[Effect of 8 weeks aerobic exercise and vitamin C on liver transaminases activities in obese 8-11 years girls]

Background and Objective: Liver diseases accompanied with growing of obesity in children. This study was done to evaluate the effect of aerobic exercise and vitamin C intake on liver transaminases activities in 8-11 years obese girls

Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 28 obese girls were randomly divided into four equal groups including control, exercise, supplement [500 mg vitamin C tablet, dailly] and combined [500 mg vitamin C, daily plus exercise] groups. Aerobic exercise was consisted of exercise movements at 50% to 70% maximal heart rate and 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected before and 48 hour after the last intervention. Serum transaminases activities were measured by enzymatic colorimetric method

Results: 8 weeks of aerobic exercise, vitamin C and the combined intervention were associated with a significant reduction in Alanine aminotransferase [ALT] and Aspartate aminotransferase [AST] activities [P<0.05] whereas there was no effect on the Alkaline phosphatase activity. All these interventions were associated with significantly greater reduction in the ALT and AST activities ratio in comparision with control group. Combined intervention induced more reduction on percent of variables changes compared with other interventions [P<0.05]

Conclusion: It seems selected aerobic exercise and vitamin C intake may induce their protective effect in obese girls via improvement in liver function

Reproductive behaviour of mothers of children with beta-thalassaemia major

Thalassaemia is the most common monogenic autosomal hereditary disease worldwide. This questionnaire-based cross-sectional study looked at the reproductive behaviour of 156 mothers of children affected with beta-thalassaemia major [Cooley anaemia] in Fars province, southern Islamic Republic of Iran. Regardless of the number of affected children, the parents of children with Cooley anaemia had an average of 3 unaffected children, the same as the average forthe provincial population.The findings indicate that reproductive compensation occurs in families with a child with Cooley anaemia in this province. Genetic counselling, either before marriage or after the birth of the first affected child, had a significant effect on lowering the number of children born

Monte Carlo simulation on the effect of different approaches to thalassaemia on gene frequency

We used computer simulation to determine variation in gene, heterozygous and homozygous frequencies induced by 4 different approaches to thalassaemia. These were: supportive therapy only; treat homozygous patients with a hypothetical modality phenotypically only; abort all homozygous fetuses; and prevent marriage between gene carriers. Gene frequency becomes constant with the second or the fourth strategy, and falls over time with the first or the third strategy. Heterozygous frequency varies in parallel with gene frequency. Using the first strategy, homozygous frequency falls over time; with the second strategy it becomes constant; and with the third and fourth strategies it falls to zero after the first generation. No matter which strategy is used, the population gene frequency, in the worst case, will remain constant over time

Prevalence of atrial fibrillation in a primary health care centre in Fars Province, Islamic Republic of Iran

This study determined the prevalence of atrial fibrillation at a primary health care centre in Fars province of the Islamic Republic of Iran. All ambulatory people aged > or = 50 years visiting the centre between April and October 2001 were screened for atrial fibrillation using a st and ard 12-lead ECG. The mean +/- SD age of participants was 64.0 +/- 8.9 years. Of 463 participants aged 50-79 years, 13 [2.8%] had atrial fibrillation [median age 74 years], significantly more women [10/230] than men [3/233]. Unlike previous studies in industrialized countries, the prevalence tripled with each decade of life and increased significantly from 0.6% in the 50-59 years to 6.4% in the 70-79 years age group. With increasing longevity in some developing countries, atrial fibrillation and consequently stroke may become major health problems

prevalence of sickle cell syndrome in south of Iran

Sickle cell disease is a major health problem in many western countries. Several hemoglobinopathies are prevalent in the Middle East and, like other countries in the region, Iran has also a large number of patients with hemoglobinopathies including thalassemia. The frequency of the sickle cell gene, however, is not yet determined in this part of the world. To determine the frequency of the sickle cell gene in South of Iran. Using electrophoresis on cellulose acetate plates at alkaline pH, column chromatography and sickling test, 522 males and 522 females who attended our center for thalassemia carrier screening, were also tested for having sickle cell trait/disease. Out of 1044 participants, 15 [1.437%] were heterozygous and one [0.096%] was homozygous for the sickle cell gene, giving a gene frequency of 0.0081 [95% CI: 0.0043-0.0120]. It seems that the case of sickle cell disease, though important in Iran, is far less serious than thalassemia

Safety and antithrombotic effects of fixed low-dose warfarin-aspirin combination in rheumatic mitral stenosis associated with atrial fibrillation

The incidence of thromboembolic complications in cases of mitral stenosis [MS] associated with atrial fibrillation [AF] is around 20%. To prevent this complication, warfarin and aspirin is administered to keep the INR between 2 and 3. However, this treatment is associated with increased risk of hemorrhagic episodes. Fifty-five patients with both rheumatic MS and AF, were randomly divided into two groups; Twenty-five patients received 2.5-mg of warfarin and 100 mg of aspirin daily, and thirty patients served as control. The mean +/- SD INR in the treatment group [1.58 +/- 0.45] was significantly higher than that of the control group [1.175 +/- 0.21] [p < 0.001]. Twenty per cent of the control group developed thromboembolic complications. However, none of the patients in the treatment group had any thromboembolic or hemorrhagic events. No inter - or intra-patient INR variability was seen. Therefore the use of low-dose warfarin - aspirin combination for the prevention of thromboembolic complications in patients with MS associated with AF is effective and safe, and thus, is strongly suggested