Bita Kiafar; Vahideh Sabeti; Farhad Faridhoseini; Lida Jarahi; Samaneh Salamian
Abstract
Background: Alopecia areata is one of the most common causesof hair loss. In this study, the personality traits and stress levelsof patients with alopecia areata were assessed and comparedwith a control group based on the NEO Five-Factor Inventory(FFI) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaires.Methods: ...
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Background: Alopecia areata is one of the most common causesof hair loss. In this study, the personality traits and stress levelsof patients with alopecia areata were assessed and comparedwith a control group based on the NEO Five-Factor Inventory(FFI) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaires.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 120patients with alopecia areata and 120 healthy individuals as acontrol group from 2015 to 2017 in Mashhad, Iran. The controlgroup was selected from the families of patients who did not havecurrent involvement and no history of alopecia areata, matchedby gender, mean age, and level of education. A dermatologistevaluated the severity score of alopecia in participants. TheNEO FFI and PSS questionnaires were used to assess patients’personality aspects. SPSS v. 20 was used to analyze the data.Results: The results of the NEO FFI questionnaire showed thatstatistically, the mean score of neuroticism in alopecia areatapatients was significantly higher than in the control group(P = 0.023), but the extraversion and flexibility scores weresignificantly higher in the control group than in alopecia areatapatients (P = 0.026 & 0.049, respectively). The PSS questionnaireresults showed that the mean stress score of alopecia areatapatients was similar to the control group (P = 0.12).Conclusion: Our results suggest that compared with healthyindividuals, patients with alopecia areata have higher neuroticismscores and lower extraversion and flexibility scores on the NEOFFI.
Yalda Nahidi; Bita Kiafar; Zohre Sadeghinejad; Lida Jarahi; Tahmineh Mallakifard
Abstract
Background: Psoriasis is a disease that influences the physical, psychological, and social dimensions of the lives of those affected. We aimed to evaluate the effect of psoriasis disease on the quality of life of patients and their partners.Methods: Forty psoriasis patients were eligible for inclusion ...
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Background: Psoriasis is a disease that influences the physical, psychological, and social dimensions of the lives of those affected. We aimed to evaluate the effect of psoriasis disease on the quality of life of patients and their partners.Methods: Forty psoriasis patients were eligible for inclusion in this study. Each participant’s clinical data were collected, including age, sex, PASI score, history of treatment, family history of the disease, educational level of the patients and their spouse, profession, and history of divorce. The patients and partners completed the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Family Dermatology Life Quality Index (FDLQI) questionnaires, respectively. The results were compared against 40 age and sexmatched healthy individuals and their partners.Results: The mean DLQI score was 11.75 ± 7.25 among patients, and the mean FDLQI score of their partners was 12.20 ± 5.63. There was a significant difference between the patients/partners and the respective control groups in DLQI and FDLQI scores (P < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between disease severity and DLQI/FDLQI scores (P < 0.05). Also, a meaningful relationship was noted between the quality of life of patients and their spouses (r = 0.48, P = 0.001). Besides, the PASI score shared a significant relationship with the DLQI (P = 0.003, r = 0.46) and FDLQI (P = 0.001, r = 0.56) scores.Conclusion: We conclude that psoriasis harms the quality of life of both patients and their families, which deteriorates with an increase in disease severity and PASI scores.
Vahid Mashayekhi Goyonlo; Hossein Hassan Abadi; Hanieh Zandi; Jamshid Jamali; Yalda Nahidi; Ahmad Reza Taheri; Bita Kiafar
Abstract
Background: The treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis has long been a challenge. The application of heat to the lesions has been described in some studies, with no consensus regarding the types of thermotherapy and their practical implications.We sought to evaluate the efficacy of infrared thermotherapy ...
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Background: The treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis has long been a challenge. The application of heat to the lesions has been described in some studies, with no consensus regarding the types of thermotherapy and their practical implications.We sought to evaluate the efficacy of infrared thermotherapy in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Methods: We evaluated the results of infrared thermotherapy in 35 cutaneous leishmaniasis patients (53 lesions) who attended the leishmaniasis clinic of Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. Three times a week, the lesions were warmed to 45 degrees centigrade for two cycles of 10 minutes. Treatment outcomes were classified as complete (90-100%), good (50-89%), and poor responses (less than 50% size reduction). Results: Thirteen (24.5%) lesions were cured after three months; 31 (58.5%) and 9 (17%) lesions showed good and poor responses, respectively. Treatment outcomes were significantly related to the number of treatment sessions (P ≤ 0.05). No significant side effects were seen. Conclusion: Infrared thermotherapy is a relatively effective and well-tolerated treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis.