DOI: 10.54235/27382737-2023.v3.1-9
Dear Readers,
It is with great pleasure that we introduce the much anticipated first issue of the Armenian Journal of Health & Medical Sciences (AJHMS) in 2023. As always, we gather in one issue a wide variety of medical disciplines including review articles, original research, case reports and traditionally for our journal we reserve space for special and historical articles. In their comprehensive review Antonyan et al. discuss an important aspect of quality assurance of contemporary linear accelerators in radiation therapy. It is followed by another short review by Muradyan L. et al. on radiomodification in radiation therapy. In the next section dedicated to special articles, we present an important work by Nanushyan et al. who present a timely update on recent developments of the state-initiated reforms and future perspectives of the continuous professional development system among healthcare workers in Armenia. Another special topic is presented by Vardanyan’s overview on Yerevan’s green infrastructure, history of its creation and current problems. In an article by Muradyan A. et al. patients with intergluteal pilonidal disease were divided into two groups to compare two different surgical techniques, drawing conclusions on cost-effectiveness and speed of recovery.
This issue also includes some valuable case reports. Tadevosyan et al. report on a very rare case of mucolipidosis IV describing elegantly its typical neurological, ocular, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings contributing to the understanding of unexplained developmental disorders. Irles et al. present a nice case of cerebral lymphoma accentuating the refining role of additional MRI diagnostic modalities in helping with diagnosis orientation. With this report Kayayan’s group from France also strengthen the role of radiologist as an important participant in patient’s clinical management. Continuing this series of articles with interesting case reports is the one authored by Kechyants et al. Hovakimyan’s group presents a pilot case series of using gamma-irradiated sterile cornea allograft technique in eight patients with corneal ulcers. Aloyan et al. present three cases of a dangerous allergic complication of drug therapy – Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis, further supported by a brief literature review. In a case report by Aslanyan, a case of osteoporosis in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis is described with a focus on importance of densitometric evaluation and specificities of osteoporosis in this population.
Finally, in the Archives of Armenian Medicine section we went back in time again and found for our readers an article about scopolamine-morphine-chloroform narcosis published in the “Vrachebnaya Gazeta” (“Medical magazine”) by an Armenian doctor from Tiflis (Tbilisi) in 1911.
We strongly hope that this current issue of the AJHMS will keep up the track record of previous ones in representing to the colleagues an interesting and useful professional reading account. We continue our work in improving the Journal and its scientific value. At the same time the editorial board is keen on involving more variable material to represent the multi-faceted landscape of medicine and healthcare system. We gladly inform you that starting from 2024 the journal will become exclusively English, and we are eager to raise it to a higher level representing Armenian scientific field internationally. We would like to invite potential authors from Armenia and abroad to contribute to the development of the journal with their highly valued contributions.
With our best regards,
Davit Abrahamyan
Samson Khachatryan
Chief Co-Editors of the AJHMS