Results of Screening for Neonatal Metabolic Diseases in Mashhad City, Iran (2015)

Background: Neonatal screening is a preventive medical measure to screen infants shortly after birth for treatable metabolic disorders and endocrinopathies. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the accuracy of laboratory samples in the screening programs for metabolic diseases in Mashhad city, Iran with international guidelines.Methods: This observational study was conducted on all the patients referring to the health centers of Mashhad, Iran during two weeks. In total, 220 infants were enrolled in the study and divided into three groups of health center 1, 2, and 3. A checklist was prepared based on the international guidelines to evaluate the neonatal screening procedures.Results: In total, 220 neonates aged 3-14 days (90 girls and 130 boys) were enrolled in this study. Mean weight and height of the neonates was 3215.90±485.12 grams and 49.85±2.04 centimeters, respectively. In all the cases, mode of nutrition was breastfeeding, and sampling was performed within 36 hours after birth. Neonates had no history of corticosteroid administration, catecholamine administration, parenteral nutrition, and blood transfusion. Heels of the neonates had no contact with the filter paper, and the samples were dried away from direct sunlight and heat. Two of the health centers used disinfectants and dried the heels of infants afterwards prior to drawing the samples. Conclusion: According to the results, the studied health centers followed the protocol properly. However, two of the health centers used disinfectants in such way that we were not sure whether the heels of the neonates were dried completel

High dose vitamin D supplementation can improve menstrual problems, dysmenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome in adolescents

Vitamin D has a crucial role in female reproduction, possibly through its effects on calcium homeostasis, cyclic sex steroid hormone fluctuations, or neurotransmitter function. We have assessed the effects of vitamin D supplementation on dysmenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in adolescents. In this study, 897 adolescent girls living in Mashhad and Sabzevar, Iran, received 9 high-dose vitamin D supplements (as 50000 IU/ week of cholecalciferol) and were followed up over 9 weeks. We evaluated the effect of vitamin D supplementation on individuals in 4 categories: those with only PMS; individuals with only dysmenorrhea; subjects with both PMS and dysmenorrhea and normal subjects. The prevalence of PMS after the intervention fell from 14.9% to 4.8% (P<0.001). Similar results were also found for the prevalence of subjects with dysmenorrhea (35.9% reduced to 32.4%), and in subjects with both PMS and dysmenorrhea (32.7% reduced 25.7%). Vitamin D supplementation was associated with a reduction in the incidence of several symptoms of PMS such as backache and tendency to cry easily as well decrement in pain severity of dysmenorrhea (P<0.05). High dose vitamin D supplementation can reduced the prevalence of PMS and dysmenorrhea as well has positive effects on the physical and psychological symptoms of PMS