Background & Objectives: This study was conducted to compare the clinical efficacy of two-drug regimen of glucosamine and prednisolone with one-drug regimen of glucosamine in treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

  Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 30 patients received glucosamine and prednisolone (case group) and 25 cases underwent treatment by only glucosamine (control group) for 12 weeks. For considering pain and disability, WOMAC ( Western Ontario and McMaster Universities) was used.

  Results: Mean value of WOMAC index in the case group was 2.81 at the beginning, 1.53 in week 6, and 1.49 in week 12. In the control group, this value was 3.15 at the beginning, 2.39 in week 6, and 2.35 in week 12. In week 6 and 12, mean value of WOMAC index was significantly lower in the case group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). In patients younger than 65 years old, females, and body mass index of equal or less than 30 a significant difference was seen in both week 6 and 12 between the case and control groups (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion: Two-drug regimen of glucosamine and prednisolone in a 12-week period had a better clinical efficacy than one-drug regimen of glucosamine in lowering the pain and improving joint function of patients with knee osteoarthritis, especially females with body mass index less than 30 and younger than 65 years of age.

  Background & Objectives: Staphylococci are among common causes of community acquired and nosocomial infections around the world. Over the last decade, the resistance of these bacteria in hospital environments is increasing to various antibiotics such as vancomycin. The aim of present study was to determine the antimicrobial resistance pattern and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values among a clinical collection of staphylococci isolated from hospitalized children in Tabriz.

  Methods: In this prospective and descriptive study, 88 staphylococcal isolates including 53 S. aureus and 35 coagulase-negative staphylococcus species were recovered from various clinical specimens referred to microbiology laboratory of Children Hospital during study period (April 2011 to March 2012). Susceptibility of the isolates against 15 different antimicrobial agents and MIC values of vancomycin was tested using standard disk diffusion and E-test methods respectively.

  Results: According to the results of drug susceptibility testing, vancomycin and rifampin were the most effective but clindamycin and penicillin were the least effective drugs against tested isolates. Accordingly, the prevalence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains was determined more than 80%. According to MIC values, 13.2% of S. aureus and 3.3% of coagulase-negative staphylococcus isolates showed intermediate resistance to vancomycin. None of the isolates was fully resistant to vancomycin isolates in this study.

  Conclusion: Although fully vancomycin resistant staphylococci was not found among tested isolates in this study, there was VISA strains. Since there are reports on the emergence of VRSA strains from Iran and other countries, it is necessary for the clinician to care in prescription of vancomycin as a selective drug against staphylococcal infections. Moreover, the necessity of MIC measurement in determining of vancomycin susceptibility is more apparent.