Background: Hyperuricemia is implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and metabolic disorders. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in childhood is one of the most important causes of different noncommunicable diseases in adulthood. This study aimed to systematically review the association between serum uric acid (UA) concentration and components of pediatric MetS. Materials and Methods: In this meta-analysis and systematic review, related articles were gathered by searching English databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. We used the following keywords: uric acid, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, fasting blood sugar (FBS), hyperglycemia; the search was limited to English language and included observational and cohort studies performed among children or adolescents. Pooled relative risks (odds ratio [OR]) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were extracted. A random-effect model was used. Results: On the basis of 34 eligible studies, the pooled correlation between UA with metabolic components including FBS (r = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.09–0.40), fasting insulin (r = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.15–0.37), and hyperglycemia (r for triglyceride and UA = 0.23, 95% CI = 0.19–0.38) (r for high-density lipoprotein and UA = −0.28, 95% CI = −0.37 to −0.20) was statistically significant. The association of both diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) was statistically significant with UA (r for SBP and UA = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.24–0.43; r for DBP and UA = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.11–0.25). The OR between risk of abdominal obesity with UA was statistically significant (OR = 2.62, 95% CI = 1.41–3.84). Conclusion: Serum UA concentration is associated with major components of the pediatric MetS. Its measurement and control should be underscored in at-risk children and adolescents.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can lead to cardiac complications: brady and tachyarrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the gold standard for the treatment of OSA. The present study aims to demonstrate the efficiency of CPAP in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in patients with OSA. The study also recorded the frequency of arrhythmias in patients with untreated OSA and assessed the association between the severity of OSA and the occurrence of arrhythmias. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective cohort study. Ninety-three patients with OSA were included, aged 60 (58–64) years, with female/male sex ratio of 1:4. They were subjected simultaneously to home respiratory polygraphy examination and Holter electrocardiogram monitoring, in two different stages: at diagnosis and at the 3-month checkup after CPAP treatment. The presence of supraventricular and ventricular arrythmias was noted. Respiratory parameter values were also recorded. Results: Statistically significant decrease in the occurrence of supraventricular (P < 0.001) and ventricular extrasystoles (P < 0.001), atrial fibrillation (AF) (P = 0.03), nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) (P = 0.03), and sinus pauses (P < 0.001) was observed 3 months after treatment with CPAP, compared with baseline. The apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) was correlated with the ventricular extrasystoles (r = 0.273; P = 0.008). The ejection fraction of the left ventricle was inversely correlated with the episodes of NSVT (r = −0.425; P < 0.001). AF was associated with the longest apnea (r = 0.215; P = 0.04). Cardiac activity pauses were correlated with AHI (r = 0.320; P = 0.002), longest apnea (r = 0.345; P = 0.01), and oxygen desaturation index (r = 0.325; P = 0.04). Conclusion: The prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias in patients with OSA was reduced after 3 months of CPAP therapy. Cardiac arrhythmias were correlated with the severity of OSA.

Background: Inflammatory cytokines have been observed in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues and can promote the susceptibility to metastasis of CRC cells. Diverse regulatory mechanisms of long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the inflammatory responses are associated with tumor progression. The aim of this research was to investigate the expression level of the nuclear factor-kappa B interacting lncRNA (NKILA)-miR103-miR107 regulatory axis and its clinical significance as a potential biomarker in patients with CRC. Materials and Methods: In the present study, we investigated the expression levels of miR103, miR107, and NKILA in 21 paired CRC tissues and corresponding adjacent tissues, using real-time polymerase chain reaction technique. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the prognostic value of biomarkers and to compare their predictive value. Results: It was found that the expression level of miR103 was significantly increased with the development of CRC (cancerous vs. corresponding normal tissues; 2.29 ± 1.65 vs. 1.16 ± 0.64, P = 0.003). Moreover, miR107 was upregulated in CRC tissues compared with paired normal tissues (2.1 ± 1.4 vs. 1.25 ± 0.83, P = 0.005), while NKILA displayed an opposite expression pattern versus miR103/107, but it was not statistically significant (3.69 ± 5.2 vs. 4.35 ± 5.99, P > 0.05). The ROC analysis demonstrated that miR103 had the best diagnostic ability performance with area under curve of 0.723 (0.545–0.901). Conclusion: We identified miR103/107 as tumor-promoting miRNAs with diagnostic value in cancer patients and presumptive negative regulators of NKILA, a potential cancer metastatic suppressor. Strategies that disrupt this regulatory axis might block CRC progression.

Background: Proper blood pressure (BP) measurement frequency method is less evaluated to optimize hypertension (HTN) status among different nations due to cultural patience variations. The aim of this study was to compare the first (BP₁), second (BP₂), and the mean of first and second (BP_1,2) and all the three (BP_1,2,3) with the second and third BP measurements in Iranian individuals. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on 2264 individuals aged 18 years or more living in Isfahan city, Iran. Their BPs were assessed from right arms by the standard tools and methods after 5 min of rest in a quiet room by a trained staff. The mean second and third readings were considered as reference, and the other aforementioned variables were compared with it. Results: The mean age of total population was 40.9 ± 16.1 years (males: 52%). Men had significant higher means of systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) with any measurement frequency methods than women (P < 0.001 and P = 0.009). Considerable clinical significant (≥5 mmHg) ranges were mostly observed in BP₁compared with BP_2,3. SBP₂and DBP₂indices showed insignificant differences compared with reference mean. Moreover, abnormal BP levels (≥140/90 mmHg) were mostly observed in terms of BP₁measurement with no remarkable variability in BP₂reading in comparison to the reference. Conclusion: Our considerable data suggested that BP₂could appropriately categorize BP status similar to BP_2,3and it may be rational for physicians considering this mean and excluding the first BP measurement as a sole criterion for HTN assessment in Iranian adults. Multiple researches are necessary quantifying appropriate frequencies of BP reading.

In the treatment process of hypertriglyceridemia and diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes, fenofibrate (FEN) is a well-known medication. FEN is from fibrate class drugs that using orally; however, as a side effect, it is associated with serum creatinine level increasing. The aim of this review was to determine the real effect of FEN therapy on renal functions based on both experimental and clinical studies. For this review, using the keywords of “fenofibrate” and “renal” and “function,” a variety of sources of information banks, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus, were used, and the published articles were considered and interpreted. Followed by searching in databases, 45 articles were collected. After screening these articles, based on the study source, they were devided into two parts: 23 articles on animal experiments and 22 articles clinical experiments. Based on this information, it seems that the protective mechanism of FEN is related to vascular endothelial functions. The increased creatinine by FEN is related to different sensitivities to FEN effects caused by a polymorphism in different patients. In patients with normal renal function, follow-up of serum creatinine would be necessary after FEN, but the discontinuation of FEN is not recommended. In addition, in diabetic patients with hypertriglyceridemia, FEN treatment would be suggested for protecting the kidney from diabetes-induced renal injury.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) was the fifth cause of mortality worldwide in 2015 and second cause of mortality in Iran in 2012. This study aimed to explore factors associated with survival of patients with BC using parametric survival models. Materials and Methods: Data of 1154 patients that diagnosed with BC recorded in the East Azerbaijan population-based cancer registry database between March 2007 and March 2016. The parametric survival model with an accelerated failure time (AFT) approach was used to assess the association between sex, age, grade, and morphology with time to death. Results: A total of 217 (18.8%) individuals experienced death due to BC by the end of the study. Among the fitted parametric survival models including exponential, Weibull, log logistic, and log-normal models, the log-normal model was the best model with the Akaike information criterion = 1441.47 and Bayesian information criterion = 1486.93 where patients with higher ages (time ratio [TR] =0.693; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.531, 0.904]) and higher grades (TR = 0.350; 95% CI = [0.201, 0.608]) had significantly lower survival while the lobular carcinoma type of morphology (TR = 1.975; 95% CI = [1.049, 3.720]) had significantly higher survival. Conclusion: Log-normal model showed to be an optimal tool to model the survival of patients with BC in the current study. Age, grade, and morphology showed significant association with time to death in patients with BC using AFT model. This finding could be recommended for planning and health policymaking in patients with BC. However, the impact of the models used for analysis on the significance and magnitude of estimated effects should be acknowledged.

Background: Weight management is an important strategy to prevent the consequences of obesity. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of yoga practice and energy-restricted diet on resting metabolic rate (RMR), anthropometric indices, and serum adiponectin and leptin in overweight and obese women. Materials and Methods: Obese or overweight women were divided into two groups: yoga practicing and energy-restricted diet. Exercise trials consisted of 60-min Hatha yoga equal to 200 kilocalories (kcal) combined with 300 kcal restriction per day, and an energy-restricted diet consisted of 500 kcal restriction per day. The intervention period for both the groups was 8 weeks. RMR, anthropometric indices, and serum adiponectin, leptin, and lipid profiles were measured at baseline and at the end of the study. Results: RMR was increased in yoga but not in the diet group (P = 0.001). The level of adiponectin was increased in the yoga group compared with the diet (P = 0.035). The concentration of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was decreased in the diet group significantly but not in yoga (P = 0.006). The level of leptin was decreased in both the groups (P = 0.001), and there were no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusion: The findings of the study demonstrated the effect of yoga practicing on RMR, and serum adiponectin, in overweight and obese women. It seems yoga practice with less energy restriction compared with a common energy restriction diet and is more effective in weight management for those who are in weight loss programs.

Diagnostic interventional pulmonology is widely accepted as a minimally invasive, highly accurate procedure for diagnosing lung cancer, more drug-resistant pathogen infections of lower respiratory tract, and critical respiratory diseases. The efficiency of interventional diagnostics depends on quite a few factors, including size and the anatomic location of lymph nodes, number of biopsy sites and complications rate, characteristics of the lesion, and underlying disease. Specifically, the application of rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) may avoid additional sampling without compromising diagnostic yield with a preliminary evaluation for adequate diagnostic material and thus reduce the complication rate. In this review article we aimed at elaborate the technical details, clinical roles, and technological progress of ROSE in diagnostic interventional pulmonology, highlighting the importance of ROSE in diagnostic interventional pulmonology. We finally pointed out that it will be a tendency for a pulmonologist, to undergo a short yet intensive training and perform ROSE in diagnostic interventional pulmonology.

Background: Overexpression of excision repair cross-complementing Group 1 (ERCC-1) is related to cisplatin resistance and defective repair of radiation damage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of excision (ERCC-1) expression in nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of patients diagnosed with NPC between 2000 and 2013. The archived tissues were analyzed using immunohistochemistry to determine ERCC-1 expression. The ERCC-1 expression level along with other clinical factors and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% confidence interval was calculated to assess the risk. Results: The analysis of ERCC-1 expression was available in 262 NPC patients who had medical records at our hospital. Among those patients, 221 (84%) were treated with curative radiotherapy (RT)/concurrent chemoradiotherapy, 22 (7%) were treated with palliative RT alone, and 19 (9%) were given best supportive care. There was no correlation between ERCC-1 expression and stage of cancer or OS. No difference in 5-year OS was found between patients with low ERCC-1 expression and high ERCC-1 expression (38% vs. 36%; P = 0.981). The adjusted HR (aHR) of cancer death increased with cancer stage (aHR = 2.93 for advanced Stages III–IV; P = 0.001) and age (aHR = 2.11 for age >55; P ≤ 0.001). ERCC-1 expression exhibited no prognostic significance in our study (aHR = 1). Conclusion: In this study, ERCC-1 expression has no statistical significance to be considered a prognostic factor for OS among NPC patients. On the other hand, cancer stage, age, and types of treatment can be prognostic factors in NPC patients.