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Abstract Vitamin D deficiency is common in many societies and causes rickets and non-skeletal disorders in children. There are no published data on vitamin D deficiency in Afghanistan. We, therefore, investigated the prevalence and associated factors of vitamin D deficiency in Afghan school children in Kandahar City, Afghanistan. This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted from September 2022 to April 2023 in 510 primary school students aged 6–15 years from six randomly selected schools. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression. Of the 510 enrolled children, 54.3% were boys and 91.8% were poor. The mean serum 25(OH)D concentration was 9.3 ng/mL. Vitamin D deficiency (

Background: Refractive errors are the most prevalent ocular conditions among adolescents and children. Aim: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the prevalence of refractive error (RE) among children aged 5–17 years in the Middle East Region. Method: The research adhered to the Preferred Reporting Criteria for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (2020) in conducting the study. A comprehensive search for relevant studies was conducted on multiple databases. The analysed dataset was classified based on gender and the methods employed to estimate REs. Results: The meta-analysis included data from 38 population-based studies in 11 countries, covering 103 053 children. The overall pooled prevalence rates of myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism were 5.74%, 5.35% and 13.16%, respectively. Females had slightly higher prevalence rates at 7.25%, 5.54% and 15.50%, compared to males at 6.09%, 5.07% and 12.20%, respectively. The prevalence of myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism was higher with cycloplegic refraction at 6.33%, 6.36% and 14.39%, respectively, compared with non-cycloplegic refraction at 4.07%, 2.73% and 9.64%, respectively. Significant heterogeneity was observed between the reviewed studies (p 0.0001). Conclusion: This meta-analysis revealed that astigmatism was the most common RE in Middle Eastern children aged 5–17 years, followed by myopia and hyperopia. There was no significant difference in the pooled prevalence of RE between genders. The findings indicated that myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism measurements varied between cycloplegic and non-cycloplegic refractions. Contribution: These findings concur with the global trend and emphasise the need for deliberate action to address childhood REs in the Middle East.

Jaiberth Antonio Cardona-Arias,1 Mauricio Vidales-Silva,1 Alexandra Ocampo-Ramírez,1 Luis Felipe Higuita-Gutiérrez,1,2 Juan Carlos Cataño-Correa3 1Escuela de Microbiología, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia; 2Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia sede Medellín, Medellín, Colombia; 3Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Fundación Antioqueña de Infectología, Medellín, ColombiaCorrespondence: Luis Felipe Higuita-Gutiérrez, Email hgfelipe87@gmail.comIntroduction: In Colombia, HIV and gestational syphilis are notifiable events; however, they are poorly investigated infections in men who have sex with men (MSM).Objective: To determine the prevalence of HIV, Treponema pallidum, and their co-infection in MSM treated at a Health Services Provider Institution (HSPI) specialized in infectious diseases from Medellín.Methods: Cross-sectional study with 3454 MSM. Prevalence was determined with its 95% confidence interval; associated factors were identified using Fisher’s Exact test, Pearson’s Chi-square, and trend Chi-square. Multivariate adjustment was performed using logistic regression. Analyses were performed using SPSS 29.0.Results: The prevalence of HIV was 5.7%, T. pallidum 0.7%, and co-infection 0.6%. The prevalence of HIV was higher in MSM aged between 24– 40 years (7.5%), with technical or university studies (10.0%), without health insurance affiliation (12.4%), and those who have had a sexual partner with HIV (36.2%). T. pallidum was higher in MSM without health insurance affiliation (3.4%), who had sexual relations with people diagnosed with an STI (5.9%), and a sexual partner with HIV (12.1%). Co-infection was higher in MSM without health insurance affiliation (2.7%), and those who had a partner with HIV (11.2%).Conclusion: Compared with the general Colombian population, MSM have a higher risk of HIV, but are similar to T. pallidum. The identification of the main associated factors in each infection demonstrates the need to prioritize subgroups of MSM that show greater vulnerability to these events. This research demonstrates the urgency of implementing health education strategies in MSM who have a sexual partner with HIV or other STIs. Large gaps were also evident in the magnitude of the three events according to the health insurance affiliation regime, which demonstrates problems of social and health injustice, especially with MSM without health insurance affiliation.Keywords: men who have sex with men, HIV, T. pallidum, syphilis, STI, coinfection, prevalence

Introduction Internationally, the prevalence of diabetes is increasing, and with this comes an increase in diabetes related complications. Diabetic foot disease is the most common lower extremity complication in people with diabetes causing 2% of the global disease burden. It, is associated with major morbidity, mortality, and costs to health services. Despite this burden, the incidence and prevalence of diabetic foot disease is unknown in Ireland. This paper presents a protocol for a systematic review to examine the incidence and prevalence of diabetic foot disease in the Irish population. Methods A systematic review will be performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Pubmed, EMBASE, and Lenus, the Irish Health Research repository, will be searched for publications in any language and without restrictions to date. Title, abstract, and full text screening will be carried out independently by two investigators. Publications reporting on the incidence or prevalence of peripheral neuropathy, peripheral artery disease, ulceration, or amputation in people with diabetes in Ireland, from a defined geographical catchment area of Ireland, will be included. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal tool will be used to assess included studies methodological quality. Results will be reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Conclusion The results of this systematic review can be used to inform appropriate stakeholders on the incidence and prevalence of diabetic foot disease in Irish populations, enabling decision making around appropriate use of resources to help prevent, and improve management of this disease. Systematic review registration CRD42023472904

Introduction: Tuberculosis is one of the oldest and best-known diseases that has been with mankind for many years. Despite the reduction of infectious diseases in Iran, tuberculosis still remains in some parts of the country, especially in the south of Iran. The aim of this study was the epidemiological investigation of tuberculosis in Sistan and Baluchistan Province. Methods: The current research was conducted cross-sectionally in 2022. The study population included all the patients with tuberculosis in Sistan and Baluchistan Province. Data were collected by census method and using standard checklist. Data analysis was done using SPSS v16 software and descriptive and analytical tests. Results: In this study, the files of 5382 patients with tuberculosis in Sistan and Baluchistan Province were examined. 2489 patients (42.6%) were men. The most affected group were 2309 elderly people (39.5%) and 20 patients (0.34%) with HIV. The number of 4309 patients (73.8%) were suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. There was a significant relationship between the elderly age group (P=0.04), female gender (P=0.02), non-Iranian nationality (P=0.02), and urban residences (P=0.03) with tuberculosis. However, no significant relationship was observed between marital status (P=0.06) and prison history (P=0.07). Conclusion: The incidence of tuberculosis fluctuated during the five years, but the overall incidence has been decreasing. Considering that some factors such as age groups, gender and symptoms such as cough, weight loss and chest pain increase the chance of contracting the disease. Therefore, doctors of health centers can take an important step in reducing the incidence of tuberculosis with timely visits and regular monitoring of the treatment process of patients.

Introduction: Acute poisoning is one of the critical causes of hospital admission in children worldwide. Understanding the clinico-demographic profile of childhood poisoning will help in developing targeted prevention strategies. This study aimed to find the prevalence of acute poisoning cases among children admitted to a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done among 4972 children admitted in the pediatric ward, High Dependency Care Unit, and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of a tertiary care hospital in Nepal. The data were collected from the hospital records from over three years between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022 after receiving ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee. A convenience sampling method was used. Data related to the clinical and demographic data were collected from the patients with acute poisoning and analyzed. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated. Results: Out of 4972 paediatric cases admitted to the hospital, acute poisoning was seen in 57 (1.14%) (0.81-1.39, 95% Confidence Interval) patients. Out of these acute poisoning cases, 31 (54.39%) were accidental. The mean age was 10.10±5.40 years with 35 (61.40%) patients from the adolescent age group. Conclusions: This study conducted in a Nepalese tertiary care hospital identifies acute poisoning as a notable concern among pediatric admissions.

Background: Substance use among adolescents carries a significant public health and socioeconomic burden with potential long-term consequences for the adolescent substance user (SU). Adolescents with mental health challenges are vulnerable to substance use and substance use worsens outcomes in this population. Aim: This study aimed to describe the substance use patterns among inpatients admitted to a specialised tertiary adolescent inpatient unit in Johannesburg over a 4-year period. Setting: This study was conducted at the Tara H. Moross Centre (Tara Hospital), in Johannesburg in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Methods: This was a retrospective comparative record review of all patients admitted to the adolescent unit over the 4 years. Results: A lifetime history of substance use was documented in 44.1% (n = 52) of the 118 patient’s records included in the final analysis. Cannabis was the most frequently used substance (n = 36, 69.2%). There were significant differences between the SU and substance nonuser groups regarding family structure (p = 0.012), family history of substance abuse (p = 0.046) and conflict within the family (p 0.001). Conclusion: The high prevalence of substance use in this sample demonstrates the dual burden of mental health disorders and substance use in an adolescent treatment programme in Johannesburg. Primary caregiver burden and relational difficulties within the family unit should be observed for planned multidisciplinary interventions. Contribution: The findings of this review provide an update on the pattern and prevalence of substance use among this adolescent mental healthcare user group, highlighting potential therapeutic targets.

Vitamin D deficiency is common in many societies and causes rickets and non-skeletal disorders in children. There are no published data on vitamin D deficiency in Afghanistan. We, therefore, investigated the prevalence and associated factors of vitamin D deficiency in Afghan school children in Kandahar City, Afghanistan. This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted from September 2022 to April 2023 in 510 primary school students aged 6-15 years from six randomly selected schools. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression. Of the 510 enrolled children, 54.3% were boys and 91.8% were poor. The mean serum 25(OH)D concentration was 9.3 ng/mL. Vitamin D deficiency (< 20 ng/mL) was detected in 436/510 (85.5%) children that was severe in 267/510 (52.4%). By logistic regression analysis, independent factors for vitamin D deficiency were: (i) older age group 11-15 vs. 6 - 10 years, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.8 (95% confidence interval 1.2-6.2), (ii) poverty AOR 2.0 (1.0-4.3), (iii) not doing outdoor physical activity AOR 4.8 (2.8-8.1), and (iv) daily sunlight exposure < 60 min AOR 2.2 (1.3-3.7). Although Kandahar is very sunny throughout the year, vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among school boys and girls, placing them at great risk of vitamin D-deficient rickets. More work is needed to define the country-wide prevalence of vitamin D deficiency to inform robust strategies of vitamin D supplementation, the provision of vitamin D-fortified food to the school children in Kandahar City and health education programs that can be conducted with the help of international organizations., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Internationally, the prevalence of diabetes is increasing, and with this comes an increase in diabetes related complications. Diabetic foot disease is the most common lower extremity complication in people with diabetes causing 2% of the global disease burden. It, is associated with major morbidity, mortality, and costs to health services. Despite this burden, the incidence and prevalence of diabetic foot disease is unknown in Ireland. This paper presents a protocol for a systematic review to examine the incidence and prevalence of diabetic foot disease in the Irish population., Methods: A systematic review will be performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Pubmed, EMBASE, and Lenus, the Irish Health Research repository, will be searched for publications in any language and without restrictions to date. Title, abstract, and full text screening will be carried out independently by two investigators. Publications reporting on the incidence or prevalence of peripheral neuropathy, peripheral artery disease, ulceration, or amputation in people with diabetes in Ireland, from a defined geographical catchment area of Ireland, will be included. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal tool will be used to assess included studies methodological quality. Results will be reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines., Conclusion: The results of this systematic review can be used to inform appropriate stakeholders on the incidence and prevalence of diabetic foot disease in Irish populations, enabling decision making around appropriate use of resources to help prevent, and improve management of this disease., Systematic Review Registration: CRD42023472904., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2024 Kavanagh S et al.)

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence of keratoconus in a population of subjects undergoing first eye examination in an eye clinic in Italy., Methods: A single-center, cross-sectional, study was conducted involving patients who underwent first eye examination at an eye clinic in Rome between September 2021 and June 2022. The prevalence of keratoconus was determined by Placido-disk corneal topography using the maximum keratometry (K max ) value and the Cone Magnitude and Location Index (CLMI) for keratoconus screening. Subjective analysis was performed by two experienced corneal specialists, who classified the outcome into two groups: normal and keratoconus. Risk factors, including family history of keratoconus, allergy or atopy, thyroid disease, eye rubbing habit and gender were also examined., Results: A total of 512 subjects between 7 and 81 years old were evaluated. The inter-observer agreement to classify subjects in normal or keratoconus group was excellent (k = 1.0); the estimated prevalence in the specific population was 2.1%. Presence of positive family history (9% of keratoconus vs 5% normal), concomitant allergy or atopy (27% vs 9%) and eye rubbing habit (18% vs 4%) were associated with a higher risk of disease., Conclusion: This study reported a high estimated prevalence of keratoconus in a metropolitan area of Italy, as found in recent studies in the Mediterranean and Middle East countries. Screening for keratoconus is highly recommendable and easily feasible with corneal topography under expert supervision and may be indicated primarily in young population to improve early detection and prompt therapeutic management for halting disease progression., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a chronic lung disease that causes breathing difficulties and obstructs airflow from the lungs, has a significant global health burden and affects millions of people worldwide. The use of pharmaceuticals in COPD treatment is aimed to alleviate symptoms, improve lung function, prevent exacerbations, and enhance the overall quality of life for patients. Nanotechnology holds great promise to alleviate the burden of COPD. The main goal of this review is to present the full spectrum of therapeutics based on nanostructures for the treatment and management of COPD, including nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, solid-lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, exosomes, nanoemulsions, nanosuspensions, and niosomes. Nanotechnology is just one of the many areas of research that may contribute to the development of more effective and personalized treatment modalities for COPD patients in the future. Future studies may be focused on enhancing the therapeutic effectiveness of nanocarriers by conducting extensive mechanistic investigations to translate current scientific knowledge for the effective management of COPD with little or no adverse effects., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Arthritis is a medical condition that affects the joints and causes inflammation, pain, and stiffness. There are different types of arthritis, and it can affect people of all ages, even infants and the elderly. Recent studies have found that individuals with diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are more likely to experience arthritis symptoms. According to the World Health Organization, over 21% of people worldwide suffer from musculoskeletal problems. Roughly 42.19 million individuals in India, constituting around 0.31% of the populace, have been documented as having Rheumatic Arthritis (RA). Compared to other common diseases like diabetes, cancer, and AIDS, arthritis is more prevalent in the general population. Unfortunately, there is no specific cure for arthritis, and treatment plans usually involve non-pharmacological methods, surgeries, and medications that target specific symptoms. Plant-based remedies have also been shown to be effective in managing inflammation and related complications. In addition to therapies, maintaining a healthy diet, exercise, and weight management are essential for managing arthritis. This review discusses the causes, prevalence, diagnostic methods, current and prospective future treatments, and potential medicinal plants that may act as anti-inflammatory or anti-rheumatic agents. However, more research is necessary to identify the underlying mechanisms and active molecules that could improve arthritis treatment., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)