Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in Iran (the PERSIAN Cohort Study): Rationale, Objectives, and Design

Authors

Hossein Poustchi 1, Sareh Eghtesad 1, Farin Kamangar 2 3, Arash Etemadi 4, Abbas-Ali Keshtkar 5, Azita Hekmatdoost 6, Zahra Mohammadi 1, Zahra Mahmoudi 1, Amaneh Shayanrad 1, Farzin Roozafzai 1, Mahdi Sheikh 1, Alireza Jalaeikhoo 1, Mohammad Hossein Somi 7, Fariborz Mansour-Ghanaei 8, Farid Najafi 9, Ehsan Bahramali 10, Amirhoushang Mehrparvar 11, Alireza Ansari-Moghaddam 12, Ahmad Ali Enayati 13, Ali Esmaeili Nadimi 14, Abbas Rezaianzadeh 15, Nader Saki 16, Fatemeh Alipour 17, Roya Kelishadi 18, Afarin Rahimi-Movaghar 19, Nayyereh Aminisani 20, Paolo Boffetta 21, Reza Malekzadeh 3

  1. Liver and Pancreatobiliary Diseases Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
  2. Department of Biology, School of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland.
  3. Digestive Oncology Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Tehran UMS, Tehran, Iran.
  4. Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.
  5. Department of Health Sciences Education Development, School of Public Health, Tehran UMS, Tehran, Iran.
  6. Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Shahid Beheshti UMS, Tehran, Iran.
  7. Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center, Tabriz UMS, Tabriz, Iran.
  8. Department of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan UMS, Rasht, Iran.
  9. Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health, School of Public Health, Kermanshah UMS, Kermanshah, Iran.
  10. Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa UMS, Fasa, Iran.
  11. Department of Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi UMS, Yazd, Iran.
  12. Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan UMS, Zahedan, Iran.
  13. School of Public Health and Health Sciences Research Center, Mazandaran UMS, Sari, Iran.
  14. 1Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan UMS, Rafsanjan, Iran.
  15. Department of Epidemiology, School of Health, Shiraz UMS, Shiraz, Iran.
  16. Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hearing and Speech Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur UMS, Ahvaz, Iran.
  17. Eye Research Center, Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran UMS, Tehran, Iran.
  18. Department of Pediatrics, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Isfahan UMS, Isfahan, Iran.
  19. Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies, Tehran UMS, Tehran, Iran.
  20. Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tabriz UMS, Tabriz, Iran.
  21. Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
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Abstract

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) account for 76% of deaths in Iran, and this number is on the rise, in parallel with global rates. Many risk factors associated with NCDs are preventable; however, it is first necessary to conduct observational studies to identify relevant risk factors and the most appropriate approach to controlling them. Iran is a multiethnic country; therefore, in 2014 the Ministry of Health and Medical Education launched a nationwide cohort study-Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in Iran (PERSIAN)-in order to identify the most prevalent NCDs among Iran’s ethnic groups and to investigate effective methods of prevention. The PERSIAN study consists of 4 population-based cohorts; the adult component (the PERSIAN Cohort Study), described in this article, is a prospective cohort study including 180,000 persons aged 35-70 years from 18 distinct areas of Iran. Upon joining the cohort, participants respond to interviewer-administered questionnaires. Blood, urine, hair, and nail samples are collected and stored. To ensure consistency, centrally purchased equipment is sent to all sites, and the same team trains all personnel. Routine visits and quality assurance/control measures are taken to ensure protocol adherence. Participants are followed for 15 years postenrollment. The PERSIAN study is currently in the enrollment phase; cohort profiles will soon emerge.

How to Cite

Poustchi H, Eghtesad S, Kamangar F, Etemadi A, Keshtkar AA, Hekmatdoost A, Mohammadi Z, Mahmoudi Z, Shayanrad A, Roozafzai F, Sheikh M, Jalaeikhoo A, Somi MH, Mansour-Ghanaei F, Najafi F, Bahramali E, Mehrparvar A, Ansari-Moghaddam A, Enayati AA, Esmaeili Nadimi A, Rezaianzadeh A, Saki N, Alipour F, Kelishadi R, Rahimi-Movaghar A, Aminisani N, Boffetta P, Malekzadeh R. Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in Iran (the PERSIAN Cohort Study): Rationale, Objectives, and Design. Am J Epidemiol. 2018 Apr 1;187(4):647-655. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwx314. PMID: 29145581; PMCID: PMC6279089.

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Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in Iran (the PERSIAN Cohort Study): Rationale, Objectives, and Design