Background: Prostate cancer is one of the most common health issues among men, especially older men. In recent years, incidences of prostate cancer is increasing. Objective: The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive estimate of the survival of prostate cancer in Asian countries. Methods: We searched five international databases including Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Knowledge and ProQuest until June 1, 2018. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment was used to evaluate the quality of selected papers. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019117044). Results: A total of 714 titles were retrieved. Thirty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Based on the random-effect model one-year, five-year and ten-year survival rate of prostate cancer were 81% (95% CI 77.8-84.2), 61.9% (95% CI 59.5-64.3) and 36.2% (95% CI 9.2-63.2) respectively. Survival rates based on HDI level for five-year were 30.07, 43.43 and 70.84 percent for medium, high and very high levels, respectively. Conclusion: According to the results of our study, the prostate cancer survival rate in Asian countries is relatively lower than in Europe and North America.

Background Novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) was declared as a global pandemic in 2020. With the spread of the disease, a better understanding of patient outcomes associated with their symptoms in diverse geographic levels is vital. This study aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients by disease symptoms in Ilam province, Iran. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. Data were collected from integrated health system records for all hospitals affiliated with the Ilam University of Medical Sciences between 26-Jan-2020 and 02-May-2020. All patients with a confirmed positive test were included in this study. Descriptive analyses, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression model were performed by using SPSS version 22. Results The mean age of participants was 46.47 ± 18.24 years. Of the 3608 patients, 3477 (96.1%) were discharged, and 129 (3.9%) died. 54.2% of the patients were male and were in the age group of 30–40 years. Cough, sore throat, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, and fever or chills were the most common symptoms. Patients with symptoms of shortness of breath, abnormal radiographic findings of the chest, and chest pain and pressure were relatively more likely to die. According to binary logistic regression results, the probability of death in patients with shortness of breath, abnormal chest radiographic findings, and chest pain was 1.34, 1.24, and 1.32 times higher, respectively, than for those without. Conclusion Our study provides evidence that the presentation of some symptoms significantly impacts outcomes of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Early detection of symptoms and proper management of outcomes can reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19.

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Background: Childhood cancer (ChC) is very rare and occurs between birth and 14 years of age. There are several reports about ChC incidence from various regions of Iran, but with conflicting results.  The present study aimed to do a systematic review to estimate the accurate incidence rate of ChC among Iranian people. Materials and Methods: This systematic review was performed based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) checklist in 2018. A literature search was conducted using international databases (Medline/PubMed, Scopus, ISI/Web of Knowledge, and Google Scholar) for English papers, and national databases (Scientific Information Database, MagIran, IranMedex, and IranDoc) for Persian papers which estimated the incidence rate of ChC in any geographical location in  Iran. The incidence rate of ChC was calculated using random-effect model. Results: Out of 157 papers in the primary searches, 12 studies were included by advanced screening and refinement. The crude incidence rate (CIR) of ChC in 0-14 years was 16.8 per 100,000 (95% CI: 9.04-24.56) for boys and 16.56 per 100,000 (95% CI: 10.51-22.62) for girls. Conclusion: The incidence of ChC in Iran is higher compared to other parts of the world. Considering this issue, holding some interventional programs on tackling potential risk factors, including air pollution, in different regions of Iran is suggested.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Survival rates are among the most important factors in quality control and assessment of treatment protocols. This study was aimed to assess the survival rate of colorectal cancer in Eastern Mediterranean Region Countries. In the present study we comprehensively searched 6 international databases including PubMed/Medline, ProQuest, Scopus, Embase, Web of Knowledge and Google Scholar for published articles until November 2018. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Form for Cohort Studies was applied to evaluate the quality of included studies. The heterogeneity of papers was assessed with the Cochran Test and I-Square statistics. Meta-regression test was performed based on publication year, sample size and Human Development Index (HDI) of each study. Among the total of 1023 titles found in the systematic search, 43 studies were eligible to be included in the present meta-analysis. According to the results, the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year survival rate of patients with Colorectal Cancer was 88.07% (95% CI, 83.22-92.92), 70.67% (95% CI, 66.40-74.93) and, 57.26% (95% CI, 50.43-64.10); respectively. Furthermore, Meta-regressions did not show significant correlations between survival rate and year, sample size or Human Development Index. Survival rates, especially the 5-year survival rate in the EMRO were less than European countries and the USA. Documented and comprehensive evidence-based findings of the present meta-analysis can be used to enhance policies and outcomes of different medical areas including prophylaxis, treatment and health related objectives in colorectal cancer.

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Background and aims: Leishmaniasis is one of the most overlooked diseases in tropical areas, which can lead to many deaths and illnesses. The present study was designed to determine the trend of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the south of Fars Province (south of Iran) during 2007-2016. Methods: The population of this cross-sectional study consisted of all people with cutaneous leishmaniasis referring to the Center for Infectious Diseases in Larestan, Gerash, Evaz, and Khonj in the south of Fars Province during 2007-2016. The incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis was analyzed using the Cochrane-Armitage trend test, and the significance level was considered 5%. Results: In general, 4602 cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis were reported from 2007 to 2016. The highest and lowest incidence rates (659.1 versus 88. 3 per 100000 people) were observed in 2008 and 2012, respectively. In addition, the incidence of the disease significantly reduced (P Trend=0.003). Finally, the 0-4 age group had the highest incidence of the disease (69.64 per 100000 people), and the hands were the most common organ affected by cutaneous leishmaniasis (37%). Conclusion: According to the research findings, the incidence rate of cutaneous leishmaniasis is declining although leishmaniasis is still one of the endemic diseases in the region. Therefore, preventive and controlling interventional programs can be effective in reducing new cases of the disease, including the education of individuals, especially children, environmental cleanup, and extermination and control of stray dogs and rodents in the suburbs.

Background & Objective: Today, Likert scale data is used in many studies in medical, educational, and psychometric fields to understand the attitudes of individuals. This study was conducted with the aim of correctly understanding how to design a Likert scale and to analyse the issues and challenges in determining the reliability and analysis of Likert scale data. Instruments & Methods: In the current review study, search engines such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were searched between May and August 2017. Based on the searched terms, 532 articles were primarily obtained; according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study, eventually 60 articles were examined. Results: Using the 5-point scale is more common than other multi-choice options. Considering the option as intervals encourages people to answer the questions. While using Likert scale data, there are always decisionmaking challenges, especially when discussing the type of test to be used for parametric or non-parametric tests. If there is a presumption of the normalization of the distance data, independent t test is used for the two separate groups. Conclusion: In most of the Likert scale studies that have been carried out so far, there is some confusion or disagreement with how to design, construct, and analyse its data. Ultimately, although there is no detailed and comprehensive agreement on the design and analysis of Likert data, this study, with a general summary in this regard, has greatly curtailed the confusion.