Geospatial epidemiology of hospitalized patients with a positive influenza assay: A nationwide study in Iran, 2016-2018.

INTRODUCTION: Seasonal influenza is a significant public health challenge worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and spatial patterns of severe hospitalized influenza cases confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in Iran. METHODS: Data were obtained from Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education and included all hospitalized lab-confirmed influenza cases from January 1, 2016, to December 30, 2018 (n = 9146). The Getis-Ord Gi* and Local Moran's I statistics were used to explore the hotspot areas and spatial cluster/outlier patterns of influenza. We also built a multivariable logistic regression model to identify covariates associated with patients' mortality. RESULTS: Cumulative incidence and mortality rate were estimated at 11.44 and 0.49 (per 100,000), respectively, and case fatality rate was estimated at 4.35%. The patients' median age was 40 (interquartile range: 22-63), and 55.5% (n = 5073) were female. The hotspot and cluster analyses revealed high-risk areas in northern parts of Iran, especially in cold, humid, and densely populated areas. Moreover, influenza hotspots were more common during the colder months of the year, especially in high-elevated regions. Mortality was significantly associated with older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.02), infection with virus type-A (aOR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.27-2.15), male sex (aOR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.44-2.18), cardiovascular disease (aOR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.33-2.20), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (aOR: 1.82, 95% CI: 1.40-2.34), malignancy (aOR: 4.77, 95% CI: 2.87-7.62), and grade-II obesity (aOR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.09-3.74). CONCLUSIONS: We characterized the spatial and epidemiological heterogeneities of severe hospitalized influenza cases confirmed by PCR in Iran. Detecting influenza hotspot clusters could inform prioritization and geographic specificity of influenza prevention, testing, and mitigation resource management, including vaccination planning in Iran.

Spatio-temporal epidemiology of emergency medical requests in a large urban area. A scan-statistic approach.

Pre-hospital care is provided by emergency medical services (EMS) staff, the initial health care providers at the scene of disaster. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of EMS callers and space-time distribution of emergency requests in a large urban area. Descriptive thematic maps of EMS requests were created using an empirical Bayesian smoothing approach. Spatial, temporal and spatio-temporal clustering techniques were applied to EMS data based on Kulldorff scan statistics technique. Almost 225,000 calls were registered in the EMS dispatch centre during the study period. Approximately two-thirds of these calls were associated with an altered level of patient consciousness, and the median response time for rural and urban EMS dispatches was 12.2 and 10.1 minutes, respectively. Spatio-temporal clusters of EMS requests were mostly located in central parts of the city, particularly near the downtown area. However, high-response time clustered areas had a low overlap with these general, spatial clusters. This low convergence shows that some unknown factors, other than EMS requests, influence the high-response times. The findings of this study can help policymakers to better allocate EMS resources and implement tailored interventions to enhance EMS system in urban areas.

A Note About the Ancestral Origin of Abu Al Husain Ibn Abdullah Ibn Sina, Avicenna (980-1037 CE).

Avicenna, a great physician and polymath, made a tremendous contribution to our present-day medicine. His ancestral origin has been the subject of debate. In this short and concise article, we have endeavored to trace his ancestral roots and bring to light his exact origin and nationality.

Activation of the Renin-angiotensin System could Cause Hypertension During Fasting in Muslims in the Month of Ramadhan.

We are of the opinion that fasting in Muslims during the month of Ramadhan could cause hypertension secondary to dehydration that inevitably follows. Dehydration initiates a cascade of hormonal events that finally culminate in hypertension. This hypothesis however needs to be tested in a randomized trial to be confirmed.

Anesthetic Considerations in Cobb Syndrome: A Case Report.

Cutaneomeningospinal angiomatosis, popularly known as Cobb syndrome, is a rare clinical disorder predominantly presenting with a vascular skin lesion and a spinal angioma at the same dermatomal level. Several case reports and case series have reported on the surgical management of this syndrome, but we failed to find any information about its anesthetic considerations in the Medline database. Our case report describes the perioperative anesthetic management of a 46-year-old man with Cobb syndrome.

Propofol or Thiopental sodium in patients undergoing reproductive assisted technologies: Differences in hemodynamic recovery and outcome of oocyte retrieval: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Thiopental sodium and Propofol are two widely-used drugs in the induction of anesthesia in assisted reproductive technology (ART). However, the side effects and outcome of recovery from anesthesia of these drugs on ART have not been identified yet. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at investigating the side effects and hemodynamic effects of using thiopental sodium and propofal as well as effects of these drugs on pregnancy outcome in ART cycles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this double blinded) randomized controlled trial, 90 woman candidate for ART were randomly divided into two groups. 47 patients received Propofol (2.5 mg/kg) and 43 patients received thiopental (5mg/kg) for anesthesia induction. The entry hemodynamic parameters of the patients were documented. During the anesthesia process, hemodynamic parameters were checked at five-minute intervals. RESULTS: The results of the study showed a statistically significant difference between two groups in terms of their response to verbal stimulation (p<0.001), the normalization time of the rate and quality of breathing (p<0.001), nausea (p<0.001), and vomiting (p<0.001). Also, in comparison with the other group, all these parameters were better in Propofol group. There was found no significant difference between two groups in terms of other variables. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of the study, Propofol has fewer known side effects. Vomiting and nausea as two known side effect of anesthesia are significantly lower in patients receiving Propofol than patients who received thiopental. REGISTRATION ID IN IRCT: IRCT201303135393N2 This article extracted from M.D. thesis. (Reza Jouya).