, GCS, hospitalization stay duration, WBC and among imaging signs and trauma-related symptoms ICH, IVH, SAH, SDH, and EDH are independent significant predictors of GOSE at discharge in TBI patients.

Background: Survival and prognostic factors following stroke occurrence differ between world regions. Studies investigating stroke features in the Middle-east region are scarce. We aimed to investigate 1-year survival and related prognostic factors of stroke patients in Central Iran. Materials and Methods: It is an observational analytical study conducted on patients registered in the Persian Registry of Cardiovascular Disease-Stroke (PROVE-Stroke) database. Records of 1703 patients admitted during 2015–2016 with the primary diagnosis of stroke in all hospitals of Isfahan, Iran were reviewed. Information regarding sociodemographic characteristics, clinical presentations, medications, and comorbidities were recorded. The living status of patients after 1 year from stroke was considered as 1-year survival. Results: Among 1345 patients with the final diagnosis of stroke, 970 (72.1%) were alive at the 1 year follow-up and the mean survival time based on Kaplan–Meier procedure was estimated 277.33 days. The hemorrhagic and ischemic types of stroke were reported in 201 (15.0%) and 1141 (84.8%) patients, respectively. Age (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05–1.09), diabetes (HR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.07–2.06), history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (HR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.30–2.52), history of warfarin usage (HR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.11–2.71), hospital complications of hemorrhage (HR = 3.89, 95% CI = 2.07–7.31), sepsis (HR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.18–2.68), and hydrocephalus (HR = 3.43, 95% CI = 1.34–8.79), and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≥3 at the time of hospital dicharge (HR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.27–3.07), were predictors of 1-year survival. Conclusion: Predictors of 1-year survival can be categorized into unchangeable ones, such as age, diabetes, previous stroke, and mRS. The changeable factors, such as hospital complications of infection and hemorrhage, guide physicians to pay greater attention to reduce the risk of mortality following stroke.