Assessment of the effect of long term in halation of corticosteroids [ICS] for asthma control in children on fat distribution and bone density

Background: Inhaled corticosteroid [ICS] are the most effective ami inflammatory medication for the treatment of persistent asthma

Objective: To assess the effect of long tenn inhalation of corticosteroid [ICS] for asthma control in children on body fat distribution and bone density

Patients: The study included 120 children aged [5- 10] years, they were classified into 3 groups. Group I, 40 moderately asthmatic children on low doses of [ICS]. Group II, 40 severely asthmatic children on medium to high doses of [ISC]. Group I and II comprised the patients group that were collected from allergy outpatient clinic of children hospital, Cairo university from the period between September 2016 and April 2017. Group III, 40 healthy control children of comparable age and sex

Methods: All children were subjected full history, clinical examination radiological studies, anthropometric measurements [weight, height mid upper arm, waist and hip circumference] as well as bone mineral density [BMD] assessed by The body mass index [BM1] was also calculated Dexa [Duel Energy X ray Absorptiometry] at lumber spines L2- L4 levels

Results: There is no significant difference in anthropometric measurements including body fat distribution as well as BMD in all studied groups, A positive correlation was found between BMD, duration of illness, dose of ICS, asthma symptoms and anthropometric measurements

Glutathione S-transferase gene with susceptibility to juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Introduction: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis [JIA] is a chronic autoimmune disease of unclear etiology. It is the most common inflammatory arthritis worldwide with major individual and health service coast. GSTs play important roles in detoxification mechanisms. It is known to be polymorphic and the presence of polymorphisms has been implicated in susceptibility of JIA

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the association between GST gene and susceptibility to JIA

Subjects and methods: 40 patients with JIA and 40 apparently healthy controls matched with age and sex were genotyped using allelic discrimination by PCR

Results: the frequency of GSTM1 null genotype polymorphism was significantly higher in JIA patients than in controls [OR= 0.4, CI= 0.16-0.98, P= 0.04]. No significant association was found regarding GSTT1 null gene polymorphisms in JIA patients [OR= 0.417, CI- 0.15- 1.13, P= 0.8]. GSTMlnuII gene polymorphism is more prevalent in females than males [P= 0.004], whereas no significant association was found in GSTT1 gene polymorphism [p= 0.4]

Conclusion: Higher frequency of GSTMI null genotype polymorphism in patients of JIA suggesting that it might be associated with susceptibility of JIA, severity and outcome. GSTTI null gene polymorphism had no association with JIA susceptibility

Study of auditory brain stem latencies and peripheral neuroconductivity in childhood diabetes

This study included 32 diabetic children, in addition to 20 healthy children served as a control group. The aim of this study was to evaluate the central and the peripheral neuroconductive affection in children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [IDDM] and to assess their importance as predictors of early neuropathy. All children were subjected to thorough clinical examination. They were investigated for blood glucose, serum glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c], serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen [BUN] levels. They were also subjected to estimation of distal latencies of the median and ulnar nerves bilaterally as well as brain stem auditory evoked potentials [BAEP] recording. Results showed that type I diabetes was associated with prolonged auditory brainstem latencies [62.5% of patients]. Most of them [85%] had no clinical manifestations indicating subclinical central diabetic neuropathy. Metabolic control age of the patient and duration of the disease had no relationship with prolonged BAEP latencies. There was a significant increase in the distal latencies of both median and ulnar nerves in diabetic children as compared to the controls. At least one electrophysiological abnormality was found in 81% of patients. Asymptomatic peripheral neuropathy was found in 27% of patients. Neuropathic diabetic children had significantly higher values of serum glucose and HbAlc than the non-neuropathic patients. There was also a significant increase in the age and duration of illness in the former group than the latter one