Background & Objectives : Panel-reactive antibody (PRA) is a routine test to evaluate for sensitized human leukocyte antigens (HLA) before kidney transplantation. The present study evaluates the correlation of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) polymorphisms with the level of PRA in renal transplant candidates.

  Methods: This study included 108 renal transplant candidates. The current patients sera were screened by standard complement-dependent microlymphocytotoxicity technique. RAS polymorphisms were determined by polymerase chain reaction. PRA<10, 10-29, 30-49, and ≥50 considered as negative, mild, moderate, and highly positive PRA, respectively.

  Results: Twelve (11.1%) patients had positive PRA, among them 10 (83.3%) had mild and 2 (16.7%) of them had moderate PRA levels we had no highly positive PRA. Ninety-six of cases (88.9%) were negative for PRA. There was no significant correlation between discrete RAS polymorphisms (alone or together) and the degree of panel antibody reactivity (P>0.05).

 Conclusion: We suggest that none of the RAS polymorphisms could predict the positivity degree of PRA level.

 Background & Objective: As renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activity could affect the severity of oxidative stress and inflammatory markers the effect of enalapril and losartan on these markers in renal transplant recipients (RTRs) with RAS polymorphisms was assessed.

 Methods: After determination of RAS genotypes including angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE I/D), Angiotensinogen (AGT M235T) and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (ATR1 A1166C) by PCR, seventy-six RTRs recruited to four groups randomly: first group (17 patients) and second group (24 patients) were treated with E (E⁺: 10mg/daily) and L (L⁺: 50 mg/daily) alone, respectively. The third group (17 patients as positive control) received E+L (E⁺L⁺: 10mg/daily + 50 mg/daily) and the 4^th group (18 patients as negative control) received no medication (E^-L^-). Hs-CRP and total anti-oxidant (TA) as inflammatory and anti-oxidative markers were measured after 2 months. After 2 weeks as washout period, E group changed to L and vice versa as a cross-over design. They were followed for another 8 weeks and hs-CRP and TA were retested.

 Results: Following up the patients (after 2, 4 months of treatment) in treated groups revealed that hs-CRP and TA levels were significantly decreased and increased (consequently) in E⁺L⁺, L⁺, E⁺ groups (P<0.05). On analyzing the relationship between RAS polymorphisms with baseline hs-CRP and TA levels, CC genotype of ATR1 had lower hs-CRP levels (P=0.04). But none of the RAS polymorphisms could predict the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory response rate to the drugs (P>0.05).

 Conclusion: E and/or L reduce hs-CRP and increase TA regardless of the RAS genotypes.

  Background & objectives: At the present time, health care services have been increasingly transformed to a competitive issue and many factors influence usage of hospital services and selection of a hospital by the patients. This study has been performed for surveying effective factors on selecting a public or private hospital among non-emergent patients of Ardabil hospitals in 2012.

  Method: This research was a cross-sectional descriptive-correlational study and the statistical population was non emergent patients of four public and two private hospitals of Ardabil in 2012. The samples (598 patients) were collected by stratified random sampling method. Data-gathering tool was a researcher-made questionnaire and data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, frequency [distribution] tables, and logistic regression analysis.

  Results: The results depicted a direct interdependence between selecting a hospital (public or private) and the three factors of social elements, hospital services, and hospital facilities with a confidence coefficient of 92%. Based on logistic regression analysis and Exp(B) coefficient, the patients’ priorities for hospital choosing were hospital services, social elements, and hospital facilities with Exp(B) of 1.932, 1.332, and 0.338, respectively.

  Conclusion: The most important factor for choosing public hospitals was lower cost of services and for private hospitals was physician’s recommendation. The strong effects of these two factors have overshadowed other variables.