Aims:The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of various disease-modifying therapies (DMT) on quality of life in multiple sclerosis (MS).Methods: This was a three-arm parallel study with balanced randomization in which 90 newly diagnosed, definite MS subjects referred to Ghaem Medical Center, Mashhad, Iran were enrolled between 2006 and 2009. Patients were randomly allocated into three DMT groups: Avonex, Rebif and Betaferon. Health-related quality of life was assessed in MS patients at baseline and 12 months after treatment with DMT using the MS Quality of Life-54 questionnaire.Results: Both mental and physical health scores improved within all three treatment groups after 12 months of treatment; however, this increase was only significant in the mental health composite in the Betaferon group (P = 0.024). Betaferon had the highest mental health score change (14.04) while this change was 7.26 for Avonex (P = 0.031) and 5.08 for Rebif (P = 0.017). A physical health composite score comparison among the three treatment groups revealed no significant results. Conclusions:With a positive impact of DMT on mental and physical dimensions of QOL in MS patients, initiation of treatment soon after diagnosis is recommended. In MS patients with more mental issues and fewer physical disabilities, Betaferon might be considered as a better choice of treatment.Key words: disease-modifying therapies, multiple sclerosis, quality of life. M ULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) is the most common demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system that usually affects young adults.1 The disease is characterized by multifocal, inflammatory, and immune-mediated central nervous system injury, which can cause a variety of symptoms and consequently requires comprehensive medical care. [2][3][4] MS, as a long-term illness, can result not only in physical disabilities, but also in substantial mental health problems influencing the quality of life (QOL) of patients, their partners, families, and caregivers. 5-7The health-related QOL, or the capacity to derive satisfaction from meaningful behavior despite disease, is a topic of increasing interest to clinicians caring for MS patients. Hence in patients with MS, apart from complete psychophysical and objective neurologic status, a subjective perception of signs and symptoms, known as QOL, needs to be considered. Disease-modifying therapies (DMT) have a beneficial effect on the course of MS in terms of reducing the relapse rates and delaying the onset and progression of disabilities. [12][13][14][15][16][17] In spite of limited data on QOL and its correlation with DMT, it is possible that DMT influence the QOL, independent of the physical disabilities.18 As treatment with β-interferon (IFN-β) is a life-long treatment and patients often experience various side-effects, a positive effect on the patient's QOL is critical. [12][13][14]19 Therefore, this study investigates the effect of DMT (IFN-β-1a [Avonex and Rebif] and IFN-β-1b [Betaferon]) on QOL in a group of MS patients. METHODS Study designThe c...

Keratoconus is a bilateral and asymmetric corneal ectasia. Cross-linking uses ultra-violate rays to enhance corneal tissue. The purpose of this study was to use in vivo confocal microscopy to quantitatively analyze microstructural changes over time, after corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) in keratoconus patients. In this before-and-after study, a total of 45 keratoconic eyes were selected for cross-linking among patients referred to Al-Zahra ophthalmology clinic during 2013-2014. All patients underwent complete ophthalmologic examinations. Keratocytes and the present of activated keratocytes were calculated preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively using confocal microscopy. One year after CXL, best corrected and best uncorrected visual acuity was increased significantly (p < 0.001). Spherical equivalent and spherical refractive errors reduced significantly (p < 0.001). The reduction in density of anterior and mid-stromal keratocytes was significant initially (p < 0.001). During follow-up, the density of keratocytes increased significantly in all layers reaching near normal values by 12 months. The percentage of activated keratocytes showed a significant increase 1 month after cross-linking (p < 0.001) albeit this percent reduced as the corneal healing proceeded by month 12. The endothelial cells showed no significant reduction during the follow-up. Collagen cross-linking-induced significant reduction in keratocyte density. The percent of activated keratocytes increased significantly after cross-linking which showed reduction with improvement of corneal healing. After collagen cross-linking, hyper-reflective structures were observed consistent with the stromal collagen structures. Further studies are needed to assess possible changes on corneal biomechanics. The consistency in corneal endothelium numbers proves the safety of this technique.

The aim of this study was to compare the outcome and complications of sutureless trabeculectomy with conventional trabeculectomy. A total of 52 eyes were randomly assigned to two groups. One group received standard conventional trabeculectomy and the other group received sutureless trabeculectomy. The patients were evaluated at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery. Patient data such as sex, age, intraocular pressure (IOP), logMAR visual acuity, antiglaucoma medications, and intraoperative and postoperative complications were collected and statistically analyzed. The mean age of the conventional and sutureless groups was 48.5 ± 15.4 and 57.3 ± 13.9 years, respectively. All patients achieved IOP levels <21 mmHg with a mean IOP of 13.4 ± 5.3 mmHg in the conventional group and 12.8 ± 2.6 mmHg in the sutureless group at 6 months and 11.00 ± 1.3 and 12.4 ± 3.2 mmHg at 12 months post surgery, respectively. These results showed a significant decrease compared to preoperative measures but did not show a significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.659). The number of antigalucoma medications used postoperatively showed a significant decline from preoperative status of 0.7 ± 0.58 in the conventional group and 0.4 ± 0.4 in the sutureless trabeculectomy group after 6 months and 0.68 ± 0.8 and 0.78 ± 0.9 after 12 months, respectively; however, there was no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.112). No intraoperative complications were encountered in any of the groups. One patient in the sutureless trabeculectomy group developed mild hyphema which was managed medically. In the conventional group, two patients had failed trabeculectomy which was successfully revised, two patients showed hypotony 2 days after surgery which was managed medically and normal pressure was achieved within 5 days. Sutureless trabeculectomy appears to be a safe and easy method with results comparable to conventional trabeculectomy.