Gastric emptying time in bilharzial patients with and without hepatitis-C virus infection

Eighty one adult male Egyptian bilharzial patients were subjected to the study. Their ages ranged from 25 to 45 years. Their complains were nausea, vomiting, eructation and epigastric pain. Full clinical, laboratory examination, liver biopsies, upper endoscopy, ECG and barium meal, were done to every patient. They were divided into 3 groups. Group I, bilharzial patients who were negative for hepatitis- C, group II, bilharzial patients who were positive for hepatis-C, and group III, control group [normal persons]. Gastric emptying time was prolonged in group I, but was more prolonged in group II patients. There were strong positive correlations between symptoms and gastric emptying times

Two years experience with critical care unit [CCU] at Imbaba Fever Hospital

This study was done to evaluate the activity of the critical care unit [CCU] in Imbaba Fever hospital [IFH]. Description of the unit and its equipment was done. Data of patients admitted to CCU and those admitted to isolation rooms were analyzed and compared to each other all over the 2 years of the study. The number of the patients admitted to CCU was 173 which represents a very small number. The mortality rate is still high 43.4% but was lower than mortality rate to those admitted to ordinary isolation wards [55%]. Hepatic coma and CNS infections resemble the main causes of death among all ages in both groups treated in CCU and isolation rooms. The main cause of death among age group 20-40 years was fulminant hepatitis while, above 40 years was liver cirrhosis

Clinical assessment of chronic hepatitis C associated with bilharzial liver, 2 years follow-up study

Forty bilharzial patients were subjected to this study. All had hepatitis C virus antigenemia in their blood. They were grouped into two groups. Group I subjected ribavirin therapy for 9 months. Group II receive symptomatic and supportive treatment. Improvement of transaminases blood levels were noticed in all patients of group I, while, an increase in serum bilirubin was noticed. Ascites developed in 2 patients, one during treatment and the other just at the end of it. Depressive mood developed in 3 cases, especially late in the course of antiviral therapy. Non-specific symptoms already were present and showed no improvement, even generalized bony-ache, fatigue and insomnia were increased in patients of group I. Viral antigenemia disappeared in 20% of group I patients after therapy, but relapse occurred in half of that percentage during the 1st year and all were relapsed again by the end of that 1st year after recovery