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Objective: To determine the prevalence of HIV infection among homeless men and women and the related risk behaviors in Tehran, Iran. Methods: In 2007–2008, Tehran municipality stacked up 10672 homeless men and women for assessment of HIV and began collaboration with Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS (IRCHA) departments to conduct HIV infection prevalence surveys in homeless populations. The results were analyzed for associations with demographic information, family support, status of drug abuse and relation with family and friends. Results: Overall HIV prevalence was 1.7% (95% confidence interval 1.4–1.9). Factors independently associated with HIV infection included history of using drugs [AOR 8.15 (4.86–13.67)], older age [AOR 1.80 (1.08–2.99) for 40–55 yr], occupation [AOR 1.64 (1.19–2.24) for unemployed], and no relation with family [AOR 1.82 (1.30–2.54)]. Conclusions: This study supports the idea that injection drug use is contributing to the increased spread of HIV among Iranian homeless. Harm reduction programs should be expanded, particularly among homeless injection drug users.

Background: Cardiac complications are the primary cause of death in patients with b thalassemia major. QTc interval is an indicator of variability of ventricular repolarization and is supposed to be prominent in high risk patients. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the relationship between QTc interval in β thalassemia major in comparison with the control group. Patients and Methods: Sixty β thalassemia major and intermadia patients were enrolled in this analytical cross-sectional study. Thalassemia major and intermadia patients with no clinical symptoms of cardiac disease underwent echocardiographic and stress tests. QTc interval, blood pressure, heart rate, and average serum ferritin levels were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using version 15 SPSS. Results: Although there was no clinical or echocardiographic sign of cardiac disease and QTc intervals measured before the test were not significantly different between patients and control group (421.7 ± 29.6 vs. 412.4 ± 28.2, P = 0.06), we found that, during stress test, QTc intervals (452.7 ± 30.8 vs. 410.2 ± 26.2, P < 0.001) and heart rate (105 ± 15.1 vs. 89.7 ± 12.3, P < 0.001) were notably greater in β thalassemia major patients compared to the control group, respectively. Conclusion: We found augmented QTc intervals in this group of thalassemia major patients who have neither clinical nor electrocardiographic and gross echocardiographic signs of cardiac disease. QTc interval can be helpful in the cardiac assessment of thalassemia major patients.

We report a 45-year-old man with antroseptal myocardial infarction who developed bilateral basal alveolar infiltrates after initiating the fibrinolytic therapy. Although thrombolytic therapy with streptokinase is generally used in the course of acute myocardial infarction and has diminished morbidity and mortality, pulmonary hemorrhage is an uncommon, but a potentially life-threatening complication that should be regarded as one of the differential diagnoses of pulmonary infiltrates or dropping hemoglobin with no apparent bleeding site.

We present a 35-year-old man with history of Kawasaki disease who referred with myocardial infarction, and angiography, revealing aneurysm of left main and left anterior descending coronary arteries. The patient underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and thrombectomy and was discharged after 6 d. Coronary artery sequels of Kawasaki disease should be considered as one of the underlying causes of acute myocardial infarction in young adults.