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Background & Objective: Cardiovascular disease is among important factors of mortality in hemodialysis patients. There are some reports that indicate the Carnitine concentration reduction in the tissues accelerate cardiovascular abnormalities in those patients whom regularly are hemodialysed. This research has been set up to study the effect of oral Carnitine on the heart function of hemodialysis patients from Sari and Vali-Asr Hospital in Ghaem-Shahr Fatemeh Alzahra, Imam Khomeini in during 2003. Materials & Methods: In this study 20 patients with at least 3 month duration and 3 times interval hemodialysis in each month were chosen. The sample hemogenously devided in case and control group. One Carnitine tablet with 1 gr dose was given to the case group daily. The placebo was prescribed to the control group EF and LVEDD of patients were determined by echocardiography. The ratio diameter of heart to the chest was determined by chest radiography. The plasma level of hemoglobin, Cholesterol and Triglyceride were determined simultaneously. Results: There was not any meaningful recovery in EF and LVEDD and serum Lipids, between the case and control group 6 months after treatment with 1 gr/day Carnitine. There was only a meaningful difference in EF after 6 months duration of this study. In spite of this, there was a meaningful recovery with these patients anemia (P?0.05). Conclusion: Carnitine does not have a meaningful effect of heart function and serum Lipid level, but it has an efficacy on anemia recovery of such patients.

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Background and Objective: The silent brain infarctions are common in first-ever stroke. Some recent studies show the possible role of silent brain infarction in ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of silent brain infarction in acute first-ever ischemic stroke and its association with stroke risk factors. Materials and Methods: This descriptive - analytical study was carried out on 203 (94 males, 109 females) patients with acute first-ever ischemic stroke in Shafa hospital in Kerman, Iran during 2010. The diagnosis of ischemic stroke was made by physical examination and was confirmed by MRI and CT Scan. A questionnaire containing demographic information and risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cigarette smoking, ischemic and non-ischemic heart disease for stroke as well as presence of silent stroke was completed for each patient. Data were analyzed using SPSS-16 and logistic regression test. Results: The mean age of patients was 62.56±17.35 years. Among our patients history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cigarette smoking, diabetes, history of ischemic heart disease, history of other cardiac disease and silent stroke were observed in 66 (32.5%), 26 (12.8%), 16 (7.9%), 40 (19.7%), 27 (13.3%), 16 (7.9%) and 31 (15.3%), respectively. The probability of silent stroke among patient with hyperlipidemia, was 3.7 times more than those without hyperlipidemia (95%CI: 1.556-12.780, P<0.05). There was no significant correlation between silent stroke and the above risk factors. Conclusion: Silent stroke was found in 15% of patients with ischemic stroke. Control of hyperlipidemia can have a vital role in the prevention of silent stroke.

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Background and Objective: Coronary artery diseases are one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity. This study was done to determine the prevalence of risk factors for coronary artery diseases in patients referred to angiography center in Sari, Northern Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 2540 patients referred to angiography center in Sari city, northern Iran, during 2005-10. Risk factors including diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, Family history, CRP and also ECG changes, type and number of involved artery and the severity of vascular involvement were recorded for each patient. Results: Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, smoking were seen in 40.8%, 40.5%, 29.1%, 12.5% of patients, respectively. Positive family history and CRP were found in 10% and 3.4% of the patients, respectively. 23.8% of patients had abnormal ECG. One, two and three vessel diseases were observed in 26.5%, 48.3%, 48.3% of cases, respectively. Left anterior descending artery constriction was seen in 75.8% and 80.4% of males and females, respectively. A significant relationship was found between diabetes and left coronary circumflex (P<0.04) and left anterior descending artery (P<0.03) constriction. Conclusion: Diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, family history, abnormal ECG are among the risk factors of coronary artery diseases in this area.