Tumor necrosis factor-alpha -308G/A polymorphism and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C virus-infected patients / 癌症

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is an important cytokine in generating an immune response against infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The functions of TNF-α may be altered by single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in its gene structure. We hypothesized that SNPs in TNF-α may be important in determining the outcome of an HCV infection. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the role of the polymorphism -308G/A, which is located in the promoter region of the TNF-α gene, in the progression of HCV infection in Egyptian patients using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The distribution of this polymorphism and its impact on the serum level of TNF-α was compared between 90 HCV-infected patients [45 with HCV-induced cirrhosis and 45 with HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)] and 45 healthy Egyptian volunteers without any history of liver disease. Our results showed that at the TNF-α -308 position, the G/G allele was most common (78.5%) in the study population, with the G/A and A/A alleles occurring less frequently (13.3% and 8.1%, respectively). Frequencies of G/G, G/A, and A/A genotypes were 87%, 7%, and 6% in patients with liver cirrhosis and were 94%, 4%, and 2% in patients with HCC, respectively. Serum levels of TNF-α were significantly higher in HCV-infected patients than in healthy controls, indicating that the TNF-α -308 polymorphism does not influence the production of TNF-α. The serum level of TNF-α was positively correlated with HCV infection. Taken together, these findings suggest that the TNF-α -308 polymorphism may not be a host genetic factor associated with the severity of HCV infection, but may be an independent risk factor for HCC.

Causes and outcome of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in emergency endoscopy unit of Ain Shams University Hospital

This prospective follow-up study was designed to analyze the causes and outcome of upper gastrointestinal bleeding among patients presenting by hematemesis and/or melena to Emergency Endoscopy Unit, Ain Shams University Hospitals. One thousand patients presented by upper GIT bleeding were subjected to complete clinical evaluation, emergency upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and therapeutic interventions as indicated. Follow up was done for occurrence of re-bleeding or mortality. Variceal causes of bleeding were the most common, representing 70.1% followed by non-variceal causes [26.1%] and obscure causes [3.8%]. Esophageal varices [EV] alone represented 17.8% of causes of variceal bleeding, while combined esophageal and gastric varices represented 39.5% and isolated gastric varices 12.8%. Gastric lesions were the most common causes of non variceal bleeding. Recurrence of bleeding occurred in 19.4% of variceal group in comparison to 6.1% of non variceal group, while mortality was found in 4.3% of variceal group in comparison to 1.5% of non variceal group with very highly significant difference [P <0.001]. Hypertension, ascites, EV columns, EV grade IV, presence of gastric varices and associated respiratory disorder were independent factors as-sociated with recurrence of bleeding in variceai group. In non variceal group, recurrence of bleeding was significantly related only to the presence of gastric ulcers [P=0.035]. Independent factors associated with mortality in studied patients were age, associated diabetes, presence of esophageal varices and associated duodenal ulcer