Relationship between serum ferritin level and transient elastography findings among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Introduction: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is raising prevalence among children, and adolescence population in developed and developing countries as a major public health concern. The present study aims to determine the relationship between serum ferritin level and transient elastography findings in patients suffering from NAFLD. Materials and Methods: The demographic and biochemical profile of included individuals such as body mass index, age, level of serum transaminases, fasting blood sugar, lipid profile, and serum ferritin level were determined and a transient elastography was performed for all of them. Results: The mean serum ferritin level among men with mild and advanced liver stiffness was 154 ± 97 and 244 ± 214, respectively (P < 0.001), which showed a meaningful relationship. These figures among female patients with mild and advanced liver stiffness included 79 ± 91 and 161 ± 103, respectively (P = 0.003) and again revealed a significant relationship. The cutoff values of ferritin with 90% accuracy for differentiation of mild from advanced liver stiffness among male and female patients were determined as 255 ng/ml and 135 ng/ml, respectively. These cutoff values for ruling out of advanced liver stiffness with 90% accuracy among both sexes were 72.5 ng/ml and 65.5 ng/ml, respectively. Conclusion: The finding of this study revealed a significant relationship between serum ferritin level and liver stiffness among NAFLD patients, and if these results repeated in further investigations, it could be advisable to measure serum ferritin level for predicting possibility of advanced liver fibrosis

The prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among school children of Nishaboor – Iran during 2006

Background & Objective: ADHD is the most common mental disorder in children. Awareness of students' mental health has an important role in programming for decrementing their disorders and, improving their mental health and also preventing the complications of their decreased mental health. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of ADHD and some of the affecting factors among school children in Nishaboor localed in the North – East of Iran. Materials & Methods: This descriptive study was done on school children in Nishaboor during 2006. Subjectes selected by stratified cluster sampling. Data collection was done using the Conner's Parent and Teacher Scale questionnaire, and each student's questionnaires were completed by both the teacher and the parents. Data analysis was performed regarding to the mean scores of teachers and parents. The score 15 was chosen as the probable indicator for ADHD. Results: 722 students (79.6%) were involved this study. Prevalence of ADHD was 12.5%, CI95%: 10–14.8%. There was no significant difference in gender distribution. The prevalence of ADHD had a significant rise with age (P<0.05). The highest prevalence was in spring born and the lowest was in the summer born school children (P<0.05). The prevalence of ADHD had a significant relationship with father's education and was lower in students whose father had higher educations (P<0.05). Variables such as type of delivery, pariety, mother's education had no significant relationship with the prevalence of ADHD. Conclusion: In this study the prevalence of ADHD is higher than similar studies. Risk groups to be followed up by the responsible organizations