First study of the detection of Human Herpes Virus-8 and major blood-borne viruses in iranian patients with SLE: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease caused by genetic and environmental factors such as viral infections. Genomic and serologic tests were applied to detect significant blood-borne viruses in SLE patients to determine whether there was a possible association between viral infections and SLE.

Methods: Antibodies (Abs) against HHV-8, HCMV, EBV, HIV, HBV, and HCV in SLE patients suffering from SLE were assessed by ELISA.

Indications, response, and side effects of biologic treatment in Behçet's disease: an 8-year study with follow-up.

Introduction: The treatment of Behçet's disease has improved significantly with the introduction of biologic therapies. However, there is still a need for more information about their use. This study aimed to evaluate the indications, response, and side effects of biologic agents in patients with refractory or severe Behçet's disease in the south of Iran, their follow-up and reasons for changing the biologics.

Scleroderma-overlap syndromes: capillaroscopy, laboratory, and clinical manifestations and follow-up compared to scleroderma patients.

Introduction: Overlap syndrome (OS) is a group of systemic connective tissue diseases (CTDs) that meet the criteria of two or more CTDs. In this study, we evaluated clinical, laboratory, and capillaroscopic manifestations of patients with scleroderma OS (SSc-OS) and its subgroups and follow-up progression compared to patients with limited SSc (LcSSc).

Material And Methods: In a 10-year cross-sectional study, we evaluated 135 adult patients (70 with SSc-OS and 65 with LcSSc) with the same skin score for their baseline and follow-up clinical, laboratory, high-resolution chest tomography (HRCT), echocardiography, and nailfold capillaroscopy data and compared them.

Adherence to the dietary approaches to stop hypertension dietary pattern and rheumatoid arthritis in Iranian adults.

Objective: To examine the hypothesis that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are less likely than healthy individuals to adhere to the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern.

Design: A multi-centre cross-sectional study involving a total of 300 eligible Iranian adults (aged >19 years; 93·0 % female) recruited during 2019-2020. Participants' actual dietary intakes were measured via self-administered 3-d dietary records.

First report of HHV-8 viral load and seroprevalence of major blood-borne viruses in Iranian patients with systemic sclerosis.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by autoimmune manifestations, and viral infections may have a key role in the development and progression of it. This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of major blood-borne viruses and HHV-8 viral load in Iranian SSc patients.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 90 patients with a confirmed history of SSc and 90 healthy blood donors were enrolled.

Prevalence of retinal changes in patients with systemic sclerosis: the association between retinal vascular changes and nailfold capillaroscopic findings.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease affecting the skin and multiple organs. Most of the evidence on ocular involvement comes from small studies. We evaluated the retinal vascular changes in patients with SSc and its associations with types, disease duration, skin score, and nailfold capillaroscopy changes.

Expression Pattern of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (hTERT) Variants and Bcl-2 in Peripheral Lymphocytes of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients.

Background & Objective: It is not clear whether activated lymphocytes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are more proliferative or less apoptotic. We aimed to delineate potential differences between B and T cells of SLE patients compared to healthy controls regarding the telomerase activity and apoptosis status.

Methods: In this cross-sectional case control study, Blood samples were taken from 10 SLE patients and 10 healthy controls.

Effects of N-acetylcysteine on Pulmonary Functions in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis: A Randomized Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Study.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a systematic and rare autoimmune disease that affects many organs. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), thiol-containing compound, can act both as the precursor of reduced glutathione and direct scavenger of reactive oxygen species.

Objective: We assessed the clinical effect of NAC on the pulmonary function test of patients with diffuse scleroderma.

The Effect of Educational Program on Self-efficacy of Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic and inflammatory disorder which is the major cause of disability in adults. Patient training is a vital aspect of nursing care for people with arthritis aiming to enable them to live as independently as possible. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of the educational program on self-efficacy on women with rheumatoid arthritis.

Acquired Hemophilia as Initial Presentation in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Background: Acquired hemophilia is a rare bleeding disease which might be associated with some autoimmune diseases. Acquired hemophilia may be the result of autoantibodies against factor VIII.

Case Presentation: In this study, we describe a 55 year old patient who developed hematoma and hematuria due to acquired hemophilia secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Nailfold digital capillaroscopic findings in patients with diffuse and limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic disease with microvascular damage. Nailfold capillaroscopy is a non-invasive method used for evaluating capillaries in SSc. Its findings could be related to the internal organ involvement and SSc course.

One decade distinct features, morbidity and mortality of scleroderma: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Conducting an epidemiologic study on scleroderma patients referred to hospitals and tertiary centres of rheumatologic diseases in Shiraz, located in south of Iran.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was done on patients' records registered in scleroderma outpatient clinics as well as hospitals associated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Gathering data in pre-formed data sheets, descriptive analysis plus qualitative comparisons by chi-square test were done using SPSS 15.

The Prevalence of Thyroid Dysfunction in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic autoimmune disease caused by immune system-mediated tissue damage. Autoimmune thyroiditis (AT) is an organ-specific disease associated with production of a variety of antibodies such as antinuclear antibodies, anti-double-stranded DNA, anti-Ro antibodies and anti-cardiolipin antibodies.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and thyroid auto-antibodies in patients with SLE and its relation to SLE disease and other autoantibodies.

The effect of conditioning exercise on the health status and pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a systemic and inflammatory disease of unknown etiology which is mostly characterized by inflammation of the synovial joints. Studies have proved that most people with RA avoid doing physical activities due to fear that it may worsen the pain or cause pressure on joints, resulting in decreased muscle strength and ultimately leading to disability of patients. We aimed to investigate the effects of conditioning exercises on the health status and pain in patients suffering from RA.

Standpoints of traditional Persian physicians on geriatric nutrition.

The present article aimed to compile information on the nutritional management for geriatric people. Popular textbooks of Persian medicine from 10th to 18th century were studied to derive relative viewpoints and considerations. The temperament, which is defined as the combination of 4 main elements (fire, air, water, and soil) and 4 humors made subsequently (black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood), changes during age periods.

High prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Behcet's disease.

Background: Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystem disease of unknown etiology. There are several clues which may indicate an ethiopathogenesis role for Helicobacter pylori infection in this disease.

Methods: In a case control study in an out patient department, 48 patients with BD were compared to age, sex matched controls regarding presence of H.

Diabetic muscle infarction and diabetic dermopathy two manifestations of uncontrolled prolong diabetes mellitus presenting with severe leg pain and leg skin lesions.

Diabetic muscular infarction (DMI) is a rare manifestation which can be seen in patients with long-standing diabetes mellitus. Patients usually come with painful swelling of an involved muscle in one extremity. MRI and biopsy histology can help diagnose this condition.

Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Persian version of the rheumatoid and arthritis outcome score (RAOS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The aims of this study were to cross-culturally translate the original rheumatoid and arthritis outcome score (RAOS) into Persian and evaluate its reliability, validity, and responsiveness in a group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The questionnaire was translated through a standard forward-backward translation. A sample of 103 patients was asked to complete the Persian RAOS, the Short Form-36 (SF-36), and the arthritis impact measurement scale-short form (AIMS2-SF).

Anti-cardiolipin and anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies in Iranian patients with Behcet's disease.

Background: The prevalence of anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (ANCAs) and anti-Cardiolipin Antibodies (anti-CL Ab) in Behcet's Disease (BD) and also their roles in vascular involvement is controversial.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of ANCAs and anti-CL Ab as well as their correlations with clinical manifestations in Iranian patients with BD.

Methods: In this case/control study, the sera from 88 patients with BD and 88 healthy controls were evaluated.

QT dispersion in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: the impact of disease activity.

Background: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although autopsy studies have documented that the heart is affected in most SLE patients, clinical manifestations occur in less than 10%. QT dispersion is a new parameter that can be used to assess homogeneity of cardiac repolarization and autonomic function.

Infliximab for patients with neuro-Behcet's disease: case series and literature review.

This study aims to report the therapeutic effects of anti-tumor necrotic factor antibody, infliximab, for treatment of neuro-Behcet's disease (NBD) and to review the literature. We described four patients (all male, median age 40 years old) who fulfilled the International Study Group criteria for Behcet's disease (BD) and presented with neurological complication. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients, dose, therapeutic effects, and adverse drug reaction (ADR) of infliximab were reported.

Pattern of ankylosing spondylitis in an Iranian population of 98 patients.

The prevalence and pattern of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) can vary from country to country, according to genetic and environmental factors. This study aims to analyze the patterns of disease in a population of Iranian patients with AS. We performed a prospective study (2002-2007) analyzing 98 patients with diagnosis of AS according to the modified New York criteria.

Anticardiolipin and antibeta2glycoproteinI antibodies in patients with hepatitis B and C infections.

Background: The clinical significance of antiphospholipid antibodies in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and some other viral infections is controversial.

Objective: To study the prevalence of anticardiolipin antibody (ACLA) and antibeta2glycoproteinI antibody (antibeta2GPI antibody) in HCV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infected patients and its association with liver clinical parameters.

Methods: Serum levels of ACLA, antibeta2GPI antibody as well as platelet count, ALT (alanine transaminase), PT (prothrombine time), disease duration and liver histologic findings of 38 patients with HBV and 15 patients with HCV infections were compared with those of 58 healthy controls.