BackgroundLung cancer is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. Although smoking and environmental pollutants are the most important risk factors of lung cancer, the role of infectious causes should also be considered in the pathogenesis and progress of lung cancer.ObjectivesThis study examined the relationship between Helicobacter pylori and lung cancer through serology, real-time PCR, and urease tests.MethodsThis descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 52 adult patients with lung cancer who were selected after having their history taken and being physically examined by a pulmonologist. Then, the patients underwent a bronchoscopy, a BAL, and biopsy sampling. A urease test was run for each biopsy sample, real-time PCR was used for each BAL sample, and H. pylori serology was used for each patient’s serum.ResultsThe patients’ average age was 60.65 ± 9.15 years; 11.5% were female and 88.5% were male. The prevalence of H. pylori in lung cancer patients was 11.5% according to the BAL PCR test, 92.3% according to the serology test, and 3.8% according to the urease test.ConclusionsThe results demonstrated an association between of lung cancer and H. Pylori infection via the hypothesis of direct damage and chronic inflammation through inhalation and aspiration and the systematic immune response induced by H. pylori colonization. Helicobacter pylori, together with a host’s genetic predisposition and other environmental risk factors, could be attributed to the induction of lung cancer.

Background: COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 and can lead to acute respiratory distress. Objective: We aimed to investigate the association between COVID-19 severity and serum apelin-17 and inflammatory mediator levels. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with COVID-19. COVID-19 infection was confirmed by the RT-PCR test. The patients' data were extracted from their records. Venous blood samples were obtained from the patients to investigate the serum levels of apelin-17 and inflammatory mediators. Results: Results: Eighty-six COVID-19 patients were studied. The mean age of the participants was 55.56±14.88, and 43 (50%) were male. Clinical symptoms were dyspnea 77.6%, fever 52.3%, cough 48.8%, gastrointestinal symptoms 15.1%, and chest pain 7%. The overall mortality rate was 7%. No significant relationship was found between serum apelin-17 levels and COVID-19 severity (P= 0.48). However, there was a significant and direct relationship between COVID-19 severity and serum levels of CRP (P= 0.038) and D-dimer (P= 0.029). Conclusion: Serum apelin-17 levels were higher in recovered patients than those who died (4.90 vs. 3.19). Moreover, serum apelin-17 levels were higher in the patients admitted to the general ward than those admitted to the ICU (5.15 vs. 3.98). The difference was not statistically significant. However, there was a significant and direct relationship between serum apelin-17 levels and lymphocyte count (P= 0.022). Moreover, there was a significant and inverse relationship between lymphocyte count and COVID-19 severity (P= 0.004). Therefore, it can be interpreted that COVID-19 severity may decrease with an increase in serum apelin-17 levels. Therefore, to prove this hypothesis, a study with larger sample size is recommended.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer remains a serious public healthproblem and is the first cause of cancer-related death worldwide. There is some evidence suggests that bile acid micro-aspiration may contribute to the development of lung diseases. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of microaspiration of bile acids in patients with primary lung cancer.METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 52 patients with primary lung cancer referred to a teaching hospital affiliated with Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran were enrolled. Patients with pathology-confirmed lung cancer who did not receive specific treatment were included in the present study. All patients underwent bronchoscopy and the levels of bile acid was assessed in their Broncho-Alveolar Lavage (BAL) samples.RESULTS: According to the results, 53.85% of patients were in the age group of 40 to 59 years. Of the participants, 88.46% were male, 82.69% were smokers, and 69.23% were opium addicted. The most common presenting clinical symptoms of patients were heartburn (61.55%), hoarseness (17.31%), and epigastric pain (9.61%), respectively. Ninety-two point thirty two percent of patients had endobronchial lesions in bronchoscopy. Squamous cell carcinoma, small-cell lung carcinoma and adenocarcinoma accounts for 48.08%, 34.61% and 17.31% of all cases of lung cancer, respectively. Bile acids were found in the BAL sample of all patients with primary lung cancer. The mean Bile acids levels in patients were 63.42 (SD=7.03) μmol/Lit.CONCLUSION: According to the results of present study, there was a micro-aspiration of bile acids in all patients with primary lung cancer that may participate in shaping early events in the etiology of primary lung cancer. It seems that developing clinical strategies preventing the micro-aspiration of bile acids into the lungs could remove a key potential trigger in this process.

We report a 52‐year‐old patient with a history of breast cancer (BC) referred to the clinic of Afzalipour Hospital, in Kerman, eastern Iran, with a 1‐week complaint of restless dyspnea. A chest computed tomography scan revealed consolidations in the upper lobes of both lungs. The patient had no history of smoking or underlying diseases that would predispose her to consolidation, including pneumonia. Then, bronchoscopy was performed for the patient, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was sent to the Iranian National Registry Center, where the Lophomonas parasite was detected in the sample and confirmed using a polymerase chain reaction test. Finally, her symptoms improved by receiving oral metronidazole three times a day for 3 weeks.

Background: This study aimed to compare the serum levels of procalcitonin in the patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the emergency ward of Afzalipour Hospital in Kerman. background: This study aimed to compare the serum levels of procalcitonin in the patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the emergency ward of Afzalipour Hospital in Kerman. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 45 patients with stable COPD and 45 patients with AECOPD. Patients were divided into four groups based on COPD severity assessment. Serum procalcitonin levels were measured using an ELISA kit. Results: The mean age of patients in the exacerbation and the stable group was 60.97±12.61 and 62.53±11.04 years, respectively. Serum procalcitonin levels in two exacerbation groups (215.22±19.84) were higher than stable groups (127.92±8.97) (P=0.001). The accuracy of this test for diagnosing acute attack in terms of AECOPD was 77%, and the serum procalcitonin level of 132.6 was found to be the best cut-off point to diagnose acute disease. The mean serum procalcitonin levels of stage D patients in the acute attack group were substantially higher than those of stages D and B patients in the stable group (P = 0.001). Serum procalcitonin levels were related to body mass index (P=0.01), post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC (P=0.028), and the number of hospitalizations per year (P=0.001). By increasing the serum procalcitonin levels, BMI and number of admissions per year increase, and post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC decreases. method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 45 patients with stable COPD and 45 patients with AECOPD. Patients were divided into four groups based on COPD severity assessment. Serum procalcitonin levels were measured using an ELISA kit. Conclusion: The mean serum levels of procalcitonin in the group with attacks due to COPD was significantly higher than the stable group. result: The mean age of patients in the exacerbation and the stable group was 60.97±12.61 and 62.53±11.04 years, respectively. Serum procalcitonin levels in two exacerbation groups (215.22±19.84) were higher than stable groups (127.92±8.97) (P=0.001). The accuracy of this test for diagnosing acute attack in terms of AECOPD was 77%, and the serum procalcitonin level of 132.6 was found to be the best cut-off point to diagnose acute disease. The mean serum procalcitonin levels of stage D patients in the acute attack group were substantially higher than those of stages D and B patients in the stable group (P = 0.001).Serum procalcitonin levels were related to body mass index (P=0.01), post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC (P=0.028), and the number of hospitalizations per year (P=0.001). By increasing the serum procalcitonin levels, BMI and number of admissions per year increase, and post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC decreases. conclusion: The mean serum levels of procalcitonin in the group with attacks due to COPD was significantly higher than the stable group. other: -