Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic Of Iran

en Cardiovascular Diseases among Iranian Hajj Pilgrims from 2012 to 2022: Prevalence, Trends, and Economic Perspective Epidemiology Epidemiology Original Research Original Research     Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent a significant cause of mortality and morbidity globally. One of the primary objectives of medical examinations for Hajj pilgrims is disease screening, which is conducted following stringent guidelines to mitigate mortality and disability among the pilgrims. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, patterns, and associated healthcare services of CVDs among pilgrims from 2012 to 2022.    Methods: This study examined the prevalence of CVDs among Iranian Hajj pilgrims using pooled cross-sectional data, stratified by age, sex, and provinces. Logistic regression modeling was employed to evaluate the influence of various factors on the likelihood of CVDs among the pilgrims.    Results: This study incorporated data from 459,934 Hajj pilgrims. The findings revealed that the mean age of the pilgrims was 55.48 years. The prevalence of CVDs was higher in men (4.25%) compared with women (3.41%), with an overall prevalence of 3.83% among the pilgrims. The peak prevalence was observed in 2018 at 5.18%. The binary logistic regression model indicated that age (odds ratio [OR], 1.067), fasting blood sugar (OR, 1.002), male sex (OR, 0.781), chronic renal failure (OR, 2.262), high blood pressure (OR, 2.742), and diabetes (OR, 1.723) were significantly associated with the probability of having CVDs.    Conclusion: This study represents the most comprehensive investigation into the prevalence and pattern of CVDs among Iranian pilgrims over the past decade, utilizing data from approximately half a million Iranian pilgrims. The results highlight substantial differences in the prevalence of CVDs by age, sex, and their distribution across different provinces. Consequently, screening, diagnosis, and appropriate management by primary care physicians are crucial to prevent adverse disease outcomes and alleviate the economic burden.   Prevalence, Cardiovascular Diseases, Hajj Pilgrims, Iran, Economic 874 882 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-8963-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Pirhossein Kolivand Kolivand@shahed.ac.ir 200319475328460089634 200319475328460089634 No Department of Health Economics, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran Mohammadrafie Khorgami rafikhorgami@gmail.com 200319475328460089635 200319475328460089635 No Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Peyman Saberian 200319475328460089636 200319475328460089636 No Department of Anesthesiology, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Taher Doroudi doroudi@gmail.com 200319475328460089637 200319475328460089637 No Iranian Red Crescent Society, Haj Medical Center, Tehran, Iran Ali Marashi alimarashisurg@gmail.com 200319475328460089638 200319475328460089638 No Iranian Red Crescent Society, Haj Medical Center, Tehran, Iran Masoud Behzadifar masoudbehzadifar@gmail.com 200319475328460089639 200319475328460089639 No Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran Fereshte Karimi fereshtek69@gmail.com 200319475328460089640 200319475328460089640 No Research Center for Health Management in Mass Gathering, Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, Iran Soheila Rajaie so.rajaie1991@gmail.com 200319475328460089641 200319475328460089641 No Research Center for Emergency and Disaster Resilience, Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, Iran Negar Omidi negar.omidi@gmail.com 200319475328460089642 200319475328460089642 No Cardiovascular Disease Research Institute, Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Behzad Raei raeibehzad@gmail.com 200319475328460089643 200319475328460089643 No Department of Health, Safety, and Environment Management, School of Public Health, Zanjan University of Medical Science, Zanjan, Iran Seyed Jafar Ehsanzadeh sehsa0022@gmail.com 200319475328460089644 200319475328460089644 No English Language Department, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Arash Parvari arashparvari72@gmail.com 200319475328460089645 200319475328460089645 No Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Samad Azari Azari.sa@iums.ac.ir 200319475328460089646 200319475328460089646 Yes Hospital Management Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran