Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease characterized by vasculopathy and excessive collagen deposition in the skin and internal organs. Based on the skin damage we divide the patients into two groups: limited and diffuse SSc. In restricted type, the thickness of the skin is limited in the face and distal parts of the elbows and knees, with less involvement of internal organs, whereas in diffuse type, facial skin, organs, and trunk generally increase in thickness and internal visceral involvement is noticeable as renal failure, pulmonary artery pressure, and interstitial lung fibrosis. According to the prevalence studies, the prevalence of systemic sclerosis is estimated to be 15 cases per 100,000, of which the prevalence in women is 3 times more than men. Based on clinical evidence the prevalence of SSc is high in Khuzestan province. The aim of this article was to evaluate the demographic features of SSc in Khuzestan province, Iran.
Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted on two hundred SSc patients referred to Rheumatology Clinic of the Golestan University Hospital in Iran, from 2001 to 2015. Patients were selected based on the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for SSc and were divided into diffuse and restricted types based on the site of skin involvement. Individual characteristics and clinical symptoms were extracted from the information in the patient records which were carefully compiled by physicians. Data on age, sex, race, duration of illness, and family history of SSc were collected orally.
Results: 91.5% of the enrolled patients were female. The mean age was 44 years and the most common race in our study was Lor. The prevalence of the diffuse form of SSc was 68% and the limited form was 32%. The Raynaud's phenomenon was detected in 100% of patients. Sclerodactyly and interstitial lung disease were found in 88.5% and 54.5% of patients respectively. Laboratory features such as ANA (93%), Anti-Scl-70 (77.5%) and anti-centromere antibody (ACA) (70%) of SSc patients were reported.
Conclusion: According to the results of this article, the most systemic sclerosis patients in Khuzestan province were middle-aged Lor race females and the most common type was diffuse systemic sclerosis.

Background: Today, due to changes in human lifestyle and consumer demand incidence of foodborne diseases is on the rise. The aim of this study was to investigate the mortality rate of foodborne diseases and their related factors.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data on deaths registered according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10th revision) were extracted from death registration and classification of causes system in the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran from 2011 to 2018. Data on deaths from food and water borne diseases including Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium botulinum, and other foodborne diseases were extracted from database of death registration and classification of causes system. The demographic variables of dead people considered in this study include age (under 5 years, 5-20 years, 20-40, 40-60s and over 60 old), gender, nationality, and the location where people died (urban, rural and unknown).
Results: The majority of deaths cases occurred at the age of 60 years and in older age groups (P<0.001). The results show that across all the age groups mortality rate from foodborne diseases was higher among men than among women (P=0.110). Most of foodborne diseases were reported by people living in urban areas (P<0.0001). The results of this study showed that most of the deaths from these diseases occur in the warm seasons. In this study, the crude death rate was 10 cases per one million inhabitants.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that there was a significant difference between the mortality rate due to different bacterial agents. This study suggests that demographic variables are important predictors of mortality from foodborne illness and should be further investigated.