International Journal of Preventive Medicine
Year:2020 | Volume:11 | Issue:-|Papers Count:13

Background: Iron deficiency is prevalent in overweight and obese individuals and may be induced by adiposity‑ related inflammation that affect iron metabolism. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between hematological parameters and obesity‑ induced inflammation among young females. Methods: A total of 170 young women (aged between 18‑ 35 years) participated in this cross‑ sectional study. Obesity was assessed by BMI (body mass index), WHR (waist to hip ratio), and body fat percentage. Inflammatory and hematological parameters including hs‑ CRP (high‑ sensitivity C‑ reactive protein), serum Fe, hemoglobin, ferritin, transferrin, TIBC (total iron binding capacity) were measured. Dietary intakes of some nutrients (total iron, proteins, calcium, and vitamin C) were assessed according to BMI, WHR and fat mass categories. Results: Serum iron were negatively correlated with BMI (P = 0. 045, r = − 0. 154) and hs‑ CRP (P = 0. 032, r = − 0. 165). Hemoglobin were also negatively correlated with BMI (P = 0. 043, r = − 0. 155). A significant correlation was also shown between WHR with transferrin (P = 0. 034, r = 0. 163) and TIBC levels (P = 0. 035, r = 0. 162), hs‑ CRP was positively correlated with BMI (P = 0. 014, r = 0. 183), WHR (P = 0. 009, r = 0. 202) and body fat percentage (P = 0. 037, r = 0. 353). Dietary intakes did not differ significantly among BMI, WHR and fat mass categories (P > 0. 05). Conclusions: Obesity‑ induced inflammation, regardless of dietary intake of iron, can lead to iron deficiency. Therefore, weight control, especially in obese subjects is necessary to prevent iron deficiency and anemia.

Background: Hypertension is a major cause of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of hypertension in cardiovascular patients in Iran by meta‑ analysis. Methods: The search was carried out using authentic Persian and English keywords in national and international databases including IranMedex, Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, IranDoc, Medlib, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar search engine without any time limitation until 2017. Heterogeneity of studies was assessed using I2 statistic. Data were analyzed using STATA 11. 1. Results: In 66 reviewed studies with a sample of 111, 406 participants, the prevalence of hypertension was 44% in Iranian patients with cardiovascular disease 67%(95%CI: 38%– 49%) in women and 42% in men. The prevalence of systolic hypertension in cardiac patients was 25%, diastolic 20%, diabetes 27%, and overexposure 43%. The prevalence of hypertension was 44% in patients with coronary artery disease, 50% in myocardial infarction, 33% in aortic aneurysm, and 44% in cardiac failure. Conclusions: Hypertension has a higher prevalence in women with cardiovascular disease than men, and it increases with age. Among patients with cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction patients have the highest levels of hypertension. The prevalence of systolic hypertension in cardiac patients is higher than diastolic hypertension.

Dear Editor, The Corona Virus Disease‑ 2019 (COVID‑ 19) outbreak has created an alarm across the globe and has raised serious concerns about the ability of the healthcare delivery system in responding to a disease outbreak. This is primarily because of the caseload, which by 21 February 2020 was 76769 and the incidence of the disease, wherein on a single day, 1021 new cases of the disease were reported worldwide. [1] At the same time, 1. 6% of the reported cases has been reported outside China, and these nations have together accounted for 8 disease‑ related deaths...

Background: The increase in smoking e‑ cigarettes with nicotine or only flavoring compounds requires a deep study on consequences on human health. This research aims to study the possible process, to form free radicals or the nuclei’ s damages with consequent micronuclei’ s formation. Methods: The study analyzed three groups: the first one that uses e‑ cigarettes with nicotine, (e‑ nicotine), the second flavoured liquid (e‑ vapor) and third the not‑ smoking group. We determinated the salivary malondialdehyde (MDA), the total salivary mucins (SM). and in buccal smear cells the micronuclei (MN). We statistically analyzed the results with the Mann‑ Whitney U Test Calculator. Results: Smoking e‑ cigarettes e‑ nicotine or e‑ vapor produced a great and significative amount of MDA vs control group: p ≤ 0. 05. Only those smoking e‑ nicotine, have a highest and statically significant amount of salivary mucins vs control group: P value 00496. In both smokers groups, the mean of MN scores has a significant difference vs control group P ≤ 0. 05. Conclusions: This study shows the possible damages of the nuclei, but the increase of radicals, oral mucins and MN needs more researches.

Dear Editor, The Corona Virus Disease‑ 2019 (COVID‑ 19) outbreak has been declared as the first Public Health Emergency of International Concern of the 2020‑ 2029 decade. The available global estimates revealed that on 17 February 2020 alone, a total of 2162 new cases were detected, taking the overall total to more than 71400 cases. [1] From the mortality perspective, the disease has resulted in 1775 deaths worldwide...

Background: Today, cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of mortality and disability in most developed and developing countries. The prediction of the major causes of deaths all over the world at all ages shows that 61% of deaths are due to chronic diseases, of which 30% is due to cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to assess the cost‑ utility analysis of atorvastatin for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases using the Markov model. Methods: Markov model with a lifetime horizon was developed to evaluate economic and health outcomes for atorvastatin drugs for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases for a cohort of 1, 000 patients. The effectiveness indicator in this study was quality‑ adjusted life‑ years (QALYs); robustness of results was examined by one‑ way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Results: The results showed that the use of atorvastatin compared to no drug intervention was highly cost‑ effective with USD173 per additional QALY. The results of one‑ way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis confirmed the results of this study. The findings of this study also showed that the highest cost items were hospitalization costs in the cardiac care unit (CCU). Also, the highest cost items in para‑ clinical services were related to echocardiography costs, and troponin constituted the largest cost of laboratory tests. Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that cardiologists use atorvastatin in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Dear Editor, COVID‑ 19 is an important new emerging infection. This new coronavirus infection can cause severe respiratory illness and death. The disease first emerged in China then Thailand and many countries. [1, 2] The disease can attack people at any age group. Some occupations might have high risk to get infections. The examples of those occupations are tourist bus driver, taxi driver, and medical personnel. As a new disease, the data on the incidence of disease among risk occupation risk limited. Here, the authors summarize the local data on COVID‑ 19 from Thailand, the second country that disease exists and spread. [3] This is the first report regarding the specific rate of infection among medical personnel...

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease with regressive episodic symptoms. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of asthma ever (lifetime prevalence of asthma) and the associated factors among newly entered students in public universities in Iran. Methods: This population‑ based cross‑ sectional study was part of the “ Mental and Physical Health Assessment of University Students in Iran. ” The target population included all newly admitted students (N = 151, 671) in 74 public universities in 28 provinces (out of the 31 provinces) in Iran. STATA version 12 was used for calculating the descriptive statistics. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were employed to identify relationships between asthma and socioeconomic variables. The level of significance was set at 95% confidence interval. Results: Of a total of 79, 277 participants, 55. 23% (n = 43, 785) and 44. 77% (n = 35, 492) were female and male, respectively. The prevalence of ever asthma among studied student was 1. 89%. Of all the participants with asthma, 88. 43% (85. 49%– 90. 84%) were nonsmokers. More than 20% of the subjects were physically inactive. The respondents who revealed smoking >10 cigarettes/week were about 1. 22 (1. 036– 1. 437) times more likely to suffer from asthma disease (0. 017), as compared with those who were not smoking. Conclusions: Our study provides valuable information about the prevalence of asthma ever symptoms among university students in Iran. In fact, the results of this study can fill information gaps concerning the affected groups in Iran, and even worldwide.

Aim: The present study aims to evaluate self‑ management status in Iranian patients with hypertension and its relationship with social determinants. Setting and Design: This study was carried out in 2017‑ 2018 in health care centers affiliated with Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Iran. Methods: A total of 240 patients with hypertension, who referred to health care centers of Tabriz, were invited to fill out the self‑ management (researcher made) and social determinants of health questionnaires. Statistical Analysis: Spearman correlation was used to determine the relationship between self‑ management score and its items with items of social determinants of health questionnaire. Also, Pearson correlation Student t‑ test was used. Results: In this research 197 patients were studied. Mean age of the participants was 56. 6 ± 10. 1 years. The mean ± SD (standard deviation) of self‑ management score was 81. 51 ± 13. 16. The correlation coefficient of self ‑ management with financial ability of securing the education expenses, nutrition and fruits, and health care expenses were 0. 228 (P = 0. 001), 0. 149 (P value <0. 05), and 0. 28 (P < 0. 001) respectively. Also, the correlation coefficient of age with self‑ management was − 0. 206 (P value = 0. 004). Item level analysis showed strong significant associations between social determinants and three items related to lifestyle and two items related to monitoring of blood pressure (BP) at home. Conclusion: Overall self ‑ management status of the patients was very good. Health centers that plan self ‑ management support programs for patients should consider the social determinants of life style modification and monitoring of BP at home by hypertensive patients.

Dear Editor, COVID‑ 19 is an important new emerging infection. After it appears first in China, [1] Thailand is the second country where outbreak occurred. [2] The first “ zero” patient in Thailand is an imported Chinese patient identified at January 2020. There are continuums of COVID‑ 19 cases in Thailand. Both imported and local transmission cases still newly occur despite several attempts for disease control and prevention. For successful prevention of expansion of disease, the knowledge on nature of disease progression in each setting is needed for proper management planning...

Background: Aggressive behaviors have increasing trend in children and adolescents all over the world. This study aimed to perform a systematic review on the association between screen time activities and aggressive behaviors. Methods: A systematic search was conducted through PubMed, Institute of Scientifi c Information (ISI), and Scopus, until 2017. Moreover, related unpublished studies (grey literature, thesis project and congress paper), considered for further data availability. Data extraction and quality assessment conducted by two independent experts. Results: Through searching processes, 4381 publications were found, from them. 483 papers were from PubMed database and others were from ISI/WOS (1724) and Scopus (1938). Following the excluding of non‑ relevant and duplicated studies, 19 studies remained for further analyzing. Findings of the present study showed that children and adolescents who share most of their time for watching of television are at greater risk for violent behaviors including physical fighting, victim and bully. Conclusion: This review found that children and adolescents who share most of their time for watching of television are at greater risk for violent behaviors including physical fight, victim and bully.

Almost all religions recommend periods of fasting. Many adult Muslims fast during the holy month of Ramadan each year. Ramadan fasting as a type of intermittent fasting is a non‑ pharmacological intervention refining the overall health. This year, Ramadan is coincided with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑ 19) outbreak making it one of the most challenging fasting periods for Muslims in the world. There is no solid direct evidence to suggest any adverse effect of Ramadan fasting during the COVID‑ 19 pandemic in healthy individuals. However, there are exemptions in Ramadan Fasting and those at risk of health issues should not fast. COVID‑ 19 is a new disease and there is limited studies concerning its risk factors. The purpose of this review was shedding more light on the potential mechanisms involved in influence of practice of fasting in all forms, including Ramadan fasting on the vulnerability to infection.

Dear Editor, COVID‑ 19 is a new global public health problem. Its origin is from the Republic of China and it already spread to more than 150 countries. [1] Historically, the disease investigation teams in China found that the disease might link to wildlife animals and the first commonplace of spreading the disease is Wuhan Seafood Market, which is the biggest center for selling meats of wildlife animals in Hubei, China. [1] At first, the disease is usually imported to a new country by infected immigrants. After that, the local transmission might occur and the transmission chain causes further causing a national wide outbreak. The characteristic of local spreading is interesting. The study on this issue is very useful for disease control and prevention planning...