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Background of the Study: Childhood obesity, in addition to the likelihood of its continuation in adulthood, is associated with an increase in mortality and various diseases. Purpose of the Study: This meta-analytic study aimed at determining the prevalence of obesity among Iranian children. Methodology: Two researchers independently searched national and international databases using MeSH, Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Springer, Magiran, Iranmedex, SID, Medlib, and the Google Scholar search engine. The heterogeneity between studies was evaluated using the I2 index. Data were analyzed using STATA software. This study was conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Results: Among 93 studies with a sample size of 3,845,768, the prevalence of obesity in Iranian children was 7% (girls 8% and boys 10%), and the prevalence of overweight was 12% (girls 17% and boys 15%). The incidence rate of obesity in children was 13% based on US centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) 2000 reference, 11% on international obesity task force (IOTF) reference, 9% on World Health Organization reference, 9% on Iranian reference, 5% on CDC reference, and 3% on national center for health statistics (NCHS) reference. Meta-regression diagram also showed that the prevalence of obesity in children was not dependent on sample size. However, the prevalence of obesity declined during the years 1999–2016, which was statistically significant. Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity in Iranian children was less than of their overweight. On the other hand, the prevalence of childhood obesity in girls was lower than that of boys, and the prevalence of child overweight among girls was higher than that of boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood obesity is increasing around the world. Compared with developed countries, the rate of increase is 30% higher in developing countries, where the monitoring of obesity and overweight is essential. This study investigated the prevalence of obesity, overweight, thinness, and stunting in primary school students in Shahroud, Iran. Methods: A total of 5,620 primary students were enrolled during 2015. In rural areas all students were invited to participate, while cluster sampling was used in urban areas and 200 classrooms were selected randomly as clusters. Height, weight and body mass index Z‐scores for age (HAZ, WAZ and BAZ) were calculated based on World Health Organization standard. The mean indices and prevalence of obesity, overweight, thinness, and stunting were calculated by education level, gender, and place of residence. Prevalence of obesity and overweight was estimated also by international obesity task force definition. Results: The mean WAZ, HAZ, and BAZ were 0.050 ± 1.25, 0.005 ± 0.98, and 0.076 ± 1.35, respectively. These indices in rural areas were significantly lower than those in urban areas (P < 0.001). Overall, 25.7% of children in urban areas (95%CI: 24.1–27.4) and 14.8% in rural areas (95%CI: 12.3–17.3) were overweight or obese, and 5.1% of rural girls (95%CI: 3.1–7.0) were stunted. Conclusions: Compared with previous studies, obesity and overweight are still rising in Iranian school children, thus more serious interventions are needed. These interventions must also deal with underweight and stunting, particularly in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: Optimal doses of vitamin D (VitD) supplement in different populations are unclear. We aim to evaluate the relationship between VitD supplementation and post-intervention serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration, to provide a recommended dosage of VitD for achieving an optimal 25(OH)D concentration for different populations.Subjects/methods: Literature search was conducted in Embase, etc. Randomized controlled trials about VitD supplemental intakes and their effect on 25(OH)D concentration were enrolled. The effect on 25(OH)D concentration between different supplementation doses in each population group was compared by meta-analysis. Multivariate meta-regression model is utilized to establish reference intake dosage of VitD.Results: A total of 136 articles were included about children (3-17 years), adults (18-64 years), postmenopausal women, the elderly ( >64 years), pregnant, or lactating women. Overall, intervention groups obtained higher 25(OH)D concentration than controls and there was obvious dose-response effect between intake dose and 25(OH)D concentration. Baseline 25(OH)D concentration and age were significant indicators for 25(OH)D concentration. To reach sufficient 25(OH)D concentration (75 nmol/L), the recommended VitD supplemental intakes was 1340 and 2250 IU/day for children and pregnant women, 2519 and 797 IU/day for European adults aged 18-64 and 65-85 years, 729, 2026, and 1229 IU/day for adults in North America, Asia and Middle East and Africa, respectively.Conclusions: Regional- and age-specific recommended dosages of VitD supplements for population to achieve optimal 25(OH)D concentrations have been suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Blastocystis hominis is a very common large intestinal protozoan with global prevalence in humans and non-human hosts. No precise statistics exist regarding the geographical distribution of Blastocystis that would enable the identification of high-risk communities. Therefore, the current research aimed to characterize the spatial patterns and demographic factors associated with B. hominis occurrence in northern Iran.Methods: The current study was performed among 4,788 individuals referred to health centers in Mazandaran Province, from whom stool samples were obtained. Socio-demographic data were gathered using a questionnaire. Samples were examined by a direct wet mount, the formalin-ethyl acetate concentration technique, and trichrome staining. Moran local indicators of spatial association and a geographically weighted regression model were utilized to analyze the results.Results: Generally, the infection rate of Blastocystis parasites was 5.2%, and was considerably higher in the age group of 10-14 years (10.6%) than in other age groups (p=0.005). Our data showed important associations between the occurrence of B. hominis and age, residence, job, contact with domestic animals, anti-parasitic drug consumption, and elevation above sea level (p<0.001).Conclusions: The current study characterized for the first time the infection rate and risk of B. hominis in the north of Iran, and produced a prediction map. It is expected that this map will help policymakers to plan and implement preventive measures in high-risk areas and to manage already-infected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) were reported to be associated with plasma lipid and glucose levels. However, interplays of PTSD with GHSR on plasma lipid and glucose levels have not been explored yet. This study was to investigate the interplays of PTSD and GHSR rs495225 on plasma glucose and lipid profiles. A total of 709 high school students were recruited at 6 months after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Variants of GHSR rs495225 were identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses and verified by DNA sequencing. The PTSD Checklist Civilian Version (PCL-C) was used to assess PTSD. There was no significant difference of PTSD prevalence between the TT homozygotes and the C allele carriers. However, the students with PTSD had significantly lower levels of glucose, insulin and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) than the students without PTSD in the C allele carriers of GHSR rs495225 after the adjustment for age, gender and body mass index (BMI), but higher levels of TG and TG/HDL-C in the TT homozygotes. Meanwhile, the TT homozygotes had lower levels of HDL-C than the C allele carriers in the students without PTSD, but higher levels of insulin and HOMA-IR in the subjects with PTSD. After the adjustment of age and gender, and additional adjustment for BMI, the results were not changed except the difference of insulin was only a tendency (p = 0.054) after the additional adjustment for BMI. PTSD may augment TG levels and the related lipid ratio TG/HDL-C in the TT homozygotes of GHSR rs495225 but decrease the levels of glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR in the C allele carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and dinner consumption in a nationally representative sample of Iranian adolescents. Methods: The present study was conducted on 5642 adolescents aged 10-18 years old in 27 provinces in Iran. The subjects were included applying by multistage random cluster sampling. Participants who ate ≥5 dinners during a week were considered as a dinner consumer. Results: Among 5642 subjects, 1412 (25%) did not consume dinner. Dinner consumers were less likely to be overweight or obese (P < 0.001) and abdominally obese (P < 0.001) as well as to have an abnormal level of HDL-C (P = 0.02). Dinner skipper youths had a higher risk for overweight or obesity (odds ratio [OR]: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.39-1.89) and abdominal obesity (OR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.36-1.85) which remained significant after adjusting confounding factors (P <0001). No relationship was observed between dinner consumption and the rest of the CVD risk factors, neither in crude nor in adjusted models. A higher proportion of dinner-consumer adolescents had no CVD risk factors in comparison to dinner-skipper subjects (31.1% vs. 28%). Conclusion: Eating dinner might be inversely associated with some CVD risk factors among Iranian adolescents. Further prospective studies will need to prove this theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rural communities of the sub-Sahara regions in Africa are rich in diverse indigenous culinary knowledge and foods, food crops, and condiments such as roots/tubers, cereal, legumes/pulses, locust beans, and green leafy vegetables. These food crops are rich in micronutrients and phytochemicals, which have the potentials to address hidden hunger as well as promote health when consumed. Some examples of these are fermented foods such as ogi and plants such as Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf), Zingiber officinales (garlic), Hibiscus sabdariffa (Roselle), and condiments. Food crops from West Africa contain numerous bioactive substances such as saponins, alkaloids, tannins, phenolics, flavonoids, and monoterpenoid chemicals among others. These bioresources have proven biological and pharmacological activities due to diverse mechanisms of action such as immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and antioxidant activities which made them suitable as candidates for nutraceuticals and pharma foods. This review seeks to explore the different processes such as fermentation applied during food preparation and food crops of West-African origin with health-promoting benefits. The different bioactive compounds present in such food or food crops are discussed extensively as well as the diverse application, especially regarding respiratory diseases. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The plants and herbs summarized here are more easily accessible and affordable by therapists and others having a passion for promising medicinal properties of African-origin plants.The mechanisms and unique metabolic potentials of African food crops discussed in this article will promote their applicability as a template molecule for novel drug discoveries in treatment strategies for emerging diseases. This compilation of antiviral plants will help clinicians and researchers bring new preventive strategies in combating COVID-19 like viral diseases, ultimately saving millions of affected people., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Purpose Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex disorder that exacerbates the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus; some studies have indicated the beneficial effects of green tea on human health. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of green tea consumption on the MetS indicators in women.Design/methodology/approach A randomized clinical trial was carried out on 70 eligible women with confirmed diagnosis of MetS who visited Shabani Diabetes Clinic (Isfahan, Iran). Participants were randomly divided into two groups. Participants in the Green Tea Group were asked to consume three 200 cc of green tea in the morning, at noon and at night for eight weeks, while people in the control group were asked to take identical amount of lukewarm water at the same schedule. Anthropometric indicators, blood pressure, blood sugar, lipid profile, diet and physical activity were assessed at the beginning and the end of the study.Findings An independent t-test showed that weight (p = 0.001), body mass index (p = 0.001), waist circumference (p < 0.001) and waist–hip ratio (p = 0.02), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.04), fasting blood glucose (p = 0.01) and low density lipoprotein (p = 0.03) changed significantly more in the Green Tea Group than in the control group; but no such inter-group difference was observed in diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride, total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL) values (p > 0.05).Originality/value Regular consumption of green tea for eight weeks significantly improved anthropometric indices, blood pressure, blood sugar and lipid profile in women with MetS. Therefore, this beverage can serve as part of an effective dietary strategy to control MetS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Previous evidence suggests that metabolic disorders in postmenopausal women could be related with low serum vitamin D levels. For example, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), mainly those related with metabolic syndrome. Objective. To assess the relationship between the serum vitamin D (25-OH-D) levels and the metabolic syndrome markers in postmenopausal women. Methods. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in 183 postmenopausal women of four municipalities from Colombian Caribbean. The serum 25-OH-D levels and the anthropometric and biochemical markers were assessed and correlated with metabolic syndrome. Results. The average value of serum vitamin D (25-OH-D) was 26.34 ± 9.08 ng/mL, and 69.95% of the women had vitamin D levels <30 ng/mL, of which 43.72% were with insufficiency (<30 to >20 ng/mL) and 26.23% with deficiency (<20 ng/mL). Of the evaluated women, the 81.42% seemed to have metabolic syndrome. Through the linear regression, one significant positive association was observed between the HDL cholesterol and the 25-OH-D levels (P=0.014). Conclusion. In the evaluated population in this study, vitamin D deficiency is related with low HDL cholesterol levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There is no definitive finding about the association between vitamin D deficiency and autoimmune hypothyroidism. On the other hand, there is evidence that trace elements such as zinc undergo changes in the presence of hypothyroidism. This study was aimed to compare the prevalence of vitamin D and zinc deficiency in patients with hypothyroidism and healthy people in Birjand in the winter of 2016. Materials and Methods: In this case control study, 50 hypothyroid patients referred to endocrinology clinic of Vali-e-Asr Hospital in Birjand and 50 healthy subjects were selected from the general population. The two groups were matched in terms of age, gender and body mass index. After obtaining informed consent, blood samples received from participants and sent to laboratory for Vitamin D, Ca, Zinc, TSH and Anti TPO measurement. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 19 with the help of Chi-square, independent T test, Mann Whitney test, Pearson and Spearman Correlation tests and logistic regression test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Overall 88% of patients and 68% of healthy subjects suffered from vitamin D deficiency (P = 0.016). 16% of the case group and 4% of the control group suffered from zinc deficiency (P = 0.046). In the case group, TSH was inversely and significantly associated with vitamin D (r = -0.530, P <0.001) and calcium (r = - 0.551, P <0.001) and correlated directly and significantly with Anti TPO (r = 0/628, P <0.001). Also Anti TPO was inversely and significantly correlated with vitamin D (r = - 0.286, P = 0.44). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the prevalence of vitamin D and zinc deficiency in patients with hypothyroidism is significantly higher than the normal people. It is recommended that people with hypothyroidism be monitored for vitamin D and zinc deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the human stomach. Infection with this microaerophilic bacterium causes gastric and duodenal ulcer. This study sought to isolate H. pylori, from gastric biopsy samples of dyspeptic patients in Ghana using a 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) dye incorporated medium method. This TTC dye method was further used in an antimicrobial susceptibility assay involving Dissotis rotundifolia extract (DRE). H. pylori were successfully isolated from gastric biopsy of dyspeptic patients. Pure cultures of H. pylori in 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) dye incorporated medium were seen as sparkling colonies. Isolates, identified as H. pylori, were gram-negative and urease, catalase, and oxidase positive and showed characteristic morphology as spiral-shaped bacteria under the microscope. The organisms were found to be susceptible to cephalothin and resistant to nalidixic acid. Above all, the observation that H. pylori grew only at 37°C and not 25°C or 42°C affirms that the bacterium is neither Helicobacter cinaedi nor Helicobacter fenneliae. The anti-H. pylori study depicts a statistically lower zone of inhibition for DRE compared to standard drugs [amoxicillin and clarithromycin] (p<0.05), whereas metronidazole showed no zone of inhibition. This study reports the first successful isolation and culturing of H. pylori in Ghana using TTC dye. It also shows that DRE possess an in vitro anti-H. pylori activity and that DRE has some therapeutic potential against H. pylori infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children (aged 5-12 years) and adolescents (aged 12-19 years) in Asian countries. Study design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Material and Methods: We comprehensively searched specialised databases for relevant studies conducted in Asian countries between January 1, 1999, and May 30, 2017. Random effects models (using the DerSimonian-Laird method) and generic inverse variance methods were used for quantitative data synthesis. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using the 'leave-one-out' method. Heterogeneity was quantitatively assessed using the I2 index. Systematic review registration: CRD42016033061.Results: Among 22,286 identified citations, 41 studies met the inclusion criteria with n = 71,998 and n = 353,513 for children and adolescents. The pooled prevalence (overall, boys and girls) was 5.8% (n = 4175), 7.0% (n = 2631) and 4.8% (n = 1651) for obesity in children aged 5-11 years; 8.6% (n = 30,402), 10.1% (n = 17,990) and 6.2% (n = 10,874) for obesity in adolescents age 12-19 years. For overweight in children the values for overall, boys and girls were 11.2% (n = 7900), 11.7% (n = 4280) and 10.9% (n = 3698) respectively; and for overweight in adolescents, 14.6% (n = 46,886), 15.9% (27,183), and 13.7% (20,574). These findings were robust in sensitivity analyses. In children and adolescents a higher percentage of boys than girls are obese (children = 7.0 vs. 4.8%, adolescents = 10.1 vs. 6.2%, p < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, in children and adolescents a higher percentage of boys than girls are overweight (children = 11.7 vs. 10.9%, adolescents = 15.9 vs. 13.7%, p < 0.001, respectively).Conclusions: In view of the number of children who are overweight or obese, the associated detrimental effects on health, and the cost to health-care systems, implementation of programmes to monitor and prevent unhealthy weight gain in children and adolescents is needed throughout Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Garlic may be protective against Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric cancer development. We conducted this study to quantitatively update evidence on garlic intake and gastric cancer with the inclusion of most recent cohort studies and qualitatively summarize epidemiological studies of garlic consumption and Helicobacter pylori infection. Materials and Methods: PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library were searched on April 2018. We conducted a meta‐analysis to determine whether garlic intake reduced gastric cancer risk using random‐effect models and a systematic review to summarize evidence on the association between garlic consumption and Helicobacter pylori infection. Risk of bias was assessed using tools of Cochrane risk of bias and Robins‐I for randomized and nonrandomized studies, respectively. Results: Meta‐analysis of 18 studies (142 921 subjects) demonstrated high garlic consumption (as comparing the highest category to the lowest) was associated with a reduced gastric cancer risk (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.44‐0.57). This association became nonsignificant if only derived from the prospective studies (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.66‐1.24). Thirteen studies (4889 participants) were included in the systematic review for garlic consumption and Helicobacter pylori infection; ten of which found no significant results. The majority of these studies were poor in quality given the small sample size and high risk of bias. Conclusions: Pooled evidence, mainly from case‐control studies, suggested a significant inverse association of garlic intake with gastric cancer risk. Given the limitations of included studies, current epidemiological evidence is not sufficient to reach any definite conclusion regarding the association of garlic with Helicobacter pylori infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children's health, preserving and promoting it is a health priority of any society. Malnutrition affects all age groups, but malnutrition in children is one of the most common nutritional problems that can delay body growth, shortened height, frequent infections, mental retardation, the prevalence of mental disorders, lack of academic achievement and reduced efficacy. Because of the importance and impact of this issue in children, the purpose of this study was a systematic review and metaanalysis of the prevalence of underweight in Iranian children, in order to highlight the importance of this issue to health policy-makers. Methods: A meta-analysis was performed for relevant articles in scientific databases including Scientific Information Database (SID), ScienceDirect, PubMed and Google Scholar. Entrance criteria included cross-sectional studies (March 1996 to February 2017) that had a low incidence of underweight in Iranian children in different parts of Iran. Non-relevant articles included review articles, interventions, cohorts and case studies, and studies that looked at obesity, overweight and the relationship between these factors and other diseases, excluded from the study list. Reference lists of identified articles were reviewed for additional articles. Heterogeneity of study was checked using I2 index and the possibility of publication bias by funnel plot and Begg and Mazumdar's rank correlation test and a significance level of 0.1. Data were analyzed using the comprehensive meta-analysis software, version 3 (Biostat, Englewood, NJ, USA). Results: In 26 articles reviewed in the study, total number of participants was 142938 persons at the age of 1 month to 12 years. The overall prevalence of underweight in Iranian children was 15.5% (Cl 95%: 12%-19.7%) during 1996 to 2017. The highest prevalence of underweight in was recorded in Birjand city in 2006 and Zahedan city in 2009, 68.6% (Cl 95%: 63.3%-72.9%) and the lowest prevalence of underweight in was found in city of Jahrom in 2013, 1.8% (Cl 95%: 1.2%-2.9%). Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the prevalence of low-birth-weight in the country is high and requires interventional measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Giardia lamblia is the most prevalent intestinal parasites of humans in Iran and other in the world although information on geographical distribution of giardiasis plays significant role in identifying communities at high risk, little attention has been paid to study human giardiasis using geographical information system. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to determine temporal and spatial patterns of human giardiasis distribution to identify possible high risk areas and seasons in northern Iran. A total of 4788 people referred to health centers in the Mazandaran Province of northern Iran were surveyed January to December 2015. From each person stool sample and questionnaire with socio-demographic data were collected. Giardia infection was diagnosed using direct wet mount, formalin ether concentration and trichrome staining. The results were analyzed using Moran Local Indicators of spatial association and geographically weighted regression. The overall prevalence of Giardia infection was 4.6% (222/4788), and was significantly higher among those aged 5-9 years compared to their older peers (P < 0.0001). Our data showed a significant dependency between the prevalence of G. lamblia and age, job, residence, season and height from the sea (P < 0.0001). The results of this study provided a precise and specific spatial and temporal pattern of human giardiasis distribution in the Mazandaran Province, Iran. These evidences should be considered for proper control of disease decisions and strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Gastrointestinal disease is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world. One of the most important causes is Helicobacter pylori infection. Considering the importance of this bacterium and its different prevalence in different parts of the country, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and its related factors in 9-15 year old asymptomatic children in Birjand city. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 332 children aged 9 to 15 years old in Birjand, in 1395. Individuals who had inclusion criteria were selected by multi-stage sampling. The demographic profile including age, sex, duration of breastfeeding, number of households, and number of yoghurt consumption per week, were completed for children. Helicobacter pylori stool antigen test was used in feces to evaluate Helicobacter pylori infection. Data were analyzed using Chi-square and Fisher's exact test at a significant level of 0.05. Results: Of the 332 children studied, 59 (17.8%) children had Helicobacter pylori infection. Our results showed no significant relationship between sex and duration of lactation with Helicobacter pylori infection (p> 0.05). However, with increasing age and number of family members, Helicobacter pylori infection was significantly increased (p <0.05). By increasing the consumption of yogurt per week, Helicobacter pylori infection was significantly reduced (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Due to the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and less frequently in dairy consumers should be given the necessary training for families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Hypertension is a common component of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Some studies showed that L-arginine reduced the blood pressure (BP). Therefore this study was designed to evaluate the effect of L-arginine supplementation on BP in MetS. Materials and Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, 60 patients with MetS were randomly divided into two groups: the L-arginine-supplemented group (AG), who received 5 gr of L-arginine daily and placebo group (PG). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse pressure (PP) were measured before and after the intervention and compared. Results: At the end of the study in the AG significant reductions were observed in the SBP, DBP and MAP (P-value:0.001). The comparison of changes in variables between the AG and PG indicated that in the AG, patients had a significantly greater decrease in the SBP (-11.25±10.93 vs. -2.67±6.15 mmHg: P-value:0.001), DBP(-5.71±7.16 vs. -1.25±7.02 mmHg: p-value: 0.02) and MAP (-7.55±5.61 vs.-1.72±5.16 mmHg, P-value: 0.001). The PP decreased in both groups but a significant decrease compared with baseline in the AG was observed (-5.53±13.83 vs. -1.42±9.21 mmHg: P-value: 0.19). Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that 5 gr/d L-arginine supplementation for 12 weeks in MetS resulted in significant decrease in the SBP, DBP and MAP but had no significant effect on the PP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of hypocalcaemia and hypomagnesaemia in paediatric patients suffering from febrile seizures. Study Design: Cross-sectional validation study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pediatrics, Pak-Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, Jul 2021 to Feb 2022. Methodology: We included 87 patients between the ages of 1-6 years with ongoing febrile illness who had a history of febrile seizures. Those with a history of febrile seizures within the last month, suffered from organic brain disease or were on drugs that altered serum calcium and magnesium levels were excluded. Patients were tested for serum magnesium and calcium on admission and remained admitted throughout the febrile period for observation of the development of seizures. Results: The mean age ± standard deviation of our sample was 3.23±1.50 years, with 46(52.9%) males. The serum magnesium levels demonstrated that 46(52.9%) had hypomagnesaemia at a cut-off of 1.4 mEq/L, which had a sensitivity of 70.3%, a speci-ficity of 55.0% and diagnostic accuracy of 59.8% in predicting the development of febrile seizures. Serum calcium levels at a cut-off of 8.8 mg/dL showed that 36(41.4%) had hypocalcaemia, which carried a sensitivity of 48.2%, a specificity of 61.7% and a diagnostic accuracy of 57.5%. Conclusion: Both serum magnesium and calcium levels had comparable diagnostic accuracy in predicting whether a patient with a history of febrile seizures would go on to develop febrile seizures during the current illness. However, the individual diagnostic accuracy for this prediction could have been higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are emerging public health challenges in sub-Saharan Africa which have been given little research focus among adolescents. The behavioural and cardiometabolic factors that drive these conditions have hardly been documented among adolescents in Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of prediabetes among 500 in-school adolescents and their fasting blood glucose pattern in Ibadan, Nigeria. Potential factors including blood pressure, anthropometric measurements and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were assessed. Prediabetes was defined as FBG between 100 -125 mg/dl. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate logistic regression at 5 % level of significance. The overall prevalence of prediabetes among the adolescents was 4.0 % 95 % CI (2.2-5.7 %) and the mean FBG of adolescents was 85.3 ± 8.2. Males compared to females had significantly higher levels of FBG-mean difference [1.65:95 % CI (0.017-3.14) p = 0.03]. Factors that increased the odds for prediabetes included frequent consumption of carbonated drinks (OR = 1.45; 95 % CI 0.46-3.30; p = 0.48), attending a private school (OR = 2.58; 95 % CI 0.77-9.0; p = 0.66) elevated blood pressure (OR = 2.04; 95 % CI 0.57-7.35; p = 0.57) and being overweight or obese (OR = 2.91; 95 % CI 0.38-22.3; p = 0.30). Correspondingly, while those who skipped breakfast [1.29;95 % CI (−0.23;−2.8) p = 0.096] had higher FBG, those who walked daily back from school [−2.07;95 % CI (−3.55; − 0.59) p = 0.01] had significantly lower FBG. Prediabetes and risk factors are prevalent among the secondary school adolescents in Ibadan. Surveillance of potential risk factors through school-based screening among adolescents is crucial for prevention and early intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori is involved in the pathogenesis of gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. The infection is prevalent in more than half of the world's population. Although the infection may lead to detrimental consequences, still the majority of the infected individuals only develop mild gastritis. Several factors are behind this paradoxical outcome including virulence of the infecting H. pylori strains, genetic background of the host, and factors related to lifestyle such as dietary habits. Among these, lifestyle including dietary factors was not in the limelight, until recently, as one of the important factors that could modulate H. pylori-linked gastric diseases. This review is directed to gather and elucidate the role of dietary components in augmenting or attenuating pathological processes initiated by H. pylori. Available evidence strongly supports the notion that the diet may play a critical role in defining the final outcome of H. pylori infection particularly if certain dietary components are taken on a regular basis for a long time. Despite a recent surge in research related to the role of dietary ingredients, further studies involving large-scale clinical trials are required to gain a better understanding of the precise role played by the dietary ingredients in H. pyloriassociated pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intestinal parasite infection is one of the major health problems in the world especially in the developing countries. Objectives: This study was an attempt to examine the prevalence of intestinal parasite infection in the day care centers in Gonbad-e Kavus. Methods: In this cross sectional study, 932 children were recruited from 45 day care centers in Gonbad-e Kavus in Iran, through a survey and their stool samples were examined using direct wet mount, formalin-ether concentration and Trichrome staining techniques. Also, scotch tape slides were microscopically analyzed. Data were analyzed using percentage, frequency and Chi-square test using SPSS ver.16. Odds Ratio was used show the effect size of socio-demographic variables on the rate of intestinal parasite infection. Results: The prevalence of intestinal parasite infections among the children was 26.6%. This study found a significant relationship between the children age, parent education and the place of residency with the rate of intestinal parasite infection (P < 0.05). The children in rural areas were 1.55 times more likely than the children in urban areas to be infected with intestinal parasites (OR = 1.55). Moreover, the results of this study showed that an increase in parent's education for one level decreased the risk of infection in their children by 6% (OR = 0.94). Also, with a rise in the age of participants for a year, the risk of infection increased by 44% (OR = 1.44). Conclusions: Due to the high rate of intestinal parasite infections among children, parents and child care workers need to learn about the various means by which parasites can be transmitted in day care centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in primary school children in Bandar Abbas, southern Iran during January to March 2016. Single stool samples were collected from 1465 participants by clean stool cup. The questionnaire was prepared on the basis of demographic characteristics. The diagnosis was made on the basis of the direct wet mount, formalin-ether concentration, and Ziehl-Neelsen and trichrome stained slides. Out of the 1465 school children examined, six species of intestinal parasites were identified with an overall prevalence of 95 positive students (6.5%). Prevalence of protozoan infections (6.2%) was significantly higher than helminth infections (0.3%). The most common protozoan species were Giardia lamblia ( n = 42, 2.9%) and Blastocystis hominis ( n = 31, 2.1%). Only two cases of Hymenolepis nana and two cases of Enterobius vermicularis were detected. The prevalence of parasitic infections was higher in boys ( n = 52, 7%) than girls ( n = 41, 5.7%), but the difference was not significant. The parasitic infections were higher among the children whose parent's education was less than high school diploma ( p = 0.000), and there was also a significant association between the parents' jobs and the intensity of parasitic infection. The prevalence of intestinal parasites, compared to the previous studies in this area, was significantly lower; that is mainly due to an increase in the quality of life and parents' education as well as the accessibility to health services. The most prevalent intestinal parasite was G. lamblia; therefore, it is recommended that more emphasis is applied to controlling and preventing this parasitic infection by washing hands, particularly before each meal course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Important progress is being made in endoscopic methods which allow clinicians to predict the presence of Helicobacter pylori based on characteristics of gastric mucosa and to obtain targeted biopsies. There are also important developments in molecular methods with various techniques derived from standard PCR, applied both on gastric biopsies and stool specimens. Progress is being made in microfluidic systems to get a reliable diagnosis in a very short time. The interest of the 13C urea breath test has been confirmed as well as stool antigen tests. Attempts are being made to find biological markers of premalignant conditions by serology, other than pepsinogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a major health issue in those aged less than 18 years old with high impact on their development. There are several reports from Iran with variable results. Systematic review and met analysis of these data would reveal a more realistic view of the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID). Methods:We conducted a systematic search of national and international databases from December 1990 to 31 January 2016 for population-based studies providing estimates on the prevalence of IDA in Iran. From the extracted crude prevalence rates, the heterogenic index of the studies was determined using the Cochran's test (Q) andI2. Then, based on the heterogenetic results, a random effects model for estimate pooled prevalence of IDA was used. Meta-regression was applied to determine heterogeneity suspected factors. Results:The overall prevalence of IDA in Iranian population with age less than 18 years was estimated to be 13.9% (95% CI: 10.8–17.1) and the overall prevalence of ID was 26.9% (95% CI: 19.7–34.1). The prevalence of IDA was 7.9% (95% CI: 4.1–11.7) in males and 8.5% (95% CI: 6.1–10.8) among females aged under than 18 years. Discussion:Despite the efforts of ministry of health and medical education of Iran in implementing free iron supplements for infants and for girls, the prevalence of ID and resultant anemia is considerable. Further interventions to increase use of supplements when they are provided and special programs for non-covered groups including boys under six are in great need. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction:Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is the leading cause of preventable Mental retardation. Neonatal screening in the first days of life with early diagnosis prevents the decrease in IQ. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of CH and associated factors to helps policymakers and managers of health system. Methods:This cross-sectional study was done on 51938 neonate in Yazd province during 2014-2015 by census. A blood sample from the heel is tested for TSH by Elisa method in Reference Laboratory.TSH less than 5 and 4 mmol is classified healthy neonate For aged 3-7 days and others respectively. Other TSH results were Suspicious for CH and followed. Age, sex, nationality, date of birth, birth weight, type of delivery, age of mother and Consanguineous of parents collected by questionnaire.For mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentage and Chi-square test were used Epi Info software. The significance level of p-value was considered less than 0.05 . Results:From 51938 neonates, 51% were male and 95.9% Iranian. 93.5% neonates live in urban area and 26.1% parents are contagious.The prevalence of birth weight < 2500 gr was 6.7%. 58.4% of mothers is 20-29 years old. Cesarean section include 45.7% deliveries. prevalence of CH is 3.4 per 1000 live birth in Yazd that it had significant associated with birth weight, type of delivery & city of residence. CH was not associated With the season of birth, maternal age, nationality and sex Conclusion:Due to high prevalence of CH , health system manager and researcher Should pay more attention To determine the causes of disease. It is essential that diagnosis of transient and permanent type of CH was differentiated.Quality review and possible revision of the screening program in the implementation process is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Obesity is considered as a major health problem of children and adolescents. The present meta-analysis was conducted by extensive search of studies on the prevalence of obesity among school-aged children and youth aged 6-18 years in Iran. METHODS: All conducted cross-sectional studies on the prevalence of obesity in Iranian students in all grades were extracted, without applying any restriction on time in national and international databases including Magiran, Iranmedex, SID, Scopus, Google Scholar and PubMed. Statistical software Stata 12 was used to analyze the data and to obtain the prevalence of obesity among Iranian students. The heterogeneity between the results was determined using statistical test I2. RESULTS: In this meta-analysis, 51 papers met our inclusion criteria and were therefore considered for the analysis. The prevalence of obesity was equal to 5.82% [95% confidence interval (CI): 5-6.66] in Iranian students. The prevalence of obesity was higher in boys than in girls (6.85% compared to 5.13%) (P = 0.300). The highest prevalence of obesity was related to students living in the North and Northwest areas with 7.07% (95% CI: 4.35-9.78). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of obesity among Iranian students is not high when compared to Western countries. However, due to lifestyle changes in recent years, it is necessary to plan intervention programs within families and schools to improve dietary patterns and physical activity of this age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School health remains an ignored domain in Pakistan. This article presents gaps in understanding hygiene promotion efforts in school settings in urban squatter settlements by exploring perspectives of the key stakeholders and undertaking a review of the education curriculum. Using qualitative methodology, 13 in-depth interviews were held with the key informants (teachers, health and education officers) and three focus group discussions were conducted with 36 mothers. The study setting includes three schools located in a semi-urban area in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. The semi-structured guide was utilized to obtain perspectives of key stakeholders on factors constraining hygiene promotion efforts in school settings. The primary education curriculum was reviewed using the content analysis approach to assess the integration of hygiene concepts into the curriculum. Analysis of qualitative interviews and curriculum review resulted in five categories under a theme that addressed multiple factors constraining hygiene promotion in the school settings. These include (i) Gaps in the school curriculum, (ii) Poor accountability of the local administration in the upkeep of schools, (iii) Parent's negligence toward children's hygiene, (iv) Inadequate training of school teachers on hygiene concepts, and (v) Lack of interdepartmental coordination between health and education sectors. Hygiene promotion at schools has been deterred by multiple factors at the selected primary schools in Pakistan. Recommended actions include integration of health and hygiene concepts into the education curriculum, capacity building of teachers, reviving water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, coordination among Education and Health Departments and ownership among the local government to ensure cleanliness at schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article discusses a study which assessed the serum ischemia modified albumin (IMA) and plasma CoQ10 levels in obese children with metabolic syndrome. Topics covered include the correlation between insulin resistance and lipid profile in obese children with and without metabolic syndrome (MS), and the possibility that obese children have oxidative damage, lipid peroxidation and cardiometabolic risk.

Background: Nowadays childhood overweight and obesity are considered as a global epidemic, the prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing in the Iran. Aim and Objectives: For prevention and control the disease, knowledge of population statistics of obesity and overweight is essential, so this study aimed to determine the prevalence obesity and overweight and related factor in preschool children in northwest of Tehran in 2015. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 17484 preschool children aged 5-7 in northwest of Tehran (Regions 2, 5 and 6 of Tehran Municipality), capital of Iran. Data collection was performed by 11 general practitioner and 24 trained experts that measuring height by Nonelastic tape measure with an accuracy of 1 cm, and weight by Analog scales SECA brand with accuracy 100 g between May until the end of October 2014, and WHO Child Growth Standards is used to classify overweight and obesity. Data analysis is done by using SPSS.11.5 software and chi-square test. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children was respectively 20 and 6.8, prevalence of obesity and overweight was different based on sex (p=0.001), so the prevalence of obesity in girls was higher than boys and the prevalence of overweight in boys was higher than girls. Also prevalence of obesity children in 7 year age was higher compared children 5, 6 years old. Conclusion: Our findings showed a relatively high prevalence of overweight and obesity in preschool children, therefore, the plan for the control and prevention of the problem must be a high priority for health policy maker, also further epidemiological studies into the etiology and trend are essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The importance of consuming fruits and vegetables (F&V) in prevention of chronic diseases is known. Childhood play an important role in formation of healthy eating habits. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of education, with application of the theory of planned behavior, on improvement of F&V consumption. METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, 184 fourth, fifth, and sixth-grade students participated were enrolled from Jan 2013 to Jun 2014. The samples were selected from 6 schools in Chalderan County, West Azerbaijan, Iran through cluster random sampling method. Two out of 6 schools were randomly selected and each was employed in either experimental or control group. The data collection instruments included a researcher-made questionnaire and a 24-h F&V recall. Data were collected after verification of the reliability and validity of the questionnaire. RESULTS: Before the intervention, no significant difference was observed between the intervention and control group regarding attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, behavioral intention and fruits and vegetables consumption (P>0.05). However, after the educational intervention, the mean scores of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, behavioral intention variables and fruits and vegetables were significantly higher in the intervention group when compared to the control group(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Increased behavioral intention, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control can promote F&V consumption among the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactive compounds from natural sources can act as oxygen free radical scavengers or metal chelators, which enables them to be used as natural antagonists to heavy metals toxicity. So the present study was carried out to compare histologically the aspect of intestine tissue of Prussian carp specimens, subjected to chronic Cd intoxication with and without garlic, cilantro and chlorella dietary supplementation.150 Prussian carps, with weight of 10-12 g were divided according to the following treatments for 21 days: C (without treatment), E1 (10 ppm Cd into water), E2 (10 ppm Cd into water+2% lyophilized garlic in feed), E3 (10 ppm Cd into water+2% lyophilized cilantro in feed), E4 (10 ppm Cd into water+2% lyophilized chlorella in feed). Cadmium toxicity and the potential protective effect of the three lyophilized products against the impact of cadmium toxicity were histopathologically assessed. For this purpose, fragments of intestine were removed and routinely processed at the end of experimental period and analyzed in light microscopy. A specific QuickPHOTO Micro 2.2 software has been used for the histological study. Tissue alterations were assessed using the histopathological score ranging from - to +++ depending on the degree and extend of lesions: (-) none, (+) mild occurrence, (++) moderate occurrence, (+++) severe occurrence. Our research findings show that Cd induces a significant increase in histopathological changes like vascular network hypertrophies and reach infiltrating leukocyte cells. In the same time, chlorella powder added to the fish diet, expressed the most effectiveness on the intestinal recovery of the cadmium-intoxicated fish followed by while cilantro and garlic powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity and overweight among children is a major public health problem in developed and developing countries and has important health and economic implications. This longitudinal study aimed to assessing the prevalence trend of overweight and obesity in West Azerbaijan in North West of Iran. Methods: This study was a longitudinal follow-up study and was conducted in school children at 2009-2011 year. The subjects were all school children (12 years of age) that were recruited from rural and urban schools in West Azerbaijan. Overall, 22,820 girls and 28,763 boys were enrolled in 2009 and were followed for 3 years. A body mass index (BMI) 85th-95th percentile was classified as overweight and a BMI >95th percentile was classified as obese. All statistical analyses were performed using the Excel Software. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample in different time periods. The prevalence was calculated as the ratio of number of present cases to a given population number in a given subgroup at a given time. Results: In urban schools, the prevalence of overweight among girls and boys was 118.26 and 103.9 per 1000 persons in 2009 year, respectively, and this trend was increased in both girls (152.90 per 1000 persons) and boys (125.72 per 1000 persons) in 2011. The obesity trend was increased among both girls and boys (22.26 and 26.52 among girls and boys in 2009 to 24.66 and 28.65 per 1000 persons in 2011), respectively. In rural schools, the prevalence of overweight among girls was increased from 84.5 in 2009 to 108.89 per 1000 persons in 2011, but this trend was decreased among boys (from 95.49 in 2009 to 43.9 per 1000 persons in 2011), and the prevalence of obesity among boys was increased at the end of follow-up, but this trend was decreased among girls. Conclusions: Overweight and obesity in children has increased. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the relationship between obesity and overweight and risk factors such as dietary pattern and physical inactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Obesity has now become a common health problem worldwide. To gain insight into the epidemiology of the problem in Iran, we systematically reviewed all available studies on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Iranian pediatric population. Evidence Acquisition: We systematically searched PubMed, ISI, SCOPUS, as well as Iranmedex, Irandoc, and Scientific Information Database (SID) databases.All studies on mean and standard deviation or percentile categories of BMI, WC, WHR, or WHtR or prevalence of obesity/overweight in Iranian child and adolescence, were performed from January 1990 to the end of December 2013. Refining processes were conducted by two independent reviewers. Quality assessment and data extraction followed based on validated form. As, these data were heterogeneous, meta-analysis was not performed. Results: From 3253 records, through three refining steps, 129 articles were found related to our study. In Iran, national studies are limited and nearly there is no comprehensive study for sub-national trends. Different age and sex groups had large variations in the prevalence of obesity and overweight (from 1% up to 16.1% and from 4.4% up to 42.3% respectively for obesity and overweight). Conclusions: Related data are very scattered or limited to some specific subgroups in some living areas. For comparing, aggregating, and imputing the information we need more modern practical statistical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents around the world alarmingly are increasing. Regular exercise can reduce fat tissue and improve body composition. The aim of this study was the effect of the high intensity interval training (HIT) on plasma levels of TNF-a, IL-6 and lipid profile in overweight children. Methods: The present study was semi experimental research that performed in Tehran at 2014 year. In this study, 32 overweight students 8 to 11 divided in the experimental (n=16) and control (n=16) group. High intensity interval training including 30 seconds with maximum speed and 5.1 minutes rest was performed for 8 weeks and 3 sessions per week. The six HIT workouts in the first week increased to 10 to last week. Blood samples were collected from venous blood of right hand 48 hours last session. ANCOVA test performed for compared of variable mean (α=0.005). Results: The results of the present study showed that 8 weeks HIT significantly reduced level of IL-6 (P=0.001), TNF-a (P=0.001) and lipid profile. On the other hand, there was insignificantly change in TG (P=0.777), LDL (P=0.071) and HDL (P=0.693). Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that 8 weeks HIT reduces the plasma level of TNF-a and IL-6. Therefore, perform of high intensity interval training with observed necessaryw55 caution in obese children can have positive effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), are the common intestinal parasites among school age children in Nepal. Periodic epidemiological studies and transmission dynamics in parasitic infections will provide accurate understanding. The aim of this study is to find out the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among primary school children at Rupandehi district Nepal. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a school based cross-sectional descriptive study including 217 students studying at primary level in two Government School in Rupandehi. The demographic data and anthropometric data was collected. Routine Stool examination was done and concentration techniques were used for maximum recovery of parasites. RESULTS The prevalence of parasitic infection was 60% (130/217). Statistically significant association was found between parasitic infection and source of drinking water (p<0.05) A. lumbricoides was most common followed by Taenia spp, Hymenolepsis nana and others. Parasitic infection was highest 70% (21/30) in age group 13-15 years and lowest i.e. 38.1% (8/21) in age group 4-6 years. The mean height and weight of children was found to be 1.28 m and 26.5 kg respectively. Among total children 90.8% (197/217) of the children were malnourished (BMI<18.5 kg/m2) and among infected children 90% (117/130) were malnourished. CONCLUSION The intestinal parasitosis was found comparatively higher in school children in this region. Higher rate of infection was found in malnourished children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: In recent years Infant Mortality Rate )IMR) has been decreased in the developed countries but this rate is still high in the developing countries. This study aimed to investigate the causes of neonatal mortality. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-cross-sectional study was performed on 110 hospitalized neonatal in NICU of Amiralmomenin Educational Hospital of Zabol University of medical sciences. Neonatal Mortality's Questionnaire was used to collect the data. For data analysis, descriptive statistics was used. Results: The most common causes of mortality were prematurity and low birth weight. Conclusion: Special care for premature and low birth weight infant and strengthening health care programs and emphasizing the need to identify high risk groups should be the priorities in decreasing the rate of neonatal mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori infection is a common health problem related to many gastrointestinal disorders. This study aims to estimate the total and age specific prevalence of Helicobacter Pylori infection in Iran. We systematically reviewed all national and international databases and finally identified 21 studies were eligible for meta-analysis. Each of them were assigned a quality score using STROBE checklist. Due to significant heterogeneity of the results, random effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence and 95% confidence interval of Helicobacter Pylori infection. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA. V11 software. The pooled prevalence (95% confidence interval) of Helicobacter Pylori infection among all population, children and adults were estimated as 54% (53%- 55%), 42% (41%- 44%) and 62% (61%- 64%) respectively. Helicobacter Pylori, has infected more than half of Iranian people during the last decade. Preventive strategies as well as taking into account this infection during clinical visits should be emphasized to reduce its transmission and prevalence within the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perinatal mortality rate is an important indicator of community health status. This study aimed to evaluate perinatal mortality and its determinants in Mobini Hospital of Sabzevar, Iran. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed within a two-year (2011-2012) period at Mobini Hospital of Sabzevar. Our study population included all the cases of stillbirth and live birth after the 22nd week of gestation to full term, died within the first week after delivery. The data including maternal and neonatal/fetal age, parity, mode of delivery, history of stillbirth, gestational age, reason of death, gender, and weight of the fetus or newborn were obtained from patient records as well as interviews with the mothers and treating physicians. To analyze the data, independent sample t-test, and Chi T square/Fisher's exact test were run using SPSS, version 11.5. Results:Perinatal mortality and stillbirth rates were 16.6 and 9.1 per 1000 births, respectively, while the rate of early neonatal mortality was 7.4 per 1000 live births. The most common reasons for neonatal death were pre-term labor and sepsis, while the most common reason for stillbirth was unknown etiology. There was a significant difference between stillbirth and early neonatal death in term of gestational age (P<0.001). Conclusion: According to our results, perinatal mortality rate in our region was not high compared to other regions of the country, although it was higher than that of European countries. We found that premature labor was the cardinal cause of neonatal mortality, which can be prevented by careful perinatal care and improving hospital equipment, especially those of neonatal intensive care units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bismuth has antimicrobial activity and can improve the efficacy of triple Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) therapy. Allicin added to conventional therapy for H. pylori infection also improves H. pylori eradication rates. Thus, this study aims to evaluate and compare the efficacy, safety and tolerability of allicin-containing quadruple therapy and bismuth-containing quadruple therapy and to investigate the factors that affect the eradication rates., Methods: Two hundred twenty H. pylori-infected patients were included and randomly (1:1) assigned to 14-day quadruple therapy: ilaprazole (5 mg bid), doxycycline (100 mg bid), and furazolidone (100 mg bid) with an allicin soft capsule (40 mg of DATS tid) (IDFA) or colloidal bismuth tartrate (220 mg of elemental bismuth bid) (IDFB). Eradication was confirmed by urea breath tests. Symptom improvement, adverse events, and adherence were assessed by a questionnaire., Results: In the intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis, the eradication rates for IDFA and IDFB groups were 87.5% (70/80) vs. 86.3% (69/80, P = 0.815) and 91.9% (68/74) vs. 91.8% (67/73, P = 0.980) as first-line therapies; 83.3% (25/30) vs. 83.3% (25/30, P = 1) and 89.3% (25/28) vs. 88.9% (24/27, P = 1) as second-line therapies. Symptom improvement rates were 96.1% and 97.0% for IDFA and IDFB (P = 1). The adverse event rates were 10.9% in IDFA and 14.5% in IDFB groups (P = 0.418). Nausea occurred frequently in IDFB than IDFA (1.8% vs. 8.2%, P = 0.030). Smoking and sharing utensils significantly affected the efficacy., Conclusion: Allicin-containing quadruple therapy might be regarded as a promising alternative to bismuth-containing quadruple therapy in H. pylori eradication., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Helicobacter pylori infects around 50% of the human population and is asymptomatic in 70% of the cases. H. pylori eradication in childhood will not only result in peptic symptoms relief, but will also prevent late-term complications such as cancer. Today, probiotics are being increasingly studied in the treatment of gastrointestinal infections as an alternative or complement to antibiotics. Objectives: In this study we aimed to assess the effect of S. boulardii supplementation on H. pylori eradication among children in our region. Patients and Methods: In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial 28 asymptomatic primary school children with a positive H. pylori stool antigen (HpSA) exam were randomly allocated into the study group, receiving Saccharomyces boulardii, and the control group receiving placebo capsules matched by shape and size, for one month. The children were followed up weekly and were reinvestigated four to eight weeks after accomplished treatment by HpSA testing. The significance level was set at P < 0.05. Results: 24 children completed the study. The mean HpSA reduced from 0.40 ± 0.32 to 0.21 ± 0.27 in the study group, indicating a significant difference (P = 0.005). However, such difference was not observed in the control group (P = 0.89). Moreover, the HpSA titer showed a 0.019 ± 0.19 decrease in the study group whereas the same value was 0.0048 ± 0.12 for the controls, again stating a significant difference (P = 0.01). Conclusions: Saccharomyces boulardii has a positive effect on reducing the colonization of H. pylori in the human gastrointestinal system but is not capable of its eradication when used as single therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dyslipidemia is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Serum lipids were affected by several gene polymorphisms, folate, homocysteine and other metabolite levels. We aim to investigate the effects of homocysteine metabolism enzyme polymorphisms (MTHTR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, MTR A2756G and MTRR A66G) and their interactions with folate, homocysteine on serum lipid levels in Chinese patients with hypertension. Methods: Participants were 480 hypertensive adults that enrolled in September to December 2005 from six different Chinese hospitals (Harbin, Shanghai, Shenyang, Beijing, Xi'an, and Nanjing). Known MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, MTR A2756G and MTRR A66G genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP methods. Serum folate was measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay, homocysteine was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, serum lipids parameters were determined by an automatic biochemistry analyzer, low-density lipoprotein was calculated by Friedewald's equation. Unitary linear regression model was used to assess the associations of gene polymorphisms, folate and homocysteine on serum lipid profiles. Unconditional logistic regression model was applied to test the interactions of folate, homocysteine and gene polymorphisms on dyslipidemia. Results: No correlations between gene polymorphisms and homocysteine on serum lipid profiles. Compared with normal folate patients, patients with low folate showed higher odds of hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 2.02, 95 % CI: 1.25-3.25, P = 0.004) and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR = 1.88, 95 % CI: 1.07-3.28, P = 0.027). Each of four gene polymorphisms (MTHTR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, MTR A2756G and MTRR A66G) combined with low folate showed higher odds of hypertriglyceridemia (P for trend: 0.049, 0.004, 0.007 and 0.005, respectively). MTHFR C677T and A1298C with low folate showed higher odds of low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P for trend: 0.008 and 0.031). Conclusions: Low folate status and homocysteine metabolism gene polymorphisms (MTHTR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, MTR A2756G and MTRR A66G) may have a synergistic effect increased the incidence of dyslipidemia in Chinese hypertensive population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]