Study of serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels in Egyptian autistic children

Background: Autism is a behaviorally defined neurodevelopmental disorder of unknown etiology

Objective: To assess serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels in Egyptian autistic children patients

Subjects and methods: 40 participants have been subjected to thorough history taking, complete clinical examination, IQ assessment, estimation of serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels

Results: A statistically significant difference was found between patients and controls as regards stereotypic movements, absent eye contact, delayed motor development, delayed speech and IQ [p < 0.01 for each item]. Mean level of copper was significantly higher in patients than in controls [P < 0.001], also mean level of ceruloplasmin was significantly higher in patients than controls [P = 0.009]

Conclusion: Serum copper level may have a role in the pathogenesis of autism

Interleukin-2 receptor, tumor necrosis factor alpha and immunoglobulins in children with minimal change lesion nephrotic syndrome [MCNS]

As minimal change nephrotic syndrome is believed to be an autoimmune disease in which activated T-lymphocytes are concerned with a role for both humoral and cell mediated immunity in the induction of glomerular injury. Study of soluble interleukin-2 receptor and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-] [two important cytokines associated in the regulation of the immune response] and correlation of their levels with serum IgG, IgM, and IgA concentrations as well as indicators of nephrotic syndrome was evaluated in this work. The study was conducted on 30 children with minimal changes nephrotic syndrome [MCNS] [16 on remission state and 14 in relapse state] and 10 healthy children as comparable controls. Those 30 cases of minimal change nephrotic syndrome were chosen from 46 nephrotic cases admitted to pediatric department of Benha University hospital. Diagnosis of MCNS, based on steroid responsiveness and results of renal biopsy as 16 cases were proved to be lesions other than minimal change and were excluded from the study. Significant low levels of IgG and IgA while, significant rise of IgM levels were found in nephrotic patients either in the remission or the relapse state compared to the controls. Also, mean SIL-2R and TNF- levels were significantly increased in the relapse state but were non significantly increased in the remission state in comparison to healthy controls. Moreover, SIL-2R and TNF-levels were negatively correlated to the age of patients, indicators of nephrotic syndrome [blood proteins and serum albumin] and serum concentrations of IgG, IgA and IgM. It was concluded that elevated levels of these cytokines can result in induction of glomerular injury and so they may play a critical role in the pat ho genesis of minimal change nephrotic syndrome. Thus, they can be used as new markers in the diagnosis and to judge prognosis of the disease

Immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccine in term and preterm infants

The study was conducted on 60 infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] negative mothers. Their gestational age ranged from 32 to 40 weeks [36 +/- 2.8] and their birth weight ranged from 1250 to 3800 gm [X2345 +/- 885]. Assessment of the seroprotection of these infants after hepatitis B virus [HBV] vaccination [at 2, 4 and 6 months of age] and its relation to prematurity, birth weight and medical problems as respiratory distress syndrome [RDS], blood transfusion, steriod treatment and sepsis, on seroconversion was done, anti-HBs antibody levels were measured one month after the third dose of vaccine [at 7 months of age]. Hepatitis B seroprotection could be obtained in 100% of infants with birth weight of 1500 gm or more. Very low birth weight [VLBW] infants [< 1500 gm] seroprotection was 3 7.5% which is unacceptably high due to severe immaturity of the immune system. Lower gestational age, sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome [RDS], treatment with steroids or infants who had a history of blood transfusion were associated with poor seroprotection rates [33.32%, 33.3%, 66.7%, 66.6% and 66.7% respectively]. It may be concluded that, premature infants of birth weight < 1500 gm, and who suffered from RDS, sepsis, received blood transfusion or had been treated with steroids, their anti-HBs antibody level must be checked after the age of 7 months to decide if they are in need of a booster dose of HBV vaccine or not