Waist circumference: a better index of fat location than WHR for predicting lipid profile in overweight/obese Iranian women

We carried out a clinical cross-sectional study on 728 overweight and obese women aged 20-60 years during July 2005-May 2006 in Sistan and Baluchestan, Islamic Republic of Iran. Body mass index [BMI] and waist circumference [WC] showed significant correlation with total cholesterol [TC], triglycerides [TG] and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. After adjustment for age and BMI, this was also true for WC with TC and TG. There was no such correlation between waist-to-hip ratio [WHR] and lipid profile. Hence, WC was a better anthropometric index of fat location than WHR to estimate lipid profile in overweight and obese adult women

Role of endoscopy in finding causes of chronic abdominal pain in children

In recent years, along with advancement in medical technology including endoscopic techniques have played an important role in the etiology of recurrent abdominal pain [RAP]. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of upper endoscopy and gastrointestinal biopsy in the children with RAP. This cross sectional study took place in Zahedan [IRAN] in 2005- 2007. Chronic abdominal pain was defined as three episodes of pain occurring in a period of 3 consecutive months with a severity in routine functioning. After taking history and physical examination, patients underwent upper endoscopy. Sections of biopsy were evaluated by a pathologist. Informed consent was taken. Then, data were gathered and analyzed with SPSS. From 80 children in this study, 58 cases had gastritis [22 cases with HP gastroduodenitis], 13 cases had esoghagogastritis and 23 cases had chronic nonspecific gastritis. Celiac disease in 5 cases and normal results in 3 cases were found. The most remarkable symptom was night abdominal pain [52%].Upper endoscopy has an important role in finding etiologies in children with RAP