Biochemical study on some adipocyto-kines in chronic renal failure: their relationship to endothelial dysfunction and inflammation

Chronic renal failure has been associated with impaired immunity and subclinical inflammation involving cytokines derived from adipose tissue - adipocytokines. Deteriorating renal function may increase overall inflammatory responses because of the decreased renal clearance of factors that are directly or indirectly involved in inflammation. Declining renal function may also affect the levels of additional inflammatory molecules such as C-reactive protein [CRP] and interleukin-6.The aim of the study was to assess visfatin and apelin in correlation with markers of endothelial cell injury and inflammation in 20 patients with CRF and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.We assessed visfatin and apelin, markers of: coagulation: TAT [thrombin-antithrombin complexes]; fibrinolysis: tPA [tissue plasminogen activator] and PAI-1 [plasminogen activator inhibitor-1]; endothelial function/injury: 1CAM [intracellular adhesion molecule], VCAM [vascular cell adhesion molecule], CD40L and E-selectin and inflammation: hsCRP andIL-lbeta. Visfatin, apelin, TAT, ICAM, VCAM, CD40L, PAI-1, E-selectin, hsCRP, IL-lbeta and triglycerides were elevated while serum albumin and t-PA were decreased in CRF patients when compared with the control group.Significant positive correlations were found between visfatin on one hand and each of apelin, t-PA, PAI-1, E-selectin, ICAM, VCAM, hsCRP, LL-lbeta, CD40L and triglycerides on the other hand in patients with CRF.Also, Significant positive correlations were found between Apelin and each of EL-lbeta, E-selectin, ICAM, VCAM, creatinine and triglycerides in CRF

Tissue-type plasminogen activatore-7351C/T enhancer polymorphism in ischemic cerebral stroke

The majority of ischemic strokes occur because of thrombotic or thromboembolic occlusions. This forms the rationale for use of thrombolytic drugs. Out of several identified single nucleotide polymorphism [SNPs] at the Tissue-type Plasminogen Activator [tfA] locus, the-7351 CIT enhancer SNP showed closest association to tPA release rates. Functional studies have shown that this SNP affects the binding of transcription factors, and that the T allele expresses less tPA compared with the C allele as well as increased risk of myocardial infarction A recent study also reported an increased risk of ischemic stroke for the TT genotype. In the present study the possible association between ischemic stroke and the tPA-7351C>T polymorphism was investigated. Forty eight ischemic stroke patients and 48 matched control cases were recruited in a case control study.Genotyping was performed by allele discrimination analysis using the 5'nuclease assay. PCR was performed in RotorGene[TM] 6000 [Corbett Research]. Results were represented by two curves as: yellow channel represents C probe labeled by [VIC] dye; this is the wild type. Green channel represents T probe labeled by [FAM] dye; this is the mutant allele. In patients group the frequency of the low risk allele [C] of tPA gene was 57.25% and of high risk allele [T] was 42.75%. Whereas control revealed 78.13% and 21.87%, respectively. The genotype distribution was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The odds ratio for overall ischemic stroke was 2.66 [95% Cl: 1.42 to 5.01] for tPA T allele carriers. This association was independent of established risk factors. tPA-735 1 C/T enhancer polymorphism may be a risk factor for ischemic stroke. Further studies on larger populations with stratification for stroke subtypes are needed to confirm these findings. The possible association between this polymorphism and the respective plasma protein level remain to be elucidated

Ventriculo-peritoneal shunt infections in infants and children

To determine the rate and the type of ventriculoperitoneal [VP] shunt infections in infants and children admitted to King Fahad Hofuf hospital of AI-Ahsaa area at the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. From mid 2003 to end of 2006; VP shunt infection episodes were reviewed. Once infection was suspected, a cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] sample was taken and empirical antibiotics were recommended. Once infection was confirmed, VP shunt was removed and external ventricular drainage [EVD] was inserted until CSF became sterile after which a new shunt was inserted. 25.9% of patients with VP shunts had infections which represents 29.3% of the procedures. 40% of infected patients had recurrent episodes. 59.1% of infections occurred throughout the first two months following insertion. Single pathogen was isolated in each episode. Pseudomonas auerginosa represented 50% of isolated pathogens compared with 18.2% with Staphylococcus epidermidis. There is a high incidence of VP shunt infections in King Fahad Hofuf hospital when compared with other international centres. Gram negative organisms are the most common cause of the infection

Traumatic brain injury in pediatric age group; Predictors of outcome in pediatric intensive care unit

To determine predictors for outcomes of traumatic brain injury [TBI] in infants and children younger than twelve years admitted to our pediatric intensive care units [PICU]. This is a retrospective cohort study from 2004-5, done at the PICU of King Fahad Hofuf Hospital, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. One hundred and six patients with TBI; 65 boys and 41 girls ages 12 or under, with a mean age of 5.7 years, were included. Of them, 11.3% died [Deaths group], 11% survived with neurological deficits [NDgroup], and 77% survived with no neurological deficits [NND-group]. The potential predictors for death or neurological deficits were examined. 83% of deaths had initial Glascow coma scale [GCS] of

Microalbuminuria: an early marker of renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus

The present study comprised 50 systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] patients with no clinical evidence of renal disease. Twenty healthy subjects matched for age and sex served as a control group. All patients and controls were subjected to a complete history taking, thorough clinical examination and laboratory tests. The study concluded that in the absence of clinical evidence of renal disease in SLE patients, microalbuminuria can indicate subclinical nephropathy and measurements may have a role in the early diagnosis and subsequent monitoring of renal disease in SLE patients

Hyponatraemia and neutrophil function in cases of impetigo contagiosum

Serum sodium and potassium were measured in forty patients with impetigo contagiosum and ten normal control subjects. There was a statistically highly significant decrease in serum sodium [t= 0.000212] between patients and control groups, also the serum potassium was highly significant increased [t= 6.08 E-11] between patients and control groups. This increase in potassium level appears to be secondary to decrease serum sodium. So we can conclude that hyponatraemia may be a sharing factor in predisposition of impetigo contagiosum and high dietary intake of sodium chloride is recommended for these patients

Current aetiological concepts of recurrent aphthous ulcers: an ultrastructural and scanning study

The present study investigated ultrastructurally the recurrent aphthous ulcers [RAU] during its active and healing phases with special emphasis to it's correlation with the possible variable etiological factors. Eighteen Egyptian patients suffering from RAU with no other systemic diseases were included in the present study. Detailed light, scanning and transmission electronic microscopic examination of the excised RAU were performed. The epithelium over RAU area showed de-epithelization and extensive polymorphs and mononuclear infiltrates with perivasculitis. In conclusion, the present study was able to document for the first time the different spatial or temporal ultrastructural changes that occur during an active and healing phases of EAU, moreover, fungal involvement as an etiological factor whether primary or a merely secondary was postulated. Such fungal finding may account for both resistance to medication and recurrence of aphthous ulceration

Assessment of health habits among governmental school pupils

Children of school age form a vulnerable segment of the population that is undergoing developmental changes. The aims of this study were of two folds, to investigate health habits among governmental primary school children and to evaluate the role of school health nurse within the target population, as a beginning step to implement health promotion program for this age group. Four hundred 5th year students were chosen from four different schools, two in urban area [El-Haram District] and two in rural area [Nahia Village]. Also, ten school nurses [five from each area] were included. It is recommended to reteach and demonstrate sound health habits to primary school pupils, offer periodical in- service training programs for school nurses, to up-date their knowledge and to maintain proper link between school nurses, families and the community

catalyzed reactions between iodine and cresols microdetermination of cresols

The oxidation of three isometric cresols with iodine in potassium iodide solutions in the presence and in absence of silver ions as a catalyst was investigated and used for microdetermination of these vital reductants. The study of these redox reactions and microdetermination of the methylphenols was performed by volumetric and spectrophotometric methods. The spectrophotometric method was more accurate than potentiometric and volumetric and can be used for determination of these reductants in microrange [4 to 240 ug]. The volumetric methods used silver ions as catalysts. Possible schemes for the course of the redox reactions were suggested. One and two electron processes for oxidation of cresols have been indicated

Antibiotic concentration into the sinus secretions in case of chronic maxillary sinusitis

The ability of different antibiotics to penetrate into the diseased maxillary sinus mucosa and to sinus secretion was investigated in patients with chronic maxillary sinusitis. 50 patients were given a course either of rifampicin [18 patients], cephalexin [16 patient] or ampicillin [16 patient], 60 aspirated, and 90 irrigated secretion samples were assessed for determination of the concentration of these antibiotice. The highest concentration was achieved with rifampicin and the lowest was with cephalexin