The effect of obesity phenotype changes on cardiovascular outcomes in adults older than 40 years in the prospective cohort of the Tehran lipids and glucose study (TLGS): joint model of longitudinal and time-to-event data.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a worldwide health concern with serious clinical effects, including myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and all-cause mortality. The present study aimed to assess the association of obesity phenotypes and different CVDs and mortality in males and females by simultaneously considering the longitudinal and survival time data. METHODS: In the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS), participants older than three years were selected by a multi-stage random cluster sampling method and followed for about 19 years. In the current study, individuals aged over 40 years without a medical history of CVD, stroke, MI, and coronary heart disease were included. Exclusions comprised those undergoing treatment for CVD and those with more than 30% missing information or incomplete data. Joint modeling of longitudinal binary outcome and survival time data was applied to assess the dependency and the association between the changes in obesity phenotypes and time to occurrence of CVD, MI, stroke, and CVD mortality. To account for any potential sex-related confounding effect on the association between the obesity phenotypes and CVD outcomes, sex-specific analysis was carried out. The analysis was performed using packages (JMbayes2) of R software (version 4.2.1). RESULTS: Overall, 6350 adults above 40 years were included. In the joint modeling of CVD outcome among males, literates and participants with a family history of diabetes were at lower risk of CVD compared to illiterates and those with no family history of diabetes in the Bayesian Cox model. Current smokers were at higher risk of CVD compared to non-smokers. In a logistic mixed effects model, odds of obesity phenotype was higher among participants with low physical activity, family history of diabetes and older age compared to males with high physical activity, no family history of diabetes and younger age. In females, based on the results of the Bayesian Cox model, participants with family history of diabetes, family history of CVD, abnormal obesity phenotype and past smokers had a higher risk of CVD compared to those with no history of diabetes, CVD and nonsmokers. In the obesity varying model, odds of obesity phenotype was higher among females with history of diabetes and older age compared to those with no history of diabetes and who were younger. There was no significant variable associated with MI among males in the Bayesian Cox model. Odds of obesity phenotype was higher in males with low physical activity compared to those with high physical activity in the obesity varying model, whereas current smokers were at lower odds of obesity phenotype than nonsmokers. In females, risk of MI was higher among those with family history of diabetes compared to those with no history of diabetes in the Bayesian Cox model. In the logistic mixed effects model, a direct and significant association was found between age and obesity phenotype. In males, participants with history of diabetes, abnormal obesity phenotype and older age were at higher risk of stroke in the Bayesian Cox model compared to males with no history of diabetes, normal obesity phenotype and younger persons. In the obesity varying model, odds of obesity phenotype was higher in males with low physical activity, family history of diabetes and older age compared to those with high physical activity, no family history of diabetes and who were younger. Smokers had a lower odds of obesity phenotype than nonsmokers. In females, past smokers and those with family history of diabetes were at higher risk of stroke compared to nonsmokers and females with no history of diabetes in the Bayesian Cox model. In the obesity varying model, females with family history of diabetes and older ages had a higher odds of obesity phenotype compared to those with no family history of diabetes and who were younger. Among males, risk of CVD mortality was lower in past smokers compared to nonsmokers in the survival model. A direct and significant association was found between age and CVD mortality. Odds of obesity phenotype was higher in males with a history of diabetes than in those with no family history of diabetes in the logistic mixed effects model. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that modifications to metabolic disorders may have an impact on the heightened incidence of CVDs. Based on this, males with obesity and any type of metabolic disorder had a higher risk of CVD, stroke and CVD mortality (excluding MI) compared to those with a normal body mass index (BMI) and no metabolic disorders. Females with obesity and any type of metabolic disorder were at higher risk of CVD(, MI and stroke compared to those with a normal BMI and no metabolic disorders suggesting that obesity and metabolic disorders are related. Due to its synergistic effect on high blood pressure, metabolic disorders raise the risk of CVD.

Uveal melanoma in the Iranian population: two decades of patient management in a tertiary eye center.

BACKGROUND: To assess the characteristics and outcomes of uveal melanoma management at a tertiary center in the Middle East. METHODS: A study on 164 patients with uveal melanoma was conducted by reviewing the available medical records, ultrasound, and pathology report results. Age at diagnosis, tumor location and size, treatment mode, visual outcome, metastasis, mortality, and survival were studied. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 52.0 ± 15.0 years, and 52.5% were male. Choroidal melanoma was the most common uveal melanoma, followed by the ciliary body and iris melanoma. The mean thickness of tumors was 8.29 ± 3.29. The majority of patients (n = 111, 67.9%) were managed by brachytherapy with ruthenium-106 plaques. Enucleation was performed primarily in 46 (28%) patients and secondarily in nine (5.5%) patients. The sexual disparity was detected as the proximity of uveal melanoma to the fovea in males. For a 61-month mean follow-up period, mortality occurred in eight of our cases, six of which were due to metastasis. The most common site for distance metastasis was the liver (5/6), followed by the lung (1/6). The five-year and eight-year overall survival (OS) rate was 0.947%± 0.019. The 5-year survival rate reached zero in metastatic patients. OS was not statistically different depending on the age, tumor diameters, the primary treatment received, or the histopathologic findings (p > 0.50 for all). CONCLUSION: In this study, individuals diagnosed with UM exhibited an OS rate of around 94% at the five-year mark, which remained consistent up to eight years. Notably, the presence of distance metastasis emerged as the sole statistically significant factor influencing overall survival.

Papillary and peripapillary vascular densities and corresponding correlation with peripapillary retinal thicknesses using optical coherence tomography angiography in healthy children and adolescents.

To evaluate the peripapillary retinal thickness (PPRT), vascular density (PPVD), and disc vascular density (PVD) and their correlations in normal healthy children using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). This was a cross-sectional study of 70 eyes from 36 normal healthy children aged 6-18 years who performed optic nerve head scans using OCTA. The PPRT included the peripapillary nerve fiber layer (PP-RNFLT), inner retina (PP-IRT), middle retinal thickness, and outer retinal thicknesses. The PP-RNFLT and PP-IRT were not significantly different between males and females. Superior nasal peripapillary RNFLT and IRT were significantly affected by age (ANOVA, P > 0.05). The PP-IRT and PP-RNFLT were lower in the 7-11 years old group in comparison with the other 3 groups (Post hoc Tukey test, P value < 0.05). Age and sex-matched PVD were not correlated with PPVD (partial correlation, P > 0.05). PPRT was not correlated with PVD, PPVD, superficial and deep retinal vascular densities, and choroidal vascular density. This study demonstrated that PPRT appears to change during growth in childhood. Superior nasal PPRT was affected more in the groups, decreasing from less than 7 years old to 7-11 years old and then back to pre-reduction values after 11 years old.

The association between ambient air pollution and migraine: a systematic review.

Some studies have shown the effect of air pollution on migraine. However, it needs to be confirmed in larger-scale studies, as scientific evidence is scarce regarding the association between air pollution and migraine. Therefore, this systematic review aims to determine whether there are associations between outdoor air pollution and migraine. A literature search was performed in Scopus, Medline (via PubMed), EMBASE, and Web of Science. A manual search for resources and related references was also conducted to complete the search. All observational studies investigating the association between ambient air pollution and migraine, with inclusion criteria, were entered into the review. Fourteen out of 1417 identified articles met the inclusion criteria and entered the study. Among the gaseous air pollutants, there was a correlation between exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) (78.3% of detrimental relationships) and carbon monoxide (CO) (68.0% of detrimental relationships) and migraine, but no apparent correlation has been found for sulfur dioxide (SO2) (21.2% of detrimental relationships) and ozone (O3) (55.2% of detrimental relationships). In the case of particulate air pollutants, particulate matter with a diameter of 10 µm or less (PM10) (76.0% of detrimental relationships) and particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less (PM2.5) (61.3% of detrimental relationships) had relationships with migraine. In conclusion, exposure to NO2, CO, PM10, and PM2.5 is associated with migraine headaches, while no conclusive evidence was found to confirm the correlation between O3 and SO2 with migraine. Further studies with precise methodology are recommended in different cities around the world for all pollutants with an emphasis on O3 and SO2.

Association between metabolic syndrome and myocardial infarction among patients with excess body weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Controversial views exist over the effects of metabolically unhealthy obesity phenotypes on CVDs. This study aimed to perform a meta-analysis to assess the association between metabolic syndrome and myocardial infarction (MI) among individuals with excess body weight (EBW). METHODS: We searched PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases as of December 9, 2023. Cohort studies involving patients with overweight or obesity that reported the relevant effect measures for the association between metabolic syndrome and MI were included. We excluded studies with incomplete or unavailable original data, reanalysis of previously published data, and those that did not report the adjusted effect sizes. We used the Newcastle Ottawa Scale for quality assessment. Random-effect model meta-analysis was performed. Publication bias was assessed by Begg's test. RESULTS: Overall, nine studies comprising a total of 61,104 participants were included. There was a significant positive association between metabolic syndrome and MI among those with obesity (hazard ratio (HR): 1.68; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.27, 2.22). Subgroup analysis showed higher HRs for obesity (1.72; 1.03, 2.88) than overweight (1.58; 1.-13-2.21). Meta-regression revealed no significant association between nationality and risk of MI (p = 0.75). All studies had high qualities. There was no significant publication bias (p = 0.42). CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic syndrome increased the risk of MI in those with EBW. Further studies are recommended to investigate other risk factors of CVDs in EBW, in order to implement preventive programs to reduce the burden of CVD in obesity.

Burden of diseases attributable to excess body weight in the Middle East and North Africa region, 1990-2019.

High body mass index (BMI), or excess body weight (EBW), represents a significant risk factor for a range of diseases, including cardiovascular diseases and cancers. The study sought to determine the burden of diseases attributable to EBW in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region from 1990 and 2019. The analysis also included an exploration of this burden by age, sex, underlying cause, and sociodemographic index (SDI). We utilized publicly available data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2019 to identify the deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of diseases associated with EBW in MENA, spanning the period from 1990 to 2019. The GBD estimated the mean BMI and the prevalence of EBW using hierarchical mixed-effects regression, followed by spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression to determine the most accurate BMI distribution through comparison with actual data. In 2019, there were an estimated 538.4 thousand deaths (95% UI 369.9-712.3) and 17.9 million DALYs (12.9-23.1) attributable to EBW in the region. The DALYs attributable to EBW were higher in men (9.3 million [6.5-12.4]) than in women (8.5 million [6.4-10.8]). The age-standardized death and DALY rates for the diseases associated with EBW increased by 5.1% (- 9.0-25.9) and 8.3% (- 6.5-28.8), respectively, during the study period which was not significant. Egypt had the highest age-standardized mortality rate due to EBW (217.7 [140.0, 307.8]), while Yemen (88.6 [45.9, 143.5]) had the lowest. In 2019, the highest number of DALYs occurred among individuals aged 60 to 64 years old. Furthermore, we found a positive association between a nation's SDI and the age-standardized DALY rate linked to EBW. Cardiovascular disease emerged as the leading contributor to the EBW burden in MENA. The disease burden attributable to EBW showed a non-significant increase in MENA from 1990 to 2019.

Relationship between vitamin D levels and age of menopause and reproductive lifespan: Analysis based on the National health and nutrition examination survey (NHANES) 2001-2018.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between serum vitamin D levels and age at menopause and reproductive lifespan in a group of US postmenopausal women. STUDY DESIGN: Data from 6,326 postmenopausal US women in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database 2001-2018 were obtained. Weighted multinomial logistic regression models were used to obtain odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Statistical analyzes were performed using SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute), and complex survey designs were considered. RESULTS: Vitamin D deficiency was associated with a higher likelihood of early menopause (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.58; p = 0.008) and lower odds of late menopause (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.95) in the unadjusted model but not in the adjusted model. Lower vitamin D levels were associated with a higher risk of a shorter reproductive lifespan. The strongest association was seen in the first tertile of vitamin D deficiency (OR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1:29-1:83). After adjustment, the associations were somewhat weakened but remained statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that vitamin D deficiency and inadequacy might be associated with earlier age at menopause. It may also reduce the reproductive lifespan in women. Given the cross-sectional nature of the NHANES dataset, these results should be interpreted with caution due to temporality bias. Menopausal age is a multifactorial phenomenon, and the identification of factors and their interactions should be evaluated in future studies.

Spiritual rehabilitation of affected people after natural disasters: a protocol for a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge about the spiritual rehabilitation of affected people after disasters is scare. The objective of the present study is to identify the factors affecting the spiritual rehabilitation of affected people after natural disasters employing a systematic review study. METHODS: The protocol of this review has been registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Review (PROSPERO) with the code CRD42021228552. Using MEDLIN (PubMed), Web of Science, Google Scholar, Embase, ProQuest, Scopus and ISC database as well as studies related to the research topic till the end of 2022. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was used to find articles related to the research objective. Thematic content analysis then was used for concepts extraction. RESULTS: This systematic review identifies factors affecting the spiritual rehabilitation of affected people after natural disasters. CONCLUSIONS: Both systematic review as well as qualitative study are essential in order to explore spiritual rehabilitation of affected people after natural disasters, while the current study was employed systematic review. It is expected that planners and policy-makers can use the extracted factors for improving the spiritual rehabilitation of people affected by natural disasters.

Reliability of respiratory-gated real-time two-dimensional cine incorporating deep learning reconstruction for the assessment of ventricular function in an adult population; a common mistake.

Reliability (repeatability or agreement) is assessed by different statistical tests including Pearson r or Spearman rho which is one of the common mistakes in reliability analysis. Pearson r or Spearman rho correlation coefficient only assesses the linearity between two continuous variables. Any shift in the regression line's location or scale, which leads to non-reliability, cannot be detected by these correlation coefficients. In reliability analysis, the individual approach should be considered instead of the global average. To correctly assess the reliability (agreement), for continuous variables, either the Bland -Altman plot or Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) absolute measure should be applied.

Quantitative Analysis of Inner, Middle, and Outer Retinal Thickness by Optical Coherence Tomography in Children and Adolescents.

Purpose: To describe the variance of inner, middle, and outer retinal layer thicknesses (IRT, MRT, and ORT) at the macular area in children and adolescents with normal eyes in different age groups. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled subjects aged 5-18 years with normal eyes. The macula was scanned by optical coherence tomography (6 mm × 6 mm AngioScan-Optovue). Four age groups were defined (≤7, 7-10, 11-14, and ≥14 years). The influences of age and gender were analyzed. Results: One hundred and thirty-nine eyes of 69 subjects with a mean age of 10.92 ± 3.51 years were registered. The mean whole macular thickness (MT) was 297.32 ± 11.05 in males and 303.197 ± 13.32 in females (P = 0.01, t-test). The MT in each aging group was 301.47 ± 2.5, 295.53 ± 1.71, 300.81 ± 2.12, and 298.6 ± 1.87, subsequently (P = 0.17, analysis of variance test). Significant differences were found between the sexes at the perifoveal area and mainly in IRT. No correlation between eyes was noted. We observed that the RT fluctuates during growth and that gender has some influence on the evolution of RT. IRT and MRT changed reciprocally in all macular areas, whereas ORT expanded in all age groups of children and adolescents. Conclusions: No subsegmental retinal thickness difference between eyes was observed in pediatric groups in this study, while gender had some influence on perifoveal IRT. Despite the fact that this study is not a longitudinal study, we can get some insight into the developmental changes in retinal thickness and its clinical applications in children and adolescents.