Ali Aghanuri, Mahmoud Mahmoudi, Mina Asadi, Fatemeh Mortaji, Hamideh Salehi, Kurosh Djafarian,
Volume 15, Issue 9 (February 2013)
Abstract
Background: In recent years, changes in the composition of Iranian population into aged population have increased the need for more information about the quality of life (QOL) of this group. Proper planning for this age group for increasing their quality of life depends on the identification of factors associated with QOL. The aim of the current study was to assess the quality of life and its relationship with the quality of diet in elderly people aged 60 years and more living in the urban areas of Markazi province. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 165 elderly people in the urban areas of Markazi Province in 2010. Data obtained via general and QOL (SF-36) questionnaires and three 24-hour recalls on food. The quality of diet was measured using Healthy Eating index. Results: The means of total SF-36, physical and mental components scores were 55.66, 51.32 and 57.30, respectively. Additionally, the average overall healthy eating index score was 82.83. The results showed that the total, physical, and mental components of SF-36 scores in the elderly were positively associated with the healthy eating index but not significantly (P=0.2). QOL and diet scores were significantly associated with age, sex, education, previous employment, income, leisure activities, exercise, insurance, smoking, present disease, and drug consumption (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that the QOL in the elderly was not related to their quality of diet.
Sepideh Mortaji, Anousheh Haghighi, Farzad Pakdel,
Volume 17, Issue 5 (8-2014)
Abstract
Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common inflammatory arthritis. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, scleritis, and episcleritis are ocular complications of this disease. The aim of this study is to evaluate Sjogren’s syndrome in subjects with rheumatoid arthritis.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, ninety patients diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis that followed up in rheumatology clinic of Rasool Akram hospital for six months and no definite cause was found for their dry eye, enrolled in the study. Rheumatoid arthritis activity was evaluated by DAS28 index and the severity of dry eye was assessed by Japanese dry eye diagnostic criteria.
Results: Mean activity of disease according to DAS28 was 2.9±1.56 and 88.9% of patients had dry eye based on Japanese dry eye diagnostic criteria. Twelve patients (13.3%) had secondary Sjogren's syndrome. SSA antibody was positive in 13.3% patients and 10% patients had positive SSB antibody. There was significant correlation between rheumatoid arthritis activity based on DAS28 and severity of dry eye according to Japanese dry eye diagnostic criteria in the both Sjogren (p=0.045) and non Sjogren groups (p=0.001).
Conclusion: We found significant correlation between rheumatoid arthritis activity and dry eye in the both sjogren and non-Sjogren groups. Most of rheumatoid arthritis subjects do not have Sjogren’s syndrome but dry eye is common even in rheumatoid arthritis patients without Sjogren's syndrome.
