Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency among male blood donors in Sana'a City, Yemen

To determine the prevalence of Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase [G-6-PD] deficiency among Yemeni people from different regions of the country living in the capital city, Sana'a, giving an indication of its overall prevalence in Yemen. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Yemeni male blood donors attending the Department of Blood Bank at the National Centre of the Public Health Laboratories in the capital city, Sana'a, Yemen. Fluorescent spot method was used for screening, spectrophotometeric estimation of G-6-PD activity and separation by electrophoresis was done to determine the G-6-PD phenotype. Of the total 508 male blood donors recruited into the study, 36 were G-6-PD deficient, giving a likely G-6-PD deficiency prevalence of 7.1%. None of these deficient donors had history of anemia or jaundice. Thirty-five of these deficient cases [97.2%] showed severe G-6-PD deficiency class II [<10% of normal activity], and their phenotyping presumptively revealed a G-6-PD-Mediterranean variant. The results showed a significant presence of G-6-PD deficiency with predominance of a severe G-6-PD deficiency type in these blood donors in Sana'a City, which could represent an important health problem through occurrence of hemolytic anemia under oxidative stress. A larger sample size is needed to determine the overall prevalence of G-6-PD deficiency, and should be extended to include DNA analysis to identify its variants in Yemen

Diagnostic value of urinary CK-20 RNA and VEGF in bladder cancer

The present study was carried out to evaluate the diagnostic value of urinary cytokeratin 20 [CK-20] RNA and vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] in comparison with urine cytology in the detection of bladder cancer. This study included 80 patients with bladder cancer, 20 patients with bilharzial bladder lesions and 20 normal volunteers as control group. CK-20 RNA in urine sediment was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]. VEGF in urine supernatant was detected by ELISA and confirmed by western blotting [WB]. The median value of VEGF and positivity rates of both VEGF and CK-20 in bladder cancer group was significantly higher as compared to benign bladder lesions group and normal control group. There was no significant association between the postivity rates of CK-20 and VEGF with any of the clinicopathological factors except a significant positive association between VEGF positivity and clinical stage. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value were; 66.25%, 92.5%, 94.46%, 57.81% for VEGF, 65.2%, 70%, 80.65%. This article was taken from Ph.D thesis submitted by Ekram Fadl Al-Eryani To: Faculty of Medicine-Ain Shams University. 2005 48.28% for voided urine cytology, and 83.7%, 100%, 100%, 75.47% for CK-20 respectively. Combined sensitivity of cytology, VEGF andCK-20 RNA reached [96.25%] and was higher than the combined sensitivity of cytology and VEGF [90%], or cytology and CK-20 RNA [92.5%], or VEGF and CK-20 [91.25%]. These results indicate that VEGF can be quantitively measured in urine of bladder cancer patients, and its combined use with cytology increases its sensitivity

Environmental lead and its impacts on children's health in Sana'a City, Republic of Yemen: a pilot study

The aim of this study is to investigate or uncover the status of anthropogenic Lead in Sana'a city, as a pilot study area and its impacts on children's health. Thirty soil samples were collected from least undisturbed surfaces in study area, sieved to 63 microns, digested by hydrochloric acid and the supernatant were analyzed for lead using the Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer [AAS] available in the Geological Survey Authority in Sana'a, Additionally, forty tap-water samples were collected from the homes of 40 children residing in the pilot study area and were analyzed for lead using the same facility. Furthermore, whole blood samples were obtained by venipuncture from the same 40 children [aged 2-6 years], and were analyzed for hemoglobin and plasma blood lead levels [PBLL] using the same facility. The results of blood, soil and water analyses indicate generally high lead contents in most samples compared to the standard international values and the values of reference samples. The high levels of lead in the samples may be attributed to lead pollution in the area as a result of mainly vehicles emissions and burning of leaded gasoline, besides other sources

Assessment of Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha and alpha-fetoprotein in HCV-related chronic liver disease patients

This study included two groups of HCV-related chronic liver disease [CLD] patients, 30 patients with compensated CLD, 30 patients with decompensated CLD in addition to 20 apparently healthy individuals who served as controls. For all the subjects, the following tests were done; complete history, clinical examination hemoglobin concentration and platelet count, liver function tests [LFTs], TNF-alpha and AFP. TNF-alpha and AFP measurement was done employing state-of-the-art solid-phase two-site chemiluminescent enzyme immunometric assay automated analyzer [immulite]. The study showed that there was significant elevation of TNF-alpha level in HCV-related CLD group in comparison to control subjects. However, no significant differences were observed between compensated and decompensate CLD groups. There was also a significant elevation of serum AFP levels in HCV-related CLD groups in comparison to control subjects. However, no significant differences were observed between compensated and decompensate CLD groups. A significant inverse correlation was found between serum albumin and serum TNF-alpha in compensated CLD group, also a significant direct correlation was found between serum ALP and serum TNF-alpha in decompensate CLD group. However, no correlation was found between serum TNF-alpha and any other assayed parameters including AFP