International Journal of Medical Sciences最新文献

{"title":"<i>Transcription factor 7-like 2</i> rs77961654 polymorphism is related to stable angina and acute coronary syndrome in a Chinese population.","authors":"Teng-Hung Yu, Wei-Hua Tang, Thung-Lip Lee, Chin-Feng Hsuan, Chia-Chang Hsu, Chao-Ping Wang, Ching-Ting Wei, Min-Chih Cheng, Fu-Mei Chung, Yau-Jiunn Lee, I-Ting Tsai","doi":"10.7150/ijms.108111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.108111","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) is a key member of the T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor family, and it plays a pivotal role in human physiological processes and has been implicated in various pathological conditions. TCF7L2 has been associated with inflammation, metabolic regulation, and the development of atherosclerosis. Notably, TCF7L2 exerts an anti-atherosclerotic effect by activating specific molecular pathways. Furthermore, <i>TCF7L2</i> polymorphisms have been associated with the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) and related mortality. This study aimed to investigate whether the <i>TCF7L2</i> gene polymorphism rs77961654 A/C influences the risk of CAD. <b>Methods:</b> A total of 262 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), 313 patients with stable angina, and 488 healthy individuals were enrolled. The rs77961654 variant of <i>TCF7L2</i> was genotyped. <b>Results:</b> The frequency of the CC genotype of <i>TCF7L2</i> was higher in the stable angina and ACS groups compared to the healthy controls. After adjusting for confounding factors including age, sex, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and smoking status, the CC genotype was associated with 10.46-fold and 8.00-fold higher risks of ACS and stable angina, respectively, than the AA genotype. In addition, the CC genotype was positively correlated with both stable angina and ACS, while the AA genotype was negatively correlated with ACS. Furthermore, the patients with stable angina or ACS carrying the CC genotype had significantly elevated levels of HbA1C, total white blood cell count, and lymphocyte count, and lower levels of adiponectin and secreted frizzled-related protein 5 compared to those with the AA genotype. A significant association was also identified between <i>TCF7L2</i> gene polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus (p for trend < 0.039). <b>Conclusion:</b> Polymorphisms in the <i>TCF7L2</i> gene may be associated with a higher risk of stable angina and ACS.</p>","PeriodicalId":14031,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"22 9","pages":"2020-2030"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12035845/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143994562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bacterial exotoxins in medicine: potential value and perspectives.","authors":"Yuming Xiao, Zhou Yan, Fangyuan Ren, Yurong Tan","doi":"10.7150/ijms.110104","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.110104","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bacterial exotoxins are protein- or peptide-based substances secreted by bacteria with high toxicity and specificity. They have diverse mechanisms of action on host cells, leading to host injury by destroying the cellular structure or interfering with physiological functions. With the continuous progress in biotechnology, bacterial exotoxins have broad application prospects in immunotherapy, vaccine development, drug design, and other fields. Appropriate modification of exotoxins can lead to the preparation of highly efficient immune agents and targeted drugs, which brings new hope for overcoming difficult diseases. This study provides a comprehensive and in-depth introduction to the application of bacterial exotoxins in the field of medicine and further explores the potential value of bacterial exotoxins, which is expected to make greater contributions to human health in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":14031,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"22 9","pages":"2010-2019"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12035837/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143995833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"RNA-binding proteins as a molecular link between COPD and pulmonary hypertension.","authors":"Yi Liu, Ran Wang, Tao Jiang","doi":"10.7150/ijms.108587","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.108587","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a vascular disease characterized by remodeling of the pulmonary arteries and right heart failure. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients often have PH, which can worsen symptoms and raise morbidity and mortality. There are several reasons for increased pulmonary vascular resistance, pulmonary vascular remodeling, and ultimately the development of PH in COPD. These factors include genetics, inflammation caused by chemicals breathed, and changes in the alveoli seen in COPD and its physiology. Genes involved in mRNA conversion, subcellular localization, splicing, and translation are all finely tuned by RBPs in their post-transcriptional regulation. Erythropoietin regulates cytokines, chemokines, proteins, growth factors, and other pro-inflammatory mediators that change the lung microenvironment. Over the past few years, we have learned more about how RBPs act in PH and COPD. Here, we discuss the existing understanding of RBPs' location in the same pathogenic pathways shared by PH and COPD in order to emphasize their potential relevance as disease determinant/biomarker and, consequently, for possible therapeutic targeting.</p>","PeriodicalId":14031,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"22 8","pages":"1979-1991"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11983306/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143995837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Solute Carrier Family 35 A2 (SLC35A2) Promotes Tumor Progression through MYC-Mediated Pathways in Colorectal Cancer.","authors":"Kuei-Yen Tsai, Po-Li Wei, Cheng-Chin Lee, Crystal Ngofi Zumbi, G M Shazzad Hossain Prince, Uyanga Batzorig, Chien-Yu Huang, Yu-Jia Chang","doi":"10.7150/ijms.109767","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.109767","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent cancers, posing a significant threat to human life. Although therapeutic approaches for advanced-stage patients have improved in recent years, there is still room for enhancing treatment response. Recent evidence suggests that dysregulation of nucleotide sugar transporters (NSTs) is associated with the development and progression of tumors. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential therapeutic and prognostic implications of the solute carrier family 35 A (SLC35A) members in CRC. To achieve this, we performed integrative bioinformatics analysis using various publicly available databases, including GENT2, TCGA, UALCAN, cBioPortal, Kaplan-Meier plotter, The ROC plotter, GDSC, TISIDB, and TIMER. We compared gene expression profiles between CRC tumors and adjacent normal tissues, revealing that only SLC35A2 exhibited significant upregulation in tumors, while the other family members were downregulated. Additionally, higher SLC35A2 expression was found in microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal tumors. Further analysis of TCGA and GEO datasets showed that patients with high SLC35A2 expression experienced poorer relapse-free survival. Next, we conducted gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and the results indicated that the upregulation of SLC35A2 is linked to cellular metabolism pathways, such as MYC Targets V2, Steroid Biosynthesis, Pentose Phosphate Pathway, and TCA Cycle. Furthermore, our CRC cell models revealed the tumor-promoting role of SLC35A2 and discovered that the upregulation of SLC35A2 is associated with chemoresistance against irinotecan. Additionally, we observed a negative correlation between SLC35A2 expression and the infiltration of immune cells, particularly cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and B cells. This suggests the immunomodulatory role of SLC35A2. In summary, SLC35A2 is abnormally upregulated in CRC, and patients with high SLC35A2 expression tend to have poor relapse-free survival. This may be due to its involvement in regulating cancer cell metabolic reprogramming, promoting tumor progression, modulating the immune landscape, and influencing treatment response. Consequently, SLC35A2 could serve as a significant prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target in CRC.</p>","PeriodicalId":14031,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"22 9","pages":"1992-2009"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12035830/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143984988","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Erratum: Overexpression of ATAD2 indicates Poor Prognosis in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Erratum.","authors":"Xiao-Long Wang, Shuo Wang, Zhi-Zhong Wu, Qi-Chao Yang, Hao Li, Hong-Gang Xiong, Shu-Cheng Wan, Zhi-Jun Sun","doi":"10.7150/ijms.112159","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.112159","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7150/ijms.46809.].</p>","PeriodicalId":14031,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"22 8","pages":"1978"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11983315/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143980430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating Single-Cell and Bulk RNA Sequencing Data to Explore Sphingolipid Metabolism Molecular Signatures in Ovarian Cancer Prognosis: an Original Study.","authors":"Xu Huang, Xiaoyu Li, Wulin Shan, Yingyu Dou, Qiongli Yu, Yao Chen, Zengying Wang, Haomin Zhang, Yumeng Wang, Xiaofei Lu, Wenju Peng, Bairong Xia","doi":"10.7150/ijms.107391","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.107391","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Ovarian cancer (OC) is the deadliest malignant tumor in the female reproductive system. Sphingolipid metabolism (SM) is crucial for cellular function and has been linked to OC progression. Dysregulation of sphingolipid pathways contributes to tumor growth, chemoresistance, and metastasis in OC. Currently, investigations into the relationship between sphingolipid-related genes (SRGs) and OC prognosis in their initial stages. Our study aimed to develop a novel molecular subtyping based on SRGs and construct a signature to predict the prognosis of patients with OC, immune cell infiltration characteristics, and chemotherapy sensitivity. <b>Methods:</b> Bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing data of OC was analyzed primarily from the TCGA and GEO databases. The gene set related to the sphingolipid pathway (hsa00600) was selected from the SM pathway, and the enrichment of SRGs was analyzed in the annotated single-cell sequencing data. The Scanpy function was used to score the gene features of each cell and further identify differentially expressed genes. By intersecting with the genes most closely related to SM activity identified through Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) based on bulk RNA sequencing data, and after performing univariate COX, multivariate COX and LASSO regression, three SRGs were identified. Subsequently, the SRGs-related prognostic signature was constructed. The analysis was further extended to clinical feature correlation, GSEA, tumor microenvironment (TME) analysis and chemotherapy sensitivity analysis. Finally, the expression and function of the key gene GBP5 in the model were validated through <i>in vitro</i> experiments. <b>Results:</b> Compared to other sites, SRG scores were highest in ascites, and among different cell types, SRG scores were highest in T cells. By integrating scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq analysis, three SRGs (C5AR1, GBP5, and MARCHF3) were ultimately selected to develop a prognostic model for SRGs. In this model, patients with higher risk scores had shorter overall survival, which was validated in the testing cohort. Immune infiltration analysis revealed that the risk score was negatively correlated with the abundance of CD8+ T cell infiltration and positively correlated with the abundance of M2 macrophage infiltration. Chemotherapy sensitivity analysis showed that the high-risk group exhibited increased resistance to Oxaliplatin, Gemcitabine, and Sorafenib. <i>In vitro</i>, we demonstrated that knockdown of the protective gene GBP5 in HEYA8 and SKOV3 cells enhanced cell viability, proliferation, and invasiveness, reduced apoptosis, and increased IC50 values for chemotherapy drugs. <b>Conclusion:</b> Our model effectively identifies high-risk patients and provides a reference for prognosis prediction using SRG signature. Moreover, hub gene GBP5 acts as a tumor inhibitory factor and regulates the chemosensitivity of oxaliplatin, gemcitabine, and sorafenib in OC.</p>","PeriodicalId":14031,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"22 8","pages":"1958-1977"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11983299/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144009576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How telomere maintenance affects endometriosis development: a preliminary study.","authors":"Xiaoling Zhao, Weimin Kong, Dan Luo, Yunkai Xie, He Zhang","doi":"10.7150/ijms.102646","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.102646","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Endometriosis results in dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain and infertility in reproductive-age women. However, no effective treatment methods have been applied to the disease, and the pathogenesis of endometriosis is unclear. <b>Purpose:</b> This study was performed to investigate the association between telomere maintenance and endometriosis development. <b>Materials and methods:</b> The telomere length of the postmenopausal endometria, eutopic endometria and their matched ectopic lesions in the proliferative and secretory phases was detected using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) methods, and the effect of telomere length maintenance on the proliferation of endometrial cells derived from endometriotic patients was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay with BIBR1532 treatment. Then all of the telomere maintenance genes were extracted from the Telnet database, and bioinformatics analysis was performed to uncover the role of telomere maintenance genes in endometriosis development. <b>Results:</b> Telomere length was longer in endometriotic patients' eutopic endometria during the proliferative and secretory phases, and treatment with a telomerase inhibitor inhibited the proliferation of epithelial cells and stromal cells. Furthermore, the telomere maintenance genes were enriched in several hormone-related pathways, with several genes differentially expressed between normal endometria and endometria derived from endometriotic patients. The nomogram constructed based on telomere maintenance genes also displayed good predictive value. <b>Conclusions:</b> Telomere maintenance may contribute to the development of endometriosis, with several related genes involved.</p>","PeriodicalId":14031,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"22 8","pages":"1944-1957"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11983314/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143992532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hematological parameters and major adverse cardiovascular events: a prospective study in a Chinese population involving 2,970 participants.","authors":"Hongna Mu, Xinyue Wang, Xianghui Zhao, Ruiyue Yang, Wenduo Zhang, Hongxia Li, Siming Wang, Fusui Ji, Wenxiang Chen, Jun Dong, Xue Yu","doi":"10.7150/ijms.104118","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.104118","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hematological parameters are among the most accessible and routinely performed clinical tests. Recent studies have gradually revealed their potential for risk prediction. This study aimed to assess the association between hematological parameters and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with coronary artery disease. This prospective study included 2,970 Chinese participants who underwent coronary angiography, with hematological and biochemical indicators measured at baseline. MACEs, comprising myocardial infarction, stroke, revascularization, and all-cause mortality, were recorded during follow-up. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between the hematological parameters and MACEs. Over a median follow-up period of 79 months, 474 MACEs were documented. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the participants with lower levels of RBC, PLT, PCT, LYMPH% and BASO%, as well as higher RDW-CV, RDW-SD, MONO% and NEUT%, exhibited reduced survival probability. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified elevated RDW-CV as a significant risk factor for MACE (T3 HR, 1.292; 95% CI, 1.013-1.647; <i>P</i>=0.039), while lower BASO% demonstrated a protective effect (T3 HR, 0.750, 95 % CI: 0.591-0.953; <i>P</i>=0.018). LYMPH% also showed a significant association with MACEs. Additionally, nonlinear correlations were observed between PLT and PCT and MACEs. In conclusion, RDW-CV, BASO%, PLT, PCT and LYMPH% were closely associated with MACEs and may serve as potential predictors for cardiovascular risk in patients with coronary artery disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":14031,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"22 8","pages":"1924-1935"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11983297/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144005344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"FBXW2 inhibits the progression of gastric cancer via promoting β-catenin ubiquitylation.","authors":"Yanshen Kuang, Mu Ke, Weizheng Liu, Fengming Xu","doi":"10.7150/ijms.108501","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.108501","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> F-box and WD-repeat-containing protein 2 (FBXW2), an E3 ubiquitin ligase, may play a crucial role in tumorigenesis. However, its function in gastric cancer remains unknown. <b>Methods:</b> The expression levels of FBXW2 and β-catenin in gastric cancer samples were analyzed using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, with Pearson correlation analysis to assess their relationship. AGS and HGC-27 gastric cancer cells were transfected with sh-FBXW2, and their viability was evaluated using the CCK8 assay, while invasion ability was assessed via the transwell assay. Western blotting was performed to measure the expression levels of FBXW2, β-catenin, GSK3β, and Axin2 in AGS cells. Additionally, a ubiquitination assay was conducted to examine the effect of sh-FBXW2 on β-catenin ubiquitination. Immunoprecipitation was used to determine the potential interaction between FBXW2 and β-catenin. <b>Results:</b> FBXW2 expression was downregulated, whereas β-catenin expression was upregulated in gastric cancer tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues, showing a significant negative correlation (<i>r</i> = -0.52, <i>P</i> < 0.001). Knockdown of FBXW2 (sh-FBXW2) promoted gastric cancer cell viability and invasion while increasing β-catenin expression and reducing GSK3β and Axin2 levels. Furthermore, FBXW2 was found to bind β-catenin and facilitate its ubiquitination, leading to enhanced nuclear translocation of β-catenin. <b>Conclusions:</b> FBXW2 suppresses gastric cancer progression by promoting β-catenin ubiquitination, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target.</p>","PeriodicalId":14031,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"22 8","pages":"1936-1943"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11983310/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143986512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predictors of the Fear of COVID-19 in Individuals with Schizophrenia: a Prospective Study.","authors":"Cheng-Fang Yen, Ching-Shu Tsai, Chien-Wen Lin, Ray C Hsiao, Peng-Wei Wang","doi":"10.7150/ijms.106953","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7150/ijms.106953","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Purpose:</b> The fear of COVID-19 can result in psychological distress and mental health problems. Individuals with schizophrenia (IWSs) are especially vulnerable to contracting COVID-19. This study with a 1-year follow-up examined whether individual characteristics (sociodemographic characteristics, schizophrenia symptoms, depression, and self-esteem) or factors related to individual-environmental interaction (self-stigma, loneliness, and perceived social support) predicted the level of fear of COVID-19 (FC) among IWSs. <b>Patients and methods:</b> In total, 257 IWSs (out of an initial pool of 300 IWSs) were enrolled, and their baseline data were collected. FC was assessed using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale at 1 year after the onset of the study. The associations of baseline factors with FC 1 year later were analyzed using bivariable and multiple linear regression analysis. <b>Results:</b> Bivariable linear regression results demonstrated that being a woman (<i>p</i> < 0.05), being unemployed (<i>p</i> < 0.05), having depression (<i>p</i> < 0.001), having low self-esteem (<i>p</i> < 0.05), experiencing loneliness (<i>p</i> < 0.01), and having feelings of self-stigma (<i>p</i> < 0.001) significantly predicted FC 1 year later. A multiple linear regression model further indicated that having feelings of self-stigma significantly predicted FC 1 year later (<i>p</i> < 0.01). <b>Conclusion:</b> Clinicians and policymakers should consider the predictors identified in this study when designing interventions to reduce FC among IWSs.</p>","PeriodicalId":14031,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"22 8","pages":"1916-1923"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11983312/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144028258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}