The 15-year national trends of urinary cancers incidence among Iranian men and women; 2005-2020.

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract cancers including bladder, kidney, ureter, and pelvis are a common malignancy worldwide with high mortality ratio. Aimed to investigate the prevalence of these cancers, we conducted this study. METHODS: In this study, all the information related to ICD10 codes, gender, age and province of residence of individuals were obtained from the data of Iran's cancer registry by the Ministry of Health, Medicine and Medical Education and demographic evidence for each sub-country from the reports of Statistics Center of Iran (SCI). Also, the data of two Iranian national survey studies CASPIAN-III, IV, and V (information related to the care and prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCD) in childhood and adolescence) and STEPs (including information on NCD in adults over 18 years old) were used. The data was analyzed using Poisson regression with mixed effects to estimate the incidence of cancers. RESULTS: Bladder and kidney neoplasm are the most common cancers of the urinary system in Iran. The prevalence of bladder cancer has increased from 5.82 to 11.50 per 100,000 individuals. The increasing trend is growing faster in men compared with women. The incidence of kidney neoplasm has increased over the years (2.03 in 2005 vs. 7.02 in 2020 per 100,000). Having a higher incidence ratio compared with bladder cancer, kidney cancer is responsible for 35.06% of all urinary cancers in 2020 compared with 23.71% in 2005. Both neoplasms of the ureter and renal pelvis were recorded rarely and with lower incidence in both sexes during this period. CONCLUSION: Considering the increasing trend in the incidence of urinary neoplasms in Iran during these years, the advantage of focusing on the risk of urinary cancers is highlighted. Therefore, investigating the prevalence and incidence of urinary cancers to plan and manage these cancers will result in prevention and reduction of the disease burden on the Iranian society. Future studies in this field can help in the prevention and well-timed diagnosis of these cancers.

National, subnational and risk attributed burden of chronic respiratory diseases in Iran from 1990 to 2019.

INTRODUCTION: Data on the distribution of the burden of diseases is vital for policymakers for the appropriate allocation of resources. In this study, we report the geographical and time trends of chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) in Iran from 1990 to 2019 based on the Global burden of the Disease (GBD) study 2019. METHODS: Data were extracted from the GBD 2019 study to report the burden of CRDs through disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), mortality, incidence, prevalence, Years of Life lost (YLL), and Years Lost to Disability (YLD). Moreover, we reported the burden attributed to the risk factors with evidence of causation at national and subnational levels. We also performed a decomposition analysis to determine the roots of incidence changes. All data were measured as counts and age-standardized rates (ASR) divided by sex and age group. RESULTS: In 2019, the ASR of deaths, incidence, prevalence, and DALYs attributed to CRDs in Iran were 26.9 (23.2 to 29.1), 932.1 (799.7 to 1091.5), 5155.4 (4567.2 to 5859.6) and 587,911 (521,418 to 661,392) respectively. All burden measures were higher in males than females, but in older age groups, CRDs were more incident in females than males. While all crude numbers increased, all ASRs except for YLDs decreased over the studied period. Population growth was the main contributor to the changes in incidence at a national and subnational levels. The ASR of mortality in the province (Kerman) with the highest death rate (58.54 (29.42 to 68.73) was four times more than the province (Tehran) with the lowest death rate (14.52 (11.94 to 17.64)). The risk factors which imposed the most DALYs were smoking (216 (189.9 to 240.8)), ambient particulate matter pollution (117.9 (88.1 to 149.4)), and high body mass index (BMI) (57 (36.3 to 81.8)). Smoking was also the main risk factor in all provinces. CONCLUSION: Despite the overall decrease in ASR of burden measures, the crude counts are rising. Moreover, the ASIR of all CRDs except asthma is increasing. This suggests that the overall incidence of CRDs will continue to grow in the future, which calls for immediate action to reduce exposure to the known risk factors. Therefore, expanded national plans by policymakers are essential to prevent the economic and human burden of CRDs.

Antiviral Compounds Based on Natural Astragalus polysaccharides (APS): Research and Foresight in the Strategies for Combating SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

Today, finding natural polymers with desirable properties for use in various industries is one of the critical axes of research in the world. Polysaccharides are a group of natural polymers that have various applications in the pharmaceutical industry. The attachment of monosaccharides forms polysaccharides through glycosidic bonds that are widely found in various sources, including plants. Genus Astragalus belongs to the Fabaceae family. Plants belonging to this genus have different polysaccharides. Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) have attracted a great deal of attention among natural polymers because they are non-toxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible. Currently, APS have great drug potential for curing or treating various diseases. Due to the different biological activities of polysaccharides, including Astragalus, this study has investigated the chemical structure of APS, reporting on the antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities as well as stimulation of cytokine secretion by these polysaccharides. Also, in this study, the pharmaceutical approaches of APS compounds, as a natural, new and inexpensive source, have been discussed as suitable candidates for use in pharmaceutical formulations and preparation of new drugs to control COVID-19 infection.

Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with ischemic heart disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Ischemic heart disease and psychiatric disorders are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Plans for providing basic health services to community members require knowledge of the current state. Therefore, the aim of this study was to systematically review the literature to estimate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among patients with ischemic heart disease. Materials and Methods: In this study, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were systematically searched to find studies published before June 6, 2021. The systematic review included all original articles on the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among patients with ischemic heart disease. Two independent researchers evaluated the quality of studies, using the Joanna Briggs Institute questionnaire. All analyses were performed in Stata/MP version 16. A random-effects model was used for data analysis. Results: Of 1672 studies initially identified, 13 studies were included in our meta-analysis, with a total of 2233 participants. The overall prevalence of psychiatric disorders was estimated at 46.85% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 36.08-57.62; I 2 = 100%; P < 0.001 for heterogeneity). The most common disorder was depression (27.80%; 95% CI: 18.27-37.34; I 2 = 99.99%; P < 0.001 for heterogeneity). Based on the results, the prevalence of psychiatric disorders had increased by 25.55% from 2000 to 2021 compared to1984-2000. Conclusion: The prevalence of psychiatric diseases in people with ischemic heart disease is high and increases over time. It is recommended that preventive measures be taken worldwide.

Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (AHSCT): An Evolving Treatment Avenue in Multiple Sclerosis.

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is considered as the novel approach to improve multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs)-resistance. The results obtained from different studies indicate that AHSCT increases the life quality of MS patients. Several factors are known to be influenced on the successful rate of AHSCT in patients with MS. The individuals aged <40 years with a short duration of MS disease have been demonstrated to show a better response to AHSCT administration. Furthermore, this treatment approach was more effective in relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) patients than progressive MS (PMS). Different clinical trials revealed that AHSCT with a low density conditioning regimen could be suggested as a suitable candidate approach in the management of MS. Several molecular and cellular mechanisms are known to be involved in the resetting of the immune system following the AHSCT infusion in MS patients. These mechanisms play a role in the depletion of auto-reactive lymphocytes and immune system renewal. In the present review, we discuss different clinical and molecular aspects of AHSCT application in the alleviation of MS symptoms.