Peripheral neuropathy in type-II diabetic patients attending diabetic clinics in Al Azhar University Hospitals, Egypt

Peripheral neuropathy [PN] is a common neurological complication in patients with diabetes mellitus [DM] which affects their quality of life. To determine the frequency of PN and the risk factors associated with its occurrence in the studied diabetic patients. A cross sectional study was conducted in Al-Azhar University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt. The study recruited 300 patients with type-II DM who attending the outpatient diabetic clinics in the studied hospitals, from October 1st 2005 through January 2006. A clinical neurological examination was conducted for all patients using the Michigan Neuropathy Diabetic Scoring [MNDS] criteria for diagnosis of PN. Subsequently, we considered patients with PN as study cases, and those without PN as controls to assess the risk factors associated with PN. Statistical analysis including multivariate logistic regression analysis was done. The frequency of PN among the studied subjects was 29.7%. Related risk factors were: older age above 60 years [odds ratio [OR] = 73.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 14.2-377.2], associated moderate to severe hypertension [OR =10.2; 95% CI = 2.8-38.0] and associated ischemic heart disease [IHD] [OR = 3.80; 95% CI = 1.50-9.80], poor control of DM [OR = 9.1; 95% CI = 2.6-32.1], and duration of DM. The risk of PN, however, was significantly reduced among married patients and those reported high educational and family income levels. Diabetic PN is a considerable complication of DM. The related risk factors were old age, prolonged and poorly controlled DM and associated medical disorders

Some sociodemographic and lifestyle factors associated with primary arterial hypertension: a hospital-based case control study

This hospital-based case control study was conducted in Al-Azhar University hospitals, Cairo, Egypt, to examine the association of some sociodemographic and lifestyle factors with primary arterial hypertension. The sociodemographic and lifestyle data were collected from cases and controls by interview questionnaire. Risk estimates were generated by applying logistic regression methods to 193 cases and 200 controls aged 41-63 years. The analysis revealed the risk of primary hypertension to increase with increased age, male gender and moderate family income. Furthermore, adjusted risk of primary hypertension was significantly increased among smokers [OR = 1.75; 95% CI = 1.01-2.97], particularly among heavy smokers who reported more than 20 pack years of smoking [OR- 1.90; 95% Cl = 1.00-3.77], sedentary life subjects [OR = 1.90; 95% CI = 1.15-3.02], and among those drinking more than 3 glasses of black tea/day. Additionally, stratified analysis revealed more effect of smoking pack years and consumption of black tea on the risk of stage II hypertension. These results suggest that increased age, male gender and moderate level family income, smoking, sedentary life and black tea drinking are risk factors of primary hypertension in Egyptian population. However, these findings need to be verified in larger confirmatory population-based studies

Rule of schistosomiasis infection in chronic hepatitis C

The prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus [HCV] among Egyptians is 10-20%. Schistosomiasis is another hepatotropic infection with a major burden on Egyptian patient population particularly in rural societies. The aim of the present study is to describe and compare the clinical, laboratory, virology, ultrasonographic and histopathological features of HCV patients and HCV patients co-infected with Schistomiasis. is there a relationship between severity of HCV infection and Schistosomiasis. The medical files of 74 HCV patients attending tropical medicine department, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt, were reviewed. The studied patients were classified into two groups: group A: patients with HCV co infected with Schistosomiasis [n = 38]; and group B: patients with HCV only [n = 36]. From the patients' medical files, clinical, laboratory, virology [HCV RNA titer by RT/PCR], abdominal ultrasonographic and histopathological data were extracted, reviewed and analyzed by using statistical analysis software package [SAS]. The results of this study found no significant differences with regard to mean age, sex distribution and clinical presentation between patients in the two studied groups. The majority of HCV patients co infected with Schistosomiasis [79%] was rural residence. Significant differences were observed regarding the hemoglobin percent, total leucocytic count, serum albumin and prothrombin concentration with the lower levels were among patients with Concomitant HCV and Schistosomiasis infection [group A]. In the same group, the higher levels of viremia were also observed. Liver fibrosis and cirrhosis were found to be relatively higher in group A [38%] compared to group B [17%], but with statistically significant difference [p < 0.05]. Patients with concomitant HCV and Schistosomiasis infection were characterized by more advanced liver disease as indicated by cirrhosis and laboratory findings