Hepatitis A Seroprevalence Among Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iran During 2016-2017.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of exposure to hepatitis A by means of serologic markers in chronic hepatitis B patients, with the secondary aim of finding the best prevention method for hepatitis A infection in susceptible groups of our setting. METHODS: During the period between 2016 and 2017, we recruited 403 hepatitis B patients aged more than 14 years and regularly attending the infectious diseases clinic at a referral university hospital, Tehran, Iran. A blood sample was collected from all the patients and tested for hepatitis A IgG. The data was analyzed by SPSS v.19. RESULTS: Although none of the patients had previously received hepatitis A vaccine, the results for serologic level of hepatitis A IgG, demonstrated positive results in 379 (94%) cases. The mean age of patients with negative and positive IgG was 29.17 and 42.46 years, respectively; the difference was statistically significant (P≤0.001). The majority of seronegative patients were young adults aged < 25 years and 25 to 35 years (P <0.001). CONCLUSION: Seroprevalence of hepatitis A in chronic HBV patients in Iran is high. As HBV infected patients younger than 35 years could be seronagative for HAV infection, evaluation of these patients for HAV infection and vaccination of seronegative patients would be a reasonable approach.

Association between Interlukin-6 (IL-6), Interlukin-10 (IL-10) and depression in patients undergoing Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The release of pro-inflammatory cytokines is responsible for the variety of behavioral, neuro-endocrine and neuro-chemical alterations in psychiatric condition. In this study we evaluate relation between depression and IL-6 and IL-10 in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 66 patients in this cross-sectional study from July 2013 until August 2014 for HSCT interred the study and were assessed for depression using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Serum interleukin (IL)-6, (IL)-10 and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were assessed on the same time. Association between these biomarkers with depression was evaluated using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: A total of 66 patients with the mean age of 41.18+13.92 and 41.95+12.35 years old in non depressed and depressed group respectively were enrolled in this study. Patients with depression showed significantly higher levels of serum IL-6 and the IL-6-to-IL-10 ratio compared to patients without depression (p<0.001).There was no statistically significant association between IL-10 and hs-CRP with depression in this group of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: High IL-6 level has significant association with depression in patients undergoing HSCT. In conclusion, since IL-6 can affect the outcomes after HSCT and depression was associated with increased serum IL-6 level, early identification of depression can be beneficial in these patients.

Is cardiac biomarkers and left ventricular function affected by chronic kidney disease?

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). These patients may have high level of cardiac troponins in their serum irrelevant to acute coronary syndrome (ACS) that could have profound impact on patient's morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the relation between level of serum creatinine (Cr) and cardiac troponins T and I, and left ventricular (LV) function (as defined by LV ejection fraction) in non-dialysis and non-acute coronary syndrome CKD patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective cross sectional study that includes 150 non-dialysis CKD patients without history of ACS in at least 1 month before the beginning of the study. Patients with history of CKD (serum Cr ≥1.5 mg/dl) of more than 6 months were selected. Patients with advanced multi-organ disease (lung disease, liver disease, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease) and history of dialysis were excluded from the study. In each patient blood sample was obtained for analyzing serum Cr and cardiac troponin T and I (cTnT and cTnI). Also LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured by echocardiography in the same session. RESULT: There was a positive non-parametric relation between serum Cr and cTnT (p = 0.028). However there were no relation between serum Cr, cTnI (p = 0.57) and LVEF (p = 0.188). CONCLUSION: In patients with CKD, serum Cr level has an impact on cTnT, but has no impact on cTnI and LVEF.

Determination of lymphocyte subsets reference values in healthy Iranian men by a single platform flow cytometric method.

Lymphocyte subsets enumeration is of paramount importance in the management of immunodeficiency disorders such as HIV/AIDS. For better interpretation of laboratory findings, reference intervals must be determined in each population. Because of scarcity of published studies from Iranian population, lymphocyte subsets were enumerated in 142 healthy Iranian men by a single platform flow cytometric method. Mean and 95% confidence interval for CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, CD4/CD8 ratio, B cells, and natural killer cells were 748.8 (351-1207), 409.0 (192-752), 1.96 (0.77-3.70), 238.6 (82-500), and 200.7 (91-393), respectively. We compared our results with other studies and found significant differences with some of them. In conclusion, we endorse determination of lymphocyte subsets reference interval in different populations.