Exposure to occupational air pollution and vascular endothelial dysfunction in workers of the steel industry in Iran.

Air pollution is recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases; however, the precise underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the impact of occupational air pollution exposure on endothelial function in workers within the steel industry. Specifically, we examined male employees in the coke-making division of the Isfahan Steel Company in Iran, as well as those in administrative roles with no known history of cardiovascular risk. Data on age, body mass index, duration of employment, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, and lipid profile were collected. To assess endothelial function, flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was measured. The baseline brachial artery diameter was greater (mean difference [95% CI] = 0.068 mm [0.008 to 0.128]), while the FMD was lower (mean difference [95% CI] = -0.908 % [-1.740 to -0.075]) in the coke-making group than in the control group. After controlling for potential confounding variables, it was observed that working in the coke-making sector of the industry was associated with lower FMD (F = 3.954, p = .049). These findings indicated that occupational air pollution exposure among workers in the steel industry is linked to impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation.

The impact of health-related quality of life on the incidence of ischaemic heart disease and stroke; a cohort study in an Iranian population.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of study was to evaluate the impact of health-related quality of life (QoL) on the occurrence of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke using a validated questionnaire. METHODS: We followed the 3,283 subjects, aged ≥ 35 years and without history of cardiovascular events (CVE) over four years from 2007 to 2011 from the Isfahan cohort study. The World Health Organization QoL questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF), which contains four separate domains, was used to assess QoL. Incidence rates of IHD and stroke were recorded during follow-up. Socioeconomic demographic data including marital state, educational level, occupation, income and place of living and metabolic risk factors such as diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), dyslipidaemia, body mass index and smoking were also recorded. RESULTS: More IHD (42%) and stroke (57%) patients were illiterate; while the educational status was significantly different only in the IHD group (P = 0.000). Differences in income and occupation were notable in patients with stroke and IHD, respectively, compared to subjects without them (P < 0.050). DM and HTN were significantly higher in IHD and stroke patients in comparison with subjects without CVE (P = 0.000). Two-way multivariate analyses of covariance test after age, educational status and metabolic risk factors adjustment showed that subjects with stroke had a significantly higher score in all QoL domains in comparison with individuals without stroke (P < 0.050). There was no significant association between QoL domains and IHD incidence (P > 0.050). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that there is no association between QoL and IHD incidence although there was a significant relationship between higher QoL and incidence of stroke.

Indicators developed to evaluate the international framework convention on tobacco control in iran; a grounded theory study.

This study aimed to develop indicators for evaluating the implementation of The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in Iran. We used the "grounded theory" framework. Totally, 265 policy-makers, stakeholders, and community members were recruited by purposeful sampling in 2008. After analyzing the gathered data, 251 indicators, including 82 indicators as "applied indicators", were derived from second-level codes for three groups. A suitable evaluation questionnaire can be designed based on the extracted indicators for policy makers, stakeholders, and the community to follow the implementation of the FCTC in Iran.

The relation between occupational exposure to lead and blood pressure among employed normotensive men.

BACKGROUND: Lead is a pollutant with numerous adverse effects on health. Since it can affect blood pressure, peripheral blood vessels, and the heart, the present study aimed to evaluate the relation between occupational exposure to lead and blood pressure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included male individuals working in battery firms in Isfahan. A questionnaire covering demographic characteristics and the history of different diseases and occupational exposure to lead was completed. Each participant's blood pressure was also measured and recorded. After obtaining blood samples and determining lead levels, mean and frequency analyses were performed. In addition, Pearson's correlation test and linear regression were used to assess the relation between blood lead levels (BLLs) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. All analyses were performed in SPSS.19. RESULTS: The mean age of the 182 studied workers was 42.85 ± 13.65 years. They had worked in battery firms for a mean period of 23.67 ± 14.72 years. Moreover, the mean value of BLLs among the participants was 7.92 ± 3.44 µg/dL. Correlation between BLL and systolic and diastolic blood pressure was not significant. The effects of lead on systolic and diastolic blood pressure after stepwise regression were B = -0.327 [confidence interval (CI) 95%: -0.877 to 0.223] and B = -0.094 (CI 95%: -0.495 to 0.307), respectively. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that BLLs in battery firm workers to be normal. Additionally, BLLs were not significantly related with either systolic or diastolic blood pressure which might have been the result of normal BLLs.

Barriers to education in cardiac rehabilitation within an Iranian society: a qualitative descriptive study.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac rehabilitation programmes that include patient education aim to maximise physical, psychological and social functioning, and enable people with acute coronary syndrome to lead fulfilling and productive lives. Despite strong evidence for the benefits of patient education, various barriers exist that need to be addressed to ensure the effective delivery of care. This study explores patients/family members and health professionals' perceptions and experiences of the barriers to cardiac rehabilitation education in an Iranian context. METHODS: A thematic analysis of in-depth interviews was undertaken using a constant comparative approach. Participants (10 health professionals, 15 patients/family members) were recruited from educational-medical centers and hospitals in Iran. Credibility and trustworthiness were grounded on four aspects: factual value, applicability, consistency and neutrality. RESULTS: Five major barriers to cardiac rehabilitation were identified relating to human resources, service provision, available educational services, unfavourable attitudes and collaboration gaps. Two main challenges exist to the provision of effective patient education; inadequate human resources in the hospital wards, specifically in terms of trained health care professionals and service users specific health related views and behaviours. CONCLUSION: Barriers to comprehensive patient education and cardiac rehabilitation in Iran must be addressed and urgent consideration should be given to the introduction and evaluation of education programmes to prepare health/support system professionals as well as service users, and cardiac rehabilitation services that employ a collaborative and individualised approach. This in turn may reduce the burden of CVD and improve the overall health and quality of life for people in Isfahan Iran.

Does significant weight reduction in men with coronary artery disease manage risk factors after cardiac rehabilitation program?

BACKGROUND: Vast majority of cardiac patients who refer to cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) are obese and obesity is associated with coronary heart disease (CHD). So, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of CRP on obesity indexes, lipid profiles, and functional capacity (FC) in obese men with CHD and to explore whether significant weight reduction affected these risk factors and FC or not. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In an observational study, we evaluated 536 patients, including 464 non-obese men and 72 obese men. All participants completed CRP for 2 months; then, obese patients were divided into two groups: patients with weight reduction ≥ 5% and patients who didn't have significant weight reduction. Data were analyzed with SPSS software version 15. For comparing the mean of outcomes independent t-tests and paired t-tests were used. RESULTS: Results showed following CRP, non-obese men had significant improvement in obesity indexes (P = 0.00), lipid profiles (P < 0.05), and FC (P = 0.00) and in obese men, favorable improvement were seen in obesity indexes (P = 0.00), FC (P = 0.00), and total cholesterol (P = 0.02). Comparing two groups revealed that there were significant differences in obesity indexes, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio. In addition, comparing subgroup of obese patients revealed that there were significant differences in FC (P = 0.00) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/ high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: CRP has more advantage in management of obesity, FC, and lipid profiles in both obese and non-obese patients. Also, weight reduction may cause greater improvement in FC and fitness levels in obese men with CHD.

Ambient carbon monoxide and cardiovascular-related hospital admissions: A time-series analysis.

Background and aims: Although several studies have investigated the association between air pollutants and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in recent years, a lack of evidence exists regarding carbon monoxide (CO) exposure, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean's polluted regions. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the short-term effect of CO exposure on daily CVD hospital admissions in Isfahan, a major city in Iran. Methods: Data were extracted from the CAPACITY study on daily CVD hospital admissions in Isfahan from March 2010 to March 2012. The 24-h mean CO concentrations were obtained from four local monitoring stations. In a time-series framework, the association between CO and daily hospitalizations for total and cause-specific CVDs in adults (ischemic heart disease (IHD), heart failure (HF), and cerebrovascular disease) was conducted using Poisson's (or negative binomial) regression, after adjusting for holidays, temperature, dew point, and wind speed, considering different lags and mean lags of CO. The robustness of the results was examined via two- and multiple-pollutant models. Stratified analysis was also conducted for age groups (18-64 and ≥65 years), sex, and seasons (cold and warm). Results: The current study incorporated a total of 24,335 hospitalized patients, (51.6%) male with a mean age of 61.9 ± 16.4 years. The mean CO concentration was 4.5 ± 2.3 mg/m³. For a 1 mg/m3 increase in CO, we found a significant association with the number of CVD hospitalizations. The largest adjusted percent change in HF cases was seen in lag0, 4.61% (2.23, 7.05), while that for total CVDs, IHD, and cerebrovascular diseases occurred in mean lag2-5, 2.31% (1.42, 3.22), 2.23% (1.04, 3.43), and 5.70% (3.59, 7.85), respectively. Results were found to be robust in two- and multiple-pollutant models. Although the associations changed for sex, age groups, and seasons, they remained significant for IHD and total CVD, except for the warm season, and for HF, except for the younger age group and cold seasons. Additionally, the exposure-response relationship curve of the CO concentrations with total and cause-specific CVD admissions showed non-linear relationships for IHD and total CVDs. Conclusions: Our results showed that exposure to CO contributed to an increase in the number of CVD hospitalizations. The associations were not independent of age groups, season, and sex.

Effects of sulfur dioxide and particulate matter pollution on hospital admissions for hypertensive cardiovascular disease: A time series analysis.

Background and aims: Air pollution is a major environmental risk factor and the leading cause of disease burden with detrimental effects on cardiovascular systems. Cardiovascular diseases are predisposed by various risk factors, including hypertension, as the most important modifiable risk factor. However, there is a lack of sufficient data concerning the impact of air pollution on hypertension. We sought to study the associations of short-term exposure to Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and particulate matter (PM10) with the number of daily hospital admissions of hypertensive cardiovascular diseases (HCD). Methods: All hospitalized patients between March 2010 to March 2012 were recruited with the final diagnosis of HCD based on the International Classification of Diseases 10 (codes: I10-I15) from 15 hospitals in Isfahan, one of the most polluted cities in Iran. The 24-hour average concentrations of pollutants were obtained from 4 monitoring stations. In addition to single- and two-pollutant models, we used Negative Binomial and Poisson models with covariates of holidays, dew point, temperature, wind speed, and extracted latent factors of other pollutants controlling for multi-collinearity to examine the risk for hospital admissions for HCD affected by SO2 and PM10 exposures in the multi-pollutant model. Results: A total of 3132 hospitalized patients (63% female) with a mean (standard deviation) age of 64.96 (13.81) were incorporated in the study. The mean concentrations of SO2 and PM10 were 37.64 µg/m3 and 139.08 µg/m3, respectively. Our findings showed that a significantly increased risk of HCD-induced hospital admission was detected for a 10 µg/m3 increase in the 6-day and 3-day moving average of SO2 and PM10 concentrations in the multi-pollutant model with a percent change of 2.11% (95% confidence interval: 0.61 to 3.63%) and 1.19% (0.33 to 2.05%), respectively. This finding was robust in all models and did not vary by gender (for SO2 and PM10) and season (for SO2). However, people aged 35-64 and 18-34 years were vulnerable to SO2 and PM10 exposure-triggered HCD risk, respectively. Conclusions: This study supports the hypothesis of the association between short-term exposure to ambient SO2 and PM10 and the number of hospital admissions due to HCD.

Impact of cardiac rehabilitation on metabolic syndrome in Iranian patients with coronary heart disease: the role of obesity.

BACKGROUND: Due to high prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and coronary heart disease (CHD) in Iran, and their mutual relationship, we evaluated how comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CR) can affect MetS in patients with CHD. METHOD: In this study (1998-2003), we evaluated 547 patients with CHD undergoing comprehensive CR. RESULTS: Cases with MetS decreased from 42.8% to 33.3% after CR program (p < .001). Decrease in high fasting plasma glucose, triglyceridemia, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and increase in HDL cholesterol, functional capacity, and left ventricular ejection fraction was more prominent in the "MetS but not obese" group. However, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, weight, body mass index, and waist circumference showed a greater decrease in groups with obesity. CONCLUSION: Cardiac rehabilitation is an effective treatment of MetS, particularly in the absence of obesity. This represents an additional argument for the prevention of obesity and the linked insulin resistance.

Is there any difference between non-obese male and female in response to cardiac rehabilitation programs?

INTRODUCTION: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death and disability all over the world. A sedentary lifestyle and dyslipidemia are known to be the major risk factors, which play an important role in the progression of coronary artery disease. Regarding gender differences, the risk of developing coronary heart disease is recognized as being different between non-obese males and non-obese females. Hence, the aim of this study is to assess the benefits of a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) on the functional capacity and lipid profiles, such as, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol in non-obese males and non-obese females with coronary artery disease, and comparing these groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 585 non-obese males and females with coronary artery disease. All the participants completed the cardiac rehabilitation program for two months, which included 24 exercise training sessions, medical evaluation, and consultation. For investigation of the effects of the cardiac rehabilitation program on the functional capacity and lipid profiles, exercise tests were carried out by each patient, and also, their blood samples were taken on entrance and at the end of this period. RESULTS: The findings, following 24 sessions in the cardiac rehabilitation program, showed that the functional capacity (P = 0.00) and all lipid profiles had significantly improved in both the groups, except that the high density lipoprotein cholesterol did not show a significant difference in non-obese females. In addition, comparing the two groups did not show any significant differences in lipid profiles, but the changes in functional capacity were significant (P = 0.00) between the two groups, following the cardiac rehabilitation program. CONCLUSION: The CRP, which was performed by the patients under supervision of a physician and an exercise physiologist, plays a key role in improving the functional capacity (FC) and all lipid profiles in non-obese males and females with coronary artery disease, without any attention to gender differences.

Is prehypertension a risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among Iranian women?

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have reported prehypertension (pre-HTN) as a risk factor for the cardiovascular diseases as hypertension (HTN). AIM: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of pre-HTN on cardiovascular incidences among the females of Isfahan cohort study (ICS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Healthy female at baseline were followed for a median of 6.7 years. They were divided into 3 groups of normal blood pressure, pre-HTN (120/80 < BP < 139/89 mmHg) and HTN (BP > 140/90 mmHg) based on their baseline measurements. The endpoints were ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, CVD (combination of IHD and stroke) and mortality. RESULTS: Normal BP, pre-HTN and HTN were observed in 1073 (33%), 1185 (36%), and 994 (31%) participants, respectively. One hundred and ninety-eight subjects developed CVDs and 110 died. In the HTN group, the hazard ratio [HRs (95% confidence interval)] adjusted for age and other risk factors were 3.44 (1.95-6.09) for IHD (P value < 0.001), 1.28 (0.59-2.77) for stroke (P value = 0.536) 4.89 (1.37-17.45) for CVD mortality (P value < 0.001) and 1.70 (0.98-2.96) for all cause mortality (P value = 0.060). Although, pre-HTN significantly increased the risk of IHD incidence in the crude model (HR 2.21, 95% CI 1.23-3.97) and after adjustments for age (HR 1.85, 95% CI 1.02-3.33), (P value < 0.001) the association did not remain statistically significant after including other risk factors in the model. CONCLUSION: Hypertension (HTN) to be a strong risk factor for CVD and IHD. However, in contrast to previous researches, pre-HTN was not found to be a risk factor for CVD, IHD or death independent to other risk factors in women.

Morning Exercise at School and Sedentary Activities are Important Determinants for Hypertension in Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to determine the association of Pre-hypertension/hypertension (pre-HTN/HTN) with leisure-time activities and morning exercise at school in a sample of Iranian adolescents. METHODS: This secondary study has done using data of 1992 adolescents participated in of Isfahan Healthy Heart Program. The outcome variable was having/not having pre-hypertension/hypertension (pre-HTN/HTN). The students with Blood pressure (BP) between 90th to 95th percentiles were considered as positive pre-HTN and students with BP >95th percentile were considered as positive HTN. Students with pre-HTN or HTN were considered as positive pre-HTN/HTN. The asked leisure-time activities were categorized in three group including first (ping-pong, basketball, and volleyball), second (football, walking, and bicycling) and sedentary activities (watching TV, studying, and computer gaming), using factor analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of pre-HTN and HTN was 16.1% and 6.7%, respectively. Based on multiple logistic regression pre-HTN/HTN was associated just with sedentary activities and morning exercise at school. Odds Ratio (95% confidence interval) for sedentary activities and morning exercise at school was 1.51 (1.13-2.01) and 0.63 (0.44-0.89), respectively. CONCLUSION: We observed adolescents who engaged in morning exercise at school had lower prevalence of HTN while those who spent more times on sedentary activities were in higher risk for HTN. We suggest to permanent holding of morning exercise and educational programs on healthy lifestyle skills for adolescents by schools.

The effect of educational and encouraging interventions on anthropometric characteristics and perilipin-1 levels: TABASSOM Study.

BACKGROUND: Perilipin protein located in lipid droplets is involved in formation and storage of lipid in adipocytes; thus, it is considered as one of the obesity biomarkers. This study was performed to examine the effect of educational and encouragement interventions and lifestyle modifications on anthropometric characteristics and perilipin-1 level. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on subsample of TABASSOM Study. Participants were 42 overweight and obese children and adolescents aged 6-18 years old and 80 overweight and obese adults aged 19-65 years old. Anthropometric characteristics including weight, height, waist circumference (WC), body fat percentage (BFP), and perilipin-1 level were measured at the first and the end of study (after one year). RESULTS: After intervention, the mean of perilipin-1 decreased significantly in total children and adolescents (before vs. after: 26.79 ± 13.17 vs. 22.57 ± 8.03; P = 0.006) and girls (27.75 ± 10.51 vs. 22.00 ± 8.15; P = 0.001), but decreasing was not significant in boys. In adults, perilipin-1 levels were significantly reduced in total subjects (before vs. after: 16.19 ± 13.42 vs. 15.34 ± 11.25; P = 0.029) and men (18.02 ± 15.78 vs. 15.44 ± 10.61; P = 0.003). There was no significant difference in mean of body mass index (BMI), WC, and BFP in both groups after 12 months. CONCLUSION: Educational and encouraging interventions and lifestyle modifications could lead to decreasing perilipin-1 level in adults, children, and adolescents.

Gender differences in obesogenic behaviour, socioeconomic and metabolic factors in a population-based sample of Iranians: the IHHP study.

This study investigated the gender differences in association of some behavioural and socioeconomic factors with obesity indices in a population-based sample of 12,514 Iranian adults. The mean body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were significantly higher in women than in men. Current and passive smoking had an inverse association with BMI among males whereas current smoking, transportation by a private car, and longer duration of watching television (TV) had a positive association with BMI among females. Current and passive smoking, cycling, and Global Dietary Index (GDI) had an inverse association with WC among males. Higher consumption of fruits and vegetables, current and passive smoking, duration of daily sleep, and GDI had an inverse association with WC among females. Using a private car for transportation had a significant positive association with WHR among both males and females. Living in an urban area, being married, and having a higher education level increased the odds ratio of obesity among both the genders. Non-manual work also increased this risk among males whereas watching TV and current smoking increased this risk among females. Such gender differences should be considered for culturally-appropriate interventional strategies to be implemented at the population level for tackling obesity and associated cardiometabolic risk factors.

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention on perceived stress and perception of disease in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

CONTEXT: One of the most important issues in patients with coronary artery disease is their mental health indices such as perceived stress and perception of disease. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention on the perceived stress and disease perception of patients with acute coronary syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a clinical trial, two-group, and three-stage study on 76 patients with acute coronary syndrome who were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. Nine weekly sessions of mindfulness-based training program were administered to the intervention group. The control group received routine services during this period. Data collection was done before, immediately, and 1 month after the intervention, using the Perceived Stress Scale and the Illness Perception Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the mean scores of perceived stress and illness perception before intervention. After the intervention and 1 month after it, the mean score of perceived stress in the intervention group was statistically significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.001), and the perception of disease in the intervention group was statistically significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It is worthwhile to suggest the mindfulness-based training program to reduce the perceived stress and correct the perception of disease for patients with acute coronary syndrome.

The burden of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases attributed to ambient sulfur dioxide over 26 years.

INTRODUCTION: Developing countries, particularly those with a rapid development, are experiencing increasing pollution by sulfur dioxide (SO2). Despite the considerable SO2 exposure effect on health, there is little evidence regarding this fact in Iran, as one of the largest oil and gas producing countries in the world. The present study, therefore, was designed to investigate the burden of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases attributed to the SO2 exposure in Iran, over a 26-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All measured SO2 levels were collected from 92 air quality monitoring stations (AQMSs) in 29 cities, during 1996-2013. Since the study years were from 1990 to 2015, and also due to missing data at existing stations, the spatiotemporal model was used to estimate the exposure to this gas during this period. To calculate the burden of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, the population attributable fraction (PAF) value was calculated, and the SO2-attributed mortality and years of life lost (YLL) were determined per province, and in the whole country. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that the SO2 concentration was increased from 22.00 ppb (7.69-67.28) in 1990 to 27.81 ppb (9.88-82.27), in 2015. The lowest annual value of 11.53 ppb (4.68-32.06) and the highest value of 45.11 ppb (16.58-1226) were estimated at 2004 and 1997, respectively. There was a sinusoidal trend in the gas concentration changes. The highest occurrence of SO2-attributed deaths due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases were 0.080 (0.024-0.168) and 0.076 (0.026-0.165), and the lowest levels were 0.017 (0.004-0.044) and 0.047 (0.017-0.124), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results in our country, the SO2 trend was sinusoidal during 26 years, with a recurrent rise occurring after each declining period. It is recommended to design the sustainable national method policies and programs with the continuous evaluation and modification for the reduction of fossil fuel consumption and further implementation in the use of clean energy.

Association between ambient fine particulate matter with blood pressure levels among Iranian individuals admitted for cardiac and respiratory diseases: Data from CAPACITY study.

BACKGROUND: The relation between air pollution and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) risk factors, especially blood pressure (BP) levels, has been less frequently assessed. The aim of this study was evaluating the association between air pollutants of less than 2.5 µm [particulate matter (PM2.5)] and BP indices among individuals admitted with CVDs and pulmonary diseases. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was in context of air pollution associated with hospitalization and mortality of CVDs and respiratory diseases (CAPACITY) study. Data of 792 Iranian patients referring to two hospitals in Isfahan, Iran, for cardiovascular or respiratory problems from March 2011 to March 2012 were used for analysis. BP indices including systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were obtained from patients' medical forms and mean PM2.5 concentrations during 24 hours prior to admission of each patient were obtained from Isfahan Department of Environment (DOE). RESULTS: Mean ± standard deviation (SD) of participants' age were 62.5 ± 15.9 years. All BP indices on admission were significantly higher in women compared with men. Adjustment of all potential confounders including age, sex, temperature, wind speed, and dew point revealed that increasing one quartile in PM2.5 concentrations had been associated with 1.98 mmHg raising in SBP at the time of admission [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.41-3.54, P = 0.010]. Women with cardiac diseases had higher all BP indices with increased PM2.5 concentration [SBP: ß: 4.30, 95% CI = 0.90-7.70, P = 0.010; DBP: ß: 1.89, 95% CI = 0.09-3.69, P = 0.040; MAP: ß: 3.09, 95% CI = 0.68-5.51, P= 0.010, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that increasing PM2.5 concentration has been positively associated with raising SBP in total population and all BP indices among women with cardiac problems at admission time. Several comprehensive studies are required for confirming these relations.

Do lifestyle interventions work in developing countries? Findings from the Isfahan Healthy Heart Program in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of a comprehensive, integrated community-based lifestyle intervention on diet, physical activity and smoking in two Iranian communities. METHODS: Within the framework of the Isfahan Healthy Heart Program, a community trial was conducted in two intervention counties (Isfahan and Najaf-Abad) and a control area (Arak). Lifestyle interventions targeted the urban and rural populations in the intervention counties but were not implemented in Arak. In each community, a random sample of adults was selected yearly by multi-stage cluster sampling. Food consumption, physical exercise and smoking behaviours were quantified and scored as 1 (low-risk) or 0 (other) at baseline (year 2000) and annually for 4 years in the intervention areas and for 3 years in the control area. The scores for all behaviours were then added to derive an overall lifestyle score. FINDINGS: After 4 years, changes from baseline in mean dietary score differed significantly between the intervention and control areas (+2.1 points versus -1.2 points, respectively; P < 0.01), as did the change in the percentage of individuals following a healthy diet (+14.9% versus -2.0%, respectively; P < 0.001). Daily smoking had decreased by 0.9% in the intervention areas and by 2.6% in the control area at the end of the third year, but the difference was not significant. Analysis by gender revealed a significant decreasing trend in smoking among men (P < 0.05) but not among women. Energy expenditure for total daily physical activities showed a decreasing trend in all areas, but the mean drop from baseline was significantly smaller in the intervention areas than in the control area (-68 metabolic equivalent task (MET) minutes per week versus -114 MET minutes per week, respectively; P < 0.05). Leisure time devoted to physical activities showed an increasing trend in all areas. A significantly different change from baseline was found between the intervention areas and the control area in mean lifestyle score, even after controlling for age, sex and baseline values. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that community-based lifestyle intervention programmes can be effective in a developing country setting.

Process evaluation of a community-based program for prevention and control of non-communicable disease in a developing country: The Isfahan Healthy Heart Program, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of mortality in Iran. A six-year, comprehensive, integrated community-based demonstration study entitled Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP) conducted in Iran, and it started in 2000. Evaluation and monitoring are integrated parts of this quasi-experimental trial, and consists of process, as well as short and long-term impact evaluations. This paper presents the design of the "process evaluation" for IHHP, and the results pertaining to some interventional strategies that were implemented in workplaces METHODS: The process evaluation addresses the internal validity of IHHP by ascertaining the degree to which the program was implemented as intended. The IHHP process evaluation is a triangulated study conducted for all interventions at their respective venues. All interventional activities are monitored to determine why and how some are successful and sustainable, to identify mechanisms as well as barriers and facilitators of implementation. RESULTS: The results suggest that factory workers and managers are satisfied with the interventions. In the current study, success was mainly shaped by the organizational readiness and timing of the implementation. Integrating most of activities of the project to the existing ongoing activities of public health officers in worksites is suggested to be the most effective means of implementation of the health promoting activities in workplaces. CONCLUSION: The results of our experience may help other developing countries to plan for similar interventions.

Are dietary patterns differently associated with differentiated levels of mental health problems? Results from a large cross-sectional study among Iranian manufacturing employees.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to classify participants based on mental health problems profile and to evaluate its relationship with dietary patterns among Iranian manufacturing employees. DESIGN: Observational study with a cross-sectional design. SETTING: This study was conducted in Esfahan Steel Company, one of the biggest Iranian industrial manufacturing companies. PARTICIPANTS: Complete data on 2942 manufacturing employees, with a mean (SD) age of 36.68 (7.31) years, were analysed. OUTCOME MEASURES: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADA) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) were used to evaluate anxiety and depression and psychological distress, respectively. RESULTS: Three major dietary patterns, namely 'western', 'healthy' and 'traditional', were extracted using factor analysis. A two-class, one-factor structure was identified from study participants in terms of mental health problems profile based on the factor mixture model. Two identified classes were labelled as 'low mental health problems' (2683 manufacturing employees, 91.2%) and 'high mental health problems' (259 individuals, 8.8%). After adjusting for the impact of potential confounders, manufacturing employees in the highest tertile of healthy dietary pattern had lower odds of being in the high mental health problems profile class (OR=0.67, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.92). In contrast, greater adherence to Western and traditional dietary patterns was associated with increased odds of being in the high mental health problems class (OR=1.66, 95% CI: 1.18 to 2.35 and OR=1.52, 95% CI :1.10 to 2.11, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provided informative pathways on the association of dietary patterns and mental health among manufacturing employees. The findings can be used by workplace health promotion policymakers in improving mental health in such study population. Interventional and prospective studies that investigate the effects of change in dietary patterns on the mental health of manufacturing employees are suggested.