noninvasive index for diagnosing fibrosis and/or cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Chronic hepatitis C is one of the most prevalent infectious hepatic diseases in our locality. Histological examination of the liver is an integral part of the evaluation of patients with chronic hepatitis C. There are many non invasive approachs to assess the degree of liver fibrosis and/or cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis C patients. to construct one simple model consisting of routine laboratory data to predict both significant fibrosis and cirrhosis among patients with chronic hepatitis C. A total of 32 patients with positive hepatitis C virus [HCV] antibodies. All were subjected to thorough clinical evaluation, liver function tests, abdominal ultrasonography and liver biopsy with grading of hepatic fibrosis and steatosis. Platelet count and Aspartate amino transferase [AST] were the most important predictors of significant fibrosis and cirrhosis. The severity of liver fibrosis has correlated significantly with the gradual increase of AST level [P<0.001] as well as the decrease of platelet count [P=0.001]. AST to platelet ratio index [APRI] has correlated significantly with the stage of fibrosis. This index had a higher correlation coefficient than platelet count or AST level alone

Helicobacter pylon infection and recurrent abdominal pain in Egyptian children

Helicobacter pylon infection is primarily acquired in childhood. However, the association between H. pylon infection and recurrent abdominal pain [RAP] remains unclear. One hundred and forty-one children with and 21 without RAP underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. At least five antral gastric biopsies were obtained from each patient and the presence of H, pylon infection was accepted when at least two out of four tests [histology, direct antral smear, culture, and rapid urease test] were positive. Patients with H. pylori infection underwent triple therapy with omeprazole, clarithromycin, and metronidazole. Eighty-five out of 141 [60.3%] patients with RAP were H. pylon positive whereas 5 out of 21[20.8%] patients without RAP were [p=.005]. Symptoms were disappeared in 87% of children whose H. pylon infection was eradicated compared with 41% of those in whom the infection was not eradicated [p=.005]. It was concluded that children with RAP and H. Pylori infection appear to benefit from eradication therapy

Serum interleukin-8 levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C: correlation with histological activity index

Interleukin-8 [IL-8] is a proin Immatory chemokine that induces trafficking of neutrophils across the vascular wall Its release is triggered by inflammatory signals from a large variety of cells including monocytes, rnacrophages, Kupffer cells and hepatocytes. Our aim is to study the IL-8 levels in the serum of patients with chronic hepatitis C [HCV-CH] and whether these levels could be correlated with histological activity index [HAl]. The study included 20 patients with HCV-CH [all +ve for anti-HCV antibodies and RT-PCR] were selected from Mansoura University Hospital [Medical Outpatient Clinic]. All were subjected to thorough history taking, physical examination, routine laboratory investigations, IL-8 levels [measured with commercial ELISA systems], abdominal ultrasound and liver biopsy for HAl according to the grading and staging system of ihak et al. 1995. 10 healthy subjects with equally-matched age and sex were selected as a control group for serum IL-8 levels. IL-8 was significantly elevated in HCV-CH versus control [91.2 +/- 31.38 pg/ml versus 5.77 +/- 1.17 pg/mI]. This elevation correlates with serum bilirubin [r = 0.769, p = 0.01]. ALT [r = 0.764, p = 0.01], and AST [r = 0.620, p = 0.01], It also correlates with HAI grade [r = 0.816, p = 0.01] but not HAI stage [r = 0.108, p = 0.649]. Serum IL-B levels could be considered as a measure of the severity of HCV-CH [significant correlation with HAI grade] but -not the disease progression [insignificant correlation with HAI stage]