High prevalence of goiter in schoolchildren in Isfahan; zinc deficiency does not play a role

Wstęp: Dane dotyczące znaczenia niedoboru cynku w etiologii wola endemicznego są niejednoznaczne. Celem niniejszego badania było ustalenie związku między stężeniem cynku w surowicy a występowaniem wola u dzieci w wieku szkolnym w Isfahanie. Materiał i metody: Badanie przeprowadzono w 2005 roku. Włączono do niego 2331 dzieci, u których oceniono palpacyjnie wielkość tarczycy. U części dzieci oznaczono stężenie jodu w moczu (UIC, urinary iodine concentration) i stężenie cynku w surowicy. Wyniki: Obecność wola stwierdzono u 32,9% dzieci. Średnie UIC wynosiło 195,5 μg/l. Stężenie cynku w osoczu oznaczono u 94 dzieci z wolem i 326 dzieci, u których nie stwierdzono wola. Średnie stężenie cynku w osoczu ± odchylenie standardowe wynosiło 100,81 ± 22,33 μg/dl u dzieci z wolem i 96,00 ± 25,79 μg/dl u dzieci bez wola (p = 0,08). Częstość niedoboru cynku (stężenie cynku w surowicy ≤ 65 μg/dl) nie różniła się istotnie w grupie dzieci z wolem i bez wola (6,4% v. 8,0%, p = 0,61). Wnioski: Częstość występowania wola u dzieci w wieku szkolnym w Isfahanie jest nadal duża. Wydaje się, że niedobór cynku nie ma wpływu na znaczną liczebność przypadków wola w tym regionie. Wskazane są dalsze badania mające na celu identyfikację czynników zwiększających częstość występowania wola w Isfahanie. (Endokrynol Pol 2010; 61 (3): 287-290)Introduction: There are controversial data about the role of zinc deficiency in the aetiology of endemic goiter. The aim of the present study was to determine the association between zinc status and goiter in schoolchildren of Isfahan. Material and methods: This study was performed in 2005. Two thousand three hundred and thirty-one schoolchildren were enrolled, and thyroid size was determined by inspection and palpation. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and serum zinc level were measured in a group of those children. Results: The prevalence of goiter was 32.9%. The median UIC was 195.5 μg/L. Serum zinc was measured in 94 goitrous and 326 nongoitrous children. The mean ± standard deviation of serum zinc in goitrous and non-goitrous children was 100.81 ± 22.33 and 96.00 ± 25.79 μg/dL, respectively (P = 0.08). The prevalence of zinc deficiency (serum zinc ≤ 65 μg/dL) in goitrous and non-goitrous children did not differ significantly (6.4 % v. 8.0%, P = 0.61). Conclusions: The prevalence of goiter is still high in Isfahan schoolchildren. It seems that zinc status is not involved in the high prevalence of goiter in this region. The role of other possible goitrogens should be investigated in Isfahan. (Pol J Endocrinol 2010; 61 (3): 287–290

Epidemiological features of irritable bowel syndrome and its subtypes among Iranian adults

Abstract Background The epidemiological features of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have not been properly investigated in Iran. Also, worldwide there is limited knowledge about the characteristics of IBS subtypes. The aim of the study was to explore the epidemiological features of IBS and its subtypes among Iranian adults

PERSONALITY TRAITS ARE DIFFERENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY: EVIDENCE FROM APPLYING BIVARIATE MULTIPLE BINARY LOGISTIC REGRESSION ON A LARGE SAMPLE OF GENERAL ADULTS

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the association of five factors personality traits, as predictor variables, with the anxiety and depression as joint dependent variables in an Iranian adult population. Subjects and methods: A total of 3175 subjects living in Isfahan participated in this cross-sectional population-based “study (SEPAHAN) and completed self-administered questionnaires about demographic, life style, gastrointestinal disorders, personality traits, social support, and psychological problems. Data was analyzed using bivariate multiple binary logistic regression in R Free statistical software. Results: The results indicated high scores of neuroticisms increase the risk of anxiety and depression after adjustment for the potential confounders in total sample (OR (95% CI): 1.22 (1.19-1.24) and 1.19 (1.17-1.21), respectively) as well as in both male and female. In contrast, joint inverse associations were found between anxiety and depression with high extraversion (OR (95% CI): 0.90 (0.88-0.92) and 0.91 (0.89-0.92), respectively), agreeableness (0.93 (0.91-0.96) and 0.94 (0.92-0.96) respectively) and conscientiousness scores (0.95 (0.93-0.97) and 0.95 (0.94-0.97) respectively) as well as in both male and female. Furthermore, higher scores of openness had significant inverse association with depression in male. Conclusion: The present study indicated that higher scores of neuroticism, however lower extraversion, conscientiousness and agreeableness scores are risk factors for both anxiety and depression in Iranian adult population. It is suggested to perform family studies or twin and genetic association studies with considering combinations of personality traits (personality styles), and also measuring personality traits at the facet level

Association between Serum Ferritin and Goitre in Iranian School Children

Despite long-standing supplementation of iodine in Iran, the prevalence of goitre among general people remains high in some regions. The study investigated the role of iron status in the aetiology of goitre in school children in Isfahan, Iran. Two thousand three hundred and thirty-one school children were selected by multi-stage random sampling. Thyroid size was estimated by inspection and palpation. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and serum ferritin (SF) were measured. Overall, 32.9% of the children had goitre. The median UIC was 195.5 μg/L. The mean±SD of SF in the goitrous and non-goitrous children was 47.65±42.51 and 44.55±37.07 μg/L respectively (p=0.52). The prevalence of iron deficiency in goitrous and non-goitrous children was 9.6% and 3.1% respectively (p=0.007). Goitre is still prevalent in school children of Isfahan. However, their median UIC was well in the accepted range. Iron deficiency is associated with goitre in a small group of goitrous children. The role of goitrogens should also be investigated in this region

Association between Serum Ferritin and Goitre in Iranian School Children

Despite long-standing supplementation of iodine in Iran, the prevalence of goitre among general people remains high in some regions. The study investigated the role of iron status in the aetiology of goitre in school children in Isfahan, Iran. Two thousand three hundred and thirty-one school children were selected by multi-stage random sampling. Thyroid size was estimated by inspection and palpation. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and serum ferritin (SF) were measured. Overall, 32.9% of the children had goitre. The median UIC was 195.5 \u3bcg/L. The mean\ub1SD of SF in the goitrous and non-goitrous children was 47.65\ub142.51 and 44.55\ub137.07 \u3bcg/L respectively (p=0.52). The prevalence of iron deficiency in goitrous and non-goitrous children was 9.6% and 3.1% respectively (p=0.007). Goitre is still prevalent in school children of Isfahan. However, their median UIC was well in the accepted range. Iron deficiency is associated with goitre in a small group of goitrous children. The role of goitrogens should also be investigated in this region

Depression, anxiety and stress, comorbidity evaluation among a large sample of general adults: results from SEPAHAN study

Depression, anxiety and stress are common psychological disorders (PDs). This study aimed to assess the odds of co-occurrence of mentioned PDs in total sample and different levels of socio-demographic characteristics, specifically among a large sample of general adults. In a cross-sectional, community-based study conducted among 4763 Iranian adults, depression and anxiety were assessed with Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and stress with General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). The loglinear analysis was applied to investigate their comorbidities. Based on selected models with pair-comorbidity of anxiety with stress, depression with stress, and anxiety with depression, the results showed the odds of comorbidity between anxiety and depression (odds ratio (OR) =12.29, 95%CI: 9.58-15.80), depression and stress (OR = 7.80, 95%CI: 6.55-10.18), and stress and anxiety (OR = 4.62, 95%CI: 3.71-5.75). Also, ORs of pair-comorbidities were the same, except between stress and anxiety for men compared to women (adjusted-OR = 6.47, 95%CI: 4.44-9.49 versus 3.85, 95%CI: 2.95-5.00) and comorbidity between stress and depression for the participants with lower than 40 years compared to others (adjusted-OR = 9.03, 95%CI: 7.17-11.36 versus 6.41, 95%CI: 4.90-8.41), p< 0.05. Stress comorbidity with depression was higher level than other pair-comorbidities. Obvious discrepancies were also observed in terms of ORs of pair-comorbidities between three mentioned disorders in different levels of SDCs

Vitamin D status of 6- to 7-year-old children living in Isfahan, Iran

Wstęp: Witamina D ma podstawowe znaczenie dla utrzymania dobrego zdrowia. O niedoborach witaminy D donoszą autorzy z wielu krajów, również tych o dużym stopniu nasłonecznienia. Niniejsze badanie przeprowadzono w celu dokonania oceny stężenia witaminy D u zdrowych dzieci w wieku 6-7 lat, zamieszkałych w Isfahanie, Iran. Materiał i metody: Do badania włączono 513 zdrowych dzieci. Zmierzono u nich stężenie PTH i 25-hydroksywitaminy D (25-OHD) w surowicy. Określono spożycie witaminy D w diecie, czas ekspozycji na słońce w ciągu doby i odsetek powierzchni ciała wystawionej na działanie słońca. Przyjęto, że stężenia 25-OHD wynoszące < 20 ng/ml i 10 ng/ml odpowiadają odpowiednio łagodnemu i ciężkiemu niedoborowi witaminy D. Do ustalenia lokalnych punktów odcięcia dla niedoborów witaminy D użyto krzywych ROC. Wyniki: U 3% dzieci stężenie witaminy 25-OHD wynosiło < 20 ng/ml, a u 26% wynosiło < 33 ng/ml (lokalny punkt odcięcia dla niedoboru witaminy D). Czas ekspozycji na słońce i dzienne spożycie witaminy D w diecie miały istotny wpływ na stężenie witaminy D w surowicy. Wnioski: W omawianym badaniu wykazano częste występowanie niedoboru witaminy D u dzieci zamieszkałych w Isfahanie. Wydłużenie czasu ekspozycji na słońce i zwiększenie dziennego spożycia witaminy D w diecie może zapobiec niedoborom witaminy D u tych dzieci. (Endokrynol Pol 2010; 61 (4): 377-382)Introduction: Vitamin D is essential for the maintenance of good health, and vitamin D deficiency has been reported from many countries, including those with a lot of sunshine. This study was conducted to evaluate the vitamin D status in healthy 6- to 7-year-old children in Isfahan, Iran. Material and methods: Five hundred and thirteen healthy children were enrolled. Serum PTH and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) were measured. Dietary vitamin D intake, duration of daily sunlight exposure, and percentage of exposed body surface area were determined. 25-OHD levels < 20 ng/mL and < 10 ng/mL were defined as mild and severe vitamin D deficiency, respectively. The ROC curve was utilized to obtain a local cut-off point of vitamin D deficiency. Results: 25-OHD was < 20 ng/mL in 3% and < 33 ng/mL (local cut-off point of vitamin D deficiency) in 26% of subjects. Duration of sunlight exposure and daily intake of vitamin D had significant effects on serum level of vitamin D. Conclusions: A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Isfahan children was observed in this study. Improvements in duration of sunlight exposure and daily intake of vitamin D can prevent vitamin D deficiency in these children. (Pol J Endocrinol 2010; 61 (4): 377-382