A qualitative study of the current situation of elderly care in Iran : what can we do for the future?

This study is part of the first author's PhD dissertation (17 Goharinezhad S. Foresight of elderly care in Iran: a scenario approach. PhD dissertation. 2016; Tehran, Iran: Iran University of Medical Sciences. [Google Scholar]) in Iran University of Medical Sciences, School of Health Management and Information Sciences (IUMS_ SHMIS: 65/2014). The authors would like to make special thanks to all participants for their cooperation to this study. The authors would also like to thank all reviewers who helped improve the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Futures of elderly care in Iran : A protocol with scenario approach

This study is the first author’s PhD Thesis, which has been supported by Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS_SHMIS: 65/2014). The authors would like to make special thanks to all participants for their kind contributions to this project and are also grateful to Dr. Mohammad Azmal and Dr. Hesam Seyedin for their insightful comments on the earlier manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Serum Anti-Hbs-Ag in Stable Hemodialysis Patients and its Relationship with Various Demographic and Biochemical Data

Introduction: To evaluate the relationship between various biochemical, nutritional and demographic factors with immune response to hepatitis B vaccine in maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients. Material and Methods: A retro-prospective study was carried out on 68 patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis .Patients were vaccinated against hepatitis B virus with an intramuscular hepatitis B vaccination schedule, 40 micrograms at 0, 1, and 6 months. We also selected 32 age matched normal healthy persons who had vaccinated against hepatitis B previously to compare the antibody production with HD patients. Results: The value of serum antibody level against hepatitis B surface antigen ( HBs) in hemodialisis patients and healthy persons were 35±55(median=5.5) and 135±71 (median=175) mIU/ml respectively. There was a significant deference between mean serum antibody level against HBs antigen of hemodialysis patients and normal subjects (p<0.001), there were not any significant differences of antibody production against HBs antigen between males and females or diabetic and non diabetics. There were no correlation between serum antibody level against HBs-Ag and serum albumin and also with body mass index. There were not significant correlation between anti-HBs antibody level and age, amounts of hemodialysis, duration of dialysis, dialysis adequacy, serum ferritin level and serum lipids. There were not also significant correlation between anti-HBs antibody level and serum parathormone, calcium, phosphorus, serum hemoglobin and hematocrit level. Conclusion: In this study, there was not significant correlation between serum antibody level against hepatitis B surface antigen and various nutritional and demographic factors of patients under regular hemodialysis

Causes of academic failure of medical and medical sciences students in Iran : A systematic review

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The effect of soy protein containing soy isoflavones on serum concentration of cell adhesion molecules : A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Funding Information: This study was financially supported by Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences (Grant number: 98-01-149 ; Ethical code: IR.NUMS.REC.1399.006). Acknowledgement We are extremely grateful to the data collection team at the Ney- shabur University of Medical Sciences.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The Diabetes Mellitus-Related Problems among Diabetic Elderly

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the main cause of death and disability in the elderly. We aimed to evaluate the diabetes mellitus-related problems in elderly participants attended the diabetes clinic of Ardabil. In a cross-sectional analytical study, 91 elderly participants were randomly enrolled. Standard Problem Area in Diabetes scale was used. Data were obtained through interview and analyzed using SPSS version 22 by descriptive and analytical methods. The mean and standard deviation of the Total Problems Related to Diabetes Mellitus was 31.51 ± 15.37. There were significant relationships between Total Problems Related to DM and marital status (P=0.02), the score of depression-related problems and gender (P=0.04) and the score of treatment barriers with the family composition (P=0.009) and marital status (P=0.005). Elderly with further chronic illness have had additional treatment barriers (P=0.02). Most of the elderly are suffering from various DM-associated problems. They needed to be taken into account in promotion planning sex, family composition, and numbers of chronic diseases

The beneficial effect of tart cherry on plasma levels of inflammatory mediators (not recovery after exercise) : A systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized clinical trials

Funding Information: This systematic review and meta-analysis was financially supported by Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences (Grant number: 1400-04-100 ). We are extremely grateful to the data collection team at the Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Vitamin B12 supplementation in end stage renal diseases : A systematic review

Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank Hossein Ansari, Javad Tarrahi, Dr. Sakineh Shabbidar and Dr. Hadi Tabibi for their technical and valuable comments.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Ethnic Differences in Disability Prevalence and Their Determinants Studied over a 20-Year Period: A Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: To compare disability prevalence rates in the major ethnic groups in the UK and understand the risk factors contributing to differences identified. It was hypothesised that Indian Asian and African Caribbean people would experience higher rates of disability compared with Europeans. METHODS: Data was collected from 888 European, 636 Indian Asian and 265 African Caribbean men and women, aged 58-88 years at 20-year follow-up of community-based cohort study, based in West London. Disability was measured using a performance-based locomotor function test and self-reported questionnaires on functional limitation, and instrumental (IADL) and basic activities of daily living (ADL). RESULTS: The mean (SD) age of participants at follow-up was 69.6 (6.2) years. Compared with Europeans, Indian Asian people were significantly more likely to experience all of the disability outcomes than Europeans; this persisted after adjustment for socioeconomic, behavioural, adiposity and chronic disease risk factors measured at baseline (locomotor dysfunction: adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.20, 95% CI 1.56-3.11; functional limitation: OR 2.77, 2.01-3.81; IADL impairment: OR 3.12, 2.20-4.41; ADL impairment: OR 1.58, 1.11-2.24). In contrast, a modest excess risk of disability was observed in African Caribbeans, which was abolished after adjustment (e.g. locomotor dysfunction: OR 1.37, 0.90-1.91); indeed a reduced risk of ADL impairment appeared after multivariable adjustment (OR from 0.99, 0.68-1.45 to 0.59, 0.38-0.93), compared with Europeans. CONCLUSIONS: Substantially elevated risk of disability was observed among Indian Asian participants, unexplained by known factors. A greater understanding of determinants of disability and normative functional beliefs of healthy aging is required in this population to inform intervention efforts to prevent disability

Cesarean section rates and indications in sub-Saharan Africa: a multi-country study from Medecins sans Frontieres.

The World Health Organization considers Cesarean section rates of 5-15% to be the optimal range for targeted provision of this life saving intervention. However, access to safe Cesarean section in resource-limited settings is much lower, estimated at 1-2% reported in sub-Saharan Africa. This study reports Cesarean sections rates and indications in Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Sierra Leone, and describe the main parameters associated with maternal and early neonatal mortality