Effect of vitamin D on clinical outcomes in patients with thermal injury

Evaluating complications and mortality risks in burn patients is crucial for effective treatment planning and improving survival rates. This study investigated the relationship between the serum vitamin D level and the clinical outcomes of adult burns patients. This was a prospective cohort of adult patients hospitalized due to thermal burns at a burn centre in the north of Iran. Based on the level of 25 hydroxyvitamin D measured upon admission, patients were divided into two groups of patients with sufficient 25 hydroxyvitamin D level and insufficient 25 hydroxyvitamin D level. Descriptive statistics were used for baseline demographics. Univariate analysis was conducted using Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square, independent samples, and Fisher's exact tests. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to adjust for the effects of confounding variables. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 28.0 software. A total of 220 patients were included in the study. The average total body surface area burned was 30.52 ± 9.34. Patients with insufficient vitamin D levels had longer hospital stays (12.53 vs. 11.45) and longer stays in the intensive care unit (ICU) (3.32 vs. 2.40) than those with appropriate vitamin D levels. Participants with insufficient vitamin D levels exhibited a numerically higher incidence of infections than those with adequate levels (p < 0.05). The multivariate regression found that vitamin D deficiency levels were associated with increased infection rates and prolonged hospital stay. This study suggests that vitamin D deficiency is a significant risk factor for adverse clinical outcomes in burn patients. Further research is needed to confirm these associations and to explore potential interventions to optimize vitamin D status in this patient population.

The Effect of Oxymel Syrup on Some Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese People: A Randomized Controlled Trial Study

High blood pressure, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and obesity are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. With regard to the significant role of a healthy diet in the prevention and even treatment of diseases together with the high cost and side effects of drugs, finding foods effective in the treatment of metabolic disorders has been widely considered. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oxymel – an Iranian traditional syrup with vinegar base – on cardiovascular risk indicators in obese and overweight people. Candidates were selected based on a set of inclusion criteria and were divided into two groups of control and test. The control group received 250 cc of water, while the test group received 250 cc water containing 30 cc of the oxymel for 30 days. Anthropometric and biochemical indicators were measured at the beginning and end of the study. The results showed that there were no significant changes in the body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist to hip ratio, HDL, LDL, Triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and blood glucose level. However, weight (P = 0.053) and cholesterol (P = 0.083) decreased relatively significantly in the test group compared to the control group. This study shows that consumption of oxymel has positive cardiovascular effects such as lowering the blood cholesterol level and can contribute to weight loss; however, studies with a larger sample size are recommended.

The Effect of Cognitive-behavior Modification and Feeding Behavior on Serotonin Levels and Depression Symptoms

Background: Depression includes negative interpretations of events, dislike of the self, and negative appraisal of the future. Objectives: The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of educational programs of cognitive-behavior modification and feeding behavior on serotonin levels and depression symptoms in university students. Materials & Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest and a control group design. The study population included all male and female bachelor degree students in the Faculty of Literature and Humanities of the University of Guilan, Guilan Province, Iran at the time of the research. Among 2854 students, using Morgan’s table, the sample size was determined as 340. In the following, 24 students with depression symptoms and other inclusion criteria were selected as the sample and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. During the twelve sessions of training, the number of participants decreased from 24 to 16. The study tools included the Beck depression inventory (1996), the food frequency questionnaire (2017), 21 food enjoyment questionnaire, and the blood test. The obtained data were analyzed by 1-way analysis of covariance in SPSS v. 24. Results: The analysis showed that the use of cognitive-behavior modification training reduced students’ depression (P<0.01). However, the use of feeding behavior training did not increase serotonin levels in students (P>0.05). Conclusion: Among people with depression symptoms, cognitive-behavior modification by focusing on their negative self-talk can be useful in creating sensible thoughts and positive inner dialogue. But in these people, feeding behavior training for two months did not change serotonin levels.