Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Iran: A 2011 update

BACKGROUND

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its individual components among the Iranian adult population in 2011 and to investigate changes between 2007 and 2011.

METHODS

Data from two rounds of the Surveillance of Risk Factors of Non-communicable Diseases national surveys conducted in 2007 and 2011 were pooled. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to International Diabetes Federation criteria.

RESULTS

In 2007, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adults aged 25-64 years was 35.95 (95% confidence interval [CI] 34.27-37.63), which decreased to 32.96 (95% CI 30.73-35.18) in 2011 (P = 0.0108). Despite this overall decline, the prevalence of central obesity (P = 0.1383), raised triglycerides (P = 0.3058), and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C; P = 0.5595) remained constant. There was a trend towards a decline in the proportion of individuals with increased blood pressure (P = 0.0978), and the proportion of adults with increased fasting plasma glucose (FPG) increased (P < 0.0001). In 2011, the prevalence of central obesity, raised triglycerides, reduced HDL-C, increased blood pressure and increased FPG was 51.88 (95% CI 48.97-54.79), 36.99 (95% CI 34.52-39.45), 54.72 (95% CI 50.87-58.57), 38.92 (95% CI 36.19-41.64), and 24.97 (95% CI 22.02-27.93) respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Over the period 2007-11, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome has decreased slightly in Iran, although prevalence of increased FPG has increased significantly. One-third of the Iranian adult population is diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.

Headache in relapse and remission phases of multiple sclerosis: A case-control study

BACKGROUND

Headaches are one of the most frequent reasons for pain in multiple sclerosis (MS) individuals. Characterization of headaches and delineating possible relationships with MS-related determinants can ultimately circumvent headaches.

METHODS

In a prospective case-control study, 65 Iranian relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients and 65 healthy controls were recruited during patients' admission for attack-period treatment and asked about characteristics and co-symptoms of headaches they experienced in the preceding week and usage of disease modifying drugs (DMDs) and types of MS attacks were also inquired. The same questions were asked from the same patients 3 months later in a follow-up visit.

RESULTS

A total of 57 patients and 57 controls were included in the final analyses. In total, 26 (45.6%) patients in relapse, 18 (27.7%) controls, and 22 (38.6%) patients in remission reported headaches and only significant difference existed between relapse patients and controls (P = 0.036). In headache prevalence was higher in patients in relapse phase having MS < 3 years compared to relapse patients with more than 3 years of MS (68 vs. 28.1%; P = 0.004). Other variables of interest did not differ among the three groups.

CONCLUSION

The RRMS patients in relapse phase suffer from headaches more than healthy people do.

Effect of Cardiac Rehabilitation Program on Heart Rate Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease

BACKGROUND

It has been suggested that the autonomic system function and the metabolic syndrome can significantly affect patients' survival. The aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of the cardiac rehabilitation program on the autonomic system balance in patients with coronary artery disease.

METHODS

Patients with a previous diagnosis of coronary artery disease who were referred to the Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Center of Afshar Hospital (Yazd, Iran) between March and November 2011 were enrolled. All the patients participated in rehabilitation sessions 3 times a week for 12 weeks. Heart rate recovery (HRR) was measured as an indicator of the autonomic system balance. In order to calculate HRR, the maximum heart rate during the exercise test was recorded. At the end of the exercise test, the patients were asked to sit down without having a cooldown period and their heart rate was recorded again after 1 minute. The difference between these 2 measurements was considered as HRR.

RESULTS

A total of 108 patients, including 86 (79.6%) men and 22 (20.4%) women, completed the rehabilitation course. The mean age of the study participants was 58.25 ± 9.83 years. A statistically significant improvement was observed in HRR (p value = 0.040). Significant declines were also observed in the patients' waist circumference (p value < 0.001) and systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p value = 0.018 and 0.003, respectively). A decreasing trend was observed in the patients' body mass index, but it failed to reach statistical significance (p value = 0.063). No statistically meaningful changes were noted in fasting blood glucose (p value = 0.171), high-density lipoprotein (p value = 0.070), or triglyceride concentrations (p value = 0.149).

CONCLUSION

The cardiac rehabilitation program may help to improve HRR and several components of the metabolic syndrome in patients with coronary heart disease.

Trends in the prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in association with obesity in Iran: 2005-2011

AIMS

To estimate the prevalence and trends of diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG), 2005-2011, and to determine the contribution of obesity to DM prevalence.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data from Surveillance of Risk Factors of Non-communicable Diseases (SuRFNCD) conducted in 2005, 2007, and 2011 were gathered. DM was defined as presence of self-reported previous diagnosis or a fasting plasma glucose (FPG)≥7 mmol/L. IFG was diagnosed with FPG levels between 5.6 and 6.9 mmol/L. Prevalence rates for 2011 and trends for 2005-2011 were determined by extrapolating survey results to Iran's adult population. Population attributable fraction (PAF) of obesity was also calculated.

RESULTS

In 2011, IFG and total DM prevalence rates were 14.60% (95%CI: 12.41-16.78) and 11.37% (95%CI: 9.86-12.89) among 25-70 years, respectively. DM was more common in older age (p < 0.0001), in women (p = 0.0216), and in urban-dwellers (p = 0.0001). In 2005-2011, trend analysis revealed a 35.1% increase in DM prevalence (OR: 1.04, 95%CI: 1.01-1.07, p = 0.011); albeit, IFG prevalence remained relatively unchanged (OR: 0.98, 95%CI: 0.95-1.00, p = 0.167). In this period, DM awareness improved; undiagnosed DM prevalence decreased from 45.7% to 24.7% (p < 0.001). PAF analysis demonstrated that 33.78%, 10.25%, and 30.56% of the prevalent DM can be attributed to overweight (BMI≥25kg/m(2)), general obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m(2)), and central obesity (waist circumference≥90 cm), respectively. Additionally, the DM increase rate in 2005-2011, was 20 times higher in morbidly obese compared with lean individuals.

CONCLUSION

More than four million Iranian adults have DM which has increased by 35% over the past seven years, owing in large part, to expanding obesity epidemic.

Effects of obesity on presentation of breast cancer, lymph node metastasis and patient survival: a retrospective review

BACKGROUND

As data on the relation between obesity and lymph node ratio are missing in the literature, we here aimed to assess the impact of obesity on this parameter and other clinicopathological features of breast cancer cases and patient survival.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Medical data of 646 patients, all referred to two centers in Tehran, Iran, were reviewed. Factors that showed significant association on univariate analysis were entered in a regression model. Kaplan-Meier and Cox-regression were employed for survival analysis.

RESULTS

Obesity was correlated with the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptor (p=0.004 and p=0.039, respectively), metastasis to axillary lymph nodes (p=0.017), higher lymph node rate (p<0.001) and larger tumor size (p<0.001). The effect of obesity was stronger in premenopausal women. There was no association between obesity and expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor. Three factors showed independent association with BMI on multivariate analysis; tumor size, estrogen receptor and lymph node ratio. Obesity was predictive of shorter disease-free survival with a hazard ratio of 3.324 (95%CI: 1.225-9.017) after controlling for the above-mentioned variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study support the idea that obese women experience more advanced disease with higher axillary lymph node ratio, and therefore higher stage at the time of diagnosis. Furthermore, obesity was associated with poorer survival independent of lymph node rate.