Factors Associated with Premenstrual Syndrome and its Different Symptom Domains among University Students in Lebanon

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and examine the characteristics of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) among female university students. It also aimed to determine the factors associated with the affective and somatic domains of PMS. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among 2115 Lebanese female university students, who completed questionnaires on PMS symptoms and other factors. PMS was defined according to the “American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists” criteria. Bivariate and multivariable associations between PMS, PMS affective and somatic domains respectively and other covariates were conducted using logistic regression. Results: Almost 63% of participants reported having PMS with 42.5% having severe PMS. The most common affective and somatic symptoms were “angry outbursts” and “abdominal bloating” respectively. Obesity, having unemployed fathers, caffeine consumption (coffee/tea), and pain medication use, and sleeping pill use were significantly associated with PMS. Among these factors, caffeine consumption, and medication use for pain were associated with PMS affective domain while BMI, caffeine consumption, and medication use for pain were related to PMS somatic domain. Conclusion: The proportion of Lebanese females with PMS and affective and somatic symptoms are notably high. These findings highlight the importance of weight management to minimize PMS symptoms.York University Librarie

Dietary habits and Helicobacter pylori infection: a cross sectional study at a Lebanese hospital

Abstract Background To examine the association between dietary habits and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection among patients at a tertiary healthcare center in Lebanon. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 294 patients in 2016, at a hospital in Northern Lebanon. Participants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire to collect information on socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics; dietary habits were ascertained via a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). H. pylori status (positive vs. negative) was determined after upper GI endoscopy where gastric biopsy specimens from the antrum, body, and fundus region were collected and then sent for pathology analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify the association between socio-demographic, lifestyle, dietary and other health-related variables with H pylori infection. Results The prevalence of H. pylori infection was found to be 52.4% in this sample. Results of the multivariable analysis showed that H. pylori infection risk was higher among participants with a university education or above (OR = 2.74; CI = 1.17–6.44), those with a history of peptic ulcers (OR = 3.80; CI = 1.80–8.01), gastric adenocarcinoma (OR = 3.99; CI = 1.35–11.83) and vitamin D level below normal (OR = 29.14; CI = 11.77–72.13). In contrast, hyperglycemia was protective against H. pylori (OR = 0.18; CI = 0.03–0.89). No relationship between dietary habits and H. pylori infection was found in the adjusted analysis. Conclusions Socio-demographic and clinical variables are found to be associated with H. pylori, but not with dietary factors. Further studies are needed to investigate the effect of diet on H. pylori risk

Schizophrenia and smoking: impact on negative symptoms

Introduction: it has been hypothesized that individuals with schizophrenia use nicotine to reduce negative symptoms and improve cognitive function. There is an inconsistency in the literature suggesting that nicotine could help decrease negative symptoms in schizophrenic patients. Objective: to investigate the effects of nicotine on the expression of the negative symptoms in smokers and non-smokers with schizophrenia. Methods: a cross sectional study, conducted between April and August 2016, 100 inpatients with schizophrenia (54 smokers and 46 non-smokers) diagnosed according to DSM-V, at Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross Lebanon, were compared to changes in clinical parameters using CDSS, PANSS, and nicotine dependence using FTND. The Student’s t-test was used to compare between 2 groups, while the ANOVA test was used to compare between 3 or more groups. For categorical variables, the chi-2 test was used. Results: the mean age was 47.16 years (SD = 7.14) for smokers compared to 47.02 years (SD = 7.92) for non-smokers. 64.8% of smokers were males versus 45.7% of non-smokers. Smoking (high nicotine dependence) significantly decreases the PANSS negative symptoms score between the 2 groups (p .05 for both variables). Discussion and conclusion: this study is the first to investigate the relationship between the expression of negative symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia and smoking in Lebanon. Cigarette smoking rates remain remarkably high in patients with schizophrenia. Smoking is a complex process which involves psychopathological, biochemical and neuropharmacological aspects among schizophrenic patients. Further studies are needed to acknowledge these findings and the reasons behind it.----------------------- Antecedentes: se ha planteado la hipótesis de que los pacientes con esquizofrenia emplean la nicotina para reducir los síntomas negativos de su enfermedad y para mejorar su función cognitiva; sin embargo, no existe evidencia concluyente en la literatura sobre el vínculo entre el consumo de nicotina y la disminución de los síntomas negativos de la enfermedad. Objetivo: investigar los efectos de la nicotina en la expresión de síntomas negativos en pacientes con esquizofrenia, tanto fumadores como no fumadores. Método: se realizó un estudio transversal con 100 pacientes diagnosticados con esquizofrenia (54 fumadores y 46 no fumadores) en el Hospital Psiquiátrico de la Cruz, en Líbano, entre abril y agosto de 2016. Se utilizaron los instrumentos CDSS, PANSS y FTND para evaluar parámetros clínicos. Se emplearon las pruebas t de Student, ANOVA y chi-cuadrada para las comparaciones. Resultados: la edad media de los fumadores fue de 47.16 años (SD = 7.14) y la de los no fumadores de 47.02 años (SD = 7.9). 69.8% de los fumadores y 45.7% de los no fumadores fueron hombres. La alta dependencia de la nicotina se relacionó con la disminución de síntomas negativos evaluados con el PANSS entre los dos grupos (p .05 para ambas variables). Discusión y conclusiones: este estudio es el primero en investigar la relación entre la expresión de los síntomas negativos y el tabaquismo en pacientes con esquizofrenia en Líbano. El tabaquismo es un proceso complejo que involucra aspectos psicopatológicos, bioquímicos y neurofarmacológicos; las tasas de tabaquismo son considerablemente altas entre pacientes con esquizofrenia, por lo que son necesarios más estudios para reconocer estos hallazgos y sus bases

Association of TLR4 Polymorphisms, Expression, and Vitamin D with Helicobacter pylori Infection

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the strongest recognized risk factor for gastric adenocarcinoma. Since previous observations have shown that polymorphisms in innate immune system genes, as well as vitamin D (VitD) levels, could modify the risk of infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), we analyzed the relation between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TLRs (TLR1, TLR2, TLR4) CD14, RUNX3 and VitD levels with H. pylori infection. A case-control study on four hundred sixty Lebanese individuals was conducted. Eleven SNPs in total were genotyped and gene expression analysis using real-time PCR was performed in white blood cells of a subsample of eight individuals. A total of 49% of the participants were affected. Although no direct association was found between the SNPs and H. pylori infection, rs4986790G>A and rs4986791T>C in TLR4 were negatively associated with VitD levels (β = −0.371, p = 5 × 10−3 and β = −0.4, p = 2 × 10−3, respectively), which was negatively associated with H. pylori infection (OR = 0.01, p < 1 × 10−3). TLR4 expression was 3× lower in individuals with H. pylori compared with non-infected (p = 0.01). TLR4 polymorphisms, expression, and VitD could be implicated in H. pylori infection and further development of gastric adenocarcinoma