The association between bilirubin levels, and the incidence of metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this meta-analysis was to investigate the association between plasma bilirubin levels and the incidence of metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus across all populations. METHODS: Several databases were searched, including PubMed (Medline), Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase (Elsevier), to identify relevant cohort studies. All cohort studies that reported the risk ratio along with a 95% confidence interval were included. The association between bilirubin levels and metabolic syndrome or diabetes was reported as a pooled RR with a 95% CI in the forest plot. All analyses were conducted using STATA version 17, with a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: Out of the 10 studies included in the analysis, four investigated the effect of hyperbilirubinemia on the incidence of type 2 diabetes. When these four studies were combined, the pooled RR was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.83; I2: 88.61%; P heterogeneity <  0.001), indicating a significant association between hyperbilirubinemia and decreased risk of type 2 diabetes. Five of the 10 studies evaluated the effect of hyperbilirubinemia on the incidence of metabolic syndrome, and the pooled RR was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.67, 0.73; I2: 78.13%; P heterogeneity <  0.001), indicating a significant association between hyperbilirubinemia and decreased risk of metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that elevated levels of bilirubin may have a significant protective effect against the development of diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome.

Epidemiology incidence and geographical distribution of Meningitis using GIS and its incidence prediction in Iran in 2021.

Background: Meningitis is classified as a medical emergency where the identification and early treatment of bacterial meningitis can eliminate serious consequences, such as hearing loss, memory problems, learning disabilities, brain damage, seizures, and death. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence and geographical distribution of meningitis using Geographic Information system (GIS) and to predict its incidence in Iran in 2021. Methods: This was a descriptive analytical study. Information on pertussis was obtained from the Center for Communicable Diseases Control during 2010-2015. In the next step, ArcGIS 9.3 was used to prepare geographic maps of the disease incidence and frequency. Then, the disease prediction map was drawn using the Raster Calculator tool. Results: The results showed that the highest incidence of meningitis during 2010-2015 was in Qazvin, Qom, and Kurdistan provinces. The incidence of meningitis in Iran increased from 9.77 in 2010 to 10.33 in 2015. Based on the modeling results for Iran, Qom, Qazvin, Kurdistan, Hamadan, and Mazandaran provinces with 78.89%, 74.68%, 70.07%, 43.97%, and 22.93% of their areas (Km2) are at high risk for meningitis in the coming years, respectively. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that Qom, Qazvin, Kurdistan, Hamedan, and Mazandaran provinces are at risk of the disease. Monitoring vaccination in high-risk groups can partially prevent the incidence of the disease in these areas.

Factors Associated with Retinopathy of Prematurity in Hospitalized Preterm Infants in Sanandaj, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: In the near future, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) will be the most significant cause of blindness in upper and middle-income countries. Due to the increasing survival chances for premature and low birth weight infants and the importance of the diagnosis and treatment of ROP, this study was aimed at determining the prevalence of ROP and its related factors in Sanandaj, Iran, in 2014. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 47 preterm infants, weighing less than 2000 g or with a gestational age of less than of 34 weeks. The sampling method was census. From the first examination to 1 to 4 weeks later, until retinal vascularization completion, examinations were performed by the same ophthalmologist. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and frequency, mean, SD and Chi-square tests. RESULTS: The prevalence of ROP in the infants was 10.6%. Prevalence among girls was 16% and among boys it was 4.5%. The results showed that 23.5% of infants with ROP needed mechanical ventilation. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.031). CONCLUSION: In this study, the prevalence of ROP in the NICU and neonatal ward of Besat Hospital in Sanandaj was low. However, due to serious consequences of the disease in premature infants, timely screening, determination, and control of risk factors provided necessary support to manage the disease.