Individuals In Iran Research Articles

Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression in the Iranian General Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: This study aimed to determine prevalence of anxiety and depression and associated factors in the general population of Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method : We conducted this web-based cross-sectional study on 5328 individuals in Iran between 17th and 29th of April 2020. Data were collected using the convenience sampling method through an anonymous online questionnaire via social media like WhatsApp and Telegram. The online survey collected data on demographic variables, COVID-19-related variables, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), respectively. Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to determine independent predictors of anxiety and depression. Results: The mean GAD-7 and PHQ-9 total scores were 7.17 (SD = 5.42) and 7.80 (SD = 6.68), respectively. Prevalence of anxiety, depression, and comorbid anxiety-depression were 30.1%, 33.4%, and 22.1%, respectively. According to the adjusted analysis, anxiety was significantly associated with female gender, being young and middle-aged, being unemployed or a housewife, having chronic diseases, spending considerable time thinking about COVID-19, having family members, friends, and/or relatives infected with COVID-19, and death of family members, relatives or friends due to COVID-19. Same results were also found for depression. Furthermore, depression was associated with being single, being resident in urban area, and having high risk individual in family. Conclusion: Prevalence of anxiety and depression were considerably higher in the general population of Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the findings suggest that more attention needs to be paid to vulnerable groups such as women, young/middle-aged adults, the unemployed, and people with chronic disease.

Informal learning and career identity formation: the mediating role of work engagement

PurposeThe aim of the study is to extend prior research on career identity formation by investigating whether individuals' participation in informal workplace learning activities positively relates to career identity. The study also examines whether work engagement significantly mediates the participation in informal learning and career identity relationship.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from a survey of 313 individuals in Iran, the study developed and tested measurement and structural models and employed partial least squares structural equation modelling to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe findings suggest that work engagement substantially mediates the positive relationship between participation in informal learning and career identity. Furthermore, the learning potential of the workplace and the propensities of individuals to actively approach situations that provide them with opportunities to learn and seek feedback on their performance have positive although varying relations with levels of participation in informal learning.Practical implicationsHuman resource management and career management specialists must be cognisant of the central role that employee participation in informal learning plays in strengthening their work engagement and career identity. Learning and development specialists should seek to create conditions in the work environment that are favourable to informal learning and work engagement.Originality/valueAlthough the role of formal development programmes in career identity formation is well documented, studies that examine links between participation in informal learning activities and career identity are very rare. Furthermore, there are no known studies that examine the potential mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between participation in informal learning activities and career identity.

Existential Meaning-Making Coping in Iran: A Qualitative Study among Patients with Cancer

This article is written on the basis of a study on meaning-making coping in Iran. The study is a part of an international project in 10 countries with different religious and cultural backgrounds. This article aims to discuss the secular existential meaning-making coping methods employed by Iranian cancer patients. Interviews were conducted with 27 participants with various kinds of cancer. Nine secular existential meaning-making coping strategies emerged from the analyses of the qualitative interviews. These coping methods are as follows: Ignoring the illness, Distraction, Altruism, Encounter with others, Nature, Discourse of the self, Visualization, Positive solitude, and Positive thinking and transformational orientation. It seems that, using these strategies, our sample of Iranian cancer patients/survivors have been denying/ignoring their illness, and/or empowering themselves. We discuss the results, considering the potential influence of cultural elements, including Iranian Islam, Persian mysticism, and Persian literature, on the selection of the coping strategies. The study contributes to our understanding of coping via elucidating how seriously ill individuals in Iran try to manage the challenges caused by a health crisis.

Exploring health impact and safety measures against transmission of COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia.

The pandemic of Covid-19 at the global level cannot be underestimated. Arab world including Saudi Arabia is affected with the pandemic of Covid-19. More importantly, the surge of the numbers of infected individuals in Iran has brought fear and anxiety in the whole region in general and Saudi Arabia in particular. Several studies have investigated the prevalence of the virus in different countries from various perspectives. Nonetheless, little focus is given to academic research on health challenge of the virus resulting to fear and anxiety in the recent time in the context of Saudi Arabia. This study primarily aims at exploring the health effect of Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia despite the fact that, the World Health Organization (WHO) has clamored for preventive measures in addressing global health effect of the virus. The methodology of the study is systematic literature review (SLR) and content analysis of the secondary data on health impact of Covid-19 and preventive measures against its transmission in the country are critically analyzed. The results of secondary data of the study indicated that a number of confirmed cases, active cases and deaths in Saudi Arabia manifested negative impact of Covid-19 on citizens’ health especially fear and anxiety despite the fact that records have showed steady recovered cases in the country. More specifically, the findings indicated that, health impact of Covid-19 are as follows namely: fear or anxiety, negative attitude among health workers and women in health workforce. Similarly, Saudi Arabia has put in place various preventive measures such as: preventive measures against transmission of Covid-19 which are as follows: institutional preparedness and strengthening mechanism, curfews and lockdowns and suspension of activities and order of social distancing. In conclusion, this paper has lucidly highlighted the health effect of Covid-19 and safety measures against the transmission of Covid-19 have been elaborated in the context of Saudi Arabia. It is thereby suggested that, the outcome of this study can be helpful to the health workers and policymakers in the country to be acquainted with the magnanimity of the novel coronavirus as well as putting effective safety mechanisms in place in curtailing the spread of Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia. Significance for public health The present paper represents the health effect of Covid-19 and safety measures against the transmission of Covid-19 have been elaborated in the context of Saudi Arabia. The finding of the paper demonstrates the negative impact of Covid-19 among populace. The importance of the topic is that it would guide the health workers and policymakers to be acquainted with the magnanimity of the novel coronavirus as well as putting effective safety mechanism in place in curtailing the spread of Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia.

Sero-molecular survey on Toxoplasma gondii infection among drug addicted and non-addicted individuals: a case\u2013control study

BackgroundUp to now, epidemiological studies on the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among drug addicted individuals have been rarely performed. By designing an age and sex matched case–control study, we sought to determine the prevalence and associated factors with T. gondii infection in these population using serological and molecular techniques.MethodsOne hundred and thirty-seven drug addicted individuals and 141 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Informed consent as well as a standard questionnaire were obtained from all subjects participating. Blood samples were collected from each participant and the serum was screened for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies (IgG and IgM). PCR assay was performed using the primer pair targeting the RE and GRA6 genes of T. gondii. Then, PCR products were sequenced to determine genotype.ResultsThe seroprevalence of T. gondii infection based on IgG titer was 34.3% in case and 9.9% in the control groups, revealing a statistically significant difference (OR = 4.37; 95% CI = 2.46–9.12; P = 0.001). After analyzing the variables studied through the questionnaire, age was the only significantly factor associated with the anti-T. gondii IgG antibody in case group. Considering PCR assays with RE genomic target, the prevalence of T. gondii infection was 5.1% in the case and 3.5% in control groups which the difference was no statistically significant (OR = 1.46; 95% CI = 0.45–4.73; P = 0.521). Subsequently, all sequenced samples were genotype #1 using the GRA6 genomic target.ConclusionsT. gondii exposure is relatively high among drug addicted individuals in Iran, and there is a need for health policymakers and researchers to establish enlightenment and prevention programs for these population at risk of infection.

Effectiveness of social marketing on reducing risky sexual behaviors in HIV-positive individuals in Iran: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Effectiveness of social marketing on reducing risky sexual behaviors in HIV-positive individuals in Iran: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Prevalence of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Infections among Incarcerated Individuals in Iran: A Cross-Sectional National Bio-behavioral Study in 2019.

Introduction: To realize the global goals of eliminating hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030, it is necessary to monitor the status of disease among target populations and undertake the required interventions. This study is the third round of surveys to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B and C infections among incarcerated individuals in different provinces of Iran. Methods: This study was conducted in five provinces of Iran (including Kurdistan, Ardabil, West Azerbaijan, Markazi, and Semnan) in 2019. The subjects of the study were selected from incarcerated people in prisons of all provinces that had not been studied in the previous two rounds of the surveys (in 2015 and 2016) in Iran. In this study, 15 prisons were selected and 2475 incarcerated individuals were enrolled into the study based on the multistage sampling method; the selected subjects were surveyed and their dried blood spot (DBS) samples were collected to test HBsAg and HCV-Ab. In cases with a reactive result for HCV-Ab, an HCV-RNA test was also performed on their serum samples. The relationships between independent variables and outcomes were evaluated via logistic regression. Results: Of all participants (2475 subjects) enrolled in the study, 54.18% were selected from northern provinces and 45.82% from the central provinces. The prevalence of HCV-Ab and HBsAg among incarcerated individuals was 5.66% (95% CI: 4.81% to 6.64%) and 2.42% (95% CI: 1.89% to 3.11%), respectively. Among HCV-seropositive individuals, 73.68% (95% CI: 64.70% to 81.01%) had current HCV infection (detectable HCV-RNA). The results showed that histories of imprisonment, drug use, unprotected sexual contact, drug injection, tattooing, and younger age in the first-time drug use in incarcerated individuals significantly increased the risk of HCV transmission. Among these behaviors, drug injection was more likely than other behaviors to result in contracting HCV in incarcerated individuals (OR: 22.91; 95% CI: 14.92–35.18; p < 0.001). Conclusion: To achieve international and national strategies targeted to eliminate HCV and HBV by 2030, it is necessary to pay special attention to prisons in Iran. It is recommended to continue HBV vaccination of eligible people in prisons. Developing screening and treatment protocols for individuals with HCV infection in prisons can help the country to achieve HCV elimination goals.

Identifying and Ranking the Factors Affecting the Choice of Nursing Discipline Among Nursing Students in Iran: A Fuzzy Hierarchical Analysis.

Choosing a career in nursing is frequently a complicated decision that is influenced by multiple factors. This study was designed to identify and rank the main factors that influence individuals to choose to pursue a career in nursing. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted to identify the factors that people consider when making a choice to pursue a career in nursing. The face and content validities of these factors were evaluated. A sample of 250 participants was invited to assess the factors using exploratory factor analysis. Finally, the analytical hierarchy process, in combination with fuzzy logic, was used to rank the criteria and related factors. Twenty factors were identified and extracted from 50 published studies. After confirming the face and content validity of each, these 20 factors were distinguished into four criteria, including (a) external motivation, (b) social dignity, (c) internal motivation, and (d) usefulness of discipline. Each criterion had an eigenvalue greater than 1. External motivation and usefulness of discipline were respectively identified as the most and least important criteria (38.60% vs. 16.11%) in terms of influencing individuals to pursue a nursing career. The results of this study show that exposure to positive recommendations from family and friends, receiving positive information about studying nursing, positive perceptions regarding the general usefulness of nursing knowledge, and migration opportunities to other countries are the primary factors that influence individuals in Iran to pursue a career in nursing.

Prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis in the immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Strongyloidiasis is a neglected tropical disease mostly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. The current study evaluated the prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis in immunocompetent and immunodeficient patients in Iran. The available online literature published from June 1994 to October 2020 was obtained from multiple English databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar) and four Persian databases (Magiran, Iran Medex, Iran Doc and SID). All statistical analyses were performed using R software (version 3.6) meta-package and p-values <0.05 were considered significant. From 1051 articles, 74 studies (248656 individuals) met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of S. stercoralis was 2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1 to 3) and 4% (95% CI 1 to 8) in immunocompetent and immunodeficient patients, respectively. In immunodeficient cases, the pooled prevalence of studies utilizing serology, culture and microscopic methods was 10% (95% CI 2 to 23), 1% (95% CI 0 to 6) and 1% (95% CI 0 to 1), respectively. In immunocompetent cases, the pooled prevalence of studies utilizing microscopic, culture and molecular methods was 2% (95% CI 1 to 3), 2% (95% CI 1 to 4) and 2% (95% CI 0 to 6), respectively. We propose an appropriate screening and control program along with comprehensive research regarding the frequency of strongyloidiasis in the country.

Behavioral and Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Treatment Among Older Patients Receiving Medical Care for HIV Infection in Iran

Background: Although the number of new HIV infections continues to decline in Iran, the number of HIV-infected patients aged ≥50 years continues to rise due to the introduction of new treatment and longer survival. The higher prevalence of medical comorbidities and treatment failure in this population is a critical challenge in HIV treatment. In the present study, prevalence of comorbidities, rate of response to treatment, and results of HIV drug resistance tests were explored in older patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary referral HIV center in Tehran, Iran. The data for all the HIV-positive patients older than 50 years old were collected by reviewing their medical records within the last 15 years. Data included demographic and behavioral characteristics, immunologic and virologic response, rate of treatment failure, and HIV resistance. Results: The records for 100 patients with a mean age of 62.5 (range 50-79) years were reviewed and analyzed. Medical comorbidities were observed in 20% of the patients, with HCV co-infection, diabetes mellitus, and neuropsychiatric impairments being the most common. Complete immunologic and virologic responses were respectively observed in 88 and 97% of patients. The treatment regimen was modified in 66 patients, with drug side effects being the reason in 63 patients (95.4%). HIV drug resistance tests showed a low rate of resistance (&lt;10%) to all drugs used in this population. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the high prevalence of comorbidities in older HIV-positive individuals in Iran. A thorough endocrine and neuropsychiatric assessment at each visit is recommended for these patients. Access to an appropriate psychosocial support system will ensure earlier detection of HIV infection and comorbidities in the older population, and will undoubtedly improve the treatment outcome and quality of life among them.

Assessing Heavy Metal Burden Among Cigarette Smokers and Non-smoking Individuals in Iran: Cluster Analysis and Principal Component Analysis.

Smoking is one of the major causes of mortality and numerous diseases, both directly and indirectly. The role of smoking as a significant risk factor is already known in several human diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We aimed to compare the toxicity of heavy metal levels in the two groups of cigarette smokers and non-smokers in Birjand during 2018. In this case-control study, 70 smokers were enrolled as the case group and 70 individuals with no history of smoking as control group. The cases were selected from among those who smoked 10 cigarettes per day without a drug use history. Heavy metal concentrations were collected in participants' serum samples. Cluster analysis and principal components analysis were employed to compare heavy metal toxicity between the groups. The duration of smoking and the number of cigarettes consumed per day were 14.36 ± 12.75years and 11.32 ± 7.23, respectively. The concentration of thallium (Ti), arsenic (As), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) was significantly higher in the smoker group than that in the non-smoker group (p < 0.05). Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and cobalt (Co) are among the most important metals accumulated in smokers' blood, and 21.6% of our study's total data was associated with them. Cluster analysis in the smoker group, including A1 (Cd), A2 (Co, Pb), B1 (Ti), B2 (mercury (Hg), As, chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn)) and C (Mn and Cu). In our study, cluster analysis showed a different grouping of elements in patient and control groups. Lead, cadmium, and cobalt were the most critical metals accumulated in the blood of cigarette smokers.

Clinical manifestation and epidemiological findings of human linguatula serrate infection in Iran: systematic review.

The aim of this study was to collect data and provide information on clinical diagnosis of disease, methods of dissemination, prevention and treatment of human linguatuliasis in order to increase people's awareness and health care. In this study case reports of individuals in Iran those infected with the Linguatula serrata were taken from the international databases (e.g., Medline (PubMed), Scopus, Iranmedex, Scientific Information Database, and Irandoc) and reviewed. The review covers the case reports of human tongue worm infection published either in Persian or in English between the years 1980-2018. An individual researcher undertook the bibliographic search and evaluation of articles based on inclusion/exclusion of specific criteria. Cases of infection have been reported in eight provinces of Iran. Dietary habits play the important roles in the transmission of the parasite. Clinical diagnosis was achieved by obtaining a patient's history, then completing a clinical examination of the mentioned patients. Symptoms of infection were mainly observed in the upper respiratory tract in most reports, the patient's status was improved by removing the parasite from the infected organ. Given that viscera of slaughtered livestock plays a significant role in the transmission of this infection to humans, Careful inspection of slaughtered livestock in slaughterhouses and Preventing the slaughter of livestock illegally and unsanitary, outside the slaughterhouse, is important. Accordingly, it is very important to train the employees working in the slaughterhouses and the people who consume these organs.

Spinopelvic Parameters among Healthy Volunteers in Iran.

Recently, in approach to spinal pathologies, the whole spine should be considered as a biomechanical unit. Studies have shown the great importance of sagittal and coronal balance and the relationship between the various parts of spine together and pelvis. Former studies have shown a close relationship between spinopelvic parameters and sagittal balance. A complete understanding of sagittal balance basics is needed to achieve the best outcome and avoiding future complications after treatment of spinal deformities. In this study, the normal range of spinopelvic parameters among healthy volunteers in Iran has been evaluated. This cross-sectional study was conducted on healthy volunteers in 2017. The lateral whole-spine X-ray was obtained under the standard conditions. Two spine surgeons measured the parameters including pelvic incidence, pelvic tilt, sacral slope and lumbar lordosis. In this study 100 volunteers were studied; out of whom, 41 participants were male and the mean age was 47.5±11.7 years. The average pelvic incidence, pelvic tilt, and sacral slope were 51.5±10.9, 17.4±9.9, and 34.8±8.8 degrees, respectively. The pelvic tilt was significantly lower in women. It was found that with increasing age, the pelvic incidence and pelvic tilt increases while lumbar lordosis decreases (P<0.05). This study is the first study on the normal range of spinopelvic parameters in healthy individuals in Iran.. Our data showed that PT and PI-LL are significantly lower in women, while, PT, PI and PI-LL increase and LL decreases in older ages.

The effect of smoking on latent tuberculosis infection susceptibility in high risk individuals in Iran

ABSTRACT Tuberculosis has been declared as a global emergency. Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a state in which host immunity cannot completely eradicate Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Cigarette smoke increases the risk of respiratory infections, such a TB, as it has adverse effects on respiratory immune function. In this cross-sectional study, which was performed from 2016 to 2017, 31 patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer, 63 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 46 with problems in respiratory system, and 40 healthy subjects were studied. Demographic data of all subjects were recorded via a questionnaire. IGRAs (Interferon-γ release assays) were used to determine LTBI. We showed that smoking has significant odds ratio for COPD patients (OR: 4.58, 95% CI: 1.93–10.87). Also, the concordance of smoking with COPD (OR: 22, 95% CI: 2.7–179.2), lung cancer (OR: 10, 95% CI: 1.03–97), and other respiratory diseases (OR: 4.54, 95% CI: 1.93–10.87) is a significant risk factor for the presence of LTBI whereas the existence of LTBI in the study groups did not show any significant odds ratio. This study is the first to analyze the relationship between smoking in patients with respiratory diseases and LTBI susceptibility in Iran by IGRAs, which proposes cigarette smoking as a powerful risk factor for LTBI.

Oropharyngeal Candida Colonization in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Objectives:Oral candidiasis has increased in recent years because of the increasing number of high-risk populations. The prevalence of Candida species is different worldwide because of the difference between population characteristics, sampling protocols, and geographic regions. Therefore, determining the more prevalent Candida species in different geographic regions seems essential. This study aimed to determine the more prevalent Candida species in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients in comparison with healthy individuals in Iran in 2016.Materials and Methods:Fifty-one patients with AML and 62 healthy controls participated in this cross-sectional study. Samples were collected using a swab rubbed softly on the dorsal surface of the tongue and the oropharynx. The samples were cultured on CHROMagar Candida for 2 to 4 days. For differentiation between albicans and non-albicans species, positive samples were linearly inoculated on Corn Meal Agar with Tween-80. Candida species were identified using a microscope. Data were analyzed using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests.Results:Candida colonization was more frequent in AML patients (41.2%) in comparison with healthy participants (38.7%). Candida glabrata (C. glabrata; 27.5%) and Candida albicans (C. albicans; 32.3%) were the most common isolated species in the AML patients and the controls, respectively. There was a significant decrease in the frequency of C. albicans (P=0.022) and a significant increase in the frequency of C. glabrata (P=0.002) in the AML patients in comparison with the controls.Conclusion:AML patients are more susceptible to candidiasis. C. glabrata is the dominant Candida species in AML patients.

The Relationship Between HIV Antibody Titer, HIV Viral Load, HIV p24 Antigen, and CD4 T-cell Count Among Iranian HIV-positive Patients.

This study aimed to simultaneously measure and assess the correlation between the available HIV infection parameters including HIV antibody, p24 Antigen, CD4 cell count, and viral load at the different stages of HIV disease among HIV-positive individuals in Iran. Fifty HIV-positive individuals were classified into three stages (1, 2, and 3) according to the HIV disease stages classification, available in Control of Disease and Prevention (CDC) guideline. 10 ml of the venous blood sample was collected to run the tests for HIV antibody and p24 Ag levels, CD4 cell counts, and viral load. Pearson's correlation test was employed to calculate the coefficients for the in-between correlation of different HIV parameters in each stage. Of 50 participants, 17 (34%), 25 (50%), and 8 (16%) patients belonged to stages 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Sexual relationship was the main route of HIV transmission among the patients (36%); however, injecting drug use (20%) was also reported frequently. There was no significant correlation between the parameters of HIV disease in different stages in the present study. The findings showed no correlation between HIV parameters in the present study. Considering the fact that the association of HIV antibodies with HIV disease progression in infected individuals is independent of HIV-1 RNA levels, combined measurement of HIV-1 RNA and CD4 cell counts should be routinely carried out in HIV infected patients follow up.

Molecular prevalence of parvovirus B19 among HIV1-infected patients in Iran.

Background: Different outcomes of parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection in immunocompromised patients, including HIV1-infected persons, may be life-threatening. Considering the hematologic disorders associated with B19V infection, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of B19V infection among HIV1-infected individuals in Iran. Methods: Serum samples from 100 HIV1-infected patients were analyzed for B19 viral DNA using real-time PCR assay. COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 test was performed for quantitative measurements of HIV-1 RNA in the patients’ sera. Results: Real-time PCR analysis revealed that 10 out of 100 cases (10%) were positive for B19V infection. Across various age groups, the B19V infection was more prevalent among patients within the age range of 21-40 years. Higher prevalence of B19V infection was observed among HIV1-infected patients with a viral load of higher than 400 copies/mL. Conclusion: Despite limitations, this study may set the stage for further evaluations with larger sample sizes to elucidate the potential role of B19V in hematologic disorders, which may result in exacerbation of the disease in HIV1-infected patients. Moreover, as it has been shown that B19V infection can be treated using intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy, available treatments may help improve the quality of life in HIV-infected persons.

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and risk of type 2 diabetes: The Isfahan diabetes prevention study

BackgroundStudies reported that lipid-lowering treatment may increase the risk of diabetes, support the hypothesis that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) may be associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D). ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the association between the LDLC levels and the incidence of T2D in an Iranian high-risk population not treated with lipid-lowering medications. MethodsMean 10-year follow-up data (1819) in non-diabetic first-degree relatives (FDR) of consecutive patients with T2D 30–70 years old, who were not treated with lipid-lowering drugs at baseline were examined. The diagnosis of T2D based on serial oral glucose tolerance test was the primary outcome. Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) for the incidence of T2D within tertiles of LDLC. ResultsA higher LDLC concentration was significantly associated with higher risk of T2D. Compared with the first tertile, the adjusted risk of T2D increased for the second (HR 1.20, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.35, P < 0.01) and third (HR 1.22, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.37, P < 0.01), tertiles of LDLC. ConclusionsWhile these results await confirmation, a higher LDLC level was significantly associated with higher risk of T2D, independent of age, gender, fasting plasma glucose, waist circumference or blood pressure, in high-risk individuals in Iran.

Quality of Life Among Drug-Dependent and Non-Drug Dependent Individuals in Iran

Background: Drug dependency is one of the most important issues in any society and it is among the most widespread health risk factors. Objectives: This study was conducted to determine quality of life in drug- dependent individuals, who were under methadone treatment, and non-drug dependent persons in Shahroud (northeast of Iran). Methods: In this comparative study, 266 drug dependent participants and 541 non-drug dependent participants were studied in 2014. The Persian version of SF-36 Quality of Life Questionnaire was used to collect data. The data were analyzed using chi square test, t test, and ANOVA. Results: The majority of the participants (77.1%) in both groups were male. The mean age of drug-dependent participants was 37.6 ± 10.7, the mean duration of drug dependency was 12.0 ± 9.3 years, and the mean duration of treatment in methadone maintenance treatment centers (MMT) was 24.6 ± 22.6 months. No significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed between the 2 groups in any aspects of quality of life other than the vitality (P = 0.001). Conclusions: In this study, quality of life scores were not significantly different between drug dependent and non-dependent participants. It seems that treatment with the use of methadone and buprenorphine can play a good role in improving quality of life of addicts.

Detection ofParvovirus4 in Iranian patients with HBV, HCV, HIV mono-infection, HIV and HCV co-infection.

In this study, we investigated the prevalence of PARV4 virus among the healthy population and four other groups of HBV infected, HCV infected, HIV infected and HIV/HCV co-infected individuals in Iran. Parvovirus 4 (PARV4) was first discovered in 2005, in a hepatitis B virus-infected injecting drug user (IDU). To date, the best evidence about PARV4 transmission is parenteral roots which comes from IDU individuals. It seems that the prevalence of the virus in the normal population is very low. A total of 613 patients, including chronic HCV (n=103), HBV (n=193), HIV (n=180) infected individuals, HIV/HCV (n=34) co-infected patients and 103 healthy controls, were studied by using nested-PCR and also real-time PCR techniques. Of those 180 samples were positive for HIV RNA, co-infection of PARV4 was detected in 3 cases (1.66%). All these three patients were male with the age of 28, 32 and 36 years (mean: 32). No statistical differences were found between HIV positive group and the healthy individuals. (P>0.05) The result of PARV4 PCR was negative in all other samples and healthy controls as well. This study is the first to investigate the occurrence of PARV4 among these groups in Iran. The results show that the virus is not significant in Iranian population, even in patients with blood born infections such as HCV, HBV or even HIV patients. Further studies in other areas and various groups are required.