Causes of Colectomy in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: Findings from an Iranian National Registry.

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) marked by rectal and colon inflammation, leading to relapsing symptoms. Its prevalence is increasing, particularly in developed nations, impacting patients' health. While its exact cause remains unclear, genetic and environmental factors are implicated, elevating the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Colectomy, though declining, is still performed in select UC cases, necessitating further study. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Iranian Registry of Crohn's and Colitis (IRCC) to examine UC patients undergoing colectomy. We collected demographic and clinical data from 91 patients, focusing on dysplasia. Statistical analyses assessed dysplasia risk factors. RESULTS: Patients with dysplasia were older at diagnosis and surgery compared to those without dysplasia. Age emerged as a significant risk factor for dysplasia in UC patients undergoing colectomy. No significant associations were found between dysplasia and other factors. CONCLUSION: Age plays a crucial role in dysplasia risk among UC patients undergoing colectomy. Older age at diagnosis and surgery may indicate a higher risk of dysplasia and CRC. Clinicians should consider age when managing UC patients and implementing screening protocols. Further research with larger samples is needed to confirm these findings.

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.

Clinical Phenotype and Disease Course of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Iran: Results of the Iranian Registry of Crohn's and Colitis (IRCC).

BACKGROUND: Data on the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the Middle East are scarce. We aimed to describe the clinical phenotype, disease course, and medication usage of IBD cases from Iran in the Middle East. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of registered IBD patients in the Iranian Registry of Crohn's and Colitis (IRCC) from 2017 until 2022. We collected information on demographic characteristics, past medical history, family history, disease extent and location, extra-intestinal manifestations, IBD medications, and activity using the IBD-control-8 questionnaire and the Manitoba IBD index, admissions history, history of colon cancer, and IBD-related surgeries. RESULTS: In total, 9746 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) (n=7793), and Crohn's disease (CD) (n=1953) were reported. The UC to CD ratio was 3.99. The median age at diagnosis was 29.2 (IQR: 22.6,37.6) and 27.6 (IQR: 20.6,37.6) for patients with UC and CD, respectively. The male-to-female ratio was 1.28 in CD patients. A positive family history was observed in 17.9% of UC patients. The majority of UC patients had pancolitis (47%). Ileocolonic involvement was the most common type of involvement in CD patients (43.7%), and the prevalence of stricturing behavior was 4.6%. A prevalence of 0.3% was observed for colorectal cancer among patients with UC. Moreover,15.2% of UC patients and 38.4% of CD patients had been treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF). CONCLUSION: In this national registry-based study, there are significant differences in some clinical phenotypes such as the prevalence of extra-intestinal manifestations and treatment strategies such as biological use in different geographical locations.

Assessing the sleep quality and depression-anxiety-stress in irritable bowel syndrome patients / Avaliação da qualidade do sono e de depressão, ansiedade e estresse em pacientes com síndrome do intestino irritável

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders with chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habit without any organic reason. Sleep disorders may be associated to IBS. OBJECTIVE We aimed to assess sleep disturbances and depression-anxiety-stress in IBS patients. METHODS In this analytical cross sectional study from November 2013 to May 2014, A total of 123 IBS patients were recruited by simple random sampling. IBS was diagnosed using ROME-III criteria. Demographic and basic data were driven from all patients then Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index questionnaire was utilized to estimate sleep quality and DASS (depression anxiety stress scale) questionnaire was filled out for depression, anxiety and stress. RESULTS The mean age of patients was 29±9, where 48 cases (39%) were male. Twelve cases (10%) had a background disease. Types of IBS in patients were included 38% diarrhea, 42% constipation and 20% mixed. From all IBS patients 87 (71%) cases had depression, 97 (79%) patients stress, 94 (76%) patients had anxiety. Seventy-six (62%) cases of IBS patients had poor sleep quality. Simultaneously employing predictors demonstrate that gender, background disease, and type of IBS did not statistically significant. On the other hand, depression (P=0.034, OR=2.35), anxiety (P=0.011, OR=3.022), and stress (P=0.029, OR=2.77) were significantly effect on sleep quality in poor sleepers. CONCLUSION Many of IBS patients is suffering from poor sleep quality. It seems that sleep disorder should be considered and treated in this patients.

RESUMO CONTEXTO A síndrome do intestino irritável (SII) é um dos transtornos gastrointestinais funcionais mais comuns, com dor abdominal crônica e alteração do hábito intestinal sem motivo orgânico aparente. Distúrbios do sono podem estar associados à SII. OBJETIVO Avaliar distúrbios do sono e sinais de depressão, ansiedade e estresse em pacientes com SII. MÉTODOS Através de estudo analítico transversal, observou-se entre de novembro de 2013 e maio 2014, um total de 123 pacientes com SII, recrutados por amostragem aleatória simples. A SII foi diagnosticada usando-se os critérios de Roma III. Dados demográficos e básicos foram obtidos de todos os pacientes e o questionário de índice de qualidade de sono de Pittsburg foi utilizado para estimar a qualidade do sono; o questionário DASS (escala de depressão ansiedade stress) foi preenchido para depressão, ansiedade e stress. RESULTADOS A média de idade dos pacientes foi de 29±9 anos, sendo 48 (39%) do sexo masculino. Doze (10%) tinham alguma doença associada. Nos subtipos de SII foram incluídos 38% com diarreia, 42% com constipação e 20% de forma alternada. Do total, 87 (71%), pacientes tinham depressão, o estresse foi observado em 97 (79%) e 94 (76%) tinham ansiedade. Setenta e seis (62%) pacientes com SII tinham sono de má qualidade. A análise de preditores, empregados simultaneamente, demonstrou que o gênero, a doença associada e o tipo de SII não foram estatisticamente significantes. Por outro lado, depressão (P=0,034, OR=2,35), ansiedade (P=0.011, OR=3.022) e stress (P=0,029, OR=2,77) contribuíram significativamente no efeito da má qualidade do sono. CONCLUSÃO A maioria dos pacientes com SII tem sono de má qualidade. Recomenda-se que o distúrbio do sono deva ser considerado e tratado nestes pacientes.