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Age‑standardized mortality rate and predictors of mortality among COVID‑19 patients in Iran
Get PDFBACKGROUND: To have a thorough understanding of epidemic surveillance, it is essential to broaden
our knowledge of death tolls worldwide. This study aimed to determine the age‑standardized mortality
rate (ASMR) and predictors of mortality among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross‑sectional design, all COVID‑19 patients with a
positive polymerase chain reaction test in the population covered by Arak University of Medical
Sciences (AUMS) were entered to the study. Data collection was conducted by phone interview.
The study variables comprised age, sex, coronary heart diseases, diabetes, and some symptoms
at admission. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confdence intervals (CIs) were obtained by
logistic regression. The direct method was applied to calculate ASMR (per 100,000) of COVID‑19.
The analysis was applied by STATA software 12.0.
RESULTS: A total of 208 cases of COVID‑19 (out of 3050 total infected cases) were dead and
2500 cases were recovered. The mean age of dead patients was 70 years. The COVID‑19 fatality
rate in the population equaled 6.8%; in those patients who were 70 years old or more, however, the
case fatality rate was 16.4%. The ASMR of COVID‑19 was 12.9 (CI 95%: 11.2, 14.8). The odds of
COVID‑19‑related death in the age over 60 were 10.87 (CI 95%: 6.30, 18.75) times than lower 45 years
old. Moreover, it was observed that COVID‑19 signifcantly increased the odds of COVID‑19‑related
death in diabetes patients (OR = 1.45, CI 95%: 1.02, 2.06, P = 0.036).
CONCLUSION: The ASMR of COVID‑19 was relatively higher in males than females. In general, the
COVID‑19 fatality rate was relatively high. We found that older age and diabetes can have impact
on the death of COVID‑19, but the headache was found to have a negative association with the
COVID‑19‑related death
Age‑standardized, COVID‑19, epidemiology, Iran, mortalit
Clinical and Genetic Characteristics of Splicing Variant in CYP27A1 in an Iranian Family with Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis
Get PDFCTX is a rare congenital lipid-storage disorder, leading to a progressive multisystem disease. CTX
with autosomal recessive inheritance is caused by a defect in the CYP27A1 gene. Chronic diarrhea, tendon
xanthomas, neurologic impairment, and bilateral cataracts are common symptoms of the disease. Methods:
Three affected siblings with an initial diagnosis of non-syndromic intellectual disability were recruited for further
molecular investigations. To identify the possible genetic cause(s), WES was performed on the proband. Sanger
sequencing was applied to confirm the final variant. The clinical and molecular genetic features of the three
siblings from the new CTX family and other patients with the same mutations, as previously reported, were
analyzed. The CYP27A1 gene was also studied for the number of pathogenic variants and their location. Results:
We found a homozygous splicing mutation, NM_000784: exon6: c.1184+1G>A, in CYP27A1 gene, which was
confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Among the detected pathogenic variants, the splice site mutation had the
highest prevalence, and the mutations were mostly found in exon 4. Conclusion: This study is the first to report
the c.1184+1G>A mutation in Iran. Our findings highlight the other feature of the disease, which is the lack of
relationship between phenotype and genotype. Due to nonspecific symptoms and delay in diagnosis,
CYP27A1 genetic analysis should be the definitive method for CTX diagnosis
The Effect of Hatha Yoga on Low Back Pain and Sleep Quality in Nulliparous Pregnant Women: A Clinical Trial Study
Get PDFImpact of COVID‑19‑Related Fear and Anxiety on Job Attributes: A Systematic Review
Get PDFThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic has had different effects on different
occupations. The present study was designed to systematically review the available evidence to
investigate the pandemic on occupational effects. The academic databases of Scopus, PubMed
Central, ProQuest, Science Direct, and ISI Web of Knowledge were searched systematically
between December 2019 and February 2021. COVID‑19‑related fear, concern, worry, anxiety,
and stress in combination with job‑related MeSH terms were used to search the databases.
The methodological quality of included papers was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale
checklist. To synthesize data, a qualitative synthesis of findings was performed due to the
small number of included studies (n = 4) and the heterogeneity of the assessed outcomes. Four
studies were included in the final analysis. All four studies were cross‑sectional, collected the
data online, and comprised 1654 participants from four different countries. Fear of COVID‑19
was associated with increased future career anxiety, perceived job insecurity, organizational and
professional turnover intentions, and decreased job satisfaction. COVID‑19 Anxiety Syndrome
was associated with scores on the Work and Social Adjustment Scale. As so few studies have
been conducted, there are no conclusive findings. More studies using valid and reliable measures
to assess fear/anxiety related to COVID‑19 and its’ association with job attributes are needed. It
is also recommended that these associations are examined in variety of different jobs
Psychometric Testing of the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale among Iranian Adolescents during COVID-19 Pandemic
Get PDFAbstract: (1) Background: The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the
Persian adaptation of the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) in Iranian adolescents. (2) Methods:
Adolescents with a mean age of 15.10 (n = 3197; 47.1% males) were recruited from Qazvin city of Iran
using a stratified cluster random sampling technique. All children completed the five-item Persian
MDAS and information related to background characteristics. Psychometric testing was conducted
using classical test theory (CTT) and Rasch models. For CTT, an item-total correlation of >0.4 was
considered satisfactory while for Rasch analysis, infit and outfit mean squares (Mnsq) ranging from
0.5–1.5 were considered satisfactory. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to confirm
the unidimensional structure of MDAS using various fit indices. Differential item functioning (DIF)
was evaluated based on gender and time since last dental visit. Moreover, latent class analysis (LCA)
was used to classify the participants into different levels of dental fear based on their pattern of
responses. Both item level reliability using Cronbachs alpha (�) and test-reliability using intraclass
correlation coefficients were evaluated. (3) Results: Item-total correlations ranged from 0.69–0.78,
infit MnSq ranged from 0.80 to 1.11 and the range of outfit MnSq was 0.84–1.10. The data confirmed
a one-factor structure of MDAS with satisfactory fit indices. DIF analysis indicated that the scale was
interpreted similarly across the genders and time since dental visit groups. LCA analysis identified
three levels, low, moderate and high levels of dental anxiety. The groups with moderate and high
levels of dental anxiety had more females (44.6% and 36.7%) than the group with low level of dental
anxiety (18.8%; p < 0.001). � of the total scale was 0.89 and item test-retest reliability ranged from
0.72–0.86. (4) Conclusions: The Persian MDAS was unidimensional with satisfactory psychometric
properties evaluated using both CTT and Rasch analysis among Iranian adolescents. The scale was
stable across the genders and individuals with different dental visiting patterns. The Persian MDAS
also demonstrated excellent reliability
Promoter methylation status and expression levels of rassf1a gene in different phases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (All)
Get PDFBackground: Although the precise pathogenesis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remains unclear,
studying gene-regulating mechanisms during ALL pathogeneses may shed light on the underlying mechanisms
driving malignant behavior. There is some evidence showing the promoter hypermethylation and silencing of
RASSF1A tumor suppressor gene in ALL cells; however, there is a lack of evidence for whether the gene
indeed alters during different phases of ALL or in response to therapy. Thus, the current study aimed to clarify
this issue using groups of adult ALL patients who have been scarcely investigated regarding expression levels
and promoter methylation status.
Materials and Methods: In this case/control study, the expression levels and methylation status of the gene
promoter was evaluated using quantitative real-time PCR and methylation-specific PCR (MSP), respectively in
adults with ALL. The study included peripheral blood of patients with newly diagnosed ALL (n=10), complete
remission (CR) (n=10), or relapse (n=10), and 10 control samples from healthy individuals.
Results: MSP results revealed an unmethylated status for almost all patients and control samples, except a
case with relapsing ALL, which showed a hemimethylated pattern. RASSF1A also showed no difference in
terms of gene expression in the patients compared with the control group (p>0.05).
Conclusion: The results revealed an up-regulation of RASSF1A tumor suppressor in adult ALL patients
experiencing CR, suggesting this to be a marker of therapy response. However, further investigations using
more sensitive methylation detecting tools with larger sample sizes may better clarify the involvement of the
promoter methylation of RASSF1A in these patients
Psychometric properties of Postpartum Partner Support Scale-Persian version
Get PDFAim: The aim of the present study was to translate the Postpartum Partner Support Scale (PPSS) into Persian and evaluate its psychometric properties among postpartum women.
Design: A total of 248 women aged 18-39 years participated in this psychometric study. The PPSS was translated into Persian using a forward-backward method. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Rasch model analysis were used to assess the psychometric properties of the PPSS. In addition, the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) was completed simultaneously to assess the construct validity. Internal consistency of the questionnaire was assessed by calculating the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and corrected item-total correlation.
Results: The unidimensionality of the PPSS was supported in both CFA and Rasch analysis. The PPSS had a significant negative association with EPDS (r = -0.39 p < .001). The scale had excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94) and the correlation between items and total score was satisfactory.
Conclusion: The Persian version of PPSS with 20 items is a valid and reliable scale to assess postpartum support.
Keywords: partner support; postpartum; postpartum partner support scale; psychometric evaluation; social support