Low birth weights: I- maternal risk factors a hospital- based study in Cairo city, Egypt

Low birth weight [LBW] is an important public health problem. The problem is prevalent world-wide and has negative impacts. So, its prevention is a major challenge. To determine maternal risk factors of LBW in Cairo city. A case-control, hospital-based, study design. Mothers of 270 LBW neonates were recruited in this study. A control group of mothers of an equal number of normal birth weight [NBW] neonates was chosen. The mothers of LBW and NBW neonates were interviewed using a specially designed questionnaire. All mothers had been subjected to full examinations. The neonates were weighted and examined after labor. Low education, unskilled occupation, and husband unavailability are significant sociodemographic risk factors of LBW; OR=1.75, 1.62, and 2.21, respectively. Mother's height [

Effect of obesity and dietary factors on bone mineral density levels among female students in umm Al-Qura university

Nutrition is one of the most important factors influencing human health. Also, nutrition plays a role in the etiology of osteoporosis disease. This disease is a serious metabolic bone disorder that often results in hip fracture and is usually asymptomatic in its initial stages. Assess the prevalence of osteoporosis among female university students. A cross sectional study was carried out during the period from 1/1/2010 to 30/6/2010 among a random sample of [257] university female students were chosen from Umm Al Qura of Makkah. The age of sample from 19-24 years old. Data were collected through an interview with case by using a special questionnaire; bone mineral density [BMD] and body composition have also been measured. Osteoporosis was present in 7% of cases while, osteopenia was current in 32.3% of cases. Moreover there was a highly positive significant relationship at level [1%] between osteoporosis induced and each of body fat%, fat weight, and BMI. The prevalence of osteoporosis among university students was positively and significantly associated [p<0.001] with increased body fat. The study results suggested that inevitable decrease in body fatness and weight with less consumption of carbonated beverages, taking into consideration variety and balanced diets and increasing nutrition education programs will improve bone health and nutritional status

Effect of yoghurt pillared with propolis on hyperglycemic rats

Dietary supplementation of yoghurt with plants rich in antioxidants such as propolis which is an adhesive resinous material collected by honey bees is recently recommended. This study aimed at investigating the protective effect against the hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. The study showed that yoghurt with propolis had a hypoglycemic effect together with reduction of the serum levels of cholesterol, low density and very low density lipoproteins with elevation of high density lipoproteins. The atherosclerosis indices were affected with reduction of low density lipoproteins-cholesterol/high density lipoproteins-cholesterol and elevation of the high density lipoprotein-cholesterol/total cholesterol. This was attributed to the reduction of glucose absorption and inhibition of alpha-glucosidase together with the antioxidant activity with regain of the pancreatic beta-cell function. The hypolipidemic effect and consequently protective effect against atherosclerosis was attributed to the binding, breakdown and reduction of absorption of cholesterol together with the antioxidant activity of both yoghurt and propolis. Down regulation of the expression of the angiogenic gene factors which have a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis may play a role. Thus, this dietary supplementation may be manufactured and used for its value in reducing hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in cases of diabetes mellitus

Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: characteristics and risk factors among adult patients in Egypt

Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are common, chronic, immune mediated disease of the skin and joints. Interaction between genes and environment are important in disease causation. The aim of the present study was to determine the socioemographic and clinical characters of adult patients with psoriasis and those with psoriatic arthritis, to define psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis etiological risk factors, and to define the relationship between psoriasis severity and these items. This study was conducted at Dermatology Clinic, Al-Hussein University Hospital. A case-control study design was chosen to perform this research. The study was conducted on 100 adult patients with psoriasis and an equal number of free adults as controls. Criteria for diagnosis of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis were used. A comprehensive questionnaire was used to survey the studied groups. Body surface area of the affected patients was used as a marker of disease severity. The study showed that 44.0% of the cases had psoriasis age of onset; 22-45 years. Stress was the most common etiological risk factor, 67.0%. While, the most important risk factors were family history of psoriasis, recurrent pharyngitis, smoking >/=20 cigarettes/ day and higher level of education, odds ratio [OR]=7.58, 5.94, 2.78 and 2.69, respectively. Also, 32.0% of the patients had psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis comes after psoriasis and had mild severity in 65.6% and 68.7% of the cases, respectively. The most important etiological risk factors were severe psoriasis, smoking >/= 20 cigarettes/day and early onset of psoriasis, OR=9.64, 3.06 and 2.72, respectively. The epidemiology of psoriasis is not well defined in Egypt. The heredity and environmental factors are the most important risk factors. Also, psoriatic arthritis is an important associated disease. The fact that it has no cure has important implications for how it should be viewed, prevented and treated. We recommend that more research should be carried out to understand the true epidemiological features of the disease in Egypt and its impacts on quality of life of the patients