International Journal of Preventive Medicine
Volume:13 Issue: 12, Dec 2022

The current pandemic coronavirus disease‑19 (COVID‑19) is still a global medical and economic emergency with over 244 million confirmed infections and over 4.95 million deaths by October 2021, in less than 2 years. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS), and COVID‑19 are three recent coronavirus pandemics with major medical and economic implications. Currently, there is no effective treatment for these infections. One major pathological hallmark of these infections is the so‑called ‘cytokine storm,’ which depicts an unregulated production of inflammatory cytokines inducing detrimental inflammation leading to organ injury and multiple organ failure including severe pulmonary, cardiovascular, and kidney failure in COVID‑19. Several studies have suggested the potential of curcumin to inhibit the replication of some viruses similar to coronaviruses. Multiple experimental and clinical studies also reported the anti‑inflammatory potential of curcumin in multiple infectious and inflammatory disorders. Thus, we hypothesized that curcumin may provide antiviral and anti‑inflammatory effects for treating COVID‑19. Although these studies suggest that curcumin could serve as an adjuvant treatment for COVID‑19, its molecular mechanisms are still debated, especially its potential to modulate the toll‑like receptors/TIR‑domain‑containing adapter‑inducing interferon‑β/nuclear factor kappa‑light‑chain‑enhancer of activated B cells (TLR/TRIF/NF‑κB) pathway. The preliminary results showed that curcumin modulates the nuclear factor kappa‑light‑chain‑enhancer of activated B cells (NF‑κB) pathway, a common pathway controlling cytokine production in multiple infectious and inflammatory disorders. Here, we hypothesize and discuss whether curcumin treatment may provide antiviral and anti‑inflammatory clinical advantages for treating COVID‑19 by modulating the TLR/TRIF/NF‑κB pathway. We also review the current data on curcumin and discuss potential experimental and clinical studies that require defining its potential clinical implications in COVID‑19.

Phototherapy is the most common form of treatment and prevention of neonatal nonconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. It seems that intravenous fluid therapy as a complementary method of phototherapy can accelerate the healing process in affected infants. This study aimed at investigating intravenous fluid therapy’s effect in decreasing serum bilirubin in healthy term neonates with nonhemolytic hyperbilirubinemia under intensive phototherapy.

As many as 160 healthy term infants with severe nonhemolytic hyperbilirubinemia and without exclusion criteria were enrolled. Infants were randomized to the two treatment groups (phototherapy alone and combination with intravenous fluid therapy). Serum bilirubin at admission time, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h later were measured. We evaluated decreasing serum bilirubin levels and duration of hospitalization in both groups.

In this study, the mean levels of serum bilirubin on admission time, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after treatment gradually reduced in both groups; still, the decrease was not statistically significant between the two groups.

Intravenous fluids therapy does not have a significant advantage in the process of phototherapy in healthy term neonates with severe nonhemolytic hyperbilirubinemia.

Few studies have shown that smokers are more likely than non‑smokers to have coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19), whereas some reports indicate that smokers are under‑represented among those requiring hospital treatment for this illness. This study was designed and implemented for investigating the severity and outcome of COVID‑19 based on smoking.

This was a cross‑sectional study implemented in Tehran and Ahvaz with all COVID‑19 hospitalization patients from February to June 2021. Four categories selected for severity and worst outcomes. They are admission in the intensive care unit (ICU), lung involvement more than 50%, using more than three medications, and death. A check list of demographic data and smoking history was completed and analyzed.

A total of 11,112 patients were male (61.1%), and the mean age was 47.9 ± 11.3. A total of 1508 smokers (8.3%) were seen with any type of tobacco consumption. The frequency of ICU admission in the smokers is significantly higher than that in non‑smokers (23.9% vs. 18.8%). A total of 668 (44.3%) smokers had more than 50% ground glass opacity in lungs, whereas 5340 non‑smokers (32.1%) had so. Use of more than three medications in the smokers was significantly higher (70.6% vs. 52%). A comparison between patients based on smoking indicates that the death rate was significantly higher in smokers (31.6% vs. 25.6%).

Although smoking rates in COVID‑19 patients are lower than those in the general population, the consequences and mortality are higher in smokers.

Perfectionism is a key construct for understanding psychopathology. In societies with varying cultures, studying the psychometric properties of tools can help with their external validity. This research aimed at standardization and validation of the Eating Disorder Inventory‑Perfectionism (EDI‑P) scale in Iran.

The Persian version of EDI‑P was formed through forward translation, reconciliation, and back translation. A total of 302 students were selected using convenience sampling method and` they completed a set of questionnaires, including the EDI‑P, Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire‑Short Form (WEL‑SF), Eating Attitude Test‑16 (EAT‑16), Self‑esteem scale (SES), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale‑16 (DERS‑16), and Self‑compassion scale (SCS) Short Form. The construct validity of the EDI‑P was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis and divergent and convergent validity. Internal consistency and test‑retest reliability (2 weeks’ interval) were applied to evaluate reliability. LISREL (version 8.8) and SSPS (version 22) software were used for data analysis purpose.

EDI‑P scales and subscales were found to be a valid and reliable measure, with good internal consistency and good test‑retest reliability in the nonclinical sample. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the whole scale, socially prescribed, and self‑oriented were found to be 0.74, 0.68, and 0.67, respectively. Test‑retest reliability for the whole scale, socially prescribed, and self‑oriented were found to be 0.88, 0.80, and 0.87, respectively. Convergent validity and divergent validity were good (Normed Fit Index [NFI] = 0.94, Incremental Fit Index = 0.95, root mean square error of approximation = 0.08, goodness of fit index = 0.97, Non‑normed Fit Index [NNFI] = 0.91, and comparative fit index = 0.95). The results of this study provide support for the two‑factor model of EDI‑P.

The EDI‑P showed good validity and reliability and could be useful in assessing perfectionism in Iranian population. The EDI‑P shows notable promise as a measure for use in eating research and clinical settings.

Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure is one of the morbidity causes but it is ignored occasionally. Various studies have shown that hookah and cigarette smoke contain significant volume of heavy metals. This study was designed aiming biological monitoring of the level of heavy metals in the urine samples of workers in smoking cafés and its association with their lung function and respiratory symptoms in Tehran City.

The list of cafés in Tehran was provided, and they were divided into water pipe cafés (WPC), cigarette smoking cafés (CSC), and non‑smoking cafés (NSC); and then, 10 cafés were randomly selected from each group. Sampling was performed after explaining the study and obtaining the consent of the manager and staff. A check list of demographic data and smoking history was completed and analyzed.

A total of 96 individuals were studied; there were 32 subjects in each group. All subjects were male. Six days a week, they worked about 10 h a day in café. The concentration of heavy metals in the groups of hookah and cigarettes was significantly higher and respiratory indices in these groups were significantly lower than non‑smoking group.

Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the urinary level of heavy metals and reduces the respiratory capacity of people and this can be highly pathogenic in the future. Comprehensive informing on human rights should be provided in this regard and smoking bans in public places must be properly enforced.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease that can be treated with many medications but they have various side effects and low cure rate. So, the need for finding novel drugs with better healing characters and less toxicity would be mandatory. Achillea millefolium (A. millefolium, Yarrow) has been traditionally used to treat bleeding, ulcers, wounds, liver, and bile disorders, and recently it has been shown to have anti‑ulcer, analgesic, anti‑inflammatory, antioxidant, and appetizing effects that make it as a good candidate for UC.

UC was induced with intra‑rectal instillation of acetic acid. A. millefolium hydroalcoholic extract (AMHE, 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg/day) and essential oil (AMEO, 62.5, 125, and 250 μl/ kg/day) were given to six groups of male Wistar rats for 5 days. Dexamethasone (1 mg/kg/day, intra‑peritoneal) and mesalazine (100 mg/kg/day, orally) were used as reference drugs. Colon tissue specimens were separated for assessing macroscopic, pathologic, and biochemical markers.

For AMHE, 77.2 mg/g equivalent to gallic acid was obtained for total phenols. Main assessed markers, including ulcer index, total colitis index, colon weight/length ratio, rats’ weight gain, and malondialdehyde levels were significantly improved in AMHE (400 and 600 mg/kg/day) and AMEO (125 and 250 μl/kg/day) groups compared to controls. Myeloperoxidase activity was only attenuated in AMHE groups significantly.

Both AMHE and AMEO were effective in healing experimental colitis. It seems antioxidant, anti‑inflammatory, and anti‑ulcer activities of Yarrow are responsible for these beneficial effects. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the exact mechanisms involved.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) quickly spread to the world, causing a pandemic. While some studies have found no link between opioid use disorder (OUD) and COVID‑19, the role of opioid on COVID‑19 is challenging. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between OUD and COVID‑19.

This was a prospective cohort study. We used data from the third phase of the Shahroud Eye Cohort Study on 4394 participants which started in September 2019 and ended before the COVID‑19 epidemic in Shahroud in February 2020. The participants were followed for about 13 months till March 26, 2021. COVID‑19 was detected by RT‑PCR on swap samples from the oropharynx and nasopharynx. The incidence of COVID‑19 compared in OUD and non‑OUD participants, and relative risk was calculated in log‑binomial regression models.

Among the 4394 participants with a mean age of 61.1 years, 120 people had OUD. The incidence of COVID‑19 in participants with OUD and non‑OUD was 4.17% and 6.22%, respectively (P‑value: 0356). The relative risk of OUD for COVID‑19 was 0.60 (95% confidence intervals: 0.25–1.44; P value: 0.251).

OUD was not associated with COVID‑19. The claim that people with OUD are less likely to develop COVID‑19 is not supported by these data.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally. Although significant progress has been made in the diagnosis of CVDs, more investigation can be helpful. Therefore, this study aimed to predict the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) using data mining algorithms.

The applied data were related to the admitted patients in Rajaei specialized cardiovascular hospital located in Tehran. At first, a literature review and interview with a cardiologist were conducted to understand MI. Then, data preparation (cleaning and normalizing the data) was performed. After all, different classification algorithms were applied in IBM SPSS Modeler (14.2) software on the prepared data; and, power of the applied algorithms and the importance of the risk factors in predicting the probability of getting involved with MI was calculated in the mentioned software.

This study was able to predict MI % 75.28 and 77.77% in terms of accuracy and sensitivity, respectively. The results also revealed that cigarette consumption, addiction, blood pressure, and cholesterol were the most important risk factors in predicting the probability of getting involved with MI, respectively.

Predicting studies aim to support rather than replace clinical judgment. Our prediction models are not sufficiently accurate to supplant decision‑making by physicians but have considerable tips about MI risk factors.

Too much crying is a self‑limiting problem and disappears within a few weeks. However, it can lead to maternal depression and parental stress. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of lavender oil inhalation on the duration of night crying within a week of intervention among infants with infantile colic.

In this double‑blind randomized clinical trial, the inclusion criteria for infants were being healthy, not taking any medications for colic, having an episode of crying two hours a day, and having a healthy mother. The intervention group received lavender oil inhalation and the control group received sweet almond oil inhalation for seven days. The data pertaining to the duration of crying were collected four times a day (morning, afternoon, evening, and night) via telephone contact. Mothers’ mood scores were also assessed at the beginning of the study and on the seventh day of the intervention.

At first, the two groups were not different in terms of the duration of crying. After the intervention, however, a significant difference was observed in this regard on all seven days of the study (P < 0.001). Based on the results of the repeated measures analysis, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001).

The results showed that inhalation of lavender oil at low concentrations could reduce colic symptoms and improve maternal mood.