Alizadeh Narges; Oskuee Alireza Ba–Eeman; Golchai Javad; Sadre-Eshkevari Shahryar; Darjani Abbas; Kazemnejad Ehsan; Eftekhari Hojat; Mohtasham-Amiri Zahra
Volume 17, Issue 2 , 2014, , Pages 54-58
Abstract
Background: Methicillin–resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)has recently emerged as a worldwide major nosocomial pathogenthat causes significant morbidity and mortality. MRSA is frequentlycolonized on the skin. The aim of this study was to determinethe MRSA colonization/infection prevalence and ...
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Background: Methicillin–resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)has recently emerged as a worldwide major nosocomial pathogenthat causes significant morbidity and mortality. MRSA is frequentlycolonized on the skin. The aim of this study was to determinethe MRSA colonization/infection prevalence and to evaluatethe potential risk factors for its development in the hospitalizedpatients in a referral dermatology ward.Method: In this cross sectional study, 203 patients with cutaneouslesions who were admitted to the dermatology ward of a tertiaryteaching hospital from 2008 to 2010 were recruited. Sampleswere collected during the first 48 hours of admission. S. aureuswas identified using gram staining, catalase, and coagulase tests.The disk diffusion method was used for testing the sensitivityof different bacteria to antibiotics. Mueller-Hinton agar was theculture medium used for MRSA susceptibility testing.Result: Staphylococcus. aureus was the most common pathogenthat grew in 56.2% (114/203) of isolates. MRSA was foundin 35.5% (82/203) of isolates. The duration of the cutaneouslesions, age group, positive history of antibiotic use in past 12months, and underlying diseases were statistically differentbetween the patients with colonization of MRSA and methicillinsensitiveStaphylococcus aureus (MSSA) (P
Khatami Alireza; Firooz MSPH Alireza
Volume 11, Issue 2 , 2008, , Pages 76-85
Abstract
In a number of important clinical issues such as evaluation of the efficacy or effectiveness of therapeutic or preventive interventions as well as for comparing the harms of interventions, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide the highest levels of evidence, either directly or indirectly. It is ...
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In a number of important clinical issues such as evaluation of the efficacy or effectiveness of therapeutic or preventive interventions as well as for comparing the harms of interventions, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide the highest levels of evidence, either directly or indirectly. It is obvious that critical appraisal of these studies to assess their validity and precision is of paramount importance. The aim of this review is to provide the readership an outline about different types of RCTs, the importance of proper appraisal of RCTs, an overview of the most important factors that have an influence on the validity of an RCT and a strategy for systematic evaluation of those factors, and to introduce some useful methods for improving design, implementation and reporting of RCTs as well as some tools that are used for the evaluation of these studies. It is expected that after reading this review, the reader obtains some knowledge about different phases and types of RCTs, as well as being enabled to evaluate the four major factors: randomization sequence generation, randomization concealment, blinding and intention to treat analysis that affect the validity of an RCT.
