Archives of Iranian Medicine
Volume:26 Issue: 4, Apr 2023

 Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate of approximately 5%. The incidence and mortality rates of PDAC are increasing, and the results of medical treatments remain unsatisfactory. Some conflicting evidence suggests that aspirin intake may reduce the risk of PDAC. This study aimed to evaluate the association between regular low-dose aspirin use (80-mg aspirin tablets, 5-7 tablets/week) and the risk of PDAC.

 This prospective, hospital-based, case-control study was performed on 470 PDAC patients (case group) and 526 sex and age-matched controls, in Tehran, Iran from 2011 to 2018. The participants were interviewed regarding the patterns of aspirin use. Data are expressed as mean±SD or frequency and percentage as appropriate. Differences in frequency between the case and control groups were evaluated based on the analysis of the contingency table (χ2 test and Fisher’s exact test). Propensity score models were designed to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for PDAC with respect to aspirin use, adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, opium use, diabetes mellitus, place of residence, and family history of cancer in first-degree relatives.

 About 60% of PDAC patients were male in this study. Also, 25.2% of PDAC patients had a family history of cancer in one of their first-degree relatives, 21.99% were smokers, 13.9% were opium users, and 11.7% had a history of diabetes. Aspirin was used by 22.77% of PDAC patients and 18.25% of the controls. Ever aspirin use (OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.89 – 1.14) was not associated with PDAC.

 Overall, aspirin use was not associated with a reduced risk of PDAC.

 Intellectual disability (ID) is a genetically heterogeneous condition, and so far, 1679 human genes have been identified for this phenotype. Countries with a high rate of parental consanguinity, such as Iran, provide an excellent opportunity to identify the remaining novel ID genes, especially those with an autosomal recessive (AR) mode of inheritance. This study aimed to investigate the most prevalent ID genes identified via next-generation sequencing (NGS) in a large ID cohort at the Genetics Research Center (GRC) of the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences.

 First, we surveyed the epidemiological data of 619 of 1295 families in our ID cohort, who referred to the Genetics Research Center from all over the country between 2004 and 2021 for genetic investigation via the NGS pipeline. We then compared our data with those of several prominent studies conducted in consanguineous countries. Data analysis, including cohort data extraction, categorization, and comparison, was performed using the R program version 4.1.2.

 We categorized the most common ID genes that were mutated in more than two families into 17 categories. The most common syndromic ID in our cohort was AP4 deficiency syndrome, and the most common non-syndromic autosomal recessive intellectual disability (ARID) gene was ASPM. We identified two unrelated families for the 36 ID genes. We found 14 genes in common between our cohort and the Arab and Pakistani groups, of which three genes (AP4M1, AP4S1, and ADGRG1) were repeated more than once.

 To date, there has been no comprehensive targeted NGS platform for the detection of ID genes in our country. Due to the large sample size of our study, our data may provide the initial step toward designing an indigenously targeted NGS platform for the diagnosis of ID, especially common ARID in our population.

 According to the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD), cerebrovascular diseases are the second leading cause of death in the world. This is a cross-sectional study on deaths due to cerebrovascular diseases in southern Iran.

 In this cross-sectional study, data on all deaths caused by cerebrovascular diseases in the Fars province between 2004 and 2019 was extracted from the Electronic Death Registry System (EDRS). To eliminate or minimize the influence of age composition, standardized mortality rate was used based on the 2013 Segi standard populations of low- and middle-income countries. In order to measure the years of life lost (YLL) from cerebrovascular diseases, the standardized life table was considered. The Joinpoint Regression method was used to examine the trend of the crude and standardized mortality rate and the YLL rate.

 Over the study period, 24,051 deaths occurred due to cerebrovascular diseases in Fars with 12,586 cases in men (52.3%). The trend of standardized mortality rate in males and females was decreasing (P value=0.001 and<0.001 for males and females, respectively). All YLL due to premature mortality from cerebrovascular disease during the 16-year study period were 119,436 (3.8 per 1000 persons) in men, and 111,172 (3.6 per 1000 persons) in women. Based on the joinpoint regression, the 16-year trend of YLL rate due to premature death was decreasing: annual percent change (APC) was -1.6% (95% CI -3.4 to 0.3, P=0.098) for males, and -2.0% (95% CI -3.6 to -0.4, P=0.017) for females.

 The trend of mortality rate and YLL caused by cerebrovascular diseases has decreased in our study. Necessary measures, mainly primary and secondary prevention, should be taken to continue the diminishing trend of cerebrovascular diseases.

Background: 

Burns constitute one of the most important etiologies of infection and mortality worldwide, with the most significant number of cases in low- and middle-income countries. This is a cross-sectional study on deaths due to burns in southern Iran.

Methods: 

In this study, data on all deaths due to burns in southern Iran between 2004 and 2019 was extracted from the population-based Electronic Death Registry System (EDRS). The Joinpoint Regression method was used to examine the trend of crude mortality rate, standardized mortality rate, and years of life lost (YLL) rate. In order to measure YLL, the number of deaths and life expectancy for different age and gender groups were used, for which the standard life table was considered.

Results: 

During this study, 2175 deaths due to burns occurred, 50.6% (1106 cases) of which were in men and 38.7% (841 cases) were in the 15-29 age group. The crude and the standardized mortality rate had a decreasing trend during the study years. The total number of YLL was 25260 (0.8 per 1000) in men, 25,785 (0.8 per 1000) in women, and 51,045 (0.8 per 1000) in both genders during the 16 years of the study.

Conclusion: 

Considering the high mortality rate in the 15-29 age group, which consists of the active and productive labor force, necessary actions are needed in order to improve safety equipment and to make the workplace safe.

 Some recent trials have reported high efficacy for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in relieving medical abortion-related pain. The aim of this study was to determine the beneficial effect of oral NSAIDs (ibuprofen lysine) in reduction of pain and hemorrhage in first-trimester medical abortion.

 This randomized triple-blinded clinical trial was performed on 98 pregnant women who were candidate for medical abortion within the first-trimester period (gestational age<12 weeks). The participants were randomly assigned to receive ibuprofen lysine (684 mg orally every 4 hours) or placebo. All patients were initially treated with misoprostol (800 µg every 3 hours). Pain intensity and rate of hemorrhage were assessed every hour up to 15 hours after receiving the first dose of misoprostol by visual analogue scaling (VAS) and pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBAC), respectively.

 Assessing the mean pain score within 15 hours of receiving misoprostol showed significantly lower pain intensity within the first 10 hours of assessment in the group receiving NSAID in comparison with the control group (P<0.001). The bleeding rate was also significantly lower in the NSAID group at the fifth (P=0.013) and ninth (P=0.040) hour of receiving misoprostol compared to the control group. We found no difference in abortion-related complication rate between the NSAID and placebo groups (8.3% versus 8.0%, P=0.952).

 The use of NSAIDs (ibuprofen lysine) is a good pharmacological analgesic option for relieving medical abortionrelated pain and hemorrhage.

 Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are an effective method for medication and nutrition infusion in preterm neonates. The present study aimed to identify the incidence of the most common complications of PICC implantation and evaluate the risk factors of each complication.

 This historical cohort study was conducted on 2500 neonates with birth weights (BWs)≥500 g and gestational age (GA)>24 weeks who had a history of PICC inserted in three NICUs between August 2015 and August 2018. Data were collected by reviewing medical records. Demographic data and indices of catheter placement, duration of catheter placement, and common complications were recorded. Data analysis was done using SPSS-21.

 The median cubital vein had the most PICC placement (43%). The most common complication was tip malposition (48.2%). The incidence rates (95% CI) of the main complications such as malposition, edema/occlusion, and PICC migration were 0.0356 (0.0337-0.0377), 0.0134 (0.0122-0.0147), and 0.0088 (0.0079-0.0099), respectively. PICC insertion position was the strongest predictor of malposition for the cephalic vein. Besides, the incidence of malformation in the cephalic vein was about six times higher than in the median cubital vein. Independent risk factors for non-technical complications included BW (OR=0.59, 95% CI 0.44-0.79), administration of hyperosmolar medications (OR=3.43, 95% CI 2.62-4.51), position (OR=2.43, 95% CI 1.92- 3.08), and duration of catheter presence (OR=1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.03) (P<0.001).

 The most common complication was malposition related to catheter placement in an emergency. Moreover, BW, administration of hyperosmolar medications, and duration of catheter presence were the most critical risk factors for non-technical complications. Therefore, it is recommended to educate the PICC insertion team to reduce tip malposition and replace long-term catheters.

Idiopathic true aneurysm of the distal radial artery is a rare disease with only few reported cases. Most patients were treated surgically with proximal and distal arterial ligatures, while there are reports of only 7 cases where revascularization procedures were performed. We present a case of a 66-year-old man with a pulsatile mass in the right forearm at the location of the radial artery. Six months preceding the presentation, the patient had first noticed a pulsatile tumefaction which gradually increased in size, with a sudden increase during the last month. The patient worked as a waiter and was a non-smoker with no significant comorbidities. There was no history of trauma, recent infection, hospitalization, recurrent injury, or peripheral venous cannulation. After CDT diagnosis, we performed resection of aneurysm and reconstruction with cephalic autovenous graft. One month afterwards, at the follow-up visit, the patient denied having symptoms of hand ischemia and duplex ultrasound examination showed adequate patency of the radial artery. This paper presents a rare case of a true idiopathic radial artery aneurysm that was treated surgically by complete resection and interposition with a reverse cephalic vein autovenous graft. Detailed anamnesis and clinical examination are necessary for the appropriate surgical treatment of the disease.

Liver diseases in children and adolescents are a significant and arising public health issue and should be surveyed from different dimensions (clinical and para-clinical, psychological, socio-economic) and in diverse populations. Shiraz Liver Transplant Center, Shiraz, Iran is the only center for pediatric liver transplantation and its pre-operative evaluations. This provides a unique and valuable situation for studying this vulnerable population. The Shiraz Pediatric Liver Cirrhosis Cohort Study (SPLCCS) was established to assess cirrhotic children, the course of their disease, and treatment over time. This cohort study aimed to prospectively evaluate the natural course and factors that contributed to complications and death of children with chronic liver disease in the region. SPLCCS was launched in September 2018 after obtaining ethical approval; until August 2022, 370 children with end-stage liver disease were enrolled and followed every six months. Here, the cohort’s features, the included population’s baseline characteristics, and primary outcomes are reported.