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The Pineal gland (PG) is the site of production of melatonin as an important central hormone in the body. It is not known yet whether PG calcification (PGC) is an age-associated physiological process or a pathologic condition caused by lifestyle-factors and metabolic-dysregulations.Here, we performed a cross-sectional analysis on 586 patients referred to have Computed Tomographic (CT) scans (above 15 years old), in the Ali Ebne Abi Taleb hospital radiology center in 2017-2018. Based on the CT-scans of the brain, the presence of PGC was recorded and a score of scale 0 to 6 (PGC&#95;score) was calculated for its intensity based on the volume and the Hounsfield units of the calcified pineal. Logistic and ordered logistic regression tests were employed to determine potential risk factor of PGC and higher PGC&#95;score, respectively, testing the factors age, sex, history of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, smoking and opioid use. We found male sex (OR: 2.30 (95% CI:1.39-3.82) and smoking cigarettes (OR: 4.47 (95% CI:1.01-19.78)) as the main potential risk factors for the pineal gland calcification. For PGC&#95;score, we found age to be dose-dependently associated with PGC&#95;score only in patients aged below 63 (p-trend < 0.001). Stratifying for age, in patients < 63 years old, we found age, male sex (positive association) and dyslipidemia (negative association) as the main significantly associated factors of PGC&#95;score. On the contrary, in patients aged >  = 63, cigarette smoking was the only significantly associated factor of higher PGC&#95;score.In conclusion, our results indicate that at ages below 63, age, male sex and blood lipid are the main associated factors of higher PGC, but at ages above that, the lifestyle factor smoking is significantly associated with higher pineal gland calcification., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Backgrounds: N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has broadly been used as an anti-oxidant agent in various types of diseases. This study aimed to assess the effect of NAC on the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity and outcome., Methods: In this randomized, double-blind clinical trial study, 80 SLE patients were recruited that were classified into two groups: 40 patients received NAC (1800 mg/day; 3 times per day with 8-h intervals) for 3 months and 40 patients as the control group received normal therapies. Laboratory measurements and disease activity based on the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) and SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) were determined before the initiation of treatment and after the study time period., Results: A statistically significant decrease in BILAG (P= 0.023) and SLEDAI (P= 0.034) scores after receiving NAC for a 3-month period was observed. BILAG (P= 0.021) and SLEDAI (P= 0.030) scores were significantly lower in NAC-receiving patients compared to the control group after 3 months. The disease activity in each organ based on BILAG score after treatment indicated a significant decrease in the NAC group compared to the baseline level in general (P=0.018), mucocutaneous (P=0.003), neurological (P=0.015), musculoskeletal (P=0.048), cardiorespiratory (P=0.047), renal (P=0.025), and vascular (P=0.048) complications. Analysis indicated a significant increase in CH50 level in the NAC group after treatment compared to the baseline level (P=0.049). No adverse event was reported by the study subjects., Conclusions: It appears that the administration of 1800 mg/day NAC to SLE patients can decrease the SLE disease activity and its complications., (© 2023. The Author(s).)