Survival of breast cancer in southern Iran

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women in the western world. With breast cancer now affecting one in ten women, it is important to know how this disease burden is shared among women. Aims: This study was undertaken to determine the survival rate of breast cancer in southern Iran. Methods and Material: From December 2001 to December 2006, among 8000 hospital-based registered cancer cases in southern Iran, 863 individuals with breast cancer entered our study. One, 5, 10 and 15 year-survival rates were estimated by Kaplan Meier function. Results: Mean age at the time of diagnosis of breast cancer was 46.3 years (SD=11.5). About 25.4% had a previous family history of cancer in their first and 13.8% in their second degree relatives. About 92.5%, 71.3% and 41.4% of breast cancer cases underwent surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, respectively. Nearly 11.7% of patients had a history of exposure to chemical materials. About 32.3% were passive and 19.2% were active smokers. Totally, one, 5, 10 and 15 year-survival rates were 97%, 67%, 45% and 25%, respectively. The survival rate had a significant negative correlation with age at the time of diagnosis. Conclusions: The survival rate of women with breast cancer in southern Iran seems to be identical to other parts of the country and stands between western and eastern European countries

The effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on lipid profiles among patients with coronary artery disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background Chronic inflammation and increased oxidative stress significantly contribute in developing coronary artery disease (CAD). Hence, antioxidant supplementation might be an appropriate approach to decrease the incidence of CAD. This systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed to determine the effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on lipid profile, as one of the major triggers for CAD, among patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease. Methods EMBASE, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched for studies prior to May 20th, 2018. Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool was applied to assess the methodological quality of included trials. I-square and Q-tests were used to measure the existing heterogeneity across included studies. Considering heterogeneity among studies, fixed- or random-effect models were applied to pool standardized mean differences (SMD) as overall effect size. Results A total of eight trials (267 participants in the intervention group and 259 in placebo group) were included in the current meta-analysis. The findings showed that taking CoQ10 by patients with CAD significantly decreased total-cholesterol (SMD -1.07; 95% CI, − 1.94, − 0.21, P = 0.01) and increased HDL-cholesterol levels (SMD 1.30; 95% CI, 0.20, 2.41, P = 0.02). We found no significant effects of CoQ10 supplementation on LDL-cholesterol (SMD -0.37; 95% CI, − 0.87, 0.13, P = 0.14), lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] levels (SMD -1.12; 95% CI, − 2.84, 0.61, P = 0.20) and triglycerides levels (SMD 0.01; 95% CI, − 0.22, 0.24, P = 0.94). Conclusions This meta-analysis demonstrated the promising effects of CoQ10 supplementation on lowering lipid levels among patients with CAD, though it did not affect triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol and Lp(a) levels. Keywords: Coenzyme Q10 Lipid profiles Coronary artery disease Meta-analysi

The effects of quercetin supplementation on lipid profiles and inflammatory markers among patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Aims: This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed to determine the effect of quercetin administration on lipid profiles and inflammatory markers among patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and related disorders. Methods: We searched systematically online databases including Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Web of Science to identify the relevant RCTs until November 2018. Q-test and I2 statistics were applied to assess heterogeneity among included studies. Data were combined using fixed- or random-effects model and presented as standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95 confidence interval (CI). Results: Out of 591 citations, 16 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled findings showed that quercetin consumption significantly decreased total-cholesterol (SMD = �0.98; 95 CI, �1.48, �0.49; p < 0.001; I2: 94.0), LDL-cholesterol (SMD = �0.88; 95 CI, �1.35, �0.41; p < 0.001; I2: 92.7) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (�0.64; 95 CI, �1.03, �0.25; p = 0.001; I2: 90.2). While, quercetin supplementation did not significantly affect triglycerides (TG) (SMD = �0.32; 95 CI, �0.68, 0.04; p = 0.08; I2: 84.8), HDL-cholesterol (SMD = 0.20; 95 CI, �0.20, 0.24; p = 0.84; I2: 70.6), interleukin 6 (IL-6) (SMD = �0.69; 95 CI, �1.69, 0.31; p = 0.17; I2: 94.5) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels (SMD = �0.06; 95 CI, �0.25, 0.14; p = 0.58; I2: 35.6) Conclusions: In summary, the current meta-analysis demonstrated that quercetin supplementation significantly reduced total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and CRP levels, yet did not affect triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, IL-6 and TNF-α among patients with MetS and related disorders. © 2019, © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

High prevalence of vitamin d deficiency among iranian population: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The prevention and correction of vitamin D deficiency requires a precise depiction of the current situation and identification of risk factors in each region. The present study attempted to determine these entities using a systematic review and meta-analysis in Iran. Methods: Articles published online in Persian and English between 2000 and November 1, 2016, were reviewed. This was carried out using national databases such as SID, IranMedex, Magiran, and IranDoc and international databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. The heterogeneity index among the studies was determined using the Cochran (Q) and I2 test. Based on the heterogeneity results, the random-effect model was applied to estimate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. In addition, meta-regression analysis was used to determine heterogeneity-suspected factors, and the Egger test was applied to identify publication bias. Results: The meta-analysis of 48 studies identified 18531 individuals with vitamin D deficiency. According to the random-effect model, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among male, female, and pregnant women was estimated to be 45.64% (95% CI: 29.63 to 61.65), 61.90% (95% CI: 48.85 to 74.96), and 60.45% (95% CI: 23.73 to 97.16), respectively. The results of the meta-regression analysis indicated that the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was significantly different in various geographical regions (β=4.4; P=0.023). Conclusion: The results obtained showed a significant prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among the Iranian population, a condition to be addressed by appropriate planning. © 2018, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

The effects of vitamin D supplementation on endothelial activation among patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background and objective: The current systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to summarize the effect of vitamin D supplementation on endothelial activation among patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders. Methods: Cochrane library, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science database were searched to identify related RCTs published before 30th April 2018. The heterogeneity among the included studies was assessed using Cochran's Q test and I-square (I2) statistic. Data were pooled by using the random-effect model and standardized mean difference (SMD) was considered as summary effect size. Results: Fourteen clinical trials that contained a total of 1253 participants were included in the current meta-analysis. Vitamin D supplementation significantly decreased von willebrand factor (vWF) (SMD -0.27; 95 CI, - 0.46, - 0.08; P = 0.006; I2:40.5). However, we found no significant impact of vitamin D supplementation on intercellular adhesion molecule 1(ICAM-1) (SMD -1.96; 95 CI, - 4.02, 0.09; P = 0.06; I2:97.4), vascular celladhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) (SMD -0.50; 95 CI, - 1.19, 0.19; P = 0.15; I2:91.2), on E-selectin (SMD -0.04; 95 CI, - 0.36, 0.28; P = 0.81; I2:78.8) and endothelin (SMD -0.49; 95 CI, - 1.18, 0.19; P = 0.15; I2:90.5). The pooled data from trials of vitamin D supplementation with dosage of �4000 IU/day (- 0.37, 95 CI: -0.65, - 0.10, I2: 73.5) significantly reduced vWF concentrations, while there was no effect of vitamin D supplementation on vWF concentrations among trials with the dosage of intervention > 4000 IU/day (- 0.17, 95 CI: -0.43, 0.10, I2: 0.0). VWF concentrations significantly reduced in pooled data from trials with duration study �8 weeks (- 0.37, 95 CI: -0.67, - 0.07, I2: 60.6), but there was no effect of vitamin D supplementation on vWF concentrations among trials with > 8 weeks (- 0.20, 95 CI: -0.45, 0.05, I2: 0.0). While there was no effect of vitamin D supplementation on vWF concentrations among trials with total sample size of �60 patients (- 0.03, 95 CI: -0.42, 0.36, I2: 0.0), vWF concentrations in trials with more than 60 patients decreased significantly (- 0.34, 95 CI: -0.56, - 0.12, I2: 60.9). Conclusions: Overall, the current meta-analysis demonstrated that vitamin D supplementation to patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders resulted in an improvement in vWF, but did not affect ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E-selectin and endothelin levels. © 2018 The Author(s)

The effects of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in among coronary artery disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective: Systemic inflammation and oxidative stress significantly contribute in developing coronary artery disease (CAD). This systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed to determine the effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress among patients with CAD. Methods: The electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched until Oct 2018. The quality assessment and heterogeneity of the selected randomized clinical Trials (RCTs) were examined using the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool, and Q and I 2 tests, respectively. Given the presence of heterogeneity, random-effects model or fixed-effect model were used to pool standardized mean differences (SMDs) as summary effect sizes. Results: A total of 13 clinical RCTs of 912 potential citations were found to be eligible for the current meta-analysis. The pooled findings for biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress demonstrated that CoQ10 supplementation significantly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) (SMD 2.63; 95 CI, 1.17, 4.09, P < 0.001; I 2 = 94.5) and catalase (CAT) levels (SMD 1.00; 95 CI, 0.57, 1.43, P < 0.001; I 2 = 24.5), and significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) (SMD � 4.29; 95 CI � 6.72, � 1.86, P = 0.001; I 2 = 97.6) and diene levels (SMD � 2.40; 95 CI � 3.11, � 1.68, P < 0.001; I 2 = 72.6). We did not observe any significant effect of CoQ10 supplementation on C-reactive protein (CRP) (SMD � 0.62; 95 CI � 1.31, 0.08, P = 0.08; I 2 = 87.9), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (SMD 0.22; 95 CI � 1.07, 1.51, P = 0.73; I 2 = 89.7), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (SMD � 1.63; 95 CI � 3.43, 0.17, P = 0.07; I 2 = 95.2), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels (SMD 0.14; 95 CI � 0.77, 1.04, P = 0.76; I 2 = 78.7). Conclusions: Overall, this meta-analysis demonstrated CoQ10 supplementation increased SOD and CAT, and decreased MDA and diene levels, but did not affect CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, and GPx levels among patients with CAD. © 2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG

The Effects of Synbiotic Supplementation on Glucose Metabolism and Lipid Profiles in Patients with Diabetes: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Although several studies have evaluated the effect of synbiotic intake on metabolic profiles in patients with diabetes, findings are inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to summarize the evidence on the effect of synbiotic intake on metabolic profiles in patients with diabetes. The PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched. All RCTs published up to 12 November 2016 were included. Two review authors independently assessed study eligibility, extracted data, and evaluated risk of bias of included studies. Heterogeneity was measured with a Q test and with I2 statistics. Data were pooled by using the fix or random-effect model based on the heterogeneity test results and expressed as standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95 confidence interval (CI). A total of seven randomized controlled trials were included. Synbiotic consumption significantly changed glucose metabolism, including fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (SMD = �0.29; 95 CI, �0.47, �0.10), insulin concentrations (SMD = �0.84; 95 CI, �1.61, �0.06), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (SMD = �0.80; 95 CI, �1.58, �0.03), homeostatic model assessment-B cell function (HOMA-B) (SMD = �0.36; 95 CI, �0.71, �0.01), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) (SMD = 0.46; 95 CI, 0.09, 0.82), and significantly improved lipid profiles, such as triglycerides (SMD = �0.36; 95 CI, �0.55, �0.17), very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (SMD = �0.31; 95 CI, �0.55, �0.08), and total cholesterol (SMD = �0.32; 95 CI, �0.67, �0.03), but had no effect on low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (SMD = �0.07; 95 CI, �0.58, 0.43) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations (SMD = �0.25; 95 CI, �0.81, 0.31). Synbiotic may result in an improvement in FPG, insulin, HOMA-IR, HOMA-B, QUICKI, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

The effect of risk communication on preventive and protective Behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak: mediating role of risk perception

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak is a global pandemic, during which the community preventive and protective behaviors play a crucial role in the containment and control of infection. This study was designed to contribute to the existing knowledge on how risk communication (RC) and risk perception (RP) affect protective and preventive behaviors (PPB) during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: The required data were extracted from a national online survey of Iranian adults aged 15 and older during March 15�19, 2020 (n=3213). Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. Results: The study findings reveal that RC has direct and indirect positive effects on PB. Furthermore, this study also provides new evidence indicating that RP mediates the relationship between RC and PB and there is a two-way relationship between RC and RP. These interactions may have impact on risk communication strategies which should be adopted during this pandemic. Conclusion: The study findings have remarkable implications for informing future communications as well as interventions during this ongoing outbreak and subsequent national risk events. © 2021, The Author(s)

The effects of melatonin supplementation on inflammatory markers among patients with metabolic syndrome or related disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract Objective This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was carried out to determine the effect of melatonin supplementation on the inflammatory markers among individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and related disorders. Methods We searched the following databases up to March 2018: PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Three reviewers independently assessed study eligibility, extracted data, and evaluated risk of bias of included primary studies. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran’s Q test and I-square (I2) statistic. Data were pooled using the random effect model and standardized mean difference (SMD) was considered as the summary effect size. Results Six trials of 317 potential reports were identified to be suitable for our meta-analysis. The pooled results using random effects model indicated that melatonin supplementation significantly reduced C-reactive protein (CRP) (SMD = − 1.80; 95% CI − 3.27, − 0.32; P = 0.01; I2: 95.2) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentrations (SMD = − 2.02; 95% CI − 3.57, − 0.47; P = 0.01; I2: 91.2) among patients with MetS and related disorders; however, it did not affect tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations (SMD = − 1.87; 95% CI − 3.81, 0.07; P = 0.05; I2: 94.4). Conclusions In summary, the current meta-analysis showed the promising effect of melatonin administration on reducing CRP and IL-6, but not TNF-α levels among patients with MetS and related disorders. Additional prospective studies are recommended using higher supplementation doses and longer intervention period. Keyword Melatonin Inflammatory markers Meta-analysi

The effects of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation on inflammatory markers among patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to determine the effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) supplementation on the inflammatory markers among patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and related disorders. Methods: We searched the following databases until November 2017: PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Three reviewers independently assessed study eligibility, extracted data, and evaluated risk of bias of included primary studies. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q test and I-square (I2) statistic. Data were pooled by using the random-effect model and standardized mean difference (SMD) was considered as the summary effect size. Results: Eighteen trials out of 912 potential citations were found to be eligible for our meta-analysis. The findings indicated that ALA supplementation significantly decreased C-reactive protein (CRP) (SMD = - 1.52; 95 CI, - 2.25, - 0.80; P < 0.001), interlokin-6 (IL-6) (SMD = - 1.96; 95 CI, - 2.60, - 1.32; P < 0.001), and tumor necrosis factor alpha levels (TNF-α) (SMD = - 2.62; 95 CI, - 3.70, - 1.55; P < 0.001) in patients diagnosed with metabolic diseases. Conclusion: In summary, the current meta-analysis demonstrated the promising impact of ALA administration on decreasing inflammatory markers such as CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α among patients with MetS and related disorders. © 2018 The Author(s)