Mehri Salari; Sepand Tehrani-Fateh; Zahra Aminzade; Masoud Etemadifar
Volume 21, Issue 4 , October 2022, , Pages 256-258
Masoud Etemadifar; Amir Parsa Abhari; Ghasem Yadegarfar; Mehri Salari; Mohammadreza Ghazavi; Milad Rayani; Hosein Nouri; Parisa Kargaran; Shahrbanoo Mazaheri; Homa Saadat
Abstract
Background: Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS), affecting individuals younger than 18 years of age. We sought to characterize the epidemiological and clinical features of patients with POMS in Isfahan, Iran, from April ...
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Background: Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) is an autoimmune demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS), affecting individuals younger than 18 years of age. We sought to characterize the epidemiological and clinical features of patients with POMS in Isfahan, Iran, from April 1997 to March 2020.Methods: The medical records of patients with POMS in the databases of Isfahan Department of Public Health and Isfahan Multiple Sclerosis Society (IMSS) were retrospectively reviewed. The 2006 and 2016 Isfahan Province population censuses were used as reference values for assessing the temporal trend of POMS.Results: From April 1997 to March 2020, 509 individuals under18 years of age were diagnosed with POMS in Isfahan. 404 of these patients (79.4%) were girls, and 105 patients (20.6%) were boys (a female to male ratio of 3.85:1). Most of the patients (83%) were monosymptomatic at onset, with optic neuritis and brainstem-cerebellar disorders being the most frequent initial presentations. Mean ± standard deviation (SD) of age at disease diagnosis was 15.8 ± 2.5 years (ranging from 3 to 18, mode = 18). From April 2019 to March 2020, the crude prevalence and the crude incidence rate of the POMS were 5.42 per 100000 and 1.86 per 100000, respectively. Poisson regression analysis revealed a 3.4% increase in the incidence rate of POMS from April 1997 to March 2020 [relative rate:1.034, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.021-1.048].Conclusion: The female to male ratio in our cohort was significantly higher than any other studies conducted previously. The high female to male ratio and increasing incidence of the disease suggest increasing regionalization of care.
Masoud Etemadifar; Mehri Salari; Zahra Aminzade; Sara Ebrahimi; Sepand Tehrani-Fateh
Abstract
Background: Despite many studies, it is still unclear how patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) would respond to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We conducted a research on prevalence of COVID-19 in patients with NMOSD in Isfahan, Iran. We have also reviewed the recent publications ...
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Background: Despite many studies, it is still unclear how patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) would respond to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We conducted a research on prevalence of COVID-19 in patients with NMOSD in Isfahan, Iran. We have also reviewed the recent publications on this issue. Methods: 149 patients with NMOSD who were under medications were monitored for confirmed cases of COVID-19. Prevalence of COVID-19 in addition to mean age, mean duration of disease, and mean age of onset of infected patients and uninfected patients were calculated via Microsoft Excel software. Results: The prevalence of COVID-19 in studied patients with NMOSD was 5.37%. Mean age, mean duration of disease, and mean age of onset of eight patients (male to female ratio: 1:3) diagnosed with COVID-19 were 33.62 ± 5.20 years, 6.87 ± 6.05 years, and 26.75 ± 6.94 years, respectively, while they were 39.97 ± 11.37 years, 7.50 ± 3.91 years, and 32.46 ± 11.29 years for uninfected patients with NMOSD (n = 141). No significant association was observed between the type of medications and prevalence of COVID-19 (P > 0.05). Conclusion: There is not a consensus in the literature on the prevalence of COVID-19 in patients with NMOSD and the effect of NMOSD medications on susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The prevalence of COVID-19 in our sample was 5.37%. The impact of the kind of NMOSD medication on the prevalence of COVID-19 in patients with NMOSD was found to be insignificant. Moreover, the infected patients were relatively younger, and their disease started earlier in comparison to uninfected patients.
Masoud Etemadifar; Mahsa Akafzadeh-Savari; Mehri Salari; Amirhossein Akhavan Sigari; Sara Ebrahimi-Pelarti; Nahad Sedaghat; Koorosh Etemad
Abstract
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading rapidly and has affected millions of people worldwide. Comorbid diseases have complicated the course of infection and increased mortality. Myasthenia gravis (MG) affects the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) and can compromise respiratory muscle ...
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Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading rapidly and has affected millions of people worldwide. Comorbid diseases have complicated the course of infection and increased mortality. Myasthenia gravis (MG) affects the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) and can compromise respiratory muscle action, leading to worse clinical outcomes in individuals infected with the COVID-19 theoretically. In this study, the aim is to assess the pattern of COVID-19 infection in patients with MG based on several factors. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study following 150 patients with MG over a six-month period. The patients were monitored for the development of signs and symptoms of the COVID-19 infection. Results: Comparison of the patients infected with COVID-19 with MG and those not infected was performed independently based on age, duration since MG diagnosis, status of thymectomy, and current clinical status of MG disease. Data analysis did not reveal increased susceptibility or increased severity of COVID-19 illness based the criteria assessed. Conclusion: COVID-19 related deaths and susceptibility were not related to age, thymectomy status, and disease duration in patients with MG.
Mehri Salari; Mahdi Barzegar; Masoud Etemadifar; Omid Mirmosayyeb
Volume 17, Issue 2 , April 2018, , Pages 71-77
Abstract
Background: Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, has been related with weight loss and energy balance. Some studies showed that leptin might be playing an important role in satiety, energy balance and immune response. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum ...
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Background: Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, has been related with weight loss and energy balance. Some studies showed that leptin might be playing an important role in satiety, energy balance and immune response. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum leptin level in patients with PD and its association with clinical severity.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 35 patients with PD and 51 healthy controls (HCs), matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI), were recruited. Serum leptin level was measured and clinical characteristics and demographic data of patients were recorded.Results: The mean age of patients with PD and HCs were 59.80 ± 11.40 and 62.18 ± 11.60 years, respectively. Serum leptin concentration was not statistically different between patients with PD and HCs (21.1 ± 23.1 ng/ml vs 25.9 ± 21.8 ng/ml, P = 0.280). There was no relation between plasma level of leptin and clinical severity of patients with PD.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that serum level of leptin is neither implicated in the pathogenesis of PD, nor decreases as disease progresses.
Masoud Etemadifar; Fatemeh Sabeti; Mehri Salari
Volume 17, Issue 2 , April 2018, , Pages 91-94
Abstract
Interferon beta-1b-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-hemolytic uremic syndrome (TTP-HUS) in a patient treated for multiple sclerosis: A case report
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Interferon beta-1b-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-hemolytic uremic syndrome (TTP-HUS) in a patient treated for multiple sclerosis: A case report
Mehri Salari; Omid Mirmosayyeb; Masoud Etemadifar; Vahid Shaygannejad; Fariborz Khorvash; Mohammad Reza Najafi; Fereshteh Ashtari; Ahmad Chitsaz
Volume 17, Issue 1 , January 2018, , Pages 6-10
Abstract
Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. Its worldwide incidence rate varies between 18 and 418 cases per 100000 annually. This cross-sectional study was carried out with the aim to identify the clinical characteristics and demographic features of a ...
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Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. Its worldwide incidence rate varies between 18 and 418 cases per 100000 annually. This cross-sectional study was carried out with the aim to identify the clinical characteristics and demographic features of a huge number of patients with PD in Isfahan, Iran.Methods: The study was conducted on 987 patients with PD in Isfahan city and checklists were used to evaluate the demographic features and clinical characteristics of the patients.Results: The mean age of the patients at the time of sampling was 65.40 ± 11.90 years. The study results indicated that the rate of PD among men with 67.3% was twice that of women with 32.7%. The mean duration of the disease was 4.91 ± 4.60 years.Conclusion: This study showed a considerable rate of PD among the individuals in Isfahan city. In addition, the incidence ratio of men to women was more than the previous studies.
Mehri Salari; Ahmad Chitsaz; Masoud Etemadifar; Mohammad Reza Najafi; Omid Mirmosayyeb; Maryam Bemanalizadeh; Fatemeh Panahi; Hosna Mirzajani
Volume 16, Issue 3 , July 2017, , Pages 118-124
Abstract
Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is diagnosed on the basis of motor symptoms, but non-motor symptoms (NMS) have high prevalence in PD and often antecede motor symptoms for years and cause severe disability. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of NMS in patients with PD.Methods: ...
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Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is diagnosed on the basis of motor symptoms, but non-motor symptoms (NMS) have high prevalence in PD and often antecede motor symptoms for years and cause severe disability. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of NMS in patients with PD.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in Isfahan, Iran, on patients with PD. The prevalence of NMS was evaluated by the NMS questionnaire, the NMS scale, and Parkinson's disease questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39). The Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) was used for assessing cognition.Results: A total of 81 patients, including 60 men and 21 women, were recruited for this study. The prevalence of NMS was 100%, and the most commonly reported symptom was fatigue (87.7%); there was a strong correlation between NMS and the quality of life (QOL) of patients with PD (P < 0.001).Conclusion: This study showed that NMS are highly prevalent in the PD population and adversely affect QOL in these patients. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve QOL and can help in disability management of patients with PD.
