Vida Mohammadi’s research while affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and other places

Introduction Hibiscus sabdariffa is a common ingredient in herbal tea blends. Several properties such as antihypertensive and antioxidant activities have been attributed to this plant. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to synthesize the knowledge about the effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa (sour tea) compared to other herbal teas and antihypertensive drugs on cardiometabolic risk factors. Methods PubMed, Web of Sciences (ISI), Embase, and Scopus (Elsevier) databases were searched to identify related articles published up to 12 December 2019. All clinical trials which investigated the effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa (sour tea) consumption on systolic blood pressure (SBS), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), HDL-C (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), TC (total cholesterol), TG (triglyceride), FBS (fasting blood sugar), BW (body weight) and BMI (body mass index) for more than one week were included. Twenty-two studies (24 effect sizes) were included in the analysis; weighted mean differences for each were estimated using random-effects models. Results The pooled data suggested that however Hibiscus sabdariffa consumption reduced the SBP levels (weighted mean difference [WMD]: −7.14, 95 % CI: −11.16, −3.12, p < 0.001), and DBP levels (WMD: −3.54, 95 % CI: −5.02, −2.06, p < 0.001), the changes in lipid profiles, FBS, BMI and BW were not significant. Conclusion In conclusion, this meta-analysis indicated that Hibiscus sabdariffa consumption could efficiently reduce SBP and DBP levels.

ABSTRACT This systematic review was conducted to summarize and clarify the evidence on the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin-D [25(OH)D] concentrations and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk and outcomes. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases and Google Scholar were searched up to 26 November 2020. All retrospective and prospective cohort, cross-sectional, case-control, and randomized controlled trial studies that investigated the relation between 25(OH)D and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and COVID-19 severity were included. Thirty-nine studies were included in the current systematic review. In studies that were adjusted (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.24, 2.53; I2: 44.2%) and nonadjusted for confounders (OR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.44, 2.13; I2: 33.0%) there was a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the vitamin D deficiency (VDD) group. Fifteen studies evaluated associations between VDD and composite severity. In the studies that were adjusted (OR: 2.57; 95% CI: 1.65, 4.01; I2 = 0.0%) and nonadjusted for confounders (OR: 10.61; 95% CI: 2.07, 54.23; I2 = 90.8%) there was a higher severity in the VDD group. Analysis of studies with crude OR (OR: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.13, 6.05; I2: 47.9%), and adjusted studies that used the Cox survival method (HR: 2.35; 95% CI: 1.22, 4.52; I2: 84%) indicated a significant association of VDD with mortality, while in adjusted studies that used logistic regression, no relation was observed (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.63, 1.75; I2: 76.6%). The results of studies that examined relations between VDD and intensive care unit (ICU) admission, pulmonary complications, hospitalization, and inflammation were inconsistent. In conclusion, although studies were heterogeneous in methodological and statistical approach, most of them indicated a significant relation between 25(OH)D and SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19 composite severity, and mortality. With regard to infection, caution should be taken in interpreting the results, due to inherent study limitations. For ICU admission, inflammation, hospitalization, and pulmonary involvement, the evidence is currently inconsistent and insufficient.

Objective The present systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of cinnamon supplementation on blood lipid profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods A systematic search (with no language restrictions) was performed in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library to identify relevant clinical trials up to 8th March 2020. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were pooled based on the random-effects model. Heterogeneity, publication bias, and sensitivity analyses were performed based on standard methods. Results Sixteen studies, involving 1025 participants, were included in the meta-analysis. This study found a significant decrease in triglycerides (TG) (WMD: -26.27 mg/dl, 95 % CI: [-38.93, -13.61], P < 0.001), total cholesterol (TC) (WMD: -13.93 mg/dl, 95 % CI: [-25.64, -2.22], P = 0.020), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels (WMD: -6.13 mg/dl, 95 % CI: [-10.72, -1.53], P = 0.009), while no change was observed on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) concentration (WMD: 0.64 mg/dl, 95 % CI: [-0.18, 1.46], P = 0.128), in patients with type 2 diabetes. The reduction in TG, TC, and LDL-C was greater in; Eastern compared to Western countries, and studies with a duration of < 2 compared to ≥ 2 months. The increase in HDL was greater in; participants with a BMI ≥ 30 compared to <30, Western compared to Eastern countries, and intervention durations of ≥ 2 compared to < 2 months. Conclusions Cinnamon supplementation significantly decreased serum TG, TC, and LDL-C concentrations, but did not change HDL-C levels, in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Based on the results of many studies on the relationship between nutritional status and clinical implications in dialysis patients, malnutrition is one of the most important factors associated with mortality in these patients. The current study examined the effect of nutritional education based on Health Belief Model (HBM) on nutritional knowledge, HBM constructs, and dietary intake in Hemodialysis (HD) patients. Materials and Methods: One-hundred chronic HD patients entered to this randomized clinical trial in 2017 in Iran; 41 in control group and 45 in intervention group completed the study. Demographic data and four 24-h recalls were collected. To evaluate the nutritional knowledge and HBM constructs, a researcher-made questionnaire was used. Patients were evaluated before, immediately after, and 3 months after intervention. Eight 1-h education sessions in 4 weeks were considered for intervention group. Independent samples t-test, Chi-square test, and repeated measures ANOVA were used to analyze the data. Results: Repeated measures ANOVA test showed significant increases in scores of the nutritional knowledge test, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived barriers (p = < 0.001), perceived benefits (p = 0.010), and self-efficacy (p = 0.019) after the study in the intervention group. There were no significant differences between two groups in energy, protein, High Biologic Value (HBV) protein, carbohydrate, fat, cholesterol, fiber, vitamin B2, B3, B6, B12, E, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium intake. Conclusions: It seems that education based on HBM can improve nutritional knowledge but in order to influence on dietary intake, longer interventions that are more comprehensive are needed.

Background Cashews, as the main source of monounsaturated (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated (PUFAs) fatty acids, are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. Despite evidence for beneficial effects of nuts on lipid profile and glycemic control, to the authors’ best knowledge, little is known about cashews. Methods An eight-week, randomized, isocaloric, controlled-feeding study was conducted on 50 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) randomly assigned to either the control or intervention group (10% of total calorie from cashews). Weight, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum insulin concentration and sensitivity, lipid profile ratio, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) were measured at baseline and after eight weeks of intervention adjusted for age, gender, baseline values of FPG, insulin, HOMA-IR (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance), fiber, and both baseline and post-intervention vitamin C levels as covariates. Results Weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC) were not significantly different in the groups after eight weeks of intervention, as well as between the two groups, compared with the baseline measures. At the end of the study, serum insulin and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol-to-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C) ratio significantly decreased in the cashews group compared with those of the controls (P = 0.01 and P = 0.04, respectively). Although, HOMA-IR decreased significantly in the cashews group (P = 0.03), changes were not significant compared with the baseline measures (P = 0.056). Despite more increase in PON-1 activity in the cashews group, the changes were not statistically significant. Conclusions Daily consumption of cashews reduced serum insulin and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio in patients with T2DM. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and more duration are needed to confirm the current study results.

Background Stroke as a devastating condition is one of the major causes of death worldwide. It is accountable for long time disability with high personal and social cost in adults. There are several risk factors for stroke such as diabetes and hypertension. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) as an antioxidant can be a risk modifier in these patients. We designed this trial to scrutinize the possible effects of ALA consumption on some cardiovascular risk factors in patients experienced stroke. Methods In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 67 patients experienced stroke were randomly allocated into two groups (taking a 600 mg ALA supplement or placebo daily for 12 weeks). Fasting blood sugar (FBS), fasting insulin and systolic (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured before and after intervention in this study. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 16 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) software. Results Primary features were similar in the intervention and placebo groups (P > 0.05). After the intervention period, SBP (P < 0.001), DBP (P < 0.001) and FBS (P < 0.001) reduced in ALA group compared with placebo group, significantly. No significant change was seen in insulin level (P = 0.82). Conclusions Results of this trial indicated that 12 weeks supplementation with 600 mg ALA has beneficial effects on SBP, DBP, and FBS but has no effect on insulin level.

Background Stroke as a devastating condition is a major cause of death worldwide. It is accountable for long-term disability with high personal and social cost in adults. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is an eight-carbon, sulfur-containing compound with antioxidant properties which reduces body weight, changes other anthropometric indices, and regulates food intake by suppressing appetite and increasing metabolism This study was designed to evaluate the possible effects of ALA supplementation on anthropometric indices and dietary intake in patients with stroke. Materials and Methods In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 67 patients with stroke were randomly allocated to two groups (taking a 600 mg ALA supplement or placebo daily for 12 weeks). Weight, waist circumference, energy, carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated before and after intervention. Dietary intake and statistical analyses were carried out using Nutritionist IV and SPSS (version 16; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) software, respectively. Results Primary features were similar in the intervention and placebo groups (P > 0.05). Waist circumference (P < 0.001), energy, carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake (P < 0.001) decreased significantly, after the intervention period, in ALA group compared with placebo. While no significant change was observed in weight (P = 0.26) and BMI (P = 0.56) in ALA supplementation group compared with placebo. Conclusion Results of this trial indicated that 12-week supplementation with 600 mg ALA can decrease waist circumference and food intake (energy, carbohydrate, protein, and fat) in patients with stroke.

Background: Having a stroke, which is a devastating condition, is a major cause of deaths worldwide and is also accountable for long time disability with high personal and social cost in adults. Hyperlipidemia plays an important role in atherothrombosis, which is the precursor to stroke. One way for decreasing the risk of a stroke is treatment of dyslipidemia. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is an eight-carbon, sulfur-containing compound with antioxidant properties and effective in protecting against hypercholesterolemia and hepatic fat accumulation. Objectives: We designed this trial to scrutinize the possible effects of ALA consumption on lipid profiles in patients who experienced a stroke. Methods: In this randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 67 patients who experienced a stroke were randomly allocated into 2 groups (taking a 600 mg ALA supplement or placebo daily for 12 weeks). The triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol (LDL), and HDL-cholesterol (HDL) were measured and LDL-cholesterol/ HDL-cholesterol (LDL/ HDL) as well as total cholesterol/ HDL-cholesterol (TC/ HDL) were calculated before and after intervention in this study. Dietary intake and statistical analyses were carried out using the N4 and SPSS16 software, respectively. Results: Primary features were similar in the intervention and placebo groups (P < 0.05). After the intervention period, serum levels of TG (123.21 ± 49.63 vs. 152.97 ± 58.83) (P < 0.001), TC (148.67 ± 37.71 vs. 174.35 ± 36.86) (P < 0.001), and LDL (85.09 ± 23.81 vs. 107.56 ± 31.73) (P = 0.002) decreased, and HDL level (58±9.33 vs. 42.97 ± 8.07) (P < 0.001) increased significantly in ALA group compared with the placebo. In addition, LDL/ HDL (P < 0.001) and TC/ HDL (P < 0.001) reduced significantly. Conclusions: Results of this trial indicated that 12 weeks of supplementation with 600 mg alpha-lipoic acid has beneficial effects on lipid profile (TG, TC, LDL, HDL, LDL-/HDL, and TC/HDL) in patients who have experienced a stroke.

Although several animal and human studies have investigated the effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on blood pressure (BP), these findings are inconsistent. This systematic review of randomized clinical trials was conducted to summarize the evidence on the effect of ALA on BP. PubMed, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar databases were searched based on MESH term (“Thioctic acid” in combination with “Hypertension” and “Blood pressure”) to identify related papers published up to December 2015. We summarized the results of the relevant studies in this review. In total, nine studies included in this review, seven parallel-designed trials and two crossover-designed trials. The results of parallel-designed studies are inconsistent. Five studies indicate no significant effects for ALA supplementation on BP, but two trials show effects on BP. Unlike parallel-designed trials, two crossover-designed trials have shown similar results and both report no effect for ALA on BP. Several studies investigated the effect of ALA on BP. Most of the papers show no significant effect for supplementation and the studies have shown that associations are limited. However, these findings are limited and there is a need for further and more accurate researches to be clarified.

Background: Regarding the growing prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, concentrating on various strategies for its prevention and management seems necessary. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effects of synbiotic administration on body composition and lipid profile in patients with NAFLD. Methods: Eighty patients with NAFLD participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial (from March to July 2014) in Iran. Based on AST and ALT as main variables of the study, 34 patients were required in each group (power 80% and α = 5%). Considering a 20% sample loss, 80 patients were enrolled. Synbiotic supplement in form of a 500 mg capsule (containing 7 species of probiotic bacteria and Fructooligosaccharides) was administrated to patients in the intervention group and those in the placebo group received 1 placebo capsule daily for 8 weeks. At the baseline and the end of the study, body composition and lipid profile were evaluated. Results: A significant reduction was observed in weight (P = 0.001), body fat (P = 0.02), and total cholesterol (P = 0.04) within the synbiotic group. Onthe other hand,WC(P = 0.02), total cholesterol, and LDL-c (P = 0.04 and P = 0.001, respectively) were significantly increased in the placebo group. TG, HDL-c, and FBG levels remained statistically unchanged in both groups. Significance betweengroup differences were seen in total cholesterol (P = 0.01), LDL (P = 0.01), weight, WC, and body fat after adjustment for energy intake (P = 0.05). Conclusions: Synbiotic supplementation may improve lipid profile and body composition in patients with NAFLD and might be useful in prevention of the disease progression.