Archives of Iranian Medicine
Volume:25 Issue: 8, Aug 2022

Since 1990, neonatal, infant, and child mortality has substantially decreased in Iran. However, estimates for mortality by cause at subnational scale are not available.

This study is part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors study (GBD) 2019. Here we report the number and rates of neonate, infant, and child deaths by cause across provinces of Iran from 1990 to 2019.

Between 1990 and 2019, the neonatal mortality rate per 1000 live births decreased from 31.8 (95% UI: 28.1–35.5) to 6.8 (6.1–7.4). The child mortality rates decreased from 71.2 (63.6–79.1) to 11.1 (10.2–12.0) per 1000 live births. Mortality rates among neonates per 1000 live births ranged from 3.1 (2.6–3.7) to 10.0 (9.2–10.8) across provinces in 2019. Child mortality rate per 1000 live births ranged from 5.5 (4.6–6.5) to 17.9 (16.4–19.4) across provinces in 2019. Neonatal disorders, congenital birth defects, and lower respiratory infections were the three main causes of mortality in almost all provinces of Iran. The majority of neonatal disorders were due to neonatal preterm birth and neonatal asphyxia, trauma, and infections. The trends of mortality across provinces from 1990 to 2019 were converging and decreased along with increase in sociodemographic index (SDI).

All provinces achieved the Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of neonatal mortality less than 12 and child mortality less than 25 per 1000 live births. However, disparities still exist across provinces, specifically in low-SDI provinces.

Trauma severity indices are commonly used to describe the severity of sustained injuries in a quantitative manner perceivable by healthcare providers in different settings. In this study, we aimed to assess the predictive utility of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the 2015 revision of the head Abbreviated Injury Scale (head AIS) as two of the most widely used severity indices for traumatic brain injury (TBI).

In this cross-sectional study, we used data from the National Trauma Registry of Iran. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was calculated to assess the utility of GCS and head AIS scores in predicting patients’ outcomes.

A total of 321 patients, predominantly males (81.9%) with an average age of 41.9 (±19.5) years were enrolled in the study. The most common cause of injury was road traffic accidents (73.5%) followed by falls (20.2%). The mean admission GCS and head AIS scores were 13.5 (±3.2) and 2.5 (±1.0), respectively. AUROC of the GCS was significantly higher than the head AIS for all outcome variables (P<0.05). AUROC of both severity scoring systems for predicting in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the 15–44 age group than the 65 or older age group (P<0.05).

Based on our study results, GCS had better performance in predicting patients’ outcomes than the head AIS. Also, we found that age significantly affected the ability of these indices in predicting in-hospital mortality of TBI patients.

Dermatophytosis still remains a major public health concern worldwide, particularly in developing countries. This study was undertaken to determine the etiological and epidemiological factors of dermatophyte infections in Tehran, Iran.

A total of 1530 patients clinically suspected of cutaneous fungal infections were examined in two hospitals over a period of 10 years (2010–2020). Samples were analyzed using direct microscopic examination and culture. Data regarding age, gender, and clinical manifestations were also recorded.

Out of 1530 cases examined, dermatophytes were detected in 493 (32.2%) patients. Of these patients, 288 (58.4%) were males and 205 (41.6%) were females. The most affected age group was the 25–44 years old (31.6%). Tinea corporis (n=134) was the most prevalent type of ringworm, followed by tinea cruris (n=131), tinea pedis (n=90), tinea manuum (n=65), tinea unguium (n=29), tinea faciei (n=20), tinea capitis (n=18), and tinea barbae (n=2). Both tinea cruris (P<0.001) and tinea pedis (P=0.002) had a significant association with male gender. As for etiological agents, Trichophyton mentagrophytes (29.0%) was the most frequent isolate, followed by Trichophyton tonsurans (25.8%), Trichophyton rubrum (25.3%), Epidermophyton floccosum (6.9%), Trichophyton verrucosum (4.9%), Microsporum audouinii (4.5%), Microsporum canis (2.0%), and Trichophyton violaceum (1.6%).

Dermatophytes are still the prevailing causes of fungal infection of the skin, hair, and nails in Iran. Further studies with larger samples sizes and inclusion of diverse locations would yield more accurate results.

Complete SARS-CoV-2 genome sequencing in the early phase of the outbreak in Iran showed two independent viral entries. Subsequently, as part of a genome surveillance project, we aimed to characterize the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in Iran over one year after emerging.

We provided 319 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences used to monitor circulating lineages in March 2020-May 2021 time interval.

The temporal dynamics of major SARS-CoV-2 clades/lineages circulating in Iran is comparable to the global perspective and represent the 19A clade (B.4) dominating the first disease wave, followed by 20A (B.1.36), 20B (B.1.1.413), 20I (B.1.1.7), leading the second, third and fourth waves, respectively. We observed a mixture of circulating B.1.36, B.1.1.413, B.1.1.7 lineages in winter 2021, paralleled in a fading manner for B.1.36/B.1.1.413 and a growing rise for B.1.1.7, prompting the fourth outbreak. Entry of the Delta variant, leading to the fifth disease wave in summer 2021, was detected in April 2021. This study highlights three lineages as hallmarks of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Iran; B4, dominating early periods of the epidemic, B.1.1.413 (B.1.1 with the combination of [D138Y-S477N-D614G] spike mutations) as a characterizing lineage in Iran, and the co-occurrence of [I100T-L699I] spike mutations in half of B.1.1.7 sequences mediating the fourth peak. It also designates the renowned combination of G and GR clades’ mutations as the top recurrent mutations.

In brief, we provided a real-time and comprehensive picture of the SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity in Iran and shed light on the SARS-CoV-2 transmission and circulation on the regional scale.

Octogenarians (age≥80 years) with coronary artery disease constitute a high-risk group and the elderly undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are at higher risk of adverse outcomes compared to young patients. In this study, we aimed to describe the outcomes of the elderly with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who underwent PCI and also to identify the predictors of short-term major adverse cerebrocardiovascular events (MACCE) in octogenarians.

In this registry-based cohort study, we reviewed the data of patients (aged≥65 years) who underwent PCI. Univariate Cox-regression model was used to assess the univariate effects of covariates on mortality and MACCE and multivariate Cox-regression analysis were used to discover MACCE predictors.

We reviewed the data of 3332 patients (2722 elderly [65 to 79 years], and 610 octogenarians [≥80 years]). The cumulative hazard of MACCE was significantly higher in the octogenarian group compared with the younger group (P<0.001). MACCE in octogenarians presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was significantly higher than those with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction/Unstable angina (NSTEMI/UA) (P<0.001); however, the cumulative hazard of mortality was not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.270). Successful PCI, left main stenosis and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were independent predictors of MACCE in octogenarians with ACS.

Octogenarians undergoing PCI had a higher rate of MACCE and mortality compared with a younger population. In octogenarians, MACCE in those with STEMI was significantly higher than those with NSTEMI/UA and the mortality trend was similar; however, the 1-year trend was in favor of the STEMI subgroup.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between personal and clinical characteristics of adults in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) with depression, anxiety, and stress.

Data of 2272 adults participating in the 6th phase of TLGS were used for univariate analysis to investigate the association between socio-demographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics and participants’ emotional states. Thereupon, the predictors with a P value<0.20, at least for one of depression, anxiety, and stress in the primary analysis, were included in the model for multivariate modeling.

The mean age of participants was 47.23±14.87. The mean scores of depression, anxiety, and stress were higher in women (P value:<0.001,<0.001, and 0.004) than in men. Higher age was associated with lower anxiety (β=-0.04, P=0.004) and stress (β=-0.13, P<0.001) in men, but only lower stress in women (β=-0.07, P=0.001). Highly educated participants experienced lower depression (β=-2.26, P=0.01, β=-2.26, P=0.003). Although married men robustly experienced lower depression than others (β=-1.69, P=0.009), a less powerful relationship existed between being married and depression in women (β=-1.37, P=0.05). All cigarette smokers experienced higher depression, anxiety, and stress, but only female hookah smokers had higher anxiety and stress. Physical activity and chronic disorders had no relationship with emotional states. Obesity was associated with stress in women (β=1.95, P=0.001).

This study provides an update on factors associated with mental health outcomes in a large general population. Examining the factors associated with depression, anxiety, and stress through a sex-sensitive lens could help clinicians diagnose and plan the best preventive and therapeutic approach.

Opium consumption is associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis and a hyper-inflammatory state which are suggested as contributing factors to the development of coronary artery ectasia (CAE). We aimed to determine if opium consumption is an independent risk factor of CAE. This study aimed to explore the relationship between opium consumption and CAE.

In this propensity score-matched study, we enrolled patients who underwent elective coronary angiography between September 2004 and March 2017 in Tehran Heart Center. We studied patients with CAE and without coronary artery disease (CAD) as cases. The control group, patients with normal coronary angiograms, were selected after applying the propensity score matching to match for age, sex, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, family history of coronary artery disease, and cigarette smoking.

We studied 242 patients with pure CAE and selected 968 control patients. The prevalence of opium consumption was not significantly different across these groups: 17 (7.5%) in the pure CAE group compared to 76 (8.6%) in the control group (Odds ratio: 0.81; P=0.455). Amongst the patients with pure CAE, Markis scores were not significantly different between opium consumers and non-consumers (P=0.136).

We found no significant difference regarding opium consumption between patients with pure CAE and those with normal coronary angiograms. In addition, there was no correlation between opium consumption and Markis scores in patients with pure CAE.

We aimed to assess the factors associated with the transition time to full enteral feeding (FEF) in newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) undergoing therapeutic hypothermia.

We obtained data retrospectively from medical records of the neonates diagnosed with HIE and treated by therapeutic hypothermia to evaluate the factors associated with transition time to FEF.

Sixty-one neonates were included in the study. The median gestational age (GA) and birth weight were 39 (37–40) weeks and 3245 (2715–3575) grams, respectively. APGAR scores at the first and fifth minutes were 3 (1–5) and 6 (4–7), respectively. Fifty-seven (93.4%) of the newborns were diagnosed as having moderate HIE, and 4 (6.6%) of them had severe HIE. Transition time to FEF was found to be negatively correlated with gestational week (r, P: -0.280, 0.029) and birth weight (r, P: -0.315, 0.013); and positively correlated with lactate (r, P: 0.295, 0.044), BUN (r, P: 0.285, 0.026) and creatinine levels (r, P: 0.345, 0.007); duration of invasive (r, P: 0.565, 0.0001) and non-invasive mechanical ventilation (r, P: 0.261, 0.042), use of antibiotics (r, P: 0.556, 0.0001) and inotropic agents (r, P: 0.524, 0.0001) and hospitalization (r, P: 0.654, 0.0001).

Clinicians should be more careful while starting to feed babies undergoing therapeutic hypothermia with higher lactate levels and impaired renal functions, and should be encouraged to feed clinically stable neonates with HIE as soon as possible, as the transition time to FEF could be related with better clinical outcomes.

The accuracy and reliability of noninvasive methods of neonatal jaundice assessment are not completely obvious, including which area of the body is more suitable to estimate actual bilirubin with transcutaneous bilirubinometry (TCB).

This cross-sectional study compares the accuracy of three noninvasive methods for neonatal jaundice estimation included visual estimation, TCB on the forehead, and TCB on the sternum. The mean and standard deviation describe quantitative variables. In addition to analytical analysis, we used the linear regression test to evaluate the association of different variables with the accuracy of TCB as well as paired t test for comparing the TCB results on the sternum with the forehead before and after phototherapy. For all statistical tests, a P value less than 0.05 was considered as significant.

We enrolled 100 neonates with a mean age (±SD, standard deviation) of 6.5±1.9 days (range 2–11 days) in our study. The mean gestational age (GA) of the participants was 38.94 weeks±1.00 w SD, and their mean (±SD) weight was 3302 g (±315.60). The mean (mg/dL)±SD for bilirubin level by clinical estimation of jaundice, TCB on the forehead and TCB on the sternum were 17.35±2.88, 17.23±1.63, and 17.77±1.58, respectively. Also, comparing mean differences before and after phototherapy showed that TCB on the sternum is a good predictor for neonatal jaundice before phototherapy (0.539 vs. 0.348).

TCB on the sternum is more predictive than the forehead, especially before phototherapy, to assess the need for treatment in outpatient settings.

Currently, there is lack of evidence regarding the long-term follow-up of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. The aim of this study is to present a 6-month follow-up of COVID-19 patients who were discharged from hospital after their recovery.

This retrospective cohort study was performed to assess the six-month follow-up of COVID-19 patients who were discharged from the hospital between February 18 and July 20, 2020. The primary outcome was 6-month all-cause mortality.

Data related to 614 patients were included to this study. Of these 614 patients, 48 patients died (7.8%). The cause of death in 26 patients (54.2%) was the relapse of COVID-19. Also, 44.2% of deaths happened in the first week after discharge and 74.4% in the first month. Risk factors of all-cause mortality included increase in age (odds ratio [OR]=1.09; P<0.001), increase in neutrophil percentage (OR=1.05; P=0.009) and increase in heart rate (OR=1.06; P=0.002) on the first admission. However, the risk of all-cause death was lower in patients who had higher levels of hematocrit (OR=0.93; P=0.021), oxygen saturation (OR=0.90; P=0.001) and mean arterial pressure (OR=0.93; P=0.001). In addition, increase in age (OR=1.11; P<0.001) was an independent risk factor for COVID-19-related death, while higher levels of lymphocyte percentage (OR=0.96; P=0.048), mean arterial pressure (OR=0.93; P=0.006) and arterial oxygen saturation (OR=0.91; P=0.009) were protective factors against COVID-19-related deaths during the 6-month period after discharge.

Death is relatively common in COVID-19 patients after their discharge from hospital. In light of our findings, we suggest that elderly patients who experience a decrease in their mean arterial pressure, oxygen saturation and lymphocyte count during their hospitalization, should be discharged cautiously. In addition, we recommend that one-month follow-up of discharged patients should be take place, and urgent return to hospital should be advised when the first signs of COVID-19 relapse are observed.

Alzheimer’s disease is an extremely expensive chronic disease, which is rapidly becoming a major cause of mortality in adults. For over two decades, telemedicine has been used to assist patients and their caregivers to manage this disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the objectives, outcomes, facilitators, and barriers influencing the use of telemedicine systems for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers and care providers.

In this systematic review, we searched for the original articles published in databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus until November 2021 using relevant keywords. A qualitative content analysis was performed the based on the theory of planned behavior and the health belief model using the ATLAS.ti software.

In total, 1191 articles were identified, and 60 articles were included in this study. While having different objectives, most of the studies compared telemedicine systems to in-person visits (21.43%) and assessed the feasibility of the implemented method (16.07%). The overall outcomes of telemedicine in the articles were classified as cost-effectiveness (e.g., reduced commute, fuel, and time to access care), clinical outcomes (e.g., lower anxiety, stress, and depression), and patient, caregiver, and healthcare provider satisfaction. In total, 19 facilitators and 12 barriers influencing the use of telemedicine for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers were identified.

According to the results, telemedicine systems could be implemented for various reasons. Developing a clear framework of the drivers and barriers before the implementation of these systems could improve decision-making prior to the design and implementation of telemedicine systems.

We present a 48-year-old male patient with a mass in the tail of the pancreas on abdominal ultrasonography. The lesion was suspicious for a well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor and spleen preserved distal pancreatectomy surgery was performed. It was diagnosed as intrapancreatic accessory spleen (IPAS) after pathological examination. Accessory spleen is not an infrequent congenital entity caused by the localization of normal splenic tissue in ectopic regions. As it is known, an accessory spleen is a benign entity and does not require surgical treatment or follow-up when detected. However, it is important to recognize IPAS tissue as it may mimic a pancreatic neoplasia when it is located in the pancreas. In this article, we discuss the differential diagnostic possibilities of the IPAS entity.