Ob­jec­ti­ve: The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) among newborns in Markazi Province, Iran.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from 2006 to 2012. Blood samples were taken between 3 to 5 days after birth from the heel. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was tested using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method and was employed as the screening test. Newborns with abnormal screening results (TSH >5 mIU/L) were re-examined. The data were analyzed using SPSS.Results: A total of 127 112 infants were screened. Of these, 51.2% were male and 48.8% were female. The coverage rate of the screening program was 100%. Of 6102 recalled subjects (re-call rate 4.8%), 414 cases with CH were detected, yielding a CH prevalence of 1:307 (female:male ratio 1:0.95). The prevalence of permanent and transient CH was 1:581 and 1:628, respectively.Conclusion: This study reveals that the prevalence of CH is higher compared to worldwide levels. Comprehensive and complementary studies for recognizing related risk factors should be a priority for health system research in this province.

The current study was conducted to assess the effects of simultaneous usage with vitamin D3 and chromium picolinate (CrPic) supplementations on homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting blood glucose (FBS), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and lipid profile in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Ninety-two patients with T2DM were randomly allocated to the following 4 groups for 4 months: (I) placebo of vitamin D3 (n = 23); (II) vitamin D3 supplement at a dose of 50 000 IU/week (n = 23); (III) CrPic supplement at a dose of 500 μg/day (n = 23); and (IV) both vitamin D3 at a dose of 50 000 IU/week and CrPic at a dose of 500 μg/day (n = 23). HOMA-IR levels increased significantly in groups I and II after the intervention. However, this increase in group I was significantly higher than that in group II after the treatment. HOMA-IR levels were controlled in groups III and IV during the intervention. TNF-α decreased significantly in groups II, III, and IV after the intervention. FBS, HbA1c, and lipid profile did not change significantly in total groups after the intervention. It seems that chromium and vitamin D3 co-supplementation are probably effective in controlling HOMA-IR by decreasing TNF-α in T2DM. Novelty Chromium alone and/or in simultaneous pretreatment with vitamin D3 is more effective than vitamin D3 in controlling HOMA-IR in T2DM. Chromium and vitamin D3 alone and/or in simultaneous pretreatment decrease TNF-α in T2DM.

The present study confirmed that both methylphenidate and resperidone can successfully be used for treatment of MA dependence, in order to reduce drug craving and psychological, neurologic, and somatic problems in patients. However, the efficacy of methylphenidate was estimated to be less than that of resperidone for this purpose.

Asthma is the most common cause of recurrent wheezing, cough and dyspnea in childhood. Delay in diagnosis and lack of appropriate treatment can cause sustained changes which decrease respiratory capacity of children in future. Therefore, identifying the symptoms relating to asthma is the key for timely diagnosis and treatment of this disease. This study was done to investigate asthma incidence in Khomein and compare it to other cities of Iran susceptible to asthma, including Tehran. The present study was a descriptive crosssectional one based on standard questionnaire of International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). For conducting this study, 1621 students of first grade in some primary schools and junior high schools of Khomein were selected through nonrandom sampling and census and were evaluated during 2015-2016. Both groups were studied and evaluated in terms of being affected by asthma and its severity (current and previous wheezing ,night-time cough, talking limitation due to coughing or wheezing, exercise-induced wheezing, nocturnal awaking due to cough). Results were analyzed through the chi-square test. The asthma diagnosed in Khomein students by the physician during the study was 3.5% while 73.2% of the children under study had at least one asthma symptom. One eighth of the students under study had severe asthma. Comparing with polluted Tehran and northern cities of Iran, Asthma symptoms incidence was higher in Khomein where the humidity and industrial pollution is less than in those cities and the asthma cases diagnosed by physicians were much fewer than expected asthma incidence.

Objective: Considering the high prevalence of diabetes mellitus and its effect on the quality of life (QoL) of patients which can lead to low self-care and increased risk of disease complications, this study aims to assess the effect of a self-care training program based on temperament modification on the QoL of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 110 patients with T2D were selected by a convenience sampling method and were randomly divided into two groups of intervention and control using the random number table. After obtaining informed consent from them, they completed a demographic from and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire, and their temperament was diagnosed by a doctor expert in Iranian traditional medicine. The intervention group received four sessions of self-care training based on temperament modification each for 45 minutes. The control group received routine treatment without any intervention. Then, they completed the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire again three months after the intervention. Data were analyzed in SPSS software, version 22 using chi-square test, paired t-test, and independent t-test. The significant level was set at 0.05. Results: Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in the quality of life score between the intervention (83.2±11.9) and control (85±9.4) groups (P= 0.194). After the intervention, the difference was significant between the intervention (87.7±11.3) and control (85.1±9.5) groups (P=0.044). There was no significant difference in the quality of life score in control group before and after the intervention (P=0.244). Conclusion: The self-care program training based on temperament modification can improve the quality of life of patients with T2D.

Background: Stroke is one of the major causes of disability and mortality in Iran. Therefore, it is of critical importance to know the factors affecting the effective management of acute stroke for better prevention and treatment of stroke. Objectives: The present study aims at investigating the risk factors associated with prognosis in patients with acute stroke who were registered in the "724" stroke management registry system at Amir Al-Momenin Hospital, Arak, Iran. Methods: This retrospective observational study included all acute stroke patients who were registered in the "724" stroke management registry system at Amir Al-Momenin Hospital, Arak, Iran, from April 2017 to April 2019. Data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 23) through the Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, Mann Whitney U test, and logistic regression. Results: This study investigated 139 patients with acute stroke registered in the "724" stroke management registry system at Amir Al-Momenin Hospital, Arak, Iran, from April 2017 to April 2019. The mean age of the patients was 62.91±13.31 years, and the majority of the cases were male (n=77; 55.4 %). Totally, 104 (75.4%) and 31 (22.3%) patients had hypertension and diabetes, respectively. In-hospital mortality showed a statistically significant relationship with a history of stroke, brain computed tomography scan results and high National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at baseline (P<0.05). Conclusions: High rate of hypertension among stroke patients highlights its significance as an important modifiable risk factor for stroke. Attention to these risk factors is essential for the primary prevention of stroke. History of stroke and NIHSS score at baseline≥8 associated with poor outcome at discharge.

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Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the potential effects of the combined herbal capsule (CHC), as a nutritional supplement, on glycemic indices (GIs) and lipid profile (LP) of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Following a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, the current study was conducted on 80 cases with T2DM who were randomly assigned into two groups of treatment (CHCs; n = 40) and control (placebo; n = 40). Both groups received the intervention (500 mg capsules) twice a day for three months, without changes in the previous dose of oral anti-hyperglycemic drugs. The GI and LP levels were measured before the intervention and three months later to investigate the potential efficacy of the interventions. Results: For those in the intervention group, the mean GI [i.e., fasting blood sugar, two hours postprandial (2hpp), and HbA1c] was significantly different after 3 months (P < 0.05). The GI- and LP-related outcomes (TG, LDL-C except for TC) were improved after 3-month of receiving the intervention compared to the control group; however, the observed improvement was no statistically significant (P > 0.05). The HDL-C level was also significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that receiving CHCs could improve GI and LP levels (TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C, except for TC), which indicates its potential to control T2DM. Moreover, no significant side effect was observed in the intervention group. It can be argued that the use of CHCs, as adjuvant therapy, in combination with conventional hypoglycemic and lipid-lowering drugs, as well as following a modified lifestyle, not only can significantly enhance glycemic control but also may prevent T2DM complications.