Eurasian Journal of Chemical, Medicinal and Petroleum Research

Abstract Background: Heart failure (HF) is a chronic, progressive condition with high prevalence and mortality rates worldwide. Despite advances in medical management, patients with HF face significant challenges in self-care, leading to poor clinical outcomes and frequent hospital readmissions. Adherence to self-care behaviors is critical for reducing hospital readmissions, yet many patients struggle with maintaining these behaviors due to insufficient education and follow-up.

Objective: This study examined the impact of the Continuous Care Model (CCM) on self-efficacy and hospital readmission among patients hospitalized with HF.

Methods: This quasi-experimental study conducted on 70 patients with HF visiting two teaching hospitals in southeastern Iran in 2021. Patients were selected using convenience sampling and randomly assigned to two groups: control (n=35) receiving routine care and intervention (n=35) receiving CCM. The intervention consisted of six individual training sessions during hospitalization, six sessions post-discharge, and weekly telephone follow-up until the twelfth week. Data collected using a demographic form, readmission assessment, and Sullivan's Cardiac Self-Efficacy Scale. Analysis was performed using SPSS version 22 with chi-square, independent and paired samples t-tests, and ANCOVA at P < 0.05 significance level.

Results: ANCOVA revealed significantly higher self-efficacy scores in the intervention group after implementing CCM (P = 0.001). Independent t-test results showed that readmission frequencies in the control group (1.03 ± 1.01) were significantly higher than in the intervention group (0.34 ± 0.68) (P = 0.001).

Conclusion: The Continuous Care Model significantly improved self-efficacy and reduced hospital readmission frequency among patients with HF. Given its ease of implementation, applicability, and low cost, healthcare authorities recommended to develop policies for implementing CCM for HF patients.

Abstract Introduction: Lumpectomy is a standard breast-conserving procedure, yet acute postoperative complications may delay recovery and adjuvant treatment. Beyond clinical risk factors, tumor biology may influence wound healing and inflammatory responses. This study aimed to evaluate the association between progesterone receptor expression and the incidence of acute postoperative complications following lumpectomy.

Material and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 2025 on 54 women undergoing lumpectomy, with sample size estimated using the Cochran formula and participants enrolled by convenience sampling. Progesterone receptor expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry on surgical specimens, and its association with acute postoperative complications was analyzed alongside demographic, clinical, pathological, and perioperative variables using appropriate statistical tests.

Results: Results summary: Among 54 patients undergoing lumpectomy, PR-negative status was associated with poorer early postoperative outcomes. Compared with PR-positive patients, PR-negative patients had higher postoperative VAS scores (4.06 ± 1.43 vs. 3.14 ± 1.21; p = 0.017), more acute complications (50.00% vs. 22.22%; p = 0.037), and more unplanned visits (33.33% vs. 11.11%; p = 0.048). PR negativity independently predicted complications after adjustment (OR = 3.84; p = 0.039).

Conclusion: PR-negative status was associated with a higher risk of acute postoperative complications after lumpectomy. Despite broadly comparable operative variables, PR-negative patients experienced greater postoperative morbidity and more unplanned visits, suggesting that receptor status may help identify patients requiring closer early postoperative monitoring.

Abstract Introduction: Oral squamous cell carcinoma is a biologically aggressive malignancy in which molecular alterations may extend beyond visible tumor tissue into surgical margins. Long non-coding RNAs, particularly LNC-NORAD, may influence genomic stability, stress responses, and tumor progression. This study aimed to assess LNC-NORAD expression changes in tumor and surgical margin samples of OSCC.

Material and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 2024. Using convenience sampling, 100 specimens comprising 50 oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues and 50 matched healthy surgical margins were collected from 50 patients. LNC-NORAD expression was quantified by real-time PCR and evaluated alongside age, sex, smoking status, tumor site and size, histological grade, invasion characteristics, TNM stage, lymph node involvement, and margin status.

Results: LNC-NORAD expression was significantly higher in OSCC tumor tissues than in matched healthy surgical margins (3.18 ± 1.07 vs. 1.24 ± 0.43; P<0.001). Increased tumoral expression was associated with smoking, larger tumor size, poorer histological differentiation, deeper invasion, perineural invasion, advanced TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis. By contrast, no significant associations were observed with sex, anatomical tumor site, or lymphovascular invasion.

Conclusion: LNC-NORAD is markedly upregulated in OSCC tissues compared with matched surgical margins and is closely associated with several indicators of tumor aggressiveness. These findings suggest that this long non-coding RNA may serve as a useful molecular marker for identifying biologically advanced and clinically high-risk oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract Introduction: Femoral implant surgery is frequently complicated by early inflammatory reactions that may be difficult to distinguish from normal postoperative responses. Because C-reactive protein reflects systemic inflammatory activity, preoperative measurement may help identify patients at greater risk of acute pathologic inflammation after surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of preoperative CRP in predicting acute inflammation following femoral implant placement.

Material and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Shahid Madani Hospital in Tabriz, Iran. Using Cochran’s formula, the sample size was estimated at 73 patients, who were enrolled through convenience sampling. Data were extracted from medical records on demographic characteristics, comorbidities, preoperative CRP and other laboratory findings, operative details, and early postoperative inflammatory outcomes to assess the diagnostic value of preoperative CRP.

Results: Among 73 patients, acute postoperative inflammation occurred in 21.9%. Affected patients had higher preoperative CRP (24.18 vs 12.32 mg/L, P < 0.001), ESR (34.50 vs 25.98 mm/h, P = 0.009), and WBC (9.96 vs 8.40 x10³/muL, P = 0.015), but lower hemoglobin (11.28 vs 12.34 g/dL, P = 0.021) and albumin (3.29 vs 3.70 g/dL, P = 0.003). CRP showed good diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.812, sensitivity 78.9%, specificity 73.6%, NPV 95.1%).

Conclusion: Preoperative CRP appears to be a clinically useful marker for identifying patients at risk of acute inflammation after femoral implant placement. Its strong discriminatory capacity and high negative predictive value suggest particular value in perioperative risk stratification, especially when interpreted alongside comorbidity burden, nutritional status, and operative complexity.