Search

Background and Aims: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) with modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors is an increasing global concern. It predisposes individuals to a significant cardiovascular risk that is the leading cause of death in Iran. We investigated MetS prevalence and its risk factors in Shiraz, Iran. Methods: 7225 participants in the age range of 40 to 70 years were recruited from the Shiraz Heart Cohort Study. MetS was diagnosed according to the Adult Treatment Panel III definition. The trend test, univariate, and multiple logistic regression were performed via SPSS version 16 at 0.05 significance level. Results: Among the cases, 3780 (52.3 %) were female, and more than 73.4 % were overweight or obese. MetS prevalence in Shiraz is estimated around 45.5 % (95% CI: 44.4 - 46.7%), and female odds were 1.91 times more than males. Participants with low physical activity had nearly twice the risk of metabolic syndrome in comparison to individuals with high physical activity. The univariate logistic regression showed that age, gender, job, education, marital status, and physical activity are significantly associated with MetS. Conclusions: The prevalence of MetS in the Shiraz urban population is relatively high and has become more common amongst middle-aged people, which can significantly endanger public health. Since most of the risk factors are modifiable, it is imperative to set policies in order to control MetS and its associated risk factors.

Objectives We aimed to determine outcomes and predictors of intraoperative-detected portal vein thrombosis in liver transplant recipients. Materials and methods We retrospectively analyzed 806 adult liver transplant recipients from Shiraz, Iran, to determine those with intraoperative-detected portal vein thrombosis. Patients with this complication were compared with age- and sex-matched patients without this complication. Background diseases, surgery parameters, hospital admission, reoperation, rethrombosis, acute rejection, and use of antico-agulants were assessed. Cox proportional hazards, logistic regression, and random classification forest and random survival forest plots were used for data analyses. Results Mean age of patients was 44.7 ± 13.2 years. Patients with intraoperative-detected portal vein thrombosis (n = 91; 11.3%) had mortality ratio of 2.9 (range, 1.0-8.6) and 2-year survival of 78% versus 2-year survival rate of 92% in patients without this disease. Median time of survival in patients with this complication who died was 2 weeks versus 10 months in patients who died and did not have this complication. Random classification forest plots showed that high fasting blood sugar, autoimmune hepatitis, low prothrombin time, and cryptogenic cirrhosis were (in order) the main predictors of this complication. Random survival forest plots revealed that low prothrombin time, having intraoperative-detected portal vein thrombosis, Model for End Stage Liver Disease score, primary sclerosing cholangitis, diabetes mellitus, and hepatocellular carcinoma were (in order) the main predictors of death in liver transplant recipients. Low body mass index was associated with mortality in patients with intraoperative-detected portal vein thrombosis (by Cox proportional hazards). Conclusions One of every 9 liver transplant patients had intraoperative-detected portal vein thrombosis. Hazard of death was 2.9, and death occurred far earlier in patients with this complication. Improvements in diabetes mellitus care, prothrombin time, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, and body mass index may improve outcomes of these patients.

Background: Liver transplantation has improved patients' survival rates and quality of life (QoL). This study investigated the effect of liver transplantation and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score on patients' QoL at Shiraz Organ Transplantation Center. Materials and Methods: This perspective longitudinal study was conducted among 40 liver transplant candidates at Shiraz Organ Transplant Center. Inclusion criteria were patients who were 12 years or older, able to answer the questions and willingness to participate. If they had received multi-organ transplant and had mental or physical disabilities, we excluded them from the study. They were interviewed by the same researcher in the transplant clinic before transplantation, 1 and 6 months after transplantation. The participants completed the data collection form and Short Form-36 questionnaire via face-to-face interview. The data collecting form consist of demographic and medical information. Medical information was collected from Shiraz Organ Transplant Center. Results: Mean age of participants was 41.18 ± 14. By comparing QoL dimensions, a significant difference was found between before and after transplantation (P < 0.001), except in General Health dimension (P = 0.711). There was no statistically significant relationship between MELD score and QoL after liver transplantation (P > 0. 05). Conclusion: Liver transplantation improves patients' quality life with end-stage liver disease. MELD scores do not depict QoL after liver transplantation.

Background: Hepatitis C is one of the most common causes of end-stage liver disease and liver transplant worldwide. In recent years, with the rapid advances in the treatment of hepatitis C by direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs), the clinical course of the disease as well as liver transplantation have had significant improvement. Also, DAAs have completely replaced interferon-based regimens in the treatment and prevention of HCV recurrence after liver transplant. Objectives: This is the first study that aimed to investigate the clinical course of liver transplantation in patients with hepatitis C in Iran. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on patients with HCV liver transplantation within five years (2012 - 2017) with the age range of 18 to 65 years at Shiraz Organ Transplant Center. All demographic and clinical data were recorded. Pre-transplant viral load, disease recurrence, graft rejection, and mortality rate were the most important indices in this study. Results: Among 55 transplant patients, 49% had received hepatitis C treatment before liver transplantation and interferon-based regimens were more prevalent. Besides, HCV genotype 3, followed by genotype 1, was the most prevalent one. A liver biopsy was performed in patients with elevated liver enzyme levels. The numbers of patients with HCV recurrence at 2, 6, 12, and 24-month intervals were three, two, zero, and two patients, respectively. At these time intervals, eight, eight, one, and three cases of acute graft rejection were found, respectively. Eight patients died with a one-year survival rate of 85%. Sepsis and infectious complications were the most leading causes of death. Conclusions: This study is the first study of liver transplant patients with hepatitis C in Iran. In the five-year study period, rapid development was made in the treatment of HCV patients. It led to the introduction of DAAs, which replaced interferon-based therapies. The results of this study indicated the high success rate of liver transplantation in patients with hepatitis C in Iran. The results of this study could be used to compare the efficacy of DAAs in future research.

Background COVID-19 has been spreading worldwide with a significant death toll. Solid-organ transplantation (SOT) recipients are at higher risk due to their suppressed immune system. In this study, we aimed to conduct a systematic review on COVID-19 clinical manifestations and treatment strategies in SOT recipients. Methods We searched three databases for relevant terms related to COVID-19 and transplantation. 50 studies, including 337 patients, were reviewed. Results Two hundred thirty six patients were male, with a mean age of 49.9 years. The most prevalent group was the kidney 57.0%, followed by 17.2% heart and 13.6% liver. Fever and cough were the most reported clinical presentations. Infiltration (55.4%) in chest x-ray and ground-glass opacity (67.1%) in CT scans were the most radiological findings. It was found that 96.8% and 72.4% of patients present with CRP level and lymphocytopenia, respectively, and 70.6% of kidney recipients patients presented with high creatinine levels. The most common baseline immunosuppressants were calcineurin inhibitors (88.9%) and antimetabolites (73.2%). Antimetabolites (84.3%) and calcineurin inhibitors (54.3%) were discontinued/decreased 84.3% whereas glucocorticoids dosage almost has no change (77.9%) or even increased. 18.4% of cases had died, and 65.9% were discharged. Conclusions Patients' demographics, signs, symptoms, and radiographic findings in SOT recipients are almost similar to the general population. However, gastrointestinal symptoms appear to be more common. There are different treatment strategies, but in most of them, antimetabolite and calcineurin inhibitors were decreased or discontinued, while corticosteroids were increased. Finally, COVID-19 seems to be more severe and has higher mortality in SOT recipients compared to the general population.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, with the highest prevalence among young adults. We investigated the risk factors of this infection among men. A total of 224 men referred to a dermatology clinic in Shiraz to treat anogenital warts from June 2015 till Feb 2016 were enrolled. Data collection form included demographic characteristics and risk factors. The participants’ mean age was 28.84 ± 8 years, and half of them (54.5%) were in the second decade of their life. Nearly half of them were single, 110 (49.1%), and 103 had high education (48.4%). Among our participants, the mean age of sexual relationship onset was 20.31 ± 3.71; 69 (60.5%) of the married participants had experienced sexual intercourse before marriage, and 58 (61.05%) had extramarital sexual relationships. The mean number of sex partners was 2.8. More than half of the participants (n = 146, 66.4%) were not aware of STI symptoms. Our participants were young, and more than half of the married ones had extramarital relationships. Altogether, low awareness of STI symptoms was seen. HPV could be a public health challenge in our young male adults because of their risk factors and lack of knowledge.

The use of marginal kidneys or kidneys with pathologic problems (such as renal artery aneurysms in a living or deceased donor) is on the rise due to organ shortages and improvements in surgical techniques. When renal vascular abnormalities are detected during a transplant, it puts the surgeon in a difficult position to decide what to do with the organ. In this study, we report a case of a kidney from a deceased donor who had 2 renal artery saccular aneurysms, which we were able to use for transplant. The recipient was a 61-year-old male patient with diabetic nephropathy and significant comorbidities. Kidney transplant was performed successfully with a good outcome. Recent advancements in surgical techniques have allowed the use of kidneys with renal artery aneurysms for kidney transplant, thus helping to overcome shortages of transplantable organs.

Introduction: HIV infection remains as a major challenge facing medical sciences in the world today. Mucocutaneous manifestation was first observed in patients with HIV/AIDS in the early 1980s. The aim of this study was to identify various skin manifestations based on making careful clinical observations and performing the necessary tests. Materials and Methods: A total of 240 patients whose disease was diagnosed using WB and ELISA tests, with dermatologic manifestations and were older than 18 years, participated in this study. These patients had referred to the voluntary counseling and testing center in Shiraz for routine examinations. Results: From the total of 240 participants, 158 were males (65.8%) and 82 were females (34.2%). The mean age was 40.87 ± 8.04 years. Dermatologic manifestations were of infectious origin in 79 (33%) of the participants. As the most common viral skin infections, herpes simplex was seen in 16 patients (6.7%), with herpes zoster ranking second with 15 patients (6.3%). No relationship was found between CD4 cell count and infectious or noninfectious dermatologic manifestations (P = 0.274). Conclusion: No association was found between CD4 cell counts and dermatologic manifestations. Many skin disorders may appear in HIV/AIDS patients with normal CD4 cell counts.

Background The liver transplant recipients are often subjected to excessive therapy by immunosuppressive drugs which produce several complications. Consequently, the minimization or even withdrawal of immunosuppression in selected patients is an attractive alternative. We investigated the frequency and characteristics of these near (or prope from Latin) tolerance in liver transplant recipients in Shiraz Organ Transplant Center. Material and methods We reviewed the medical records of over 3800 adult liver transplant recipients to select a group treated with a low-dose tacrolimus monotherapy (n = 90) between 1994 and 2017 in our transplant center. The patients with the best liver function parameters were selected; then, the clinician arbitrarily decided to withdraw steroids first and then mycophenolate mofetil and maintain each patient on a low dose tacrolimus. We compared the characteristics of prope tolerant recipients on a low-dose tacrolimus with those on standard immunosuppression, namely full-dose tacrolimus plus steroids and mycophenolate mofetil (n = 233). Data were analyzed by t-test, chi-square test using SPSS software version 16. Results Out of over 3800 liver transplant patients, 90 (2.34%) recipients were treated with a minimum dose of tacrolimus monotherapy. These recipients were compared to a selected group of 233 (6.1%) recipients treated with full-dose tacrolimus plus steroids and mycophenolate mofetil. In a prope tolerant group, there were 55 males (61.1%) and 35 females (38.9%) recipients. Mean age at the time of transplant was 39.92 ± (SD = 13.40) years with an average time from the transplantation time to completed weaning from triple immunosuppression to low-dose monotherapy of 41.35 months (SD = 17.27). The most common etiology of liver disease among both groups was viral hepatitis. Conclusion The achievement of prope (almost) immune tolerance was possible only in some liver transplant recipients with a relatively low risk of rejection. Our analysis suggests that there is a difference in the underlying diseases and recipients' age and the number of rejections between the two groups.

The use of anti-retroviral therapy has been effective in controlling the spread of HIV-1, and has prolonged life expectancy, but this success can be affected by the emergence of drug resistance. The main goal of this study was to investigate drug resistance in the reverse transcriptase (RT), and protease (PR) genes among HIV-1 infected individuals. We systematically selected 59 HIV-1 infected individuals from Shiraz Voluntary Counseling and Testing Center (29 treatment- naïve and 30 treated). In this study intravenous drug users older than 18 were included in this study. Using specific primers, nested RT-PCR was performed on RNA extracted from patient samples. The genes targeted for RT and PCR were successfully amplified and sequenced. The sequences of these two genes were compared with mutations related to drug resistance against nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI), non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) and protease inhibitors (PI) using the latest database from the International AIDS society - USA, Stanford University, and the patterns were recorded. Among treatment-naïve, the detected NRTI and NNRTI resistance mutations were V179T, V75 M and E138A. V179T causes high level resistance to Efavirenze and Nevirapin. V75 M causes intermediate resistance to Stavudine. Regarding NRTI and NNRTI resistance mutations among treated patients, the most frequent mutation (7%) was M184 V, which causes high level resistance to zidovudin and emtricitabine. The interesting result from this study was the detection of NRTI and NNRTI resistance mutations before the initiation of treatment, which signifies the transmission of resistant strains of virus between individuals. This mutation highlights the importance of drug resistance HIV-1 genotyping before commencing treatment.

Background: Nurses are one of the most significant group exposed to the risk of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Therefore, to determine the disease level in patients and train them in the field are among the most essential subjects of nursing education. The study investigated the nursing students’ awareness, attitudes and tendency toward providing services to patients with HIV/AIDS. Methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted in 2014, covered 110 second- and third-year nursing students from Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. The research tools were demographics and AIDS knowledge questionnaires, an attitude towards AIDS scale and a discrimination against patients questionnaire. The information was analyzed by SPSS using descriptive statistics, t-test and the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: Males comprised 38.2% of the subjects, and females 61.8%. About 80% of the participants were single and 20% married. Almost two-thirds (60.9%) had a professional background. Regarding the awareness of AIDS and its transmission methods, 52.7% of the students were “a little” aware. Furthermore, 84.5% of students were at the moderate level of discrimination on giving services and taking care of patients with HIV; 52.2% of the subjects were also at a moderate level. A significant direct relationship was observed between the discrimination and attitude scores, P = 0.04 and r = 0.19. Conclusions: The students’ levels of awareness of HIV and its transition methods were low, and this should be promoted thorough training. Discriminatory actions do occur, and it is necessary and possible to decrease their incidence by promoting students’ awareness of patients’ rights and ethical principles.

Malnutrition among HIV-infected people is a notable problem that can affect both the therapeutic response and severity of this illness. The aim of this study is to assess the nutritional status based on the body mass index of HIV-infected patients in Fars Province, Iran. This cross-sectional study enrolled 485 HIV-positive individuals. Anthropometric indices and demographic and socioeconomic information were identified. Among HIV-positive individuals, 14.9% had evidence of malnutrition, while 26.7% were either overweight or obese. The authors observed a significant difference between body mass index and different socioeconomic classes, as well as body mass index and gender. Since undernutrition is more prevalent among HIV-infected patients who belong to a low socioeconomic class, it is substantially important to pay specific attention to this group of underprivileged patients.

HIV/AIDS not only affects the patients, but also their entire family. This study aimed to assess the impacts of the patients' and their spouses' anxiety and depression on their quality of life (QoL) at the dyadic level. A total of 120 serodiscordant husband-wife dyads from the voluntary counselling and testing center in Shiraz, Iran, were involved in this study from February to June 2015. The WHOQOL-BREEF, CESD-10, and Beck Anxiety Inventory instruments were used, respectively, to assess the QoL, depression, and anxiety scores of the participants. The actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) was used to estimate the effects of depression and anxiety of both the people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and their spouses on their own QoL (actor effect) as well as their partners' (partner effect). The APIM analysis revealed that both PLWHAs' and their spouses' depression and anxiety showed actor effects on their own QoL. Furthermore, spouses' depression showed a significant partner effect on PLWHAs' QoL and PLWHAs' anxiety had significant partner effects on spouses' QoL. Accordingly, this data can be used to develop targeted interventions aimed at guidance and assistance of PLWHAs and their spouses to find coping strategies that improve their own QoL as well as their partners'.

One of the X chromosome-linked disorders is ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency in the urea cycle. This disorder results in increased ammonia and glutamine in the blood. Accumulation of these metabolites without treatment causes brain edema, which often progresses to coma and death. This study describes a 5-year-old girl with ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency who presented with hyperammonemic encephalopathy that was successfully treated with an orthotropic liver transplant. Recently, liver transplant has been introduced as an alternative treatment for patients with ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency.

This quasi-experimental, before–after study was designed to assess the effect of an educational intervention on knowledge and attitudes about sexually transmitted infections, HIV and preventive behaviours among female sex workers in Shiraz, Iran. A single-group pre–post test design was used and the study was done between August and December 2009. The participants were 80 female sex workers recruited from three drop-in centers in Shiraz, with stratified random sampling. Pre-intervention knowledge was assessed by interview with a standard questionnaire. The educational intervention consisted of a lecture, face-to-face education, printed information, an educational movie, role playing and a contest. After 2 months, the effect of the intervention was evaluated (post-test). The average age of the participants was 32.6 ± 9.1 years. After the intervention, the mean score for general knowledge about HIV and sexually transmitted infections increased from 13.7 ± 0.95 (pre-test) to 19.47 ± 11.62 (post-test, p

As a concentrated epidemic, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is spreading rapidly in one or more groups in Iran, but in the general population its prevalence is relatively low. Female sex workers (FSWs) and their partners are at greater risk for HIV infection. To determine the prevalence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including gonorrhoea, Chlamydia, herpes simplex type 2 and syphilis among FSWs. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 278 FSWs in Shiraz, by using respondent-driven sampling, from June to March 2010. The recruitment chain started with 14 seeds, and FSWs were tested for HIV, syphilis, herpes simplex type 2, gonorrhoea and Chlamydia. HIV prevalence was 4.7% (13/278); the most prevalent STI was herpes simplex type 2, 9.7% (27/278), followed by Chlamydia 9% (25/278), gonorrhoea 1.4% (4/278) and syphilis (0/278). The FSWs reported drug use (69.9%) of which 16.4% had history of injecting drug use. Unprotected sex in the past month was reported by 24.4% of FSWs. Urgent education and risk reduction programmes are needed in this population.

Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) and Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) are transmitted through common routes; therefore, simultaneous infection with both viruses is common. Objectives: The current study aimed to determine HBV infection serological profile and the associated risk factors among HIV positive individuals in Shiraz. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 186 HIV infected individuals above 18 years old, referring to Shiraz Voluntary Counseling and Testing Center from 2010 to 2011were enrolled. All participants were assessed for the serological status of HBV infection using Hepatitis B surface antigen, Hepatitis B surface antibody, Hepatitis B core antibody levels, and HBV Polymerase Chain Reaction. Results: A total of 186 HIV positive individuals eligible for analysis including 164 (88.2%) males and 22 (11.8%) females were selected for the study. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), Hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) and Hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) were detected in 66 (35.5%), 62 (41.3%), and 39 (21%) subjects, respectively. HBV DNA was detected in 39 subjects (21%). Conclusions: The current study showed that less than half of the HIV positive participants had evidence of previous exposure to HBV. Also, the risk of chronic HBV was higher in the subjects than the normal population. It is suggested to educate HIV positive individuals regarding prevention and transmission of other viral infections such as HBV, HCV, and compliance with their medication.

Introduction Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy and duct-to-duct (D-D) anastomosis are biliary reconstruction methods for liver transplantation. However, there is a controversy over which method produces better results. We have compared the outcome of D-D anastomosis vs. Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis who had undergone liver transplant in Shiraz Organ Transplant Center. Materials The medical records of 405 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) who had undergone liver transplant from 1996 to 2015 were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: Roux-en-Y group and D-D group. Morbidity, disease recurrence, and graft and patient survival rates were compared between the two groups. Results Total of 143 patients underwent a D-D biliary reconstruction, and 260 patients had a Roux-en-Y loop. Biliary complication involved 4.2% of patients from the D-D group, and 3.9% from the Roux-en-Y group (P=. 863). Actuarial 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival for D-D and Roux-en-Y group was 92%, 85%, and 74%; and 87%, 83%, and 79%, respectively (P=.384). The corresponding 1-, 3-, and 5-year probability of biliary complication was 97%, 95%, and 92%; and 98%, 97%, and 94%, respectively (P=.61). Conclusion Duct-to-duct biliary reconstruction in liver transplantation for selected patients with PSC is a good alternative instead of Roux-en-Y biliary reconstruction.

Results: Among the 1721 enrolled subjects who met the inclusion criteria, 1456 (84.6%) were male and 265 (15.4%) were female. Among all transmission routes, injecting drug use (IDU) was the most frequent for men (1262 = 86.7%) and sexual transmission was the most frequent for women (226 = 85.3%). The mean (SE) time of HIV to AIDS was 35.98 ± 0.95 months; 38.04 ± 1.09 for men and 27.85 ± 1.80 for women (P < 0.001, log rank test). Mean (SE) time of HIV to death was 31.74 ± 1.36 months; 31.83 ± 1.41 for men and 31.15 ± 4.47 for women (P = 0.773, log rank test). Conclusions: This study showed that HIV-infected women, as compared with men, had faster progression to AIDS. This result may indicate that women refer to health centers late, so they are diagnosed during the developed stages of the infection. Uninvited and multivariate tests were used and no difference was found between survival time of men and women.

We retrospectively compared induction therapy utilizing alemtuzumab and antithymoglobulin (ATG) in high-risk kidney transplant recipients in our center. Two hundred and fifty-one patients underwent kidney transplantation between 2009 and 2012. The high-risk patients were defined as those who had two or more times kidney transplantation and/or more than 30% panel reactive antibody. We studied 130 high-risk kidney transplant candidate; 58 (44.6%) patients received induction immunosuppressive therapy with alemtuzumab, and 72 (55.4%) with ATG. Delayed graft function developed in 11 patients receiving alemtuzumab, against the 27 patients who receiving ATG (P = 0.021). Acute cellular rejection episodes were observed in five patients in the alemtuzumab group and 19 patients in the ATG group (P = 0.009). There were three graft failures in the alemtuzumab group and eight graft failures in the ATG group due to rejection episodes. We found immunosuppressive induction therapy with alemtuzumab a significantly less incidence of acute rejection and delayed graft function than induction therapy with ATG in the high-risk kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Medication adherence is one of the most important challenges in chronic diseases. Objectives: In this study, we investigated medication adherence prevalence among children with chronic liver diseases. Methods: A total of 160 children with chronic liver disease were enrolled in our study. We evaluated medication adherence using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and classified them based on the scores (score < 6 = low adherence, scores 6 - 8 = medium adherence, and > 8 = high adherence). Logistic regression recognized final influencing variables on adherence. Results: Of 160 patients, 84 (52.5%) were female, and the mean age of patients was 11.2 ± 4.4 years. Also, 56 participants (35%) were high adherers, and 66 (41.25%) were low adherers. The most common reason for low adherence was forgetfulness in 37 patients (23.13%) and low access to medication in 21 subjects (13.13%). In multivariate logistic regression, age, housing status, and underlying disease were significantly associated with medication adherence. Conclusions: Almost half of the children with chronic liver disease demonstrated low medication adherence. Age, housing status, and underlying disease were significantly associated with medication adherence. We should implement programs to reduce medication non-adherence among children with chronic liver disease.