Apoptosis and oxidative stress in b thalassemia major in children

In B thalassemia the synthesis of beta globin chains is decreased .This interferes with the assembly of normal Hb A,. Recently apoptosis has been noted to play a central role in regulation of hemopieosis. Excess iron could generate reactive oxygen species [ROS] that may be involved in turn in lie damage of cellular compartment adding to apoptosis . The aim of this work is to study apoptosis and oxidative stress in B thalassemia major in children and their relationship to the severity of the disease and to the use of chelation . A cross sectional study of 56 patients with B thalassemia major aged 8 M -13 y as well as 10 apparently healthy age and sex- matched control . Beside full history and examination all patients and controls had the following investigations done Hb, serum ferritin, ALT, AST, ALP, FAS, TBARS and DNA damage measurement. Correlation studies showed that fas and TBARS showed significant negative correlation with Hb and significant positive correlation with ferritin . Newly diagnosed patients [First admission] showed significantly less severe DNA damage than recurrent cases . Chelated patients scored significantly better lhan non chelated patients . Patients on chelation showed significant better outcome regarding apoptosis and oxidative stress, therefore we must be ready with early chelation in all B thalassemia cases

Study of significance of immunethrombocytopenia and platelet associated IgG in patients with chronic hepatitis Cand patients with liver cirrhosis

Background: Chronic hepatitis C virus infection are often associated with extra hepatic imrnunological manifestations including various autoimmune disorders . The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of immune thrombocytopenia and platelet associated IgG in patients with chronic hepatitis C and patients with liver cirrhosis .Forty patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection were chosen for this study . They were divided according to platelet cotmt into thrombocytopenic group and non thrombocytopenic group matched for age and sex .all patients were subjected to liver function tests , renal function tests , complete blood picture, bone marrow biopsy ,abdominal ultrasonography , liver biopsy with histopathological examination and platelet Ig G assay[PA Ig G]

Results: PA IgG was significantly high in thrombocytopenic group [15 out of 20 ; 75%] compared with non thrombocytopenic group [3 out of 20 ,15%][p< 0.01] . Moreover , in the thrombocytopenic group,when we compared PAIgG and child's grades we found that PAIgG was significantly high in patients with child's C grade [6 out- of 6 100%], when compared to child's B'[4 out of 7 ; 57%], and those with child's A [0 out of 7Also PAIgG was significantly high in patients with child's B when compared with those with child's A grade[p<0.05]. As regards histopathology index , we found that in the thrombocytopenic group , PAIgG was significantly high in patients with liver cirrhosis [8. out of 10;.80%] compared with chronic active hepatitis[2 out of 10 ;20%][p< 0.01]. Moreover , we found that histopathological activity index was significantly high in the thrombocytopenic group [9.1+ 2.5] comparing with non-thrombocytopenic group [7.35 +2.5][p,0.05] . Also fibrosis stage was significantly high in the thrombocytopenic group [2.5+0.96] , comparing to non thrombocytopenic group [2.05+0.876][p< 0.05]. the study

Concluded: that It is vitally important not to immediately conclude that the thrombocytopenia encountered in patients with chronic hepatitis C indicates cirrhosis with portal hypertension andhypersplenism, but autoimmune mechanisms may be the cause. PAIgG and immune thrombocytopenia can be used as prognostic marker from the clinical and pathological point of view in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and in patients with liver cirrhosis passing from one stage to another

Effect of portal hypertensive gastropathy on electrogastrographic changes and gastric emptying time

Dyspepsia is a frequent symptom in cirrhotic patients. Congestive gastropathy or portal hypertensive gastropathy [PHG] was detected as a possible cause of sustained dyspepsia in 40% of these patients, and prolonged gastric emptying time [GE] with decrease gastric wall compliance were detected in cirrhoric patients. Electrogastrography [EGG] is a non-invasive method to study gastric myoelectrical activity from the body surface by electrodes. whereas, an ultrasonographic method can be used for the estimation of gastric emptying by measuring what so called half emptying and full emptying times with other parameters. Aim of this work is to study patterns of EGG and ultrasnographic GE. In cirrhotic patients with or without PHG. 45 patients were chosen for this study and were divided into 3 groups ; group 1 is cirrhotic patients with PHG negative upper gastrointestinal [U.G.I.T.] endoscopy and group 2 is cirrhotic patients with PHG positive and group 3 is healthy subjects taken as control. We found significant delay in GE in gp. 2 in relation to group 3 [p < 0.05]. EGG reveiled power ratio lower in gp. 1, 2 [2.01 - 1.93] respectively compared to group. 3 [2.63]. Also there was highly significint increase in "Dominant frequency" at rest [DF] in group.1 campared to group. 2 and 3 [p>0.01] where mean of group 1 was 2944.9, in group 2 was 2477 and in group 3 was 1934 and the power meal at DF was higher in group 1 than 2 , 3 but siatistically insignificant where the mean in group 1 was 5922.5 and in group. 2 was 4804.8 and was 5087.8 in group 3 [p>0.05]. Delayed gastric emptying by U.S, and changes in EGG records of cirrohotic patients especially in presence of portal hypertensive gastropathy may explain dyspepsia frequently occurring with portal hypertensive gastropathy

Incidence of sport injuries in hockey players

The present work was done on 244 hockey players to determine the incidence of sport injuries among them. All of them were thoroughly clinically examined and radiological examination was done for some of them. Their ages ranged between 14 and 31 years. Results reveals that the incidence of sports injuries among hockey players was 81.9%, 27.5% of injuries were due to playing without protective measures. The most common injuries found were: regionally knee injuries [26.5%], pathologically sprain lateral ligament of ankle [13%], knee effusion [21%] in players of age below 18 years, sprain lateral ankle ligament of ankle [13.3%] in players of age above 18 years. Also, it was found that the most common injuries according to different position of the players in the team were as follows: chondromalacia patellae 30.7% in goal keepers, knee effusion and contusion shin 13.1% in defenders, sprain lateral ligament of ankle 21.2% in mid-field players and rotator cuff strain 17% in forwards players

Benign intracranial hypertension of obese women

The authors describe 7 cases of benign intracranial hypertention in obese women, 5 were taking oral contraceptive pills. A part from papilledema, the most common symptoms are visual disturbances; alone or accompanied by headache and /or diplopia. Correlation between obesity, oral contraceptive pills and BIH is discussed; stressing how this disease entity should be considered a distinct and not uncommon. OCP are actually a real danger especially because the injudicious widespread use of them. Finally; the authors report the results obtained associating dietery restrictions, discontinuation of OCP with antiedema agents