Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Pediatric Scorpion Stings: A Report From Southern Iran.

OBJECTIVE: Scorpion stings are a major public health problem in many countries, particularly in pediatrics. Children are more susceptible to severe clinical manifestations of envenomation. The aim of this study is to determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric scorpionism in Hormozgan province of Iran during 2012. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study being conducted during 2010 in Hormozgan, the southern province of Iran. We included 350 patients admitted to emergency unit of the hospitals of 8 cities of Hormozgan with impression of scorpion envenomation. The clinical and epidemiological characteristics as well as the treatment and outcome were recorded. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of pediatric scorpion stings in the province was 1.8 in 1000 children. The mean age of the patients was 5.75 ± 4.54 (range, 1-18) years. There were 208 (59.5%) boys and 142 (40.5%) girls among the patients. The most common site of sting was sole to knee in 94 (26.8%) followed by hand in 61 (17.4%) and fingers in 47 (13.4%). The most common presenting symptom was vomiting in 236 (67.4%) followed by localized pain in 131 (37.3%), erythema in 120 (34.2%), and edema in 119 (33.9%). The highest and lowest frequency occurred in July (17.7%) and January (3.2%), respectively. Nocturnal envenomations (53.7%) were more common than diurnal (46.3%). Most of scorpionism were mild (83.4%) that all evolved to cure, without any deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate the pediatric scorpionism is a public health problem in Hormozgan province of Iran, and special attention should be paid to prevention and treatment.

Epidemiology, Regional Characteristics, Knowledge, and Attitude Toward Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Southern Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), also known as female circumcision, is an ancient traditional procedure that involves partial or total removal of the female external genitalia for nonmedical reasons. Although it is well described in African and some Arabic countries, data from Iran are scarce. AIM: To describe the epidemiology, regional characteristics, knowledge, and attitude toward FGM/C in Southern Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted during a 36-month period from 2010 to 2013 in Hormozgan, a southern province of Iran near the Persian Gulf. We included 780 women in six major rural areas of the province who referred to healthcare centers for vaccination, midwifery, or family planning services. All participants underwent complete pelvic examination to determine the type of FGM. The questionnaire consisted of several sections such as demographic and baseline characteristics, and two self-report sections addressing the knowledge and attitude toward FGM/C and its complications. Baseline sociodemographic characteristics including age, educational level, marital status, religion, and nationality were the independent variables. RESULTS: Among the participants, 535 (68.5%) had undergone FGM/C. FGM/C was associated with higher age (P = 0.002), Afghan nationality (P = 0.003), Sunni Islam as religion (P = 0.019), illiteracy (P < 0.001), and family history of FGM/C in mother (P < 0.001), sister (P < 0.001), and grandmother (P < 0.001). Ancient traditions in the area (57.1%) were mentioned as the most important factor leading to FMG/C. Urinary tract infection was the most common reported complication (60.4%). CONCLUSION: FGM/C is a common practice in rural areas of Southern Iran. It is associated with increased age, illiteracy, Sunni Islam religion, Afghan nationality, and positive family history. Lack of knowledge toward FGM/C is the main cause of its high prevalence and continuation in the area.

Possible ameliorative role of Spirulina platensis on coagulation factors, lymphocytopenia, and malnutrition in ICU patients with COVID-19.

Considering the anti-viral effects of Spirulina platensis (Sp), this study investigated the impact of Sp on impaired blood biomarkers of patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) with COVID-19. Therefore, 104 patients (aged 48-66; 61.5% male) were randomly assigned to the Sp (daily consumption of 5 g) or placebo group for 2 weeks. Linear regression analysis was employed to assess the differences in blood test results between the control and intervention groups among patients with COVID-19. Our results showed significant differences in certain hematological tests, including a higher level of hematocrit (HCT) and a lower platelet count (PLT) in the intervention group (p < 0.05). The percentage of lymphocytes (Lym%) in serology testing was significantly different between the control and intervention groups (p = 0.03). In terms of biochemical test analyses, Sp supplementation was associated with reduced levels of both blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (p = 0.01). Furthermore, on day 14, the intervention group displayed significantly higher medians of serum protein, albumin, and zinc compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, patients supplemented with Sp had a lower BUN-albumin ratio (BAR) (p = 0.01). No immunological and hormonal differences were observed between groups following 2 weeks. Our analysis indicates that Sp supplementation may be effective in regulating some blood test abnormalities associated with COVID-19. This study was registered at ISRCTN as IRCT20200720048139N1.

Adherence to the MIND Diet and Risk of Breast Cancer: A Case-control Study.

INTRODUCTION: No data are available on the association between adherence to the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet and breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This population-based case-control study was conducted among women aged ≥ 30 years, who were residing in Isfahan, Iran. The study included 350 patients with newly diagnosed stage I to IV breast cancer, for whom in situ or invasive status of breast cancer was confirmed by physical examination, mammography, and pathologic verification. Controls were 700 age-matched apparently healthy individuals who were randomly selected from the general population. Dietary data were collected using a validated 106-item Willett-format, semi-quantitative dish-based food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: After adjustment for age and energy intake, women in the top tertile of the MIND diet score had 60% lower odds of breast cancer than women in the bottom tertile (odds ratio [OR], 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-0.55). In the fully adjusted model including body mass index, those with the greatest MIND diet scores had 50% lower chance of breast cancer (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.34-0.72) than those with the lowest adherence to the MIND diet. Postmenopausal women with the greatest adherence to the MIND diet were less likely to have breast cancer than those in the bottom tertile (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.30-0.66). In addition, we found a significant inverse association between adherence to the MIND diet and odds of breast cancer among normal-weight women (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.25-0.60). CONCLUSION: Adherence to the MIND diet was associated with a reduced chance of breast cancer in this case-control study.

Adherence to the dietary approaches to stop hypertension-style diet is inversely associated with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

No conclusive information is available about the association between the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)-style diet and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Hence, we aimed to summarize the findings of prospective cohort studies on the relationship between adherence to the DASH-style diet and risk of CKD. A systematic search was done using relevant keywords in the online databases for relevant publications up through July 2018. In total, we included 6 studies in the current systematic review and meta-analysis, with a total sample size of 568 156 individuals and 9249 cases of CKD. Combining 6 effect sizes from 6 studies revealed a significant inverse association between adherence to the DASH diet and risk of CKD (Combined effect size: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.61-0.85, P < .001). In addition, adherence to a DASH-style diet was inversely associated with a risk of rapid decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (Combined effect size: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.54-0.99, P = .04) and microalbuminuria (Combined effect size: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.43-0.88, P = .009), but not with low eGFR. Adherence to the DASH-style diet, as a healthy dietary pattern, might be beneficial for the prevention of CKD.

Exercise preconditioning improves behavioral functions following transient cerebral ischemia induced by 4-vessel occlusion (4-VO) in rats.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that exercise decreases ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats. Since behavioral deficits are the main outcome in patients after stroke, our study was designed to investigate whether exercise preconditioning improves the acute behavioral functions and also brain inflammatory injury following cerebral ischemia. METHODS: Male rats weighing 250-300 g were randomly allocated into five experimental groups. Exercise was performed on a treadmill 30min/day for 3 weeks. Ischemia was induced by 4-vessel occlusion method. Recognition memory was assessed by novel object recognition task (NORT) and step-through passive avoidance task. Sensorimotor function and motor movements were evaluated by adhesive removal test and ledged beam-walking test, respectively. Brain inflammatory injury was evaluated by histological assessment. RESULTS: In NORT, the discrimination ratio was decreased after ischemia (P < 0.05) and exercise preconditioning improved it in ischemic animals. In the passive avoidance test, a significant reduction in response latency was observed in the ischemic group. Exercise preconditioning significantly decreased the response latency in the ischemic rats (P < 0.001). In the adhesive removal test, latency to touch and remove the sticky labels from forepaw was increased following induction of ischemia (all P < 0.001) and exercise preconditioning decreased these indices compared to the ischemic group (all P < 0.001). In the ledged beam-walking test, the slip ratio was increased following ischemia (P < 0.05).  In the ischemia group, marked neuronal injury in hippocampus was observed. These neuropathological changes were attenuated by exercise preconditioning (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results showed that exercise preconditioning improves behavioral functions and maintains more viable cells in the dorsal hippocampus of the ischemic brain.