K469E polymorphism of the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 gene in Egyptians with coronary heart disease

The initial step in atherosclerosis is the adhesion of leukocytes to activated endothelial cells mediated by intercellular adhesion molecule-1 [ICAM-1]. This study aimed to investigate the association of K469E polymorphism of the ICAM-1 gene and soluble ICAM-1 [sICAM-1] serum level with coronary heart disease [HD] in Egyptian subjects. Using a case-control design, we studied 100 patients with CHD, including 73 patients with acute myocardial infarction [MI] and 27 with unstable angina [UA]. The control groups consisted of 50 healthy subjects with normal left ventricular function. All participants were genotyped for the ICAM-1 polymorphism by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism [PCR-RFLP] method. Serum sICAM-1 was measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay [ELISA]. In CHD patients, the frequencies of K genotype [KK and EK] were significantly higher when compared to controls [P<.001] and were associated with an increased risk of disease development [OR=3.8, 95% CI: 1.7 to 8.5; P=.001]. K genotype frequencies in patients with MI showed no significant difference when compared to patients with UA [P=.121]. Serum sICAM-1 levels were comparable between CHD patients and controls [P=.37] and between MI and UA patients [P=.23]. There were no significant differences in sICAM-1 levels than women [P=.004]. ICAM-1 gene polymorphism in codon 469 is associated with a risk for CHD development in Egyptian subjects. Serum sICAM-1 is not influenced by this polymorphism and is not necessarily elevated in CHD

Predictors of stroke outcome in Egyptian patients following acute stroke

Stroke is a major public health problem. Certain clinical factors can predict the prognosis of functional outcome of acute stroke. Identify factors which predict the outcome of stroke Egyptian patients. Hospital-based prospective study included 220 patients with stroke. Data collection was carried out using a pretested questionnaire. The questionnaire was used to record the demographic data, clinical data, the pre hospital delay. Neurological examination with special emphasis on the muscle power was done. The patients were followed up till their time of discharge to record the length of hospital stay, and the functional outcome at time of discharge which was assessed by modified Rankin Scale [mRS]. The mean age of the studied patients was 59.8 +/- 13.2, males constituted 64.1%. Hypertension was the main co morbidity detected in 65%. The degree of weakness of the patient recorded complete paralysis in 6.8%. The median prehospital delay was 6 hours, while median the length of hospital stay was 6 days. 53.2% were independent according to mRS [good outcome] and 46.3% were dependent [bad outcome]. Forward logistic regression analysis demonstrated that motor weakness, older age, female sex and prehospital delay were the only significant predictors with prediction change in the odds equal [12.9, 7.8, 2.6,4.6 respectively]. Our data confirmed that old age, female sex, pre hospital delay, lower manual muscle strength testing score were the independent predictor of poor outcome in Egyptian stroke patients