Vitamin B12 effectiveness in the management of hospitalized COVID‐19 and its clinical outcomes and complications: A randomized clinical trial

Abstract Background and Aims Since 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has spread and challenged the health care system for treatment which is mainly limited to supportive care. It is well‐established that malnutrition impedes the immunity in human bodies, and makes it vulnerable to microorganisms. Vitamin B12 is one of the agents that has critical roles in body systems. Thus, the following clinical trial was conducted to assess its possible therapeutic value in COVID‐19 patients. Method The present randomized clinical trial was carried out in Baharlou Hospital, and patients with confirmed COVID‐19 infection within 24 h of admission were included. We used quadruple blocks randomization to divide patients into groups of case and control. The case group received 1000 mg of vitamin B12, daily for 7 day while the patients in control group were administered distilled water as placebo. The studied outcomes were duration of hospitalization, need for intensive care unit (ICU), mechanical ventilation, mortality rate and laboratory findings. The statistical analysis was done via SPSS version 22. Results After implementing inclusion and exclusion criteria, 34 participants were included in the study, 20 of which were male. Serum levels of creatinine, LDH (Lactate dehydrogenase), Ferritin, and CRP (C‐reactive protein) had decreased in both groups. The improving changes of CRP, LDH, ferritin and creatinine was higher in case group. The increase of Alanine Transaminase and D‐dimer was higher in control group. however there was no statistically significant difference. More patients were admitted to ICU in the control group but the difference was not statistically significant. Duration of hospitalization did not differ statistically between the groups. No in hospital mortality has been recorded. Conclusion Our study suggests that vitamin B12 supplementation seem to have curative effect in COVID‐19. Nutritious diet is necessary for proper functioning of the immune system. Since malnutrition is associated with poor prognosis in COVID‐19 patients, and limited number of participants in this study, we suggest performing meta‐analysis on similar studies to reach reliable result

Role of long non-coding RNA ELFN1-AS1 in carcinogenesis

Abstract As one of the leading causes of death worldwide, cancer significantly burdens patients and the healthcare system. The role of long non-protein coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in carcinogenesis has been extensively studied. The lncRNA ELFN1-AS1 was discovered recently, and subsequent studies have revealed its aberrantly high expression in various cancer tissues. In vitro and in vivo experiments have consistently demonstrated the close association between increased ELFN1-AS1 expression and malignant tumor characteristics, particularly in gastrointestinal malignancies. Functional assays have further revealed the mechanistic role of ELFN1-AS1 as a competitive endogenous RNA for microRNAs, inducing tumor growth, invasive features, and drug resistance. Additionally, the investigation into the clinical implication of ELFN1-AS1 has demonstrated its potential as a diagnostic, therapeutic, and, notably, prognostic marker. This review provides a comprehensive summary of evidence regarding the involvement of ELFN1-AS1 in cancer initiation and development, highlighting its clinical significance

Characteristics of carpal tunnel syndrome in patients with cervical radiculopathy: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract Background and Aims Cervical radiculopathy (CR) is a group of signs and symptoms caused by cervical root dysfunction. Patients with this condition may also have carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), which is caused by compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel. This coexistent condition is referred to as double crush syndrome (DCS) which is explained by proximal disruption in axoplasmic flow that may result in nerve dysfunction. Yet, the accuracy of this hypothesis remains controversial. Materials and Methods Patients with confirmed CR according to electromyography were included in this retrospective study. However, we omitted patients with overt diabetic neuropathy, prior spinal or hand surgery and/or fractures, and rheumatoid arthritis. Patients underwent electrodiagnostic studies, and the results were used to determine CTS severity. We used Pearson's χ2 test to assess the correlation between the severity of CTS and CR. Descriptive analysis was used to report patient characteristics and the prevalence of CTS in CR patients. Results We included 291 participants, 59% of whom were women. Although insignificant, DCS was observed more in women (n = 110) compared to men (n = 71). However, we found that patients with DCS (54.81 ± 13.3) were older than non‐DCS patients (43.71 ± 12.94) which was statistically significant (p  0.05). In total, CTS was observed in 62.2% (n = 181) patients. Conclusion In summary, we found a relatively high prevalence of DCS in the present study. In patients with and without DCS, gender did not seem to play a role but the growing age seemed to contribute to DCS. The severity of CTS was not related to CR severity at any cervical level, which negates a causal relation between the pre‐existing CR and newly diagnosed CTS

وضعیت سواد و سلامت در ایران و شواهد بومی رابطه سطح سـواد و سلامت در پژوهش¬های انجام شده در ایران: راه پیش روی مداخلات ارتقای سلامت

Background and Aim: Literacy and education levels are strongly associated with health. However, this relationship has received little attention in Iran. The aim of this scoping review is to identify local evidence for the link between health and education and accordingly providing recommedations for future health promoting interventions in Iran. Materials and Methods: Persian and English databases and as well as organizational reports were searched from 2005 to 2021. Results: Literacy and health in the last half-century have witnessed significant progress in Iran. Iranian researches, similar to international evidence, confirm the link between literacy and health in Iranian studies. The results of most studies have shown that illiteracy and low literacy have a statistically significant association with lower life expectancy, higher chances of morbidity and exposure to health risk factors, as well as higher mortality for the individual and her children. Conclusion: Based on the result of this study, literacy should be considered as a key risk factor for health by health managers and researchers, especially in disadvantaged states.زمینه و اهداف: میزان سواد با سطح سلامت ارتباط بسیار قوی دارد، اما این ارتباط در ایران کمتر مورد توجه قرار گرفته است. هدف این نوشتار شناسایی شواهد بومی تاثیر سطح سواد بر سلامت در مطالعات داخلی است. مواد و روش­ها: مرور گزارشات سازمانی داخلی و خارجی در مورد شاخص­های سلامت و سواد در ایران مورد بررسی قرار گرفت. برای یافتن مطالعات مرتبط انجام شده در ایران پایگاه‌های داده‌ی داخلی و انگلیسی زبان از سال‌های 1400-1384، مورد جستجو قرار گرفتند. یافته ها: سواد و سلامت در ایران در نیم قرن اخیر پیشرفت­های مهمی داشته است؛ ولی هنوز به سطح ایده­آل نرسیده­اند. شواهد بومی نیز تأیید کننده ارتباط سواد و سلامت در مطالعات ایران هستند. مطالعات متعدد داخلی نشان داده­اند که بی‌سوادی و کم سوادی ارتباط معناداری با امید زندگی کمتر، شانس ابتلاء بیشتر به بیماری­ها و مواجه با عوامل خطر سلامت و نیز مرگ و میر بیشتر برای فرد و نیز فرزندان وی داشته است. نتیجه­ گیری: با توجه به شواهد داخلی و جهانی در زمینه تاثیر مهم سطح سواد بر سلامت، برای ارتقاء شاخص­های سلامت لازم است بی‌سوادی و کم‌سوادی به عنوان یک عامل خطر مهم سلامت و یک تعیین‌کننده‌ی اجتماعی کلیدی مهم بیش از پیش مورد توجه مدیران و محققان سلامت به خصوص در مناطق کم برخوردار در نظر گرفته شود

The global prevalence of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorder among patients coping with Post COVID-19 syndrome (long COVID): a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Post COVID-19 syndrome, also known as "Long COVID," is a complex and multifaceted condition that affects individuals who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to comprehensively assess the global prevalence of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorder in individuals coping with Post COVID-19 syndrome. Methods A rigorous search of electronic databases was conducted to identify original studies until 24 January 2023. The inclusion criteria comprised studies employing previously validated assessment tools for depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders, reporting prevalence rates, and encompassing patients of all age groups and geographical regions for subgroup analysis Random effects model was utilized for the meta-analysis. Meta-regression analysis was done. Results The pooled prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients coping with Post COVID-19 syndrome was estimated to be 23% (95% CI: 20%—26%; I2 = 99.9%) based on data from 143 studies with 7,782,124 participants and 132 studies with 9,320,687 participants, respectively. The pooled prevalence of sleep disorder among these patients, derived from 27 studies with 15,362 participants, was estimated to be 45% (95% CI: 37%—53%; I2 = 98.7%). Subgroup analyses based on geographical regions and assessment scales revealed significant variations in prevalence rates. Meta-regression analysis showed significant correlations between the prevalence and total sample size of studies, the age of participants, and the percentage of male participants. Publication bias was assessed using Doi plot visualization and the Peters test, revealing a potential source of publication bias for depression (p = 0.0085) and sleep disorder (p = 0.02). However, no evidence of publication bias was found for anxiety (p = 0.11). Conclusion This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrate a considerable burden of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders, among individuals recovering from COVID-19. The findings emphasize the need for comprehensive mental health support and tailored interventions for patients experiencing persistent symptoms after COVID-19 recovery