Comparison of laboratory-based and non-laboratory-based WHO cardiovascular disease risk charts: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Determining the risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is a necessity for timely preventive interventions in high-risk groups. However, laboratory testing may be impractical in countries with limited resources. This study aimed at comparison and assessment of the agreement between laboratory-based and non-laboratory-based WHO risk charts models. METHODS: This study was performed using the baseline data of 8138 participants in the pars cohort study who had no history of CVD and stroke. The updated 2019 WHO model was used to determine the 10-year fatal and non-fatal CVD risks. In general, there are two types of new WHO risk prediction models for CVD. The scores were determined based on age, sex, smoking status, diabetes, Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), and total cholesterol for the laboratory-based model and age, sex, smoking status, SBP, and Body Mass Index (BMI) for the non-laboratory-based model. The agreement of these two models was determined via kappa statistics for the classified risk (low: < 10%, moderate: 10-< 20%, high: ≥ 20%). Correlation coefficients (r) and scatter plots was used for correlation between scores. RESULTS: The results revealed very strong correlation coefficients for all sex and age groups (r = 0.84 for males < 60 years old, 0.93 for males ≥ 60 years old, 0.85 for females < 60 years old, and 0.88 for females ≥ 60 years old). In the laboratory-based model, low, moderate, and high risks were 76.10%, 18.17%, and 5.73%, respectively. These measures were respectively obtained as 77.00%, 18.08%, and 4.92% in the non-laboratory-based model. Based on risk classification, the agreement was substantial for males < 60 years old and for both males and females aged ≥ 60 years (kappa values: 0.79 for males < 60 years old, 0.65 for males ≥ 60 years old, and 0.66 for females ≥ 60 years old) and moderate for females < 60 years old (kappa = 0.46). CONCLUSIONS: The non-laboratory-based risk prediction model, which is simple, inexpensive, and non-invasive, classifies individuals almost identically to the laboratory-based model. Therefore, in countries with limited resources, these two models can be used interchangeably.

Socioeconomic inequalities in prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension: evidence from the PERSIAN cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Elevated blood pressure is associated with cardiovascular disease, stroke and chronic kidney disease. In this study, we examined the socioeconomic inequality and its related factors in prevalence, Awareness, Treatment and Control (ATC) of hypertension (HTN) in Iran. METHOD: The study used data from the recruitment phase of The Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IrAN (PERSIAN). A sample of 162,842 adults aged > = 35 years was analyzed. HTN was defined according to the Joint National Committee)JNC-7(. socioeconomic inequality was measured using concentration index (Cn) and curve. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 49.38(SD = ± 9.14) years and 44.74% of the them were men. The prevalence of HTN in the total population was 22.3%(95% CI: 20.6%; 24.1%), and 18.8%(95% CI: 16.8%; 20.9%) and 25.2%(95% CI: 24.2%; 27.7%) in men and women, respectively. The percentage of awareness treatment and control among individuals with HTN were 77.5%(95% CI: 73.3%; 81.8%), 82.2%(95% CI: 70.2%; 81.6%) and 75.9%(95% CI: 70.2%; 81.6%), respectively. The Cn for prevalence of HTN was -0.084. Two factors, age (58.46%) and wealth (32.40%), contributed most to the socioeconomic inequality in the prevalence of HTN. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HTN was higher among low-SES individuals, who also showed higher levels of awareness. However, treatment and control of HTN were more concentrated among those who had higher levels of SES, indicating that people at a higher risk of adverse event related to HTN (the low SES individuals) are not benefiting from the advantage of treatment and control of HTN. Such a gap between diagnosis (prevalence) and control (treatment and control) of HTN needs to be addressed by public health policymakers.

The association of dietary intake and plasma fatty acid panel in pancreatic cancer patients: Results from Golestan cohort study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: High mortality rate of pancreatic cancer (PC) as one of the most common cancers worldwide made it a center of attention for recent researches on its pathology, etiology, screening and early diagnosis. In previous researches, association of dietary intake and plasma levels of fatty acids with risk of pancreatic cancer was investigated. In this study we aimed to evaluate the correlation between dietary and plasma fatty acids in case and control groups. METHODS: From 50,045 adults between 40-75 years old participated in Golestan cohort study, fifty incident cases of PC were diagnosed and 150 controls matched by age, sex and residence place were randomly selected. Dietary intakes and plasma levels of fatty acids was evaluated by validated food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and Gas Chromatography - Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID), respectively. Then, Spearman's correlation was used to measure the correlation between dietary and plasma levels of fatty acids in case and control groups. RESULTS: Among all the fatty acids, there was a significant association between plasma and dietary intake of a few fatty acids including trans fatty acids (TFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), 22:6n-3 and 14:0 only in control group. Only total PUFA intake modified plasma level of some fatty acids in case group. There was no difference between association of desaturase enzymes and fatty acids in case and controls. CONCLUSIONS: Since, plasma levels of fatty acids might be influenced by recent diet, we did not find any specific differences between the associations of plasma levels of fatty acids with dietary intake of fats in case and control groups.

Dietary quality using four dietary indices and lung cancer risk: the Golestan Cohort Study (GCS).

PURPOSE: The lung cancer incidence in Iran has increased almost ten times over the past three decades. In addition to the known causes such as smoking and certain occupational exposure, dietary quality has been suggested to play a role in lung cancer. We aim to explore the association between dietary pattern and lung cancer risk among a Middle East population. METHODS: Data came from Golestan Cohort Study which included 48,421 participants with 136 lung cancer cases diagnosed during a median follow-up of 12 years. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate the HRs and 95% CI of lung cancer risk by tertile of the four dietary index scores-the Health Eating Index (HEI)-2015, the Alternative Health Eating Index (AHEI)-2010, the Alternative Mediterranean Diet (AMED), and the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-Fung. RESULTS: A higher DASH-Fung score was inversely associated with risk of lung cancer after adjusting for potential confounders (tertile three vs. tertile one: HR = 0.59 (0.38-0.93); p for trend = 0.07), and pinteraction with smoking was 0.46. Similar findings were observed among current smokers with the HEI-2015 score (tertile three vs. tertile one: HR = 0.22 (0.08-0.60): p for trend < 0.01), and pinteraction between smoking and the HEI-2015 score was 0.03. CONCLUSION: In the GCS, consuming a diet more closely aligned with the DASH diet was associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer, which appeared to be independent of smoking status. There was also an inverse link between the HEI-2015 score and lung cancer risk among current smokers. Our finding is particularly important for the Middle East population, as diet may play an important role in cancer prevention and overall health.

Impact of 2017 ACC/AHA guideline on prevalence, awareness, treatment, control, and determinants of hypertension: a population-based cross-sectional study in southwest of Iran.

BACKGROUND: In 2017, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) provided a new guideline for hypertension prevention and management. We aimed to update the prevalence, awareness, control, and determinants of hypertension based on this guideline in Khuzestan province, southwest of Iran, and to estimate the number of people who are eligible for non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic intervention. METHODS: This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Khuzestan, a large province in the southwest of Iran. Comprehensive information about the potential relating factors of hypertension was collected, blood pressure was measured, and anthropometric measurements were obtained. Moreover, the dietary pattern was evaluated in 2830 individuals, using a qualitative food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Among 30,506 participants, 30,424 individuals aged 20-65 years were eligible for the study. In comparison with the previous guideline released by the Joint National Committee (JNC8), the prevalence of hypertension in Khuzestan dramatically increased from 15.81 to 42.85% after implementation of the ACC/AHA guideline, which was more dominant in the male population and the 45-54 age group. The sex and age adjustment of the hypertension prevalence was estimated to be 39.40%. The percentage of hypertension awareness, treatment, and control were 45.85%, 35.42%, and 59.63%, which dropped to 22.72%, 26.37%, and 28.94% after implementation of new guideline, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In the ACC/AHA guideline, a higher number of individuals with the pre-hypertension condition were shifted into the hypertension category and the level of awareness, treatment, and control were dramatically decreased, which highlight a great need to expand the public health infrastructure for further managing the substantial increased burden on healthcare system. However, further studies with population over 65 years are required to estimate the eligibility for antihypertensive treatment in this province after implementation of new guideline.

Dietary intake of fatty acids and risk of pancreatic cancer: Golestan cohort study.

BACKGROUND: As pancreatic cancer (PC) is a malignancy with poor prognosis, finding strategies for its prevention became a notable priority. Among all the factors influencing the risk of PC, dietary items especially fats are considered as the most modifiable risk factors.This study is designed to assess the associations of dietary intake of fatty acids with the risk of PC incidence. METHODS: A total of 50,045 adults between 40 and 75 years old participated in this cohort study in 2004-2008 and were followed up to the present. Intakes of fatty acids was evaluated by validated food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) with 95 % confidence interval of differing levels of dietary intakes of fatty acids for incidence of PC. RESULTS: At the end of follow-up period, 76 cases of PC were identified and 46,904 participants without history of cancer, acute kidney disorders, fibrosis and cirrhosis were included in the study. Dietary total saturated fatty acids (SFAS) was associated with PC risk (HR = 1.05 (1.01-1.09), Ptrend=0.01), whereas dietary total monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAS) was inversely associated with the risk of PC (HR = 0.92 (0.86-0.99), Ptrend=0.04). Dietary total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAS) did show a protective but not significant association with the risk of PC (HR = 0.91(0.84-1.00), Ptrend=0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The amount of total fat intake is not a risk factor for PC in our study and focusing on the intake of specific fatty acids becomes more striking. Unsaturated fatty acids including PUFAS and especially MUFAS are considered as protective dietary factors in PC prevention. In contrast, total SFAS is positively associated with the increased risk of PC. However, very long chain and odd-chain saturated fatty acids intake may be protective against PC.

Impaired fasting glucose and major adverse cardiovascular events by hypertension and dyslipidemia status: the Golestan cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Whether pre-diabetes in the absence of hypertension (HTN) or dyslipidemia (DLP) is a risk factor for occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) is not fully established. We investigated the effect of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) alone and in combination with HTN, DLP or both on subsequent occurrence of MACE as well as individual MACE components. METHODS: This longitudinal population-based study included 11,374 inhabitants of Northeastern Iran. The participants were free of any cardiovascular disease at baseline and were followed yearly from 2010 to 2017. Cox proportional hazard models were fitted to measure the hazard of IFG alone or in combination with HTN and DLP on occurrence of MACE as the primary endpoint. RESULTS: Four hundred thirty-seven MACE were recorded during 6.2 ± 0.1 years follow up. IFG alone compared to normal fasting glucose (NFG) was not associated with an increase in occurrence of MACE (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.19-4.02; p, 0.854). However, combination of IFG and HTN (HR, 2.88; 95% CI, 2.04-4.07; p, 0.000) or HTN + DLP (HR, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.89-4.71; p, 0.000) significantly increased the risk for MACE. Moreover, IFG + DM with or without HTN, DLP, or both was also associated with an increase in the incidence of MACE. CONCLUSION: IFG, per se, does not appear to increase hazard of MACE. However, IFG with HTN or HTN + DLP conferred a significant hazard for MACE in an incremental manner. Moreover, IFG without HTN, adjusted for DLP, can be associated with an increase in the risk for CVD- death.

Habitual dietary intake of flavonoids and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: Golestan cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Flavonoids are the most important group of polyphenols with well-known beneficial effects on health. However; the association of intake of total flavonoid or their subclasses with all-cause or cause-specific mortality is not fully understood. The present study aims to evaluate the association between intake of total flavonoid, flavonoid subclasses, and total and cause-specific mortality in a developing country. METHODS: A total number of 49,173 participants from the Golestan cohort study, who completed a validated food frequency questionnaire at recruitment, were followed from 2004 till 2018. Phenol-Explorer database was applied to estimate dietary intakes of total flavonoid and different flavonoid subclasses. Associations were examined using adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 10.63 years, 5104 deaths were reported. After adjusting for several potential confounders, the hazard ratios (HRs) of all-cause mortality for the highest versus the lowest quintile of dietary flavanones, flavones, isoflavonoids, and dihydrochalcones were 0.81 (95% confidence interval = 0.73-0.89), 0.83(0.76-0.92), 0.88(0.80-0.96) and 0.83(0.77-0.90), respectively. However, there was no association between total flavonoid intake or other flavonoid subclasses with all-cause mortality. In cause-specific mortality analyses, flavanones and flavones intakes were inversely associated with CVD mortality [HRs: 0.86(0.73-1.00) and 0.85(0.72-1.00)] and isoflavonoids and dihydrochalcones were the only flavonoid subclasses that showed a protective association against cancer mortality [HR: 0.82(0.68-0.98)]. CONCLUSION: The results of our study suggest that certain subclasses of flavonoids can reduce all-cause mortality and mortality rate from CVD and cancer.

The application of six dietary scores to a Middle Eastern population: a comparative analysis of mortality in a prospective study.

Background The associations between dietary indices and mortality have not been evaluated in populations from the Middle East, which have different dietary patterns compared to the US and Europe. In this study, we evaluated the association between six dietary indices and mortality in the Golestan Cohort Study (GCS) in Iran, which is the largest prospective study in the Middle East with 50,045 participants. Methods The six dietary indices, namely the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2015), Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI-2010), Alternative Mediterranean Diet (AMED), Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension created by Fung (DASH-Fung) and Mellen (DASH-Mellen), and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF/AICR) index, were applied to data from a food frequency questionnaire, computed and divided into quintiles. Adjusted Cox models were used to estimate hazards ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overall and cause-specific mortality, using the lowest quintile as a reference group. Results Among 42,373 participants included in the current analyses, 4424 subjects died during 10.6 years of follow-up. Participants with the highest quintile dietary scores, compared with the lowest quintile dietary scores, had significantly decreased overall mortality in the AHEI-2010, AMED, DASH-Fung, and WCRF/AICR indices (HR 0.88, 95% CI = 0.80-0.97; 0.80, 0.70-0.91; 0.77, 0.70-0.86; and 0.79, 0.70-0.90, respectively). A reduced cardiovascular mortality was found for high AHEI-2010 and DASH-Fung scores (17% and 23%, respectively), and a reduced cancer mortality for high HEI-2015, AMED, and DASH-Fung scores (21, 37 and 25%, respectively). Conclusion Various indices of dietary quality are inversely associated with overall mortality, and selectively with cancer and cardiovascular mortality in the GCS, which contribute to the generalizability and validity of dietary guidelines.

The burden of headache disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 1990-2016: findings from the Global Burden of Disease study 2016.

OBJECTIVES: Using the findings of the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD), we report the burden of primary headache disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) from 1990 to 2016. METHODS: We modelled headache disorders using DisMod-MR 2.1 Bayesian meta-regression tool to ensure consistency between prevalence, incidence, and remission. Years lived with disability (YLDs) were calculated by multiplying prevalence and disability weight (DW) of migraine and tension-type headache (TTH). We assumed primary headache disorders as non-fatal, so their YLD is equal to disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). RESULTS: Migraine and TTH were the second and twentieth leading causes of YLDs in EMR. Between 1990 and 2016, the absolute YLD numbers of migraine and TTH increased from 2.3 million (95% uncertainty interval (UI): 1.5-3.2) to 4.7 million (95%UI: 3-6.5) and from 383 thousand (95%UI: 240-562) to 816 thousand (95%UI: 516-1221), respectively. During the same period, age-standardised YLD rates of migraine and TTH in EMR increased by 0.7% and 2.5%, respectively, in comparison to a small decrease in the global rates (0.2% decrease in migraine and TTH). The bulk of burden due to headache occurred in the 30-49 year age group, with a peak at ages 35-44 years. The age-standardised YLD rates of both headache disorders were higher in women with female to male ratio of 1.69 for migraine and 1.38 for TTH. All countries of the EMR except for Somalia and Djibouti had higher age-standardised YLD rates for migraine and TTH in compare to the global rates. Libya and Saudi Arabia had the highest increase in age-standardised YLD rates of migraine and TTH, respectively. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study show that primary headache disorders are a major and a growing cause of disability in EMR. Since 1990, burden of primary headache disorders has constantly been higher in EMR compared to rest of the world, which indicates that health systems in EMR must focus further on developing and implementing preventive and management strategies to control headache.

Dairy Food Intake and All-Cause, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer Mortality: The Golestan Cohort Study.

We investigated the association between dairy product consumption and all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality in the Golestan Cohort Study, a prospective cohort study launched in January 2004 in Golestan Province, northeastern Iran. A total of 42,403 men and women participated in the study and completed a diet questionnaire at enrollment. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. We documented 3,291 deaths (1,467 from CVD and 859 from cancer) during 11 years of follow-up (2004-2015). The highest quintile of total dairy product consumption (versus the lowest) was associated with 19% lower all-cause mortality risk (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.72, 0.91; Ptrend = 0.006) and 28% lower CVD mortality risk (HR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.60, 0.86; Ptrend = 0.005). High consumption of low-fat dairy food was associated with lower risk of all-cause (HR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.94; Ptrend = 0.002) and CVD (HR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.61, 0.89; Ptrend = 0.001) mortality. We noted 11% lower all-cause mortality and 16% lower CVD mortality risk with high yogurt intake. Cheese intake was associated with 16% lower all-cause mortality and 26% lower CVD mortality risk. Higher intake of high-fat dairy food and milk was not associated with all-cause or CVD mortality. Neither intake of individual dairy products nor intake of total dairy products was significantly associated with overall cancer mortality. High consumption of dairy products, especially yogurt and cheese, may reduce the risk of overall and CVD mortality.

The contribution of metabolic risk factors to cardiovascular mortality in Golestan cohort study: Population attributable fraction estimation.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of global mortality and disability. Several studies demonstrated that metabolic risk factors increase cardiovascular mortality. The aim of this study is to examine CVDs deaths and population attributable fractions (PAFs) of their metabolic risk factors in Iran. Methods: This is a study on 8621 participants aged 45-75 years and older, recruited in the repeated measurement phase of the Golestan cohort study (GCS) in northeast of Iran. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs). PAFs were calculated to enumerate CVDs mortality avoidable in the population if metabolic risk factors were eliminated. Results: The mortality of CVDs was attributable to metabolic factors, including high waist circumference (PAF, 28 %, [95 % CI: 16%-38 %]), high fasting blood sugar (FBS) (20 %, [15%-24 %]), overweight and obesity (19 %, [8%-28 %]), high blood pressure (16 %, [11%-21 %]), high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (8 %, [1%-15 %]), and high triglyceride (TG) (7 %, [3%-11 %]). Collectively, these metabolic risk factors accounted for 50 % of CVDs deaths. Females (67 %, [50%-78 %]) had a higher joint PAF of metabolic risk factors compared to males (43 %, [27%-55 %]). Conclusions: The pattern of CVDs mortality attributable to metabolic risk factors in this study is not the same as similar studies in other parts of the world and previous studies in Iran. It is imperative that CVDs risk factors be specifically evaluated and addressed in various populations due to variety in geographical and temporal patterns in contribution of metabolic risk factors to CVD mortality.

Effectiveness of polypill for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a pragmatic cluster-randomised controlled trial (PolyPars).

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of fixed-dose combination therapy (polypill) for primary and secondary prevention of major cardiovascular diseases in a typical rural setting. METHODS: The PolyPars Study is a two-arm pragmatic cluster-randomised trial nested within the PARS cohort study, including all residents aged over 50 years in the entire district in southern Iran. The 91 villages underwent random allocation into two arms: the control arm, encompassing 45 clusters, was subjected to non-pharmacological intervention (educational training on healthy lifestyle), whereas the intervention arm, comprising 46 clusters, received the non-pharmacological interventions in conjunction with a once-daily polypill tablet. This tablet comprised two antihypertensive agents, a statin and aspirin. The primary outcome was the first occurrence of major cardiovascular events defined as a composite of hospitalisation for acute coronary syndrome (non-fatal myocardial infarction and unstable angina), fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal and fatal stroke, sudden death and heart failure. The Cox regression model, with shared frailty, was used to account for clustering effect. RESULTS: During December 2015-December 2016, a total of 4415 participants aged 50-75 years were recruited (2200 participants in the intervention arm and 2215 participants in the control arm). The overall median of follow-up duration was 4.6 years (interquartile interval 4.4-4.9). The achieved adherence rate to polypill in intervention arm was 86%. In the control group, 176 (8.0%) of 2215 participants developed primary outcome, compared with 88 (4.0%) of 2200 participants in the polypill group. We found substantial reduction in risk of primary outcome both in relative and absolute scales (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.65; absolute risk reduction 4.0%, 95% CI 2.5% to 5.3%). No difference in serious adverse events was observed between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The fixed-dose combination therapy using polypill can safely halve the risk of major cardiovascular diseases at the population level. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03459560.

Population attributable fractions of cancer mortality related to indoor air pollution, animal contact, and water source as environmental risk factors: Findings from the Golestan Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Environmental risk factors are significant contributors to cancer mortality, which are neglected. PURPOSE: This study aimed to estimate the population attributable fraction of cancer mortality due to the environmental risk factors. METHODS: Golestan cohort study is a population-base cohort on 50045 participants between 40-75 with about 18 years of follow up. We detected 2,196 cancer mortality and applied a multiple Cox model to compute the hazard ratio of environmental risk factor on all cancer and cancer-specific mortality. The population attributable fraction was calculated, accordingly. RESULTS: Biomass fuels for cooking, as an indoor air pollution, increased the risk of colorectal, esophageal, gastric cancer, and all-cancer mortality by 84%, 66%, 37%, and 17% respectively. Using gas for cooking, particularly in rural areas, could save 6% [Population Attributable Fraction: 6.36(95%CI: 1.82, 10.70)] of esophageal cancer, 3% [Population Attributable Fraction: 3.43 (0, 7.33)] of gastric cancer, and 6% [Population Attributable Fraction: 6.25 (1.76, 13.63)] of colorectal cancer mortality. Using a healthy tap water source could save 5% [Population Attributable Fraction:5.50(0, 10.93)] of esophageal cancer mortality, particularly in rural areas. There was no significant association between indoor air pollution for heating purposes and animal contact with cancer mortality. CONCLUSION: Considering the results of this study, eliminating solid fuel for most daily usage, among the population with specific cancer types, is required to successfully reduce cancer related mortality. Adopting appropriate strategies and interventions by policymakers such as educating the population, allocating resources for improving the healthy environment of the community, and cancer screening policies among susceptible populations could reduce cancer related mortalities.

Association of indoor use of pesticides with CKD of unknown origin.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing global health problem. Recently, an epidemic of CKD of unknown origin (CKDu), a form of CKD seen mostly in agricultural communities, has been emerged. One of the proposed causes of CKDu is pesticide use in farmers. On the other hand, the research on relation between indoor use of pesticides and CKDu is little. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between indoor use of pesticide as well as the exposure time with CKDu. This study was done as part of the population-based cohort of Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in Iran. We used the baseline data of the Zahedan Adult Cohort Study. All subjects with diabetes mellitus and/or hypertension, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between 60-89 ml/min/1.73 m2, and unavailable creatinine measurement were excluded. Subjects with an eGFR of less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 were defined as having CKDu, and their data were compared with those with an eGFR of more than 90 ml/min/1.73 m2. Data regarding indoor pesticide use and duration of exposure were obtained through a questionnaire. After applying the exclusion criteria, 1079 subjects remained in the study. Female sex, single marital status, low physical activity, triglyceride (TG) levels of more than 150 mg/dl, body mass index (BMI) of more than 25 kg/m2, non-smokers, indoor pesticide use, and high pesticide exposure time were associated with CKDu. The effects of age, female sex, TG levels more than 150 mg/dl, pesticide use (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.01-1.84), and high exposure time (third tertile of exposure time) compared to non-users (OR 1.64; 95% CI 1.07-2.51) remained significant in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: We found a positive association between pesticide use, as well as longer exposure time to pesticides, and impaired kidney function in cases without diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Further longitudinal studies should be carried out to confirm these findings.

Fixed-Dose Combination Therapy for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases in CKD: An Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Fixed-dose combination treatments reduce cardiovascular disease in primary prevention. We aim to explore whether those benefits differ in the presence of CKD. METHODS: We conducted an individual participant data meta-analysis in 18,162 participants on the efficacy and safety of treatment for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Combination therapies consisted of at least two BP-lowering drugs and a statin, with or without aspirin versus placebo or minimal care. Here, we examine the differential effect of fixed-dose combination treatment on the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in participants with a low eGFR (<60 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 ; Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration formula) compared with a normal eGFR (≥60 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 ). The primary composite outcome was time to first occurrence of a combination of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or arterial revascularization. RESULTS: At baseline, the mean level of eGFR was 76 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 (SD 17). In total, 3315 (18%) participants had low eGFR at baseline. During a median follow-up of 5 years, among participants with normal eGFR, the primary outcome occurred in 232 (3%) participants in the treatment group compared with 339 (5%) in the control group (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.57 to 0.81; P < 0.001). In participants with low eGFR, the primary outcome occurred in 64 (4%) participants in the treatment group compared with 130 (8%) in the control group (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.36 to 0.66; P < 0.001; P for interaction 0.047). The relative risk reduction among participants with low eGFR was larger for combination strategies, including aspirin compared with treatments without aspirin. Apart from dizziness, other side effects did not differ between treatment and control groups, regardless of the stage of their kidney function. CONCLUSIONS: A fixed-dose combination treatment strategy is effective and safe at preventing cardiovascular disease, irrespective of eGFR, but relative and absolute risk reductions are larger in individuals with low eGFR. PODCAST: This article contains a podcast at https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/CJASN/2023_11_08_CJN0000000000000251.mp3.

The levels and trends of diabetes prevalence at national and sub-national levels in Iran (1990 - 2016).

Background: The increasing trends in Diabetes prevalence and its attributed burden emphasized as an important issue that needs serious and urgent attention, all over the word. We estimated the mean Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) and the prevalence of Diabetes in aged 25 years or older Iranian adults, by sex, age, province, and year through the time period of 1990 to 2016. Methods: In order to access the most comprehensive relevant data at the same time the systematic data searched added to the data of 5 national surveys and 7 sub-national population based investigations. Two round of modeling, including the Age-Spatio-Temporal and Gaussian Process Regression were used for estimation of mean FPG trend and uncertainties. To estimate Diabetes estimations in target groups, a crosswalk model was applies to the FPG estimates. The model reiterated separately for women and men. All of estimations standardized based on the Iran national census population of 2016 by year, age groups and sexes at national and sub-national levels. Results: In 2016, the number of the diabetic population was 4.43 (3.93-4.99) million (2.38 million women). Between 1990 and 2016, the age-standardized mean of FPG increased from 84.69 mg/dl (79.8-89.8) to 100.5 mg/dl (97.9-103.3) in women and from 82.7 mg/dl (78.3-87.5) to 98.8 mg/dl (96.2-101.4) in men. Simultaneously, with considerable difference, the Diabetes prevalence, has increased from 6.1% (4.7-7.8) to 9.8% (8.7-11.1) in women and from 5.0% 18 (3.8-6.3) to 8.1% (7.2-9.2) in men (75% attributed to population growth). Considering the geographical patterns, the greatest increment in the prevalence of Diabetes detected in the northwestern and the central provinces. Conclusion: Significant increasing trends of Diabetes led to alarming threat, which can make the strategies and goals of our prevention programs out of control. We should plan for more effective communicative interventions for prevention and management of Diabetes, to be designed, implemented and monitored based on the updated scientific evidence. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-023-01197-2.

Diet Quality and Subsequent Incidence of Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers: Results from the Golestan Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence suggests overall diet quality, as assessed by dietary scores, may play a role in the development of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancers. However, the existing dietary scores are derived from high-income countries with different dietary habits than regions with the highest burden of UGI cancers, where limited data is available. This study aimed to investigate the association between overall diet quality and risk of esophageal and stomach cancers in a high-risk region for UGI cancers. METHODS: We recruited 50045 individuals aged 40-75 between 2004-2008 from northeastern Iran and followed them annually through July 2020. Data on demographics, diet, and various exposures were collected using validated questionnaires. Diet quality was assessed by calculating the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Alternative Mediterranean Diet (AMED), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and World Cancer Research Fund-American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF-AICR) scores. RESULTS: During an average 12 years of follow-up, 359 participants developed esophageal cancer and 358 developed stomach cancer. After adjustments, each standard deviation increase in baseline dietary scores was associated with up to 12% reduction in esophageal cancer risk and up to 17% reduction in stomach cancer risk. Esophageal cancer showed stronger inverse associations with adherence to AMED (HRQ4-vs-Q1=0.69 (0.49-0.98), P-trend=0.038). Stomach cancer showed stronger inverse correlation with WCRF-AICR (HRQ4-vs-Q1=0.58 (0.41-0.83), P-trend=0.004), and DASH (HRC4-vs-C1=0.72 (0.54-0.96), P-trend=0.041). These associations were comparable across different population subgroups. We did not observe significant associations between HEI and AHEI scores and UGI cancers in this population. CONCLUSION: Despite the differences in consuming individual food groups, adherence to the available dietary recommendations (derived from high-income countries) was associated with lower risk for subsequent esophageal and gastric cancers in this high-risk population. Educating the public to have a healthy eating pattern might be an effective strategy towards prevention of UGI cancers in high-risk regions.