Plasma fibronectin in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Plasma fibronectin was assessed in 61 children with rheumatoid arthritis and in 20 normal healthy controls of the same sex and age groups, in order to evaluate its role in this disease. Seropositive patients had significantly higher levels of plasma fibronectin than seronegative patients and control group. There was gradual increase in fibronectin levels with increasing degree of seropositivity. Moreover, significant positive correlations were found between fibronectin levels and both ESR and Rose Waalar titration. It was concluded that, fibronectin level could be taken as an indicator of the start of the destructive complications of the disease as well as one of the parameters of disease activity

Toxoplasmosis in children with collagen diseases

The aim of this work was to determine the true prevalence of associated toxoplasma infection in children with collagen diseases and exclusion of cross reactivity in those patients. The results of the different serological tests in patients with collagen diseases in correlation with toxoplasmosis were discussed

Hepatic and bone marrow concentration and serum levels of copper in hepatic schistosomiasis in Egyptian children

This work included 30 patients who were classified according to liver histopathology into 2 groups: Pure schistosomal hepatic fibrosis [SHF] and mixed SHF. Also, 5 healthy controls were included in this work. Serum and bone marrow tissue copper levels showed significant elevation in either group of patients than in the controls, whereas the hepatic tissue copper concentration showed a significant lowering effect in the pure SHF and a significant rise in the mixed SHF group. The only significant difference between the 2 groups of patients was in the hepatic copper concentration. On correlating the serum copper versus the hepatic tissue and the bone marrow tissue copper in the 3 studied groups, the results were insignificant. It could be concluded that, the estimation of the serum level may not reflect the state of trace elements in the tissues and that the assessment of the latter should better be attempted when any trace element is being studied

Interleukin-6: as a parameter for early diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection

Several indicators have been evaluated in the diagnosis of systemic bacterial infections and included acute phase proteins. The major focus of attention has been directed to C-reactive protein [CRP]. However, its value in early diagnosis of infection is low. As interleukin-6 [Il-6] plays a critical role in the induction of C- reactive protein [CRP] synthesis in the liver, it would be detected earlier in blood than the CRP during the course of bacterial infection. 50 newborns admitted to Nursery Unit with neonatal sepsis CRP levels, blood cell count with differential CRP and IL-6 levels were determined on admission and 24 hours later. Two groups of patients, 10 newborns with blood culture positive sepsis and 40 newborns with clinical sepsis. Twenty five [25] normal healthy neonates were studied as control group. Serum Il-6 values were significantly higher in neonates with septicemia when compared to control group. CRP values were also elevated in neonates with septicemia on admission, when compared to control group. The combination of CRP and Il-6 seems to be ideal for early diagnosis of neonatal infection