Assessment of psychoneurological and intellectual function in beta-thalassemia patients in Ismailia city

Over the years, several reports have demonstrated involvement of the nervous system in beta- thalassemic patients. Neurological complications have been attributed to various factors such as chronic hypoxia, bone marrow expansion, iron overload, and desferrioxamine neurotoxicity. In most cases, neurological involvement is subclinical and can only be detected during neurophysiological evaluation. About 80% of thalassemic children had psychosocial problems. To Assess the psychoneurological and intellectual function in patients with Beta-Thalassemia in Ismailia City. 26 [3 thalassemic major children attending the outpatient hematological pediatric clinic of Suez Canal university hospital. A group of 26 normal children, matched for age and gender were included as a control group. Assessment included history taking; psychosocial assessment was done by asking the parent to fill Child Behavior Checklist, Anxiety scale for children, Child Depression Inventory. Patients underwent neurophysiologic evaluation consisting of brainstem auditory, visual and somatosensory evoked potential examination [BAEP, VEP, SEP] as well as motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity studies [MCV, SCV]. Additionally, the verbal, performance and total IQ were assessed using the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children [WISC- III]. The incidence of abnormal BAEP, VEP, SEP and NCVs was 0, 7.7, 3.84 and 30.76%, respectively. The prevalence of abnormal total IQ score was considerably high [38.46%], not correlating, however, to any of the parameters assessed [age, sex, ferritin level, BAEP, VEP, SEP, NCV]

Assessment of myocardial perfusion in rheumatoid arthritis: evaluation with radioisotope imaging

RA patients have a decreased life expectancy and ischemic heart disease [IHD] is accused to be the leading contributor to mortality in this disease. IHD is a clinically silent disease and difficult to predict with neither symptoms nor ECG changes. This study aimed to detect myocardial perfusion defects [PDs] by using single photon emission computerized tomography [SPECT] in adult RA patients, with special regards to age, type of medication, disease duration and activity. The study included 31 RA patients diagnosed according to the ACR criteria. Patients neither had cardiac complaints nor ECG changes. All patients were subjected to: thorough medical history and cardiac examination, rheumatological assessment for: function status and disease activity. Lipid profile, CRP and RF were determined. All patients were assessed with SPECT for the presence of PDs; ischemia, scar and/or combinations of such. RA patients were 9 males [29%] and 22 females [71%]. Their age ranged between 34-63 years with a mean of 49.32 +/- 7.71. The disease duration ranged between 1-22 years with a mean of 9.51 +/- 6.6. Based on SPECT evaluation; 14 patients [45.2%] had PDs: 9 patients [29%] had ischemia and 5 patients [16.1%] hah ischemia and scar. The incidence of cardiac involvement in RA patients when compared with non-ischemic RA patients was found to be highly statistically significant [p