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 Background & Objectives: Cholangiocarcinoma is a malignant tumor of the biliary tract epithelium. Although it is not a common tumor, it has a high mortality rate so that the five-year survival of the patients is only 5%. Most patients are found to have irresectable tumor on initial presentation. These have led to an emphasis on the role of palliative treatment.

 Methods: 43 patients with Cholangiocarcinoma (from 1996-2003) based on ERCP were included in this study. Demographic aspects, clinical and Para clinical manifestations as well as the risk factors were investigated and survival rates of the patients were compared with or without stenting of the biliary tract.

 Results: 27 patients (62.8%) were male and 16(37.2%) were female with mean age of 65. Ulcerative colitis accompanied with PSC was diagnosed in just one case. Jaundice, weight loss and pruritus were the main complaints of the patients. Twenty-seven cases received stent in biliary tract through ERCP while no treatment was performed in other patients due to technical failure or patients’ disagreement. Mean survival time for all patients was 125 days. There were no statistically significant difference between survival rate of the patients with stent and without it.

 Conclusion: In this study cholangiocarcinoma in our patients was less frequently seen to accompany UC and PSC. Curative surgical resection is not possible in the majority of cases, and palliative treatment only decreases the severity of the symptoms but has no significant effect on survival.

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 Background & Objectives:�Barrett’s esophagus is the most severe complication of gastroesophageal reflux which may lead to Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. The epidemiologic aspects of this condition is not completed studied in Iran. The aim of this study is to appraise short segment Barrett’s esophagus in patients which are evaluated due to their reflux related symptoms in a university endoscopy center.

 Methods:�During this cross-sectional study, short segment Barrett’s esophagus was investigated in 100 consequent patients with reflux symptoms (heart burn and/or acid regurgitation) for at least one year. After obtaining their consent for upper endoscope, they were studied interms of short barrett esophagus Four biopsies from esophageal side of gastroesophageal junction for histologic evaluation, and one from antrum for rapid urease test used for Helicobacter pylori were obtained. Barrett’s esophagus was confirmed by appearance of intestinal metaplasia by two pathologists.

  Results: Among 100 eligible subjects, 39 patients were male and 61 were female with a mean (±SD) age of 42.31±15.12 years. Prevalence of short segment Barrett’s esophagus in this study was 8%. Barrett’s esophagus was not related to gender, symptoms and their severity but was significantly more frequent in patients experienced their symptoms for more than 5 years. Barrett’s esophagus was not related to the presence of esophagitis. Infection with Helicobacter pylori was related to less esophagitis but was not related to presence of Barrett’s esophagus.

 Conclusion:�According to the high prevalence of Barrett’s esophagus in subjects with reflux related symptoms in our region, upper gastroesophageal endoscopic evaluation of patients with symptoms more than 5 years is recommended even before age 40. Patients may benefit from Concentration the attention of the endoscopist for taking biopsies.

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  Background and Objective: Staphylococcus aureus is known as an important pathogen causing a variety of bacterial infections. Treatment of this bacterium with antibiotics has led to antibiotic-resistancey, especially against methicillin (MRSA) and more recently rare resistance against vancomycin. The aims of this study were to determine nasal carriage rates of S. aureus in Meshgin Shahar Valiasr hospital’s personnel and to determine antibiotic-resistance patterns in the mentioned isolates.

  Methods: Staphylococcus aureus isolates were collected from the nose of 200 hospital personnel in Meshgin Shahar Valiasr hospital in a 2 month period in 2006. Antibiotic sensitivity of the collected strains were tested against antibiotics used in routine treatment of S. aureus infections. Oxacillin agar was also used to screen for MRSA according to NCCLS recommendation.

  Results: Our results showed there were 45% and 16% nasal carrier rate for S. aureus and MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus) strains, respectively in hospital personnel. Thirty two isolates were able to grow in oxacillin agar media, indicating 35% MRSA strains. Antibiotic resistant pattern of strains in disks method were recorded as follows: 35% to oxacillin, 97.8% to penicillin, 34% to erythromycin, 2.1% to chloramphenicol, 39.36% to tetracycline, 11.7% to gentamicin, 30.85% to trimetohoprim sulfamethoxazol and 19% to clindamycin. All of the isolates were sensitive to vancomycin and ciprofloxacin.

Conclusion: In this study, nasal carriage rate of Staphylococcus aureus among hospital Personnel was more than community expected rate (%40) and lower than hospital expeeted rate (%50-80). All of the test strains were sensitive to Vancomycin.