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Background Knowledge of global clarithromycin (CLA)-resistant rates of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is crucial for decision of the most appropriate eradication therapies with good clinical outcomes. Therefore, this review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the global prevalence of the CLA resistance in H. pylori to provide some guidance for selecting the first-line antibiotics. Method A comprehensive search was performed for relevant literature until April 2021 in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation was performed to estimate the weighted pooled prevalence of resistance. Results The meta-analysis included 248 articles. The prevalence of CLA-resistant H. pylori was 27.53% (95% CI [25.41–29.69]). The heterogeneity between reports was significant (I² = 97.80%, P < 0.01). The resistance rate increased from 24.28% in 2010–2017 to 32.14% in 2018–2021 (P < 0.01). Iran, with 38 articles, has the most report. Nevertheless, Switzerland, Portugal, and Israel had the highest resistance rates (67.16%, 48.11%, and 46.12%, respectively). The heterogeneity between the continents and the antimicrobial susceptibility methods also interpreted standard guidelines and breakpoints was insignificant (P > 0.05). Conclusion Overall CLA resistance rate was 27.53%, worldwide. The difference in CLA resistance rate among the included studies can be due to several reasons such as differences in antibiotic prescription rates in various geographic areas, use of different breakpoints or inaccurate criteria in performed studies, and the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Comprehensive assessment of health care quality is the first step in improving care and achieving health service goals. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of health care quality in Iran based on the Comprehensive Quality Measurement in Health Care model. Methods: In this study, the databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Iranian Scientific Information Database (SID), MagIran, and Google Scholar were searched using English and Iran keywords without time limit. STATA 16 software and a random effect model were used for conducting meta-analysis. Results: Of the 750 articles found, 20 were finally included; 13 of which were related to service quality, five to customer quality, and four to technical quality. Overall mean score of service quality was 7.79 [95% CI 7.43-8.15, df = 12, I2 = 98.48, P value < 0.000] out of 10, and overall mean score of customer quality was 73.20 ± 4.56 [95% CI 65.18-81.22, df = 5, I2 = 99.34, P value < 0.001] out of 100. Among the 12 dimensions of service quality, the confidentiality dimension (9.55 ± 0.12) had the highest mean score and the group support dimension (5.92 ± 0.901) had the lowest score. In general, from the viewpoint of service receivers, the technical quality is relatively favorable. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, the quality of health care in Iran is significantly far from ideal. Therefore, planning to improve providing health care is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malnutrition is a major public health issue worldwide. It has significant consequences, including weakened immune systems, which may lead to increased incidences of infectious disease and higher mortality, particularly in children. A systematic review and meta‑analysis were conducted to estimate the overall prevalence of malnutrition (wasting, underweight, and stunting) among children of 6–14 years of age in Iran. Methods: Data were collected in 2018 based on searches of the PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, Science Information Database (SID), Magiran, Irandoc, and Iranmedex databases using the following keywords: childhood, childhood malnutrition, children, nutrition, malnutrition, wasting, underweight, stunting, child, student, boy, girl, cause, prevalence, and Iran, in order to identify studies eligible for inclusion in the review. Comprehensive Meta‑Analysis, version 2 (CMA: 2) was used to estimate the overall prevalence of malnutrition. Results: Nine out of 328 articles were included in our analyses. The overall of wasting among children of 6–14 years of age in Iran based on the random‑effects model (according to nine studies and 18,296 participants) was 12.5% (95% Confidence Interval, 7.1‑21.2). The overall prevalence of underweight based on the random‑effects model (according to 10 studies and 19,185 participants) was 19% (95% CI, 8.1‑38.6). Also, the overall prevalence of stunting based on the random‑effects model (according to 10 studies and 19,185 participants) was 20% (95% CI, 9.4‑37.8). Conclusions: The results of this study show that the prevalence of malnutrition among 6–14‑year‑old children in Iran is similar to the global average. We need solutions that can be used for both prevention and reduction of malnutrition, especially in areas with middle or low socioeconomic status. It is necessary to identify factors associated with malnutrition in various geographic regions in order to implement appropriate programs based on factors with the highest impact in each region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (Tb) is a major public health issue across the world. Therefore, it is crucial to determine its pattern in different regions of the world. The aim of this study was to review the prevalence of drug resistant TB in the west and northwest of Iran. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies (2010 to 2021) in Google Scholar, PubMed, Thomson Reuters, Scientific Information Database (SID), Cochrane Library, and Medical Library (MedLib) databases. The patterns of any drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB); resistance to isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RMP), streptomycin (SMP), ethambutol (EMB), and multiple drug resistance (MDR) were reviewed in tuberculosis in the west and northwest of Iran. Results: In this review, 7 studies met the eligibility criteria for a meta-analysis. The pooled proportion of any drug resistant TB was 13% (CI 95%: 9.0, 17.0) (43.0% in re-treatment group). The pooled prevalence of any drug resistant TB was more than 1.5 times higher in men compared to women (15% vs. 9.0%). The pooled prevalence (%) of resistance to INH, RMP, SMP, EMB and MDR-TB was 11.0%, 12.0%, 13.0%, 6.0%, and 6.0%, respectively. Kermanshah Province (a province in the west of Iran) showed a high prevalence of any type of drug resistance and MDR-TB (15.9% and 20.0%, respectively). Conclusion: It seems that the western provinces of Iran have a different pattern of drug resistance compared to the northwestern provinces. Considering the extent of Iran and the neighboring countries, it is recommended that the pattern of tuberculosis drug resistance be reviewed separately in different provinces or regions of Iran. Drug resistance in the re-treatment group was more than three times that of all patients with TB drug resistance. The burden of drug resistance reduces significantly with better control and management of TB drug treatment and preventing re-infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current investigation was carried out to measure the concentration of PTEs in fillet tissue of common carp in Iran by the aid of a systematic review and meta-analysis. The conducted article screening covered the related publications from Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and Scientific Information Database (SID) databases between January 1 to August 30 2018. Additionally, the noncarcinogenic risk of PTEs was estimated via the Target hazard quotient (THQ). According to findings, the rank order of PTEs (µg/kg. wet weight) in fillets of common carp was Fe (2884.54) > Zn (1097.37) > Ni (311.78) > Cu (154.27) > Pb (130.98) > total Cr (94.31) > total As (73.82) > Hg (Methyl mercury form) (71.35) > Cd (40.15). The pooled concentration of PTEs were below their corresponded values defined by national and international standards. The rank order of PTEs based on THQ for the adults consumers was Hg (methyl)(0.20000) > Pb (0.01111) > Cd (0.01000) > Ni (0.01000) > Fe (0.00141) > Zn (0.00127) > Cu (0.00125) > Cr (Total) (0.00002) and children was Hg (Methyl mercury form) (0.40000) > Cd (0.03000) > Pb (0.02222) > Ni (0.01727) > Fe (0.00259) > Cu (0.00250) > Zn (0.00230) > Cr (Total) (0.00004). However, the noncarcinogenic health risk of PTEs through consumption of common carp in Iran is at negligible level (TTHQ < 1), continuous monitoring of concentrations of PTEs among this fish and related products due to its general popularity besides further actions for preventing from the pollution of water resources are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food handlers regardless of whether preparing or serving food, play key roles in the transmission of food‐borne infections. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections in food handlers in Iran. In the present study, a comprehensive literature search was carried out in electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Magiran, Scientific Information Database (SID), Iran Medex and Iran Doc, to identify all the published studies from 2000 to 31st April 2019. A total of 25 articles from different regions of Iran were identified and fulfilled our eligibility criteria. Totally, 140,447 cases were examined and 1163 cases were infected with intestinal parasites. Of all cases, 19,516 were male and 5901 were female with 1163 and 652 infected cases, respectively. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was evaluated 14.0% [95% CI: 11.0‐17.0%]. It is revealed that protozoan, such as Giardia lamblia, with prevalence of 41.0% [95% CI: 25.0‐59.0%], Blastosystis hominis with 28.0% [95% CI: 15.0‐44.0%] and Entamoeba coli with 22.0% [95% CI: 16.0‐29.0%] had the highest prevalence while, Dientamoeba fragilis 5.0% [95% CI: 4.0‐7.0%], Iodamoeba bütschlii 5.0% [95% CI: 2.0‐8.0%], Chilomastix mesnili 5.0% [95% CI: 2.0‐9.0%] and Endolimax nana with 3.0% [95% CI: 1.0‐7.0%], were less prevalent. Infection with Ascaris lumbricoides7.0% [95% CI: 0.0‐29.0%] was more prevalent helminth followed with Enterobius vermicularis 3.0% [95% CI: 1.0‐5.0%], Hymenolepis nana 2.0% [95% CI: 1.0‐3.0%], Taenia spp. 2.0% [95% CI: 0.0‐7.0%] and Trichuris trichiura 1.0% [95% CI: 0.0‐1.0%]. The high prevalence of commensal parasites, such as Entamoeba coli, which does not need cure is indicating the importance of personal hygiene in food handlers. Our results revealed the high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection in food handlers in Iran. Monitoring programs to prevent and controlling of transmission to individuals are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in children aged 0-14 years and leukemia is the most prevalent of them among children in the world and Iran. Estimating cancer incidence is a vital tool in epidemiology and subsequent cancer control programs. The aim is to evaluate the crude incidence, age-specific incidence and standardized incidence rates of leukemia in these children in Iran through a meta-analysis. METHODS. This is a systematic review and meta-analysis between 1950 and 2019. We searched national (Iran Medex, Mag Iran and Scientific Information Database) and international (Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and the Web of Sciences) databases for this purpose. The quality of articles was evaluated using the guidelines checklist for critically appraising studies of the incidence of a health problem. After the quality assessment the random effect meta-analysis was used to estimate the incidence rates in overall and based on sex. RESULTS. A total of 382 articles were identified in the search phase and finally, 15 studies were included. The crude incidence rate in the total population using the Random effect model was estimated at 29.29 (CI %95, 25.74-32.84) per one million children aged 0-14 years. This rate was 34.72 (CI %95, 28.85-40.59) in boys and 24.89 (CI %95, 20.28-29.5) in girls. According to the results, three provinces of Fars (51.48), Golestan (40.86) and Qazvin (35.82) had the highest prevalence, respectively. CONCLUSION. Given that the incidence of leukemia in boys is higher than in girls and it is more drastic in some Iranian provinces, further attention should be dedicated to risk factors in boys and high risk locations in Iran to help prevent of incidence of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although not a life-threatening condition, infertility does influence various aspects of life. Based on a meta-analysis of the relevant literature, the aim of this study is to identify the psychosocial consequences of infertility in Iranian women. Methods: Comprehensive Portal of Human Sciences, Magiran, Scientific Information Database, Noormags, MEDLIB, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Medline, and ProQuest were the databases searched from inception (1999) to 2018. To maximize the comprehensiveness of the search, the reference lists of all the relevant papers identified were manually examined. The evaluation of the content was based on PRISMA guidelines, and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software was used for data analysis. Results: Based on the analysis of 124 quantitative papers, the psychosocial consequences of infertility in women in Iran can be classified into 14 categories: psychological well-being (effect size = 3.10), adaptation to infertility (effect size = 2.71), quality of life (effect size = 1.83), depression (effect size = 1.80), anxiety (effect size = 1.72), marital relationships (effect size = 1.37), personality disorders (effect size = 1.37), violence (effect size = 1.31), social support (effect size = 0.90), self-efficacy (effect size = 0.90), coping strategies (effect size = 0.84), irrational thoughts (effect size = 0.77), somatization disorders (effect size = 0.65), and sexual dysfunction (effect size = 0.55). Conclusion: Considering the wide-ranging psychosocial consequences of infertility in women, it is necessary for treatment to account for psychological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early detection, isolation and management of COVID-19 are crucial to contain the current pandemic. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently included 'sudden loss of taste (dysgeusia/ageusia) and smell (anosmia/hyposmia)' as symptoms of COVID-19. If indeed these symptoms are reliable and specific forerunner symptoms of COVID-19, then it may facilitate detection and containment of the disease. Hence, we systematically evaluated the contemporary evidence on dysgeusia and anosmia as trigger prodromal symptoms, and their prevalence in COVID-19 patients.Methods: Ovid MEDLINE, EBSCO host and Web of Science databases were searched between 25 December 2019 and 30 May 2020.Results: Of the 13 identified records, eight studies, totalling 11,054 COVID-19 patients, were included, as per the selection criteria. Eligible articles reflected research conducted mostly in the European community, as well as China, the US and Iran. In total, anosmia and dysgeusia symptoms were present in 74.9% and 81.3% ambulatory as well as hospitalized, mild-to-severe cases of COVID-19 patients, respectively. The European, US and Iran data indicate olfactory and gustatory symptoms appear prior to general COVID-19 symptoms in 64.5% and 54.0% of the patients, respectively.Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review analysing the meager data based on the prevalence of chemosensory dysfunction in COVID-19. Critical analysis of such macro-data, as and when available, is essential to evaluate their utility as harbingers of COVID-19 onset, and to establish clinical practice guidelines both in dentistry and medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Intestinal parasitic infections are a major public health problem worldwide, especially in developing countries. It is estimated that around 3.5 billion people are infected with intestinal parasites. Human intestinal parasites (HIP) are clinically important due to broad epidemiological distribution, reinfection and drug resistance. In the last decades, bioactive compounds from herbs were used against a wide variety of microorganisms including parasites. We aimed to perform a systematic review on studies on the effects of medicinal herbs on HIPs in Iran. Methods: Relevant scientific publications until April, 2015 were extracted from five English databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Ebsco, Science Direct and Scopus) and four Persian databases (Magiran, Irandoc, IranMedex and the Scientific Information Database). Results: A total of 18 papers and two dissertations met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 22 different plant extracts were used against Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium and Hymenolepis nana. Based on the results, the extracts could exert time- and dose-dependent inhibitory effects against the tested HIPs. Five plants types including Allium, Chenopodium botrys, Carum copticum, F. asafoetida and Artemisia annua were able to completely inhibit the tested parasites, while Thymus vulgaris and A. paradoxum showed the lowest inhibitory effect (7%). Conclusions: Given the findings, it is recommended to conduct in vivo studies on medicinal herbs with favorable in vitro effects against HIPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phenylketonuria (PKU), which is characterized by a deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase activity, is an autosomal recessive disorder of phenylalanine (Phe) metabolism. Newborn screening is the main population-based public health screening program that allows successful identification and treatment of PKU with low-Phe diet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology of PKU screening in Iranian newborns.Methods: The present study was designed based on MOOSE protocol and reporting was done in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The protocol of this systematic review was published in PROSPERO before it was performed (CRD42020162626). A comprehensive search was done in 10/10/2019 to find related literature on international online databases Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, Science Direct, PubMed/Medline, EBSCO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, national online databases and the Google Scholar search engine. Heterogeneity among studies was assessed by I2 index and Q test. All meta-analyses were performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software ver. 2. P < 0.05 was considered significant.Result: Finally, 18 studies with 3,339,327 Iranian neonates were included. The prevalence of suspected hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) was estimated to be 45.6/100,000 (95% CI: 23.9-87.1). The prevalence of suspected HPA in girls and boys infants in Iran was estimated to be 38.0/100,000 (95% CI: 15.1-95.5) and 43.3/100,000 (95% CI: 16.2-116.2), respectively. The prevalence of PKU was estimated to be 16.5/100,000 (95% CI: 12.9-21.2). The prevalence of PKU in girls and boys infants was estimated to be 13.3/100,000 (95% CI: 7.5-15.8) and 10.9/100,000 (95% CI: 7.5-15.8), respectively. The prevalence of mild to moderate HPA was estimated 9.7/100,000 (95% CI: 5.1-18.4) and the prevalence of classical PKU was estimated 4.4/100,000 (95% CI: 2.5-7.8). Sensitivity analysis for all meta-analysis with the omission of one study showed that overall estimation is still robust.Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis showed that PKU is prevalent in Iranian neonates. It should be considered that for PKU there is a highly effective dietary treatment which can prevent the clinical symptoms of PKU if initiated early after detection by newborn screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Smokeless tobacco (ST) use is one of the most important public health problems in Southeast Asia. The use of these substances increases the incidence of some cancers and other diseases. The purpose of this review study was to investigate on ST use in Iran. Methods: A literature search was conducted on PubMed, Google Scholar, and three national databases [Scientific Information Database (SID), IranMedex, and IranDoc] based on the standard search strategy. Findings: Most consumer people lived in Sistan and Baluchestan Province (Zahedan and Chabahar Cities) and Golestan Province, Iran. ST use rates ranged from 11.0% to 45.7% among college students in Sistan and Baluchestan (Zahedan and Chabahar) and Golestan. There are various types of ST consumed in Iran that have been mentioned in various articles, including Pan, Gutka, Nass, Naswar, Biti, and Supari. Conclusion: Most studies on ST have been conducted in Sistan and Baluchestan and Golestan Provinces and we need more research for other provinces. Consumption by women is a warning and a threat to women's health in the future. Further studies will be needed to find out more precisely the prevalence of consumption in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the present study, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the prevalence of infertility in Iran.Materials and Methods: A search of studies was performed in June 2019 on Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, Irandoc and Google scholar using keywords related to infertility. The search for articles was limited to those published over the past 20 years in Persian and English languages. In this research, only population-based studies were included.Results: The results of the analysis showed that the overall prevalence of infertility was 7.88%, 95% CI: 5.61- 10.51. The prevalence of primary and secondary infertility after sensitivity analyses was 3.09%, 95% CI: 2.27- 4.02 and 2.18%, 95% CI: 1.56-2.89, respectively. The slope of meta-regression line showed that the prevalence of primary (P = .7) and secondary infertility (P = .4) is rising with a slow slope in Iran.Conclusion: It is emphasized that the results of this study are related to the areas where investigations have been conducted and that there is high heterogeneity in findings. Given that information is not available in all parts of Iran, a population-based study or the design and implementation of further research is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quality of work life (QWL) is considered as a universal concept in human resource management and organizational development, and its promotion is the key to the success of organizations' management. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the QWL in Iran through systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: In this study, all articles related to the QWL in Iran during the years 2011-2017 were systemically reviewed by searching national and international databases such as Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Springer, SID, Magiran, Barakat Knowledge Network System, Medlib, and the Google Scholar search engine using valid keywords. The results of the studies were combined using the random effects model. The heterogeneity of studies was studied using the I2 index. Data analysis was done using STATA ver 11. Results: The mean QWL score of 15,323 samples were 60.13, 36.80, 76.19, 58.90, 68.78, 50.69, 32.24, 8.01, 70.63, 39.70, and 44.41 based on Walton, Casio, Sirgy, Mirsepasi, SF-36, Ghasem zadeh, Dehghan, Dargahi, NIOSH, Venlar, Quality of nursing work life questionnaires, respectively. Meta-regression showed that the QWL of employees had no significant relationship with the sample size and years of research. Conclusions: The mean score of QWL in Iranian employees was 56.90, with the highest and the lowest score for the questionnaire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issues: Alcohol production, marketing and consumption are illegal in Iran. This systematic review examines the lifetime and last 12-month prevalence of alcohol consumption among the general and young population in Iran.Approach: We searched Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Iranian scientific databases (i.e. Scientific Information Database and Magiran) for relevant publications in English and Persian from inception to 12 May 2019. Following a random-effects meta-analysis, we estimated the pooled prevalence of alcohol consumption among the general population and young people (<30 years old). Meta-regression was used to identify potential sources of heterogeneity.Key Findings: Of the 2400 identified records, 62 met the inclusion criteria. The overall pooled prevalence of lifetime alcohol consumption among the general population and young people was 13.0% [95% confidence intervals (CI) 10.0, 16.0]. The overall pooled prevalence of last 12-month alcohol consumption was 12.0% (95% CI 7.0, 18.0) for the general population and 15.0% (95% CI 9.0, 22.0) for young people. The prevalence of alcohol consumption varied from 0.03% to 68.0% in different regions, 0.3% to 66.6% among males and 0.2% to 21.0% among females.Implications: Our findings highlight the need for public health surveillance of alcohol use in Iran.Conclusion: These estimates show that, on average, one in eight people in the general population have ever consumed alcohol in Iran, indicating that alcohol consumption is not an uncommon practice in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of Enterobius vermicularis (E. vermicularis) in appendectomies in Iran from 1993 to 2018. Methods: Data were systematically collected on the electronic databases including PubMed, GoogleScholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, Magiran, Irandoc (Bareket), IranMedex, and Scientific Information Database in English or Persian. Six articles including 29 694 cases of appendicitis with 258 positive cases of infection with E. vermicularis were eligible to enter into this systematic review and meta-analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of E. vermicularis in appendicitis in Iran was 1% (95%CI=0.00-0.02) with the highest rate of 3% (95%CI=0.02-0.03) and lowest rate of 0% (95%CI=0.00-0.01). Conclusions: Prevalence of E. vermicularis infectionin appendicitis in Iran is low and has no statistically significant correlation with age and gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a predictor of several diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, dyslipidemia, stroke, osteoarthritis, certain cancers, and death leading to public health concern in most societies. We aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence and incidence of MetS in Iranian population through a meta-analysis study. We included cross-sectional and cohort studies to estimate the overall prevalence and incidence rates of MetS in Iran National databases including MagIran, Science Information Database, IranMedex, and international databases including Medline, Web of Sciences, and Scopus were searched up to October 2017. Finally, 125 studies were included. The total sample size was 472,401 with a mean age of 38 ± 7.8 years. The overall pooled prevalence and incidence rate among the general population of Iran was 0.26 (95% CI: 0.26, 0.29) and 97.96 (95% CI: 75.98, 131.48), respectively. The pooled prevalence of MetS was higher in females and in urban areas. The highest and lowest prevalence of MetS was obtained by the Iranian definition criteria (0.43) and the NHANES III (0.12). The highest and lowest incidence rates of MetS were obtained by IDF (144.07 per 1000) and the JIS (89.73 per 1000). The prevalence of MetS was higher in women and those living in urban areas. Furthermore, the prevalence of MetS increased with increasing age in both genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Aromatherapy as an alternative and complementary medicine is a well-known method for reducing the symptoms of various physiological processes such as labor experience. The aim of this study was to systematically review the currently available evidences evaluating the use of aromatherapy for management of labor pain and anxiety. METHODS: In a systematic review, 5 databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Scientific Information Database [SID]) were searched, from database inception up to December 2019 . Keywords used included (aromatherapy OR ""essential oil" OR "aroma*") AND (pain OR anxiety) AND (labor OR delivery). Using the Cochrane Collaboration's 'Risk of bias' method; the risk of bias in the included studies was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 33 studies were verified to meet our inclusion criteria. Most of the included studies were conducted in Iran. Aromatherapy was applied using inhalation, massage, footbath, birthing pool, acupressure, and compress. The most popularly used essential oil in the studies was lavender (13 studies), either as a single essential oil or in a combination with other essential oils. Most of included studies confirmed the positive effect of aromatherapy in reducing labor pain and anxiety. CONCLUSION: The evidences from this study suggest that aromatherapy, as a complementary and alternative modality, can help in relieving maternal anxiety and pain during labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertension is a major cause of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of hypertension in cardiovascular patients in Iran by meta-analysis. Methods: The search was carried out using authentic Persian and English keywords in national and international databases including IranMedex, Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, IranDoc, Medlib, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar search engine without any time limitation until 2017. Heterogeneity of studies was assessed using I2 statistic . Data were analyzed using STATA 11.1. Results: In 66 reviewed studies with a sample of 111,406 participants, the prevalence of hypertension was 44% in Iranian patients with cardiovascular disease 67%(95%CI: 38%-49%) in women and 42% in men. The prevalence of systolic hypertension in cardiac patients was 25%, diastolic 20%, diabetes 27%, and overexposure 43%. The prevalence of hypertension was 44% in patients with coronary artery disease, 50% in myocardial infarction, 33% in aortic aneurysm, and 44% in cardiac failure. Conclusions: Hypertension has a higher prevalence in women with cardiovascular disease than men, and it increases with age. Among patients with cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction patients have the highest levels of hypertension. The prevalence of systolic hypertension in cardiac patients is higher than diastolic hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetics of sensorineural hearing loss is characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity. In spite of this, mutations in the SLC26A4 gene, have been reported to be the second most common contributor after those of GJB2 in many populations. However, different results have been reported for the frequency of SLC26A4 mutations in Iran, which varies between 0 and 12.3%. Here, we have taken together and reviewed the spectrum and frequency of the reported SLC26A4 mutations to provide a comprehensive collection of data for SLC26A4 mutations and HL in the Iranian population and considered founder mutations. A systematic literature review of the PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases was conducted for articles published before March 2019. The primary data of these studies including the number of samples, mutation frequency and so on were extracted. Nine studies involved 827 unrelated families were included and analyzed for the type and prevalence of the SLC26A4 gene mutations. Altogether 39 different genetic mutations were detected. SLC26A4 mutations were found to be 6.39% in the population studied which is significantly lower than that identified in the east Asia. However, c.1334T > G was the most common mutation accounting for 10% of the populations studied. This data gives an overview of the SLC26A4 mutations in Iran, which could be used for screening, diagnostic programs of live births and genetic counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tracheostomy is common among intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Reconsideration of tracheostomy indications in patients can be effective in modifying and reducing irrevocable patient complaints. The present study aimed to analyze the prevalence of tracheostomy indications and to estimate the prevalence of tracheostomy in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, scientific databases were searched from January 1990 to April 2018. The inclusion criteria were as follows: 1) use of the term "tracheotomy" in the title; and 2) studies conducted in Iran. On the other hand, the exclusion criteria were: 1) studies that did not specify the type of mechanical ventilation; 2) studies that did not quantitatively report the indications; 3) studies without access to the full-text; and 4) case studies, letters to the editor, and/or prefaces. Data were extracted from published reports. Our preliminary results included estimations of tracheostomy indications in Iran. Results: In the preliminary search, a total of 325 articles were found, 24 of which were considered eligible. Among 2860 patients who had undergone tracheostomy, 21 indications were identified. Decreased mental status, respiratory disease, and tumors were the most frequent indications. The prevalence of tracheostomy was 40.59% in Iran, with the highest and lowest rates reported in Birjand and Ardabil, respectively (136.50 and 6.63 in 100,000 people, respectively) based on the random effects model. Conclusion: The most prevalent indications in Iran are different from those reported in other countries. This difference may be due to the lack of trained medical personnel and available technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal near miss (MNM) is one of the important criteria for checking the quality of care in maternal health. This systematic review and meta analysis study was conducted in 2017 to evaluate the incidence ratio of MNM using the World Health Organization approach in Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was designed based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist for systematic reviews, and Web of Science and PubMed databases were searched systematically, which, respectively, yielded 171 and 137 papers published before June 9, 2017. To include papers written in Persian by Iranian scholars, Google Scholar database was searched and 542 papers were retrieved. Finally, 12 papers which had covered the topic more appropriately were included in the study. Random-effects meta- analysis was used to pool the incidence ratio. Heterogeneity was explored using formal tests and subgroup analyses, then the study quality was also explored. Results: The pooling of overall potentially life-threatening conditions ratio was I2 (97.60%, p < 0.001, ratio = 2.50/1000 live births [LBs] [95% CI: 2.00 3.00]), which is divided into two indicators: severe complication ratio (2.40/1000 LBs) and critical intervention ratio (2.54/1000 LBs). The pooling of overall life threatening conditions ratio was I2 (95.10%, p < 0.001, ratio = 0.86/1000 LBs [95% CI: 0.64 1.07]). Conclusions: The incidence ratio of MNM needs more attention in Iran. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the factors related to MNM and then implement suitable strategies to reduce the risk factors of the maternal morbidity and improve the quality of maternal care in facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To estimate the frequency of pneumococcal meningitis among patients with bacterial meningitis in Iran. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Scientific Information Database (www.sid.ir) were searched from 2000 to 2016 to identify studies on the frequency or prevalence of pneumococcal meningitis in Iran. Stata 14.0 (StataCorp, College Station, Texas, USA) was used to analyze the data. Results: Of the 131 records identified from the databases, 21 studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The analyses showed that 25.0% (95% CI: 19.0-32.0; I2=71%) of the confirmed bacterial meningitis (including children and adults) cases were caused by pneumococcus. Conclusions: The large fraction of meningitis cases caused by pneumococcus demonstrates that pneumococcal meningitis is a major public health problem in Iran, and the introduction of pneumococcal vaccines merits further attention from health authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trichomoniasis, due to Trichomonas vaginalis, is one of the most common sexually transmitted parasitic diseases in the world such as Iran. This systematic review aimed to explore the studies evaluating the medicinal herbs with anti-T. vaginalis activity which used in Iran. Methods: Articles published in 4 Persian and 4 English databases were obtained between 2000 and 2015 including Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Magiran, Barakatkns (formerly IranMedex), Elm net, and SID (Scientific Information Database). Studies out of Iran, studies on animal models and articles on other parasite species than T. vaginalis were excluded from this review. Results: Twenty-one articles including in vitro experiments, met our eligibility criteria. Thoroughly, 26 types of plants were examined against T. vaginalis. Medicinal herbs such as Artemisia, Zataria multiflora, and Lavandula angustifolia are remarkably effective on T. vaginalis. As such, use of other parts of these plants in different concentrations and timelines is recommended for future in vivo studies. Conclusion: The present systematic review provides comprehensive and useful information about Iranian medicinal plants with anti-T. vaginalis activity, which would be examined in the future experimental and clinical trials and herbal combination therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Cervix cancer (CC) is one of the major health problems among Iranian women and elsewhere around the world. Considering the importance of this cancer, this study was conducted to determine the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of CC in Iran. Methods A search was conducted using international databases (Medline/PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Embase and ISI/web of knowledge), and national databases (Scientific Information Database, MagIran, IranMedex, and IranDoc). This systematic review was carried out according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses check list in 2018. Thereafter, Persian and English language papers referring to the ASIR and ASMR of CC in Iran were included. Data were independently extracted by two reviewers. The Joanna Briggs checklist was carried out to evaluate the quality of studies. Result A total of 522 papers were obtained in the initial search of the databases, and 25 articles were included to the review by further refinement and screening. Based on the random-effect model, the ASIR and ASMR of CC in Iran was 2.14 per 100,000, 95% CI (1.89-2.38) and 0.93 per 100,000, 95% CI (0.81-1.05), respectively. Conclusion The incidence and mortality of CC in Iran was lower than other parts of the world. It should be noted that because of the high heterogeneity of the results of this study, we must judge with caution regarding the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing number of reports of Medication Errors (MEs) and the subsequent relevant damage, especially in the medical centres, have become a growing concern for patient safety in recent decades. Patient safety, particularly drug safety, is a major concern and the challenge for healthcare professionals around the world. Knowing the prevalence of MEs presented descriptively based on existing studies to approach systematic review. In first stages, journals were searched by using the online databases through Science Direct and EBSCO. The search used specific keywords such as 'medication errors' and 'administration errors'. As a result, this study reports about Medication Errors in several countries, including two largest hospital of Isfahan in Iran, University Teaching Hospital in Korea, Mansoura Teaching University Hospital, two cases reported in Bolak Eldakror Hospital in Egypt and Midnapore Medical College and Hospital in India. Medication Errors can be prevented by various strategies, such as implementing the six rights of medication administrations principle (right patient, right medication, right dosage, right route of administration, right time and right documentation) and as a control by using a 'double-check' or even 'triple check' procedures before giving the drug to the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Illicit drug use is a prevalent risk behavior among female sex workers (FSWs) as it increases the vulnerability of this marginalized population to negative health outcomes, including HIV infection. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the prevalence of injection and non-injection drug use among FSWs in Iran.Methods: Systematic searches of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO (for English records), along with Iranian databases including IranMedex, Iran Psych Magiran, Scientific Information Database, and Irandoc (for Farsi records) were conducted for studies published from inception through to July 2020. We included quantitative studies on injection and non-injection drug use among FSWs. The pooled prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of recent and lifetime drug injection and non-injection were estimated using random-effects meta-analysis.Results: Of 458 screened records, 19 met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of recent non-injection drug use and injection drug use was 56.94% (95% CI: 44.68, 68.78) and 5.67% (95% CI: 2.09, 10.73), respectively. Opium (33.00%, 95% CI: 24.53, 42.05) and crystal methamphetamine (20.68%, 95% CI: 13.59, 28.79) were the most prevalent recent non-injection drugs used. Additionally, the pooled prevalence of lifetime non-injection drug use was 76.08% (95% CI: 66.81, 84.27) and injection drug use was 10.72% (95% CI: 7.02, 15.07).Conclusions: This systematic review shows that drug use, both injection and non-injection, is prevalent among FSWs in Iran. These findings highlight the importance of evidence-based harm reduction and treatment programs to reduce the burdens of drug use and its associated potential consequences among these underserved women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Opioids addiction and misuse are among the major problems in the world today. There have been several preliminary studies examining the effect of methadone on depression among addicts, however, these studies have reported inconsistent and even contradictory results. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of methadone on depression in addicts in Iran and around the world, using a meta-analysis approach.Methods: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis including articles published in the SID, MagIran, IranMedex, IranDoc, Cochrane, Embase, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched systematically to find articles published from 2006 to March 2019. Heterogeneity index was determined using the Cochran's test (Qc) and I2. Considering heterogeneity of studies, the random effects model was used to estimate the standardized difference of mean score for depression. Subsequently, the level of depression reduction in Iran and worldwide in the intervention group before and after the testwas measured.Results: A total of 19 articles met the inclusion criteria, and were therefore selected for this systematic review and meta-analysis. The sample size of the intervention group in the selected studies was 1948. According to the meta-analysis results, the mean depression score in the intervention group was 26.4 ± 5.6 and 18.4 ± 2.6 before and after intervention respectively, indicating the reducing effect of methadone on depression, and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01).Conclusion: The results of the present study show that methadone significantly reduces depression in addicts. Therefore, regular methadone use can be part of a drug treatment plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hereditary hearing loss (HL) as a common disorder is genetically heterogeneous, which poses a challenge for clinical and molecular diagnosis. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have proven to be the best solution for mutational screening, even though it is not always conclusive. Here, we have reviewed the results of previously published data on HL mutations identified with NGS, as well as the efficiency of this technology in detecting HL in Iran. A systematic literature review of the PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases were conducted for articles published before May 2019. The primary data of these studies, including the number of samples, mutation frequency and so on were extracted. Seventy-five articles were reviewed, and 10 met our inclusion criteria. Totally 432 unrelated families were included and analyzed for the type and prevalence of the gene mutations and pathogenic variants were discovered in 34 non-syndromic HL (NSHL) genes. Altogether 237 different genetic mutations were detected. However, p. Gln1576Stop in PCDH15 was the most common mutation accounting for 1% of the populations studied. NGS platforms have yielded only a 47.1% molecular diagnosis rate for NSHL etiologies in the Iranian population, which is significantly lower than that identified in the other part of the Middle East. The results showed that NGS platforms can greatly assist and enhance HL diagnosis and improve molecular diagnostic outcome. However, researchers were unable to provide 53% of their Iranian cohort with a molecular diagnosis for their HL. It seems that many rare genes are responsible for the majority of HL in the Iranian cohort. Future explorative investigations utilizing NGS technologies, such as WES, into the Iranian population are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in the first 6 months of life is the best and most complete option for an infant, in that supplies the vitamins and minerals the baby needs. Several studies in Iran have been conducted concerning the prevalence of EBF. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of EBF in the first 6 months of life and associated factors in Iran synthesizing published studies.Methods: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, ISI/Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Directory of Open Access Journals Directory (DOAJ) and Google Scholar as well as Iranian databases (Barakathns, MagIran and the Scientific Information Database or SID) up to November 2018. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of studies. Analyses were performed by pooling together studies using DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model with 95% confidence interval. To test for heterogeneity, I2 test was used. The Egger's regression test and funnel plot were used to evaluate the publication bias. The strength of EBF determinants was assessed computing the Odds-ratios (OR) using the Mantel-Haenszel method.Results: In the initial search 725 records were found. Finally, 32 studies were selected based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. The sample size of studies varied between 50 and 63,071 subjects. The overall prevalence of EBF in Iran was 53% (CI 95%; 44-62). The OR for breastfeeding education received before pregnancy was 1.13 (0.94-1.36), for mother's job 1.01 (0.81-1.27), for education level 1.12 (0.89-1.42), for type of delivery 1.16 (0.98-1.37), and for gender of child 1.03 (0.83-1.28).Conclusion: In Iran health policy- and decision-makers should try to take interventions that encourage mothers to use their milk to breastfeed the infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]