Holmium: YAG laser intracoproeal lithotripsy in the treatment of middle and upper urinary tract calculi: preliminary report

To evaluate the efficacy of Holmium:YAG laser lithotripsy in treatment of upper urethral and renal calculi, 20 patients with a mean age of 47 years with upper urinary tract calculi [3 renal and 17 ureteric] were treated by Holmium:YAG laser lithotripsy via 7F flexible ureteroscope. The size of stones ranged from 7 to 20 mm [means is 10 + 2 mm]. All patients were followed for three months after treatment. Seventeen [85%] out of 20 patients were stone free at three months follow up. All stones were accessible using 7F flexible ureteroscope. All stones were fragmented regardless of its composition, size or location. No complications were encountered in relation to the procedure or laser fiber

T lymphocyte subpopulation and function in children with shigellosis

This study was carried on sixty-two children aged from 12 to 60 months, attending TABARAK pediatric hospital with acute dysentery [visible blood in the stool and the presence or absence of fever]. Of the 62 children enrolled in this study, 43 had shigella dysentery 1 [S, dysentery] infection and 19 children matched for age and without any infection as control group, [NI; n= 19]. Children with S. dysentery were divided into 3 groups: those who had HUS or leukomoid reactions [complicated shigellosis, CS; n=25], those who developed complications following enrollment [subsequently complicated shigeliosis, SCS; n=6], and those who had no complication [uncomplicated shigellosis, US; n=12]. T lymphocyte subpopulation and function was evaluated for these children

RESULTS showed that children with SCS differed from other groups in as follows: [i] the number of CD3 and CD4 was lower compared to NI children [P<0.05]. [ii] CD4/CD8 ratio was lower compared to US children [PO.05] and NI children [PO.05]. [iii] The level of DTH response was lower than this in children with US [PO.05]. Three to five days after enrollment, the number of CD4 cells increased in children with SCS, The results showed that T lymphocyte phenotypes and function were altered prior to development ofcomplication in children with shigellosis, and once complications develop, the pattern of alteration changes. Whether these alterations have a role in predicting complications or whether they reflect events underlying the development of complications remains to be elucidated

Increased carotid intimal medial thickness in type 2 diabetes: relation to D-dimers

We investigated common carotid artery intimal - medial thickness [CCA-IMT] as an evidence of generalized atherosclerosis and D-dimers plasma concentrations as a measure of fibrinolytic activity, in 30 type 2 diabetic subjects [with no clinical coronary artery disease [CAD] cerebrovascular or peripheral vascular disease] and 15 healthy control subjects. Also the interrelation between CCA-IMT and D-dimers plasma concentrations and their relations with lipid status and blood sugar levels were evaluated. Diabetic subjects had significantly higher CCA-IMT and D-dimers plasma concentrations than control subjects. In diabetic subjects CCA-IMT and D-dimers plasma concentrations were significantly directly correlated with each other [P<0.01] and with FBS. 2 hPPBS, HbA[Ic], duration of diabetes, plasma fibrinogen, serum cholesterol, LDL-C and age of diabetic subjects. Diabetic subjects with better blood sugar control [FBS<140mg/dl] had significantly lower D-dimers plasma concentrations and non significantly less CCA-IMT than those with poor blood sugar control [FBS>140mg/dl]. suggesting that control of hyperglycaemia reduce haemostatic activation significantly. It is concluded that type 2 diabetic subjects without clinical CAD.cerebrovascular or peripheral vascular diseases, have a higher degree of atherosclerosis than normal control. Also this atherosclerosis is associated with enhanced Fibrin deposition and degradation as evidenced by increased D-dimers plasma concentrations. The control of hyperglycaemia and dyslipidemia that accompanies diabetes, possibly reduce or even prevent the progression of intimal medial thickening and will reduce significantly the activation of haemostasis leading to reduction of CAD and stroke risk

Prognostic significance of some immunological parameters in wheezy baby syndrome

This study was carried on 40 infants [with age range from 6 - 20 months] suffering from wheezy chest [group 1] to evaluate some risky factors as predictive parameters for developing future asthma in these infants and to assess the value of two different lines of treatment. Twenty apparently normal infants were included in the study as control group [group 2]. Results showed that serum IgE was significantly high in group 1 before treatment [p < 0.05], IgG and complement fraction [C1q] showed no significant difference from the control [P > 0.05]. Absolute Eosinophilic Count [ABE] and Migration Inhibition Factor [MIF] were significantly high in group 1 [P < 0.05]. Treatment with Sodium Chromoglycate improved the condition better than treatment with Dexamthasone, however total IgE, ABE count and MIF were still higher in patients than normal even after one year follow up. These results suggest that risky factors are useful parameters for assessing wheezy infants and have a predictive value for developing future asthma. Unresponsiveness to treatment could be attributed to genetic factors or other positive family history

Thromboxane biosynthesis and platelet function in type II diabetes mellitus

It has been suggested that platelet hyper-reactivity in patients with diabetes mellitus [D.M.] is associated with increased platelet production of thromboxane. We therefore compared the excretion of thromboxane metabolite and platelet function in 30 patients with diabetes mellitus who had normal renal function and 18 healthy controls. The mean [ +/- SD] excretion rate of urinary 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2 was siginifcantly higher than in the controls [p<0.00/]. Aspirin in low doses [50 mg per day for 7 daye] reduced urinary excretion of the metabolite by approximately 80% in four patients. We concluded that in type l/ diabetes that [i], increased 11-dehydtro-thromboxane B2 excretion reflects enhanced biosynthesis of thromboxane A2 by platelets rather than a shift in its metabolic disposition [ii]. This is likely to reflect in Vivo platelet activation. [iii]. Improved metabolic control as well as low doses aspirin therapy may correct these abnormality in platelet function to a variable extent