The association of depressive symptoms with handgrip strength and gait speed in community-dwelling older adults: data from the baseline phase of Birjand Longitudinal Aging Study.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a multifaceted condition with a high prevalence and burden to society. Handgrip strength (HGS) and gait speed (GS) are indices of physical health, which is linked to mental health. Previous studies have shown heterogeneity among countries in the association of physical parameters and depression. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association of HGS and GS with depressive symptoms in older adults. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study analyzing data from the Birjand Longitudinal Aging Study, a cohort of community-dwelling older adults (≥ 60 years old). Depressive symptoms were assessed by the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire. HGS was measured with a hand dynamometer in a sitting position, and GS was estimated by a 15-foot walk test at usual pace. RESULTS: Compared to participants in the first quartile, those in the second quartile of HGS had significantly lower odds of suffering from depressive symptoms, while GS was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms. A higher HGS was associated with a lower risk of moderate depressive symptoms, while a higher GS was related to a lower risk of moderately severe and severe symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that older people residing in Birjand, Iran with a moderate HGS are less likely to suffer from depressive symptoms than those with lower HGS.

COVID-19-associated fungal infections in Iran: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: This systematic review aims to summarize the mycological and clinical features of COVID-19-associated fungal infections (CAFIs) in Iran. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, SID, Magiran, IranDoc, and Google Scholar were searched for Persian and English articles published from January 1, 2020, to November 5, 2021, using a systematic search strategy. Studies on Iranian patients suffering from CAFIs were included in the review. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies comprising 169 patients were retrieved. Reported CAFIs included candidiasis (85, 50.30%), mucormycosis (35, 20.71%), aspergillosis (29, 17.16%), fusariosis (6, 3.55%), three cases caused by rare pathogens (Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Diaporthe foeniculina, and Sarocladium kiliense) and 11 (6.51%) uncharacterized mold infections. The most common underlying diseases were diabetes (67/168, 39.88%), cardiovascular diseases (55/168, 32.74%), and hypertension (43/168, 25.59%). The use of antibiotics (111/124, 89.52%), corticosteroids (93/132, 70.44%), and mechanical ventilation (66, 51.16%) were the most common predisposing factors. Totally, 72 (50.35%) of 143 patients with CAFIs died (data were not available for 26 patients). CONCLUSION: Fungal infections are evident to be a complication of COVID-19 in Iran; thus, clinicians should consider them as a differential diagnosis, especially in patients with comorbidities and previous antibiotic or corticosteroid use.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis: An overview of mycological, clinical, and immunological aspects.

AIM: To provide an overview of clinical, immunological, and mycological aspects of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). METHODS: A literature search was conducted to find relevant articles about different aspects of VVC. Related data from retrieved articles were summarized in different headings. RESULTS: VVC has a global distribution and Candida albicans is the leading cause of infection except for specific patient groups like postmenopausal, diabetic, or immunocompromised women. VVC has a range of clinical presentations, accordingly, its diagnosis should be based on clinical examination coupled with laboratory investigations. The best therapeutic regimen depends on the patient's conditions and the causative agent. Moreover, factors like drug resistance of the causative agents and different mutations in the immunity-related genes could affect the treatment outcome. CONCLUSION: As a globally distributed disease, VVC needs further attention, especially in areas related to the treatment failure and recurrence of the disease.