AIM The present study was performed in order to differentiate E. histolytica and E. dispar in children from Gorgan city, using a PCR method. BACKGROUND Differential detection of two morphologically indistinguishable protozoan parasites Entamoeba histolytica and E. dispar has a great clinical and epidemiological importance because of potential invasive pathogenic E. histolytica and non-invasiv...

BACKGROUND Anencephaly is a neural tube defect incompatible with life. The aim of this prospective study was to determine the prevalence of anencephaly in Gorgan, northern Iran. METHODS During 1998 - 2005, 49,534 newborns at Dezyani hospital in Gorgan were screened for neural tube defects. Clinical and demographic data of the diagnosed cases were recorded in a pre-designed questionnaire for a...

In this study, we aimed to assess levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in relation to metabolic syndrome among postmenopausal women in Gorgan. The study group included 100 postmenopausal women who were referred to the different Health Centers in Gorgan. Body mass index, waist circumference, Hip, waist to hip ratio, diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride, fasting blood glucose and 25-hydroxyvitam...

BACKGROUND Considering the physical, emotional and psychological complications of early or delayed menopause on women's life, it is necessary to determine associated factors of menopause age. This study designed to determine menopausal age and associated factors in women of Gorgan, i.e. the capital of Golestan province in the north-east of Iran. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 804 meno...

BACKGROUND Neural tube defects (NTDs) including spina bifida and anencephaly are the second most common birth defects with 2.8 per 1000 births in northern Iran. OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to determine the risk factors of neural tube defects in Gorgan, north of Iran. PATIENTS AND METHODS This hospital-based, case-control study was carried out on all NTD-affected pregnancies (n = 59)...

Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy of childhood (ANEC) is a specific type of encephalopathy. After viral infection, it can be diagnosed by bilateral symmetrical lesions predominantly observed in thalami & brainstem of infants & children. Although, it is commonly occurred in Japanese and Taiwanese population. The goal of this article is to report a rare case of ANEC in a 15 months old girl infant ...

BACKGROUND Reduction of neonatal mortality rate can improve health and newborn status of the society. This study was done to evaluate the prevalence and pattern of causes for neonatal mortality in Gorgan, North of Iran. METHODS this descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out on all birth in the maternity Dezyani hospital in Gorgan, North of Iran during 1 September 2008 -31 March 2011....

Dietary iodine is essential for the production of thyroid hormones. Breast-fed infants are reliant on maternal iodine intake. The aim of this study was to evaluate iodine sufficiency in lactating women in Iran. The sample consisted of 100 lactating mothers referred to the Taleghani Hospital of Gorgan, Iran. Goiter was graded according to World Health Organization (WHO) classification. Spot urin...

This study recorded the rate of congenital malformations in 10000 births at a referral hospital in Gorgan, Islamic Republic of Iran in 1998-99. The overall incidence of congenital malformations was 1.01% (1.19% in males and 0.76% in females). Anomalies of the musculoskeletal system had the highest incidence (0.38%), followed by central nervous system (0.28%) and genitourinary system (0.25%). Th...