IRANIAN JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM (IJEM)
Year:2016 | Volume:18 | Issue:1|Papers Count:12

Introduction: One of the most important criteria for assessment of research activities is the quantitative evaluation of scientific output, for which the most effective method is the assessment of indexed articles in valid databases. This study aimed at mapping the scientific output of indexed thyroid disease in the Web of Science database between 2007-2013. Materials and Methods: For the present study, we conducted an analytical survey, using a scientometric approach. The study population included all populations of scientific publications on indexed thyroid diseases in the web of science database between the years 2007-2013. Data were analyzed by Excel software, and the scientometric tool “HistCite” was used for mapping of scientific output in the region.Results: Our findings showed that from the 2294 records retrieved, 7344 authors affiliated to 1339 institutions, had published their research in 700 journals, using 6 document types. The Thyroid journal had the largest number of local and global citations. Majority of scientific productions in the Middle-East belonged to Turkey and Iran, i.e.60.7%, 17% respectively. In the scientific map, 5 scientific clusters were developed based on TGCS and TLCS.Conclusion: According to the results, Iran, in the field of thyroid disease, Iran with a rate of 17%, ranked as the second country in the middle-east in scientific publications, a relatively low ranking with regard to the significance of thyroid disease. To increase the scientific output in Iranian universities and research facilities, precisely designed strategies are urgently needed, based on which Iranian researchers in this field can achieve top rankings with research output in the Middle-East in the near future.

Introduction: Currently, the world faces the serious problem of chronic diseases. These diseases need on going care more than treatment. For care to be recognized as a principle, it should be standard, recordable and evaluable. This requires specific data to beenteredin a system with the appropriate framework. This study aims to determine data requirements and appropriate structure for a template that documents diabetes.Materials and Methods: This was a descriptivecross-sectional study performed in 2013-2014. A checklist containing 18 groups of diabetes data elements was prepared through studying the inpatient and outpatient diabetes records, as well as related research studies. The check list was presented to and evaluated bya focus group consisting 8 experts. An score was calculated for each of the data elements according to the item influence index formula.Results: Using the item influence index formula, of a total of 99 data elements, 73 were approved and 26 were rejected. Data were classified based on the Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan (SOAP) method.Conclusion: As the approved data requirements were derived from a focus group containing endocrinologists, health information management and medical informatics experts, and classified based on the standards of SOAP, it is expected that the approved data and structure be an appropriate tool for diabetes data collection and acceptable to its users.

Introduction: The Problem Area in Diabetes (PAID) questionnaire is a tool used to identify depression and psychological distress caused by diabetes. Considering the importance of rapid screening of these patients in primary care, PAID-5 can be very helpful in this regard. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of PAID-5 for the first time in Iran.Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 110 eligible patients with diabetes, admitted to Imam Hussein Hospital diabetic clinic in the city of Shahroud for one year. Having employed short and long forms of the PAID questionnaire, the present study, then, used various statistical tools including exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, Roc Curve, T-Test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient to analyze the collected data.Results: Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the PAID-5 was 0.75. The correlation coefficient between the average scores of PAID-5 and PAID-20 was 0.887. The results of exploratory factor analysis for PAID-5 explain 51 % of the total variance. The cut-off point obtained for the PAID-5 questionnaire was 8.Conclusion: The results show that the short form, like the long form, enjoys appropriate reliability and validity to identify diabetes-related depression and emotional distress in Iranian diabetic patients.

Introduction: Hypoglycemia is a medical emergency that disrupt routine life. Hypoglycemia experience likely causes fear of its recurrence. Even mild or moderate episodes may worry patients for frequent events. Limited studies have assessed predictors offear of hypoglycemia in patients with diabetes. The aim of the present study was to determine the predicting factors of hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetic patients treated with oral anti-hyperglycemic agents.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 357 patients with type 2 diabetes treated with oral anti-diabetic drugs. Data was collected through interviews by using a three-part questionnaire (socio-demographic & clinical characteristics, HFS-II). The data was analyzed with descriptive and deductive statistic methods (Generalized Linear Models) at5<0.05 using SPSSv.16 software.Results: Mean age of patients was 54.11±11.54 years and the majority were female (56.6%). The mean HFS score was 16.8±16.33. In regression analysis, frequency of hospitalization (p<0.001), employment (p<0.048), number of medications (p<0.029), hyperlipidemia (p<0.026), hypoglycemia (p<0.001) and hypoglycemia intensity (p<0.001) were related to fear of hypoglycemia.Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, hypoglycemia and its intensity are considered as the strongest predictors of fear of hypoglycemia. Therefore, prevention of hypoglycemia occurrence and reduction of its related fear can be performed by modifying the other predictors identified in this study.

Introduction: Securigera securidaca seed is used as a hypoglycemic agent in Iranian folk medicine. In this study, potential effect of oral administration of whole seed extract its fractions were investigated on Streptozosin diabetic mice and rats (200 mg/kg, ip).Materials and Methods: In acute study, diabetic mice were received different doses of whole seed extract, its fractions including chloroform, methanol, or mixture of chloroform and methanol, along with glibenclamide (10 mg/kg) and normal saline, by gavage. Blood glucose levels were assessed at baseline and again during 1, 2 and 4 h after gavage. Diabetic rats were received a mixture of chloroform and methanol fraction (30: 70) in a dose 500 mg/kg, along with regular and NPH Insulin (30: 70), glibenclamide and normal saline, by gavage, two times a day for two weeks. Blood glucose levels were measured at baseline and again after one and two weeks. Blood biochemical measures and liver histology examination were done after two weeks.Results: Acute study showed that chloroform fraction reduced blood glucose level after 1 h wherease methanol fraction and mixture of fractions decreased blood glucose levels toward a normal range, after 4 h. In sub-acute study, no significant change was not observed in blood glucose and biochemical parameters, after administration of fractions. Compared to rats received mixture of fractions, liver cells destruction was lower in groups receiving insulin and glibenclamide.Conclusion: Acute dose of S. securidaca seed could reduce blood glucose by similar mechanism as insulin.

Introduction: In this study, the effect of continuous aerobic training on serum indices of liver tissue damage enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)) in rats with myocardial infarction (MI) were evaluated.Material and Methods: For this purpose, four weeks after MI, 30 male Wistar rats were randomized to the following groups: 1: Sham (n=10); 2: MI-sedentary (Sed-MI), n=10 and 3: MI-exercise (Ex-MI), n=10 the rats were subjected to aerobic training in the form of treadmill running for 10 weeks (5 days per week) at 17 m/min for 50 min/day. At the end of training program, serum AST, ALT, and ALP were measured by ELISA kits. Results were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and P<0.05 was considered as significant level.Results: AST activity, in the MI-sedentary and MIexercise groups was significantly higher at the end of training (p=0.01), there was however no significant difference between MI-sedentary and MI-exercise (p=0.93). Alanine amino transferase was also significantly increased after MI (p=0.02), there was howere no significant difference between MI-exercise and the MI-sedentary groups (p=0.55). ALP activity was comparable between groups (p=0.9).Conclusion: Ten weeks continues aerobic exercise training with moderate intensity had no effect on liver function in rats with MI. To better evaluate the effect of exercise training on liver pathological indices immunohistochemical analyses are needed.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy among women of reproductive age. In addition of fertility problems, there are numerous potential mechanisms which could promote neoplastic disease, including breast and gynecological cancers (endometrial and ovarian cancers), in women with PCOS. PCOS patients have a higher prevalence of obesity and consequently higher risk of metabolic syndrome. Also, hyper and rogenism, as one of the main symptoms of PCOS, is the result of endocrine alterations like increased presence of androgens and estrogens secreted abnormally. Obesity and fertility disorders caused by PCOS are two important risk factors for various cancers such as ovarian cancer. There is some evidence, which suggests that PCOS may be assumed as a factor in the increased risk of ovarian cancer. Also, androgen levels, weight gain and obesity are the main risk factors for the onset and progression of breast cancer. Related articles in English were searched in PubMed, Google Scholar, Elsevier, Wiley Online Library. Accordingly, PCOS could be known as a cause of estrogen-dependent tumors that have receptors for steroid hormones, such as breast and ovarian cancer. Despite the on going extensive research aiming to determine the relationship between PCOS and increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers, limited information has been obtained to confirm this relationship.

Introduction: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic disorder in pregnancy that is diagnosed for the first time in the second half pregnancy. Associations between consumption of trans fatty acids and GDM have been conflicted in many studies. The purpose of this study is to determine this relationship.Materials and Methods: This is a narrative review to assess the relationship between trans fatty acids consumption before and during pregnancy and GDM incidence. We searched Google Scholar, Cochrane, and Science Direct and Med Line for identifying relevant analytic studies (Cohort and case- control studies). We used the key words Trans Fatty Acids, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, pregnancy glucose intolerance.Result: At last we identified 12 relevant studies. Studies demonstrated that high trans fatty acids and animal fat intake before and during pregnancy significantly increased blood glucose levels in late pregnancy.Conclusion: High trans fatty acids intake and animal fat consumption in daily diet before and during pregnancy disturb glucose metabolism and increase risk of GDM in the second half of pregnancy, although all of the studies recommended more widespread clinical trials to identify the exact relationship between high trans fatty acids intake and GDM.