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Biomedical subjects

Bagher Larijani

Publications and source records attributed to Bagher Larijani.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2025

Amino acid profiles, aging, and sex hormone interactions in the elderly Iranian population: a metabolomics study.

BACKGROUND: Aging and sex hormones significantly influences on metabolic profiles, particularly in individuals aged 50 year and older. This study aimed to investigate the associations between serum metabolites, aging, and sex hormone levels among elderly individuals in Bushehr, Iran - a coastal region characterized by a unique lifestyle, dietary patterns, and environmental conditions, such as high seafood consumption and exposure to marine climate, which may collectively influence metabolic profiles and hormone levels in the aging population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the Bushehr Elderly Health Program, which included 2001 participants (1143 women and 858 men) aged over 50 years old from Bushehr, Iran. Serum levels of 20 amino acids were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and the results were analyzed based on gender, age, menopause status, menopause age, and serum levels of sex hormones such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, and estradiol (E2). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 25.0 and R version 4.0.3, with a focus on gender differences and the correlation between aging, sex hormones, and metabolite profiles. RESULTS: Among the 2001 participants, mean ages were 61.57 ± 7.6 years for women and 62.92 ± 8.4 years for men. Men had higher serum levels of glutamic acid, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, valine, citrulline, ornithine, proline, threonine, histidine, lysine, tryptophan, asparagine, and glutamine, while women had higher levels of glycine and serine. Aging was associated with notable changes in amino acid levels, such as increased citrulline and decreased threonine in women, and similar trends in men with a pronounced decrease in alanine. In men, low testosterone levels were linked to reduced concentration of alanine, methionine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, citrulline, glycine ornithine, serine, lysine, asparagine, and glutamine. Postmenopausal women showed a significant decrease in threonine levels. DISCUSSION: The findings highlight the complex interplay between aging, sex hormones, and metabolic changes. Gender-specific differences in amino acid profiles suggest that sex hormones play a pivotal role in modulating metabolism, which may influence susceptibility to metabolic disorders. These insights could inform the development of targeted interventions tailored to the specific needs of aging populations. Future research should investigate the underlying mechanisms linking sex hormones to metabolic pathways and assess their potential for improving health outcomes in older adults.

Aging↗
PubMed2006

Preferred skeletal site for osteoporosis screening in high-risk populations.

OBJECTIVES: The current World Health Organization (WHO) definition of osteoporosis, which is based on densitometry of lumbar and femoral regions, is extensively used for decision-making in clinical practice. Discordance in diagnosis of osteoporosis using this definition is a known phenomenon. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of such discordance and to assess the diagnostic value of using one skeletal site for screening purposes as opposed to the two sites required in the WHO criteria. STUDY DESIGN: Data was collected from 4188 individuals (3848 female); mean age=53.4 years (standard deviation 11.8) referred to a community-based outpatient osteoporosis testing centre in Tehran, Iran. METHODS: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was performed on L1-L4 lumbar spine and total hip for all cases. The DXA results were categorized according to WHO criteria. Sensitivity for each site was calculated as number of cases with T-score < -2.5 at that site divided by the total number of cases with T-score < -2.5 at any site. RESULTS: Prevalence of osteoporosis diagnosis using lumbar DXA, femoral DXA, and WHO criteria (either of the sites) were 24.7%, 12.4%, and 27.8%, respectively. Sensitivity of lumbar DXA for diagnosis of osteoporosis (88.9%) was significantly higher than femoral DXA (44.6%, P<0.001); but this difference became non-significant for men > or = 60 and women > or = 70 (P=0.615 and P=0.077, respectively). Agreement of the procedures in different sites (kappa) was 0.40 (0.37 to 0.43). When proximal femur was considered as the reference, positive likelihood ratios of lumbar DXA to detect cases were 4.7 and 2.0 in younger and older groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Concerning the high rate of discordance and low agreement between DXA results, the data obtained from each anatomical site cannot predict the condition of the other site. However, if use of a single assessment is intended for screening programs, public health authorities can develop different strategies for different age groups of their population. We propose lumbar DXA for the younger group (men < 60 and women < 70) and femoral densitometry for the older.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed2006

The relationship between homeostasis model assessment and cardiovascular risk factors in Iranian subjects with normal fasting glucose and normal glucose tolerance.

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance is a complex problem which may not always correlate with all its cardiovascular risk factors in various populations. We investigated the relationship between homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) with cardiovascular risk factors in Iranian subjects with normal fasting glucose (NFG) and normal glucose tolerance (NGT). METHODS: Of the 605 subjects aged 25-79 y enrolled in this study, after the oral glucose tolerance test, 366 subjects aged 25-50 y and 135 aged >50 y were classified as NFG and NGT. Insulin resistance was estimated by the HOMA-IR. RESULTS: Women had higher values of body mass index (BMI), insulin and HOMA-IR than men in both age groups. The prevalence of insulin resistance, general and abdominal obesity, low HDL-C and physical inactivity was higher in women than men in the 2 age groups. Men had a higher prevalence of hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia in the group with age 25-50 y. The Pearson correlation controlled for age, BMI, waist circumference and physical activity showed that HOMA-IR had significant correlation with triglyceride and inversely associated with HDL-C in both sexes. In addition, the results of HOMA-IR quartiles demonstrated that the prevalence of hypertension, obesity, and low HDL-C was particular high in women with HOMA-IR >2.39. Multiple regression indicated that log HOMA-IR was independently predicted by BMI, triglyceride and HDL-C in men and BMI, HDL-C and waist-to-hip (WHR) ratio in women. CONCLUSIONS: HOMA-IR is associated with the features of metabolic syndrome with a sex difference in the degree and predictors of HOMA-IR and the frequency of cardiovascular risk factors.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Shift working and risk of lipid disorders: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: previous studies have indicated on association between shift work and lipid profile disturbances. Lipid profile disturbances could be due to internal desynchronization. The aim of this study was to analyze whether there is relationship between shift work and serum lipids, fasting blood glucose and hypertension. RESULTS: A total of 424 rail road workers between the ages of 21 and 64 years in this study filled out a questionnaire, and total cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-C concentration were measured after 12-hours fasting. Association between shift work and biochemical variables and blood pressure were measured. The X2 and fisher's exact test was used for comparing the qualitative variables and for quantitative variables with normal distribution we used the parametric tests. Odds ratio (OR) with the 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was used for comparing the proportions of risk variables.Sub-populations in this study were consisting of 158 (37.3%) shift workers and 266 (62.7%) day workers. High levels of total cholesterol (> 200 mg/dl) and LDL-cholesterol (> 130 mg/dl) were significantly more prevalent in nearly all groups of shift workers irrespective of age. But there is no differences in the serum levels of triglyceride, HDL-C, fasting blood glucose and blood pressure between shift workers and day workers.Adjusted Odd's ratio for the effect of shift working on high serum total cholesterol and LDL-C level were 2.11(95%CI: 1.33-3.36) and 1.76(95%CI: 1.09-2.83), respectively. CONCLUSION: This study showed that high serum total cholesterol and LDL-C level were more common in shift workers than in day workers. This finding persisted after adjustment was made for age and food type. But there was no difference in the prevalence of HDL-C, triglyceride, fasting blood glucose and hypertension between shift working and day working. It was concluded that shift work is a risk factor for lipid profile disturbances.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Correlation between testosterone, gonadotropins and prolactin and severity of negative symptoms in male patients with chronic schizophrenia.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between plasma levels of testosterone, FSH, LH and prolactin and the severity of negative symptoms in patients with chronic schizophrenia. Fifty-four male inpatients with chronic schizophrenia participated in this cross-sectional study. Twenty-five age-matched men without a history of psychiatric disorders or endocrine illnesses were used as controls. All patients were on risperidone 4 mg/day or haloperidol 10 mg/day and anticholinegic medication, biperidine 3 mg/day. The patients were assigned to groups with predominant negative and nonpredominant negative symptoms on the basis of their scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Plasma levels of testosterone and free testosterone in the patients with predominant and nonpredominant negative symptoms were significantly lower than those in normal controls. Furthermore, plasma levels of FSH and LH, in the patients with predominant negative symptoms but not in the nonpredominant negative symptoms, were significantly lower than those in the normal controls. In contrast, plasma level of prolactin in the predominant negative symptoms group but not in the nonpredominant negative symptoms group was significantly higher than the aged matched normal males. Significant inverse correlation between negative subscale scores of PANSS and plasma levels of testosterone and free testosterone in the patients with predominant negative symptoms were detected. There was also a positive correlation between prolactin plasma levels and negative subscale scores. The present study indicates that assessment of sex hormones and function of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadotropin axis could be an important biological marker for the severity of negative symptoms in schizophrenia and these findings may change the present pharmacotherapy for negative symptoms based on neuroendocrinology profiles of patients with schizophrenia.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Incidence and characteristics of falls leading to hip fracture in Iranian population.

An estimated one in three adults aged 65 years or older falls each year, making falls a major health concern. Hip fractures are the most serious consequences of falls in elderly people. Identifying the characteristics of falls leading to hip fracture may provide information about high risk individuals, environment, and activities useful for the development of intervention strategies. Little is known, however, about the incidence and characteristics of falls leading to hip fracture in Middle Eastern countries. Therefore, the authors presented data from the Iranian Multicenter Study on Accidental Injuries, a prospective population-based study conducted in 9 provinces of Iran in 2003. All the hospitals serving about 9.5 million people in the study area were prospectively surveyed for any incident injury resulting from accidental events. A total of 2,186 patients (1,372 male, 814 female) were admitted due to any injurious fall events, where 572 (26.2%) of them suffered a hip fracture. Annual incidence rates of injurious fall events and related hip fractures were 116.3 and 30.4 per 100,000 person-years, respectively. These figures were 237.1 and 93.6 per 100,000 person-years for people over the age of 50 years, respectively. 71% of fall injuries and 76% of hip fractures occurred indoors. Among 450 patients with hip fractures >or=50 years of age, 61.8% arose from a fall from standing height or less. Only 1 in these 450 hip fractures occurred at the time of recreational activity. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, no factor was an independent predictor of hip fractures comparing to other fall-related injuries among younger participants (>or=20 and <50 years). For older patients, falls from standing height or loss (odds ratio (OR) = 2.67), falls during walking (OR = 1.71), and falls on stairs (OR = 1.73) were detected as risk factors of hip fracture. Married persons and those falling from a ladder or other elevations were less likely to fracture their hip in this age group. Our data suggest that modification of the factors external to the homes is less likely to prevent more than a small proportion of fall-related hip fractures in Iran. Further studies on this topic have potential applications for developing preventive strategies.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed2006

Total plasma homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 status in healthy Iranian adults: the Tehran homocysteine survey (2003-2004)/a cross-sectional population based study.

BACKGROUND: Elevated plasma total homocysteine is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and a sensitive marker of the inadequate vitamin B12 and folate insufficiency. Folate and vitamin B12 have a protective effect on cardiovascular disease. This population based study was conducted to evaluate the plasma total homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 in healthy Iranian individuals. METHODS: This study was a part of the Cardiovascular Risk Factors Survey in the Population Lab Region of Tehran University has been designed and conducted based on the methodology of MONICA/WHO Project. A total of 1214 people aged 25-64 years, were recruited and assessed regarding demographic characteristics, homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 levels with interview, questionnaires, examination and blood sampling. Blood samples were gathered and analyzed according to standard methods. RESULTS: The variables were assessed in 1214 participants including 428 men (35.3%) and 786 women (64.7%). Age-adjusted prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia (Hcy > or = 15 micromol/L) was 73.1% in men and 41.07% in women (P < 0.0001). Geometric mean of plasma homocysteine was 19.02 +/- 1.46 micromol/l in men and 14.05 +/- 1.45 micromol/l in women (P < 0.004) which increased by ageing. Age-adjusted prevalence of low serum folate level was 98.67% in men and 97.92% in women. Age-adjusted prevalence of low serum vitamin B12 level was 26.32% in men and 27.2% in women. Correlation coefficients (Pearson's r) between log tHcy and serum folate, and vitamin B12 indicated an inverse correlation (r = -0.27, r = -0.19, P < 0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSION: These results revealed that the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia, low folate and vitamin B12 levels are considerably higher than other communities. Implementation of preventive interventions such as food fortification with folic acid is necessary.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Metabolic syndrome and leptin concentrations in obese children.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity and its complications including metabolic syndrome has been increased in children and adolescents recently. Leptin is known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of obesity. METHODS: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship of leptin and metabolic syndrome in obese Iranian children. A cross sectional study was carried out in 65 primary schools in Tehran. The children with waist circumferences equal or above 90th percentile for their height and age were chosen for further evaluations. 505 children aged 7-12 years participated in the study. Anthropometric variables measurements, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and serum leptin were obtained from the study sample. RESULTS: Serum leptin levels were significantly higher in girls in comparison to the boys (with median 11.0 Vs 8.25 ng/dl; P value = 0.007). Serum level of leptin were higher in children with metabolic syndrome (median 11.3 Vs 8.9 ng/dl; P value = 0.045). However, after adjustment for sex, this association was removed. CONCLUSION: Leptin did not appear to have a major role in metabolic syndrome, even though it was strongly associated with obesity parameters. More studies evaluating the relationship between leptin and metabolic syndrome in various ethnic groups are recommended.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed2006

The status of biochemical parameters in varying degrees of vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D (Vit D) is an essential element for the regulation of serum calcium, phosphate, and alkaline phosphatase (Alk Ph). Because the Vit D serum level is not usually measured directly, Vit D deficiency is diagnosed indirectly by changes in serum calcium, phosphate, and Alk Ph leves. The current study assessed the status of these biochemical parameters in subjects with different degrees of Vit D deficiency. We selected 1,210 subjects, between 20 and 69 years old, randomly from the Tehran population. Subjects with diseases or medications that modified bone metabolism were excluded from the study. Serum 25(OH) D, calcium, phosphate, Alk Ph, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were measured and the status of these biochemical parameters was compared in subjects with different degrees of Vit D deficiency. Vit D deficiency was diagnosed in 79.6% of the subjects. Different degrees of Vit D deficiency were classified as follows: group 1, severe; group 2, moderate; and group 3, mild. Serum PTH levels in the Vit D-deficient groups were significantly higher than that in group 4 (normal Vit D). Serum calcium and phosphate levels in groups 1 and 2 were significantly lower than those in groups 3 and 4. No significant difference was seen in serum Alk Ph in the groups with different degrees of Vit D deficiency. The sensivity for at least one biochemical variable (calcium, phosphorus, or Alk Ph) for the detection of severe, moderate, and mild Vit D deficiency was 24.2%, 13.8%, and 6%, respectively. When the serum 25(OH) D level was reduced to less than 25 nmol/l (groups 1 and 2), the effects of Vit D deficiency on calcium and phosphate levels were obvious. Therefore, the usual biochemical parameters (calcium, phosphate, Alk Ph) alone do not have sufficient sensitivity to detect mild deficiency of Vit D.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Relationship between pregnancy outcomes and maternal vitamin D and calcium intake: A cross-sectional study.

Poor maternal vitamin D status affects fetal and infant skeletal growth. The aim of the present study was to determine the association between newborn outcomes and maternal calcium and vitamin D intakes. Four hundred and forty-nine pregnant women, healthy at the point of delivery, and their newborns were enrolled in the study, which was performed in three university hospitals in Tehran in March 2004. Maternal anthropometric data and energy, protein, calcium and vitamin D intakes were collected, and newborn outcomes (weight, length, head circumference and 1-min Apgar score) were determined. Almost two-thirds of the mothers (64.3%) took no supplements during pregnancy. Only one-third of the mothers (33.8%) had adequate intakes of calcium and vitamin D (from supplements and foods) compared with the Recommended Dietary Allowances. Mean length at birth and 1-min Apgar score were higher in newborns whose mothers had adequate calcium and vitamin D intake than in newborns whose mothers had inadequate intake (p = 0.03 and p = 0.04, respectively). Significant correlations were found between adequate maternal calcium and vitamin D intake and both appropriate birth weight and 1-min Apgar score of newborns and weight gain of mothers during pregnancy. Informing mothers of the critical importance of consuming adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D seems necessary.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Household cardiovascular screening of high-risk families: a school-based study.

BACKGROUND: A parental history of cardiovascular disease has a strong relationship with risk factor clusters in the offspring. This study was performed to identify major cardiovascular risk factors in middle school-aged children and their parents in both high and low-risk families. DESIGN: A school-based, cross-sectional study. METHODS: The middle schools of the 6th district of Tehran were divided randomly into two groups. A total of 169 high-risk children with their families were recruited from the first group and 105 low-risk children with their families were recruited from the second group of schools. Anthropometric and metabolic measurements were performed. RESULTS: The means of the waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were significantly higher in high-risk fathers. The means of total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were significantly higher in both parents and children of the high-risk group. The means of the fasting plasma glucose were significantly higher in fathers and offspring of high-risk families. More fathers in high-risk families were smokers. The prevalence of increased total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and hyperglycemia (> or = 100 mg/dl) were higher in high-risk parents and children. The prevalence of increased body mass index (> or = 25 kg/m for parents and 85th percentile for children) was higher in fathers and children of high-risk families. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular risk factors are more prevalent and clustered in high-risk families. The screening of high-risk families is essential to prevent the progression of atherosclerosis from childhood and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in adulthood.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Immunohistochemical analysis of survivin expression in thyroid follicular adenoma and carcinoma.

Survivin is one of the 8 members of human inhibitor of apoptosis , which is differentially expressed in cancerous/transformed cells versus normal differentiated tissues. This retrospective study of thyroid histologic samples aimed to assess the clinical usefulness of survivin immunostaining for discrimination between follicular adenoma and carcinoma of thyroid. Immunohistochemical staining for survivin was performed on 41 lesions from patients who had undergone surgery for either follicular adenoma or carcinoma of thyroid. Survivin expression was significantly (P < 0.005) higher in the cases that received a diagnosis of carcinoma in comparison with follicular adenomas cases. Odds ratio of follicular carcinoma for survivin expression was 21.375 (95% CI: 3.283 to 139.177). Our results showed potential value of survivin in discrimination between follicular thyroid adenoma and follicular thyroid carcinoma. We conclude that survivin is a potential candidate for further investigation in the proper histologic diagnosis of thyroid cancers.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular↗
PubMed2006

Obesity and associated cardiovascular risk factors in Iranian children: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a growing public health problem in developing countries considering its association with cardiovascular risk factors. Relationship between childhood obesity and these risk factors has not been attested in the Iranian population before. The aim of the present study was to investigate frequency of cardiovascular risk factors and their association with severity of obesity in a sample of Iranian obese children. METHODS: A total of 13 086 children aged 7-12 years were screened and those with waist circumference = 90th percentile of their age were invited for further evaluations. Participants were divided into two groups of overweight or obese according to International Obesity Task Force criteria. Cardiovascular risk factors were defined as high fasting total cholesterol, high low density lipoprotein, low high density lipoprotein, high triglycerides, and systolic or diastolic hypertension. These factors were compared between obese and overweight children and their correlations with body mass index and other measures of obesity were tested. RESULTS: Of 532 children (274 boys, mean age 9.5 +/- 1.3) enrolled in the study, 194 were overweight and 338 were obese. Mean levels of triglyceride and Apo-lipoprotein B in obese children were significantly higher than overweight participants. A total of 81.9% of obese children and 75.4% of overweight children had at least one cardiovascular risk factor. There were significant correlations between body mass index and systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, serum triglyceride, and Apo-lipoprotein B levels (P values <0.01). CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese children and positive correlation of these factors with severity of obesity emphasizes the need for prevention and control of childhood obesity from early stages.

Body Mass Index↗
PubMed2006

Strengthening medical ethics by strategic planning in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

To bring attention to medical ethics and to enhance the quality of health care in Iran, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education has introduced a strategic plan for medical ethics at a national level. This plan was developed through the organization and running of workshops in which experts addressed important areas related to medical ethics. They analysed strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and outlined a vision, a mission and specific goals and essential activities surrounding medical ethics. The current strategic plan has six main goals that will be reviewed in this paper. Some major activities that were carried out in recent years, and some future plans, will be also reviewed.

Advisory Committees↗
PubMed2006

Nutrition status of patients during hospitalization, Tehran, Iran.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the nutrition status of patients on admission and monitored changes during hospitalization at Shariatri Educational Hospital, Tehran, Iran. METHODS: One hundred fifty-six randomly selected patients from 9 different wards were assessed. Body mass index (BMI) and body composition (based on bioelectrical impedance) were measured on admission and discharge. A questionnaire was also completed to evaluate general physical, psychological, and living status of the patients. Medical records were audited to identify when nutrition consultation, nutrition support, and nutrition-related laboratory factors (serum levels of total lymphocyte count [TLC] and albumin) were ordered. Frequency and paired t-test were used to analyze data. RESULTS: Undernutrition (BMI <18.5 kg/m(2)) was present in 5.7% of the patients on admission, and severe undernutrition (BMI <16 kg/m(2)) existed in 0.6%. When discharged, 11% of patients were undernourished, and the prevalence of severe undernutrition increased to 1.3%. Average body weight and BMI decreased significantly during hospitalization (p < .001). Body composition analysis showed a significant reduction in body protein mass (p < .001). During hospitalization, body water percentile decreased and body fat percentile increased but not significantly. Only 1 patient was supported with parenteral nutrition (PN) and 1 with enteral nutrition. Orders for nutrition consultation were present in 1.9%, TLC levels in 10.8%, and serum albumin levels in 7% of the patient medical records surveyed. CONCLUSIONS: Undernutrition increased in patients during hospitalization. According to the low rate of nutrition-related orders, one potential cause of worsening nutrition status may be inadequate medical staff awareness about the importance of nutrition in hospitalized patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Diabetic patients: Psychological aspects.

This study was undertaken to consider the psychological aspect of diabetes with regard to improving clinical outcomes. The review was limited to literature reports on the causes, solutions, and treatments of some common psychological problems known to complicate diabetes management. A literature search was undertaken using Pub-Med, CINAHL, Proquest, Elsevier, Blackwell Synergy, Ovid, Ebsco, Rose net, and Google websites, including studies published in English journals between 1995 and 2006. Therefore about 88 articles were selected based on the inclusion criteria. In earlier studies, relatively little empirical research was found to substantiate the effect of psychological counseling in complicated diabetes. The greatest deficits were seen in areas of mental health, self-esteem parent impact, and family cohesion. There were some different factors, which influence the psychological aspect of diabetic patients, such as age, gender, place of living, familial and social support, motivation, energy, life satisfaction, and lifestyle. There are various types of solutions for coping with the psychological problems in diabetic clients. The most essential solution lies in educating the patients and healthcare providers on the subject. Before initiating each educational intervention, a thorough assessment would be crucial. Treatment plans may benefit from cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), behavior family therapy, improving family communication, problem-solving skills, and providing motivation for diabetic patients. Moreover, it seems that the close collaboration between diabetologists and psychologists would be fruitful.

Anxiety↗
PubMed2006

Cardiovascular risk factors in first-degree relatives of patients with premature coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of coronary risk factors among Iranian first-degree relatives of patients with premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) and compare them with the general population. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study comprised 144 siblings and offspring (aged 25-64 years) of patients with angiographically documented PCAD (< 55 years in men and < 65 years in women). Body mass index, blood pressure and smoking were investigated. Fasting venous blood was analysed for lipids and fasting plasma glucose. The means of measured values and prevalence of risk factors were compared with the results obtained from the Tehran University Population Laboratory Study. Two or more atherosclerosis risk factors were found in 76% of men and 50.3% of women. Prevalence of smoking, obesity, hypertension and diabetes was 24.3%, 30%, 29.9% and 6.9%, respectively. Total cholesterol and LDL-C levels were higher than desirable in 36.8% and 15.3% of our subjects, respectively, 14.6% had lower HDL-C values and 31.9% presented hypertriglyceridaemia. Overall, 60.4% of cases revealed at least one of the lipid abnormalities. Compared with the Tehran University Population Laboratory Study men showed a higher prevalence of high LDL and triglyceride (TG) levels and obesity. High LDL-C and smoking were found to be more prevalent among women with a family history of premature CAD. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of coronary risk factors among first-degree relatives of patients with premature CAD is high, especially in men. Risk factor identification and modification should be considered in individuals with a positive family history of premature CAD.

Adult↗