The prevalence of occupational injuries and associated risk factors among workers in iron and steel industries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The iron and steel industries are among the most dangerous workplaces in the world compared to other manufacturing industries. Workers are exposed to multiple occupational hazards, which predispose them to high risks of both fatal and non-fatal injuries. Currently, the data on the global prevalence and associated risk factors for occupational injuries in the iron and steel industries is fragmented and incomplete. This study was undertaken to address this issue by pooling data relating to the prevalence of occupational injuries and its associated factors among workers in iron and steel industries studies around the world. METHODS: The search was conducted systematically using PubMed, HINARI, EMBASE and Google Scholar for published studies in English that reported on occupational injuries and associated risk factors among workers in iron and steel industries. MetaXL version 5.3 software was used in the meta-analysis to estimate the pooled prevalence of occupational injuries and associated risk factors among workers in the iron and steel industries. The study protocol has been registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42022344258. RESULTS: Of the 447 articles identified, 15 studies from 9 countries met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence estimate of occupational injury was 0.55 (95% CI: 0.15, 0.93). The pooled results indicated that the odds of having an occupational injury were 4.06 times higher among workers who did not use personal protective equipment compared to those who used such equipment. Likewise the odds of occupational injuries was increased by 1.65 among night shift workers compared to the counterpart. CONCLUSIONS: The global prevalence of occupational injuries in iron and steel industries was 55%. The results indicate that night work shift and the lack of use of personal protective equipment has a higher impact than other factors in the occurrence of occupational injuries in the iron and steel industries.

Prevalence and risk factors of suicidal ideation in oral cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The objective was to estimate the pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) and related risk factors in oral cancer (OC). Studies that specified SI in OC patients were considered eligible. SI prevalence and associated risk factors were extracted from the included studies for qualitative analysis and meta-analysis. Five studies (two retrospective, two cross-sectional, and one prospective longitudinal) were included in this review. Out of a total 15,475 OC patients, SI was reported in 117. The pooled prevalence of SI was 6% (95% confidence interval 1-22%). The prevalence of SI varied widely across the included studies, from 0.26% to 18.7%. Four studies described SI assessment methods, which were DS-MV, PHQ-9, Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation, and psychiatric interviews. Older age, depression, demoralization, previous cancer history, psychiatric history, alcohol dependence, anxiety, living alone, and poor quality of life were frequently mentioned as risk factors of SI. The prevalence of SI varied across studies and was probably affected by the method of assessment, treatment, and postoperative care. SI was consistently predicted with psychological distress. It is essential to raise awareness of demographic, clinical, and psychological associations with SI in order to assess risks and design interventions for this cohort.

The prevalence of the risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases among Iranian adults: Findings of a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of death worldwide. Lack of accurate estimation of the risk factors associated with these diseases can impair the designing of effective interventions in this field; the present study aimed to investigate the risk factors attributable to cardiovascular diseases in males and females visiting comprehensive health service centers in 2018. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This cross-sectional study is part of the national health transformation plan shaped in response to the emerging epidemic of noncommunicable diseases. In the present study, 6,331 participants aged 30 years and older were randomly and census selected from comprehensive urban and rural health service centers in Naein County, in Isfahan, Iran, respectively. The data were collected using the electronic health record from the IraPEN program in two sections: demographic information and the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors. They were then analyzed with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 24 software using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, one-way ANOVA, and logistic regression. RESULTS: The participants' mean age was 55.09 ± 16.11 years. The main risk factor was insufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables while smoking was a negligible risk factor. Low physical activity, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and high body mass index were more prevalent in females than in males, whereas smoking was more frequently reported in males (P < 0.001). Risk factors such as age, gender, education level, place of residence, and marital status, played a significant role in determining CVD risk factors. DISCUSSION: More than half of Iranian adults had one or older cardiovascular disease-related risk factors, and the prevalence of such factors was higher in females than in males. Given the importance of gender differences in cardiovascular disease-related health habits, it is necessary to reduce the majority of these diseases in society, especially in women, by controlling modifiable risk factors.

Determinants of multimorbidity among elderly population in maharashtra, India: Logistic regression analysis.

BACKGROUND: Population aging is an emerging global trend. Because of decreasing fertility rates and improved healthcare, the lifespan of elderly population increased. Consequently, proportion of elderly population is increasing at an alarming rate. This is accompanied by an increased recognition of the occurrence of multimorbidity and associated mortality risks. So, the purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of multimorbidity among elderly population in Maharashtra with its variation among socio-demographic spectrum, functional health and health behaviors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sample of elderly population aged > 60 years were selected to examine multimorbidity and its associated risk factors. Statistical methods such as Chi-square test were used to show the association between multimorbidity and other covariates. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to understand the effects of predictor variables on multimorbidity. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve Analysis was carried out to improve the performance of the classification model by using a modified cut-off probability value. Z scores were calculated to compare model performance in training data and test data. RESULTS: The prevalence of multimorbidity in Maharashtra in training data and test data was found to be 32.8% and 32.9%. Residence, living arrangement, MPCE Quintile, marital status, work status, education, tobacco consumption, physical activity, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and self-rated health of elderly population were important determinants that exert a significant adverse effect on multimorbidity. CONCLUSION: Prediction percentages indicate that appropriate actions should be undertaken to ensure good quality of life for all the elderly in Maharashtra.

Rising Incidence and Comorbidities of Endogenous Hypothyroidism in Republic of Korea from 2004 to 2018: A Nationwide Population Study.

Background: Hypothyroidism, a prevalent endocrine disorder, results from insufficient thyroid hormone production or release, affecting metabolism. However, disparities in comorbidities and treatment trajectories may exist between endogenous and exogenous hypothyroidism. Methods: Data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service from 2004 to 2018. Endogenous hypothyroidism was defined as cases with two or more diagnostic codes for hypothyroidism coupled with a history of thyroid hormone intake exceeding 60 days. To eliminate iatrogenic hypothyroidism, individuals with diagnosis codes for thyroid cancer, treatment codes for thyroid surgery, or radiotherapy were excluded. Hypothyroidism-related comorbidities were defined as new occurrences of the corresponding diagnosis code after the diagnosis of hypothyroidism during the entire study period. Results: The age-standardized incidence of endogenous hypothyroidism among men was 0.2 per 1,000 person-years in 2004, increasing to 0.8 in 2018. Among women, the incidence increased from 1.6 per 1,000 person-years in 2004 to 3.7 in 2018. When comparing age groups of 20s-50s and 60s-90s, both sexes in the 60s-90s demonstrated a more rapid increase in incidence than those in the 20s-50s age range. Patients with endogenous hypothyroidism demonstrated a higher incidence of mood disorders across all age groups and cerebrovascular disease in individuals ≥60 years old, regardless of sex. Conclusion: In Republic of Korea, endogenous hypothyroidism incidence has been increased in recent years. The incidence of endogenous hypothyroidism is increasing more rapidly in men than in women, especially in the elderly. Patients with endogenous hypothyroidism seem to have a heightened risk for cerebrovascular disease and mood disorders.

Prevalence of Varicose Veins Among Surgeons: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Extended periods of standing, obesity, female sex, and older age are risk factors associated with a higher probability of developing varicose veins (VV). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of VV among surgeons in public hospitals in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and to identify the risk factors associated with this condition.  Methodology This is a descriptive cross-sectional study based on a validated online questionnaire distributed via hospital WhatsApp (Meta Platforms Inc., Menlo Park, CA) groups conducted between January and June 2024. The inclusion criteria of this study were surgeons of both sexes and any age group working in the selected hospitals in Makkah City, who agreed to participate in the study. The exclusion criteria were any other healthcare workers from outside the surgical field. We included 192 participants, and Epi Info software (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA) was used to calculate the sample size. The data were collected, reviewed, and then fed into IBM SPSS Statistics software for Windows version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Every participant filled out a consent form. The university ethics committee of Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, granted ethical permission. Result This study comprised 192 surgeons in Makkah hospitals. Twenty-eight surgeons were either diagnosed with VV or had signs of VV. Varicose veins were detected among 50% of thoracic surgeons, 42.9% of pediatric surgeons, and 26.3% of orthopedic surgeons. The most reported risk factors were a family history of VV (17%), hypertension (16%), and diabetes mellitus (14%). Surgeons aged 40 years or older had a higher prevalence of VV than younger ones. Also, 55.6% of obese surgeons had VV compared to 7.8% of others with average weight. Conclusion We found that VV is a common problem, particularly among individuals with predisposing factors, such as long standing hours, smoking, pregnancy, and obesity. We found that surgeons specializing in thoracic and pediatric specialties and female surgeons were more likely to be affected by VV. Preventive measures, such as avoiding prolonged standing, wearing compression stockings, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, are recommended.

Exploring the Relationship between Cerebral Palsy and Hip Dysplasia: Insights from the National Inpatient Sample.

Background and Objective: Cerebral palsy (CP) significantly impacts quality of life globally. Hip dysplasia (HD) is a common musculoskeletal issue in CP patients. This study investigates the prevalence, risk factors, and impact of HD on CP patients using a large national database. Materials and Methods: Data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2016-2019) were used, identifying CP and HD diagnoses through ICD-10 codes. Baseline characteristics were tabulated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses examined predictors of HD development in CP patients, presenting data as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Among 3,951,040 pediatric patients, 28,880 had CP (27,466 without HD, and 1414 with HD), and 3,922,160 did not have CP. CP significantly increased the likelihood of developing HD in univariate (OR = 35.03, 95% CI [33.01, 37.17], p < 0.0001) and multivariate (OR = 26.61, 95% CI [24.94, 28.40], p < 0.0001) analyses. Among patients with CP, race was significantly associated with HD, with ORs below 1 for all racial categories compared to Whites. Females had nearly twice the odds of HD compared to males (OR = 1.96, 95% CI [1.86, 2.05], p < 0.0001). Age was significantly associated with HD, with each additional year increasing the odds (OR = 1.03, 95% CI [1.026, 1.034], p < 0.0001). Individuals in the high 51st-75th income quartile had a 17% increase in the odds of HD (OR = 1.17, 95% CI [1.09, 1.25], p < 0.0001) compared to the low 1st-25th income quartile. Conclusions: This study reinforces the strong association between CP and HD, highlighting the need for further research and prospective studies to validate these findings.

The Effectiveness of Bariatric Surgery on Treating Infertility in Women-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background/Objectives: Obesity is a growing global health concern, which increases the risk of various diseases and has seen a rising prevalence over time. The global prevalence of obesity among adults has doubled over time. Obesity significantly impacts health by increasing the risk of a range of severe medical conditions. Cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, are more prevalent in individuals with obesity due to factors like high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to establish the effectiveness of bariatric surgery in treating infertility in women. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. A broad electronic search was conducted through PubMed, Web Science, and Medline databases for studies published between April 2017 and October 2023. The search strategy used the following terms: bariatric surgery, metabolic surgery, bariatric surgical procedures, stomach stapling, infertility, and fertility issues. The data were analyzed using the Revman version 5.1.2 software. Results: The results of the study show that despite the heterogeneity found in the studies, irregular menstrual cycles were found to reduce significantly in patients who underwent bariatric surgery (p = 0.01), with an RR of 0.22, at a 95% CI (0.06, 0.74). With regards to infertility, the results indicate that bariatric surgery reduced the level of infertility among the patients significantly (p = 0.00001), with an RR of 0.55, at a 95% CI (0.45, 0.68). Further, the results show bariatric surgery reduced rate of miscarriages among patients (p = 0.01), with an RR of 0.51, at a 95% CI (0.30, 0.86). Moreover, bariatric surgery reduced the level of congenital malfunction, but the effect was not statistically significant (p = 0.16), with an RR of 0.39, at a 95% CI (0.10, 1.45). However, the overall effect of bariatric surgery on treating infertility was found to be significantly effective (p = 0.0001), with an RR of 0.54, at a 95% CI (0.43, 0.68). This implies that bariatric surgery helps in weight loss, which improves ovulatory dysfunction and irregular menstruation while boosting spontaneous conception. Conclusions: This study found that bariatric surgery helps infertile women of a reproductive age to lose weight, which improves ovulatory dysfunction and irregular menstruation while boosting spontaneous conception. On the other hand, the study noted that after bariatric surgery, spontaneous conception can occur because of a decreased rate of miscarriage, increased fertility, reduced levels of congenital malfunction, and the restoration of regular menstrual cycles. Therefore, this study highlights the need to offer adequate preconception care and counselling to women who are about to be pregnant, both before and after bariatric surgery. Further, based on the fact that this study focused on general bariatric surgery, future research should focus on specific types of bariatric surgery to establish the most effective type of bariatric surgery in treating infertility in women.

Prevalence of Lifestyle Factors Among Primary Care Physicians: A Cross-Sectional Study in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.

Introduction The importance of a healthy lifestyle has grown in significance on a global scale, as it offers a vital means of preventing and managing a range of related illnesses. Consequently, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is of paramount importance for the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases. The lifestyle behaviors of healthcare workers exert a significant influence on their attitudes and counseling methods, as they play a pivotal role in the promotion of health and the dissemination of lifestyle education to patients and the general population. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of lifestyle factors among primary care physicians in Al-Ahsa Governorate, including smoking, body mass index, nutrition, physical activity, and caffeine consumption. Methods The study was conducted between December 2023 and February 2024. A total of 233 primary care physicians in Al-Ahsa were selected through a probability multistage clustering sampling method. Data were collected via the distribution of a self-administered questionnaire to the primary care physicians and were analyzed using the chi-square test. Results A greater proportion of primary care physicians exhibited multiple unhealthy lifestyle factors (166/233, 71.2%). The most prevalent lifestyle factor was low physical activity (169/233, 73%), followed by poor nutrition (121/233, 52%), obesity (120/233, 51.51%), smoking (37/233, 15.88%), and caffeine consumption (22/233, 9%). The majority of primary care physicians with optimal health status are employed in primary healthcare (PHC) facilities situated in the eastern region followed by the southern region in Al-Ahsa Governorate. Conclusion The study findings revealed a prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle factors among the majority of primary care physicians in the Al-Ahsa Governorate. The most prevalent unhealthy lifestyle factor among the participants was low physical activity.

BRAF V600E mutation in thyroid carcinoma: a large-scale study in Han Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of genetic mutations in thyroid cancer varies significantly among different ethnic backgrounds. The present study aimed to investigate the clinical potential of BRAF V600E in a large group of homogenous Han Chinese patients. METHODS: From 2018 to 2021, 6232 thyroid disease patients who underwent thyroidectomy at our hospital were enrolled. We measured the diagnostic value of BRAF and plotted ROC curves. Patients with full clinical-pathological data were selected and divided into the BRAF mutation and wild type groups. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to quantify the differences in potential predictive factors of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients between the groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to estimate overall recurrence and recurrence rate. RESULTS: The prevalence of BRAF V600E mutation was 86.0% in PTCs. The sensitivity and specificity of BRAF mutation for diagnosing PTC from suspicious lesions were 85.5% and 100%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of BRAF analysis in the indeterminate cytology group were 72.5% and 100%, respectively. BRAF mutation showed an independent association with older age, negative HT, larger tumor size, extrathyroidal extension, and multifocality in PTCs. In micro-PTCs (tumor size ≤ 1), the mutation was also positively correlated with progressive phenotypes of extrathyroidal extension and multifocality. BRAF mutation was associated with poorer recurrence-free probability in Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This large single-center study reveals that BRAF V600E is highly prevalent in the Han Chinese population and demonstrates BRAF V600E mutation testing has high diagnostic accuracy and its strong association with the progress of aggressiveness in PTCs and a higher probability of recurrence. BRAF mutation can serve as an accurate marker for diagnosis and decision-making with great value.

Global prevalence of gastric intestinal metaplasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is a precancerous lesion that increases the risk of gastric cancer. Several preliminary studies have examined the prevalence of GIM. The present systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted aimed estimating the global prevalence of GIM. METHODS: The present systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted based on the PRISMA reporting guidelines in the range of 1988-2022. Articles related to the purpose of the study were obtained from Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science (WOS), MagIran, SID databases, and Google Scholar search engine using relevant and validated keywords in MeSH/Emtree. Inclusion criteria were observational articles, access to the full text of the article, and articles that reported prevalence. Heterogeneity among studies was examined using the I2 index. The random effects model was used in this review due to the high heterogeneity between the results of the studies. Data were statistically analyzed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software. RESULTS: In the initial search, 4946 studies were found, of which 20 articles with a sample size of 57,263 met all the criteria for inclusion in the study. The global prevalence of GIM was 17.5% (95% confidence interval: 14.6-20.8%). The highest percentage of prevalence of GIM belonged to American continent with 18.6% (95% confidence interval: 13.8-24.6%) and patients with gastroesophageal reflux with 22.9% (95% confidence interval: 9.9-44.6%). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that the prevalence of GIM in the world is high and needs further investigation. Therefore, it is recommended to be given more attention by experts, officials, and health policymakers.

Prevalence of Fabry Disease in Patients on Dialysis in France.

Numerous prevalence studies on Fabry disease (FD, OMIM #301500) have been conducted in dialysis populations across the world with variable and controversial results. The FABRYDIAL study aimed to estimate the prevalence of FD in patients aged 18 to 74 years on chronic dialysis in France. This cross-sectional study was conducted in patients undergoing dialysis. One hundred and twenty-four dialysis centers participated. Patients with proven causes of nephropathy unrelated to FD were excluded. Alpha-galactosidase A activity was assayed in men, and both α-galactosidase A and lyso-Gb3 were assayed in women from dried blood spots. GLA gene sequencing was performed in case of abnormal values. If a variant was identified, a diagnosis validation committee was consulted for adjudication. Among the 6032 targeted patients, 3088 were included (73.6% of the eligible patients). Biochemical results were available for 2815 (1721 men and 1094 women). A genetic variant of GLA was identified in five patients: a benign c.937G>T/p.(Asp313Tyr) variant in two individuals, a likely benign c.427G>A/(p.Ala143Thr) variant, a likely benign c.416A>G/(p.Asn139Ser) variant, and a pathogenic c.1185dupG/p.Phe396Glyfs variant. Among the screened patients, the prevalence was 0.058% [0.010;0.328] in males, 0% [0.000;0.350] in females, and 0.035% [0.006;0.201] when both genders were pooled. Among all patients aged 18-74 years undergoing dialysis without a previously known cause of nephropathy unlinked to FD, the prevalence was 0.028% [0.006;0.121]. The prevalence of FD in a cohort of French dialysis patients was low. However, considering the prognostic impact of earlier diagnosis, signs of FD should be sought in patients with nephropathies of uncertain etiology.

The Prevalence and Genotype Distribution of Hepatitis C Virus in Kenya: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C (HCV) is a virus that causes chronic liver disease, end-stage cirrhosis, and liver cancer, yet most infected individuals remain undiagnosed or untreated. Kenya is a country located in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where the prevalence of HCV remains high but with uncertain disease burden due to little population-based evidence of the epidemic. We aimed to highlight the HCV disease burden in Kenya with a summary of the available data. METHODS: The study was performed as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched publications reporting HCV prevalence and genotypes in Kenya between January 2000 to December 2022. The effect size, i.e., the HCV prevalence, was defined as the proportion of samples testing positive for HCV antibody. Study quality was assessed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist. Due to high study heterogeneity, the studies were categorized into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk for HCV infection. The pooled estimate prevalence per category was determined by the random effects model. This review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (ID: CRD42023401892). RESULTS: A total of 29 studies with a sample size of 90,668 met our inclusion criteria, a third of which were from the capital city Nairobi (34.5%). Half of the studies included HIV-infected individuals (31%) or injection drug users (20.7%). HCV genotype 1 was the most common, with genotype 4 only slightly less common, and together they accounted for 94% of cases. The pooled prevalence for the low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups were 2.0%, 3.4%, and 15.5%, respectively. Over 80% of the studies had a score of > 6 on the JBI scale, indicating a low risk of bias in terms of study design, conduct and analysis. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that there is a higher prevalence of HCV in key populations such as HIV-infected individuals and drug users than in the general population in Kenya. We found that HCV genotypes 1 and 4 were the most common genotypes. More data from the general population is required in order to establish baseline data on the prevalence and genotypes of HCV in Kenya.

The prevalence of asthma and its predictor among patients presetting in Ethiopian public hospitals: systematic review and meta-analysis, 2024.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a leading cause of emergency hospital visits and a significant factor in lost productive hours. The lack of a synthesized body of knowledge on bronchial asthma has notable public health implications. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to investigate the prevalence of asthma and its predictors among patients presenting in Ethiopian public hospitals. DESIGN: Duplicate studies were removed using EndNote version X9. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale guided the quality assessment, and data extraction followed the Joanna Briggs Institute format. DATA SOURCE AND METHODS: The authors used advanced search methods, including databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Africa Index Medicus, Science Direct, HINARI, Google Scholar, and manual searches. Data presentation adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Publication bias was assessed using Egger's regression test and a funnel plot. Sensitivity analysis was also conducted. RESULTS: The search yielded 352 original articles, with 22 meeting the criteria for inclusion. Using the random-effects DerSimonian-Laird model, the prevalence of bronchial asthma was found to be 9.02% (95% CI: 7.50, 10.53). Several factors were associated with the prevalence of bronchial asthma, including the spring season (AOR 3.7; 95% CI: 2.11, 6.49), childhood age (AOR 4.2; 95% CI: 1.84, 9.55), and urban residence (AOR 1.7; 95% CI: 1.29, 2.31). Other significant factors include family history of asthma (AOR 2.89; 95% CI: 2.22, 3.75), insecticide exposure (AOR 3.3; 95% CI: 2.23, 4.91), and the presence of household insects like cockroaches (AOR 3.33; 95% CI: 2.15, 5.15). Smoking (AOR 3.64; 95% CI: 2.66, 4.98), obstructive sleep apnea (AOR 4.29; 95% CI: 2.37, 7.76), and recurrent upper respiratory tract infections (AOR 4.31; 95% CI: 2.24, 8.32) were also significant. CONCLUSION: The pooled prevalence of bronchial asthma is notably high in Ethiopia. Key predictors include childhood age, spring season, urban living, family history of asthma, exposure to insecticides, presence of cockroaches, smoking, obstructive sleep apnea, and recurrent upper respiratory infections. Targeted interventions are crucial and should focus on lifestyle improvements, allergen identification, cockroach control, smoking cessation, reducing insecticide exposure, and promoting a safe environment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This review's protocol was pre-registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO registration number CRD42023491222).

Global burden of benign prostatic hyperplasia in males aged 60-90 years from 1990 to 2019: results from the global burden of disease study 2019.

BACKGROUND: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a prevalent urological disease in elderly males. However, few studies have estimated the temporal and spatial distributions of the BPH burden in male adults aged 60 years and over at the global, national, and regional scales. METHODS: Leveraging the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study, we estimated the global epidemiological trends in the prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of BPH in 204 countries and 21 regions and 5 sociodemographic index (SDI) regions in males aged 60 years and over between 1990 and 2019. The average annual percentage changes (AAPCs) in age-specific rates were estimated to quantify overall trends. We estimated the contribution of population aging and epidemiological alterations in disease burden via composition analysis. RESULTS: Over the past three decades, the global prevalent cases, incident cases and DALYs of BPH have increased, ranging from 118.78 to 121.22%. The global number of prevalent BPH cases reached 79 million in people aged 60 years and older in 2019. The prevalence, incidence, and DALYs rates gradually increased, with AAPCs of 0.02, 0.02, and 0.01, respectively. Low-middle, middle, and low SDI regions experienced rapid increases in the number of prevalent cases of BPH. In 2019, China, India, and United States of America bore the largest burden of prevalent cases among people aged 60 years and over. The three regions with the highest prevalence rates of BPH were Eastern Europe, Central Latin America, and Andean Latin America. The increased prevalence was attributed to population growth (94.93%), epidemiological changes (3.45%), and aging (1.62%), globally. CONCLUSIONS: BPH is a global health issue that imposes substantial economic burdens on most countries, particularly males aged 60 years and over. Effective health decisions are imperative for BPH prevention and treatment.

Extended postpartum intimate partner violence and its associated factors among Iranian women: Community-based cross-sectional study design.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of different types of intimate partner violence (IPV) and factors associated with it during the postpartum period. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 428 women were enrolled from 10 health centers in the south of Tehran, Iran, between April 2023 and October 2023. We used a sociodemographic questionnaire, Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2), the short form of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) for data collection. Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to determine demographic and psychological predictors of IPV after childbirth. RESULTS: Approximately two-thirds of women (n=285, 66.6%) experienced IPV within 1 year of childbirth. Psychological aggression (n= 276, 64.5%) was the most common type of IPV, whereas injury (n=96, 22.4%) was the least common. Additionally, one in three women experienced physical assault (n= 134, 31.3%), and over one-third experienced sexual coercion (n= 152, 35.5%). Predictor factors of IPV during the postpartum period were: insufficient family income (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-15.28), husband's smoking (aOR 3.17, 95% CI 1.70-5.92), history of IPV in pregnancy (aOR 2.44, 95% CI 1.33-4.50), number of children (aOR 3.02, 95% CI 1.79-5.10), and depression (aOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.08-1.14). On the other hand, protective factors of IPV during the postpartum period were: longer marriage duration (aOR 0.85, 95% CI 0.77-0.93) and greater resilience (aOR 0.95, 95% CI 0.90-0.99). CONCLUSION: IPV is prevalent 1 year after childbirth. Healthcare providers should implement a thorough screening program to identify risk and protective factors related to postpartum IPV.

[Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy assessed using two-field mydriatic fundus photography]. / Otsenka rasprostranennosti diabeticheskoi retinopatii s pomoshch'yu dvukhpol'nogo midriaticheskogo fundus-fotografirovaniya.

Early detection of diabetic retinopathy (DR) is an urgent ophthalmological problem in Russia and globally. PURPOSE: This study assesses the prevalence of asymptomatic retinopathy and attempts to identify risk groups for its development in patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM and T2DM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved clinics from 5 cities in the Russian Federation and it included 367 patients with DM, 34.88% men and 65.12% women, aged 50.88±20.55 years. 34.88% of patients suffered from T1DM, 65.12% suffered from T2DM, the average duration of the disease was 9.02±7.22 years. 58.31% of patients had a history of arterial hypertension, 13.08% had a history of smoking. The primary endpoint was the frequency of detection of diabetic changes in the eye fundus of patients with T1DM and T2DM in general; the secondary endpoint - same but separately, and for T2DM patients depending on the duration of the disease. The exploratory endpoint was the assessment of the influence of various factors on the development of DR. The patients underwent visometry (modified ETDRS table), biomicroscopy, mydriatic fundus photography according to the «2 fields¼ protocol. RESULTS: The average detection rate of DR was 12.26%, primarily observed in patients with T2DM (13.81%), women (9.26%), in both eyes (8.17%). Among patients with DR, 26 (19.55%) had glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level exceeding 7.5% (p=0.002), indicating a direct relationship between this indicator and the incidence of DR. Logistic regression analysis showed that the duration of diabetes of more than 10 years has a statistically significant effect on the development of DR. In the modified model for odds estimation, the likelihood of developing DR is increased by the duration of DM for more than 10 years; increased blood pressure; HbA1c level >7.5%. CONCLUSION: The obtained results, some of which will be presented in subsequent publications, highlight the effectiveness of using two-field mydriatic fundus photography as a screening for DR.

Oral manifestations in pediatric patients with leukemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Leukemia is the most common malignancy in pediatric patients, and it has extramedullary involvement. Oral manifestations have been reported in the literature, but to the authors' knowledge, no systematic review has presented the general prevalence of these manifestations. This review aimed to determine the prevalence of oral manifestations in pediatric patients with leukemia. TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED: The authors conducted a search of PubMed-MEDLINE, Embase, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Web of Science, and Scopus. Additional searches were carried out in the gray literature and via hand searching of reference lists of included studies. The inclusion criteria were observational studies that investigated the prevalence and occurrence of oral lesions in pediatric patients with leukemia. Two independent reviewers collected data from the selected articles in a prepiloted Excel (Microsoft) spreadsheet. RESULTS: From 67 included studies, 79 oral manifestations were reported. The most frequent alteration in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia during the treatment were caries (81%), with moderate certainty of evidence. The prevalence of gingivitis was 73%, oral mucositis was 50%, and lymphadenopathy was 45%, with very low certainty of evidence. After the therapy, the prevalence of dental anomalies was 61%, and the most common were enamel hypoplasia (40%), dental agenesis (22%), and microdontia (22%), presenting very low certainty of evidence. The high heterogeneity among studies contributed significantly to reduce the certainty of the evidence. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The findings of this study show that pediatric patients with leukemia have oral manifestations predominantly during and after treatment. Health care professionals must be aware of oral manifestations and refer the patients to dentists during the oncological treatment. Thus, the dentist must support pediatric patients with leukemia to help ensure a better quality of life.

The message matters: changes to binary Computer Aided Detection recommendations affect cancer detection in low prevalence search.

Computer Aided Detection (CAD) has been used to help readers find cancers in mammograms. Although these automated systems have been shown to help cancer detection when accurate, the presence of CAD also leads to an over-reliance effect where miss errors and false alarms increase when the CAD system fails. Previous research investigated CAD systems which overlayed salient exogenous cues onto the image to highlight suspicious areas. These salient cues capture attention which may exacerbate the over-reliance effect. Furthermore, overlaying CAD cues directly on the mammogram occludes sections of breast tissue which may disrupt global statistics useful for cancer detection. In this study we investigated whether an over-reliance effect occurred with a binary CAD system, which instead of overlaying a CAD cue onto the mammogram, reported a message alongside the mammogram indicating the possible presence of a cancer. We manipulated the certainty of the message and whether it was presented only to indicate the presence of a cancer, or whether a message was displayed on every mammogram to state whether a cancer was present or absent. The results showed that although an over-reliance effect still occurred with binary CAD systems miss errors were reduced when the CAD message was more definitive and only presented to alert readers of a possible cancer.

Polycystic ovary syndrome in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome: an updated meta-analysis.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is correlated with metabolic deterioration in patients experiencing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Women diagnosed with PCOS exhibit a heightened prevalence of OSAHS. This meta-analysis aims to assess the morbidity of OSAHS in women affected by PCOS and to examine the differences in metabolism-related indicators between OSAHS-positive and OSAHS-negative in women with PCOS. Methods: A comprehensive literature analysis of OSAHS morbidity in women with PCOS was conducted, utilizing databases such as CNKI, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Wanfang. A comparison was carried out between patients with OSAHS-positive and those with OSAHS-negative in terms of their clinical characteristics and metabolic differences. The search language included English and Chinese. The acquired data were analyzed by employing RevMan 5.2 and Stata 11.0. Continuous variables with the same units were combined and analyzed through weighted mean differences (WMDs) as effect sizes, while continuous variables with different units were combined and analyzed through standardized mean differences (SMDs) as effect sizes. A conjoint analysis was performed on the basis of I2 value, using either a fixed effect model (I2 ≤ 50%) or a random effect model (I2 > 50%). Results: A total of 21 articles met the inclusion criteria for this study. The findings indicated that 20.8% of women with PCOS were found to have comorbid OSAHS. The subjects were categorized into various subgroups for meta-analysis on the basis of race, age, disease severity, body mass index (BMI), and diagnostic criteria of PCOS. The results revealed high morbidity of OSAHS in all subgroups. In addition, most metabolic indicators and parameters of metabolic syndrome were notably worse in women suffering from both PCOS and OSAHS in comparison to their counterparts solely diagnosed with PCOS. Conclusion: The current literature indicates higher morbidity of OSAHS among women with PCOS, linking OSAHS with worse metabolic status and obesity in this population. Consequently, clinicians are advised to prioritize the detection and management of OSAHS in women with PCOS. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#myprospero PROSPERO, identifier (CRD42024528264).