Studying the determinant factors leading to congenital heart disease in newborns

Context: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is an important cause of death during the 1st year of life and includes a special group of cardiac diseases that exist from birth. These conditions arise due to the abnormal development of an embryo's normal structures. Aims: A case–control study was conducted to investigate the determinant factors leading to CHD. Materials and Methods: All newborns who have been diagnosed with CHD upon echocardiography in 2013 were considered as cases. The number of samples required was randomly selected from the newborns who lacked CHD on cardiography. The mothers of both groups were handed the questionnaires. Statistical Analysis Used: SPSS 23 was employed to analyze the data. Results: A statistically significant association was seen between CHD and a positive family history (FH) (P 0.001). No significant association was observed between CHD in the newborn and the age below 20 and above 35 years and (P = 0.11), maternal body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.44), smoking during the first 45 days of gestation (P = 0.017), and maternal rheumatologic diseases (P = 0.4). Conclusions: Newborns are at a greater risk of having CHD born from mothers with a FH of CHD, from consanguineous marriages, history of diabetes, antiepileptic use, and lack of folic acid use. However, no significant associations were found between newborn CHD and maternal age, BMI, or cigarette smoking

Self-Care Assessment of Patients with Hypertension in Qom City in 2016 (Iran)

Background and Objectives: Nutritional awareness and other factors affecting blood pressure, and also perception of self-care in hypertension are important factors for controlling blood pressure. This study aimed to determine the factors affecting self-care in patients with hypertension. &nbsp; Methods: In this descriptive analytical cross-sectional study, 315 hypertensive patients in Qom city, were selected from patients referring to health centers using multistage sampling. The data collection tool was a two-part questionnaire: demographic information and self-care. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, ANOVA, and Duncan's test. &nbsp; Results: The mean age of the patients was 53.59 years and the duration of the disease was 7.54 years. Only 5.1% of the patients had removed salt from their diet during the whole week, and 27.9% of the patients had performed no sport activities during the week; 4.1% had never used their medicines on time; Self-care status was reported to be poor in 27.9% of the subjects, in 68.6% moderate, and in 3.5% good. The mean self-care score was not significantly different from gender and marital status, and family history, but had a significant difference with education, occupation, family history of high blood pressure, and history of receiving educational program (p<0.05). Moreover, there was a significant reverse correlation between age and self-care (r=-0.273, p<0.001) and between the duration of high blood pressure and self-care (r=-0.28, p=-0.041). &nbsp; Conclusion: According to the results, the status of self-care behaviors in patients with hypertension is not at appropriate level. Therefore, it is necessary to emphasize the severity and seriousness of these behaviors and possible complications in the educational program with taking into account the above issue. &nbsp; &nbsp