The Prevalence of Diabetes and Prediabetes Among Elementary School Children in Birjand

Background: Diabetes is associated with increased cardiovascular disease, mortality and morbidity. Objectives: The present study aimed at assessing fasting blood sugar (FBS) in elementary school students in Birjand, 2012. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional and descriptive study was done on 1530 elementary school students who had been selected through multiple cluster sampling. FBS of these students was tested applying the enzymatic process. The obtained data was analyzed by means of SPSS software (v15) and statistical tests t and X2. Results: In this study, 833 girls and 697 boys were evaluated. Mean FBS of the whole study population was 86.9 ± 8.8 mg/dL; FBS was higher in boys compared to girls. FBS of 1453 (95%) children was < 100 mg/dL, the mean being 85.8 ± 6.8 mg/dL. FBS of 698 (45.6%) students of the above population was 86-99 mg/dl. It was 100-125 mg/dL in 72 (4.7%) individuals. Five (0.3%) students had FBS >126 mg/dL. Mean FBS increased in proportion to age, which was statistically significant. Conclusions: Although the prevalence of diabetes is not considerable; however, based on the relatively high portion of those children with high degree of blood glucose in the range in which the risk of diabetes and prediabetes in the following years rises dramatically, the need for further care of health authorities, an extensive screening activity, and undertaking intervening measures to prevent the epidemic of diabetes and consequently cardiovascular disease is emphasized.

Plasma inflammatory biomarkers response to aerobic versus resisted exercise training for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a main risk for morbidity, associated with alterations in systemic inflammation. Recent studies proved that morbidity and mortality of COPD is related to systemic inflammation as it contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. However, increase of inflammatory cytokines adversely affects quality of life, alteration in ventilatory and skeletal muscles functions. Moreover, exercise training has many beneficial effects in correction of the adverse effects of COPD. Objective: This study aimed to compare the response of inflammatory cytokines of COPD to aerobic versus resisted exercises. Materials and methods: One hundred COPD diseased patients participated in this study and were randomly included in two groups; the first group received aerobic exercise, whereas the second group received resisted exercise training for 12 weeks. Results: The mean values of TNF-α, Il-2, IL-4, IL-6 and CRP were significantly decreased in both groups. Also; there was a significant difference between both groups at the end of the study with more reduction in patients who received aerobic exercise training. Conclusion: Aerobic exercise is more appropriate than resisted exercise training in modulating inflammatory cytokines level in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.