Ali Gholamrezaei

• MD PhD
• Research Fellow at The University of Sydney

BACKGROUND: Antidepressants are effective in adults with pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders. We investigated the effectiveness of citalopram in the treatment of childhood functional abdominal pain (FAP). METHODS: Children with FAP, based on the Rome III criteria (n = 115, aged 6-18 years), were randomized to receive either citalopra...

We evaluated the effectiveness of an antispasmodic, mebeverine, in the treatment of childhood functional abdominal pain (FAP). Children with FAP (, aged 6–18 years) received mebeverine (135 mg, twice daily) or placebo for 4 weeks. Response was defined as ≥2 point reduction in the 6-point pain scale or “no pain.” Physician-rated global severity was...

Background and study aim: Diagnostic esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is uncomfortable for most patients. We determined the efficacy of alprazolam, administered orally or sublingually, as premedication for sedation during EGD. Patients and methods: Adult EGD candidates were randomly allocated to four groups (n=55, each group) and received alprazola...

Evidence has shown benefits of single-strain probiotics for Helicobacter pylori eradication. We investigated the effects of adding a multistrain probiotic compound on bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for H. pylori infection. Adult patients with peptic ulcer disease and confirmed H. pylori infection (n = 180) were randomized to receive bismuth-c...

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits in the absence of any organic cause. Despite its prevalence, there remains a significant lack of efficient medical treatment for IBS to date. However, according to some previous research studies, hypnosis has been shown to...

Introduction In light of the risks of over-reliance on opioid analgesia during recovery from rib fractures, there is increased interest in the efficacy of non-pharmacological approaches to pain management. This paper describes the protocol for a double-blind randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of an mHealth intervention for reducin...

Background: Despite an increasingly biopsychosocial approach to pain management in healthcare, the scope of research into the role of psychological factors in endodontic pain is unknown. Objectives:This study aimed to identify the scope of research into psychological contributors to pain associated with endodontic procedures, as a first step toward...

Background Musculoskeletal injuries can cause distress, and distress is associated with delayed recovery. Numerous interventions have been developed to facilitate recovery from injury, and several systematic reviews evaluate the efficacy of these interventions for reducing psychological distress. Objectives This scoping review aims to map the synt...

Introduction Recent changes in opioid prescribing guidelines have led to an increasing number of patients with chronic pain being recommended to taper. However, opioid tapering can be challenging, and many patients require support. Objectives We evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of a codesigned digital health interve...

Objectives: This scoping review will identify and map the literature on breathing exercises for the management of gastrointestinal conditions. Introduction: Emerging evidence suggests the potential benefits of breathing exercises for gastrointestinal conditions. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive review to systematically map the research d...

Introduction Increases in pain and interference with quality of life is a common concern among people with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) who are tapering opioid medications. Research indicates that access to social and psychological support for pain self-management may help people to reduce their opioid dose without increasing pain and interferenc...

Background: Persistent pain impacts 30% of people worldwide. Evidence on the effectiveness of visual arts in treating persistent pain seems to be emerging. Thus, the aim of this systematic review was to investigate the impact of visual arts on patients with persistent pain. Methods: Studies were identified by searching seven databases from percepti...

Introduction: Recent changes in opioid prescribing guidelines have led to an increasing number of patients with chronic pain being recommended to taper. However, opioid tapering can be challenging, and many patients require support. Objectives: We evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of a co-designed psycho-educational v...

Introduction Increases in pain and interference with quality of life is a common concern among people with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) who are tapering opioid medications. Research indicates that access to social and psychological support for pain self-management may help people to reduce their opioid dose without increasing pain and interferenc...

Background and Aims: Opioids are commonly prescribed for patients with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP), despite limited evidence for their long-term effectiveness and substantial evidence for potential harms. To address this, patients are increasingly being recommended to taper long-term opioid therapy (LTOT). However, tapering LTOT can be challengi...

Background: We aimed to investigate the association between persistent early repolarization (ER) in healthy individuals and long-term cardiovascular events and mortality rates in a large cohort study. Methods: Demographic characteristics, medical records, 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs), and laboratory data were retrieved and analyzed from the...

Background: Slow, deep breathing is commonly practiced for pain management, and autonomic modulation is proposed as one of its hypoalgesic mechanisms. Aim: We evaluated the effect of slow, deep breathing on pain perception in healthy subjects and investigated the putative autonomic mechanisms. Methods: Experiment 1 determined whether adding an ins...

Background People living with chronic pain report that tapering prescribed opioids is challenging and more support is needed. In our formative research, consumers indicated that mobile health (mHealth) technology could be an acceptable form of support for opioid tapering and may improve tapering self-efficacy. Objective We aimed to evaluate and im...

BACKGROUND People living with chronic pain report that tapering prescribed opioids is challenging even with multidisciplinary healthcare and more support is needed. Consumers have agreed that a mobile health (mHealth) support which provides informational and socioemotional support could be an acceptable support for tapering and may improve tapering...

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors, including infliximab and adalimumab, are effective medical treatments for perianal fistulising Crohn's disease (CD), but not all patients achieve fistula healing. Aim: To determine the correlation between perianal fistula healing and closure with infliximab and adalimumab trough levels. Method...

Introduction: Opioid medications are no longer recommended as long-term therapy for chronic non-cancer pain, and many patients are advised to reduce or discontinue opioid medications. Many patients report difficulties in tapering opioid medications, necessitating supporting interventions. This protocol describes a pilot randomised controlled trial...

Past research links depression and blunted cardiac vagal reactivity to chronic stress. Yet, to our knowledge no experiment investigates heart rate (variability) responses to a repeated laboratory stressor in patients with depression. Repeated exposure may provide valuable information on stress reactivity in depression. Fifty-nine women (30 inpatien...

Background and Aims: Breathing exercises, such as slow deep breathing (SDB), are commonly being used for pain management. However, the underlying physiological mechanisms are not completely understood. Here we explored whether the respiratory phase modulates visceral pain perception and associated autonomic responses during SDB. Methods: 57 partic...

Objective To review interventions to reduce long term opioid treatment in people with chronic non-cancer pain, considering efficacy on dose reduction and discontinuation, pain, function, quality of life, withdrawal symptoms, substance use, and adverse events. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials and non-random...

Background: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common complication after cardiac surgery. We investigated whether perioperative cardiac troponin T (cTnT) is associated with the risk of AF after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods: Two thousand four hundred twenty-one patients with isolated CABG were studied. High sensitivity...

Neuroimaging studies have revealed important pathomechanisms related to disorders of brain-gut interactions, such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia. More detailed investigations aimed at neural processing in the brainstem, including the key relay station of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), have hitherto been hampered by t...

Parasympathetic nervous system innervates peripheral organs including pancreas, hepatic portal system, and gastrointestinal tract. It thereby contributes to the regulation of whole-body glucose metabolism especially in the postprandial state when it promotes secretion of insulin and enhances its action in major target organs. We now aimed to evalua...

Background Studies using somatic pain models have shown the hypoalgesic effects of slow, deep breathing. We evaluated the effect of slow, deep breathing on visceral pain and explored putative mediating mechanisms including autonomic and emotional responses. Methods Fifty‐seven healthy volunteers (36 females, mean age = 22.0 years) performed contro...

Introduction Perianal fistulising Crohn’s disease (pfCD) can be somewhat treatment refractory. Higher infliximab trough levels (TLIs) may improve fistula healing rates; however, it remains unclear whether escalating infliximab therapy to meet higher TLI targets using proactive, or routine, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) improves outcomes. This r...

Slow, deep breathing (SDB) is a common pain self‐management technique. Stimulation of the arterial baroreceptors and vagal modulation are suggested, among others, as potential mechanisms underlying the hypoalgesic effects of SDB. We tested whether adding an inspiratory load to SDB, which results in a stronger baroreceptor stimulation and vagal modu...

Background: Colonoscopy plays a vital role for the diagnosis and treatment of colonic diseases but can be associated with anxiety and discomfort or pain. We tested whether unsedated colonoscopy impacts quality indicators and investigated predictors of pain during colonoscopy. Materials and methods: This randomized controlled trial was performed...

Objective: Primary dysmenorrhea is believed to be common and associated with reduced quality of life among menstruating women. Recent studies have shown a possible association between vitamin D deficiency and the severity of primary dysmenorrhea. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on pain and systemic sy...

We read with great interest Giusti et al.'s systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological and psychosocial predictors of chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP). 1 The prevalence and societal burden of CPSP is escalating. We agree with the authors that identification is the key to managing risk, and this involves understanding not only the biologic...

Objective: Patients’ beliefs and emotions toward an illness can influence their coping responses, illness behaviors, adherence to treatment, quality of life, and even the psychoneuroimmune responses. The aim of present study was to develop and validate a novel questionnaire assessing both rational and irrational beliefs of patients regarding their...

Deep breathing exercises are commonly used for several health conditions including pain and hypertension. Various techniques are available to practice deep breathing, whereas possible differential psychophysiological effects have not been investigated. We compared four deep breathing techniques and examined outcomes in blood pressure variability, r...

Pain is the most common symptom for which people seek medical care. Chronic pain is common worldwide, and often not treated adequately, thereby leading to reduced quality of life and high healthcare costs. Recently, there has been increasing attention toward the complexity and biopsychosocial nature of pain, and the need for multidisciplinary pain...

Slow deep breathing (SDB) is commonly employed in the management of pain, but the underlying mechanisms remain equivocal. This study sought to investigate effects of instructed breathing patterns on experimental heat pain and to explore possible mechanisms of action. In a within-subject experimental design, healthy volunteers (n = 48) performed fou...

The aim of the study reported in this paper is to investigate the effect of slow-deep breathing (SDB) on self-reported pain, heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). These effects are examined in three separate experiments, each using a different phasic pain modality. For each experiment, different subjects were recruited. Eig...

Objective: We assessed mean heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) across wake, rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, and across varying levels of NREM sleep depth in individuals with depression and sleep complaints. Methods: Retrospective polysomnographic data were obtained for 25 individuals diagnosed with...

Slow, deep breathing is being used as a self‐management intervention for various health conditions including pain and hypertension. Stimulation of the arterial baroreceptors and increased vagal modulation are among the proposed mechanisms for the therapeutic effects of slow, deep breathing. We investigated whether adding inspiratory threshold load...

Purpose: We investigated the effect of vitamin D therapy on sexual function in women with low vitamin D levels and sexual dysfunction. Materials and methods: We performed this randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial in women 18 to 45 years old with sexual dysfunction, defined as a FSFI (Female Sexual Functioning Index) score less than...

Background: Premedication with orally administered benzodiazepines is effective in reducing anxiety and discomfort related to endoscopic procedures. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral midazolam in comparison to sublingual alprazolam as premedication for esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Materials and Methods: Adult candidates for diagnos...

Background: Baroreceptors are assumed to be involved in interoception, but neurophysiological evidence to support this is limited. Here, we present data on the association between baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) and interoceptive accuracy. Methods: 27 healthy volunteers (9 male) with age of 22.6 ± 5.1 years were studied. Interoceptive accuracy was m...

Background: Sleep disorders are common in patients with kidney disease and on dialysis. The aim of this study was to assess the association between vitamin D deficiency and sleep quality in these patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on patients under peritoneal dialysis. Demographic data, dialysis information, and sleep quality we...

BACKGROUND: We investigated clinical and procedural factors associated with the no-reflow phenomenon following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the saphenous-vein grafts (SVG). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done on patients who had undergone PCI of the SVG. Patients’ medical documents were reviewed for demographic, clinical, labor...

Background: Sleep disturbances are common, but widely underdiagnosed in cancer patients. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate sleep quality and its associated factors among women with breast cancer. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on women with breast cancer referring to 2 outpatient clinics in Isfahan, Iran. Sleep...

Dizziness could be categorized as one of the most common medical complaints of patients referred to the neurology clinics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the types of dizziness and its relationship with psychological disorders in patients with chronic complaints. We studied 179 patients ranging in age from 18 to 65 years old. Patients were a...

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic diseases with significant impact on patients’ well-being. The aim of this study was the determination of stress coping strategies in IBD patients and their correlation with disease activity, psychological health, and quality of life (QOL). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on...

Evidence exists on the association between vitamin D deficiency and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). To investigate whether vitamin D level is associated with disease activity and quality of life in IBD patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted on known adult IBD patients referred to an outpatient clinic of gastroenterology in Isfahan ci...

Various symptoms frequently affect cancer patients' quality of life. Appropriate assessment of these symptoms provides valuable data for cancer management. This study aimed to validate the Persian version of the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI-P). This cross-sectional study was conducted at four cancer treatment centers in two cities in Ira...

Background: Extraintestinal symptoms are common in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In the present study, we determined the relationship between psychological disorders and extraintestinal symptoms in patients with IBS. Methods: Adult patients with IBS referred to 4 gastroenterology clinics in Isfahan, Iran, completed the irritable bow...

Purpose: Radiation-induced injury to the normal tissues is a common complication of radiotherapy in cancer patients. Considering the role of vitamin D in mucosal barrier hemostasis and inflammatory responses, we investigated whether vitamin D deficiency is associated with the severity of radiation-induced acute proctitis in cancer patients. Methods...

Background Adenosine deaminase activity is proposed as a marker of inflammation in some inflammatory conditions. Aims To investigate the association of serum adenosine deaminase activity and disease activity in Crohn’s disease patients. Methods In a cross-sectional study, 30 consecutive known cases of Crohn’s disease (15 with active disease and 15...

We evaluated the effectiveness of a synbiotic in the treatment of childhood functional abdominal pain (FAP). Probiotics are effective in the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders in adult patients, but there is lack of information in children. Children with FAP, based on the Rome III criteria (n = 115, aged 6-18 years), were randomized...

Objectives. We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Persian LupusQoL for the evaluation of quality of life in Iranian systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Methods. The LupusQoL was translated to Persian language. Patients with SLE (n = 78) completed the LupusQoL and the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Disease activity and cumulati...

Some evidence has shown benefits of probiotics in the management of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE). We evaluated the efficacy of a multistrain probiotic compound, alone and in combination with lactulose, in the treatment of MHE. This study has two parts. First, consecutive adult patients with MHE were randomized to receive lactulose (30-60 mL...

Aim: Sleep quality disturbances are common in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We evaluated sleep quality and its contributors in women with SLE. Also we evaluated the effects of sleep quality disturbance on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods: Sleep quality was assessed in 77 women with SLE (age 36.5 ± 10....

Objective: The aim of this study was linguistic validation of the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) in Iranian children with Persian language. Methods: The study included a randomly selected sample of children, aged 6–15 years, from three primary and secondary schools located in Isfahan City, Iran. Following the forward–backward translati...

Background: The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire for Colorectal Cancer (EORTC QLQ-CR29) is developed to specifically evaluate the quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer. In this study, we aimed to validate the QLQ-CR29 in Iranian patients with Persian language linguistically and to...

Objectives Sleep disorders are common among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with unclear underlying mechanisms. We assessed the role of vitamin D in sleep quality of patients with SLE. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on women with SLE for whom the following data were available at the same time; sleep quality (Pittsburg...

Background: Some evidence has shown a relationship between human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and pregnancy loss. However, whether recurrent or latent CMV infection or altered immune response to CMV is related to recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is unclear. We evaluated CMV infection and avidity of antibodies to CMV in women with RPL. Materials an...

Background: The influence of various psychological factors and coping mechanisms on quality of life (QOL) in cancer patients has been well established. We evaluated locus of control and attributional styles, and their association with coping styles and quality of life (QOL) among Iranian cancer patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was cond...

Background: Quality of life is of the most important outcomes measured in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The Lupus Quality of Life (LupusQoL) questionnaire is designed to specifically assess quality of life in these patients. This study aimed to evaluate validity and reliability of the Persian version of this questionnaire in Ira...

The underlying mechanisms of the association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and atrial fibrillation (AF) remained unclear. We investigated P wave parameters as indicators of atrial conduction status among OSA patients. We studied 42 untreated OSA patients, categorized into mild (6), moderate (18), and severe (18) OSA based on the apnea/hypop...

Introduction: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is common among uremic patients.We assessed RLS and its association with sleep quality, psychological well-being, and one year cardiovascular mortality in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD). Materials and methods: Patients on chronic HD and PD were consecutively included fro...

Introduction There is a lack of data on sleep quality in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We evaluated sleep quality and its possible determinants in Iranian women with SLE. Materials and methods Seventy-two women with SLE were investigated. Disease activity was assessed using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index an...

Background: Migraine-specific quality of life (MSQ) is a valid and reliable questionnaire. Linguistic validation of Persian MSQ questionnaire, analysis of psychometric properties between chronic and episodic migraine patients, and capability of MSQ to differentiate between chronic and episodic migraines were the aims of this study. Method: Parti...

Background: Dizziness is one of the most commonly occurring chief complaints in neurology. The aim of this study was to differentiate patients with dizziness according to organic and somatoform vertigo and evaluate the relationship of dizziness/vertigo symptoms with psychological symptoms in patients with chronic vertigo and dizziness. Methods: Thi...

Background: Sleep disturbances are common among uremic patients; however, limited data are available on predictors of sleep quality in this population. We assessed sleep quality in patients on hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) and investigated predictors related to sleep quality. Methods: Patients on maintenance HD and PD were consecut...

BACKGROUND: Functional constipation is one of the most prevalent childhood gastrointestinal disorders. We evaluated effects of adding a probiotic to mineral oil in the treatment of functional constipation in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This controlled trial was conducted on 60 children (2 to 14 years old) with functional constipation (Rome III...

Aim. Atypical presentations of celiac disease (CD) have now been shown to be much more common than classical (typical) form. We evaluated the frequency of CD among adult patients with typical or atypical symptoms of CD. Materials and Methods. Patients referred to two outpatient gastroenterology clinics in Isfahan (IRAN) were categorized into those...

Vitamin B(12) (Cobalamin) deficiency can result in some clinical and paraclinical characteristics similar to what is seen in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the controversial association between vitamin B(12) deficiency and MS. We measured serum vitamin B(12) in 60 patients with MS and 38 healthy controls. Clinical di...

BACKGROUND: Symptoms consistent with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are common among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in remission phase, and clinicians have difficulties in interpreting such symptoms as an ongoing disease activity or a coexistent IBS. We investigated if the assessment of fecal calprotectin (FC) could be helpful in th...