Pulomanry involvement in asymptomatic Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients with antiphospholipid syndrome multislice CT angiography and pulomnary involvement in asymptomatic SLE patients with APS

To detect the pulmonary involvement in asymptomatic secondary APS patients by pulmonary function tests [PFTs] and chest multislice HRCT angiography. Comparing the pulmonary findings to those of asymptomatic SLE patients without APS was considered. Thirty-four SLE patients with APS and another 34 SLE patients without APS and with a negative ACL test were included as control. All patients were asymptomatic for any pulmonary manifestations. Plain chest X-ray, HRCT angiography and PFTs were performed for all patients in an attempt to assess the pulmonary vasculature and lung parenchyma. Disease activity was assessed using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index [SLEDAI] while assessment of organ damage was made using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/ACR [SLICC/ACR] index. There were abnormal pulmonary CT findings in 11 [32.35%] of the asymptomatic secondary APS patients with an obvious association to lupus anticoagulants. However, plain X-ray showed basal atelectasis and/or elevation of the copulae in four patients. Pulmonary abnormalities included a high frequency of pulmonary artery aneurysms [20.59%] thrombosis, basal atelectasis, embolism, bronchiectasis, pleural effusion and thickening. The SLEDAI and SLICC were significantly higher in APS patients. More SLE patients without APS were receiving hydroxychloroquine which suggests a protective role on the thromboembolic events occurring in APS. Multislice HRCT pulmonary angiography, with its multiplanar capability, vascular reconstruction and high quality, is useful in demonstrating the entire thoracic spectrum in asymptomatic APS patients. Particular concern about the medications used in APS could prevent the risk of developing noticeable thromboembolic events

Assessment of knowledge, practice and attitudes of workers working in Assuiut University toward the elderly care

Aging is a complex and dynamic process with interrelated and inseparable physiological, psychological and sociological components. Moreover the elderly can be a burden to themselves, their families and their communities. The present study aims to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of workers in Assiut University toward the elderly care. The subjects of the study consist of 624 working personnel in different faculties in Assiut University setting. They were chosen using proportion allocation method which was 25% of the total number of working personnel in each faculty, the total number of the workers in Assiut University was 2558. The results revealed that the mean age of the workers was 37,2 +/- 11.6, females represented 60% of the studied sample, 44% of them were highly educated, and 81.0% of them living in urban communities, 45.8% of them living with elderly persons at home, while 54.2% not living with them. Majority of the studied sample had good knowledge regarding to the changes, which occur to the elderly, such as nutrition, sleeping problems, accident and exercise, while the majority of them had a poor knowledge regarding health promotion and disease prevention of the elderly. Only 14.7% of the studied sample had a satisfactory degree of practice toward the elderly care and the rest of them had a poor degree of practice. Females in studied sample had more score in practice than males. Those living in rural communities also had more score in knowledge and practice than those living in urban communities. The portion of the studied sample that was living with elderly persons, at their homes had high score in knowledge and practice than who were not living with them