Effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on depression and anxiety in women with systemic lupus erythematous

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is an effective psychological approach for chronic mood disorders. This study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of MBCT on depression and anxiety in women with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) within a 3-month follow-up.METHODS: This study was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest design and control group. Study population consisted of 200 women with SLE in Sari, Iran, in 2016. Of whom, 30 depressed and anxious women were selected and assigned to two 15-member groups randomly. Experimental group participated in 8 sessions of intervention, while control group were in waiting list. MBCT was educated to women. To collect data, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were employed at baseline and follow-up stages. To analyze data, descriptive statistics [mean and standard deviation (SD)] and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were used through SPSS software.RESULTS: There was a significant difference between experimental and control groups in scores of depression and anxiety in post intervention and follow-up stages (P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: MBCT could decrease chronic negative mood symptoms such as anxiety and depression in patients with SLE. We suggest this psychological approach for women with SLE

Epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcome of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Kurdistan Province, Iran

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcome of confirmed and suspected hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Iran hospitals affiliated with the Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on all confirmed and suspected hospitalized COVID-19 cases in hospitals affiliated with the Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences between March and September 2020. Required data were obtained from the Hospital Intelligent Management System of hospitals. Independent t-test, chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for univariate analysis. Variables with P-value < 0.3 in univariate analysis were entered into the multivariate model, and the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) was calculated.RESULTS: Out of 9176 cases, 3210 cases (35.03%) were confirmed with COVID-19. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of age of the cases was 56.5 ± 19.3 in the confirmed and 57.5 ± 20.6 in the suspected cases. The confirmed and suspected cases’ mortality rate was 15.0% and 10.2%, respectively. In both groups, the most common symptoms of admission to the hospital were respiratory distress, coughing, fever, and muscular pain. The variables of older age, male gender, being transferred to hospitals by ambulance, intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization, being intubated, blood oxygen saturation level less than 93, and having an underlying disease were statistically associated with an increased chance of death.CONCLUSION: The mortality rate among both confirmed and suspected hospitalized COVID-19 cases was significant, and this rate was higher for the confirmed cases. Death-related risk factors should be considered in resource allocation, management, and patient prioritization to reduce the outcome of death

Predictor factors of attention deficit/hyperactivity, conduct, and oppositional defiant disorders in children of parents with drug abuse

BACKGROUND: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder (CD), and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) are problems that children of parents with drug abuse suffer from. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictor factors of ADHD, CD, and ODD in children of parents with drug abuse.METHODS: The present study was a descriptive-analytic research. The statistical population of the study included the children of parents suffering from drug abuse in Sanandaj, Iran, during 2017-2018. The sample size included 196 individuals (91 girls and 105 boys) which were selected by stratified multistage random sampling. The instrument of this study was Child Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4). Descriptive statistics and multiple regression were used for analytical purposes.RESULTS: Based on multiple regression's results analysis, predictors have a significant relationship between behavioral disorders (CD) in the children based on their fathers' job (P = 0.001), but there was no such a significant relationship between behavioral disorders (ODD, ADHD, CD) in the studied children in terms of parents' occupation and level of education (P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: The results of the current study could be used for psychiatric clinics, mental health, and education organizations. In addition, they will be used for the supportive organizations that want to help and support children with ADHD, CD, and ODD with parents with substance abuse

Prediction of psychological distress based on coronavirus anxiety and self-care among Iranian adolescents during the coronavirus epidemic

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) disease had a negative impact on adolescents’ physical and psychological health. This study aimed to investigate the association between coronavirus anxiety and self-care with psychological distress among Iranian adolescents during the coronavirus epidemic.METHODS: This was a descriptive-correlational study conducted on 419 Iranian adolescents in March 2021, in which the convenience method was adopted for sampling. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was used, which included Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS), Corona Self-Care Questionnaire (CSCQ), and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). The data were analyzed using the SPSS software and also Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise regression tests.RESULTS: The results showed that there was a significant relationship between coronavirus anxiety (r = 0.279, P < 0.001) and self-care (r = -0.265, P < 0.001) with self-care. The results also indicated that coronavirus anxiety and self-care could predict approximately 17% of the variance in psychological distress (R2 = 0.168; F = 13.55; P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: Due to the role of coronavirus anxiety and self-care in predicting the psychological distress among Iranian adolescents during the coronavirus epidemic, it is suggested to design interventions to improve psychological distress

Prevalence of hydrocephalus in the patients with traumatic brain injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was determination of the prevalence of post-traumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) in patients who had traumatic brain injury (TBI) worldwide.METHODS: Four electronic databases including Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched in this meta-analysis. The random-effects model was applied for the pooled effect size of I2 > 50%. Subgroup analysis was done to evaluate the heterogeneity, and the Egger’s test was used to test the asymmetry of the funnel plots in order to assess the publication bias.RESULTS: A total of 48 studies with 11624 patients were evaluated. The pooled prevalence of PTH was 13% [95% confidence interval (CI): 11.0-15.0] and according to decompressive craniectomy (DC) surgery was 22.0% (95% CI: 18.0-26.0). This result among patients with severe TBI (sTBI) was 16.0% (95% CI: 13.0-19.0) and it was higher in the developed countries. The prevalence of PTH was generally higher in studies with a sample size lower than 100 (21.0%) and was generally lower in studies conducted between 1990 to1999 (4.0%). These results were not too different according to the study design.CONCLUSION: It is recommended to design a prospective clinical study in order to explain the true dynamics and circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after DC. Moreover, there is a need to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of DC in reducing the intracranial pressure in comparison with other available options. In fact, performing the clinical studies with higher quality in less developed countries could provide more reliable related results to achieve a true global conclusion

The first report of myocarditis followed by AstraZeneca vaccination in Iran

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging disease caused by the coronavirus. The initiation of vaccination significantly reduced the incidence and mortality of these patients. Some studies reported myocarditis as a rare complication after messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-based vaccines (such as Pfizer).CASE REPORT: The patient was a 26-year-old man without any history of the underlying disease with typical chest pain which spread to the back and left arm; he was diagnosed with myocarditis after the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The mechanism of myocarditis after AstraZeneca is not known precisely. It seems to be due to the AstraZeneca vaccine using adenovirus as a vector of the spike (S) protein of the virus, and it causes the production of antibodies in the body, while adenovirus can be one of the causes of myocarditis. On the other hand, it may be due to spike protein-mediated toxicity, which causes an inflammatory reaction such as myocarditis after the virus protein enters the bloodstream and eventually accumulates in various tissues, including the heart.CONCLUSION: Myocarditis is a rare complication of the AstraZeneca vaccine, and this study could not recommend neglecting this vaccine

Knowledge of general physicians in interpreting chest computed tomography used to examine Coronavirus Disease-2019 in Iran

BACKGROUND: Lung is the primary organ affected by the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) virus, which causes pneumonia, an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Lung computed tomography (CT) is a very useful and practical modality in diagnosing COVID-19 due to its speed and high sensitivity in determining the severity. When visiting patients with suspected COVID-19 in hospitals, general practitioners are usually the first medical staff to visit these patients. Therefore, sufficient knowledge in the interpretation of the patients' lung CT scan is essential for general practitioners.CASE REPORT: A 28-year-old male patient referred to a physician at the hospital. He had only the symptoms of shortness of breath and mild chest pain during deep breathing. The general practitioner requested a CT scan of the patient; in addition, the physician diagnosed that the lungs were healthy and prescribed azithromycin and diphenhydramine syrup. Since the patient was a medical staff and was fully acquainted with CT scans, he became suspicious of the stereotype of his lung image and referred to an infectious disease specialist. Upon seeing the CT, the specialist immediately became suspicious of COVID-19 and referred the CT to a radiologist.CONCLUSION: In order to prevent misdiagnosis and spread of COVID-19 in the examinations, it is necessary to enhance the general practitioners' knowledge of the CT scan of lungs of suspected patients and patients with low lung infection, which can be difficult for general practitioners, by infectious disease specialists and radiologists

Long-term effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the health and safety of children and mothers around the world

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic is a global health disaster with significant effects on the health of children and mothers on a scale not seen in 100 years.METHODS: We searched in Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus databases with keywords of “COVID-19”, “children”, “mothers”, “health”, “impact”, “effect”, and “pandemic”. We found 33 related new studies and wrote a narrative review article. Some of them were full-text articles and others were organizational statistics or expert comments.RESULTS: Analyses showed that the COVID-19 epidemic led to widespread disruption of health systems and reduced access to food, and low- and middle-income countries should expect large increases in maternal and child mortality. The long-term effects of COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of children and mothers are very different and challenging compared to other people. During the pandemic, many mothers denied access to prenatal care. In addition to the many indirect effects, although most children have mild symptoms, they should be treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) if children are hospitalized with the same percentage of adults.CONCLUSION: It is very necessary for politicians and organizations in charge of children's health to have comprehensive and long-term plans to limit the destructive and unintended effects of the pandemic on children and mothers around the world, with a greater focus on underdeveloped and less developed countries

Prevalence and association of cardiometabolic risk factors with sociodemographic variables amongst teenagers of rural population of central India

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of the cardio-metabolic risk factors is rapidly increasing amongst the children and adolescents and is a topic of concern due to their induced risk of development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and diabetes mellitus (DM) in adulthood. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of the cardio-metabolic risk factors associated with sociodemographic variables amongst the teenagers of rural population in India.METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 405 teenagers (13-19 years old) in a rural population of central India. The data on the socio-demographic variables and cardio metabolic risk factors were collected using a predesigned proforma. The blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) of the subjects were also recorded. Blood samples were collected for lipid profile and blood sugar. Data was analyzed with the Epi Info software version 6.04.RESULTS: A total of 405 subjects were studied, of whom 182 were male and 223 were female.  The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was found to be 9.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.3-13.1]. The prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors, including low level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG), were found to be 58.3% (95% CI: 53.4-63.0) and 13.8% (95% CI: 10.7-17.5), respectively. 2.2% of the teenagers had a waist circumference (WC) more than the cut off (> 90th percentile), while high blood pressure was found in 24.40% (95% CI: 18.6-26.7), i.e. > 90th percentile for age, sex, and height. Similarly, risk factors such as obesity and overweight were found significant (P < 0. 05) in teenagers with family history of obesity.CONCLUSION: Cardiometabolic risk factors is slowly extending to rural areas. Therefore, early detection of these risk factors can be an attempt to prevent or delay the metabolic syndromes, DM, and CVDs

A cross-sectional study on the relationship between maternal attachment styles and child cognitive functions

BACKGROUND: The concept of attachment refers to how the infant emotionally communicates with the caregiver. Despite the importance of this concept, the relationship between the mother's attachment styles and the child's cognitive functions has not been investigated so far.METHODS: In a cross-sectional study during October to December 2019, 120 primary school girl students were selected by the convenience sampling method. Participants responded to the two scales of Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC®-IV), as well as the Experience in Close Relationship Scale (ECR-S). Data were analyzed using multivariate regression statistical model in SPSS softwareRESULTS: The results showed that five indices of verbal intelligence, knowledge intelligence, active memory intelligence, working memory (WM), and processing speed were predicted by parent's anxiety attachment style (P < 0.050 for all). However, the relationship between the indices of total intelligence, non-verbal intelligence, fluid reasoning intelligence, quantitative reasoning intelligence, visual-spatial processing intelligence, verbal inteligence, perceptual reasoning, general ability, cognitive domination, and total scale of students with parent attachment styles were not significant (P > 0.050).CONCLUSION: The findings of this study highlighted the role of maternal attachment styles in predicting child's psychological structures, which can be accompanied by clinical implications in planning interventions based on the intelligence quotient (IQ) promotion for the child