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According to the World Health Organization report in 2020, the number of stroke deaths in Mongolia has reached 4,401, accounting for 19.84% of the total deaths, ranking as the second leading cause of death in Mongolia. Furthermore, the prevalence of diabetes has been steadily increasing for the last 20 years. In this case-control study (80 diabetic and 160 non-diabetic subjects), we analyzed data from two tertiary stroke centers over the past six months (June-December 2022). Inclusion criteria included patients over 18 years who presented to the emergency department with an acute ischemic stroke (I63 according to ICD 10). We reviewed and compared the data on clinical assessments such as the National Institutes of Health The Stroke Scale (NIHTSS), Glasgow Coma Scale and Modified Rankin Score, laboratory parameters, and TOAST classification of ischemic stroke between diabetic and non-diabetic patients in Mongolia. The mean age was 39.2±15.2, and 33.2% (n = 392) were male. The duration of diabetes in patients ranged from 0 to 23 years, and the median was 5.0. Mean glycated haemoglobin in subjects was 9.75±2.49%, and only 27.5% (n = 22) had HbA1c below 7.5%. Only BMI was significantly different in patients with diabetes compared to patients without diabetes (27.2±4.4 vs. 28.6±5.2). However, for other parameters, no significant difference was observed, but the NIHTSS at discharge was significantly higher in patients with diabetes. According to the TOAST classification, the risk of ischemic stroke caused by microangiopathy (18% vs 33.8%, p=0.142) and macroangiopathy (44.4% vs 57.5%, p=0.192) was 13-15% higher in people with diabetes than in people without diabetes. In regression analysis, patients with diabetes had a six times greater risk of ischemic stroke caused by atherosclerosis than non-diabetic patients. Most subtypes of stroke that occur in people with diabetes are caused by atherosclerosis, both large and small vessels.

There is no specific treatment for concussion in modern medicine; existing treatments are limited to resting and restoring cognition. For Mongolians, seeking concussion treatment from a bariachi, an advanced practitioner of the baria zasal traditional massage therapy, is very common. The baria zasal technique has been passed down the generations for millions of years, keeping with the Mongolian nomadic culture and way of life. However, this Mongolian treatment is little known or researched internationally. Due to the lack of literature on this subject, conducting a meta-analysis or systematic review was impossible. We reviewed the literature published in Mongolian about this technique. We also searched articles published from 1 January 1921 to 20 June 2021 in PubMed using "concussion", "baria zasal", and "Bariachi" keywords. Although informal observation indicates this is a commonly sought treatment among patients, there are very few published scientific articles about the practice outside the realm of cultural anthropology. This may be due to a few reasons: the informal, semi-religious setting in which the treatment takes place makes it difficult to conduct scientific field research; concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury, making it impossible to identify changes in the brain as a result of the treatment using imaging methods and therefore difficult to verify; and lastly, baria zasal is generally uncontested as a treatment even by Mongolian medical professionals, therefore it has not been the subject of empirical debate. Moreover, it is not classified under a specific system, each bariachi having its technique. As bariachis do not receive formal training, their treatments often depend on instincts, natural talents, and personal abilities. Therefore, it is recommended to study the techniques of baria zasal of concussion to explain its enduring popularity in Mongolia and to ascertain how it interacts with standard western medical treatment.

Cognitive impairment is common in elderly people, so it is considered an ageing disorder. However, cognitive decline, including dementia, can also occur in middle-aged people. Cognitive impairment is associated with multiple risk factors. We hypothesised that tooth loss might also be a potential risk factor among Mongolians, as oral health problems are one of the significant health issues in Mongolia, especially in middle-aged people. In this cross-sectional study, we used the baseline data from the Mon-Timeline cohort study, including people older than 40 years of age (n=279). The amount of tooth loss was assessed by a trained researcher. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was defined as those participants scoring a total of £ 24 points based on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Unadjusted analysis showed that having more tooth loss (>10) increased the risk of MCI by an odds ratio of 3.03 (1.49-6.17), as compared with having less tooth loss (£10). Even after adjusting for covariates, the association remained significant, suggesting that tooth loss is associated with MCI risk, independent of age, education, and other socioeconomic factors. There was no significant interaction effect of age in the association between tooth loss and MMSE scores. In conclusion, tooth loss may play a role in developing cognitive decline, especially in the early onset of dementia. Further studies are needed to investigate whether early tooth loss at younger ages is associated with dementia, especially among middle-aged people.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare neuromuscular disorder. Till now, there are no studies on the prevalence and incidence of MG in Mongolia. The current study aimed to elucidate the incidence of MG in Ulaanbaatar, the age of onset, and the gender distribution of Mongolian patients with MG. We conducted a cross-sectional, hospital-based study involving MG patients (n=48) all around Ulaanbaatar from 1 January 2015 to 1 January 2020. The clinical diagnosis was assessed with the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) classification system. The disease severity was evaluated by using Osserman’s classification. The diagnosis was confirmed with serological and electrophysiological tests. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. A total of 30 patients with MG were registered for the last five years in Ulaanbaatar. The average annual incidence of MG in Ulaanbaatar was 0.65 per 100,000 populations (95%CI 0.26-1.34), 0.60 in males (95%CI 0.25-1.28), and 0.69 in females (95%CI 0.33-1.46). The cumulative incidence in the study period was 3.2 per 100,000 populations. The ratio of males to females was 1:1,3. The median age for onset of MG was 33 years (ranging from 27 to 46 years); 43.3% of patients had ocular and 56.7% generalized symptoms at the disease onset. Only 23.3% of patients remained with purely ocular symptoms (Osserman I stage). The average incidence of MG between 2015 and 2020 was 6,5 per 1.000.000 population, and the annual incidence was relatively stable. Although ocular and generalized symptoms were observed each in about half of the cases, only one-fourth remained with pure ocular signs at the end of the review period.

Cognitive impairment is commonly associated with older people. It can also occur in middle-aged people due to non-communicable diseases. The prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases (non-communicable diseases) has been rapidly increasing in Mongolia. Therefore, we aimed to overview these studies to identify whether the increasing prevalence of non-communicable disease is associated with the risks of cognitive impairment in Mongolians. Published literature between 01 January 1980 and 20 June 2021 were included in the study. We searched articles published in journals registered to PubMed and doctoral and master's dissertations registered in the Central Medical Library of Mongolia using the following keywords: "cognitive impairment", "dementia", "mild cognitive impairment", "Alzheimer", "vascular dementia", “diabetes", "Mongolia", "obesity", "stroke", "hypertension". While there were no internationally published articles in this field, seven studies were either published in local research journals or as doctoral or master’s dissertations. Although few studies have been conducted in Mongolia, people with lifestyle-related conditions such as hypertension and diabetes are strongly associated with a higher risk of cognitive impairment. The increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases may be one of the factors contributing to the prevalence of vascular cognitive impairment.

Mongolia ranks third in the world in stroke-related deaths. Loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, known as sarcopenia, is associated with a higher risk of various metabolic disorders such as stroke. Thus, screening of sarcopenia is important. Hand-grip strength (HGS) can be used to predict sarcopenia in the short term. In this cross-sectional study, we used data (n=1180, mean age of 39.2 ± 15.2 and 33.2% males) from the Mon-Timeline cohort study, a multidisciplinary, prospective, population-based cohort study in Mongolia. A digital grip strength dynamometer (TKK 5401 GRIP D; Takei, Japan) was used to measure HGS. We performed binary logistic regression analysis between HGS and stroke risk. Suspected sarcopenia was defined when HGS is less than the 25th percentile of HGS. In this study, 3.3% of all participants had a stroke. The incidence of stroke was significantly higher (5.2% and 1.9%) in people with suspected sarcopenia. According to body composition, the incidence of stroke was more frequent in sarcopenic obese people: 1.3%, 2.4%, 2.8% and 6.2% in normal (non-obese and non-sarcopenic), sarcopenic (non-obese), obese (non-sarcopenic) and sarcopenic obese groups, respectively. In regression analysis, the OR (95% CI) was 2.84 (1.44; 5.59) for sarcopenic compared with non-sarcopenic. The adjustments for age, gender, education, body mass index, waist circumference and hypertensive status attenuated the associations, but lower HGS remained significantly associated with a higher risk of stroke. In conclusion, lower HGS was significantly associated with a higher risk of stroke independent of adiposity and hypertensive status in Mongolian adults.