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Introduction: Since the level of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) increases in heart failure, elevated plasma BNP concentration is used as a predictor in the diagnosis and management of heart failure. Due to the diminished renal clearance of BNP, its level is above normal in kidney failure. This study evaluated the BNP prognostic value for assessing ventricular function in patients with chronic kidney disease. Materials and Methods: All the participants were diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Echocardiography was employed to assess ejection fraction. Body mass index, serum creatinine, and BNP were measured for all the patients. Prognostic value of BNP was assessed for ventricular function measured by ejection fraction. Results: Forty-four patients, including 34 men and 10 women, participated in the study. Level of BNP had a significant correlation with body mass index, ejection fraction, age, and gender. The sensitivity and specificity of BNP levels of 150 pg/mL and 705 pg/mL were 93.3% and 28.6% and 50.0% and 85.7%, respectively, for the diagnosis of ventricular dysfunction in the patients with chronic kidney disease. Conclusions: These findings suggest that a level of BNP of 705 pg/mL is a rather acceptable predictive factor for heart failure in patients with chronic kidney disease. The participants' height and weight, which were associated with BNP as body mass index, contributed to this level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood obesity and hypertension (HTN) are among serious global health concerns. Since risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) should be managed early in life and there is little information about children under the age of 6 in the community, the study was designed aiming to address these issues., Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 1,091, 3-6-year-old children in Gorgan City, located in north of Iran. Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure were measured using standard techniques. All statistical tests were conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for windows., Results: Given the study, respectively 3.8 and 4.5% of the boys and girls were underweight, 17.4 and 16.5% of the boys and girls were overweight, and 20.8 and 19.3% of the boys and girls were obese. In addition, 3.4, 0.7, and 0.4% of the subjects had presystolic, systolic, and prediastolic HTN, respectively. There is a significant linear relationship between BMI and systolic and diastolic blood pressures. It was found that the risk of obesity in mothers with college education was estimated to be almost 5 times higher than in mothers with lower levels of education., Conclusion: Compared to the values announced by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the mean height, weight, and BMI of children in our study was higher. Educational interventions should be considered in society, especially for mothers with a high level of education and employed ones. It is recommended that blood pressure measurements, especially in obese children, be carefully considered at each pediatric visit so that children with HTN could be quickly identified and treated., (© 2022 Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center & Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.)

Background: Thyroid papillary carcinoma is one of the most common endocrine tumors, and it accounts for 85% of thyroid tumors. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-independent Cushing's syndrome is a rare disease. In this case report, we discuss a very rare case of coexistence of papillary thyroid carcinoma and Cushing's syndrome with an adrenal origin., Case Presentation: The patient was a 33-year-old Iranian/Persian woman with a history of papillary thyroid carcinoma treated with iodine 131 three years ago. She presented with weight gain, amenorrhea, and mood disorders in the last six months. She was diagnosed with an ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome due to benign adrenal adenoma and underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy surgery. The symptoms of the syndrome were disappeared after the surgery., Conclusions: ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal tumor and papillary thyroid cancer occurs sporadically. The co-occurrence of two endocrine tumors with different origins is rare. It is recommended that the occurrence of other endocrine neoplasms be considered when an endocrine tumor is diagnosed.