Asymptomatic bacteriuria in chronic haemodialysis patients

Symptomless bacteriuria could be considered as a dormant source of overt urinary tract infection [UTI] and possible bacteremia in maintenance haemodialysis [HD] population. The study was conducted to detemine the magnitude and pattern of asymptomatic bacteriuria among HD patients and show the effect of HD session on the bacterial counts. Forty-four patients with chronic renal failure on regular HD treatments [five hours twice weekly] for 5 to 57 months duration were included. Bacterial counts were performed twice for each patient before and after dialysis to determine the effect of HD on total viable bacteria [T.V.B.], Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus haemolyticus, E. coli, Proteus, Klebsiella and Pseudomonas areuginosa. It was found that thirty patients [72.7%] showed positive urine cultures, 18% of the patients showed. an increase of the bacterial counts in the post-dialysis urine samples and 24% showed decrease of the bactrial counts in the post-dialysis samples. The difference was not statistically significant [P > 0.05]. Urine volume and haemoglobin level were found to be significantly lower, while serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferase [AST and ALT] were significantly higher in bacteriuric group than those in nonbacteriuric group. Age, sex, clinical data and serum creatinine, urea, glucose, calcium, phosphorus and albumin did not significantly differ in the two comparison groups. The bacteria encountered in the asymptomatic bacteriuric HD patients were Staphylococcus aureus [86.8%], Streptococci spp. [52.7%], E. coli [37.2%], Klebsiella spp. [18.6%], Proteus [12.4%] and Pseudomonas spp. [12.4%]. There were no significant differences in bacterial counts of the various types of bacteria before and after dialysis. In vitro sensitivity to antibiotics showed that more than 80% of isolated strain; are sensitive to Norfloxacin

Liver injury in diabetic patients with hepatitis C virus antibodies

Diabetes mellitus [DM] and chronic liver diseases are common allover the world Liver diseases could affect the carbohydrate metabolism and on the other hand, the liver could be affected by DM in the form of fatty liver or even fatty hepatitis. Objectives: The present study was designed: 1] to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies [HCV-AB] in patients with DM [type II], 2] to elucidate the relationship between the possible liver injury and DM and HCV-Ab and 3] to investigate the relationship between HCV-Ab seropositive and markers of the glycometabolic status in diabetics. Methods: The study included a series of 109 patients with DM on oral hypoglycemic drugs, and 91 apparently healthy individuals as controls. Diabetics and controls are enrolled from patients attending the outpatient clinics at Suez Canal University Hospital. No one of the study patients had positive serum for HBsAg or ultrasound findings suggestive of cirrhosis. Sera from all study participants were screened for HCV-Ab, and alanine aminotransferase [ALT] levels Pre- and post-prandial glycaemia were determined by measurement of the fasting blood glucose [FBG] and response of blood glucose levels to 75 g oral glucose [PPG]. Level of fructosamine [FA] was used as an indicator of short-term blood glucose control Quantitative determination of insulin and C-peptide of insulin were carried out using immunoreactive-assay techniques. Results: HCV-Ab was positive in 26.6% of diabetics and 18.7% of non-diabetics. Diabetics had a significantly higher serum ALT level [18.8 +/- 13.9 lU/L] as compared with non-diabetics [15.3 +/- 9.6 lU/L] where P was < 0.05. In logistic regression analysis to detect the main predictors of the elevated ALT, it was found that the HCV-Ab seropositivity is the only significant predictor [P < 0.001], while the other factors [DM, obesity; age, sex] are not significant. It was found that there is no association between HCV-Ab seropositivity and the FBG, PPG. FA, insulin, and C-peptide concentrations in both diabetics and non-diabetics Conclusion: The observed liver damage in diabetics is associated with positive HCV-Ab and not associated with diabetes per se or obesity. HCV-Ab seropositivity does not affect glycemic state. glycemic control level, serum insulin and pancreatic reserve of insulin neither in diabetics nor in healthy individuals

Food colouring agents as provokers for allergy among children

This work was conducted to study food colouring agents as provocating factors for allergy among children. The study included 354 children [172 males and 182 females]. Five artificial colouring agents were used to perform patch and prick tests. They were ponceau red, brilliant blue, tartrazine chocolate brown. The green colour was a mixture of brilliant blue and tartrazine. The results of the study revealed that 16.1% of the total sample reacted positively to one or more of the agents used, the majority of them were children with history of atopic diseases. The study revealed also that ponceau red gave the highest reaction rate [10.73%] followed by the green colouring agent and then the chocolate brown. Tartrazine and brilliant blue gave reaction only when combined together as green colour or with other agents

Stressful life events and hypertension

Using the Arabic modified version of the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, the life events were scored retrospectively in 164 hypertensive patients together with 328 normotensive adult controls attending the urban primary health care units for a period of six months preceding the onset of hypertension for patients and preceding the date of the interview for the control group. Results showed that stressful life events were significantly associated with the development of hypertension. Our findings suggest that psychological stresses might contribute to the onset of hypertension stress-management programs might be helpful, and studies of its utility in hypertensive patients should be encouraged

Hyperoxaluria and hyperuricosuria in calcium urolithiasis

Twenty four hour urinary oxalate and uric acid were determined in 139 calcium stone-formers and 100 control subjects. Hyperoxaluria [>41 mg/day] was found in 42 out of 139 stone-formers [30.2%]. Hyperuricosuria [>531.8 mg/day] was found in 19 out of 139 calcium stone-formers [13.7%]. It is concluded that hyperoxaluria and hyperuricosuria are common associated metabolic abnormalities in calcium urolithiasis

Idiopathic hypercalciuria in calcium urolithiasis

A study of 139 calcium stone-formers and 100 control subjects in the Suez Canal area revealed the presence of idiopathic hypercalciuria [24-hour urinary calcium >222 mg/24 hours] in 28 of them [20.1%]. Employing oral calcium loading test and nephrogenous CAMP level for the differentiation between absorptive [AHC] and renal [RHC] hypercalciuria, 19 [67.9%] had AHC and 9 [32.1%] had RHC. The relatively high incidence of IHC in this study alerts attention to disturbances in calcium metabolism as important associated abnormality in calcium urolithiasis and also to the value of calcium-loading lest for differentiating AHC from RHC for the sake of choice of selective lines of management

role of physical environment on the occurrence of rural bronchial asthma

The aim of the present work is to study the role of the physical environment on the occurrence of rural bronchial asthma. Two vilages, Rragdia and Shobra El-Namlla [Gharbia Governorate, Egypt] were chosen as a place for the study. The Total population of both villages [11208] were surveyed in a period of one year [from January 1982 to January [1983]. All cases of bronchial asthma encountered [365] were included in the study. The role physical environment was studied. Most of the attacks were of seasonal [74.2%] and nocturnal pattern [59,7%]. Winter was aggreviating for 77.3% of cases while,summer and spring were ameliorating for 74.6% and 63.3% of cases. Warm and dry air were ameliorating for 88.2% of cases while changing of seasons, cold, rains, winds, fog and humidity were mostly aggreviating factors. Open air and sea shore were mainly of good effect while bad effect was recorded for closed area in 60.5% of cases. Extensive study to investigate the offending allergens in the rural environment must be conducted on the basis of intradermal allergy tests and surveying the physical environment

study of effect of malnutrition on eruption of teeth

In an attempt to study the relation between malnutrition and eruption of teeth among children, a total 253 male and female children aged 1-12 years were examined. These were divided into 2 groups, group 1 consisted of 110 malnourished children, and group II consisted of 143 children free from clinical signs of malnutrition. Comparisons were made between the two groups using t-test and chi-square test. The erupted teeth were recorded It was found that malnutrition causes a delay in the time of eruption of both the deciduous and the permanent dentition