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Background: High level of perceived stress in nurses is due to a genetic predisposition and environmental stressors. The aim of NURSE (Nursing Unacquainted Related Stress Etiologies) study was to investigate the association of C677T MTHFR gene polymorphism and stress perception among nurses. Methods: In this comprehensive study, 216 female nurses were recruited. Perceived stress was assessed using the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood, and MTHFR genotype was detected by the polymerase chain reaction. Results: MTHFR C677T genotype analysis revealed that half of the participants had normal C/C genotype, and the remaining half presented higher frequencies of C/T genotype (39.8%) compared to T/T genotype (10.2%). The mean±SD stress score in morning shift, night shift, and rotation was 15.39±4.75, 15.92±4.94, and 15.83±5.61, respectively (p= 0.7). Perceived stress score was more in highly educated group but it was not significant (p= 0.2). Distribution of different MTHFR genotypes in diverse groups revealed that in groups with more stress score, the frequency of heterozygote (C/T) and homozygote (T/T) genotypes increased. Data revealed that in low stress category, 87% of the participants had a normal genotype. However, in high stress category, 71.3% of the participants had a normal genotype. Conclusion: MTHFR genotype, independent of folate availability and probable confounding parameters, might be a potential risk factor of perceived stress among nurses.
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Objective: Stress is known as a conventional risk factor of cardiovascular disease. Nurses work in stressful environment and could be one of the target populations to be assessed for cardio metabolic risk factor. This study aimed to identify the association between perceived stress and cardio-metabolic risk factors in nurses who are prone for various metabolic diseases. Method: In this cross-sectional study, nurses from five different educational hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Science attended the study. A self-administered questionnaire as well as Perceived Stress scale were completed. All anthropometric indices and blood pressure were measured. After 10-12 hours of fasting, venous blood samples were taken and level of total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting blood sugar and insulin level were determined. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 and a p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In total 273 nurses were recruited in this study. The mean age of participants was 35.01 ± 0.399 years old. The mean of perceived stress was 15.55 ± 5.04 with the minimum of 3 and maximum of 30. There was no significant association between perceived stress and cardio-metabolic risk factors. Results showed that there was a negative association between perceived stress and insulin level only in nurses who worked rotationally (ß = - 0.195, p = 0.048). This association remained significant after adjustment for age and sex (ß = - 0.181, P = 0.041). Conclusion: Finding of the current study showed that negative association between perceived stress and insulin level and there is no significant association between stress and cardio-metabolic risk factors in nurses.
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BACKGROUND: The insulin resistance syndrome is one of the major contributors of metabolic syndrome, diabetes Type 2 and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. A common mutation (677C to T; Ala to Val) in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene is associated with decreased specific MTHFR activity and elevation of the homocysteine. The aim of this study is investigation of association between MTHFR 677C > T polymorphism with insulin resistance by using HOMA (Homeostasis Model Assessment) index in nurses who are potentially prone to develop insulin resistance because of unfavorable effects of shift work. METHOD: Nursing Unacquainted Related Stress Etiologies Study (Nurse Study) was conducted in five different educational hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Science (TUMS). The nurses aged 22-57 who have been referred by the matron were recruited. A self-administered questionnaire was completed. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height, waist and hip circumference in addition to blood pressure were measured. Insulin resistance and Insulin sensitivity were measured using the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) respectively. The detection of MTHFR C677T polymorphism in exon four of MTHFR gene was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis using HINFI restriction enzyme digestion. RESULT: A total of 273 subjects were recruited in the study. CT genotype were detected in 51.6% (129) subjects and CC and TT genotype were seen in 9.2% (25) and 35.2% (96) subjects respectively. Participants with TT genotype (9.65 ± 4.00) have significantly lower insulin level than participants with CT genotype (14.12 ± 15.34) (p-value: 0.01). The same significant difference was observed for HOMA index (p-value: 0.03). Result showed that HOMA is lower in subjects who are taking supplements. CONCLUSION: Result of this study showed subjects with TT genotype had significantly lower HOMA compare to CT genotype and the same pattern was seen for insulin level. We also found subjects taking supplement have lower HOMA compared to others regardless of their genotype.
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BACKGROUND: The available evidence on the role of obesity and body mass index (BMI) on male infertility has been controversial or inconclusive to some extent. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of BMI on some male-fertility laboratory indicators both among infertile and fertile men in an Iranian population. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 159 male patients who had lived as a partner in an infertile couple for at least 1 year, after regular reproductive activity in their married life, and who sought infertility consultation, were investigated. BMI was assessed, and a morning blood sample was taken assessing serum levels of testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone, and estradiol. Semen-analysis parameters were also measured. RESULTS: In this study, it was found that the likelihood of oligospermia was increased at higher BMI values. Obese men were found to be 3.5 times more likely to have oligospermia than those with normal BMI. BMI was not found to be associated with mean numeric values of the semen-analysis parameters, including sperm count, sperm morphology, and sperm motility. BMI was not significantly correlated with some hormone levels, such as LH, prolactin, and LH/follicle-stimulating hormone ratio. However, a statistically significant association was observed between BMI and estradiol (P < 0.01), sex hormone-binding globulin (P < 0.001), and also the testosterone/estradiol ratio (P < 0.001). A different pattern of associations in this study was observed when the associations between BMI and sexual hormone levels were compared between fertile and subfertile/infertile men. CONCLUSION: The association explored between BMI and some sexual hormones and semen characteristics, as well as different patterns of this association between fertile and subfertile/infertile men, will be of help to broaden our understanding of the effect of obesity on some male reproductive physiologic characteristics among fertile and infertile men.
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BACKGROUND: Having a child in hospital is a stressful experience for most parents. Support from nurses can assist parents to maintain their parenting role and promote quality pediatric nursing care. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to describe the quality of nurse-parent support in Iranian parents of hospitalized children in pediatric sites. METHODS: This was a descriptive study using a convenience sample. Two hundred and thirty parents (183 mothers and 47 fathers) with hospitalized children took part in this survey that used the Nurse Parent Support Tool (NPST). This validated instrument has 21 items and 4 subscales (Informational Giving and Communication Support; Emotional Support; Appraisal Support and Instrumental Support), and was translated into Farsi. RESULTS: The total mean of the NPST was M = 4.1 (SD = 0.7). There was a significant difference between gender of the parents and the Instrumental Support subscale. Also, there was significant difference between among education level of parents and Emotional Support. In addition, there was significant difference related to the gender of the child and Information Giving and Communication Support and Appraisal Support. There was no significant difference in any of the subscales when analyzed for length of hospitalization, kind of diseases and age of children. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that parents received a high level of support from nurses. Nurses can promote the quality of family care and should be aware of the importance of the several types of nursing support in meeting the requests of parents. It is important that nurses continue to develop their knowledge about types of communication with the family, especially in providing support for the parent role.