Point prevalence of hepatitis C antibodies among hemodialysis patients at king Hussein medical center

To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C antibodies among chronic renal failure patients attending the hemodialysis unit at King Hussein Medical Center, Amman-Jordan. All patients currently attending King Hussein Medical Center for hemodialysis were screened for hepatitis C antibodies using second generation ELISA. The number of patients was 209[130 males [62.2%], 79 females [37.8%]], mean age was 50 years [range 20-75years] One hundred and four tested patients, [57 males [43.8%] and 47 females [59.5%] revealed positive results [p<0.005], giving a total prevalence of 49.8%. The prevalence of HCV antibodies among hemodialysis patients at King Hussein Medical Center was 49.8%. This percentage is higher than Western countries but comparable to some neighboring Arab countries

prevalence of HLA B27 in inflammatory bowel disease patients in Jordan

To find out the prevalence of Human Leucocyte Antigen B27 [HLA-B27] in inflammatory bowel disease patients in Jordan. Over the last year [2005] all inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] patients attending the gastroenterology outpatient clinic at King Hussein Medical Center[KHMC], were given a questionnaire asking them to report back pain and the characteristics of this pain. The first 60 patients to complain of inflammatory-type back pain [according to the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group Criteria]; underwent a blood test to check for the presence of HLA-B27 in their blood. At the same time a comparable number of patients not suffering from IBD or any rheumatological disease, were checked for the presence of HLA-B27. Only five patients of the IBD group [4 females and 1 male] showed HLA-B27 positivity. Three patients had ulcerative colitis [UC] and 2 patients had Crohn's disease [CD]. Three of the patients in IBD group had active disease and were on steroids the other two were in remission and were on aminosalicylic acid [5-ASA] only. Three patients of the controlled group [all females] showed HLA-B2 positivity. Two of the patients in the IBD group were of European origin. It is concluded that HLA-B27 is no more common in IBD patients than in the general population of Jordan