Journal of Inflammatory Diseases
Volume:23 Issue: 5, 2020

Background:

 Hypertension is one of the most common clinical disorders affecting millions worldwide. Some studies have indicated the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of hypertension and the importance of antioxidant compounds in their control.

Objective :

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of olive leaf extract (OLE), Olea europaea L., on cardiometabolic parameters and biomarkers of oxidative stress in patients with essential hypertension.

Methods:

 This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted in 2017 on 60 patients with essential hypertension aged 30-60 years referred to the cardiovascular clinic of Bu-Ali Sina Hospital in Qazvin, Iran. The patients were randomly allocated into two groups of OLE (n=30; receiving OLE 250 mg capsules twice per day for 12 weeks) and placebo (n=30, receiving placebo drug for 12 weeks). Before and after intervention, cardiometabolic parameters and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured using appropriate laboratory methods. To compare variables and groups, paired-t test and independent t-test were used, respectively.

Findings:

 The OLE intake led to a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, and malondialdehyde levels in hypertensive patients compared to the placebo group, but significantly increased superoxide dismutase activity (P<0.05). Moreover, the OLE intake had no significant effect on diastolic blood pressure, other lipid profiles and biomarkers of oxidative stress (P>0.05). 

Conclusion:

 OLE intake for 12 weeks had beneficial effects on some types of cardiometabolic and oxidative stress biomarkers in hypertensive patients.

Background :

The tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) gene is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation. Results of the association of its polymorphisms with infertility in men are controversial. 

Objective :

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of -308G/A polymorphism in TNF-α gene with different parameters of semen and sperm in infertile men. 

Methods:

 Participants were 210 men with infertility and 120 controls. The polymorphism evaluation was performed by sequencing method. In order to assess oxidative stress and apoptosis in men with -308G/A polymorphism, malondialdehyde and caspase-9 values were measured. The sperm DNA damage and sex chromosomes aneuploidy were also measured in these patients.

Findings:

 A significant higher frequency of A allele of -308G/A polymorphism was observed in men with oligoasthenospermia (P=0.01). In semen samples of the men with AA genotype, there was significantly high level of malondialdehyde and caspase-9 (P<0.0001). We also observed higher frequency of sperm DNA damage (P=0.0001) and sex chromosome disomy type XY (P=0.0001) in sperm samples of men with AA genotype of -308G/A polymorphism. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between sex chromosome aneuploidy and sperm DNA damage in sperms of men with this polymorphism (R=0.72, P=0.048). 

Conclusion:

 -308G/A polymorphism of TNF-α gene has association with decreased sperm parameters, increased oxidative stress, higher sperm DNA damage and sex chromosome aneuploidy which can affect infertility.

Background:

 Traumatic brain injury is the second leading cause of death in Iran. Having knowledge of the factors affecting the clinical outcomes of these patients can improve the therapeutic outcomes.

Objective :

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg) serum levels during admission with clinical outcomes of patients with head trauma.

Methods:

 This descriptive-analytic study was conducted in the intensive care unit of Shahid Rajaei Hospital in Qazvin, Iran from March to August 2018. Participants were 70 patients with head trauma under mechanical ventilation who had inclusion criteria. They were selected using a convenience sampling technique. Based on admission P level, patients were divided into two groups of hypophosphatemia (P> 3 mg/dL) and normophosphatemia (P≥3 mg/dL); and based on admission Mg level, they were assigned into two groups of hypomagnesemia (Mg <1.5 mg/dL) and normomagnesemia (Mg ≥1.5 mg/dL). Hypomagnesemia group was compared with normomagnesemia group, and hypophosphatemia group with normophosphatemia group in terms of clinical outcomes.

Findings:

 There was a significant difference between two Mg groups in terms of successful weaning (P=0.03), mechanical ventilation duration (P=0.01), and death rate (P=0.03), but not in terms of endotracheal extubation and length of hospital stay (P>0.5). The difference between two P groups was significant only in terms of successful weaning (P=0.006). 

Conclusion: 

Serum levels of phosphorus and magnesium affect the clinical outcomes of patients with head trauma.

Background:

 Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases in the elderly people. Its high prevalence increases the risk of heart disease, heart attacks and strokes , kidney failure and mortality. Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is one of the possible risk factors for hypertension, which is a chronic sensory-motor disorder associated with a feeling of itching or creepy crawly in the legs, characterized by a strong tendency to move the legs at rest.

Objective :

The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of RLS among older people with hypertension in Qazvin, Iran.

Methods:

 This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 elderly hypertensive patients referred to the heart clinic of Abu Ali Sina Hospital in 2017. They were recruited using a convenience sstaampling technique. After completing a demographic form, Abbreviated Mental Test, Geriatric Depression Scale, and blood pressure test, collected data were analyzed using descriptive tistics and chi-squared test.

Findings:

 The mean age participants was 71.95±7.19 years. The RLS prevalence was 59% in men and 62% in women. There was no significant relationship between RLS prevalence and factors of hypertension, diabetes, smoking, concurrent diabetes and hypertension and body mass index. The relationship of RLS with concurrent hyperlipidemia and hypertension was significant (P<0.05), but its relationship with the duration of hyperlipidemia was not significant.

Conclusion:

 The prevalence of RLS is high among elderly people with hypertension. More studies are required to reject or support the relationship of studied variables with RLS in these people.

The modification of the adipokine levels can be important for the long-term prevention of systemic inflammation related to obesity in children.

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of regular aerobic exercise on the serum levels of plasminogen Activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1) and Adiponectin in obese girls.

This semi experimental research, 14 obese girls were selected through purposeful and accessible sampling and randomly divided into as follow: control, exercise training groups. Aerobic exercise was consisted of exercise movements at 50% to 70% maximal heart rate and 3 sessions /week for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected before and 48 hour after the last intervention. PAI-1 and Adiponectin levels were measured by ELIZA method. Data were analyzed by t independent paired and one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) tests. The level of statistical significance was set at P<0.05.

Eight weeks of aerobic exercise caused a significant decrease in PAI-1   and an increase in Adiponectin levels in obese girls (P<0.01).

These findings suggest that regular aerobic exercise can modulate the adipokine mediators in cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases by increasing levels of adiponectin and downregulation in PAI-1 and improve health in obese girls.

Background :

As the population pyramid in Iran shifts to aging and the influence of environmental conditions on the elderly people, The need to pay attention to the foundations of well-being, security and comfort is felt more than ever. 

Objective:

 The present study aimed at evaluating the urban open spaces and public buildings/places of Qazvin city in Iran as indicators of an age-friendly city based on the perception of older people and managers.

Methods:

 This is a descriptive/analytical study conducted in 2017 on 200 older people and 40 urban managers. The older people were selected by a random cluster sampling technique, and managers by a convenience sampling method. Data collection tools were a demographic form and Ageing-Friendly City Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-test.

Findings:

 The mean age of the elderly people was 68.32±6.48 years and for the managers, it was 40.28 ± 5.94 years. The mean score of  public buildings/places was 3.49±1.06 reported by the elderly group and 2.64±0.77 by the managers. For urban open spaces, it was 3.06 ± 0.89 and 2.60 ± 0.52, respectively. There was a significant difference between the opinions of two groups regarding the two surveyed indicators (P<0.001).

Conclusion :

The city of Qazvin is far from ideal in terms of buildings/public places and open spaces for the elderly. Therefore, urban managers should pay more attention to these indicators and take more effective steps to increase their quality.

Background:

 Falling is the most common home accidents in elderly people. The fall-related accidents can reduce the quality of life and increase the disability and mortality rates among elderly people.
Objective The present study aimed to determine the role of home safety in home fall rate among community-dwelling older people.

Methods:

 A total of 300 older people aged ≥60 years from Qazvin, Iran participated in this descriptive cross sectional study. They were selected using a cluster sampling method. Data were collected using demographic form, a home fall checklist, and Home Falls and Accidents Screening Tool.  Then, the collected data was analyzed using logistic regression analysis.

Findings :

One-third of the participants reported home fall in the past year. The most of home falls occurred in the backyard (22%) at night (34%). The most reported fall–related injuries were bruise (30%) and bone fracture (28%). Half of participants who had home fall needed to be hospitalized and about one-third of them (33%) underwent a surgery. the risks of using toilet, bath and opening and closing the entrance door predicted the home fall in older people (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

 The incidence of home fall is rather high among older people and the home risk factors predicted 20-30% of home fall in the elderly. Therefore, the proper planning for home safety should be considered in order to reduce the prevalence of home fall among elderly people.

Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and especially methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains a major cause of healthcare-associated infections worldwide. Health care workers (HCWs) may act as reservoirs for transmission of MRSA to patients and other HCWs. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the prevalence of SA and MRSA colonization among HCWs in Iran. The used keywords for searching were: “Iran”, “S. aureus” and “MRSA” conducted in PubMed, and Google Scholar, and two national scientific databases and proceedings of recent national conferences. The studies related to SA or MRSA prevalence in Iran published from 1993 to 2018 were included for review. Meta-analysis was performed using the Open Meta (Analyst) software. Results showed that the prevalence of SA among HCWs was 26% (95% CI=19.4-32.6%). The ratios of MRSA/total isolated SA and MRSA/total HCWs were obtained 35.4% (95% CI=29.6-41.1%) and 7.6% (95% CI= 6.4-8.8%), respectively. Older studies showed a higher prevalence compared to recent studies. The prevalence of nasal MRSA carriage among Iranian HCWs was in a range between the rates reported in the U.S/European and African countries.