Association between ocular trauma and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adult patients

Purpose: To investigate the potential relationship between ocular trauma and attention?deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?related clinical outcomes in adults. Methods: This prospective case?control study included 108 ocular trauma patients and 90 age?sex?matched healthy control. The ocular trauma group was separated into the subgroups home accident, outdoor activity, and work related in terms of the reasons for ocular trauma, and as ocular surface problems, blunt trauma?related, and open globe injury in terms of the clinical findings. The ADHD?related clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Wender?Utah Rating Scale (WURS). The outcomes were compared between ocular trauma and control groups, and ocular trauma subgroups. Results: The demographic characteristics of ocular trauma groups and controls were similar (P > 0.05, for all). In comparison to the control group, the ocular trauma group had higher total WURS score and WURS subscale scores, but not significantly (P > 0.05, for all). According to comparisons of the subgroups separated by the reasons, there was significant difference in the mean behavioral problems/impulsivity scores in favor of outdoor activities (P = 0.015). On the other hand, the mean scores for WURS subscales of the subgroups separated by the clinical findings were similar (P > 0.05, for all). Conclusion: WURS scores in ocular trauma patients are similar to control; however, the score in behavioral problems/impulsivity subscales is higher for ocular trauma caused by outdoor activities

A Low Serum gamma-Glutamyltransferase Level Predicts a Sustained Virological Response in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 1

No abstract available.

Molecular analysis of the spinal muscular atrophy and neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein genes in Saudi patients with spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy [SMA] is a common, often fatal, autosomal recessive disease leading to progressive muscle wasting and paralysis as a result of degeneration of anterior horn cells of the spinal cord. The prevalence of SMA cases in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [KSA] is much higher than the European and North American population. Deletions or mutations in 2 genes, telomeric form of the survival motor neuron [SMN1] and the neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein [NAIP], are known to be associated with SMA. The aim of this study is to examine the deletions or interruptions of the SMN1 and NAIP genes in Saudi patients. The study included 121 Saudi SMA patients [type I [60 patients]; type II [26 patients]; and type III [35 patients]]. The deletions or interruptions of the SMN1 and NAIP genes were detected by using polymerase chain reaction. The study was carried out at the King Fahad National Guard Hospital, Riyadh, K.S.A. between 200 and 2002. The homozygous deletions of exons 7 and 8 of the SMN1 gene were found in 94% and 87% of the patients, Exon 5 of the NAIP gene was deleted in 70%, but its deletion was more frequent in SMA type I [93%] as compared to type II [54%] and type III [43%]. Seven patients with SMA diagnosis did not show any of the above homozygous deletions. All 230 control subjects had at least one copy of both SMN1 and NAIP genes, as expected. Our results demonstrate that the deletion rate [94%] of the SMN1 gene in Saudi SMA patients is similar, irrespective of types, compared with patients of other ethnic groups. We also show that the incidence of NAIP deletion is higher in the more severe SMA cases and the dual deletion of the SMN1 and NAIP genes are more common in Saudi SMA type I patients compared with patients of other ethnic groups