Developing a disease-specific tool for assessment of quality of life of patients with hepatitis C virus associated chronic liver disease

To develop an Egyptian disease-specific instrument to assess the health related quality of life [HRQoL] in patients with chronic hepatitis C [CRC], and to assess the HRQoL in CHC patients according to this instrument. Based on responses from 100 patients, 5 liver experts, and from reviewing previous studies and other disease-specific instruments, items affecting the HRQoL of CRC patients were selected. Responses from 100 patients were used for determining and maximizing the questionnaire's internal consistency reliability [ICR] and construct validity. Retained items were scaled and the final questionnaire was pretested in 20 patients. Using this instrument, the HRQoL was assessed in 126 subjects distributed into three equal groups, one healthy and two groups of patients having chronic liver disease [CLD] with and without hepatitis C antibodies [CLD HC+ve, CLD HC-ve respectively]. Sixty seven items were identified in the item selection process, and 33 were retained at the end of the process of maximizing ICR and construct validity. In pretesting, five items were combined into two, and three questions for assessing the general health perception [GHP] were added. Patients found the final 33 questionnaire clear and easy to complete in 15 minutes. The developed instrument proved gradients among CHC patients, CLD HC-ve controls and normal controls, and among patients with different grades of liver disease severity. Certain domains did better than others in discriminating among the three groups and in comparing different grades of disease severity. The specific questionnaire has acceptable reliability, good construct validity, and correlates with disease severity. Further researches were needed for investigating its usefulness in clinical practice and for supporting the findings of the major decrements in HRQoL domains

Breast cancer risk factors: a case-control study among Egyptian women

The objective of this study is to test the importance of known or suspected breast cancer risk factors among Egyptian women. The sample population of One hundred and fifty cases of Egyptian breast cancer, women, aged 35-65 years who were randomly selected and matched with 150 comparison group according to age [+/_ 5 years] and to marital status. The comparison group had no conditions related to hormonal disturbances, infertility or cancer. The risk factors studied were family history of breast cancer, age at menarche, age at first marriage, age of first delivery, age at menopause, family history of cancer, history of fibrocystic breast disease, the use of contraceptive pills, history of spontaueous miscarriage, number of pregnancies, breast feeding, smoking, weight and height. Statistical analysis of data showed that family history of breast cancer, early age at menarche, late age at first delivery, late age at menopause, history of spontaneous miscarriages, heavier weight and shorter heights as well as fibrocystic breats disease are important risk factors in breast cancer. It was also shown that other factors studied could not be considered as associated with breast cancer in Egyptian women.