Background:Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common metabolic disorder during pregnancy. GDM causes substantial morbidity and mortality and long- term complications. GDM-related risk factors have not been completely identified yet. Some studies have found relationship between increased serum ferritin and impaired oral glucose tolerance test but the relationship between serum ferritin and risk of GDM has been controversial. The aim of the study was to determine serum iron and ferritin levels and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) in women with GDM and comparison with normal pregnant women.Materials and Methods:This case-control study was performed among 200 pregnant women (case = 100, control = 100) who were referred to Yahya-Nejad Hospital in the second trimester in Babol from 2008 to 2009. GDM was diagnosed by impaired OGTT based on Carpenter and Coustan criteria. The 2 groups were matched in age, gestational age and parity.Results:High serum ferritin level increased the risk of gestational diabetes to 2.4-fold [OR = 2.4 (0.83-6.9) CI = 95% (P = 0.10)], while in those with low ferritin levels, the risk of developing gestational diabetes was reduced to 82% [OR = 0.8 with (0.08-0.37) CI = 95% (P = 0.001)]. Using the logistic regression model, after adjustment for BMI, the OR was 2.37 [(0.80-7.01) CI = 95% (P = 0.11)] for low ferritin level and OR = 0.20 [(0.09-0.44) CI = 95% (P = 0.0001)] for high ferritin level, which was statistically significant.Conclusion:The serum ferritin level was markedly higher in women with gestational diabetes than in normal pregnant women; therefore, high ferritin can be regarded as a significant risk factor for the development of gestational diabetes.

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Background:Visfatin, also known as nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, has been suggested as a pro-inflammatory and immunomodulating marker for periodontitis. The aim of this study was an immunohistochemical analysis of visfatin in gingival tissues of patients with chronic periodontitis and aggressive periodontitis.Materials and Methods:In this cross-sectional study based on clinical evaluation and inclusion and exclusion criteria. Twenty patients with generalized chronic periodontitis, 13 patients with generalized aggressive periodontitis, and 20 periodontally healthy individuals enrolled. Gingival tissue samples were obtained during periodontal flap surgery and crown lengthening surgery in periodontal patients and healthy group, respectively. Tissue samples were transferred to a pathology laboratory to determine the degree of inflammatory infiltration by hematoxylin and eosin staining and the level of visfatin expression by immunohistochemistry. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 statistical software and paired t-test, Mann–Whitney test, and Spearman rank correlation coefficient. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Inflammation grading and visfatin expression were significantly higher in periodontally diseased gingiva compared to the control group (P < 0.05). However, no significant difference was found between two diseased groups. The relationship between inflammation grading and visfatin expression in aggressive periodontitis group was statistically significant, positive and relatively strong (P = 0.025, r = 0.617). However, no significant relationship has been found between visfatin expression and inflammation grading in the chronic periodontitits and control groups (P > 0.05).Conclusion:Visfatin expression was increased in gingival tissues of chronic periodontitis and aggressive periodontitis patients. Hence, visfatin may have a role in the etiopathogenesis of chronic periodontitis and aggressive periodontitis.

Objective: Helicobacter Pylori (H.pylori) is one of the most important causes of dyspepsia and diagnosis can be made by invasive or non-invasive methods. One of the non-invasive methods, H.pylori stool antigen test (HpSA) is simple, fast and relatively inexpensive. According to this view with regard to gastric biopsy as a gold standard the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of this method were calculated. Methodology: Stool samples of 61 patients who underwent upper endoscopy and gastric biopsy due to dyspepsia were evaluated for H. Pylori stool antigen using sandwich ELISA method. Results: From the 61 patients who participated in this study, H.pylori was diagnosed in 38 (62.3%) gastric biopsies, 25(66%) of these had positive HpSA test. Also, of 27 (37.7%) positive HpSA cases, H.pylori was seen in 25 gastric biopsies. For this method, sensitivity of 66% with 93% positive predictive value was calculated. Also, 91% specificity with 62% negative predictive value was estimated. Conclusion: High positive HpSA indicates high risk of H.pylori infection and high specificity shows that the likelihood of false positive is low. Therefore, physicians can trust on this method and start patient`s treatment.