Estimation of Diagnostic Markers in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis.

BACKGROUND: Laboratory examination is a great value to confirm a diagnosis and estimate disease activity of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). Since little research related to the diagnosis of RA and AS has been done in Iran, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnosis markers in patients with RA and AS. METHODS: This study was conducted among 104 patients with RA and 42 patients with AS in Iran during 2016. Inclusion criteria were according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) criteria. Five mL blood samples were collected from all patients. Laboratory studies consisted of ESR and anti-CCP tests and also determination of the presence of RF and CRP in these patients. Finally, the statistical analysis test was conducted using SPSS version 16.0. RESULTS: The study patients with RA included 23 males (22.1%) and 81 females (77.9%) with the average age of 50.25 ± 14.34. In RA patients, 82.7% were RF positive and 17.3% were negative. Also, 49% were CRP positive and 51% were negative. The mean ESR in RA patients was 27.76 ± 20.17 mm/hour. The mean levels of anti-CCP were 109.15 ± 90.55 IU/mL. The mean ages of 42 patients with AS, including 30 male (71.4%) and 12 females (28.6%), were 38.69 ± 11.82 years. Among them, 24 patients (57.1%) were positive for CRP and 18 patients (42.9%) were negative. Only 2 patients (4.8%) were RF positive. 24 patients (57.1%) were positive for HLA-B27 and 18 patients (42.9%) were negative. The mean levels of ESR in AS patients were 30.30 ± 26.98 mm/hour. CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis of the Rheumatoid arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis can help to prevent complications and its progression and help patients to recover more quickly.

Investigation of the trend and related factors of suicide attempts and suicide deaths in southeast Iran during 2018-2022.

Suicide is a major public health challenge worldwide with an increasing trend. Identifying risk factors for suicide attempts and suicide deaths may help find useful ways to prevent suicide. We aimed to determine the trend and related factors of suicide attempts and suicide deaths in Rafsanjan. This retrospective study included all suicide cases from 2018 to 2022 in Rafsanjan, a city in the southeast of Iran. The information was extracted from the suicide registration system of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences. Univariable and multivariable logistics regression models were used to investigate factors affecting suicide death. A total of 2039 cases of suicide, including 1932 cases (94.75%) of suicide attempts and 107 cases (5.25%) of suicide deaths were recorded during the study period. The frequency of suicide deaths and suicide attempts per 100,000 people increased in 2022 compared to 2018 in both genders. In the adjusted model, the odds of suicide deaths in males was 6.48 (95% CI 3.39-12.42) times higher than in females. Also, the odds of suicide deaths in unemployed subjects and housewives were 2.64 (95% CI 1.50-4.67) and 7.45 (95% CI 3.08-18.07) times higher than employed subjects respectively. Finally, people with education less than a diploma had 10.85 (95% CI 1.48-79.54) times higher odds of suicide deaths compared to people with university education. The present research showed that the pattern of suicide has been increasing since 2018, and we may see an upward trend in the coming years, which requires further investigation and preventive measures. Male gender, low education level, unemployment, and being a housewife were associated with the highest frequency of suicide death.

Thyroid hormone changes in early kidney transplantation and its correlation with delayed graft function.

INTRODUCTION: Thyroid hormones affect kidney function and may alter with changes in kidney function, as well. We evaluated changes in serum levels of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxin (T4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) early after kidney transplantation and their relationship with delayed graft function (DGF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-five consecutive kidney allograft recipients were enrolled in the study. Serum levels of T3, T4, and TSH were measured on the day before transplantation, and also on posttransplant days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 21. Results were compared between patients with a normal allograft function and those with DGF. RESULTS: The mean T3 level decreased from 110.41 +/- 49.79 ng/dL before transplantation to 80.78 +/- 51.42 ng/dL on the 1st day after transplantation (P = .04), while T4 reduction reached a significant level on the 3rd day after transplantation (8.27 +/- 3.27 microg/dL to 5.50 +/- 2.57 microg/dL, P = .004). Patients with DGF experienced a significantly greater decrease in the serum level of T3 at the end of the 1st week after transplantation compared with patients with normal kidney function (P = .02). This significant decrease in T3 continued until the end of the 2nd week. Serum levels of T4 reduced comparably in the two groups, until the end of the 1st week, when it showed a significantly more reduction in the patients with DGF (P = .04). CONCLUSION: Both T3 and T4 reduced early after kidney transplantation, and this reduction was significantly more prominent in those with DGF. This is compatible with a consequence rather than a cause of DGF, explained in the setting of sick euthyroid syndrome.