Validation of the Arabic Linguistic Version of the Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Questionnaire.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Pelvic floor disorders (PFDs), significantly impacting women's quality of life, are often underdiscussed owing to misconceptions and limited understanding of treatment options. This study is aimed at validating an Arabic version of the Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Questionnaire (PIKQ) to assess knowledge of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and urinary incontinence (UI) among Arabic-speaking women, addressing knowledge gaps in these areas. METHODS: The study obtained ethical approval and followed a two-stage process, including a pilot study for preliminary validation and a larger study involving 300 participants. The PIKQ, a self-administered tool with two scales focusing on UI and POP, was translated into Arabic with cultural and linguistic adaptations. The study evaluated the reliability and validity of the Arabic PIKQ, employing Cronbach's alpha, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Spearman's rho for reliability assessments, as well as factor analysis for construct validity. RESULTS: The Arabic PIKQ demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.8) and test-retest reliability (ICC > 0.79) for both the UI and the POP scales. The questionnaire also showed significant construct validity. Among the 300 participants, knowledge gaps were evident, influenced by educational and professional backgrounds. Notably, 22% reported UI and 14.7% reported pelvic organ prolapse, with less than half seeking treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The Arabic PIKQ has been validated as a reliable tool for improving knowledge and addressing misconceptions regarding PFDs among Arabic-speaking women. The study underscores the importance of culturally sensitive educational tools in enhancing awareness and facilitating access to medical care for pelvic floor disorders.

Cytochrome 4Z1 Expression Connotes Unfavorable Prognosis in Ovarian Cancers.

Background and Objective: Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of death in females. Since its treatment is challenging and causes severe side effects, novel therapies are urgently needed. One of the potential enzymes implicated in the progression of cancers is Cytochrome 4Z1 (CYP4Z1). Its expression in ovarian cancer remains unknown. Therefore, the current study aims to assess CYP4Z1 expression in different subtypes of ovarian cancers. Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to characterize CYP4Z1 expression in 192 cases of ovarian cancers along with eight normal ovarian tissues. The enzyme's association with various clinicopathological characteristics and survival was determined. Results: CYP4Z1 was strongly expressed in 79% of ovarian cancers, compared to negative expression in normal ovarian samples. Importantly, significantly high CYP4Z1 expres-sion was determined in patients with advanced-stage cancer and a high depth of invasion (p < 0.05). Surprisingly, CYP4Z1 expression was significantly associated with a low patient survival rate. Univariate analysis revealed that patient survival was strongly associated with CYP4Z1 expression, tumor stage, depth of invasion, and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that only CYP4Z1 expression was significantly associated with patient survival (p < 0.05). Conclusions: CYP4Z1 expression is correlated with shorter patient survival and has been identified as an independent indicator of a poor prognosis for ovarian cancer patients.

Cytochrome 4Z1 Expression Is Correlated with Poor Prognosis in Patients with Cervical Cancer.

BACKGROUND: cervical cancer is one of the most common malignancies in women worldwide and its management remains challenging and complex. As Cytochrome4Z1 (CYP4Z1) is overexpressed in many tumours, its expression in cervical cancer is unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate CYP4Z1 expression in cervical cancers. METHODS: CYP4Z1 expression was immunohistochemically assessed in 100 cases of cervical cancers along with ten normal cervix tissues, and the enzyme's relationship to several clinicopathological features and survival was explored. RESULTS: CYP4Z1 was strongly expressed in 55% of cervical cancer patients. Normal cervix samples were negative for CYP4Z1 expression. Importantly, this expression was significantly found in patients with the late stage of the disease, lymph node metastasis, and high tumour invasion (p < 0.05). Interestingly, CYP4Z1 expression was significantly correlated with shorter survival times of cervical cancer patients. Univariate analysis showed that CYP4Z1 expression, tumour stage, lymph node metastasis, and tumour invasion were significantly correlated with patient survival (p < 0.05). The multivariate analysis revealed that only CYP4Z1 expression and tumour stage were significantly correlated with patient survival (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CYP4Z1 expression is associated with cervical cancer patients' survival and may serve as an independent predictor of poor prognosis in cervical cancer patients.

Preliminary report of altered insulin secretion pattern in monochorionic twin pregnancies complicated with selective intrauterine growth restriction.

OBJECTIVE: Fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) have adaptive hormonal changes including changes in insulin, which may increase their future risks for developing diabetes mellitus. This study compared cord blood insulin concentrations in IUGR and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) fetuses in a monochorionic (MC) twin model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten pairs were classified as selective IUGR (sIUGR) based on having one twin weight below the 10th percentile and with an intertwin birth weight discordance>20%. Fourteen pairs without IUGR were included as a comparison group. Pregnancies with twin-twin transfusion syndrome, congenital structural malformations, and genetic abnormalities were excluded. Insulin and glucose concentrations were measured in cord venous blood at the time of delivery. RESULTS: Cord blood insulin concentrations of sIUGR fetuses were significantly lower than those of AGA counterpart fetuses in MC twins affected by sIUGR (5.1±4.1 mU/L, range: 0.7-9.9 mU/L for sIUGR fetuses and 12.2±7.6 mU/L, range: 3.5-23.7 mU/L for AGA fetuses, p=0.019). No significant difference in insulin concentrations between larger and smaller fetuses in MC twins without IUGR was observed. Insulin concentration was inversely correlated with gestational age of delivery in all fetuses except in those with sIUGR. We did not find any difference in cord blood glucose concentrations between the two fetuses in both groups. CONCLUSION: Our data show reduced insulin secretion and loss of the physiological decline in concentration over time as gestational age increases in fetuses with sIUGR compared to AGA counterparts.