[ study of gastric mucosal changes in Azerbaijan and Hormozgan patients with dyspepsia]

Gastric cancer is a common cancer in East-Azerbaijan [Northwest of Iran]. In a community with high rates of gastric cancer, dyspepsia may be a symptom of a serious problem. The main aims of this study were to evaluate the gastric mucosal changes in dyspeptic patients from Azerbaijan and to compare it with similar patients from Hormozgan [a community with low rates of gastric cancer in the South of Iran]. In this analytic-descriptive setting, 191 patients with dyspepsia were evaluated at the Tabriz Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center. Upper endoscopy was done in all patients and biopsies were obtained from 5 different points of the stomach, followed by histopathological assessments. A total of 101 patients from Azerbaijan [so-called Azari] and 90 patients from Hormozgan [so-called Bandari] were enrolled. Endoscopically determinable lesion was significantly more frequent in the patients from Hormozgan [68.3% case vs. 81.1% control x2 test; P=0.03]. HP infection was determined in 69.3 and 84.1 percent of the patients from Azarbayjon and Hormozgan, respectively. Active chronic and chronic gastritis were found in 72.3% and 23.8% of Azari group and 73.6% and 25.3% of Bandari group. In those patients with gastritis, corpus predominant or pangastritis was more common in the Bandari group [64.1% Azari vs. 83.3% in the Bandari]. Chronic gastritis [Mean scores 10.96 +/- 2.8 Bandari v 8.5 +/- 3.2 Azari, P<0.001, u=2494] and active gastritis [Mean scores 7.6 +/- 5.7 Bandari vs. 3.4 +/- 3 Azari, P<0.001, u=2572] were severe in the Bandari group. No cases of displasia and adenocarcinoma were detected. Our findings show that endoscopically determinable lesion, HP infection, chronic and active chronic gastritis of gastric mucosa, and the corpus predominant or pangastritis were more common in the patients from Hormozgan

[Assessing of health-related quality of life and stress levels in patients with ulcerative colitis, and its relation with clinical and demographic factors]

Ulcerative Colitis [UC] is a chronic inflammation of the colon. Patients with UC face numerous physical, psychological, and social problems that are associated with health related quality of life. The aim of this study is to determine the mental stress level and quality of life among UC patients in comparison with a healthy control group, and their relation with clinical and demographic factors. This study was a case control, cross-sectional study of 106 patients [53 with UC and 53 healthy people as controls]. Patients were selected from the Tabriz Medical Science University Clinic in 2010. Clinical and demographic features data were collected. The general health questionnaire [SF36] was used fur the assessment of health related quality of life [HRQOL] and mental stress was measured by the Cohen stress scale. Statistical analyses showed that the quality of life in UC patients was lower than healthy individuals [p=0.006]. There was a direct positive relationship between quality of life and stress levels. Stress levels among women were higher than men in the case group. Disease severity, period of disease, and level of stress were the most important factors that determined the quality of life among patients with UC [p <0.05]. Perceived HRQOL is impaired in UC patients compared with age- and sex-matched controls. Psychological distress and disease severity are powerful predictors of HRQOL in UC patients

Cancer incidence among the elderly population in the Northwest of Iran: a population based study

This article was aimed to provide an overview and a perspective on the changing impact of cancers with increasing age on three age groups. A population based cancer registry was undertaken to register all new cancers cases from March 2006 to March 2007. During one year, 2023 [41.1%] of 4922 patients with cancer were >/= 65 years. The five most common cancers [excluding skin cancer] were stomach, bladder, esophagus, prostate and lung in males and esophagus, stomach, breast, colorectal cancer and bladder in females. Taking into account the increasing life expectancy in Iran, establishment and implementation of national cancer control program should be of priority for health policy makers in this country

Prevalence and risk factors of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Tabriz, Iran

Gastroesophageal reflux disease [GERD] is one of the most common gastrointestinal problems in the west while different reports indicate an increase in the prevalence in Iran. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and clinical spectrum of GERD in staff of a referral hospital and evaluate the risk factors. This cross-sectional study using a modified Mayo clinic questionnaire was performed on staff of Imam Hospital, Tabriz, Iran on a pilot of 50 subjects, and a randomly selected group consisted of 522 subjects in the year 2005. GERD symptoms were defined as at least weekly heartburn and/or acid regurgitation during the past year. Response rate was 95%. Mean age of responders was 40.02 +/- 10.72 yr. The prevalence of recurrent heartburn and/or acid regurgitation experienced at least weekly and monthly was 26.8% and 34.1%, respectively. They were not related to age and gender. The severity of symptoms was mainly reported of a mild to moderate degree. 45% of the cases reported at least one of the atypical symptoms. There was no relation between marriage status and prevalence of GERD. On the other hand, GERD was less common among cases with no family history of upper gastrointestinal disease. The prevalence of frequent GERD was more common among medical staff. Increased BMI [but no recent weight gain or lose] was associated with higher prevalence of GERD symptoms only in women. Interestingly 33% of our population had a history of using antacid or PPIs which was more among cases with frequent GERD symptoms. This study revealed a high prevalence of frequent GERD symptoms in a selected population of Tabriz. Atypical symptoms should be considered in this area

Skull metastasis as the first presentation of hepatocellular carcinoma

Skull metastasis from Hepatocellular carcinoma, specially as the first presentation is very rare. We report a case with a history of head trauma in Bam earthquake and craniotomy due to lytic tumor of the skull, presented with upper gastrointestinal symptoms which Hepatocellular carcinoma with skull metastasis was revealed .the patient was infected with hepatitis B virus without cirrhosis