BackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health problem. The eventual outcome of CKD is end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Early diagnosis and proper management play an important role in preventing CKD progression to ESRD. Dialysis and kidney transplantation are the only treatment options available for patients suffering from ESRD.ObjectivesThis study was designed to investigate the etiological role of recipient and donor characteristics on serum creatinine changes within the follow-up period, graft failure risk, and the impact of longitudinal serum creatinine levels on graft survival after renal transplantation.Patients and MethodsThis study was carried out at the department of nephrology, Baqiyatallah hospital, Baqiyatallah University, Tehran, Iran, between April 2005 and December 2008. During that time period, 461 patients who had undergone renal transplantation were entered in the current study. Time to graft loss and serum creatinine levels at each visit were the primary data gathered for the study. A joint modeling of survival and longitudinal nonsurvival data was used to assess the association between the two processes and investigate the influential factors.ResultsMedian follow-up time was 6.80 months. A linear decreasing trend in serum creatinine level over time was found (P < 0.001). The results showed a positive correlation between serum creatinine levels and risk of graft failure (P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe major finding of this study is that one unit increase in serum creatinine level suggests an increased risk of graft failure of up to four times.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the association of polymorphism rs10181656 (C>G) of signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) gene with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) in the southwest of Iran as well as the probable relationship between the polymorphism with clinical features and disease activity parameters in both diseases. Patients and methods: A total of 200 patients (120 with RA [21 males, 99 females; mean age 44.83 years; range, 16 to 75 years] and 80 with SSc [13 males, 67 females; mean age 44.3 years; range, 30 to 75 years]) and 120 healthy controls (25 males, 95 females; mean age 46.93 years; range, 30 to 75 years) were recruited in this study. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. A set of genotypes was confirmed by sequencing. Results: A statistically significant association was detected between STAT4 rs10181656 polymorphism and RA (p=0.007). No significant correlation was detected between STAT4 rs10181656 polymorphism and SSc (p=0.357). None of the clinical features (anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, rheumatoid factor) or disease activity parameters (limited cutaneous SSc, diffuse cutaneous SSc) showed any correlation with the genotype distribution of the STAT4 rs10181656 polymorphism in RA or SSc patients. Conclusion: Our findings suggest an association between RA susceptibility and STAT4 rs10181656 polymorphism. However, no significant association was found between the mentioned polymorphism and SSc. Clinical features and disease activity parameters did not show any association with the polymorphism.

Background Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is a major cause of urinary tract infection (UTI); however, treatment of UTI has been challenging due to increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR). One of the most important types of AMR is carbapenem resistance (CR). CR bacteria are known as an important threat to global public health today. Class B metallo-beta-lactamases (MBLs) are one of the major factors for resistance against carbapenems. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of UPEC isolates producing MBL. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2018 to December 2019 in Ahvaz; Iran. UPEC isolates were identified by biochemical and molecular methods. Metallo-beta-lactamase-producing isolates were detected using modified carbapenem inactivation method (mCIM) and EDTA-CIM (eCIM) tests. MBL genes, phylogenetic group, and virulence genes profile of carbapenem resistant isolates were determined. Conjugation assay and plasmid profiling were conducted to evaluate the ability of transferring of CR to other E. coli isolates. Clonal similarity of isolates were assessed using Enterobacterial intergenic repetitive element sequence (ERIC)-PCR. Results Among 406 UPEC isolates, 12 (2.95%) carbapenem-resistant were detected of which 11 were phenotypically MBL-producing strains. Four isolates were resistant to all investigated antimicrobial agents and were considered possible pandrug-resistant (PDR). blaNDM, blaOXA-48, blaIMP-1, and blaIMP-2 genes were found in 9, 5, 1, and 1 isolates, respectively. Among 30 virulence genes investigated, the traT, fyuA followed by fimH, and iutA with the frequency of 8 (66.7%), 8 (66.7%), 7 (58.3%), and 7 (58.3%) were the most identified genes, respectively. Siderophore production was the main virulence trait among carbapenem-resistant UPEC isolates. Except for two, all other isolates showed weak to moderate virulence index. In all recovered isolates, CR was readily transmitted via plasmids to other isolates during conjugation experiments. Conclusion MBL and carbapenemase genes, especially blaNDM and blaOXA-48 are spreading rapidly among bacteria, which can be a threat to global public health. Therefore monitoring the emergence and dissemination of new AMR is necessary to continuously refine guidelines for empiric antimicrobial therapy. Understanding the mechanisms of resistance and virulence in this group of bacteria can play an effective role in providing new therapeutic methods.

Background and aims: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a polygenic, inflammatory disease with a complex genetic inheritance that affects almost all the organs and systems of the host body. According to studies, STAT4 is a susceptible gene that can participate in the development of SLE in different populations. The aim of this study was to show the association between rs7582694 single nucleotide polymorphism with increased risk of SLE disease and two serological symptoms of the disease (i.e., anti-dsDNA and ANA) in the population residing in Lorestan province. Methods: The present study was conducted as a case control research. In this study, the prevalence of STAT4 gene G/C (rs7582694) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the patients with SLE (n=122) and in control group (n=127) was investigated among a sample population from Lorestan province. This SNP was genotyped based on using two methods including PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reactionrestriction fragment length polymorphism) and tetra-primer ARMS-PCR (amplification-refractory mutation system) methods. Results: According to the obtained results, the frequency of minor allele C from this SNP (related allele with the disease) as compared to the major allele G (normal allele) was significantly higher in SLE patients than the controls. In addition, it showed a significant association (odds ratio [OR] = 1.623, 95% CI = 1.111-2.370, P = 0.012) with susceptibility to SLE. Moreover, a significant correlation (OR = 2.249, 95% CI = 1.031–4.904, P = 0.042) was found between the rs7582694 CC genotype and the risk of SLE in the population of Lorestan. Conclusion: Overall, based on the results it can be concluded that there was a relationship between the STAT4 gene G/C (rs7582694) SNP and the increased risk of SLE. However, no association was observed between the above-mentioned gene and anti-dsDNA or ANA that are some of the symptoms of SLE.

Background: The protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor 22 (PTPN22) gene encodes the lymphoid protein tyrosine phosphatase. Recent studies demonstrated the association between the +1858C > T, -1123G > C variants of PTPN22 gene, and different autoimmune diseases. The current study aimed at examining the association between the polymorphism of PTPN22 gene and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the Southwest of Iran.