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Background&Objective: 15-20% of TB cases are extra pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB). Abdominal TB is the most common type of extra intestinal TB. Signs and symptoms of abdominal TB are unspecific. In this study, we identified all GITB cases in Golestan province (Iran) between 1999 and 2003 and determined their demographic characteristics. Materials&Methods: We reviewed all new cases of TB reported during 1999-2003 from TB centers of Golestan province .Then EPTB and especially GI and abdominal TB cases were selected. We completed a questionnaire containing demographic information for each of them. The information entered the computer in SPSS-13 was used to analyze the data. Results: 30 patients had been treated for GI and abdominal TB, most of them were females (22 cases, 73.3%). Mean age of the patients was 32.03±13.73 with higher incidence in age before 40 years old (70%). Most common complaints of the patients were fatigue, weight loss, anorexia, fever and abdominal pain, respectively. In 66.7% of patients the diagnosis was pathologically documented. Conclusion: Our data suggest that 38.46% of all TB cases in Golestan province were EPTB, and this scale is higher than other studies. In this study, 5.27% of EPTB cases were GI and abdominal TB, higher than the world reports (3%).

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Background and Objective: Esophageal and gastric cancers are among the most prevalent cancers in the world which cause a high mortality rate annually. Several risk factors are supposed for them. Water hardness is considered as a protective factor against above cancers. This ecologic study was designed to determine the correlation between water hardness and upper gastrointestinal cancers. Materials and Methods: In this ecological study data on water components in Golestan's urban areas were obtained during 2004-05 and the averages were reported. All cases of esophageal and gastric cancers resided in urban areas which were diagnosed during this period were recruited to estimate the incidence and age standardized rates (ASR). The province was divided into low, intermediate and high incidence, based on 33% and 66% quartiles of both cancers. Pearson correlation coefficient test and regression model were used to analyze the data. Results: The water hardness was in the normal standard range permitted for the drinking water, and did not have any relation with the risk of esophageal and gastric cancers. Conclusion: This study showed that water hardness has no effect on the incidence of esophageal and gastric cancer in this area.

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Background and Objective: Cancer is third cause of mortality and morbidity in Iran, after heart diseases and car accidents. This study was aimed to determine the incidence rate gastrointestinal tract cancer during 1998-2001 in Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, the whole population residing in areas of Tehran, Shemiranat and Eslam'shahr area were supposed to be as the population in risk. Data of cancer recordings were collected from pathology and medical records archives. Those with ICD-10-based diagnosed cancer during 1998-2001, who have been inhabited in above area for at least 1 year, were supposed as canceric cases. The incidence rate of various kinds of cancer were adapted based on age-structure of world population and were calculated by dividing the total rate of this period to 4 in an annual manner. Results: The annual age-specific standardized incidence rate of gastric cancer in men and women were 12.9 and 5.8 per 100000, respectively. The row incidence rate in men and women were 9.2 and 4.1, respectively. Ealderly age groups of both men and women had higher incidence rate of gastric cancer. The annual age-specific standardized incidence rate of colon cancer in men and women were 5.7 and 5.4 per 100000, with row incidence rate of 4.3 and 4.0 per 100000, respectively. The annual age-specific standardized incidence rate of esophageal cancer in men and women were determined as 5.1 and 3.9 per 100000, with row incidence rate of 3.7 and 2.7 per 100,000, respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that gastric cancer is the most common type of gastrointestinal cancers in Tehran. Therefore it is suggested the related risk factors in this area should be determined.

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Background and Objective: The staging of gastrointestinal cancer has an important role in the treatment of tumor. This study was done to determine the efficacy of endosonography method for determining the stage and deepth of esophagus and stomach cancers. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, endosonographic staging was performed in 23 patients (15 male and 8 female) with esophagus and stomach cancers, confirmed with pathologic findings in Taleghani hospital, Tehran, Iran during 2002-04. The results of surgical staging compared to preoperative endosonographic method. Results: Mean age of 23 patients was 57.2 years (43-72 years). 30% and 70% of the patients had esophageal and gastric cancers, respectively. The accuracy of endosonographic staging of esophagus and stomach cancers was 82%. The accuracy of diagnosis, positive and negative predictive value of cancers in assessment of the depth of the tumor by endosonography procedure were 79.4%, 69.6% and 84.9%, respectively. Conclusion: Endosonography is a precise method for evaluating depth and staging of tumor and lymph node involvement.

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Background and Objective: Gastrointestinal polyps have pre-carcinomatous potential. In regard to increasing rate of gastrointestinal cancers and the relation between polyps with cancers, this study was done to determine the anatomical and histopathological distribution of gastrointestinal polyps in Gorgan, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 290 patients with gastrointestinal polyps were undergoing colonoscopy or endoscopy in 5th Azar teaching hospital in Gorgan, northern Iran during 1999-2008. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathologic method. Gender and age was recorded for each patient. Results: 56.6% of patients were males 19.3% of polyps was diagnosed in the sixth decade of patient's age. The most frequent pathological type of gastrointestinal polyps was adenoma (54.1%) followed by hyperplastic (19.7%), acute inflammatory (13.8%) and young polyps type (11.4%). Tubular type with 63% was the most common type of adenoma polyp followed by various villouses (19.1%) and tubulovillous (17.9%). 87.2% and 12.8% of polyps were in colon and stomach, respectively. The most frequent anatomical position of polyps was rectum (30%) followed by sigmoid with 26/1%. Conclusion: Adenoma polyp in colon was the most common type in gastrointestinal tract.

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Background and Objective: Colonoscopy is the best method for management of patients with Hematochezia or lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB). This study was conducted to assess the endoscopic and histopathologic findings in patients with hematochezia. Methods: This descriptive –analytical study was done on 117 (50 males, 67 females) patients whom referred to 5th Azar hospital in Gorgan, northern Iran during 2010. Demographic characteristics, medical history and colonoscopic and histopathologic findings were recorded for each patient. Results: Hemorrhoid was the most common finding in colonoscopic examination. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and cancer were the most common feature in the under and higher than 43 age old patients, respectively (P<0.05). Ulcerative colitis (22.2%) was the most common finding in histopathological examination. Rectosigmoid was the most common anatomical location of involvement in IBD cases. Cancer and IBD were occurred in the left colon. Conclusion: Flexible sigmoidoscopy can be a selected procedure for evaluation of hematochezia in the <43 age old patients but in >43 age old subjects sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy should be made based on patients' status.

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Background and Objective: Dogs are associated with more than 60 types of common diseases with humans, among which parasitic diseases play an important role in public health. This study aimed to estimate the frequency of gastrointestinal helminths fauna among dogs in Gorgan, Iran.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was done on 70 dogs (37 male and 33 female) consisting of 40 shelter dogs, 18 pet dogs and 14 guard dogs in Gorgan (Iran) from November 2019 to January 2020. Age, gender and housing places of the dogs were recorded, and dogs' fecal samples were examined for gastrointestinal helminths by flotation method with Sheather's solution.
Results: The eggs of gastrointestinal helminths were detected in 41 dogs (58.6%), including Toxocara canis (29.3%), Echino-taenia (26.8%), hookworms (24.4%), Trichuris vulpis (7.3%) and Toxascaris leonina (12.2%). The highest and lowest rates of infection were related to Toxocara canis (31.8%) in female dogs Trichuris vulpis (5.3%) in male dogs, respectively. Also, in female dogs, 69.7% of the samples were infected with at least one gastrointestinal parasite, and there was a significant relationship between parasitic disease and female gender (P<0.05). Also, the highest infection rate was observed in shelter dogs (61%).
Conclusion: The frequency of gastrointestinal helminths among dogs in Gorgan is high, particularly among female dogs.