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This trial shows that low-dose colchicine is effective in treatment of slow transit constipation.

Background:Heart failure is one of the most important and prevalent diseases that may have negative effects on the quality of life (QOL). Today, the promotion of QOL in patients with heart failure is important in nursing care programs. This research aimed to determine the efficacy of hope-promoting interventions based on religious beliefs on the QOL of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).Materials and Methods:In this randomized clinical trial (IRCT2014100619413N1) conducted in Isfahan, Iran, 46 adult patients with CHF were selected and randomly assigned to study and control groups. Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index (QLI) was completed by both groups before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention. For the study group participants and their families, 60-min sessions of hope-promoting interventions based on religious beliefs were held twice a week for 3 weeks. Independent t, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), Chi-square, Mann–Whitney, and Fisher's exact tests were adopted for data analysis.Results:The mean (standard deviation) overall QOL score in the area of satisfaction significantly increased in the study group, compared to the controls, immediately [70.7 (8.5) vs. 59.2 (12.5)] and 1 month after the intervention [75.2 (7.4) vs. 59.4 (12.9)] (P < 0.05). There was also a similar difference between the two groups in the area of importance immediately [73.6 (5.8) vs. 65.7 (7.5)] and 1 month after the intervention [76.3 (8.1) vs. 66.8 (8.5)] (P < 0.05).Conclusions:Hope-promoting intervention based on religious beliefs is a useful method for improving QOL in patients with CHF.

Background:Cardiac self-efficacy is an essential factor in persistence of healthy behaviors in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Today, telenursing methods have numerous applications in health care. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of a text message and telephone follow-up program on cardiac self-efficacy of patients with CAD.Materials and Methods:This was a randomized controlled trial on 70 patients with CAD who were hospitalized in Shahid Chamran Hospital (Isfahan, Iran). The participants were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Collection of data on cardiac self-efficacy was performed before, 3 months after, and 4 months after the beginning of the intervention using Cardiac Self-Efficacy Scale designed by Sullivan et al. During the 3 months of intervention, six messages were sent to the subjects each week and calls were made twice a week in the first month and once a week during the second and third months. The statistical analysis of data was performed using independent t-test, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test, and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA).Results:Before the intervention, there was no significant difference between the mean scores of cardiac self-efficacy of the two groups. However, 3 months and 4 months after the beginning of the intervention, the mean score of cardiac self-efficacy in the experimental group was significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.001).Conclusions:The text message and telephone follow-up program is effective in promoting the cardiac self-efficacy of patients with CAD.

Objective. Nitric oxide (NO) has numerous important functions in the kidney. The role of NO in cisplatin (CP)-induced nephrotoxicity is not completely understood. This study was designed to determine the role of NO synthase inhibitor (L-NAME) on the severity of CP-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Methods. Sixty four male (M) and female (F) Wistar rats were randomly divided into eight groups. The sham groups (group 1, male, n = 6 and group 2, female, n = 6) received saline. Groups 3 (male, n = 8) and 4 (female, n = 8) were treated with L-NAME (4 mg/kg, i.p.), and groups 5 (male, n = 8) and 6 (female, n = 8) received CP (3 mg/kg) for 7 days. Groups 7 (male, n = 8) and 8 (female, n = 8) were treated with L-NAME and CP for 7 days. Results. The CP-alone treated rats showed weight loss and increase in serum levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr). Coadministration of L-NAME and CP did not improve weight loss, and it increased the levels of BUN and Cr in male but not in female rats (P < 0.05). CP alone increased kidney damage significantly (P < 0.05 ), however, the damage induced by combination of CP and L-NAME was gender-related. Conclusion. NOS inhibition by L-NAME increased CP-induced nephrotoxicity, which was gender-related.