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Background: Physicians’ and nurses’ experience of the COVID-19 pandemic and its physical and psychological consequences can be associated with changes in biological and hormonal levels experienced as fatigue, restlessness, disruptions in one’s mood, and sleep quality. This study examined the role of depression and death anxiety in contracting COVID-19 among healthcare staff. Methods: The statistical population of this descriptive correlational research comprised nurses and nurse assistants working in Tehran (Iran) hospitals from the summer to winter of 2021. A sample of 156 was selected to fill out a demographic information form, Templer’s death anxiety scale, and Beck’s depression inventory. The data were analyzed in SPSS software, version 25.0 using logistic regression analysis. Results: The model based on three predictors of depression (cognitive, affective, and physical components) led to a significantly better prediction compared to the fixed-effects model (P<0.001). The affective component of depression was a more powerful predictor of the risk of COVID-19 than the other two components. The model based on three predictors of death anxiety (absolute death anxiety, fear of pain and surgery, and the general factor) also led to a significantly better prediction compared to the fixed-effects model (P<0.001). All three components of death anxiety were statistically significant predictors of COVID-19 risk Conclusion: Consequently, depression and death anxiety seem to predict and explain the risk of COVID-19 in healthcare staff by altering cognitive, affective, and physical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of sour tea supplementation in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Seventy NAFLD patients were enrolled in this randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial. Participants received sour tea in the form of a 450 mg capsule or a placebo capsule daily for 8 weeks. Anthropometric indices, liver enzymes, lipid profile, blood pressure, and antioxidant status were evaluated at the baseline and at the end of the study. Sixty‐one participants completed the study. After 8 weeks, sour tea administration significantly decreased serum triglyceride (TG) (p =.03), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (p =.01), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (p =.004) levels compared with the placebo. In addition, sour tea supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p =.03) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p =.04), and a significant increase in serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels (p ˂.001) compared with the placebo. However, no significant changes in anthropometric measures, total cholesterol (TC), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐c), and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐c) levels were observed after sour tea supplementation compared with the placebo (p >.05). Sour tea supplementation may be effective in improving serum TG, liver enzymes, and blood pressure in patients diagnosed with NAFLD. Further studies are needed to address the exact mechanism of action of these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI), waist- to-hip ratio, and lipid parameters and serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in healthy euthyroid individuals. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between June 1st and July 20th, 2013, at Bushehr University of Medical Sciences. One hundred forty euthyroid individuals were divided into 2 groups: a high-TSH group (TSH between 2.0 and 5.5 mIU/L, n=67) and a low-TSH group (TSH between 0.3 and 2.0 mIU/L, n=73). After overnight fast, total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL- C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), TSH, thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine (T3) were measured. Height and weight were measured with a stadiometer, and BMI was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. Waist-to-hip ratio was determined as waist circumference divided by hip circumference. The simple independent Z-test and a general linear model were used for statistical analysis. All statistical analyses were done using the SPSS, version 15, statistical software package. Results: BMI and LDL-C were significantly higher in the high- TSH group than in the low-TSH group after adjustment for age, sex, calorie intake, total fat and carbohydrate intakes, and physical activity. No significant differences were found between the groups in TG, cholesterol, and HDL-C. The association between TSH levels andT4 was significant. Conclusion: Individuals with TSH levels at the upper limit of normality might be at risk of hypercholesterolemia and obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Considering the importance of delirium disorder in burn patients and its complications, the present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of delirium and its related factors in burn patients., Methods: A comprehensive, systematic search was performed in different international electronic databases, such as Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, as well as Persian electronic databases such as Iranmedex, and Scientific Information Database (SID) using keywords extracted from Medical Subject Headings such as "Prevalence", "Delirium", and "Burns" from the earliest to the 17th of July, 2023., Results: In total, 2,710 burn patients participated in ten original studies. Among the participants, 64.6% were male. In the ten studies, the reported pooled prevalence of delirium among burn patients was 20.5% (95% CI: 10.9% to 35.0%; I 2 =96.889%; P<0.001). Also, factors such as total body surface area, duration of hospitalization, mortality, days on ventilator, alcoholism, benzodiazepine dose, methadone dose, age, male gender, ICU days, operation days, wound care under anesthesia, and opioid dose had a significant correlation with the prevalence of delirium in burn patients., Conclusion: Health managers and policymakers can reduce the prevalence of delirium in burn patients by eliminating or reducing factors associated with it., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Introduction: Pain experienced during the insertion of a catheter into the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and restless legs syndrome (RLS) are prevalent issues among Hemodialysis (HD) patients. The primary objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to consolidate the findings from randomized clinical trial (RCT) studies examining the impact of aromatherapy with lavender on the pain associated with AVF catheter insertion and RLS in HD patients., Methods: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar search engine from inception to August 1, 2022, using keywords extracted from Medical Subject Headings, such as "Aromatherapy", "Lavender", "Arteriovenous fistula", "Pain", "Restless legs syndrome", and "Hemodialysis"., Results: Finally, eleven articles were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The results showed that aromatherapy reduced the average pain of catheter insertion in AVF compared to the control group (Standard Mean Difference: -1.60, 95% Confidence Interval: -2.32 to -0.87, Z=4.32, I 2 :90.3%, P<0.001). Also, aromatherapy massage reduced the average severity of RLS compared to the control group, which was statistically significant (Weighted Mean Difference: -13.21, 95% Confidence Interval: -17.50 to -8.91, Z=6.03, I 2 :93.0%, P<0.001). Also, the subgroup analysis showed that lavender in the intervention group significantly decreased the pain intensity compared to the "no intervention" group (P<0.001), yet it was not significant compared to the placebo group (P=0.12)., Conclusion: In summary, the findings indicate a notable reduction in catheter insertion pain in AVF and relief from RLS among HD patients through the use of lavender essential oil. As a result, future research is encouraged to include a comparison of lavender's effects with those of a placebo group., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Introduction: In the absence of timely treatment, the risk of rupture in patients with ectopic pregnancy (EP) increases, which is associated with extensive bleeding, complicated surgery, and maternal death. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of rupture and its related factors among EP cases., Methods: A comprehensive, systematic search was conducted in electronic databases, such as Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Persian electronic databases such as Iranmedex, and Scientific Information Database using keywords extracted from Medical Subject Headings such as "Ectopic pregnancies", "Extrauterine pregnancies", and "Ruptured ectopic pregnancy" from the earliest to the 13th of December 2022. The CMA program, version 3, was utilized for analysis. The overall effect size was calculated using the sample size and the frequency of rupture in each of the studies. Heterogeneity was measured using the I 2 statistics., Results: A total of 5,269 women with EP participated in 17 studies. The pooled prevalence of rupture was 56.4% (95%CI: 44.9% to 67.2%; I 2 =98.09%; P<0.001). Factors such as number of parties, amount of β-hCG, age, history of ectopic pregnancy, cornual and isthmic pregnancies, gestational age, number of gravidities, history of tubal ligation, tubal diameters, periods of infertility, history of infertility, pregnancy by ovulation induction, extensive hemoperitoneum, ampullar and isthmic pregnancies, ampullar pregnancies, preoperative heart rate (HR), triage, triage shock index (SI), abdominal pain, single marital status, preoperative hemoglobin levels, preoperative hematocrit levels, history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and use of contraceptives were associated with the prevalence of rupture in EP cases., Conclusion: Based on the findings, 56.4% of EP cases experienced rupture and various factors influence its prevalence. As a result, health managers and policymakers can address and mitigate modifiable factors contributing to rupture in EP cases by implementing regular consultations and screenings., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Spinal anesthesia is a common anesthesia method and post dural puncture headache (PDPH) is one of its most common adverse effects. Gabapentin is a popular anticonvulsant drug that has been used as an oral nonopioid analgesic in recent years. In this placebo-controlled double-blind study, 120 patients were randomized in two equal groups (Placebo or gabapentin). The patients in the gabapentin group received gabapentin 300 mg orally one hour before the surgery and then every 12 hours for the first 24 hours after the surgery while the placebo group received placebos in the same way. Severity of headache and postoperative pain assessed by verbal rating score for pain (VRSP), morphine consumption, nausea, vomiting, somnolence, pruritus, dizziness in the first 48 hours, hypertension, hypotension, bradycardia and tachycardia in the first 24 hours after the surgery were recorded. In first 48 hour after surgery the mean of severity of headache in the gabapentin group was 0.20±0.05, and in the placebo group it was 0.93±0.01. The mean of postoperative pain in the gabapentin group was2.25±0.793, and in the placebo group it was3.77±0.813. In the first 24 hours post operative the mean of morphine consumptions were 0.20±0.030 and 0.32±0.0 30 mg in gabapentin and placebo groups. No significant differences were found between the two groups regarding incidence rate of the adverse effects. In this study, administration of gabapentin decreased the incidence and severity of post spinal anesthesia headache, postoperative pain and morphine consumption, without any significant differences in serious adverse effects.