Determinants of gastroesophageal reflux disease, including hookah smoking and opium use- a cross-sectional analysis of 50,000 individuals.

BACKGROUND: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common cause of discomfort and morbidity worldwide. However, information on determinants of GERD from large-scale studies in low- to medium-income countries is limited. We investigated the factors associated with different measures of GERD symptoms, including frequency, patient-perceived severity, and onset time. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the baseline data from a population-based cohort study of ∼ 50,000 individuals in in Golestan Province, Iran. GERD symptoms in this study included regurgitation and/or heartburn. RESULTS: Approximately 20% of participants reported at least weekly symptoms. Daily symptoms were less commonly reported by men, those of Turkmen ethnicity, and nass chewers. On the other hand, age, body mass index, alcohol drinking, cigarette smoking, opium use, lower socioeconomic status, and lower physical activity were associated with daily symptoms. Most of these factors showed similar associations with severe symptoms. Women with higher BMI and waist to hip ratio were more likely to report frequent and severe GERD symptoms. Hookah smoking (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.02-1.75) and opium use (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.55-1.87) were associated with severe symptoms, whereas nass chewing had an inverse association (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.76-0.99). After exclusion of cigarette smokers, hookah smoking was still positively associated and nass chewing was inversely associated with GERD symptoms (all frequencies combined). CONCLUSION: GERD is common in this population. The associations of hookah and opium use and inverse association of nass use with GERD symptoms are reported for the first time. Further studies are required to investigate the nature of these associations. Other determinants of GERD were mostly comparable to those reported elsewhere

Opium use and mortality in Golestan Cohort Study: prospective cohort study of 50 000 adults in Iran

Objectives To investigate the association between opium use and subsequent risk of death

A U-shaped relationship between haematocrit and mortality in a large prospective cohort study

Background: Only a limited number of studies have investigated the correlation between haematocrit (HCT) and mortality in the general population, and few of those studies have had data on a wide range of low and high levels of HCT. We investigated the association between baseline HCT and mortality in a prospective cohort study of 49 983 adult subjects in Iran with a broad spectrum of HCT values. Methods: Data on socio-demographic and life-style factors, past medical history, and levels of HCT were collected at enrollment. During a mean follow-up of 5 years (follow-up success rate ±99%), 2262 deaths were reported. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results: There was a U-shaped relationship between categories of HCT and mortality in both sexes: both low and high levels of HCT were associated with increased overall mortality and mortality from cardiovascular disease. The U-shaped relationship persisted after several sensitivity analyses were done, including analyses restricted to non-smokers and non-users of opium; analyses excluding deaths from accidents and other external causes as well as deaths of persons with self-reported ischemic heart disease at the baseline interview for the study; and analyses excluding the first 2 years of follow-up. Self-reported past medical history and lack of data about lipids and other cellular blood components were the major limitations of the study. Conclusions: Low and high levels of HCT are associated with increased mortality in the general population. The findings in the present study can be of particular importance for low- and middle-income countries in which a substantial proportion of the population lives with suboptimal levels of HCT. © Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association 2013

Opium use and risk of mortality from digestive diseases: A prospective cohort study

Objectives:Opium use, particularly in low doses, is a common practice among adults in northeastern Iran. We aimed to investigate the association between opium use and subsequent mortality from disorders of the digestive tract.Methods:We used data from the Golestan Cohort Study, a prospective cohort study in northeastern Iran, with detailed, validated data on opium use and several other exposures. A total of 50,045 adults were enrolled during a 4-year period (2004-2008) and followed annually until December 2012, with a follow-up success rate of 99. We used Cox proportional hazard regression models to evaluate the association between opium use and outcomes of interest.Results:In all, 8,487 (17) participants reported opium use, with a mean duration of 12.7 years. During the follow-up period 474 deaths from digestive diseases were reported (387 due to gastrointestinal cancers and 87 due to nonmalignant etiologies). Opium use was associated with an increased risk of death from any digestive disease (adjusted hazard ratio (HR)=1.55, 95 confidence interval (CI)=1.24-1.93). The association was dose dependent, with a HR of 2.21 (1.57-3.31) for the highest quintile of cumulative opium use vs. no use (P trend =0.037). The HRs (95 CI) for the associations between opium use and malignant and nonmalignant causes of digestive mortality were 1.38 (1.07-1.76) and 2.60 (1.57-4.31), respectively. Increased risks were seen both for smoking opium and for ingestion of opium.Conclusions:Long-term opium use, even in low doses, is associated with increased risk of death from both malignant and nonmalignant digestive diseases

Role of silis in esophageal cancer

Association of silica with diseases like cancers has been determined previously. This study was designed to determine the quantity of silis in flour produced in Golestan Province, and its relation to esophageal cancer (EC). We took flour samples from all flour millings in Golestan Province. Base-melting method in nickel cruise was used at 550°C. The extract was reduced with acids. Different silis concentrations in various regions were compared. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The median silis concentration was 0.0030 g, the mean silis concentration was 0.008760 ± 0.004265 g in each 100 g flour. The difference of mean silis concentrations in various regions was not significant. No high level of silica was found in the flour of Golestan Province. We could not find any significant difference in various areas between silica contaminations. Studies on the consumed bread and rice in various regions of Golestan Province can be helpful

Esophageal Cancer in Iran: A Review

Esophageal cancer is the second and third most common malignancy in Iranian malesand females, respectively, claiming lives of approximately 5800 Iranians each year.Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is presently the most common type accounting forabout 90% of all esophageal cancers in Iran. Recent studies have shown that there isa gradual increase in the incidence of adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus alongwith gastric cardia adenocarcinoma. Thirty-five years ago, the age standardizied rate (ASR) of esophageal SCC in thecity of Gonbad (Golestan Province, northeast of Iran) was found to be one of the highestrates for any single cancer that had been reported worldwide (ASR >100/105/year).Recent studies have shown that the incidence of SCC in Gonbad has declined to lessthan half of what it was in the past. This decline in the incidence of esophageal SCCparallels an improvement in the socioeconomic situation of people living in thisregion. According to recent cancer registry data in Iran there is still an obviousintracountry variability between the incidence of esophageal cancer in the south withan ASR of 3 for males and 2 for females in Kerman and 43 and 36 in the northeasternprovince of Golestan. The reasons for this very high rate of SCC in northeastern Iranhave been the subject of several studies during the past 35 years. According to resultsof these studies the suspected risk factors are: low intake of fruits and vegetables, drinkinghot tea, consumption of opium products and tobacco, H.pyloriinfection in the stomach,using unhealthy drinking water from cisterns and genetic susceptibility. The mainsuspected mutagens are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and N-nitrosocompounds. In order to embark primary and secondary prevention of this fatal cancer,further prospective studies are presently underway in the region. The Golestanesophageal cancer cohort study which follows of 50,000 subjects is on going. We expectsimple and feasible evidence based preventive strategies to be implemented in the futureaccording to the results of this study

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus and its co-infection with hepatitis D virus and hepatitis C virus in Iranian adult population

Context: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most prevalent public health problems worldwide (especially in developing countries). Aims: This study was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of HBV and its co-infection with hepatitis D (HDV) and C (HCV) viruses in the northeastern part of Iran. Setting and Design: A population-based cross-sectional study in Iran. Materials and Methods: As many as 1,850 subjects were explored for HBsAg. Anti-HDV and anti-HCV antibodies were assessed in HBsAg-positive cases. Statistical Analysis Used: Proportions were compared by Chi-square and Fisher′s exact tests. Results: The mean age of subjects was 43.86 ± 11.2 years. The age- and sex-standardized prevalence for HBsAg positivity was 9.7%. It was higher in males than in females (OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 0.9-1.7). The risk of infection in singles was significantly higher than in married cases (OR: 2.13). Eight (5.8%) of HBsAg-positive cases were infected with HDV, and 17 (12.3%) were positive for anti-HCV antibody. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the prevalence of HBsAg seropositivity in Golestan province of Iran is higher than the levels reported by WHO and previous studies from Iran. It is very important, especially for health providers and policy makers, to recognize the risk factors of HBV infection and its co-infection with HDV and HCV in this area and design effective preventive programs