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Purpose: The prevalence of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity is increasing worldwide, accompanied by an increase in the incidence of non-communicable diseases. This study aims to determine the trends of Body Mass Index (BMI) and prevalence of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity changes in Iranian adult population from 2004 to 2021. Methods: We conducted this study based on the eight national surveys of noncommunicable disease risk factor surveillance (STEPS) from 2004 to 2021 in Iran. We estimated the crude and standardized mean of BMI and prevalence of general and abdominal obesity in these eight STEPS surveys data. Data weighted using post-stratification method and the trends depicted based on the standardized estimates. Results: Between 2004 and 2021, and based on the standardized estimates, the mean of BMI increased from 25.19 kg/m2 in 2004 to 26.63 kg/m2 in 2021 (P-value for trend = 0.03). The standardized mean of WC increased from 86.38 cm in 2004 to 91.65 cm in 2021 (P-value for trend = 0.38). The standardized prevalence of obesity (class I and II) increased from 14.54% in 2004 to 20.17% in 2021 (P-value for trend = 0.01). The standardized prevalence of obesity class III increased from 0.82% in 2004 to 1.35% in 2021 (P-value for trend = 0.03). The standardized prevalence of abdominal obesity based on the national and international cut-points increased, but the trend was not statistically significant [(National cut-point: 27.53% in 2004 to 40.43% in 2021 (P-value for trend = 0.71)) (International cut-point: 27.58% in 2004 to 41.81% in 2021 (P-value for trend = 0.06))]. Conclusion: The standardized mean of BMI and prevalence of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity increased among Iranian adults between 2004 and 2021. Because of the negative public and clinical health implications of obesity, health policymakers should develop comprehensive programs to control this increasing trend of weight gain.
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INTRODUCTION: Obstructive sleep apnea is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation is the standard treatment of this disease, and it can reduce mortality in patients. Dysfunction of the autonomic system is one of the reasons for an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in these patients. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy on heart rate variability (HRV) indices. METHODS: The study population was comprised of 55 patients, who underwent nocturnal polysomnography for the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea and PAP titration on the same night. The levels of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bilevel positive airway pressure were adjusted to relieve obstructive sleep apnea, hypopnea, and desaturation. The patients' heart changes and cardiac characteristics were recorded before and after the start of routine CPAP therapy. Finally, the cases' sleep and polysomnography tests were analyzed and interpreted in collaboration with a sleep specialist and their cardiac changes with the aid of a cardiologist before and after treatment with CPAP. RESULTS: The participants were 55 patients at a mean age of 57.04±12.9 years. There were 34 (61.8%) male and 21 (38.2%) female cases. PAP therapy on the same night resulted in a decreased standard deviation of the N-N interval index (p=0.036) and a low-frequency index (p=0.021), as well as increased high-frequency index (p<0.001) and low frequency / high frequency ratios (p=0.008). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate a relative improvement in the activity of the autonomic system in patients with obstructive sleep apnea after 1 night of PAP therapy. Overwhelming evidence suggests that improvement in the sympathetic balance can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients.
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AIM: The aim of this study is to find-out the possible etiologies in Iranian infants less than three months in Shiraz, South of Iran. BACKGROUND: Cholestatic jaundice most probably occurs due to a pathological condition and the most frequent causes in early infancy are neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia. Early diagnosis and treatment of infantile cholestasis can improve prognosis of liver diseases by prevention of the complications of these disorders. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 122 infants under 3 months of age with cholestasis were studied in Nemazee Hospital (affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences) during the years 2001-2011. Demographic data, duration of jaundice, liver biopsy and the causes of cholestasis were recorded. RESULTS: There were 76 males (62.3%) and 46 females (37.7%) with a mean age of 54.4 ± 23.7 days. The most common clinical finding was jaundice that was seen in all patients (100%).The onset of jaundice was the first day to the fifty two days of age, with an average age of 15.6 ± 16.1 days. Other findings included hepatomegaly in 92 patients (76.4%), clay-color stool in 54 (44.3%), and splenomegaly in 29 patients (23.8%). In this study, the most common causes of cholestasis were biliary atresia (30=24.6%), idiopathic neonatal hepatitis (30= 24.6%) and bile ducts paucity (16=10.3). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis are the most common causes of infantile cholestasis in this area. It is recommended that biliary atresia should be discriminated from other forms of neonatal cholestasis.
