Beta Thalassemia Carrier Rate: Problem Burden among High School Children.

Background & Aim of the Work: ß-Thalassemia (ßT) is highly prevalent in some countries like Egypt. Accurate data about actual disease prevalence and heavily prevalent geographic locations are essential to help in early detection and in setting up effective preventive programs. We aim for screening ßT carriers among Egyptian high school students in the Delta region. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional multicenter study was carried out on 4320 randomly selected students from four governorates of the Nile Delta region, Egypt. All patients were to be tested for their complete blood count. Those with microcytic hypochromic anemia not caused by iron deficiency were tested for ßT carrier status using high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The total prevalence of ßT carrier rate was 6.13%. The highest prevalence was detected in Al-Sharkia Governorate, reaching 7.89%, followed by 6.90% in Al-Gharbia Governorate. Al- Dakahilia and Al-Menoufia showed lower rates of 4.86% and 3.73%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Despite the premarital national screening program for ßT in Egypt, the carrier rate is still high. More effort should be done into the proper implementation of national prevention programs.

Hodgkin lymphoma in childhood: clinicopathological features and therapy outcome at 2 centers from a developing country.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) accounts for 5% to 6% of all childhood cancer. It displays characteristic epidemiological, clinical, and pathological features according to various geographic areas. We aimed to assess the epidemiological aspects, clinicopathological features, and treatment outcome of pediatric HL treated at 2 Egyptian centers: Zagazig University Pediatric Oncology Unit and Benha Special Hospital Pediatric Oncology Unit. We carried a cross-sectional retrospective study by reviewing medical records for all patients admitted with the diagnosis of HL over 8 years in 2 oncology units during the period from January 2004 to January 2012. Age of the patients at presentation ranged from 3 to 14 years (median 6 years) and male: female ratio 1.7:1. Lymphadenopathy was the most common presentation (96.6%). Mixed cellularity subtype was dominant (50.8%), followed by nodular sclerosis (28.9%), lymphocyte-rich (18.6%) with lymphocyte depletion being the least dominant (1.7%). More than half of patients (55.9 %) had advanced disease (Ann Arbor stage III/IV disease). The duration of follow-up ranged from 5 to 87 months (mean 39.8 ±â€Š24.1 months). The 5-year overall survival and event-free survival for patients were 96.6% and 84.7% respectively. In Egypt, HL occurs in young age group, with a higher incidence of mixed cellularity subtype and advanced disease. None of the clinical, epidemiological, or pathological characteristics had a significant association with the overall survival. The outcomes of HL in our 2 centers were satisfactory approaching the international percentage.

Diarrhea in neutropenic children with cancer: An Egyptian center experience, with emphasis on neutropenic enterocolitis.

BACKGROUND: Diarrhea is a frequent complication in children with cancer who received intensive chemotheraputic regimens. It may be caused by several factors, neutropenic enterocolitis (NE) being the most serious. AIM: To study diarrhea in neutropenic cancer patients in the pediatric age group, with its underlying etiologies and risk factors, especially the bacterial causes, with special concern on NE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was carried out at the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Units, Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt, from January 2009 to September 2010. All children with malignant diseases who are ≤12 years of age were included. Patients who were neutropenic (<500/ mm(3)) on admission or who became neutropenic during their stay in the hospital were monitored regularly (daily) for diarrhea. Neutropenic cancer patients with diarrhea were grouped into two groups: Group 1, with NE, and group 2, with neutropenic diarrhea rather than NE. On the first day of diarrhea, patients were subjected to complete blood count, blood cultures, stool microscopy and culture. Abdominal ultrasonography was carried out within 3 days of diarrhea. RESULTS: A total of 200 children ≤12 years old, suffering from different malignancies, with a total of 180 neutropenic episodes were followed. Diarrhea was observed in 100 episodes (55.5%). NE constituted 16% of these diarrheal episodes. All patients with NE had significantly more severe neutropenia, and this was of longer duration than the other group. All patients with NE were febrile, with 100% positive blood culture. Stool analysis diagnosed giardiasis in 4.8% of the non-NE patients and in none of the NE patients, while stool culture was positive in 75% of the NE patients compared with 40.5% of the other group. CONCLUSIONS: Diarrhea is a common complication in neutropenic cancer children. Gram negative bacteria and Candida are the most incriminated pathogens. Duration and severity of neutropenia carry a great risk for the development of NE.

Ventilator associated pneumonia in critically-ill neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit, zagazig university hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is defined as nosocomial pneumonia in mechanically ventilated patients. It is considered to be most important cause of infection-related death in intensive care unit. We studied the characteristics and risk factors of VAP in critically-ill neonates. METHODS: Fifty six consecutive neonates with different diagnosis admitted from January to October 2010 to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), Zagazig University Hospitals who needed mechanical ventilation were included in the study. There were 32 neonates, 18 males and 14 females with proven diagnosis of VAP, and 24 neonates, 11 males and 13 females without VAP served as control group. All studied neonates were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, routine investigations (Complete blood count, C-reactive protein, arterial blood gases, blood culture and liver and kidney function tests), and chest X-ray daily as well as non-bronchoscopic alveolar lavage culture for VAP group only. FINDINGS: Of 56 neonates who needed mechanical ventilation, 57.1% developed VAP. Prematurity, low birth weight and prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation were risk factors for developing VAP. Increased total leucocytic count, CRP and hypoalbuminemia were significantly presented in VAP-group. There were significant differences between VAP and non-VAP groups regarding hypothermia, mucopurulent endotracheal tube secretion, PaCO(2) and PaO(2). Microorganisms associated with blood stream infection in VAP diagnosed group were Klebsiella (15.6%), S. aureus (12.5%), Pseudomonas (9.4%), E. coli (6.2%), Candida (3.1%); 53.1% of obtained blood cultures were sterile. Of non-bronchoscopic alveolar lavage cultures obtained from VAP patients, 68.6% showed gram negative infection, 21.8% showed gram positive organisms and 9.3% revealed Candida infection. CONCLUSION: The most important risk factors of VAP are prematurity, low birth weight, prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation, enteral nutrition and umbilical catheterization.