Rheumatology at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

 

Akbar Rajaee MD^•*

 

Abstract

The Rheumatology Division in the Department of Internal Medicine at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences) (former Pahlavi University) (was established by Dr. Ali-Asghar Eghtedari in 1970. Drs. Mohammad Salami and Hadi Hedayati joined this division in 1973 and 1974, respectively. Since 1980, Dr. Akbar Rajaee has been in charge of this division. In 1986, the rheumatology subspeciality training program at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences was approved by the Ministry of Health.

Keywords: Iran · rheumatology · university

 

Introduction

r. Ali-Asghar Eghtedari, who studied rheumatology in England, established the Rheumatology Division at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 1970. Subsequently Dr. Mohammad Salami (1973, studied rheumatology in the USA), Dr. Hadi Hedayati (1974, studied rheumatology in the USA), and Dr. Akbar Rajaee (rheumatology board certified in Iran) began a cooperation with Dr. Ali-Asghar Eghtedari in the Rheumatology Ward at this university.

Dr. Shahdokht Samanguee and Dr. Mojtaba Hakim (rheumatology board certified in Iran) were the academic members of the division between 1993 and 2002.

 

Rheumatology division

The Rheumatology Division of the Department of Medicine of Shiraz University (former Pahlavi University) was founded by Dr. Ali-Asghar Eghtedari in 1970 in Hafez Hospital with 14 beds as an inpatient center and three outpatient clinics located  in  Hafez,  Nemazee  and  Saadi  hospitals (Faghihi Hospital). A laboratory in each hospital was equipped for certain laboratory tests of rheumatic diseases according to the available facilities at that time. Gradually the laboratory developed and was able to analyze the majority of laboratory tests required for rheumatic diseases. Behcet’s Disease Outpatient Clinic was started in 1994 at Nemazee Hospital followed by the Lupus Outpatient Clinic and Scleroderma Outpatient Clinic in Hafez Hospital was established as well as five general rheumatology clinics at Faghihi Hospital with weekly activity.

 

Rheumatology for undergraduates

From the beginning, the Division of Rheumatology has had rheumatology education programs for fourth year medical students consisting of one month in the 5^th years of their education and another month in internship period. There is a two month rotation for internal medicine residents in the rheumatology ward during their four year residency course. The program is comprised of history, physical examination, clinical manifestations and therapy of each rheumatic disease. Dermatology, rehabilitation, and orthopedic residents also have one month rotation in the rheumatology ward during their training.

 

Rheumatology subspeciality

The Division of Rheumatology at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) was recognized as qualified for rheumatology subspeciality training in 1986. Dr. Shahdokht Samanguee, Dr. Mojtaba Hakim, and Dr. Mansour Hoseini were the first three graduates from this division in 1992. Dr. Samanguee and Dr. Hakim began their careers as academic members of the Rheumatology Division in 1993 and then both moved to Tehran in 2002. Since 1990, 21 rheumatologists have been trained and graduated from this division.

 

Division of rheumatology’s academic members

Dr. Ali-Asghar Eghtedari (1970), Dr. Mohammad Salami (1973), Dr. Hadi Hedayati (1974), followed by Dr. Shahdokht Samanguee and Dr. Hakim in 1993 were the academic members of the division.  Currently there are six academic members as follows: Dr. Akbar Rajaee since 1980, Dr. Elham Aflaki (2002), Dr. Zahra Habib-Agahi (2002), Dr. Mohammad-Ali Nazarinia (2003), Dr. Saeedeh Shenavandeh (first grade board certified rheumatologist in Iran; 2006), and Dr. Mohammad-Reza Jahanbani (2006).

 

Postgraduate teaching and research 

A weekly patients’ problem-solving conference is held each Monday with the pediatric rheumatology and immunology groups of SUMS; more comprehensive teaching programs are held for subspeciality fellows.

The research program of this division is organized in collaboration with other subspeciality training at SUMS, especially the neurology, nephrology, endocrinology, and hematology departments. There is also an active research program with the Immunology Research Center for Rheumatic Disease of SUMS on different topics in rheumatology and immunology.

 

Publications

This division participated and presented 42 papers at international conferences, seminars, and congresses and 33 papers in international congresses.

 

References

1       Rajaee A, Vossoghi A. A classic rheumatoid arthritis associated with relapsing polychondritis. J Rheumatol. 1989; 16: 1263 – 1265.

2       Rajaee A. Behcet’s disease. Report of a case with refractory ocular manifestations and response to cyclosporine therapy. Br Med J Middle East. 1997; 4: 7.

3       Khajedehi P, Rajaee A, Jalali GA, Behzadi S. Lupus nephritis in patients of Iranian origin: differences in clinical and histopathological features at initial presentation. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 1997; 12: 363 – 364.

4       Rajaee A. Nazarinia MA, Ghaderi A. Anticardiolipin antibody in patients with Behcet’s disease with and without thrombosis. Iran J Immunol. 2004; 1: 111 – 117.

5       Kashef S, Ghaedian MM, Rajaee A, Ghaderi A. Dyslipoproteinemia during the active course of systemic lupus erythematosus in association with anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibodies. Rheumatol Int. 2007; 27: 235 – 241.

6       Nazarinia MA, Habib-Agahi Z, Aflaki E, Rajaee A. Superior mesenteric artery aneurysm and ileal perforation in a patient with Behcet’s disease. J Indian Rheumatol Assoc. 2005; 13: 124 – 125.

7       Habib-Agahi Z, Nazarinia MA, Aflaki E, Rajaee A. Anticardiolipin and antibeta 2 glycoprotein antibodies in patients with hepatitis Band C infections. Iran J Immunol. 2007; 4: 161 – 166.

8       Nazarinia MA, Aflaki E, Habib-Aghahi Z, Rajaee A, Omrani GH. Serum homocysteine level and vascular thrombosis in patients with Behcet’s disease. APLAR J Rheumatol. 2007; 10: 3.

9       Nazarinia MA, Ghaffarpasand F, Shamsdin A, Karimi AA, Abbasi N, Amiri A. Systemic lupus erythematosus in the Fars Province of Iran. Lupus. 2008; 17: 221 – 227.

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