Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Hepatitis B is the most common blood-borne viral infection that is considered as a major public health problem of the world's major health problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among blood donors referring to blood transfusion centers.
Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 216004 volunteer blood donors referring to blood transfusion centers of Iran from the beginning of April 2011 to April 2015. Then the positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) test was performed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and neutralization methods.
Results: Of the 216004 blood donors, 279 (12.12%) were positive for HBsAg, and the incidence of infection was a decreasing trend over a four-year period. Among HbsAg positive cases, 97.14% and 2.86% were male and female, respectively. Significant differences between males and females were found (P=0.000). The number of HBsAg positive cases among married people (238 cases, 85.3%) in compared with single people (41 cases, 14.7%) was significantly higher (P=0.000). The average age of HBV infected cases was 39.6±10.3 years. Most HBsAg positive cases were 45-36 years old (30.8%) and lowest prevalence was seen in the age group above 56 years old (4.6%). Highest infected people with Hepatitis B Virus had low degree of education. Relationships between HBV infection with age and degree of education were statistically significant (P=0.000).
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that based on our findings, prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among blood donors have declined significantly during the four years of study.

Background: Prostate cancer has been reported as a worldwide important kind of cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality among men. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) serum level is one of the most important markers of prostate cancer diagnosis. While PSA level helps predict the risk of prostate cancer development, researchers still looking for ways to increase the accuracy of prognostic models. To increase the specificity of PSA and decrease of unnecessary biopsies and morbidity, PSA-related parameters such as PSA doubling time (PSADT) have been used. In this study, the relationship between this factor and the severity of prostate cancer was evaluated.
Methods: In this retrospective study, the data of patients who were subjected to transrectal ultrasound-guided (TRUS) biopsy of the prostate and referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, between 2009 and 2017 were reviewed. We enrolled the men with at least two consecutive elevated PSA level within three months to calculate PSADT. Based on the pathology report, primary and secondary Gleason score (GS) were determined. Correspondingly, considering GS, the patients were divided into two groups with high-grade and low-grade tumor (GS<7 considered as low-grade and GS>7 considered as high-grade tumor).
Results: Totally, 1712 cases of TRUS biopsy of the prostate were studied. Among them, 547 (32.3%) had prostate cancer, of whom 73 cases were eligible based on inclusion criteria and were consented to enroll in the study. According to the data obtained, we found a significant difference in PSADT between the two groups of patients with high-grade and low-grade malignancy (mean±SD PSADT, 9.8±14.2 vs. 16.1±14.9 respectively, P=0.004). Considering the seven months as the cut-off point for PSADT in determining malignancy, there was a significant difference between the two groups according to Fisher's exact test (P=0.01).
Conclusion: In our study, PSADT cut-off of 7 months provided the greatest accuracy for differentiation between low-grade and high-grade malignancy, and PSADT has acceptable accuracy for the diagnosis of high-grade tumors.

Background: With the rising survival rates among individuals with colorectal cancer, improving quality of life and reducing the risk of recurrence have become key priorities in supportive care. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), due to its pronounced effects on physical function, inflammatory markers, and tumor-related indicators, has emerged as a promising intervention. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an eight-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program on serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, quality of life, and sleep quality in female survivors of colorectal cancer. Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest control group design and was conducted from July to September 2021 at the Kosar Women’s Sports Complex in Kermanshah, Iran. Twelve female colorectal cancer survivors (mean age=55.66±4.99 years) were randomly assigned to either an experimental (n=6) or control group (n=6). The experimental group participated in a supervised HIIT program for eight weeks. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and quality of life was evaluated using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) questionnaire. Results: Post-intervention analysis revealed a non-significant increase in CEA levels in the experimental group (mean±SD: 2.49±0.79; CI95%: 1.66-3.33; P=0.456), while the control group showed a statistically significant reduction (mean±SD: 1.04±0.22; CI95%: 0.84-1.25; P=0.044). However, significant improvements were observed in both sleep quality (mean±SD: 5.00±2.19; CI95%: 3.27-6.72; P=0.027) and quality of life (mean±SD: 77±9.40; CI95%: 84.11-88; P=0.028) within the experimental group. No significant changes were reported in the control group for either variable. Conclusion: Findings suggest that high-intensity interval training may serve as an effective non-pharmacological intervention for enhancing sleep quality and overall quality of life in female colorectal cancer survivors. Nevertheless, the effects of HIIT on biological markers such as CEA require further investigation through larger and longer-term studies.