The effect of anthracyclines in minimal doses on cardiac function of children under chemotherapy

Background: Cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines (ANTs) in medium and high doses (more than 350 mg/m2) has been already known but it is still unclear whether or not minimal doses (lower than 350 mg/m2) can also affect cardiac function. The goal of this study was to assess the cardiotoxicity of ANTs in children under minimal doses and evaluation the association of this toxicity with probable risk factors such as age at beginning of regimen, gender or type of malignancy. Methods: In a prospective study 50 children suffering from different malignancies ad-mitted in pediatric oncology department of Besat Hospital of Sanandaj City in 2010 to 2012, under ANTs regimen (Daunorubicin, Doxorubicin) in doses lower than 350 mg/m2 were followed by serial echocardiography for 1-3 years. The deviation from normal values of echocardiographic parameters was measured for all patients in this period and even one parameter's deviation was considered as cardiac dysfunction and ANTs cardi-otoxicity. The association of this toxicity and probable risk factors was analyzed by proper statistical methods in SPSS 18th version. Results: In 22% of patients, mostly children older than 11, at least one of echocardio-graphic parameters including: ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular end systolic diame-ter (LVESD), left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular mass (LVM) and left ventricular posterior wall diameter (LVPWD) changed during our follow up. The most important risk factor for cardiotoxicity in this study was age at beginning of ANTs regimen. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) had the most abnormal values among all types of malignancies. In this study there was no statistically significant as-sociation between cardiotoxicity and gender or duration of follow up. Conclusion: Anthracyclines even in doses lower than 350 mg/m2 can induce cardiac dysfunction and alter echocardiographic parameters, although these changes are not always accompanied by clinical signs or symptoms as they were in this study. So long term echocardiographic follow up and cardioprotective techniques are recommended in prescription any doses of these cardiotoxic drugs

Abdominal Pain as Extrapulmonary Presentation of Pneumonia in an Adult: A Case Report

Pneumonia is considered as the main cause of abdominal pain in children whereas it presents mostly by respiratory symptoms in adults. Here we present a 71-year-old Iranian female who complained specifically of abdominal pain on admission to our emergency department. We had found nothing as an etiology in our first evaluations. After several hours chest pain was added to the symptoms and the following chest, X-Ray showed a consolidation in the right lung base. She was treated by pneumonia antibiotic regimen and discharged after seven days in a good clinical condition. In conclusion, pneumonia should be considered as a differential diagnosis of abdominal pain in adults as well as in children

Global, regional, and national burden of low back pain, 1990–2020, its attributable risk factors, and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Low back pain is highly prevalent and the main cause of years lived with disability (YLDs). We present the most up-to-date global, regional, and national data on prevalence and YLDs for low back pain from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2021. Methods: Population-based studies from 1980 to 2019 identified in a systematic review, international surveys, US medical claims data, and dataset contributions by collaborators were used to estimate the prevalence and YLDs for low back pain from 1990 to 2020, for 204 countries and territories. Low back pain was defined as pain between the 12th ribs and the gluteal folds that lasted a day or more; input data using alternative definitions were adjusted in a network meta-regression analysis. Nested Bayesian meta-regression models were used to estimate prevalence and YLDs by age, sex, year, and location. Prevalence was projected to 2050 by running a regression on prevalence rates using Socio-demographic Index as a predictor, then multiplying them by projected population estimates. Findings: In 2020, low back pain affected 619 million (95% uncertainty interval 554–694) people globally, with a projection of 843 million (759–933) prevalent cases by 2050. In 2020, the global age-standardised rate of YLDs was 832 per 100 000 (578–1070). Between 1990 and 2020, age-standardised rates of prevalence and YLDs decreased by 10·4% (10·9–10·0) and 10·5% (11·1–10·0), respectively. A total of 38·8% (28·7–47·0) of YLDs were attributed to occupational factors, smoking, and high BMI. Interpretation: Low back pain remains the leading cause of YLDs globally, and in 2020, there were more than half a billion prevalent cases of low back pain worldwide. While age-standardised rates have decreased modestly over the past three decades, it is projected that globally in 2050, more than 800 million people will have low back pain. Challenges persist in obtaining primary country-level data on low back pain, and there is an urgent need for more high-quality, primary, country-level data on both prevalence and severity distributions to improve accuracy and monitor change. Funding: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Injury burden in individuals aged 50 years or older in the Eastern Mediterranean region, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: Injury poses a major threat to health and longevity in adults aged 50 years or older. The increased life expectancy in the Eastern Mediterranean region warrants a further understanding of the ageing population's inevitable changing health demands and challenges. We aimed to examine injury-related morbidity and mortality among adults aged 50 years or older in 22 Eastern Mediterranean countries. Methods: Drawing on data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, we categorised the population into adults aged 50–69 years and adults aged 70 years and older. We examined estimates for transport injuries, self-harm injuries, and unintentional injuries for both age groups, with sex differences reported, and analysed the percentage changes from 1990 to 2019. We reported injury-related mortality rates and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). The Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index were used to better understand the association of socioeconomic factors and health-care system performance, respectively, with injuries and health status in older people. Healthy life expectancy (HALE) was compared with injury-related deaths and DALYs and to the SDI and HAQ Index to understand the effect of injuries on healthy ageing. Finally, risk factors for injury deaths between 1990 and 2019 were assessed. 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) are given for all estimates. Findings: Estimated injury mortality rates in the Eastern Mediterranean region exceeded the global rates in 2019, with higher injury mortality rates in males than in females for both age groups. Transport injuries were the leading cause of deaths in adults aged 50–69 years (43·0 [95% UI 31·0–51·8] per 100 000 population) and in adults aged 70 years or older (66·2 [52·5–75·5] per 100 000 population), closely followed by conflict and terrorism for both age groups (10·2 [9·3–11·3] deaths per 100 000 population for 50–69 years and 45·7 [41·5–50·3] deaths per 100 000 population for ≥70 years). The highest annual percentage change in mortality rates due to injury was observed in Afghanistan among people aged 70 years or older (400·4% increase; mortality rate 1109·7 [1017·7–1214·7] per 100 000 population). The leading cause of DALYs was transport injuries for people aged 50–69 years (1798·8 [1394·1–2116·0] per 100 000 population) and unintentional injuries for those aged 70 years or older (2013·2 [1682·2–2408·7] per 100 000 population). The estimates for HALE at 50 years and at 70 years in the Eastern Mediterranean region were lower than global estimates. Eastern Mediterranean countries with the lowest SDIs and HAQ Index values had high prevalence of injury DALYs and ranked the lowest for HALE at 50 years of age and HALE at 70 years. The leading injury mortality risk factors were occupational exposure in people aged 50–69 years and low bone mineral density in those aged 70 years or older. Interpretation: Injuries still pose a real threat to people aged 50 years or older living in the Eastern Mediterranean region, mainly due to transport and violence-related injuries. Dedicated efforts should be implemented to devise injury prevention strategies that are appropriate for older adults and cost-effective injury programmes tailored to the needs and resources of local health-care systems, and to curtail injury-associated risk and promote healthy ageing. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation