Correlation of Echocardiographic and Right Heart Catheterization Estimations of Pulmonary Artery Systolic Pressure.

Background: Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) is one of the most important and valuable markers in cardiovascular disease, measured by right heart catheterization (RHC) as the gold standard diagnostic modality. However, due to several limitations, such as invasiveness, lack of repeatability, and high health costs, echocardiographic estimation of PAP has been used to substitute RHC for diagnosis and monitoring of this disease. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation of echocardiographic and RHC estimations of systolic PAP.

Reporting Quality Assessment of Randomized Controlled Trials Published in Nephrology Urology Monthly Journal.

Context: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are important tools for evidence-based health care decisions. It is, therefore, important that they be conducted and reported with the highest possible standards. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reporting quality of the RCTs published in nephrology urology monthly journal and to examine whether there was a change over time in the reporting quality.

Predictors of Change in Substance Abuse Status in Soldiers.

Background: Military service is a stressful task that influences the life style of army personnel. Several factors can make soldiers less capable of coping with stressful events; so they may try to start drug abuse or increase in the amount or diversity of substance abuse. Understanding factors responsible for this misbehavior among soldiers is crucial for their commanders to modify these factors.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of adding low dose ribavirin to peginterferon alfa-2a for treatment of chronic hepatitis C infected thalassemia major patients in iran.

Background: The prevalence of hepatitis C in Iran is 1% and 18% in general population and thalassemia patients respectively. The cost effectiveness analysis of adding Ribavirin to Peginterferon alfa-2a (PEG IFN alfa-2a) as a combination treatment strategy of chronic hepatitis C in thalassemia patients in comparison with monotherapy could help clinicians and policy makers to provide the best treatment for the patients.

Objectives: In this study we aimed to assess whether adding Ribavirin to PEG IFN alfa-2a is a cost effective strategy in different genotypes and different subgroups of 280 patients with chronic hepatitis C infection from the perspective of society in Iranian setting.