Quality of life of Egyptian donors after living-related liver transplantation

Quality of life after liver donation must remain a primary outcome measure when we consider the utility of living donor liver transplants. In making clinical decisions on the use of transplantation for chronic liver diseases, consideration should be given to the key factors likely to affect subsequent health related quality of life. It would be beneficial for donors, if factors predicting good quality of life are identified. The aim of this study was to assess the health related quality of life changes experienced by donors following living related liver transplantation using the Short Form 36 [SF-36] questionnaire. Between August 2001 and December 2006, 125 adults received liver grafts from living donors at Dar Al-Fouad Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. The SF-36v2 questionnaire was applied to 30 donors after at least 6 months following donation and maximally 4 years after donation [mean +/- SD:3.28 +/- 1.56 years]. Furthermore, 30 healthy volunteers were taken as a control group. None of the donors required re-surgery and no deaths were reported. Only 4 [13.3%] donors experienced minor complications, which did not affect their quality of life and had no long term effects. No significant difference was found between donors and control group when means of the Physical and Mental Component Summary were compared. The physical functioning domain was the only domain of health which showed a statistically significant difference between both groups. Health related quality of life of donors was not compromised after full recovery. All donors had good recovery and returned to regular activities within 2-4 months post donation

Towards an Egyptian guideline from screening to treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma [part I]

These recommendations provide a data-supported and based-evidenced approach to the screening, diagnosis, staging and treatment of Egyptian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] in which we tried to construct an Egyptian algorithm for our Egyptian HCC patients in terms of type and timing of surveillance, readily available diagnostic tools that suit our means and the proper and efficient timely treatment that suits our resources. They are based on the experience of the authors in the specified topic and the AASLD Policy on the Development and Use of Practice Guidelines. These recommendations suggest preferred approaches to screening [for early detection of cases with hepatic nodule and/or elevated AFP], diagnosis [for accurate diagnosis of HCC cases], staging [for detection of specific category of treatment according the patient's general condition] and treatment [selection of the most suitable treatment option for the patient after his proper evaluation]. In an attempt to characterize the quality of evidence supported recommendations, the Egyptian Guidelines requires a category to be assigned and reported with each recommendation [Table I]

Towards an Egyptian guideline from screening to treatment of hepatocelhilar carcinoma [part II]

These recommendations provide a data-supported and evidence based approach to the screening, diagnosis, staging and treatment of Egyptian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] in which we tried to construct an Egyptian algorithm for our Egyptian HCC patients in terms of type and timing of surveillance, readily available diagnostic tools that suits our means and the proper and efficient timely treatment that suits our resources. They are based on the experience of the authors in the specified topic and the AASLD Policy on the Development and Use of Practice Guidelines. These recommendations suggest preferred approaches to screening [for early detection of cases with hepatic nodule and/or elevated AFP], diagnosis [for accurate diagnosis of HCC cases], staging [for detection of specific category of treatment according the patient's general condition] and treatment [selection of the most suitable treatment option for the patient after his proper evaluation]. In an attempt to characterize the quality of evidence supported recommendations, the Egyptian Guidelines requires a category to be assigned and reported with each recommendation [Table 1]

Assessment of splenic functions in patients with hepato-splenic schistosomiasis using non-invasive techniques

This study was carried out on 40 cases, classified into 3 groups: Group I, 10 healthy controls subjects; group II, 20 patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis and group III, 10 bilharzial patients who underwent total splenectomy. All cases were subjected to clinical examination, abdominal ultrasonography, rectal snips and laboratory investigations. The present results revealed varying degrees of hypersplenism [anemia, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia] in GII. 70% of this group was positive for HbsAg, HCV or both in association with schistosomiasis. Abnormal red blood cells [acanthocytes, target cells, pitted cells and normoblasts] and inclusion bodies [Howell Jolly bodies, argyrophilic inclusions and pappenhiemer bodies] were detected with different values in GIII. CD+4 cells were moderately reduced in GII, while they were markedly decreased in GIII. CD+8 cells were elevated in GII and returned nearly to the normal values in GIII with decreased in number of total T-lymphocytes