Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar

• Professor
• Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Hereby, we aimed to comprehensively compare different scoring systems for pediatric trauma and their ability to predict in-hospital mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The current registry-based multicenter study encompassed a comprehensive dataset of 6709 pediatric trauma patients aged ≤ 18 years from July 2016 to September 2023. To...

Purpose: Fractures constitute a significant concern in low- and middle-income countries, primarily due to road traffic crashes (RTCs), a leading cause of such injuries. This study aimed to analyze fracture patterns resulting from RTCs in Iran. Methods: A registry-based study was conducted using data from the National Trauma Registry of Iran (NTRI)...

Background: Trauma is a significant public health concern in Iran, with high mortality and morbidity rates. This study aimed to assess trauma patients’ profiles in Shahroud, Iran. Study Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: The study involved trauma patients who met specific criteria at Imam Hossein hospital in Shahroud, Iran, between 2016 and...

Background: To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and gray literature from 2000 to 2020 was carried out to estimate global...

STUDY DESIGN: A Systematic Review OBJECTIVES: To determine the therapeutic efficacy of in vivo reprogramming of astrocytes into neuronal-like cells in animal models of spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: PRISMA 2020 guidelines were utilized, and search engines Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase until June 2023 were used. Studies that examin...

Objective To develop a predictive model of incidence of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI). Methods The data for training the model included both the incidence data and the covariates. The incidence data were extracted from systematic reviews and the covariates were extracted from data available in the international road federation database. Then...

Study Design Clinical practice guideline development following the GRADE process. Objectives Hemodynamic management is one of the only available treatment options that likely improves neurologic outcomes in patients with acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Augmenting mean arterial pressure (MAP) aims to improve blood perfusion and oxygen del...

Study Design Clinical practice guideline development. Objectives Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) can result in devastating motor, sensory, and autonomic impairment; loss of independence; and reduced quality of life. Preclinical evidence suggests that early decompression of the spinal cord may help to limit secondary injury, reduce damage to the neu...

Study Design This study is a mixed methods approach. Objectives Intraoperative spinal cord injury (ISCI) is a challenging complication in spine surgery. Intra-operative neuromonitoring (IONM) has been developed to detect changes in neural function. We report on the first multidisciplinary, international effort through AO Spine and the Praxis Spina...

Study Design Development of a clinical practice guideline following the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) process. Objective The objectives of this study were to develop guidelines that outline the utility of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) to detect intraoperative spinal cord injury (ISCI) among pati...

Objective: Trauma is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity globally. The current study aimed to improve the understanding of characteristics, severity of injuries and outcomes of trauma patients admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital, Urmia, Iran. Methods: Data were obtained from the trauma registry of Imam Khomeini Hospital, a level 1 tra...

Context: Planarians, zebrafish, and Xenopus laevis are able to mend damage to their spinal cords after they have been damaged. After undergoing metamorphosis, the X. laevis loses the ability to do this. This study examines the genes that are involved in the process of spinal cord regeneration in these animals, investigates the pattern of their expr...

Study Design Systematic review. Objectives The correlation between pre-operative diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics and post-operative clinical outcomes in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) has been widely investigated with different studies reporting varied findings. We conducted a systematic review to determine the associa...

Study Design Literature Review. Objective Myelopathy affecting the thoracic spinal cord can arise secondary to several aetiologies which have similar presentation and management. Consequently, there are many uncertainties in this area, including optimal terminology and definitions. Recent collaborative cervical spinal research has led to the propo...

Purpose This study aimed to implement the Quality of Care (QoC) Assessment Tool from the National Spinal Cord/Column Injury Registry of Iran (NSCIR-IR) to map the current state of in-hospital QoC of individuals with Traumatic Spinal Column and Cord Injuries (TSCCI). Methods The QoC Assessment Tool, developed from a scoping review of the literature...

Purpose The purpose of the National Spinal Cord Injury Registry of Iran (NSCIR-IR) is to create an infrastructure to assess the quality of care for spine trauma and in this study, we aim to investigate whether the NSCIR-IR successfully provides necessary post-discharge follow-up data for these patients. Methods An observational prospective study w...

Background: Road traffic accidents are a major public health problem globally, causing millions of injuries, deaths and disabilities, and a huge loss of financial resources, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Aim: To determine the incidence of road traffic injuries and associated mortality from 1997 to 2020 in the Islamic Republic of I...

Background Autonomic Dysreflexia (AD) is a crucial emergency complication of cervical and upper thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI). Although there are several treatment options for AD, unfortunately, there is no consensus on the treatment of AD. This study aimed to present Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) development for AD in SCI in different con...

Background Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a major cause of health loss due to premature mortality and long-term disability. We aimed to report on the global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years of life lived with disability (YLDs) for SCI from 1990 to 2019, using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors S...

Despite being relatively rare, pediatric traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a debilitating event with high morbidity and long-term damage and dependency. This study aims to provide insight on the epidemiological characteristics of pediatric TSCI worldwide. The studies were included if they provided data for the pediatric population with the dia...

The objective of this study was to quantitatively investigate the relationship between cerebral atrophy and the risk of injury in elderly individuals. To achieve this, a sophisticated computational biomechanics approach utilizing finite element analysis was employed to simulate the mechanical behavior of the brain and skull under various conditions...

Purpose Upper extremity injuries (UEIs) and lower extremity injuries (LEIs) constitute a considerable component of traumas. However, their epidemiologic differences and short-term in-hospital outcomes are not fully elucidated. This study aims to compare such discrepancies in a large-scale study. Methods In this retrospective study, all patients wi...

Objective The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of exercise in neuropathic pain following traumatic spinal cord injuries. Methods The search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science by the end of 2022. Two independent researchers included the articles based on the inclusion and exc...

Background: Intentional injuries, including self-harm, suicide, conflict, and interpersonal violence are a significant public health concern in Iran, but they have not been adequately documented. This study aimed to investigate intentional injuries in cases admitted to Sina Hospital in Tehran, Iran, affiliated with the National Trauma Registry of I...

Study design A retrospective study. Objectives The quality of care (QoC) for spinal column/cord injury patients is a major health care concern. This study aimed to implement the QoC assessment tool (QoCAT) in the National Spinal Cord/Column Injury Registry of Iran (NSCIR-IR) to define the current state of pre- and post-hospital QoC of individuals...

Study design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic cervical spinal cord compression (CSCC) in individuals with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods: A systematic electronic search was conducted in Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science without language restr...

Background The causes for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are diverse and the incidence trends of IMIDs from specific causes are rarely studied. The study aims to investigate the pattern and trend of IMIDs from 1990 to 2019. Methods We collected detailed information on six major causes of IMIDs, including asthma, inflammatory bowel di...

Background The causes for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are diverse and the incidence trends of IMIDs from specific causes are rarely studied. The study aims to investigate the pattern and trend of IMIDs from 1990 to 2019. Methods We collected detailed information on six major causes of IMIDs, including asthma, inflammatory bowel d...

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) imposes a heavy burden on patients and health systems. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a detailed evaluation of the spinal cord and associated soft tissues in a non-invasive manner. Objectives: We aimed to adopt and adapt suitable recommendations and guidelines in Iran for the utilization of MRI in the...

Background Although meningitis is largely preventable, it still causes hundreds of thousands of deaths globally each year. WHO set ambitious goals to reduce meningitis cases by 2030, and assessing trends in the global meningitis burden can help track progress and identify gaps in achieving these goals. Using data from the Global Burden of Diseases,...

Purpose To determine existing trends concerning in-hospital mortality in patients with traumatic subaxial cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) over the last four decades. Methods We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE to assess the role of the following factors on in-hospital mortality over the last four decades: neurological deficit, age, surgical decompres...

Background: Although meningitis is largely preventable, it still causes hundreds of thousands of deaths globally each year. WHO set ambitious goals to reduce meningitis cases by 2030, and assessing trends in the global meningitis burden can help track progress and identify gaps in achieving these goals. Using data from the Global Burden of Diseases...

Objectives To explore whether a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership could provide insights on knowledge translation within the field of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). Design Secondary analysis of a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership process for DCM. Participants and setting DCM stake holders, including spinal s...

Although many frailty tools have been used to predict traumatic spinal injury (TSI) outcomes, identifying predictors of outcomes after TSI in the aged population is difficult. Frailty, age and TSI association are interesting topics of discussion in geriatric literature. However, the association between these variables are yet to be clearly elucidat...

Background To estimate global and regional trends from 2000-2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and grey literature from 2000-2020 was carried out to estimate global and regio...

Frailty is a known predictor of negative health outcomes. However, the role of frailty in predicting outcomes following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is unclear. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the association between frailty and adverse outcomes in TBI patients. We identified relevant articles that investigated the relationship between fra...

Background: Communicable disease control has long been a focus of global health policy. There have been substantial reductions in the burden and mortality of communicable diseases among children younger than 5 years, but we know less about this burden in older children and adolescents, and it is unclear whether current programmes and policies rema...

Background: Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, and affects people regardless of country, age group, or sex. Using the most recent evidentiary and analytical framework from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD), we produced location-specific, age-specific, and sex-specific estimat...

Background The objective of this study is to investigate the trends of exposure and burden attributable to the four main metabolic risk factors, including high systolic blood pressure (SBP), high fasting plasma glucose (FPG), high body-mass index (BMI), and high low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL) in North Africa and the Middle East from 199...

Background Low back pain is highly prevalent and the main cause of years lived with disability (YLDs). We present the most up-to-date global, regional, and national data on prevalence and YLDs for low back pain from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2021. Methods Population-based studies from 1980 to 2019 identified i...

Background: Low back pain is highly prevalent and the main cause of years lived with disability (YLDs). We present the most up-to-date global, regional, and national data on prevalence and YLDs for low back pain from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2021. Methods: Population-based studies from 1980 to 2019 identified...

Background: Trauma care is one of the most expensive medical procedures that is significantly affected by factors like insurance status. Providing medical care to injured patients has a significant impact on patients' prognosis. This study examined whether insurance status was associated with different outcomes, including hospital length of stay (...

Introduction AO Spine RECODE-DCM was a multi-stakeholder priority setting partnership (PSP) to define the top ten research priorities for degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). Priorities were generated and iteratively refined using a series of surveys administered to surgeons, other healthcare professionals (oHCP) and people with DCM (PwDCM). The...

Background Reducing the burden of death due to infection is an urgent global public health priority. Previous studies have estimated the number of deaths associated with drug-resistant infections and sepsis and found that infections remain a leading cause of death globally. Understanding the global burden of common bacterial pathogens (both suscept...

Purpose The proper application of high-quality clinical practice guidelines improves trauma patients’ care and outcomes. This study aimed to adopt and adapt guidelines on the timing of decompressive surgery in acute spinal cord injury (SCI) in Iranian clinical settings. Methods This study followed a systematic search and review of the literature to...

Objective: To develop a comprehensive assessment tool to evaluate the Quality of Care (QoC) in managing individuals with traumatic spinal cord injuries (TSCI). Method: At first, the concepts of QoC for TSCI were identified by conducting a qualitative interview along with re-evaluation of the results of a published scoping review (conceptualizati...

Study design: Systematic Reviews. Objectives: To investigate predictors of surgical outcomes for mild Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) by reviewing all related studies conducted at this point. Methods: An electronic search was carried out in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science until June 23, 2021. Full-text articles reporting surg...

Purpose: To identify risk factors for developing pressure ulcers (PUs) in the acute care period of traumatic spinal fracture patients with or without spinal cord injuries (SCIs) METHODS: Data were collected prospectively in participating the National Spinal column/Cord Injury Registry of Iran (NSCIR-IR) centers from individuals with traumatic spin...

Background and Objectives: Trauma is a prominent reason for morbidity and death in Iran. The objective of this study was to provide epidemiological and clinical features of the injured patients admitted to one of the collaborating centers of the national trauma registry of Iran (NTRI). Materials and Methods: The study was carried out at the one NT...

Background Universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities is an essential human right, recognised in the Sustainable Development Goals as crucial for preventing disease and improving human wellbeing. Comprehensive, high-resolution estimates are important to inform progress towards achieving this goal. We aimed to produce high-res...

Objectives: This review was designed to update our earlier systematic review which evaluated both published and unpublished evidence on the incidence of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) worldwide. Methods: We used various search methods including strategic searching, reference checking, searching for grey literature, contacting registries, au...

Background Road traffic injuries (RTI) are one of the most prominent causes of morbidity and mortality, especially among children and young adults. Motorcycle crashes constitute a significant part of RTIs. Policymakers believe that safety helmets are the single most important protection against motorcycle-related injuries. However, motorcyclists ar...

Access the full text version of the article here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(23)00098-X/fulltext

Background To describe the key findings and lessons learned from an international pilot study that surveyed spinal cord injury programs in acute and rehabilitation facilities to understand the status of spinal cord injury care. Methods An online survey with two questionnaires, a 74-item for acute care and a 51-item for rehabilitation, was used. A...

Background Human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is still among the leading causes of disease burden and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and the world is not on track to meet targets set for ending the epidemic by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Sustaina...

Despite substantial declines since 2000, lower respiratory infections (LRIs), diarrhoeal diseases, and malaria remain among the leading causes of nonfatal and fatal disease burden for children under 5 years of age (under 5), primarily in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The spatial burden of each of these diseases has been estimated subnationally across S...

Background: During the past three decades, neonate, infant, and child mortality declined in North Africa and Middle East. However, there is substantial heterogeneity in mortality rates across countries. Methods: This study is part of the Global Burden of Diseases study (GBD) 2019. We report the number as well as mortality rates for neonates, inf...

Human factors, including the level of cognitive functioning, are the most influential factors in road traffic crashes. Among cognitive abilities, executive functions (EFs) of the brain play a pivotal role in driving performance and outcomes, including crash numbers. The current study was aimed to explore, for the first time, the ability of EF tests...

Purpose sTo systematically review the risk of permanent disability related to road traffic injuries (RTIs) and to determine the implications for future research regarding permanent impairment following road traffic crashes. Methods We conducted this systematic review according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysi...

Snakebite envenoming is an important cause of preventable death. The World Health Organization (WHO) set a goal to halve snakebite mortality by 2030. We used verbal autopsy and vital registration data to model the proportion of venomous animal deaths due to snakes by location, age, year, and sex, and applied these proportions to venomous animal con...

Almost all of our everyday activities depend on executive function (EF) skills. In line with the increasing attention to the ecological validation of neuropsychological assessment and intervention methods, this study aimed to explore the ecological validity of a relevant set of widely used EF tests, mostly from well-known paradigms of EF assessment...

Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that tissue engineering scaffolds, including Schwann cells, may improve axonal regeneration, particularly in combination with Methylprednisolone as an influential neuroprotective factor. The primary aim of this study was to design composite electrospun scaffolds based on polylactic acid (PLA)/hya...

Background This present study evaluates the pre-clinical evidence on the efficacy of NS/PC and scaffold (NS/PC + scaffold) transplantation on locomotor recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Method Two independent reviewers screened the records gathered through a systematic search in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Sciences databas...

Background Onchocerciasis is a disease caused by infection with Onchocerca volvulus, which is transmitted to humans via the bite of several species of black fly, and is responsible for permanent blindness or vision loss, as well as severe skin disease. Predominantly endemic in parts of Africa and Yemen, preventive chemotherapy with mass drug admini...

Background: Substituting differentiated stem cells for lost and damaged cells is one of the proposed therapeutic options for spinal cord injury (SCI). Human endometrial stem cells (hEnSCs) are a potential source of mesenchymal stem cells that can differentiate into various neural cell types. Many researchers are developing protocols for motor neuro...

Neuronal cell death and axonal degeneration are common pathophysiological occurrences after spinal cord injury (SCI). Improving stem cell differentiation to replace lost and damaged cells after SCI might be a potential approach. Many investigations are now underway to establish procedures for motor neuron differentiation in order to regenerate cell...

Study Design A modified Delphi study. Objective To assess current practice patterns in the management of cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) and develop a simplified, practical classification system which offers ease of use in the acute setting, incorporates modern diagnostic tools and provides utility in determining treatment strategies for cervica...

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Translational research on the importance of secondary injury mechanisms has promoted development of management strategies for patients with acute spinal cord injuries (SCIs). These findings have been adopted in guidelines such as the 2013 AANS/CNS and the 2017 AOSpine guidelines on SCI management. However, despite these guideline...

Purpose: To prepare for future possible communicable disease epidemics/pandemics, health care providers should know how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced injured patients. This study aimed to compare epidemiologic features, outcomes, and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures of trauma patients admitted to a university-affiliated hospital before and...

Objective Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patients suffer from significant pain and disability. To assess long-term safety and efficacy of laminectomy in LSS patients, a systematic review and meta-analysis study was conducted. Methods Literature review in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases was performed using a pre...

Background: The global burden of lower respiratory infections (LRIs) and corresponding risk factors in children older than 5 years and adults has not been studied as comprehensively as it has been in children younger than 5 years. We assessed the burden and trends of LRIs and risk factors across all age groups by sex, for 204 countries and territor...

Background: Numerous studies have described the neuroprotective effect of lithium in spinal cord injury in addition to its ameliorative impact on pain sensation. In the present study, we aim to examine the efficacy of 85 mg/kg as well as 50 mg/kg dosage of the lithium chloride (LiCl) through oral consumption in spinal cord injured rats and their e...

Abstract Study design: Scoping review. Objectives: To describe the meaning of cognitive appraisals, their relation with outcome. measures, and adapted appraisal scales after Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in the existing literature. Methods: This review was performed according to the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework that consisted of five steps: s...

The dopaminergic system, a spinal cord (SC) motor circuit regulator, is administrated by sexual hormones and evolutionary conserved in all vertebrates. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the dopamine receptor (DAR) expression pattern may be dissimilar in female and male zebrafish SC auto repair. We implemented an uncomplicated method to induce spina...

Background The health risks associated with moderate alcohol consumption continue to be debated. Small amounts of alcohol might lower the risk of some health outcomes but increase the risk of others, suggesting that the overall risk depends, in part, on background disease rates, which vary by region, age, sex, and year. Methods For this analysis,...

Supplementary data

Background Experimental and epidemiological studies indicate an association between exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution and increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In view of the high and increasing prevalence of diabetes, we aimed to quantify the burden of type 2 diabetes attributable to PM2·5 originating from ambient and household air p...

Background: Road traffic injuries (RTI) are one of the most prominent causes of morbidity and mortality, especially among children and young adults. Motorcycle crashes constitute a significant part of RTIs. Policymakers believe that safety helmets are the single most important protection against motorcycle-related injuries. However, motorcyclists a...

Study design: Systematic review. Objectives: This systematic review evaluates all randomized clinical trials (RCTs) conducted on assessing the efficacy and safety of pharmacologic therapies for the treatment of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)-associated pain. Methods: The PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane library online databases were searched fro...