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Characteristics, sources and health risks of atmospheric PM10-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on residents living in different regions of Ahvaz, Southwest Iran were investigated during 2016–2017. 84 samples were taken from the different regions: (S1) industrial; (S2) high traffic and (S3) residential sites in Ahvaz metropolitan. Urinary samples were collected from people who came to the east health center of Ahvaz. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene and PAHs levels were analyzed by Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). Exposure and risk assessment (Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR), Lifetime Average Daily Dose (LADD) and hazard index (HI)) of these pollutants were estimated, using USEPA's exposure parameters. Results of this study showed that in the air of residential and industrial areas observed the lowest and the highest level of PAHs, respectively. High molecular weight compounds (2–4rings), contributed to 85% of ∑PAHs mass in the atmospheric PM10-bound samples. Industrial processing and petroleum refining, were identified to be major outdoor resources of PAHs. Based on the result of this study, the highest and the lowest concentration of PAHs metabolites were observed in the industrial and residential areas. Average urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels of S1, S2 and S3 regions were 0.4735; 1.311 and 1.4942 ng/dL, respectively. The values of ILCR in cold (0.06913) and warm (0.052854) seasons were higher than EPA which, was significantly correlated with the concentration of PAHs. In conclusion, increasing exposure concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons would have a significant potential for increased ILCR and risk of health endpoint. ILCR in different areas was significantly higher than standard. Our results show that the air quality of Ahvaz city was in an unfavorable condition and increasing exposure concentration of PAHs would have a significant potential for increased ILCR and risk of diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical pattern of thunderstorm asthma (TA) and the possible environmental hypotheses involved in the escalation of these epidemics. Materials and Methods: This retrospective descriptive study examined patients with respiratory problems referred to the clinics and emergency departments in Ahvaz, Iran during 2013-2016 periods following the first episodes of rainfall in autumn. The seasonal profile of airborne pollens and fungal spores in Ahvaz were characterized and clinical and spirometry findings of 443 patients were evaluated. Results: Of 56,000 people referred to the emergency department due to respiratory problems associated with the first rainfall in Khuzestan province, 91.4% displayed asthma-like symptoms and 71.3% had a history of allergic rhinitis. According to the results of spirometry test 38%, 52.9%, and 9.1% of patients had normal, obstructive, and restrictive patterns, respectively. Our results highlight the importance of allergic rhinitis as risk factors of TA epidemics. In terms of pollen, seasonal pollen integral was much higher in autumn than in winter. Conclusion: Our results highlight the importance of seasonal allergy and rhinitis as risk factors for thunderstorm asthma epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the therapeutic effects of high‐flow‐oxygen‐Therapy (HFT) and noninvasive‐ventilation (NIV) for stabilizing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during exacerbation. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial at Masih‐Daneshvari hospital, between July 2019 and Oct 2019, 30 exacerbated‐COPD‐patient with PaCO2 64.58 ± 11.61 mm Hg, Respiratory Rate 24.43 ± 2.75, and PH 7.31 ± 0.02 were divided into two groups, N = 15. By a simple randomized allocation, patients receive either NIV or HFT for 1 hour, and following a washout period of 30 minutes, they switched to the other treatment option. Arterial Blood Gas Parameters, as well as Respiratory Rate (RR), Dyspnea Score, Heart Rate (HR), and Oxygen Saturation (SO2), were compared before and after the intervention and between groups. Results: Baseline patient characteristics were similar in the two groups. Pre and post‐analysis revealed that in both groups, all improved significantly. After the first period, there was no difference in all parameters between groups except for SO2 which was significantly higher in HFT (%92.1 ± 1) than that of NIV (%89 ± 1), P =.001. Likewise, following the washout period, patients in HFT and NIV had a dyspnea score of 1.93 ± 0.7 and 2.73 ± 0.9, respectively, P =.01. No carryover‐effect and was observed but the period effect was significant for some outcomes. A significant improvement in SO2 and HR was observed by HFT according to treatment effect by combining two periods' results. During the study, no side effects were reported. Conclusion: In this short‐term study HFT appears feasible for patients with COPD exacerbation to reduce dyspnea score and improve respiratory distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inflammatory mediators are an important component in the pathophysiology of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to assess the effects of reducing inflammatory mediators using hemoperfusion (HP) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) on the mortality of patients with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: Twelve patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 were included. All patients had acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Patients were divided into three groups, namely, HP, CRRT and HP+CRRT. The primary outcome was mortality and the secondary outcomes were oxygenation and reduction in inflammatory mediators at the end of the study. Results: Patients were not different at baseline in demographics, inflammatory cytokine levels, and the level of acute phase reactants. Half of the patients (3 out of 6) in the HP+CRRT group survived along with the survival of one patient (1 out of 2) in the HP group. All four patients in the CRRT group died. Serum creatinine (SCr), Interleukin-1 (IL1), Interleukin-6 (IL6), Interleukin-8 (IL8), partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), O2 saturation (O2 sat), and hemodynamic parameters improved over time in HP+CRRT and CRRT groups, but no significant difference was observed in the HP group (All Ps > 0.05). Conclusion: Combined HP and CRRT demonstrated the best result in terms of mortality, reduction of inflammatory mediators and oxygenation. Further investigations are needed to explore the role of HP+CRRT in COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on the characteristics, sources, and health risks of atmospheric PM10-bound heavy metals (HMs) on citizenship living in different regions of Ahvaz, Southwest of Iran were investigated during 2016–2017. A total of 84 samples were analyzed from different regions: (S1) industrial, (S2) high traffic, and (S3) residential. Blood samples were collected from people who came to the east health center of Ahvaz. High volume air samplers, equipped with quartz fiber filters (8 × 10) were utilized for sampling in this study. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) was also used for HMs. Risk assessment and hazard index of these pollutants were estimated, using USEPA's exposure parameters. Based on the results, the highest and the lowest concentration of HM were observed in industrial and residential areas. Blood's HMs concentration for chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) were 2.932, 4.199, 8.425, and 71.2 μg/dL, respectively. In conclusion, increasing exposure concentration of HMs would have a significant potential for increased cancer and risk of diseases. The results of this study show that increasing exposure concentration to HM in the studied scenarios have a significant potential for generating different health endpoints, although exposing to HMs led to generating diseases in individuals particularly in polluted and populated districts; so, environmental measures should be considered by urban air authorities to mitigate the concentration of these pollutants in ambient air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to survey the concentrations of air pollutants in rural and urban areas in Ahvaz city during two seasons. We used ANOVA to determine the differences between the areas. Paired t-test was used to compare the concentrations of the air pollutants in cold season and hot season. The concentration of the air pollutants in cold season was higher than warm season except for O3. Mobile vehicles represent the major source of air pollution in many areas, and the concentrations of traffic pollutants are greater near urban areas. The trend of changes in PM concentration in cold and warm seasons depends on dust storms occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals (HM) are one of the main components of urban air pollution. Today, megacities and industrial regions in southwest of Iran are frequently suffering from severe haze episodes, which essentially caused by PM10-bound heavy metals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health risk assessment on human exposed to heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in the ambient air PM10 in Ahvaz, southwest Iran. In this study, we estimated healthy people from the following scenarios: (S3) residential site; (S2) high-traffic site; (S1) industrial site in Ahvaz metropolitan during autumn and winter. In the current study, high-volume air samplers equipped with quartz fiber filters were used to sampling and measurements of heavy metal concentration. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) was utilized for detection of heavy metal concentration (ng m−3). Also, an estimate of the amount of health risk assessment (hazard index) of Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn of heavy metal exposure to participants was used. Result of this study showed that the residential and industrial areas had the lowest and the highest level of heavy metal. Based on the result of this study, average levels of heavy metal in industrial, high-traffic, and residential areas in autumn and winter were 31.48, 30.89, and 23.21 μg m−3 and 42.60, 37.70, and 40.07 μg m−3, respectively. Based on the result of this study, the highest and the lowest concentration of heavy metal had in the industrial and residential areas. Zn and Pb were the most abundant elements among the studied PM10-bound heavy metals, followed by Cr and Ni. The carcinogenic risks of Cr, Pb, and the integral HQ of metals in PM10 for children and adults via inhalation and dermal exposures exceeded 1 × 10−4 in three areas. Also, based on the result of this study, the values of hazard index (HI) of HM exposure in different areas were significantly higher than standard. The health risks attributed to HM should be further investigated from the perspective of the public health in metropolitans. The result of this study showed increasing exposure concentrations to heavy metal in the studied scenarios have a significant potential for generating different health endpoints, while environmental health management in ambient air can cause disorders in citizenship and causing more spiritual and material costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the present study was threefold: to assess the association between baseline FEF25-75 and Airway Hyper-responsiveness (AHR), to specify whether a decrease in FEF25-75 may reflect severe hyperresponsiveness, and finally to confirm a FEF 25-75 cut-off value. Materials and Methods: In a cross sectional study in Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahvaz, patients suffering from respiratory symptoms due the 2013 autumn rainfall with normal FEV1 and FEV1/FVC were evaluated by methacholine challenge test. Those with PD20<1000, 10002000 µg were classified as severe, moderate and mild AHR, respectively. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, Independent t-test, One-way ANOVA and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: Among the 234 patients, mean baseline FEF25-75 was 84.2±22.7% for 54 patients having a negative bronchial provocation test result and 70.9±19.2% for 179 patients with a positive bronchial provocation test result (P < 0.0001). No change was observed in the median PD20 among patients with a higher baseline FEF25-75. ROC analysis showed that FEF25-75 could potentially be a predictor of AHR, but it could not confirm the cut-off value of FEF25-75 for these patients. Conclusion: When asthma begins, AHR could be predicted by impaired FEF25-75 with normal FEV1 and FEV1/FVC. However, we could not determine a cut-off value, and no association was found between a greater impairment of FEF25-75 and a more severe AHR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microscopic solid or liquid matter suspended in earth's atmosphere is definition atmospheric particulate matter. Particles with diameters that are generally 10 micrometers and smaller (PM10) are one of the main components of indoor and outdoor air quality that can very dangerous for humans. The purpose of this study was to assess the PM10 of the outdoor air in in Ahvaz outdoor air at industrial, high traffic and residential areas during the warm and cold seasons of 2017. Data collected was performed by used active sampling system. High volume air samplers and equipped with quartz filters were utilized for sampling in this study. In this study for determine and analyzed the effects of PM10 during warm and cold season was used to Statistical software SPSS version 16. The results show that the average PM10 concentration in cold and warm season were 156 and 139 μg/m³, respectively. Result of this study showed the mean of PM10 concentration in cold season was significantly higher than standard. Also, according to results level of PM10 during cold season were higher than the warm season. We can reduce the exposed to PM10 in outdoor air by increase environmental monitoring, decreasing PM10 in source and increase knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]