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Background: Cardiovascular disease and obesity are now becoming leading causes of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries.Objectives: We investigated the relationship between prevalent heart disease (HD) and current anthropometric indices and body size perception over time from adolescence to adulthood in Iran.Methods: We present a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a prospective study of adults in Golestan Province, Iran. Demographics, cardiac history, and current anthropometric indices—body mass index, waist circumference, and waist to hip ratio—were recorded. Body size perception for ages 15 years, 30 years, and at the time of interview was assessed via pictograms. Associations of these factors and temporal change in perceived body size with HD were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models.Results: Complete data were available for 50,044 participants; 6.1% of which reported having HD. Higher body mass index, waist circumference, and waist to hip ratio were associated with HD (p < 0.001). Men had a U-shaped relationship between HD and body size perception at younger ages. For change in body size perception, men and women demonstrated a U-shaped relationship with prevalent HD from adolescence to early adulthood, but a J-shaped pattern from early to late adulthood.Conclusions: HD was associated with anthropometric indices and change in body size perception over time for men and women in Iran. Due to the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in low- and middleincome countries, interventions focused on decreasing the cumulative burden of risk factors throughout the life course may be an important component of cardiovascular risk reduction.HighlightsWe present a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a prospective study of adults in Golestan Province, Iran, to investigate the relationship between prevalent heart disease (HD) and current anthropometric indices and body size perception over time from adolescence to adulthood in Iran.Body size perception for age 15 years, age 30 years, and at the time of interview was assessed via pictograms.For men and women, higher body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio were associated with HD.Men had a U-shaped relationship between HD and body size perception at younger ages.For change in body size perception, men and women demonstrated a U-shaped relationship with prevalent HD from adolescence to early adulthood, but a J-shaped pattern from early to late adulthood.

Background and Objective:leishmaniasis is a Zoonotic disease that is transmited by sandfly to human. This study were carried out in order to demonstrate some ecological characters of leishmaniasis vectors in Kalaleh district, Golestan province ,Iran, during 2006-07. Materials and Methods: In present study 6 villages were selected. Sandfly were collected by sticky traps. 3 places were sampled in each village and in each places 20 traps were installed. After sampling collection, we used diagnostic criteria to identify the Sandflies, also confirmed human cases were recorded according to the months of identification. Results: 4900 sandflies were detected in 6 villages and 12 species of sandflies were identified, which including P.papatasi, P.mongolensis, P.caucasicus, P.caucasicus group, P.sergenti, P.alexandri, P.kazeroni, P.brevis, P.(adlerius) sp, S.sintoni, S.clydei, S.sogdiana). P.papatasi was predominant species in indoor places (46.1%) and S.sintoni was in outdoor places (36.7%). Sandflies activities extended from early May through mid October with two peaks in mid June and September. Human infection had a important peak in January. During the collection of sandflies, the species of P.alexandri, P.kazeroni, P.brevis, P.(Adlerius sp.), S.clydei and S.sogdiana were collected for the first time from this area. Conclusion: In this study, P.papatasi was the predominant species in this area. Sandflies second activity peak occured in September that is crucial for transmission of disease. The incubation period for this disease was four months.

Background and Objective: Animal biting is a very important threat for human health, due to the post-infections, such as rabies, which would be fatal. This Study was carried out to determine the epidemiological aspects of animal bites in Kalaleh district, North of Iran. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive and cross sectional study, all cases with animal biting during 2003-05 which were reffred to Kalaleh, Maraveh- tappeh therapy centers in Golestan province North of Iran were considered as sujects of this epidemiological survey. Results: From the totally 3496 biting, during 3 years, 2477 cases (70.9%) were male and 1019 (29.1%) female. The Mean age of cases was 24.2±17.5 and age domain between 1 to 86 was variable. The biting incidence rate was increased during 3 years, as follow 2003, 2004 and 2005 were 745/100000, 787/100000 and 788/100000 respectively. Total incidence was 773/10000 during the 3 years, the most biting frequency belong to the students 1157 (37%). Lower limb was the most common site of biting 2344 (67%). Dog was the common animal in biting 3344 (95.6). Most biting happened in spring season 1042 (29.8%). 3151 cases (90.1%) were living in rural area. 3198 cases (91.5%) and 298 (98.5%) had complete and uncompleted vaccination respectively. Conclusion: According to the results from this survey, the rate of dog biting in Kalaleh district was more than the other region, therefore, it would be important that all concerning organizations interfere to prevent and control this health threat.

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Background & Objectives: Diabetes mellitus contains a group of common metabolic disorders that induces problems in health status. Its prevalence is increasing in the world, due to increase the rate of obesity and decrease in physical activities. This study was done to evaluate incidence of diabetes and prevalence in rural areas of Kalaleh city(North of Iran). Materials & Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study all persons over 30 years old were enrolled, according to diagnosis of diabetes before 2005 or diagnosis in the screening programs (with FPG>126 in two turns) in rural areas of Kalaleh during 2005-06. After collection of demographic data with questionnaires and laboratory findings, they were entered to computer with SPSS-15 software. Central and distributive indices and incidence & prevalence of diabetes were assumed according to the whole population. Results: In this study, 394 cases were enrolled. Incidence and prevalence of diabetes was 0.6% and 1.13%, respectively. Mean age of cases was 51.61 years. Male to female ratio was 0.4. Mean BMI was 29.43 kg/m2 and a significant difference was seen between two gender (P

Background: Only a limited number of studies have investigated the correlation between haematocrit (HCT) and mortality in the general population, and few of those studies have had data on a wide range of low and high levels of HCT. We investigated the association between baseline HCT and mortality in a prospective cohort study of 49 983 adult subjects in Iran with a broad spectrum of HCT values. Methods: Data on socio-demographic and life-style factors, past medical history, and levels of HCT were collected at enrollment. During a mean follow-up of 5 years (follow-up success rate ±99%), 2262 deaths were reported. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results: There was a U-shaped relationship between categories of HCT and mortality in both sexes: both low and high levels of HCT were associated with increased overall mortality and mortality from cardiovascular disease. The U-shaped relationship persisted after several sensitivity analyses were done, including analyses restricted to non-smokers and non-users of opium; analyses excluding deaths from accidents and other external causes as well as deaths of persons with self-reported ischemic heart disease at the baseline interview for the study; and analyses excluding the first 2 years of follow-up. Self-reported past medical history and lack of data about lipids and other cellular blood components were the major limitations of the study. Conclusions: Low and high levels of HCT are associated with increased mortality in the general population. The findings in the present study can be of particular importance for low- and middle-income countries in which a substantial proportion of the population lives with suboptimal levels of HCT. © Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association 2013.

Background: Both high and low body mass index (BMI) are associated with heart disease (HD). However, data are relatively lacking regarding the relationship between life-course trends in BMI and HD in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Objective: To investigate the relationship between prevalent HD and anthropomorphic indices such as BMI, waist circumference (WC) and waist to hip ratio (WHR), as well as body size perception from adolescence to adulthood. Methods: Baseline data from the Golestan Cohort Study, a prospective population-based study in Iran, were used in this cross-sectional analysis. Current anthropometric indices were measured and body size perception using standard pictograms was assessed for age 15, age 30, and at the time of interview. We used logistic regression to evaluate associations of prevalent HD with anthropometric indices. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA version 11. Results: Complete data were available for 50,044 participants (age 40-75 years), of whom 6.1% reported a history of HD. For men and women, current BMI, WC, and WHR were associated with prevalent HD (p Conclusion: Prevalent HD was associated with current anthropometric indices and temporal changes in body size perception for men and women. Public health interventions focused on the cumulative lifetime burden of risk factors such as obesity on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are essential, particularly in LMICs.

The incidence of major risk factors of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the world is on the rise, and it is expected that this incidence and prevalence, particularly in developing countries, will continue to increase. Using data on urinary sediment and microalbuminuria, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of CKD in northeast Iran.In a cross-sectional study, the prevalence of CKD in a sample of 1557 regionally representative people, aged ≥ 18 years, was analyzed. CKD was determined based on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and microalbuminuria. Life style data, urine and blood samples were collected. Urine samples without any proteinuria in the initial dipstick test were checked for qualitative microalbuminuria. If the latter was positive, quantitative microalbuminuria was evaluated.1557 subjects with a mean age of 56.76 ± 12.04 years were enrolled in this study. Based on the modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) equation, 137 subjects (8.89%) were categorized as CKD stages III-V. Based on urine abnormalities, the prevalence of combined CKD stages I and II was 10.63%, and based on macro- and microalbuminuria it was 14.53%. The prevalence of CKD was significantly associated with sex, age, marital status, education, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), ischemic heart disease (IHD), waist to hip ratio, myocardial infarction (MI), and cerebrovascular accident (CVA).CKD and its main risk factors are common and represent a definite health threat in this region of Iran. Using and standardizing less expensive screening tests in low resource countries could be a good alternative that may improve the outcome through early detection of CKD.

IntroductionThe incidence of end-stage renal disease is increasing worldwide. Earlier studies reported high prevalence rates of obesity and hypertension, two major risk factors of chronic kidney disease (CKD), in Golestan Province, Iran. We aimed to investigate prevalence of moderate to severe CKD and its risk factors in the region.MethodsQuestionnaire data and blood samples were collected from 3591 participants (≥18 years old) from the general population. Based on serum creatinine levels, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated.ResultsHigh body mass index (BMI) was common: 35.0% of participants were overweight (BMI 25-29.9) and 24.5% were obese (BMI ≥30). Prevalence of CKD stages 3 to 5 (CKD-S3-5), i.e., GFR ConclusionA considerable proportion of inhabitants in Golestan have CKD-S3-5. Screening of individuals with major risk factors of CKD, in order to early detection and treatment of impaired renal function, may be plausible. Further studies on optimal risk prediction of future end-stage renal disease and effectiveness of any screening program are warranted.