Two-year experience of orthotopic liver transplantation in afzalipoor hospital, kerman, southeastern iran

BACKGROUND

End-stage liver diseases are common in Iran. The only therapeutic option for these patients is liver transplantation.

OBJECTIVE

To present our 2-year experience of liver transplantations in Afzalipoor Hospital, Kerman, southeastern Iran.

METHODS

From November 2009 to September 2011, 12 patients underwent orthotopic liver transplantation in our center. Their data including demographics, indications for transplantation, MELD scores, post-operative complications and their management were collected.

RESULTS

Patients (7 women and 5 men) aged between 14 and 55 years. Indications for the transplantation included HBV infection (n=5), cryptogenic cirrhosis (n=2), Wilson's disease, alcoholism (n=1), HCV infection (n=1), Budd-Chiari syndrome (n=1), and autoimmune hepatitis (n=1). MELD score of patients ranged from 16 to 30. All patients received tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetile and corticosteroid, postoperatively. 2 patients died of pulmonary and intra-abdominal infections with resultant to multiple organ failure. Nonfunctioning of transplanted liver and ongoing bleeding resulted in death in another patients. 9 patients are well doing and have excellent liver functions.

CONCLUSION

We had relatively successful results in our experience of orthotopic liver transplantation. Vicinity of our center to Shiraz Transplant Center would be an important factor in this success.

The Analgesic Effect of Tribulus terrestris Extract and Comparison of Gastric Ulcerogenicity of the Extract with Indomethacine in Animal Experiments

Tribulus terrestris has been used in traditional medicine for relieving rheumatic pain and as an analgesic plant for a long time. In this investigation the analgesic effect of methanolic extract of this plant on male albino mice was evaluated by formalin and tail flick test. Extraction of the fruits of the plant was done by two different methods (suxheletion and percolation) with methanol 80%. The percolated extract was injected intraperitoneally in mice at 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg. The results showed that a dose of 100 mg/kg of percolated extract had the highest significant analgesic effect compared to the control group (P < 0.01) in formalin and tail flick test. There is no significant difference in the analgesic effect of suxheleted and percolated extract. The analgesic effect of the extract was lower than morphine, 2.5 mg/kg in both tests, and higher than ASA 300 mg/kg in chronic phase of pain in formalin test (P < 0.05). Pretreatment of animal with naloxone did not change the analgesia induced by the plant extract in both tests, therefore the involvement of opioid receptor in the analgesic effect of this plant was excluded. The results of ulcerogenic studies indicate that the gastric ulcerogenecity of plant extract is lower than the indomethacin in the rat's stomach. It can therefore be concluded that T. terrestris extract has a suitable analgesic effect and further studies are required to produce a more effective product of this plant to substitute for conventional analgesic drugs.

Helicobacter pylori and rosacea

Recent reports have suggested an increased prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with rosacea, with some evidence of dermatological improvement in patients treated with antibiotics for this infection. Our study investigates the prevalence of H. pylori infection in rosacea patients in Kerman. Serological examination was done for 29 patients with classical identification of rosacea using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay IgG antibody method. Comparison of antibody titres with those of a control group revealed that the prevalence of positive serological tests for H. pylori was significantly higher in the test group. This supports the suggestion of some form of relationship between rosacea and H. pylori infection, though further investigations with larger sample sizes are required for a definite conclusion

Helicobacter pylori and rosacea

Recent reports have suggested an increased prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with rosacea, with some evidence of dermatological improvement in patients treated with antibiotics for this infection. Our study investigates the prevalence of H. pylori infection in rosacea patients in Kerman. Serological examination was done for 29 patients with classical identification of rosacea using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay IgG antibody method. Comparison of antibody titres with those of a control group revealed that the prevalence of positive serological tests for H. pylori was significantly higher in the test group. This supports the suggestion of some form of relationship between rosacea and H. pylori infection, though further investigations with larger sample sizes are required for a definite conclusion.