Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological disorders and is one of the main causes of disability. The prevalence and incidence of MS in Iran is reported to range from 5.3 to 89/ 100,000and 7 to 148.1/ 100,000, respectively. There are no systematic and meta-analysis studies on MS in Iran. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and incidence of MS in Iran using meta-analysis. A systematic review of the present study focused on MS epidemiology in Iran based on PRISMA guidelines for systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched eight international databases including Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Google Scholar search engine and six Persian databases for peer-reviewed studies published without time limit until May 2018. Data were analyzed using Comprehensive meta-analysis ver. 2 software. The review protocol has been registered in PROSPERO with ID: CRD42018114491. According to searching on different databases, 39 (15%) articles finalized. The prevalence of MS in Iran was estimated 29.3/ 100,000 (95%CI: 25.6–33.5) based on random effects model. The prevalence of MS in men and women was estimated to be 16.5/ 100,000 (95%CI: 13.7–23.4) and 44.8/ 100,000 (95%CI: 36.3–61.6), respectively. The incidence of MS in Iran was estimated to be 3.4/ 100,000 (95%CI: 1.8–6.2) based on random effects model. The incidence of MS in men was estimated to be 16.5/ 100,000 (95%CI: 13.7–23.4) and the incidence of MS in women was 44.8/ 100,000 (95%CI: 36.3–61.6). The meta-regression model for prevalence and incidence of MS was significantly higher in terms of year of study (p<0.001). The results of this study can provide a general picture of MS epidemiology in Iran. The current meta-analysis showed that the prevalence and incidence of MS in Iran is high and is rising over time.

There are many epidemiological pieces of evidence that show IPF patients have the highest risk of lung cancer. We conducted a systematic review of all published data to define the characteristics of lung cancer that develops in IPF by performing a meta-analysis. This study was performed based on the PRISMA guideline. Documents gathered by searching through the Web of Sciences, Scopus, PubMed/Medline, OVID, and COCHRANE databases which published before 03/25/2018 that related to lung cancer in IPFs’ patients. Articles were searched using standard keywords as well as Mesh and Mesh Entry and all probabilistic combinations of words using Boolean operators. Data searching, extracting and quality appraising were done by two researchers, independently. At last, Random-effects size based on Cochrane test and I² were used. The review protocol has been registered in PROSPERO with ID: CRD42018094037. Based on the meta-analysis conducted in 35 (0.18%) included studies, the total sample size of patients with IPF was estimated 131947 among whom 6384 had LC. The total rate of LC prevalence in IPF patients was estimated to be 13.54% (95% CI: 10.43–17.4) that was significantly 9 times higher in men vs. Women and smoker vs. non-smoker. Highest to lowest prevalence of cellular (histological) subtypes of lung cancer in IPF were SQCC (37.82%), ADC (30.79%), SmCC (20.48%), LCC (5.21%), and ADQC (4.81%), respectively. The highest and lowest stage of lung cancer in IPF patients was estimated at III and II, respectively. The highest involvement location of lung cancer in IPF patients was in the Peripheral. Also, the prevalence of the tumor region involved from the highest to the lowest was estimated to be in the RLL, LLL, RUL and LUL regions. Lung cancer in IPF, most commonly SQCC, presents in elderly heavy smokers with a male, locating in peripheral regions and the lower part of lung predominance.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are the most important problems among professions particularly, dentists. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in various parts of the body in Iranian dentists by using systematic review and meta-analysis. This systematic review and meta-analysis was based on preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and searching in national databases such as SID, Magiran, Irandoc, IranMedex, and Medlib, and international databases such as MedLine, Web of Sciences, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane, Embase, Springer, Wiley Online Library, Ebsco, CEBM, and Google Scholar search engine which were published by January 1, 2017. Researched keywords were in Persian and their standard English equivalents were in accordance with their MeSH. The obtained documents were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-analysis version 2. According to 23 studies through 2,531 Iranian dentists which took part in this study, prevalence of skeletal disorders in Iranian dentists has been 17.6% [confidence interval (CI) 95%:11.7-25.5] in knees, 33.2% (CI 95%:24.1-43.8) in shoulders, 33.4% (CI 95%: 26.8-40.8) in the thorax, 51.9% (CI 95%:46.7-57.2) in necks, 33.7% (CI 95%:28.2-39.6) in wrists/hands, 12.9% (CI 95%:7.7-20.6) in elbows, 37.3% (CI 95%: 31.5-43.5) in lower back, 11.9% (CI 95%:8.7-16.1) in thighs, 12.9% (CI 95%:3.8-36) in the foot, and 10.5% (CI 95%:7-15.4) in legs. Considering the high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in Iranian dentists, ergonomics should be included as a lesson in preclinic and also, reeducation courses for ergonomics basics should be executed for graduate dentists.

Nurses are exposed to workplace violence more than other healthcare professionals. This study aims to examine the prevalence of different types of workplace violence against Iranian nurses. A systematic review and meta-analysis were designed according to the PRISMA statement. To avoid bias, all stages of the research were done independently by two researchers. Eligible studies were retrieved from comprehensive search of several electronic databases included Magiran, Barakat Knowledge Network System, IranDoc, Regional Information Center for Science and Technology (RICST), Scientific Information Database (SID), Iranian National Library, PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Science Direct, ISI Web of Knowledge, CINAHL, and Google Scholar until April 2017. A random effects model was applied to combine studies. Data were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software version 2. In 26 studies, 10,858 nurses entered the meta-analysis process. The mean age and work experience of the nurses were 33.5 ± 7.5 and 10.85 ± 10.1 years, respectively. The prevalence of workplace verbal, physical, sexist, and racist violence and threat against Iranian nurses was 80.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] [74.2, 86.0]), 24.8% (95% CI [17.4, 34.0]), 6.7% (95% CI [4.9, 9.2]), 14.6% (95% CI [10.1, 20.7]), and 44% (95% CI [30.1, 58.8]), respectively. The prevalence of verbal and physical violence against the emergency department nurses was 89.7% (95% CI [69.4, 97.1]) and 21.0% (95% CI [12.6, 32.9]), respectively. The highest prevalence of verbal, physical, sexist, and racist violence was from patient’s relative (42.3%, 95% CI [30.7, 54.7]), patients (12.6%, 95% CI [5.9, 25.0]), healthcare workers (5.1%, 95% CI [2.4, 10.4]), and patients (2.3%, 95% CI [0.9, 5.4]), respectively. Given the high prevalence of violence against the nurses in Iran, it is highly necessary to take certain intervention measures and design new policies.

Asymptomatic T.gondii transmitted from blood donors to receiving patients has become a concern. Numerous articles have been published on the epidemiology of T.gondii in blood donors in Iran and a systematic review of the results shows quite different findings, hence this study was aimed to determine the seroprevalence of T.gondii in Iranian blood donors using meta-analysis. We searched for epidemiological studies that were published until by July 2016 in eight English databases including: Scopus, PubMed, Ovid, Science Direct, Cochrane, Web of Science, Springer, Wiley Online Library, and four Iranian databases: Magiran, Iranmedex, SID and Medlib; besides Google Scholar. To estimate pooled estimator, regarding that the high heterogeneity and the significance of I² index, Random effects model was used. Data analysis was conducted using Review Manager Ver5.3.5 software and a significance level of 0.05 was considered significant. Among 10 studies with a sample of 4538 Iranian blood donors, the seroprevalence of T.gondii was calculated 34.4% (CI95%: 24.9-43.9). The rate in males and females was 33.36% (CI95%: 19.92-46.81) and 37.63% (CI95%: 20.81-54.45), respectively. IgM and IgG antibodies seroprevalence among blood donors were 2.74% (CI95%: 0.55-4.92) and 31.84% (CI95%: 20.61-43.08), respectively. The seroprevalence of T.gondii was significantly associated with blood group (P = 0.04), but this relation was not significant with blood transfusion (P = 0.62). The results of this review indicate a high seroprevalence of T.gondii (about a third) is in Iranian blood donors and emphasizes the importance of screening seroprevalence of T.gondii of donated blood in Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214738.].