Modeling the Trend Changes of Liver Cancer Mortality in the 6 WHO Regions

Background: There is little information about comparison of the mortality patterns in different regions. The current study aimed to assess the trend changes of liver cancer mortality in 6 WHO regions.Methods:The mortality rates of liver cancer in the 6 WHO regions during 1990 to 2017 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease database. Growth mixture model was used to identify the latent patterns using a set of tools to handle both the within and between trajectory variations. All the modeling procedures were implemented in Mplus 7.4 software.Results:The mortality rate in Africa showed a slow decreasing trend throughout the observation period, but a slow increase was observed in the Eastern Mediterranean region, European region, region of the Americas, and South-East Asia region. The slope of the rise in liver cancer mortality rate for Western Pacific region was 3-4 times higher than the other regions. 2-pattern growth mixture model was estimated as the best model. The Western Pacific region with annual increase of 0.20 in the liver cancer mortality rate was in the first pattern and the other 5 regions including Africa region, Eastern Mediterranean region, European region, region of the Americas, and South-East Asia region with annual increase of 0.05 in liver cancer mortality rate belonged to the second pattern.Conclusion:Observed pattern in the Western Pacific region is not favorable. Taking into account a set of urgent prevention actions to control mortality rate of liver cancer in this region seems necessary.     

Effect of Lavender cream with or without footbath on sleep quality and fatigue in pregnancy and postpartum: a randomized controlled trial

Sleep disturbance and fatigue are frequent complaints during pregnancy and postpartum. We assessed the effectiveness of Lavender cream and footbath on sleep quality and fatigue in pregnancy and postpartum. In this trial, 141 women with sleep disturbance at 25–28 weeks gestation were recruited from public health centers in Tabriz, Iran, from May 2013 until January 2014 and randomized into one of three groups receiving: Lavender and footbath, Lavender alone, or placebo cream. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh sleep quality index at the 4th and 8th weeks after intervention and the 6th week postpartum. Fatigue was assessed with the multidimensional assessment of fatigue scale at the 6th week after intervention and the 6th week postpartum. Repeated measures ANOVA and ANCOVA were used. Compared with the placebo group, the global sleep quality score post-intervention in pregnancy and the postpartum were significantly lower in the Lavender and footbath and the Lavender cream only groups. Fatigue in both intervention groups was significantly improved only at the 6th week postpartum. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two intervention groups. Lavender cream with or without footbath may improve sleep quality in pregnancy and postpartum.     

Pharmacological activity of Mentha longifolia and its phytoconstituents

Current paper reviews the pharmacological activities, therapeutic indications and phytochemicals of M. longifolia. This herb has been consumed traditionally for the treatment of various diseases, including gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory disorders, infectious diseases, inflammatory diseases, as well as menstrual disorders. In the modern era, various pharmacological activities have been confirmed for M. longifolia, such as anti-parasitic, antimicrobial, anti-insect, antimutagenic, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, keratoprotective, hepatoprotective, anti-diarrhea, and spasmolytic effects. The plant showed therapeutic benefits in irritable bowel syndrome, amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea, and oxidative stress-associated diseases as well. A vast variety of natural components such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, cinnamates, ceramides, sesquiterpenes, terpenes, and terpenoids have been suggested to be responsible for the pharmacological action of M. longifolia. These natural products can be considered as novel medicinal sources for developing new drugs. Further investigations to explore therapeutic efficacy, tolerability, and pharmaceutical properties of M. longifolia phytochemical agents are recommended.     

Effects of Boiled Dill Seed on Anxiety During Labor: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To evaluate the effect of boiled dill seed (Anethum graveolens) on anxiety during childbirth compared with oxytocin. Methods: This study was a randomized controlled trial with 100 pregnant women who were assigned to the oxytocin (50 cases) and the boiled dill seed (50 cases) group by a table of random number. In the boiled dill seed group, 10 g of dill seed was boiled in 100 mL for 10 min and was given to women after filtration once orally at the beginning of active phase. In the oxytocin group, 10 IU of oxytocin in 1000 mL of Ringer solution was prescribed according to the clinical routine. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) in both groups before (at the beginning of the active phase) and after (6 h after the delivery) was completed. Meanwhile, pain intensity and duration of labor, dilatation and effacement scores, Apgar score of newborns, and FHR were measured and evaluated. Results: No statistically significant differences were shown in obvious anxiety scores between the two groups at baseline (P>0.05). After the delivery, in the boiled dill seed group, the number of women with severe [0 vs. 8.0% (4/50)] and almost severe [0 vs. 14.0% (7/50)] trait and almost severe [0 vs. 14.0% (7/50)] state anxiety was lower than those in the control group (P=0.050, P=0.041, respectively). Moreover, labor was shorter in the 1st (P<0.01), 2nd (P=0.78) and 3rd (P=0.10) stages in the boiled dill seed group compared to the control group. Conclusions: Dill seed could be used as an effective treatment to reduce anxiety during labor. Dill seed can be effective in reducing the length of labor. Due to lack of maternal and fetal complications, the boiled dill seed could also be used to reduce cesarean section rates in women who are fearful and anxious of delivery. (RCT Code: IRCT201607177065N2)     

Kaposi’s sarcoma following living donor kidney transplantation: review of 7,939 recipients

Introduction  Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is one of the most common tumors to occur in kidney recipients, especially in the Middle East countries. Limited data with adequate sample size exist about the development of KS in living kidney recipients. Methods  Therefore, we made a plan for a multicenter study, accounting for up to 36% (n = 7,939) of all kidney transplantation in Iran, to determine the incidence of KS after kidney transplantation between 1984 and 2007. Results  Fifty-five (0.69%) recipients who developed KS after kidney transplantation were retrospectively evaluated with a median follow-up of 24 (1–180) months. KS occurred more often in older age when compared to patients without KS (49 ± 12 vs. 38 ± 15 years, P = 0.000). KS was frequently found during the first 2 years after transplantation (72.7%). Skin involvement was universal. Furthermore, overall mortality rate was 18%, and it was higher in patients with visceral involvement compared to those with mucocutaneous lesions (P = 0.01). However, KS had no adverse affect on patient and graft survival rates compared to those without KS. Forty-four patients with limited mucocutaneous disease and four with visceral disease responded to withdrawal or reduction of immunosuppression with or without other treatment modalities. Renal function was preserved when immunosuppression was reduced instead of withdrawn in patients with and without visceral involvement (P = 0.001 and 0.008, respectively). Conclusion  The high incidence of KS in this large population studied, as compared to that reported in other transplant patient groups, suggests that genetic predisposition may play a pathogenetic role.     

Hospital-acquired infections in a tertiary hospital in Iran before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift - Infection prevention protocols are the accepted standard to control nosocomial infections. These protective measures intensified after the coronavirus 2019...     

The association between obesity and migraine in a population of Iranian adults: a case-control study

Aim

To assess the association between obesity and risk of migraine with aura and features of migraine attacks among a population of Iranian adults.

Evaluation of a biosimilar recombinant alpha epoetin in the management of anemia in hemodialysis patients

Background: The efficacy of human recombinant erythropoietins (rHuEPOs) in the treatment of anemia with different etiologies is proven. Development of biosimilar rHuEPO products with lower cost and wider availability is important for the care of anemic patients. Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the bioequivalence and safety of a biosimilar rHuEPO (Pastopoitin^®) and compare it with the innovator product Eprex^®, as a standard rHuEPO. Methods: One hundred and seven anemic patients on stable hemodialysis were recruited to this randomized double-blind comparative trial and assigned to either subcutaneous Pastopoitin (n = 50) or Eprex (n = 57). Each study group received rHuEPO at a dose of 80–120 IU/kg/week in 2–3 divided doses for a period of 3 months. Hematologic parameters including Hemoglobin, hematocrit, RBC, EBC, platelet, MCV, MCH and MCHC were checked every 2 weeks. Blood iron, ferritin, TIBC, creatinine, BUN and electrolytes (Na, K, Ca and P) were evaluated monthly over the 3 months. Results: A significant increase in hemoglobin, hematocrit and RBC was observed by the end of study in both Pastopoitin and Eprex groups (p < 0.001). However, these factors were not significantly different between the groups, neither at baseline nor at the end of study (p > 0.05). Likewise, the groups were comparable regarding MCV, MCH, MCHC, iron, ferritin, TIBC, creatinine, BUN and electrolytes at baseline as well as at the end of trial. Adverse events were not serious and occurred with the same frequency in the study groups. Conclusion: Pastopoitin showed comparable efficacy and safety profile with Eprex in anemic patients on hemodialysis. Hence, Pastopoitin may be considered as a rHuEPO with a lower cost and wider availability compared with the innovator product Eprex.