Curcumin as a major active component of turmeric attenuates proteinuria in patients with overt diabetic nephropathy.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The benefits and effects of renin-angiotensin system blocker drugs are obvious in decreasing albuminuria, but there is a need to find other drugs that can decrease albuminuria. The aim of our study is to evaluate the effect of short-term administration of curcumin on overt albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Comparing of goal setting strategy with group education method to increase physical activity level: A randomized trial.

Background: Designing an intervention to increase physical activity is important to be based on the health care settings resources and be acceptable by the subject group. This study was designed to assess and compare the effect of the goal setting strategy with a group education method on increasing the physical activity of mothers of children aged 1 to 5.

Materials And Methods: Mothers who had at least one child of 1-5 years were randomized into two groups.

Lifestyle interventions for hypertension treatment among Iranian women in primary health-care settings: Results of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Lifestyle factors such as weight, salt intake, and physical activity have shown to be important in treating hypertension. The object of this study was to describe feasibility and to assess the effectiveness of a multicomponent lifestyle intervention on high blood pressure (BP) of Iranian women.

Materials And Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in four health centers by recruiting 161 women aged 35-65 years with high BP and randomizing them to a 4-week lifestyle modification (n = 80) or control group (n = 81).

Effects of multicomponent lifestyle modification on blood pressure control in health centers: Design of the study.

Background: Designing an intervention based on healthcare settings resources and patient acceptability is potentially important in the prevention of high blood pressure(BP) and other risk factors of cardiovascular disease. To explain a multicenter randomized controlled trial that is designed to examine the effects of the multicomponent lifestyle modification program on BP.

Materials And Methods: The effectiveness of the lifestyle modification program versus usual care in health-care centers is evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.

Association of vitamin D deficiency and coronary artery disease with cardiovascular risk factors.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a prevalent condition in many countries. The aim of this study is to elucidate whether deficient vitamin D status is associated with coronary artery disease considering cardiovascular risk factors.

Materials And Methods: We measured 25 (OH) D serum levels in 57 patients that were diagnosed with coronary artery disease upon coronary angiography and 62 individuals in the control group who were matched for age and sex with the patients and examined the association between serum 25 (OH) D and coronary artery disease with regard to cardiovascular risk factors.

Association of an adult obesity, blood pressure adulthood socio-economic position.

Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate an effect of childhood and adulthood socio-economic position on selected cardiovascular risk factors including obesity, blood pressure level and smoking behavior.

Materials And Methods: This is a cross-sectional study performed on 479 individuals, randomly selected by random clustered sampling from men and women aged 30-50 years, living in Esfahan. Their demographic characteristics, education, occupation and smoking behavior were questioned.

The Relationship between Weight and CVD Risk Factors in a Sample Population from Central Iran (Based on IHHP).

Background: Atherosclerosis is one of the leading causes of mortality all around the world. Obesity is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In this respect, we decided to examine the effect of the subgroups of weight on cardiovascular risk factors.

Gender differences in obesogenic behaviour, socioeconomic and metabolic factors in a population-based sample of Iranians: the IHHP study.

This study investigated the gender differences in association of some behavioural and socioeconomic factors with obesity indices in a population-based sample of 12,514 Iranian adults. The mean body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were significantly higher in women than in men. Current and passive smoking had an inverse association with BMI among males whereas current smoking, transportation by a private car, and longer duration of watching television (TV) had a positive association with BMI among females.

Effects of a lifestyle modification trial among phenotypically obese metabolically normal and phenotypically obese metabolically abnormal adolescents in comparison with phenotypically normal metabolically obese adolescents.

This study aimed to assess the effects of a 2-month lifestyle modification trial on cardio-metabolic abnormalities and C-reactive protein (CRP) among obese adolescents with metabolic syndrome [phenotypically obese metabolically abnormal (POMA)] and obese adolescents without a cardio-metabolic disorder [phenotypically obese metabolically normal (POMN)], as well as in normal-weight adolescents with at least one cardio-metabolic disorder [phenotypically normal metabolically obese (PNMO)]. The study comprised 360 adolescents assigned in three groups of equal number of POMN, POMA and PNMO. They were enrolled in a trial consisting of aerobic activity classes, diet and behaviour modification, and were recalled after 6 months.

Obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors in a representative population of Iranian adolescents and adults in comparison to a Western population: the Isfahan Healthy Heart Programme.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to develop reference data for the Iranian population for anthropometric values and cardiometabolic data in comparison with those in Americans, as representative of a Western population.

Design: The present cross-sectional survey, conducted as part of the baseline survey of a community-based interventional study (the Isfahan Healthy Heart Programme), used a two-stage clustering design and was conducted in 12 600 randomly selected adults (> or =19 years of age) and 2000 adolescents (aged 11-18 years) living in three cities in the central part of Iran. For comparison with a Western population, comparable data for Americans were derived from the data sets of the Second and Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES II and NHANES III).

Immunophenotypic Characterization of Peripheral Blood T-Lymphocytes and Their Subpopulations in Tuberculosis Patients before and after Treatments.

Tuberculosis is a chronic mycobacterial infection. The main effector cells against mycobacterium tuberculosis are CD4+ T lymphocytes. Our objective in this research was to evaluate the quantity of T lymphocytes and their subpopulations before and after treatments with combination of 4 drugs (Rifampcin, Isoniaside, pyrasinamide, Ethambutal) for 2 months directly in sputum-positive tuberculosis patients.

Association of physical activity and the metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents: CASPIAN Study.

Background/aim: To determine the association of physical activity and the metabolic syndrome in a large national-representative sample of children.

Methods: This study was performed in 2003-2004 on 4,811 school students aged 6-18 years, selected by multi-stage random cluster sampling from six provinces in Iran. We assessed the level of physical activity using a standardized questionnaire, and categorized it to the tertiles.