Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal
Volume:13 Issue: 11, Nov 2011

The role of family food behaviours on weight status of family members is not well understood. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of some aspects of family food behaviours on adolescents overweight. In a cross-sectional mother-child-linked study design, participants were a subsample of 3862 adolescents (51.9% boys) from the Mater hospital-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), a longitudinal study of a birth cohort of 7,223 women and their offspring. Information on aspects of family food behaviours (family meal patterns and influences, frequency of family food consumption, and influences on family food selection) was collected by self reported questionnaires from mothers in a 14 years follow up (in 1994-1997) and other covariates at different stages of follow-ups. Body Mass Index of the adolescents was calculated using measured height and weight. Being overweight at 14 years had significant negative associations with mothers’ report on the importance of family meals (OR=1.28), frequency of eating cake/biscuits (OR=1.71), and significant positive association with mothers’ report on frequency of consumption of cooked vegetables (OR=1.32), soft drinks (OR=1.60) and importance of fattening of foods (OR=1.27). The study confirmed the importance of the family and some family food behaviours in shaping risk of being overweight amongst adolescents. Because of the cross-sectional nature of this study, we could not conclude that they had casual correlations. Comparison with the literature suggests that some of these effects may be specific to particular contexts, potentially affected by cultural and socio-economic differences.

Little evidence exists about the effects of soy on glycemic control and oxidative stress in elderly women with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of this study was to ascertain the effects of soy on fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, homeostasis model of assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) on these individuals. A 12-week randomized clinical trial was conducted on 75 women between 60-70 years of age with MetS in rural health clinics around Babol, Iran in 2009. The participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups of soy-nut, Textured Soy Protein (TSP) or control. Measurements were obtained before and after intervention. The soy-nut improved FBG, insulin, HOMA-IR, MDA and TAC significantly after intervention (p<0.05); whereas, TSP established a significant decrease in serum insulin and MDA and increase in TAC compared to the control group (p<0.05). Comparing changes in means showed significant differences among all glucose control parameters, MDA and TAC in the treatment groups to the control group (p<0.001). The comparison of the treatments in the two groups showed that the mean changes in FBG, insulin and HOMA-IR levels in soy-nut group was significantly higher than TSP group (p<0.001). Both kinds of soy improved the oxidative stress and glycemic control status, but the soy-nut contributed more effectively than TSP. Therefore, it can be claimed that a moderate daily intake of soy may be a safe, cheap and practical way for the simultaneous improvement of oxidative stress and insulin resistance in elderly women with MetS.

Few studies have addressed the secular trend of malignancies in developing countries such as Iran. This study aimed to determine the trend in the incidence of gastrointestinal cancers during a period of 15 years in Kermanshah, Iran. All of the confirmed positive pathologic reports for esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancers from 1993 to 2007 were collected and compared with the data compiled in the provincial health center. The incidence rate was standardized for world population using a direct method. The Fay and Feuer method was used to calculate the 95% confidence intervals for each cancer in each year. Trends were investigated using linear regression. Over the period, 2951 cases of gastrointestinal cancer were reported in Kermanshah Province. The age-standardized incidence rates for gastric, esophageal and colorectal cancers were 9.2, 8.1 and 4.5 per 100,000 respectively over 15 years. In all types, the incidence increased with age. The study showed that the incidence of gastric and esophageal cancers decreased annually by 0.28 (-0.67-0.11) and 0.36 (-0.70 – (-0.02)), respectively. Colorectal cancer demonstrated an increase in the incidence [0.14 (95% CI: -0.01-0.29) annually]. A decrease in the incidence of gastric and esophageal cancers and an increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer are in line with reports from other developing countries in epidemiologic transition. Such trends warrant in depth investigation for the exact reasons.

Menopause is a physiological process in women's life. The aim of this study was to assess QOL and related factors among menopausal women in Kashan city in Iran. Seven hundred women aged 40–60 years were assessed using cluster sampling. Women with mental and physical problems or systemic diseases were excluded. Data were collected by standard questionnaire of quality of life in the menopause. The mean menopausal age was 47.6±4.1 years. 55.6% of women had been postmenopausal for less than 5 years. The overall mean scores obtained for each domain was 2.82±1.64 for vasomotor, 2.71±1.2 for psychosocial, 2.46±0.99 for physical and 2.89±1.73 for sexual domains. Age, working status, physical activity, educational level, duration of menopause, income satisfaction, marriage satisfaction and the number of children in those living with family had influence on quality of life in menopausal women.

Genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted disease in many developed and developing countries mostly caused by Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). This study determines the prevalence of HSV-2 infection between two groups of women with high and low risk behaviors. In this seroepidemiologic study, 362 women attending obstetrics and gynecology clinics as low risk group and 156 prisoners and drop in center resident women in Tehran as high risk group were enrolled. HSV infection was identified by serologic tests on blood samples. The prevalence of IgG antibody in high risk group was significantly more than low risk women (26.3% vs. 2.5%). The prevalence of IgM antibody in high risk group was less than low risk group (3.8% vs. 7.1%) but the difference was not statistically significant. In high risk group, there was significant association between positive IgG and anal/oral sex, use of condom, smoking and drug addiction as well as genital pain, burning, itching, ulcer, dysuria, and history of genital infection. In low risk group, association between positive IgM and IgG test results and risky behaviors were not significant. There was significant association between IgM and genital itching, rash, and ulcer. Relatively high seroprevalence of anti-HSV-2 IgG and high frequency of genital Herpes among high risk women necessitates regular screening and safe sex education programs. Moreover, risk of acute infection in this group should not be ignored and its distribution in Iranian population should be alarmingly concerned.

Hand eczema is a common and distressing condition with multiple causes such as atopy, irritant and allergic contact dermatitis. Fumaria parviflora, is known as Shahtareh in Persian, is a folk medicine for eczema. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of alcoholic extract of Fumaria parviflora on hand eczema. In a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 44 patients with hand eczema were randomly assigned to apply 4% cream of Fumaria parviflora or vehicle cream to hand twice daily for 4 weeks. The reduction of eczema area and severity index score before and two weeks after therapy was statistically significant between vehicle treated and in treated group. Only one patient showed side effects such as erythema and population. Fumaria parviflora appears to be tolerated by most patients and the findings showed that its extract may be considered as an effective agent for treatment of chronic hand eczema.

Many polio patients develop problems such as cold intolerance in the affected limbs, which seems to be due to sympathetic nervous system dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate whether there is a sympathetic system dysfunction in old-polio patients by means of the systematic skin response test. Forty old-polio patients and 20 healthy subjects were included in the study. Disease duration was 31.5 years (19-49 years) in the patient group. Sympathetic skin responses were obtained in all the subjects’ limbs. Thirteen patients had right lower limb paresis/paralysis, 14 had left limb paresis/paralysis and 13 had paresis/paralysis of both lower limbs. The upper limbs were unaffected in all the patients. Although there was no significant difference between sympathetic skin response latencies of the case and control groups, the amplitude values of the sympathetic skin response in the patient’s lower extremities were significantly lower than those in the control group. There was a sympathetic nervous system dysfunction in some old-polio patients. This finding might be useful in evaluation and treatment of old-polio patients, developing new problems.

Acinetobacter is a multi-drug resistant and nosocomial pathogen. The aim of this study was to determine antibacterial susceptibility patterns and cross-resistance of Acinetobacter species. This study was conducted in Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran from October 2007 to September 2008. Species identification was carried out by API E20. Minimum inhibitory concentration and cross-resistance of the isolated strains to 12 antibiotics were determined by E-test method. Eighty eight isolates of Acinetobacter were collected from patients’ samples. Acinetobacter baumannii was isolated most frequently (79; 89.8%). Colistin, imipenem and meropenem were found to be the three most effective antibiotics with 97.7%, 77.3% and 72.7% activity against the isolates, respectively. Multi-drug resistance was revealed among 2 to 11 antibiotics and high cross-resistance was also noticed. To alleviate the situation, strict control measures and appropriate effective antibiotic therapy should be adopted to reduce hospital costs and related mortality.