BackgroundRecent articles about the topic of the anesthetic agents-related neurotoxicity have currently attracted the attention to the issue in the anesthesiology community. However, specialists in other fields should also be aware of this potential risk.ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and practice of physicians at Guilan academic hospitals regarding general anesthesia-related neurotoxicity.MethodsFirstly, the responsible anesthesia resident explained the purpose of this work to Guilan faculty and residents and if they agreed to participate a questionnaire containing 12 items was filled via a face to face interview.ResultsA response rate of 100% was achieved (271 responders from 271 eligible study responders). Also, 89 (33.1%) responders were attending, 180 (66.9%) were residents, 112 (41.6%) were female, and 157 (58.4%) were male. The mean years of experience was 8.8 ± 4.82 (2 - 28 years). According to the achieved data, the majority of the precipitants did not believe in GA toxicity.ConclusionsThis paper revealed that the current curriculum does not sufficiently address the anesthesia-related neurotoxicity problem. Indeed, the need for training and communication with non-anesthesia medical colleagues was highlighted.

Objectives: Premature rupture of membrane (PROM) refers to the spontaneous rupture of fetal membranes prior to delivery and the initiation of the labor. In addition, the early rupture of membranes can lead to several adverse complications for both the mother and the fetus. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the association between the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and the premature rupture of the membrane in pregnant women. Materials and Methods: This retrospective case-control study reviewed the files of 150 women with PROM matched with 150 spontaneous preterm labor (SPL) women at Al-Zahra hospital of Rasht during 2017-2018. Demographic data, complete blood cell count, PLR, maternal age, gestational week, gravida, parity, and birth weight were recorded, and finally, the obtained data were analyzed by SPSS, version 19. Results: Based on the results, there was a statistically significant difference between maternal platelet count and PLR in these two groups (P = 0.0001). However, no significant difference was observed regarding maternal age, gravida, parity, and maternal lymphocytes count in PROM and control groups (P > 0.05). According to logistic regression analysis, a negative association was found respecting gestational age and PLR in the PROM group while a positive association was observed in the group without PROM regarding birth weight and PRL. In the receiver-operator curve diagram, the appropriate cutoff point for the PLR index for detecting PROM was determined as 142.2 with a sensitivity of 62.7% and a specificity of 63.3%. Conclusions: In general, a significant association was found between PLR and PROM. Therefore, well-planned cohort studies are welcomed to find any prognostic role for this marker.

Background: Recently, general anesthesia (GA)-related neurotoxicity has turned into a big concern. However, it seems that inadequate attention has been paid to the issue in Iran. Objectives: The aim of this survey was to investigate the frequency of elective surgeries in children under the age of three at an academic hospital in the north of Iran. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Alzahra Hospital affiliated to the Guilan University of Medical Sciences (GUMS). The records of all children who had undergone surgeries during 2014-2017 were examined by a responsible physician. Then, the records of children under three receiving GA were sorted out. After that, questionnaires with items on gender, habitat, age of receiving GA, type and status (elective or urgency) of surgeries were filled out. Results: According to our results, 670 children underwent surgery under GA during the study period, while 50.4% were elective. The mean age of patients was 15.26 months; 9.9% of them were neonates, 42.4% were infants, 80.3% were boys, and 60.7% were from urban areas. The most affected children were urban boys and the most obviously avoidable surgery was circumcision. Conclusions: More attention should be paid to the issue of GA-related neurotoxicity at our hospital. Future studies are welcome to examine the issue and find practical interventions.

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