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Background: Varicose veins are permanently swollen, tortuous and elongated while standing due to back flow of blood caused by incompetent valve closure which result in venous congestion .they are of two types primary and secondary varicosities .The main symptoms are tingling, itching, pain, fatigue, a heavy feeling in the legs especially if one has to stand for a long time. Ulcers and thrombophlebitis are possible complications. The aim of this study is to assess the outcome of laser ablation of great saphenous vein on healing of varicose ulcers.Methods: A prospective study conducted at Suez Canal University Hospitals and Nasser Institute Hospital in Cairo on 20 patients complaining varicose ulcers due to incompetent saphenous femoral junction.Results: All patients had improvement in Abrdeen Varicose vein questionnaire after endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) during the first, second and third follow up visits when compared with preoperative scores. The Aberdeen Varicose vein questionnaire ranged from 8 to 18 before the procedure, with a mean of 12.11, ranged from 3 to 11 at the first follow up visit with a mean of 7.07, ranged from 2 to 10 at the second follow up visit with a mean of 4.89 and ranged from 2 to 10 at the third follow up visit with a mean of 3.85, p value is less than 0.001 compared to the pre-operative data. During the assessment of the patients of our study after 6 months of continuous follow up, we found that the healing rate of the patients who underwent laser ablation of great saphenous vein were (91.67) (p=0.769).Conclusions: EVLA of great saphenous vein leads to better wound healing rates in treating patients with varicose ulcers.
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Background: The purpose of diagnosis of viral infection is to allow the infected persons to be identified and treated and to prevent blood-transfusion infection. Majority of primary HCV-infected patients are asymptomatic, thus, symptoms could not be used as specific indicators for HCV infection. HCV viremia could still exist despite a normal serum alanine aminotransferase [ALT] level. Therefore, virological methods rather than ALT levels are used to diagnose HCV infection. The diagnosis of HCV infection is mainly based on the detection of anti-HCV antibodies by the enzyme immunoassay[EIA] or Chemiluminescence immunoassay [CIA] of serum samples. These anti-HCV assays are used as a screening test, while PCR is essential for detection of screening test falsity. The presence of HCV-RNA in the serum is a reliable marker of viremia. Universal standardization for HCV-RNA titer is important for diagnosis and follow up
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the commercially available antibody tests for diagnosis of hepatitis c virus infection in comparison to RT-PCR in Egyptian blood donors
Materials and Methods: This study Included 456 serum samples from blood donor at Al-Hussien hospital blood bank [Al-Azhar University, Cairo] from June 2016 to June 2018. Serum samples subjected to routine laboratory tests [CBC, liver and renal function] to exclude organs affection. Also they are subjected to HCV antibody detection by ELISA and Chemiluminescence tests and HCV-RNA detection by RT-PCR assay
Results: We considered PCR as a standard test to evaluate ELISA and Chemiluminescence. The detected percentage of infectivity of donors in this study was 9% by ELISA, 13% by Chemiluminescence and 8 % by PCR. The percentage of false negativity of HCV antibody by ELISA and CIA when compared with PCR assay were 0.96% and 1.5% respectively. The false positivity of HCV -Ab by ELISA and CIA as compared PCR was 14-6% [6 out of 41] and 26.6% [16 out of 60]
Conclusion: Generally, ELISA is more sensitive and specific than Chemiluminescence for blood transfusion screening. But, at gray zone results, PCR should be used as confirmatory method. And so it is very important to screen blood donors using RT-PCR to avoid false positive and false negative results
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Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] is a multi-factorial, chronic autoimmune disorder, characterized by dysfunction of T and B lymphocytes. It affects various vital organ systems, and 70% to 90% of SLE patients are females. Lupus nephritis [LN] is one of the common complications in patients with SLE and influences overall outcome of these patients. About two-thirds of patients with SLE have renal disease at some stage which is a leading cause of mortality in these patient .Iron is critical in nearly all cell functions and the ability of a cell, tissue and organism to procure this metal is obligatory for survival. Iron is necessary for normal immune function, and relative iron deficiency is associated with mild immunosuppression. Concentrations of this metal in excess of those required for function can present both an oxidative stress and elevate risks for infection. As a result, the human has evolved to have a complex mechanism of regulating iron and limiting its availability. Ferritin levels correlate with disease activity in patients with SLE and developing of lupus nephritis
Objective: To correlate between Iron profile and SLE activity and developing lupus nephritis
Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 75 adult persons: 25 Patients with SLE with proteinuria, patients with SLE without proteinuria, 25person have no SLE [control group].These person were Admitted at internal medicine department and outpatient clinic of Al-Hussein university hospital, Cairo, Egypt. SLE patients were diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology [ACR] criteria, Lupus Activity assessment by C3 and C4, Lupus nephritis assessment using Albumin /creatinine ratio. Iron profile was measured and included: serum iron, serum TIBC, transferrin saturation and Serum ferritin levels were tested by ELISA
Results: There were no significant statistical difference between groups as regard age or sex however, There were significant difference between groups as regard S.iron, S. ferritin, TIBC and TSAT, Between group analysis results showed significantly lower s.iron and TSAT level of SLE patients with and without proteinuria in comparison with control group. While S. ferritin is significantly high in SLE patients with proteinuria in comparison with SLE patients without proteinuria and control group. And this data go with activity markers of SLE
Conclusions: 1] Hyperferritinemia is a useful marker in assessment of disease activity and severity of Albuminuria in SLE patients complicated by lupus nephritis, treatment of hyperferritinemia can result in decreased Albuminuria and delayed renal damage. 2] Iron homoeostasis is important in normal immune function and Iron disturbance can result in mild immunosuppression
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Background: The prevalence of NAFLD [non- alcoholic fatty liver disease] is increasing as it exceed [31.79%] in Middle East and the metabolic syndrome prevalence in patients with NAFLD ranges from 18% to 67%, according to the body weight. Imaging or histology is very important tools in diagnosis of NAFLD. Early detection of NAFLD is very important especially if there is a non-invasive method. The clinicians in the primary, secondary and tertiary care are in need for specific and sensitive diagnostic tool that can be used easily
Aim: To study and analyze serum lipid changes in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease of different grades
Patients and methods: 100 patients diagnosed by ultrasonography as NAFLD, whose age was more than 18 years, were included in the study. History taking, full clinical examination and anthropometric measurement of weight, height and body mass index [BMI] were done for all patients. Serum lipid profiles including total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, ALT, AST. CBC, fasting and 2hpp blood glucose and TSH were measured
Results: The largest group of patients [38%] was in the fifth decade of life. followed by 30% in the sixth decade of life. As the grade of NAFLD increased, there was associated significant increase in levels of serum total cholesterol [P-value 0.005], TG [P-value 0.002] LDL [P-value 0.001] and VLDL [P-value 0.003] and associated significant decrease in HDL [P-value 0.001]
Conclusions: abdominal ultrasonography and increased lipid profile values can be used to detect NAFLD early