Assessment of Torque Teno Virus (TTV) Frequency in Healthy Blood Donors in the Central Region of Iran, Yazd.

Background: Torque teno virus (TTV) is a globally prevalent virus in humans, yet comprehensive knowledge about its prevalence, predominant transmission routes, and pathogenesis remains limited. This study aimed to assess the frequency of TTV infection among healthy blood donors in Yazd, Iran. Materials and Methods: A total of 236 healthy blood donors, devoid of HIV/HBV/HCV infection markers, participated in the study from 2015 to 2016. Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) utilizing a set of oligo primers for the 5΄- UTR region was employed to detect TTV DNA in serum samples. Results: The TTV genome was identified in 161 out of 236 (61.2%) healthy blood donors. The mean age for men and women was 43 and 57 years, respectively. Of the participants, 156 were male, and 107 were female. Donor age exhibited a significant association with virus presence (P=0.007); however, gender did not show a statistically significant association with the frequency of TTV infection in healthy blood donors (P=0.3). Conclusion: The study revealed a notably high frequency of the Torque teno virus in Yazd province, aligning with similar findings globally. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the clinical implications of the virus in the healthy population.

Risk Factors for Retinopathy of Prematurity in Preterm Infants in Kerman, Iran.

Purpose: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the main cause of blindness in premature infants. Despite developments in neonatal care and management guidelines, ROP is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. Hence, the identification of risk factors for ROP is critical to diminish the burden of the disease. Methods: This cross-sectional study included all infants with gestational age ≤ 36 weeks referred to the ophthalmology clinic at Shafa hospital, Kerman, Iran from 2014 to 2015. Ophthalmologic examinations were performed followed by demographic and ophthalmic data collection and analysis. Results: A total of 579 preterm neonates were screened including 325 boys and 254 girls. The incidence of ROP was 17.96%. Mean birth weight (BW) and gestational age (GA) were 1668.0 grams and 31.2 weeks, respectively. The results indicated that BW, GA, duration of hospitalization and oxygen therapy were significantly related to the development of ROP, however, after multivariate logistic regression analysis, only BW and duration of hospitalization remained significant. There were no significant associations between gender, type of delivery, or assisted reproductive technologies, and ROP (P = 0.461, 0.461, and 0.826, respectively). Conclusion: BW and duration of hospitalization were significant risk factors for ROP in the current study. BW was also strongly associated with the need for therapy.

Assessment of the Effect of Sub-Cutaneous Adalimumab on Prognosis of COVID-19 Patients: a Non-Randomized Pilot Clinical Trial Study in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Adalimumab is an anti-inflammatory medicine used to treat a variety of disorders, although its effectiveness in improving the clinical status of COVID-19 patients is debatable. The goal was to evaluate the efficacy of adalimumab as an alternate treatment in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: This non-randomized pilot clinical trial study included 18 patients with severe COVID-19 status hospitalized at the Afzalipour Hospital in Kerman from February 2022 to March 2022. Patients were divided into two groups: nine patients in the control group received dexamethasone, remdesivir, and heparin in addition to supportive therapies. The case group also included nine patients who received adalimumab injection (CinnoRA®, CinnaGen, Iran) in addition to the treatment administered to the control group. RESULTS: Although the effect of adalimumab injection on clinical factors, including mechanical ventilation required, the number of days oxygen needed, the length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), and saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO2) level and respiratory rate (RR), were not significantly different between groups, the intra-group SpO2 level before and after receiving oxygen was significantly different in the case group (p ≤ 0.001 and p = 0.002). In addition, laboratory tests for lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and C-reactive protein (CRP) revealed no statistically significant differences between the two groups. Nonetheless, a positive intra-group effect of the medication was detected on these two parameters. No short-term side effects of drug injection were observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the efficacy of adalimumab as an alternate medication for improving SpO2, LDH, and CRP levels in COVID-19 patients.

Evaluation of hematological parameters alterations in different waves of COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of variations in routine hematological parameters is closely associated with disease progression, the development of severe illness, and the mortality rate among COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to investigate hematological parameters in COVID-19 hospitalized patients from the 1st to the 5th waves of the current pandemic. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included a total of 1501 hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 based on WHO criteria, who were admitted to Shahid Sadoughi Hospital (SSH) in Yazd, Iran, from February 2020 to September 2021. Throughout, we encountered five COVID-19 surge waves. In each wave, we randomly selected approximately 300 patients and categorized them based on infection severity during their hospitalization, including partial recovery, full recovery, and death. Finally, hematological parameters were compared based on age, gender, pandemic waves, and outcomes using the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS: The mean age of patients (n = 1501) was 61.1±21.88, with 816 (54.3%) of them being men. The highest mortality in this study was related to the third wave of COVID-19 with 21.3%. There was a significant difference in all of the hematological parameters, except PDW, PLT, and RDW-CV, among pandemic waves of COVID-19 in our population. The highest rise in the levels of MCV and RDW-CV occurred in the 1st wave, in the 2nd wave for lymphocyte count, MCHC, PLT count, and RDW-SD, in the 3rd wave for WBC, RBC, neutrophil count, MCH, and PDW, and in the 4th wave for Hb, Hct, and ESR (p < 0.01). The median level of Hct, Hb, RBC, and ESR parameters were significantly higher, while the mean level of lymphocyte and were lower in men than in women (p < 0.001). Also, the mean neutrophil in deceased patients significantly was higher than in those with full recovered or partial recovery (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings of our study unveiled notable variations in hematological parameters across different pandemic waves, gender, and clinical outcomes. These findings indicate that the behavior of different strains of the COVID-19 may differ across various stages of the pandemic.

Higher Risk of Chronic Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1: An Iranian Cross-sectional Study.

Background & Objective: Occurrence of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) infection may be common in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) patients and may lead to chronic infection as well as cirrhosis. We intended to determine the incidence of HEV infection among HIV-1 patients compared to individuals without HIV-1 infection. Methods: In our cross-sectional study, 87 HIV-1-positive patients were compared to 93 healthy individuals in Kerman, Iran. Plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from all the participants. Plasma samples were evaluated for HEV IgM and IgG using the ELISA kit. Then, reverse transcriptase-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR) was used in RNA extractions from PBMCs to check for the presence of HEV RNA. Results: Among the subjects examined in our study, 61 (70.1%) and 71 (77.4%) out of patients with HIV-1 infection and healthy individuals were male, respectively. The average ages of patients with HIV-1 and the control group were 40.2 years and 39.9 years, respectively. No discernible differences were found between the two groups based on IgM and IgG seropositivity against the HEV. However, HEV-RNA was found in 8% of patients with HIV-1 and 1.1% of HIV-1-negative individuals (P=0.03). There was also an association between the HEV genome and anti-HEV and anti-HCV antibodies in HIV-1-positive patients (P=0.02 and P=0.014, respectively). Conclusion: HEV infection may be more common in HIV-1 patients and may develop a chronic infection in immunocompromised individuals. Molecular-based HEV diagnostic tests, including RT-PCR assays, should be performed in HIV-1 patients with unknown impaired liver function tests.

Effect of an early mobilisation programme on pain intensity after laparoscopic surgery: a randomised clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Pain is a common complication after laparoscopic surgery. This study aimed to examine the effect of an early mobilisation programme on postoperative pain intensity after laparoscopic surgery. METHODS: A randomised controlled clinical trial was conducted on 80 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery in Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan, Iran. The patients were randomly allocated to intervention (n=40) and a control (n=40) group. In the intervention group, an early mobilisation programme was implemented in two rounds. The patient's perceived pain was assessed using a Visual Analogue Scale 15 min before and 30 min after each round of early mobilisation. Data were analysed through the independent samples t, χ2 and Fisher's exact tests and the repeated measures analysis. RESULTS: The repeated measures analysis showed that the mean pain scores have been decreased over time (F=98.88, p<0.001). Considering the observed interaction between time and the intervention, the t test was used for pairwise comparisons and showed that the mean pain score was not significantly different between the two groups in 15 min before the first round of early mobilisation (p=0.95). However, the mean pain in the intervention group was significantly less than the control group in all subsequent measurements (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Early mobilisation programmes such as the one implemented in the current study are easy and inexpensive and can be implemented safely for the reduction of pain after laparoscopic surgeries.

Is neonatal phototherapy associated with a greater risk of childhood cancers?

BACKGROUND: Neonatal phototherapy (NNPT) has long been used as an effective and relatively safe method of treating neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Considering the subsequent evidence of long-term impacts of NNPT such as malignancies, this study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between NNPT and childhood cancers. METHODS: This case-control study assessed 116 children up to 4 years old with every kind of cancer referred to the Oncology department of Afzalipour hospital, Kerman, Iran, from 2011 to 18. Moreover, 116 pediatric patients without cancer hospitalized at the same Center were included after sex and age matching as the control group. The history of phototherapy and its duration were evaluated in these two groups. RESULTS: We found no association between the NNPT and malignancies in children. However, high intensive phototherapy was higher historically among affected cancerous patients than in non-cancerous cases without any statistically significant difference (25% vs 19%; P = 0.26). Maternal educational level and history of maternal infection during pregnancy, which initially appeared to be two factors associated with malignancy in single variable regression analyses, were not significant based on the adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: The results did not show a positive correlation between NNPT and childhood cancers, which may partly be due to the relatively small sample size of the study. However, some other evidence is worrisome enough that NNPT should not be considered risk-free. Additional multi-centric studies should be undertaken to specify that phototherapy is really safe.

Mortality Trends of Gastrointestinal, Liver, and Pancreaticobiliary Diseases: A Hospital-Based Prospective Study in the Southeast of Iran.

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI), liver, and pancreaticobiliary diseases, in addition to the high health care utilization, account for a significant proportion of disability and death in Iran. We aimed to assess the incidence of in-hospital mortality for the total GI, liver, and pancreaticobiliary diseases in all hospitals in Kerman, Iran. Methods: In a cross-sectional study from May 2017 to April 2018, we collected the data of in-hospital death records due to GI, liver, and pancreaticobiliary diseases in all hospitals in Kerman city. GI and liver diseases were classified into three main categories: 1. Non-malignant GI diseases, 2. Non-malignant liver and pancreaticobiliary diseases, and 3. GI, liver, and pancreaticobiliary malignancies. All data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 22 (IBM). Results: Of 3427 in-hospital mortality, 269 (7.84%) deaths were due to GI, liver, and pancreaticobiliary diseases, of which 82 (30.48%) were related to non-malignant GI disorders, 92 (34.20%) to the non-malignant liver and pancreaticobiliary diseases, and 95 (35.31%) were associated with GI, liver and pancreaticobiliary malignancies. Most patients were male (62.08%), and the most common age was between 60-80 years (40.5%). GI bleeding occurred in 158 (58.73%) patients, and variceal bleeding was the most common cause (28.48%). Additionally, cirrhosis was reported in 41 out of 92 (44.56%), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) was the most common cause of cirrhosis among 17 out of 41 (41.46%). Conclusion: Our results show that gastric, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers and cirrhosis due to HBV were the most common causes of mortality associated with GI, liver, and pancreaticobiliary diseases in the hospitals of Kerman.

Prevalence of dyspepsia and its associated factors among the adult population in southeast of iran in 2010.

BACKGROUND: Dyspepsia is a common disorder that can present many clinical dilemmas in patient management. Although not usually life-threatening, its symptoms such as abdominal pain, heartburn, early satiety and postprandial fullness can have a significant negative impact on patients' quality of life. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of dyspepsia and its associated factors among the adult population in Kerman in 2010. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 2210 patients with the mean age of 43.4 years in Kerman, a city in southeast of Iran. Demographic factors, lifestyle data and gastrointestinal symptoms were collected for each patient. RESULTS: The prevalence of dyspepsia was 16.1% (95% confidence interval: 14.3-18.1). The prevalence in patients with abdominal obesity (7.3%) was lower in comparison with those with low physical activity (13.8%). Out of other psycho-behavioral risk factors, anxiety after controlling for other variables increased the risk of functional dyspepsia more than 65 percent (P = 0. 004) and depressive disorders also increased that risk about 2.13 percent (P < 0.0001). Patients with dyspepsia symptoms were more likely to restrict their diet, take herbal medicine, use over-the-counter drugs and consult with physicians. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study reveal the moderate prevalence of dyspepsia among the adult population in Kerman like in other parts of the country and this prevalence is associated with several demographic factors, lifestyle and health-seeking behaviors.

Comparing alveolar bone regeneration using Bio-Oss and autogenous bone grafts in humans: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Bone regeneration grafts (BRG) are widely used in the treatment of osseous defects and oral surgery. The various techniques and associated success rates of bone augmentation require evaluation by systematic review and meta-analysis of eligible studies. The aim of this systematic review was to compare alveolar bone regeneration in humans using Bio-Oss and autogenous bone graft. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The computerized bibliographical databases including Pubmed, Google, ScienceDirect and Cochrane were searched for randomized and cohort studies in which autogenous grafts were compared to Bio-Oss in the treatment of periodontal defects. The inclusion criteria were human studies in English that were published 1998-2009. Exclusion criteria included non randomized observation and cohort studies, papers which provided summary statistics without the variance estimates, and studies that did not use BRG intervention alone, were excluded. The screening of eligible studies, assessment of the methodological quality of the trials and data extraction were collected by two observers independently. For comparing autogenous grafts used alone against Bio-Oss used alone 5 situations were investigated. Thirteen studies were included in the review which compared autogenous against Bio-Oss, autogenous combined with guided tissue regeneration (GTR) against GTR, Bio-Oss combined with GTR versus GTR, autogenous alone versus Open Flap Debridement (OFD), Bio-Oss versus OFD. In meta-analysis, changes in bone level (bone fill) was used as the measure. Data were analyzed using Bayesian meta-analysis by WinBUGS and Boa software. RESULTS: Only one comparison demonstrated that the difference in bone augmentation between Bio-Oss and OFD was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: There is insufficient evidence to show that Bio-Oss is superior to autogenous grafts in bone augmentation techniques however autogenous bone involves donor site surgery and thus donor site morbidity, so we can conclude that Bio-Oss is better than autogenous for alveolar regeneration. [Iranian Endodontic Journal 2009;4(4):125-30].