Trends of Diabetes Mortality in Iran at National and Sub-National Levels from 1990 to 2015 and Its Association with Socioeconomic Factors.

Background: Following global commitments to prevent and control non-communicable diseases, we sought to estimate national and sub-national trends in diabetes mortality in Iran and assess its association with socioeconomic factors. Methods: In a systematic analytical study, to assess the correlation between diabetes mortality and socioeconomic factors, we used data obtained from the Death Registration System (DRS), the Spatio-temporal model and Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) levels and the diabetes mortality trends, which were estimated by sex, age and year at national and sub-national levels from 1990 to 2015. Results: Between the years 1990 and 2015, the age-standardized diabetes mortality rate (per 100,000) increased from 3.40 (95% UI: 2.33 to 4.99) to 7.72 (95% UI: 5.51 to 10.78) in males and from 4.66 (95% UI: 3.23 to 6.76) to 10.38 (95% UI: 7.54 to 14.23) in females. In 1990, the difference between the highest age-standardized diabetes mortality rate among males was 3.88 times greater than the lowest (5.97 vs. 1.54), and in 2015 this difference was 3.96 times greater (14.65 vs. 3.70). This provincial difference was higher among females and was 5.13 times greater in 1990 (8.41 vs. 1.64) and 5.04 times greater in 2015 (19.87 vs. 3.94). The rate of diabetes mortality rose with urbanization yet declined with an increase in wealth and years of schooling as the main socio-economic factors. Conclusion: The rising trend of diabetes mortality rate at the national level and the sub-national disparities associated with socioeconomic status in Iran warrant the implementation of specific interventions recommended by the '25 by 25' goal.

Disparities and spatial variations of high salt intake in Iran: a subnational study of districts based on the small area estimation method.

OBJECTIVE: High salt intake is one of the leading diet-related risk factors for several non-communicable diseases. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of high salt intake in Iran. DESIGN: A modelling study by the small area estimation method, based on a nationwide cross-sectional survey, Iran STEPwise approach to risk factor Surveillance (STEPS) 2016. The modelling estimated the prevalence of high salt intake, defined as a daily salt intake ≥ 5 g in all districts of Iran based on data from available districts. The modelling results were provided in different geographical and socio-economic scales to make the comparison possible across the country. SETTING: 429 districts of all provinces of Iran, 2016. PARTICIPANTS: 18 635 salt intake measurements from individuals 25 years old and above who participated in the Iran STEPS 2016 survey. RESULTS: All districts in Iran had a high prevalence of high salt intake. The estimated prevalence of high salt intake among females of all districts ranged between 72·68 % (95 % UI 58·48, 84·81) and 95·04 % (95 % UI 87·10, 100). Estimated prevalence for males ranged between 88·44 % (95 % UI 80·29, 96·15) and 98·64 % (95 % UI 94·97, 100). In all categorisations, males had a significantly higher prevalence of high salt intake. Among females, the population with the lower economic status had a higher salt consumption than the participants with higher economic status by investigating the concentration index. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this study highlight the high salt intake as a prominent risk factor in all Iran regions, despite some variations in different scales. More suitable population-wide policies are warranted to handle this public health issue in Iran.

Plasma acylcarnitines and amino acids in dyslipidemia: An integrated metabolomics and machine learning approach.

Purpose: The Discovery of underlying intermediates associated with the development of dyslipidemia results in a better understanding of pathophysiology of dyslipidemia and their modification will be a promising preventive and therapeutic strategy for the management of dyslipidemia. Methods: The entire dataset was selected from the Surveillance of Risk Factors of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) in 30 provinces of Iran (STEPs 2016 Country report in Iran) that included 1200 subjects and was stratified into four binary classes with normal and abnormal cases based on their levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and non-HDL-C.Plasma concentrations of 20 amino acids and 30 acylcarnitines in each class of dyslipidemia were evaluated using Tandem mass spectrometry. Then, these attributes, along with baseline characteristics data, were used to check whether machine learning (ML) algorithms could classify cases and controls. Results: Our ML framework accurately predicts TG binary classes. Among the models tested, the SVM model stood out, performing slightly better with an AUC of 0.81 and a standard deviation of test accuracy at 0.04. Consequently, it was chosen as the optimal model for TG classification. Moreover, the findings showed that alanine, phenylalanine, methionine, C3, C14:2, and C16 had great power in differentiating patients with high TG from normal TG controls. Conclusions: The comprehensive output of this work, along with sex-specific attributes, will improve our understanding of the underlying intermediates involved in dyslipidemia. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-024-01384-9.

Unveiling the lead exposure attributed burden in Iran from 1990 to 2019 through the lens of the Global Burden of Disease study 2019.

This study aimed to investigate the estimated burden attributed to lead exposure (LE), at the national and subnational levels from 1990 to 2019 in Iran. The burden attributed to LE was determined through the estimation of deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years of life lost (YLLs) and years lived with disability (YLDs) using the comparative risk assessment method of Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study presenting as age-standardized per 100,000 person year (PY) with 95% uncertainty intervals (95% UI). Furthermore, the burden of each disease were recorded independently. Eventually, the age-standardized YLLs, DALYs, deaths and YLDs rates attributed to LE demonstrated a decrease of 50.7%, 48.9%, 38.0%, and 36.4%, respectively, from 1990 to 2019. The most important causes of LE burden are divided into two acute and chronic categories: acute, mainly causes mental disorders (DALYs rate of 36.0 in 2019), and chronic, results in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) (DALYs rate of 391.8) and chronic kidney diseases (CKDs) (DALYs rate of 26.6), with CVDs bearing the most significant burden. At the sub-national level, a decrease in burden was evident in most provinces; moreover, low and low-middle SDI provinces born the highest burden. The burden increased mainly by ageing and was higher in males than females. It was concluded that although the overall decrease in the burden; still it is high, especially in low and low-middle SDI provinces, in advanced ages and in males. Among IDID, CKDs and CVDs that are the most important causes of LE-attributed burden in Iran; CVDs bear the highest burden.

Exploring metabolically healthy obesity: prevalence, characteristics, and cardiovascular risk in the Iranian population based on the STEPS 2021.

Background: Regarding the rapidly increasing prevalence of obesity throughout the globe, it remains a serious public health concern. A subgroup of obesity that does not meet metabolic syndrome criteria is called metabolically healthy obesity (MHO). However, whether the MHO phenotype increases cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of MHO and its 10-year CVD risk in Iranian populations. Methods: Based on the STEPS 2021 project in Iran, we collected data on 18119 Iranians 25 years and older from all 31 provinces after applying many statistical factors. Using the Framingham score, we evaluated the 10-year cardiovascular risk associated with the various MHO definition criteria for Iranian populations. Results: The prevalence of MHO was 6.42% (5.93-6.91) at the national level according to the AHA-NHLBI definition, and 23.29% of obese women and 24.55% of obese men were classified as MHOs. Moreover, the MHO group was younger than the metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) group based on all definitions (p < 0.001). The odds ratio of MUO individuals being classified as high-risk individuals by the Framingham criteria for CVD was significantly higher than that of MHO individuals by all definitions, with a crude odds ratio of 3.55:1 based on AHA-NHLBI definition. Conclusion: This study reveals a significant prevalence of MHO in the Iranian population, with approximately 25% of obese individuals classified as MHO. While MHO is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to MUO, MHO carries the potential for transitioning to an unhealthy state. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-023-01364-5.

The effect of Real-Time feedback and incentives on speeding behaviors using Telematics: A randomized controlled trial.

Speeding behaviour of drivers is highly correlated to their tangible consequence. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of telematics-based feedback and financial incentives in reducing speeding behaviors through a randomized controlled field trial. This randomized controlled trial included four groups of (1) control, (2) information-only, (3) gain-of-reward, and (4) loss-of-reward. While drivers of the control group were unobtrusively monitored using telematics devices, drivers of the information-only group received real-time, weekly, and monthly feedback via text message. In both groups with financial incentives, in addition to receiving feedback, drivers could receive payments at the end of each month based on observed speeding. The primary outcome was the distance traveled at speeds more than 10% (S10 + ) above the posted speed limit as a proportion of the total traveled distance. A total of 397 male taxi drivers consented to participate in the study. After the stratified randomization, the mean age of the participant was 46.0 (95% Confidence Interval: 43.8 to 48.2), 47.0 (44.7 to 49.3), 46.1 (43.7 to 48.5), and 48.8 (46.5 to 51.1) years for the control, the information-only, the gain-of-reward, and the loss-of-reward groups, respectively. The mean S10 + rate per 100 km was 0.9 (0.5 to 1.2) for the control, 0.8 (0.4 to 1.1) for the information-only, 0.7 (0.3 to 1.1) for the gain-of-reward, and 1.3 (0.4 to 2.2) for the loss-of-reward group at the start of intervention. During the intervention phase, the loss-of-reward group with 0.6 (0.5 to 0.7) had the lowest mean of S10 + rate, followed by the gain-of-reward group with 0.8 (0.7 to 0.8). The loss-of-reward and gain-of-reward groups were the most influenced groups by the intervention, with 38.0% (13.2 to 55.7; p-value < 0.01) and 29.4% (2.0 to 49.2; p-value = 0.04) less S10 + rate than the control group, respectively. It was figured out that providing information regarding drivers' behavior without appropriating motives or penalties would have a minuscule impact.In addition, the group of drivers who were treated with instant punishment was the most influenced group by the intervention.

A year of experience with COVID-19 in patients with cancer: A nationwide study.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a major public health problem and comorbidity associated with COVID-19 infection. According to previous studies, a higher mortality rate of COVID-19 in cancer patients has been reported. AIMS: This study was undertaken to determine associated risk factors and epidemiological characteristics of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with cancer using a nationwide COVID-19 hospital data registry in Iran for the first time. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we used a national data registry of hospitalized patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) symptoms and patients with confirmed positive COVID-19 PCR between 18 February 2020 and 18 November 2020. The patients were classified into two groups patients with/without malignancy. Logistic regression model was utilized to analyze demographic factors, clinical features, comorbidities, and their associations with the disease outcomes. RESULTS: In this study, 11 068 and 645 186 in-patients with SARS symptoms with and without malignancy were included, respectively. About 1.11% of our RT-PCR-positive patients had cancer. In patients with malignancy and COVID-19, older ages than 60 (OR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.29-2.74, p-value: .001), male gender (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.16-1.77, p-value: .001), concomitant chronic pulmonary diseases (CPD) (OR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.14-2.68, p-value: .009), and presence of dyspnea (OR; 2.00, 95% CI: 1.60-2.48, p-value: <.001) were associated with increased mortality rate. CONCLUSION: Given the immunocompromised state of patients with malignancy and their vulnerability to Covid-19 complications, collecting data on the comorbidities and their effects on the disease outcome can build on a better clinical view and help clinicians make decisions to manage these cases better; for example, determining special clinical care, especially in the shortage of health services.

The association between acylcarnitine and amino acids profile and metabolic syndrome and its components in Iranian adults: Data from STEPs 2016.

Background: Evidence, albeit with conflicting results, has suggested that cardiometabolic risk factors, including obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), dyslipidemia, and hypertension, are highly associated with changes in metabolic signature, especially plasma amino acids and acylcarnitines levels. Here, we aimed to evaluate the association of circulating levels of amino acids and acylcarnitines with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in Iranian adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 1192 participants from the large-scale cross-sectional study of Surveillance of Risk Factors of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Iran (STEP 2016). The circulating levels of amino acids and acylcarnitines were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in individuals with MetS (n=529) and without MetS (n=663). Results: The higher plasma levels of branched-chain amino acids (Val, Leu), aromatic amino acids (Phe, Tyr), Pro, Ala, Glu, and the ratio of Asp to Asn were significantly associated with MetS, whereas lower circulating levels of Gly, Ser, His, Asn, and citrulline were significantly associated with MetS. As for plasma levels of free carnitine and acylcarnitines, higher levels of short-chain acylcarnitines (C2, C3, C4DC), free carnitine (C0), and long-chain acylcarnitines (C16, C18OH) were significantly associated with MetS. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that factor 3 (Tyr, Leu, Val, Met, Trp, Phe, Thr) [OR:1.165, 95% CI: 1.121-1.210, P<0.001], factor 7 (C0, C3, C4) [OR:1.257, 95% CI: 1.150-1.374, P<0.001], factor 8 (Gly, Ser) [OR:0.718, 95% CI: 0.651-0.793, P< 0.001], factor 9 (Ala, Pro, C4DC) [OR:1.883, 95% CI: 1.669-2.124, P<0.001], factor 10 (Glu, Asp, C18:2OH) [OR:1.132, 95% CI: 1.032-1.242, P= 0.009], factor 11 (citrulline, ornithine) [OR:0.862, 95% CI: 0.778-0.955, P= 0.004] and 13 (C18OH, C18:1 OH) [OR: 1.242, 95% CI: 1.042-1.480, P= 0.016] were independently correlated with metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: Change in amino acid, and acylcarnitines profiles were seen in patients with MetS. Moreover, the alteration in the circulating levels of amino acids and acylcarnitines is along with an increase in MetS component number. It also seems that amino acid and acylcarnitines profiles can provide valuable information on evaluating and monitoring MetS risk. However, further studies are needed to establish this concept.

Metabolomics profile and 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score.

Background: The intermediate metabolites associated with the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remain largely unknown. Thus, we conducted a large panel of metabolomics profiling to identify the new candidate metabolites that were associated with 10-year ASCVD risk. Methods: Thirty acylcarnitines and twenty amino acids were measured in the fasting plasma of 1,102 randomly selected individuals using a targeted FIA-MS/MS approach. The 10-year ASCVD risk score was calculated based on 2013 ACC/AHA guidelines. Accordingly, the subjects were stratified into four groups: low-risk (n = 620), borderline-risk (n = 110), intermediate-risk (n = 225), and high-risk (n = 147). 10 factors comprising collinear metabolites were extracted from principal component analysis. Results: C4DC, C8:1, C16OH, citrulline, histidine, alanine, threonine, glycine, glutamine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, glutamic acid, arginine, and aspartic acid were significantly associated with the 10-year ASCVD risk score (p-values ≤ 0.044). The high-risk group had higher odds of factor 1 (12 long-chain acylcarnitines, OR = 1.103), factor 2 (5 medium-chain acylcarnitines, OR = 1.063), factor 3 (methionine, leucine, valine, tryptophan, tyrosine, phenylalanine, OR = 1.074), factor 5 (6 short-chain acylcarnitines, OR = 1.205), factor 6 (5 short-chain acylcarnitines, OR = 1.229), factor 7 (alanine, proline, OR = 1.343), factor 8 (C18:2OH, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, OR = 1.188), and factor 10 (ornithine, citrulline, OR = 1.570) compared to the low-risk ones; the odds of factor 9 (glycine, serine, threonine, OR = 0.741), however, were lower in the high-risk group. "D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism", "phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis", and "valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis" were metabolic pathways having the highest association with borderline/intermediate/high ASCVD events, respectively. Conclusions: Abundant metabolites were found to be associated with ASCVD events in this study. Utilization of this metabolic panel could be a promising strategy for early detection and prevention of ASCVD events.

'Inequalities in prevalence of hypertension, prehypertension, anti-hypertensive coverage, awareness, and effective treatment in 429 districts of Iran; a population-based STEPS 2016 small area spatial estimation model'.

Purpose: While many studies have reported hypertension (HTN) and pre-hypertension (PHTN) in large geographic locations of Iran, information regarding district levels is missing. We aimed to examine inequalities in the prevalence of hypertension, prehypertension, anti-hypertensive coverage, awareness, and effective treatment of adults in districts of Iran. Methods: We used 27,165 participants' data from the STEPS 2016 study in Iran. A small area estimation model was carried out to predict HTN in the 429 districts of Iran. HTN and PHTN were defined based on the American Heart Association Guideline. Awareness of being hypertensive, treatment coverage, and effective treatment were also estimated. Results: HTN's crude prevalence was estimated to be in the range of 11.5-42.2% in districts. About PHTN, it was estimated to be 19.9-56.1%. Moreover, for awareness, treatment coverage, and effective treatment crude estimates ranged from 24.3 to 79.9%, 9.1 - 64.6%, and 19.5 - 68.3%, respectively, indicating inequalities in the distribution of aforementioned variables in 429 districts of Iran. Overall, better conditions were detected in central geographical locations and in females. Conclusion: The inequality of increased blood pressure disorder and related measures are high in districts of Iran and pave the way for policymakers and local health organizers to use the findings of this study to address the inequity of existing resources and improve HTN control. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-023-01186-5.

The national trend of the burden of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Iran from 1990 to 2019.

Purpose: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) has become the 8th leading cause of death in Iran in 2017, 5 steps up from 1990. This is important as hypertension, diabetes, and chronic glomerulonephritis along with exposure to toxins or heavy metals are the main risk factors for the disease. Despite its heavy burden, there are limited studies on the incidence and prevalence of the disease in the Iranian adult population. The present article studies the burden of CKD at the national level in 2019, and its trend over the past three decades. Methods: In 2019, the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study provided an annual estimation of the burden of 369 diseases and injuries in 204 countries from 1990 until 2019. The data estimating CKD and related mortality in Iran were collected from the disease registry, survey, and scientific literature. All-ages and age-standardised indices of incidence, prevalence, deaths, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were extracted for both sexes. Results: Since 1990, the age-standardized incidence (34.7% (95% uncertainty interval 30.8 - 38.8)) and prevalence (19.6% (17.7 - 21.8)) of CKD have risen, while a 21.5% (-28.8 - -15.4) and 18.0% (-35.4 - -10.8) decrease were noted in age-standardized DALYs and deaths rates, respectively. The lowest prevalence was reported in the eastern and western provinces. Conclusion: Current study provides comprehensive knowledge about the CKD burden, suggesting the Iranian healthcare system has been more effective in averting deaths rather than managing morbidities. Multi-sectoral action plans are needed to strengthen preventive and early detection programs in high-risk areas. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-023-01298-y.

The diabetes cascade of care through the 14 years in Iran: findings of nationwide STEPS surveys 2007-2021.

Background: Diabetes as the leading cause of mortality and morbidity, have been increased by about 35% from 2011 to 2015 worldwide. The objective of this study was to assess the trend and pattern of diabetes and prediabetes prevalence in Iran and also evaluate the diagnosis and status of diabetes management. Methods: The results of this study are extracted from the National Stepwise approach to non-communicable disease risk factor surveillance (STEPS), conducted in 2007, 2011, 2016, and 2021 in Iran. We evaluated all obtained data by questionnaires (demographic, epidemiologic, risk-related behavioral data), physical measurements, and laboratory measures. Results: The prevalence of diabetes almost doubled from 2007 to 2021 among adults 25 years old and above. Diabetes prevalence increased from 10.85% (95% CI:10.30-11.40) in 2016 to 14.15% (13.42-14.87) in 2021. Prediabetes prevalence increased from 18.11% (17.46- 18,76) in 2016 to 24.81% (23.88-25.74) in 2021. Diabetes diagnosis stayed constant hence; diabetes coverage improved from 56.87% (54.21-59.52) to 65.04% (62.40- 67.69). Despite an enhancement in diabetes diagnosis and coverage, diabetes effective care did not improve significantly during 2016 and 2021, with a number of 35.98% (32.60- 39.36) in 2016 and 31.35% (28.20- 34.51) in 2021. Conclusion: The prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in Iran is almost doubled during the past 14 years. Although, several health policies had been developed to improve the screening and quality of diabetes care; there are still significant gaps in the effective control of diabetes. Accordingly, the current care plan should be reviewed. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-023-01308-z.

Global and regional quality of care index (QCI) by gender and age in oesophageal cancer: A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2019.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the quality of care by age and gender in oesophageal cancer using Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database. METHODS: Patients aged 20 and over with oesophageal cancer were included in this longitudinal study using GBD 1990-2019 data. We used the Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) to classify the regions. We used Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method to calculate the Quality of Care Index (QCI). The QCI was rescaled into a 0-100 single index, demonstrating that the higher the score, the better the QC. RESULTS: The age-standardized QCI for oesophageal cancer dramatically increased from 23.5 in 1990 to 41.1 in 2019 for both sexes, globally. The high SDI regions showed higher QCI than the rest of the regions (45.1 in 1990 and 65.7 in 2019) whereas the low SDI regions had the lowest QCI, which showed a 4.5% decrease through the years (from 13.3 in 1990 to 12.7 in 2019). Globally, in 2019, the QCI showed the highest scores for patients aged 80-84, reported 48.2, and the lowest score for patients aged 25-29 reported 31.5, for both sexes. Globally, in 2019, age-standardized Gender Disparity Ratio (GDR) was 1.2, showing higher QCI in females than males. CONCLUSION: There were fundamental differences in the QCI both globally and regionally between different age groups as well as between males and females. To achieve the goal of providing high-quality services equally to people in need in all over the world, health systems need to invest in effective diagnostic services, treatments, facilities, and equipment and to plan for screening and surveillance of high-risk individuals.

Prevalence of plasma lipid abnormalities and associated risk factors among Iranian adults based on the findings from STEPs survey 2021.

The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of lipid abnormalities in Iranian adults by demographic characterization, geographical distribution, and associated risk factors using national and sub-national representative samples of the STEPs 2021 survey in Iran. In this population-based household survey, a total of 18,119 individuals aged over 25 years provided blood samples for biochemical analysis. Dyslipidemia was defined by the presence of at least one of the lipid abnormalities of hypertriglyceridemia (≥ 150 mg/dL), hypercholesterolemia (≥ 200 mg/dL), high LDL-C (≥ 130 mg/dL), and low HDL-C (< 50 mg/dL in women, < 40 mg/dL in men), or self-reported use of lipid-lowering medications. Mixed dyslipidemia was characterized as the coexistence of high LDL-C with at least one of the hypertriglyceridemia and low HDL-C. The prevalence of each lipid abnormality was determined by each population strata, and the determinants of abnormal lipid levels were identified using a multiple logistic regression model. The prevalence was 39.7% for hypertriglyceridemia, 21.2% for hypercholesterolemia, 16.4% for high LDL-C, 68.4% for low HDL-C, and 81.0% for dyslipidemia. Hypercholesterolemia and low HDL-C were more prevalent in women, and hypertriglyceridemia was more prevalent in men. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was higher in women (OR = 1.8), obese (OR = 2.8) and overweight (OR = 2.3) persons, those residents in urban areas (OR = 1.1), those with inappropriate physical activity (OR = 1.2), patients with diabetes (OR = 2.7) and hypertension (OR = 1.9), and participants with a history (OR = 1.6) or familial history of CVDs (OR = 1.2). Mixed dyslipidemia prevalence was 13.6% in women and 11.4% in men (P < 0.05). The prevalence of lipid abnormalities was highly heterogeneous among provinces, and East Azarbaijan with 85.3% (81.5-89.1) and Golestan with 68.5% (64.8-72.2) had the highest and lowest prevalence of dyslipidemia, respectively. Although the prevalence of high cholesterol and LDL-C had a descending trend in the 2016-2021 period, the prevalence of dyslipidemia remained unchanged. There are modifiable risk factors associated with dyslipidemia that can be targeted by the primary healthcare system. To modify these risk factors and promote metabolic health in the country, action plans should come to action through a multi-sectoral and collaborative approach.

Evaluation of the diabetes care cascade and compliance with WHO global coverage targets in Iran based on STEPS survey 2021.

This study aimed to investigate the diabetes mellitus (DM) and prediabetes epidemiology, care cascade, and compliance with global coverage targets. We recruited the results of the nationally representative Iran STEPS Survey 2021. Diabetes and prediabetes were two main outcomes. Diabetes awareness, treatment coverage, and glycemic control were calculated for all population with diabetes to investigate the care cascade. Four global coverage targets for diabetes developed by the World Health Organization were adopted to assess the DM diagnosis and control status. Among 18,119 participants, the national prevalence of DM and prediabetes were 14.2% (95% confidence interval 13.4-14.9) and 24.8% (23.9-25.7), respectively. The prevalence of DM treatment coverage was 65.0% (62.4-67.7), while the prevalence of good (HbA1C < 7%) glycemic control was 28.0% (25.0-31.0) among all individuals with diabetes. DM diagnosis and statin use statics were close to global targets (73.3% vs 80%, and 50.1% vs 60%); however, good glycemic control and strict blood pressure control statistics, were much way behind the goals (36.7% vs 80%, and 28.5% vs 80%). A major proportion of the Iranian population are affected by DM and prediabetes, and glycemic control is poorly achieved, indicating a sub-optimal care for diabetes and comorbidities like hypertension.

Targeted metabolomics analysis of amino acids and acylcarnitines as risk markers for diabetes by LC-MS/MS technique.

Diabetes is a common chronic disease affecting millions of people worldwide. It underlies various complications and imposes many costs on individuals and society. Discovering early diagnostic biomarkers takes excellent insight into preventive plans and the best use of interventions. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to evaluate the association between the level of amino acids and acylcarnitines and diabetes to develop diabetes predictive models. Using the targeted LC-MS/MS technique, we analyzed fasting plasma samples of 206 cases and 206 controls that were matched by age, sex, and BMI. The association between metabolites and diabetes was evaluated using univariate and multivariate regression analysis with adjustment for systolic and diastolic blood pressure and lipid profile. To deal with multiple comparisons, factor analysis was used. Participants' average age and BMI were 61.6 years, 28.9 kg/m2, and 55% were female. After adjustment, Factor 3 (tyrosine, valine, leucine, methionine, tryptophan, phenylalanine), 5 (C3DC, C5, C5OH, C5:1), 6 (C14OH, C16OH, C18OH, C18:1OH), 8 (C2, C4OH, C8:1), 10 (alanine, proline) and 11 (glutamic acid, C18:2OH) were positively associated with diabetes. Inline, factor 9 (C4DC, serine, glycine, threonine) and 12 (citrulline, ornithine) showed a reverse trend. Some amino acids and acylcarnitines were found as potential risk markers for diabetes incidents that reflected the disturbances in the several metabolic pathways among the diabetic population and could be targeted to prevent, diagnose, and treat diabetes.

Association between being metabolically healthy/unhealthy and metabolic syndrome in Iranian adults.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) varies based on different criteria. We assessed the prevalence of MHO and metabolic unhealthiness based on body mass index (BMI) and their association with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a nation-wide study. METHODS: Data were taken from the STEPs 2016 study, from 18,459 Iranians aged ≥25 years. Demographic, metabolic, and anthropometric data were collected. Subjects were stratified by BMI, metabolic unhealthiness, and having MetS. The latter was defined based on National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III 2004 (NCEP ATP III), was then assessed. RESULTS: The prevalence of MHO and metabolic unhealthiness in obese subjects was 7.5% (about 3.6 million) and 18.3% (about 8.9 million), respectively. Most of the metabolic unhealthy individuals were female (53.5%) or urban residents (72.9%). Low physical activity was significantly and positively associated (Odds Ratio: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.04-1.35) with metabolic unhealthiness, while being a rural residence (0.83, 0.74-0.93), and having higher education (0.47, 0.39-0.58) significantly but negatively affected it. Dyslipidemia was the most frequent MetS component with a prevalence rate of 46.6% (42.1-51.1), 62.2% (60.8-63.6), 76.3% (75.1-77.5), and 83.4% (82.1-84.6) among underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese phenotypes, respectively. CONCLUSION: BMI aside, an additional set of criteria such as metabolic markers should be taken into account to identify normal weight but metabolically unhealthy individuals. Given the highest prevalence of dyslipidemia among obese subjects, further interventions are required to raise public awareness, promote healthy lifestyles and establish lipid clinics.

Is elevated ALT associated with lifestyle risk factors? A population-based survey.

Purpose: Given the high prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the role of Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in diagnosing liver injury along with the increasing prevalence of lifestyle risk factors, we aimed to evaluate the association between serum ALT level and lifestyle risk factors in a population-based survey. Methods: This was a population-based study conducted in rural and urban areas of Iran in 2016. Cluster sampling method was applied to enroll a total of 31,050 participants aged ≥ 18. Demographic data, anthropometric measures, and laboratory samples were gathered. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using three different cut-off levels for elevated ALT to assess the relationship between elevated ALT and lifestyle risk factors. Results: The prevalence of elevated ALT was significantly higher in men with elevated body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WTH), hip circumference, and salt consumption, likewise, in women with higher BMI and WTH. In the multivariate logistic model adjusted for age and sex, high WTH (adjusted odds ratio: 1.73; 95% CI 1.52-1.96), BMI > 25 (1.51; 95% CI 1.29-1.76), hip circumference (1.26; 95% CI 1-1.58), and current smoking (0.67; 95% CI 0.56-0.8) were associated with elevated ALT levels using American cut-off (ALT > 33U/L for male and ALT > 25U/L for female). Only physical measurements (BMI, WTH) but not lifestyle risk factors were related to the increased ALT regardless of the selected cut-offs. Conclusion: As elevated ALT was associated with several lifestyle risk factors, stewardship programs should be established to modify lifestyle risk factors, such as abdominal obesity and physical inactivity. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-022-01137-6.

Estimates of incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years of lung cancer in Iran, 1990-2019: A systematic analysis from the global burden of disease study 2019.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is one of the leading cancers, with a high burden worldwide. As a developing country, Iran is facing with population growth, widespread tobacco use, demographic and epidemiologic changes, and environmental exposures, which lead to cancers becoming a severe concern of public health in Iran. We aimed to examine the burden of lung cancer and its risk factors in Iran. METHODS: We utilized the Global Burden of Disease 2019 data and analyzed the total burden of the lung cancer and seven related risk factors by sex, age at national and sub-national levels from 1990 to 2019. RESULTS: The lung cancer age-standardized death rate increased from 11.8 (95% Uncertainty Interval: 9.7-14.4) to 12.9 (11.9-13.9) per 100,000 between 1990 and 2019. This increase was among women from 5 (4.2-7.1) to 8 (7.2-8.8) per 100,000; in contrast, there was a decline among men from 18.5 (14.8-22.6) to 17.8 (16.2-19.4) per 100,000. The burden of lung cancer is concentrated in the advanced age groups. Smoking with 53.5% of total attributable deaths (51.0%-55.9%) was the leading risk factor. At the provincial level, there was a wide range between the lowest and highest, from 8.3 (7.0-10.0) to 19.1 (16.4-22.0) per 100,000 population in the incidence rate and from 8.7 (7.3-10.3) to 20.6 (17.7-24.0) per 100,000 population in mortality rate, respectively in Tehran and West Azerbaijan provinces in 2019. CONCLUSION: The increasing trend of lung cancer burden among the entire Iranian population, the inter-provincial disparities, and the significant rise in burden of this cancer in women necessitate the urgent implementation and development of policies to prevent and manage lung cancer burden and strategies to reduce exposure to risk factors.

Iranian population exposures to heavy metals, PAHs, and pesticides and their intake routes: a study protocol of a national population health survey.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world and the third leading cause of death in Iran. It has been proven that numerous cancer cases are caused by exposure to environmental pollutants. There is a public health concern regarding an increase in exposure to carcinogens across Iran through different sources (air, food, and water) and a lack of research to address this issue. This study aims to gather data on exposure to heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and pesticides and their intake routes during the implementation of a national population health survey. This is a cross-sectional study of environmental pollutants in Iran, with a stratified multi-stage random sampling method, which led to 660 nationally representative samples in 132 clusters in three sequential parts. The first will be questionnaires to obtain demographics, assets, food records, air quality, and food frequency. The second will be physical measurements, including anthropometric and body composition. The third will be lab assessments that measure 26 types of environmental pollutants (7 heavy metals, 16 PAHs, and 3 pesticides) in urine, inhaled air, and consumed food and water of the population under study using ICP-MS and GS-MS devices. The results of this study will inform policymakers and the general population regarding the level of threat and will provide evidence for the development of interventional and observatory plans on the reduction of exposures to these pollutants. It could also be used to develop local standards to control contaminants through the three exposure routes. This study protocol will obtain data needed for policymakers to set surveillance systems for these pollutants at the national and provincial level to address the public concerns regarding the contamination of food, air, and water.