Maryam Ghasemi, Parvaneh Afshar, Somayyeh Sheidaie, Yosef Moeini, Lale Vahedi Larijani,
Volume 33, Issue 1 (2-2019)
Abstract
Background: Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and its annual mortality rate is increasing. The induction enzyme of cyclooxygenase COX-2 causes biosynthesis of prostaglandin and thromboxane during inflammation of the body. Increasing the expression of COX-2 has an important role in the development and progression of malignant epithelial cancers and other types of cancers. Considering the diagnostic status of the marker, this study aimed to evaluate the expression of COX-2 for diagnosis and differentiation of benign skin pigmented neoplastic lesions from malignant melanoma types.
Methods: In this diagnostic study, the immunohistochemistry of COX-2 maker in 82 paraffin blocks of pigmented benign and malignant skin neoplasms of patients (49 men; 33 women) and its association with clinicopathological features of the tumor was evaluated. Data were analyzed using chi-squared and t test in SPSS18. Significance level was set at less than 5%.
Results: The findings showed that 20 patients (24.3%) had malignant melanoma and 13 had significant COX-2 (3+ High), while COX-2 marker was not detected in other benign and malignant pigmented skin neoplasms (p<0.001). A significant association was found between COX-2 marker and grade (p<0.001), but there was no significant correlation with other clinicopathological tumor criteria. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV value of the COX-2 marker were 65%, 100%, 89.9%, and 100%, respectively.
Conclusion: Because of the high level of COX-2 in malignant melanoma skin marker, it can be used to distinguish benign and malignant neoplastic lesions (SCC and BCC) from melanoma and to provide effective therapeutic strategies through specific COX-2 enzyme inhibitors.
Negah Tavakolifard, Mina Moeini, Asefeh Haddadpoor, Zahra Amini, Kamal Heidari, Mostafa Rezaie,
Volume 36, Issue 1 (1-2022)
Abstract
Background: The first case of Covid-19 disease was identified in Iran on February 19, 2020, and spread rapidly throughout the country. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of COVID-19 hospitalized patients in Isfahan province of Iran from February 29, 2020, to July 21, 2020, and evaluate the effect of health system screening on the final outcome patients.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all patients with positive COVID-19 PCR test and patients with negative PCR test but suspected clinical symptoms of COVID 19, admitted to Isfahan hospitals from February 29 to July 21were included in the study and the epidemiological characteristics of patients such as demographic characteristics, underlying disease, early signs and symptoms and the final outcomes of patients were analyzed using SPSS software version 20.
Results: Of 11817 inpatients with COVID-19, 6590 (55.9%) were male, 1222 (10.4%) died, 9759 (82.8%) were discharged, and 4324 (36.7%) of hospitalized patients were asymptomatic. Among the hospitalized patients, 4642 (35.8%) had received primary screening services, and the mean age of the screened patients was statistically significantly higher than the group without primary screening (58.9±20.61, 55.08±21.57, P=0.068). 6914 (64.6%) of hospitalized patients had a positive initial PCR test, which was statistically significantly higher in patients with diabetes and an early symptom of sore throat. The Odds Ratio (OR) of readmission was most significantly associated with underlying cancer (OR=3.05, CI 95% 1.31-7.1) (P=0.011). The rate of readmission was statistically significantly higher in elderly, rural residents, and patients with underlying disease, diabetic, and hypertensive patients (P<0.05).
Conclusion: This study showed that about half of the people who tested positive for COVID- 19 needed to be hospitalized, and about 9 percent mostly diabetic and hypertensive patients, needed readmission. More than half of the hospitalized people were not screened by the health system. However, screening by the health system had no effect on the length of hospital stay and disease outcome.
