Diagnostic role of resistin in nonalchoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] is a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. Insulin resistance is believed to be a key factor in the development of fatty liver. Moreover, insulin resistance states characterized by elevated expression and production of several cytokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of NAFLD but direct evidence of the role of resistin in NAFLD is lacking. To determine the circulating resistin level in patients affected by NAFLD and to correlate resistin level with insulin sensitivity, liver functions and histological features. This study included 100 subjects divided into: forty patients with NAFLD, forty obese persons with BMI >30 having normal transaminases and normal liver ultrasound and twenty controls with BMI < 20. For all subjects serum resistin was measured. Homeostasis model assessment [HOMA] was calculated and liver profile was assessed. Liver biopsy was done in NAFLD patients. Serum resistin was higher in patients with NAFLD [16.2 +/- 4 ng/ml] compared to obese and control groups [6.8 +/- 4.1 and 3.4 +/- 1.1 [ng/ml]] respectively [p <0.01]. Serum resistin was higher in histologically advanced cases of NAFLD compared to simple steatosis [19.2 +/- 3.6 vs. 13.5 +/- 2.7] respectively [p < 0.01]. Moreover serum resistin correlated positively with 8M I, HOMA, highly sensitive CRP, AST and ALT. Resistin has a role in pathogenesis of NAFLD. Its level is a predictive of histology in NAFLD. So The use or serum resistin assay as a simple diagnostic biomarker for NAFLD is recommended

diagnostic value of faecal calprotectin in differentiating inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] from Irriable bowel syndrome [IBS]

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome can have overlapping symptoms, yet a different management. Hence, a noninvasive biological marker is needed for the assessment of patients with lower bowel symptoms. This study aimed at evaluating the diagnostic value of faecal calprotectin as a potential marker in differentiating patients with inflammatory bowel disease from those with irritable bowel syndrome. Twenty patient with IBD and twenty patients with lBS were recruited from Am Shams hospital gastroenterology outpatient clinic in the period between January 2008 to November 2009, In addition, a control group of 10 healthy individuals was included. Faecal calprotectin level using an ELISA technique [Calprest [R] was measured in the stool of all groups. Also, atypical p-ANCA and ASCA were performed in the IBD group. At a cut off value of 8.1 mg/L, fecal calprotectin had a negative predictive value [NPV] of 100% to exclude lBS patients with a sensitivity of 100% and a positive predictive value [PPV] to confirm IBD of 95.24% with a specificity of 95%. The diagnostic accuracy of faecal caiprotectin in predicting IBD activity was 100% at a cut off value of 25.5 mg/L. Fecal calprotectin appears to be a clinically useful noninvasive marker in differentiating IBD from lBS

Prevalence and etiology of childhood sensorineural hearing loss in Riyadh

Epidemiological data on hearing impairment are indispensable in order to provide effective audiological services. A random sample survey was performed on 6421 Saudi children to evaluate the prevalence, degree and etiology of sensorineural hearing loss [SNHL]. The overall prevalence of SNHL was 2.6% [168/6421]. The prevalence of severe to profound bilateral SNHL was 0.4%. The causative factors were: heredofamilial [66.1%] perinatal adverse factors [10.1%] meningitis [8.9%] rubella [2.4%] and nonhereditary syndromes [1.2%]. The etiology was deemed to be unknown in 8.9% of the cases. The study showed that SNHL is more prevalent in Saudi Arabia than in most of the developed and developing countries. Great efforts and resources are needed for prevention and treatment of this major health problem

Orbital involvement in sinonasal disease

Purpose: To present a number of cases of sinonasal disease with secondary orbital involvement and to review these disorders in the light of previously published reports. A retrospective study of patients with primary sinonasal tract disease and secondary orbital involvement who were admitted to the King Abdul Aziz University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 1988 to 1993. Patients with disease causing concomitant involvement of the sinonasal tract and the orbit which did not originate in the sinuses were excluded, as were ambulatory patients. The final study group comprised 28 patients [19 males and 9 females, ranging in age from 18 months to 65 years, mean 33 years] with the following diagnoses: nine bacterial sinusitis, eight fungal sinusitis, two mucoceles, two osteomata, one fibrous dysplasia, one angiofibroma, one fibromatosis, and four carcinomas. Conclusions: Diseases of the sinonasal tract with orbital extension must be considered whenever a patient presents with signs and symptoms of orbital disease. Cooperation between the ophthalmologist and the otolaryngologist is desirable for proper management

Bacterial meningitis and hearing impairment; a prospective study

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the incidence and the pattern of post-meningitis hearing impairment. A prospective study of 68 meningitis patients was performed. The patients hearing was evaluated immediately following acute illness and periodically checked for two years. The incidences of the initial sensorineural and conductive deafness were 26.4% and 20.6%, respectively. Two patients [3%] suffered from mixed deafness. No consistent audiometric pattern was found in the cases of sensorineural hearing loss. Serial hearing evaluations demonstrated complete recovery of all cases of conductive hearing loss with only a slight improvement in the low tones noted in one patient with sensorineural hearing loss. No late development of sensorineural loss has occurred