Addition of licorice to the triple clarithromycin-based regimen increases H. pylori eradication, especially in the presence of peptic ulcer disease.

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Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as a chronic and debilitating disease is affected by sleep disturbance which increases the risk of malignancy. Sleep disturbance is more common in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and few reported studies have assessed its role in IBD. We evaluated the effect of IBS on sleep quality and quality of life (QOL) of IBD patients in clinical remission. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 115 IBD patients in clinical remission aged from 14 to 70 years referred to gastroenterology outpatient departments and private gastroenterology offices from 2007 to 2016. Patients considered in four groups (with/without IBS). The Revised “Rome III criteria” used for diagnosing IBS. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire and the health-related QOL questionnaire used for evaluating sleep quality and QOL. Results: About 85 (73.9%) cases had ulcerative colitis (UC) and 30 (26.1%) cases had Crohn's disease (CD). Forty (34.8%) cases had IBD + IBS. Poor sleep quality in UC + IBS (OR: 0.018, P = 0.003) and UC (OR: 0.016, P = 0.002) was less than CD. Diseases extent in left side colitis (OR: 0.064, P = 0.016) were less than with pancolitis. Sleep quality affected by quality of life (IBDQ) ( P = 0.048). Mean quality of life (IBDQ) in patients who had poor sleep was 11% less than those with good sleep. Conclusions: The syndrome of IBS affects the sleep quality of IBD in clinical remission, especially in CD. Its additive effect with IBD may worsen symptoms that correlated with sleep disturbance, such as pain, psychological and physical condition, and QOL.

Background: Vitamin D is an essential substance for absorption of calcium and phosphorus from intestine so it is vital for muscles and skeletal development. Deficiency of this vitamin is pandemic. The vitamin D status depends on the different factors such as UV exposure, diet, and ecological features of living location, age and gender. The aim of this study was to describe the vitamin D level in different provinces of Iran and to investigate the association between vitamin D status and multiple variables. Methods: We collected the serum 25(OH)D (Vitamin D) level data of 308,005 people referred to different laboratories from 30 provinces of Iran and organized them by each province, year, age, gender, precipitation, latitude and longitude, and humidity over 10 yr (2009-2018). Data were analyzed to find out the correlation between age, gender, longitude and latitude, humidity and sum of precipitation. Results: West Azerbaijan had the highest level of vitamin D with a mean level of 33.24 and a standard deviation of 32.001, and North Khorasan had the lowest level with a mean level of 14.46 and a standard deviation of 8.980 among 30 provinces of Iran. The correlation between all studied variables (age, and gender, latitude and longitude, humidity, the sum of precipitation) was significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: The average total vitamin D level in Iran is 25.41 ng/ml, which is within the area of deficiency. Vitamin D is associated with age, and gender, latitude and longitude, humidity, the sum of precipitation. So changes in any of these variables can lead to vitamin D alteration.

Hepatitis B virus, a common cause of viral hepatitis, consumes a large portion of health resources in developing countries. Data obtained from the Survey of Health and Disease in the Islamic Republic of Iran were analysed with respect to hepatitis B-carrier epidemiology. Since the precise mode of transmission of hepatitis B is not well known, the study was designed to evaluate its transmission as a community-acquired disease. HBsAg tests were performed on the sera of 39 841 persons and the impact of several factors on the prevalence rate of HBV carriers was determined. The rate of hepatitis B carriers varied between zero and 3.9% with an average of 1.7%. Older males living in a village with low socioeconomic status, poor sanitation and intrafamily contact are the most important contributors to the rise of hepatitis B infection in the country

Objective:The aim of this study was to measure the level of Vitamin K2 (Vit K2) in osteoporotic patients and individuals with normal bone density as controls.Materials and Methods:This case-control study was done in Outpatient Department of Rheumatology at Qazvin Boo-ali Sina Hospital in 2013. Participants were 50 patients with osteoporotic densitometry measured by DEXA (T score≤ -2.5) who were matched with 48 persons in control group with normal bone density (T score> -1). The level of Vit K2 in samples was measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square test.Results:The level of Vit K2 in patients with osteoporosis was not significantly different from the control group (Median:75.95 vs. 71.35 nmol/L, respectively; P-value: 0.709). The authors determined cut-offs 75 percentile of vitamin K2 in all participants that was 85 nmol/L and percentages of persons in two groups were similar.Conclusion:Although Vit K2 level in patients with osteoporosis was not significantly different from the control group, further studies are necessary to confirm the association of osteoporosis and Vit K2.

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Background:The gastrointestinal cancers are among the most common cause of cancer-related death and their long term survival is very low. This study was aimed to determine the effective factors on survival of gastrointestinal cancers among Iranian population during 5 years of follow up.Methods:In total, 157 patients diagnosed as gastrointestinal cancers from 2007 to 2009 in the only center of endoscopy in Alvand city, northwest of Qazvin province were included and followed for five years. The univariate and multivariate analysis were done using Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox model respectively.Results:Observations of 146 patients were analyzed (99 (67.8%) males and 47 (32.2%) females). The mean age was 64.73± 13.23 and 58.28±13.91 for females and males respectively. The one and three years survival rates for esophageal cancer were 28% and 9% and the one, three and five years survival rates for gastric cancer were 31%, 26% and 14% and for colorectal cancer were 96%, 86% and 75% respectively. In the univariate analysis, variables of age, educational level, ethnicity, smoking, type of cancer, stage of disease and type of treatment had significant effects on survival. In the multivariate analysis, the type of cancer and type of treatment affected the survival of patients as effective factors (p<005).Conclusion:Patients with esophageal cancer and those who underwent RT &/or CT are exposed to higher risk of death. Combination therapies (Surgery and adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy) were related to be her survival. Early diagnosis and use of extended cancer screening programs seem necessary to improve survival.