OBJECTIVES: The risk factors for miscarriage vary across communities and countries. This study was conducted to investigate the predictors of miscarriage in the west of Iran. METHODS: This matched case-control study was conducted in Hamadan Province from April 2013 to March 2014. Cases were selected from women who had a recent spontaneous abortion and controls were selected from women who had a recent live birth. Two controls were selected for every case and matched for date of pregnancy and area of residence. Multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis was performed and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: Five hundred fifty cases were compared with 1,091 controls. The OR of miscarriage was 1.58 (95% CI=1.30-1.92) for every five-year increase in age, 0.20 (95% CI=0.14-0.28) for every live birth, and 3.43 (95% CI=2.03-5.79) for a history of previous spontaneous abortion. Compared to nulliparous women, primiparous or multiparous women had an OR of 17.85 (95% CI=6.65-47.91) for miscarriage. There was a strong association between miscarriage and abnormal amniotic status (OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 0.46-13.09) and also abnormal placenta status (OR, 10.44; 95% CI, 0.95-114.92); however, these associations were not statistically significant. No significant associations were observed between miscarriage and body mass index, previous history of stillbirth, low birth weight, congenital anomaly, ectopic pregnancy, impaired thyroid function, or high blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that miscarriage is a multifactorial outcome associated with several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors that may vary among different communities.
Abortion, Habitual ; Abortion, Spontaneous* ; Body Mass Index ; Case-Control Studies* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Iran ; Live Birth ; Logistic Models ; Odds Ratio ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Ectopic ; Risk Factors ; Stillbirth ; Thyroid Gland

Farming is one of the most important components of most economies. No comprehensive picture exists of the health status of Iranian farmers and the work-related hazards that affect them. We aimed to determine the gaps in the current knowledge regarding the occupational health of Iranian farmworkers. Electronic databases including Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase, as well as national databases including the Scientific Information Database, MagIran, and Barakat Knowledge System, were searched for articles published through March 2017. All epidemiologic studies regarding the occupational health of farmworkers in Iran were reviewed, regardless of their design, language, time of publication, and location. Of the 86 retrieved articles, 39 studies were ultimately analyzed. Most studies were conducted in Fars, Kerman, and Mazandaran provinces. According to the results of this review, chemical, physical, and biological hazards, along with work-related injuries, may be the main factors threatening the health of farmworkers. The unsafe use of pesticides was related to male infertility, eye and digestive complications, pesticide poisoning, pesticide absorption, hematological changes, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Chemical hazards (e.g., the unsafe use of pesticides), physical hazards, injuries, and biological hazards (e.g., work-related infectious diseases) threaten the health of Iranian farmworkers. Moreover, farmworkers lack adequate knowledge about the occupational hazards they face and the relevant risk factors.
Absorption ; Agriculture ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Farmers ; Infertility, Male ; Iran ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Male ; Multiple Myeloma ; Occupational Health ; Pesticides ; Poisoning ; Publications ; Risk Factors

Farming is one of the most important components of most economies. No comprehensive picture exists of the health status of Iranian farmers and the work-related hazards that affect them. We aimed to determine the gaps in the current knowledge regarding the occupational health of Iranian farmworkers. Electronic databases including Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase, as well as national databases including the Scientific Information Database, MagIran, and Barakat Knowledge System, were searched for articles published through March 2017. All epidemiologic studies regarding the occupational health of farmworkers in Iran were reviewed, regardless of their design, language, time of publication, and location. Of the 86 retrieved articles, 39 studies were ultimately analyzed. Most studies were conducted in Fars, Kerman, and Mazandaran provinces. According to the results of this review, chemical, physical, and biological hazards, along with work-related injuries, may be the main factors threatening the health of farmworkers. The unsafe use of pesticides was related to male infertility, eye and digestive complications, pesticide poisoning, pesticide absorption, hematological changes, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Chemical hazards (e.g., the unsafe use of pesticides), physical hazards, injuries, and biological hazards (e.g., work-related infectious diseases) threaten the health of Iranian farmworkers. Moreover, farmworkers lack adequate knowledge about the occupational hazards they face and the relevant risk factors.
Absorption ; Agriculture ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Farmers* ; Infertility, Male ; Iran ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Male ; Multiple Myeloma ; Occupational Health ; Pesticides ; Poisoning ; Publications ; Risk Factors*

The quality of reporting of cohort studies published in the most prestigious scientific medical journals was investigated to indicate to what extent the items in the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist are addressed. Six top scientific medical journals with high impact factor were selected including New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, Lancet, British Medical Journal, Archive of Internal Medicine, and Canadian Medical Association Journal. Ten cohort studies published in 2010 were selected randomly from each journal. The percentage of items in the STROBE checklist that were addressed in each study was investigated. The total percentage of items addressed by these studies was 69.3 (95% confidence interval: 59.6 to 79.0). We concluded that reporting of cohort studies published in the most prestigious scientific medical journals is not clear enough yet. The reporting of other types of observational studies such as case-control and cross-sectional studies particularly those being published in less prestigious journals expected to be much more imprecise.
American Medical Association ; Archives ; Case-Control Studies ; Checklist ; Cohort Studies ; Internal Medicine ; New England

OBJECTIVES: This report provides information on 14 behavioral and nutritional factors that can be addressed in stomach cancer prevention programs. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched through December 2018. Reference lists were also screened. Observational studies addressing the associations between stomach cancer and behavioral factors were analyzed. Between-study heterogeneity was investigated using the χ2, τ2, and I2 statistics. The likelihood of publication bias was explored using the Begg and Egger tests and trim-and-fill analysis. Effect sizes were expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Of 52,916 identified studies, 232 (including 33,831,063 participants) were eligible. The OR (95% CI) of factors associated with stomach cancer were as follows: Helicobacter pylori infection, 2.56 (95% CI, 2.18 to 3.00); current smoking, 1.61 (95% CI, 1.49 to 1.75); former smoking 1.43 (95% CI, 1.29 to 1.59); current drinking, 1.19 (95% CI, 1.10 to 1.29); former drinking, 1.73 (95% CI, 1.17 to 2.56); overweight/obesity, 0.89 (95% CI, 0.74 to 1.08); sufficient physical activity, 0.83 (95% CI, 0.68 to 1.02); consumption of fruits ≥3 times/wk, 0.48 (95% CI, 0.37 to 0.63); consumption of vegetables ≥3 times/wk, 0.62 (95% CI, 0.49 to 0.79); eating pickled vegetables, 1.28 (95% CI, 1.09 to 1.51); drinking black tea, 1.00 (95% CI, 0.84 to 1.20); drinking green tea, 0.88 (95% CI, 0.80 to 0.97); drinking coffee, 0.99 (95% CI, 0.88 to 1.11); eating fish ≥1 time/wk 0.79 (95% CI, 0.61 to 1.03); eating red meat ≥4 times/wk 1.31 (95% CI, 0.87 to 1.96), and high salt intake 3.78 (95% CI, 1.74 to 5.44) and 1.34 (95% CI, 0.88 to 2.03), based on two different studies. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis provided a clear picture of the behavioral and nutritional factors associated with the development of stomach cancer. These results may be utilized for ranking and prioritizing preventable risk factors to implement effective prevention programs.

OBJECTIVES: This report provides information on 14 behavioral and nutritional factors that can be addressed in stomach cancer prevention programs. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched through December 2018. Reference lists were also screened. Observational studies addressing the associations between stomach cancer and behavioral factors were analyzed. Between-study heterogeneity was investigated using the χ2, τ2, and I2 statistics. The likelihood of publication bias was explored using the Begg and Egger tests and trim-and-fill analysis. Effect sizes were expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Of 52,916 identified studies, 232 (including 33,831,063 participants) were eligible. The OR (95% CI) of factors associated with stomach cancer were as follows: Helicobacter pylori infection, 2.56 (95% CI, 2.18 to 3.00); current smoking, 1.61 (95% CI, 1.49 to 1.75); former smoking 1.43 (95% CI, 1.29 to 1.59); current drinking, 1.19 (95% CI, 1.10 to 1.29); former drinking, 1.73 (95% CI, 1.17 to 2.56); overweight/obesity, 0.89 (95% CI, 0.74 to 1.08); sufficient physical activity, 0.83 (95% CI, 0.68 to 1.02); consumption of fruits ≥3 times/wk, 0.48 (95% CI, 0.37 to 0.63); consumption of vegetables ≥3 times/wk, 0.62 (95% CI, 0.49 to 0.79); eating pickled vegetables, 1.28 (95% CI, 1.09 to 1.51); drinking black tea, 1.00 (95% CI, 0.84 to 1.20); drinking green tea, 0.88 (95% CI, 0.80 to 0.97); drinking coffee, 0.99 (95% CI, 0.88 to 1.11); eating fish ≥1 time/wk 0.79 (95% CI, 0.61 to 1.03); eating red meat ≥4 times/wk 1.31 (95% CI, 0.87 to 1.96), and high salt intake 3.78 (95% CI, 1.74 to 5.44) and 1.34 (95% CI, 0.88 to 2.03), based on two different studies. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis provided a clear picture of the behavioral and nutritional factors associated with the development of stomach cancer. These results may be utilized for ranking and prioritizing preventable risk factors to implement effective prevention programs.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most critical disorders, which affects approximately 20% of women of childbearing age and melatonin supplementation in these women can be effective. However, human studies in this area are particularly limited to IVF candidates. The aim of this clinical trial study was to evaluate the effect of melatonin on the in vitro fertilization (IVF) in PCOS involved women. In this clinical trial study, a total of 320 women with PCOS were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. Patients in the intervention group (n=160) received a combination of melatonin and metformin (3 mg and 500 mg, respectively) three times a day. The control group (n=160) received metformin 500 mg from the luteal phase of the cycle before the start of gonadotropin. Oocyte and embryo quality, number of oocytes, and pregnancy outcomes were compared in both groups. Our study revealed that the frequency of Metaphase II oocytes (69.9% vs. 57.9%, p＜0.001) and the number of embryos of the top-quality (grade A) were higher in the group treated with melatonin (40.3% vs. 29.9%, p=0.001). The rate of clinical pregnancy and implantation were also higher in the intervention group. The odds of clinical pregnancy in the intervention group was 1.8 times (p=0.039). Moreover, oral melatonin supplementation was effective in patients with PCOS, who were candidates for IVF because of the increased quality of mature oocytes, top-quality embryos, and increased odds of clinical pregnancy.