Nitric oxide as a marker for diagnosis and follow-up in children with systemic lupus erythematosus and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

A cross sectional observational study of 56 children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis [JRA] and systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] was designed to study nitric oxide [NO] levels and their relation to the disease activity and its value as an indicator for the follow up of these two diseases. Twenty-five healthy age and sex matched children were recruited as controls. Full history taking, proper clinical examination and laboratory investigation of the subjects were done. Blood samples were collected and NO, nitrite and nitrate were measured biochemically. Serum NO, nitrite and nitrate were significantly higher in each of JRA and SLE cases compared with the control group. Patients with active disease showed higher NO levels compared with non-active disease, yet it did not reach significant levels. A positive significant correlation was observed between NO and erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR] for patients with active SLE and JRA, respectively. A negative significant correlation was found between NO and lymphocyte count in active SLE; while, a positive significant correlation between NO and steroid therapy duration of JRA with active disease was observed

Prevalence of cytomegalovirus and Epstein Barr virus in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and childhood systemic lupus erythematosus

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of cytomegalovirus [CMV] and Epstein-Barr virus [EBV] infections in the pathogenesis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis [JRA] and childhood systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE]. The study included 31 JRA patients, 29 childhood onset SLE patients and 21 age and sex matched healthy controls. It was concluded that the prevalence of CMV and EBV is high in pediatric patients with JRA and SLE. These findings supported the hypothesis that these viral infections may be involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune rheumatic diseases of childhood

Low popliteal exposure for management of embolic occlusion of the lower limb

Twenty-six cases presented to the Casualty Department, Ain-Shams University Hospitals with a picture of acute embolic ischaemia of the lower limbs. They all had popliteal embolism, either insolated or with an associated femoral embolism. A direct low popliteal exposure and embolectomy was used either alone or in conjunction with femoral embolectomy in twenty cases and embolectomy by a standard femoral exposure was done in six cases. The indications and results of such exposure were given, and the technique, which yielded relatively high success rates, was strongly recommended as long as the patient can tolerate spinal or general anesthesia

value of hysteroscopy and hysterosalpingography in the evaluation of recurrent pregnancy losses

Fifty cases of repeated second trimester pregnancy losses were subjected to both hysterosalpingographic and hysteroscopic examination and the findings of both methods classified and compared to each other. Seventeen cases were diagnosed by both methods to have different types of congenital uterine anomalies. The two methods showed differences only In the diagnosis of the extent of the lesion. Four cases were diagnosed by hysteroscope to have intrauterine adhesions. This diagnosis was only presumptive when hysterosalpingography was used as the sole method of diagnosis. Three cases of submucous myomas were diagnosed by the hysteroscope but in only one case was the hysterosalpingogram shown to have a submucous fibromyoma. As regards patulous internal os, hysteroscopy was only a subjective method while hysterogram was an objective one