Clinical Profiles, Laboratory Biomarkers, and Mortality in Cancer Patients with Lower Respiratory Tract Infections: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) pose a substantial health burden worldwide, especially among immunocompromised groups like cancer patients. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to explore lower respiratory tract infections in cancer patients. We followed 107 cases with clinically or radiologically suspected lower respiratory tract infections until discharge or death, comprising 65 males and 42 females across diverse age groups. Clinical evaluations, including patient history, examination, and malignancy diagnosis, were conducted. Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPSs), sputum samples, and blood samples were collected within 24 h of symptom onset. Multiplex Real-Time PCR allowed for the simultaneous detection of viral, bacterial, and fungal infections, while conventional microbiological culture methods were used for bacterial and fungal analysis. SARS-CoV-2 infection was excluded in all of the enrolled patients using real-time RT-PCR. Hematological and biochemical analyses included hemoglobin, lymphocyte, neutrophil, and platelet counts, along with ALT, AST, creatinine, and CRP levels. Significant differences were noted in clinical presentations, management outcomes, and prognostic markers among patients with different hematological malignancies. Distinct clinical profiles were identified for leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumors, with variations in age distribution and symptom prevalence. ICU admission rates varied significantly, with solid tumor patients exhibiting higher rates. The hematological and biochemical biomarkers differed across malignancies, with notable associations between lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, and mortality following respiratory episodes. This study highlights the critical role of rapid pathogen detection and infection control measures in safeguarding vulnerable cancer patients from nosocomial transmission.

Dysregulation of miR-122, miR-574 and miR-375 in Egyptian patients with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The early detection of breast cancer (BC) is receiving global attention, creating an urgent need for more sensitive and comprehensive strategies for preventive intervention, therapy assessment, and prognosis prediction. Aberrant expression of miRNAs has been observed in various malignancies and may be potential targets for therapy. Our study aims to examine the expression profiles of miR-375, miR-574-3p, and miR-122 in the sera of Egyptian women with BC, benign breast lesions, and a control group. We hope to determine if these miRNAs can serve as minimally invasive biomarkers for BC. METHODS: This is a case-control study in which 77 patients with newly diagnosed BC, 20 patients with benign breast tumors, and 30 normal healthy subjects as controls were recruited from the outpatient clinic of the National Cancer Institute. The assessment of miRNAs was conducted using RT-PCR (Applied Biosystems). RESULTS: The expression level of miRNA-122 was significantly upregulated in the BC group, while the expression levels of miRNA-574 and miRNA-375 showed significant downregulation in BC patients. Serum miR-122 and miRNA-375 were able to distinguish breast cancer from the benign and control groups in ROC curve analysis, with AUCs of 0.786 and 0.796, respectively. Our results also showed that serum miR-122 and miR-574 are significant predictor variables in the multivariate analysis, after adjusting for age. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that miR-122 may act as an onco-microRNA, while miR-574 and miR-375 may have a main tumour suppressor role. The studied miRNAs may serve as minimally invasive biomarkers for cases of breast cancer and as promising potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer.

CYP2C8 rs11572080 and CYP3A4 rs2740574 risk genotypes in paclitaxel-treated premenopausal breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent malignancy in women globally. At time of diagnosis, premenopausal BC is considered more aggressive and harder to treat than postmenopausal cases. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are responsible for phase I of estrogen metabolism and thus, they are prominently involved in the pathogenesis of BC. Moreover, CYP subfamily 2C and 3A play a pivotal role in the metabolism of taxane anticancer agents. To understand genetic risk factors that may have a role in pre-menopausal BC we studied the genotypic variants of CYP2C8, rs11572080 and CYP3A4, rs2740574 in female BC patients on taxane-based therapy and their association with menopausal status. Our study comprised 105 female patients with histologically proven BC on paclitaxel-therapy. They were stratified into pre-menopausal (n = 52, 49.5%) and post-menopausal (n = 53, 50.5%) groups. Genotyping was done using TaqMan assays and employed on Quantstudio 12 K flex real-time platform. Significant increased frequencies of rs11572080 heterozygous CT genotype and variant T allele were established in pre-menopausal group compared to post-menopausal group (p = 0.023, 0.01, respectively). Moreover, logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between rs11572080 CT genotype and premenopausal BC. However, regarding rs2740574, no significant differences in genotypes and allele frequencies between both groups were detected. We reported a significant association between CYP2C8 genotypic variants and premenopausal BC risk in Egyptian females. Further studies on larger sample sizes are still needed to evaluate its importance in early prediction of BC in young women and its effect on treatment outcome.

Bone marrow microRNA-34a is a good indicator for response to treatment in acute myeloid leukemia.

Background: microRNA-34a (miR-34a) had been reported to have a diagnostic role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, its value in the bone marrow (BM) of AML patients, in addition to its role in response to therapy is still unclear. The current study was designed to assess the diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive significance of miR-34a in the BM of AML patients. Methods: The miR-34a was assessed in BM aspirate of 82 AML patients in relation to 12 normal control subjects using qRT-PCR. The data were assessed for correlation with the relevant clinical criteria, response to therapy, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) rates. Results: miR-34a was significantly downregulated in AML patients [0.005 (3.3 × 10-6-1.32)], compared to the control subjects [0.108 (3.2 × 10-4-1.64), p = 0.021]. The median relative quantification (RQ) of miR-34a was 0.106 (range; 0-32.12). The specificity, sensitivity, and area under the curve (AUC) for the diagnosis of AML were (58.3%, 69.5%, 0.707, respectively, p = 0.021). patients with upregulated miR-34a showed decreased platelets count <34.5 × 109/L, and achieved early complete remission (CR, p = 0.031, p = 0.044, respectively). Similarly, patients who were refractory to therapy showed decreased miR-34a levels in comparison to those who achieved CR [0.002 (0-0.01) and 0.12 (0-32.12), respectively, p = 0.002]. Therefore, miR-34a could significantly identify patients with CR with a specificity of 75% and sensitivity of 100% at a cut-off of 0.014 (AUC = 0.927, p = 0.005). There was no considerable association between miR-34a expression and survival rates of the included AML patients. Conclusion: miR-34a could be a beneficial diagnostic biomarker for AML patients. In addition, it serves as a good indicator for response to therapy, which could possibly identify patients who are refractory to treatment with 100% sensitivity and 75% specificity.

Evaluation of MMP-13 and Micro RNA-138 as prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer in Egyptian women patients.

BACKGROUND: Elevated serum levels of MMP-13 are linked to tumor growth and metastasis, while miR-138 dysregulation is observed in breast cancer cases. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of miR-138 and MMP-13 levels as potential biomarkers for the prognosis of breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHOD: In this retrospective case-control study, 119 female subjects were recruited and divided into three groups. MMP-13 level was measured using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), while real-time PCR technique was employed to quantify miR-138 expression. RESULTS: Both non-metastatic and metastatic groups showed significantly higher levels of serum MMP-13 compared to other groups. MMP-13 levels are significantly increased among patients with advanced tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and triple-negative breast cancer cases. An inverse significant association between MMP-13 levels and response to treatment was observed. Expression of miR-138 underwent a significant down-regulation in breast cancer patients, and a statistically significant association was established between miR-138 expression and triple-negative breast cancer cases. A positive association was detected between the increase in miR-138 expression and the good response to treatment. The expression of miR-138 was inversely correlated with the MMP-13 levels. CONCLUSION: MMP-13 levels were significantly higher in breast cancer, especially in advanced cases, suggesting its role in promoting tumor invasion and metastasis. MiR-138 was down-regulated in breast cancer, especially in triple-negative breast cancer patients, rendering it a promising biomarker for triple-negative breast cancer. Modulation of miR-138 expression and MMP-13 levels may represent therapeutic targets for breast cancer.

Evaluation of Interleukin-17 A Levels in Patients with Breast Carcinoma.

Breast cancer is a highly common form of cancer that impacts a considerable proportion of women on a global scale. Interleukin 17A (IL-17A) is a cytokine that has both anti-tumor and pro-tumor effects, which can vary depending on the specific tumor microenvironment. The aim of this study was to determine whether IL-17A can be used as a biomarker for diagnosis of breast cancer. Therefore, we compared concentrations of serum IL-17A in patients suffering from breast carcinoma and normal control women by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This study included 86 women, 44 patients that were diagnosed with breast carcinoma, and 42 normal control women. Serum IL-17A levels in both case and control groups were measured by sandwich ELISA kits. The IL-17A serum level was significantly higher among patients with breast carcinoma than in the control group (p <0.001). The serum IL-17A concentration was significantly higher in estrogen receptor-positive cases than in estrogen receptor-negative cases (p=0.033). The highest levels of IL-17A were detected in patients with stage 2 breast carcinoma rather than stage 3 with no significant correlation. There was no correlation between IL-17A level and tumor size, lymph node invasion, or metastasis in patients with breast cancer. In conclusion, a high level of IL-17A in breast carcinoma patients compared to the control group was detected in our study. It indicates that IL-17A could be a promising biomarker for diagnosis of breast cancer and may play a role in tumor development. High levels of IL-17A were not a predictor of poor prognosis in breast cancer patients as it was not related to tumor size, lymph node invasion, or metastasis.

Clinical and prognostic significance of CD27 and CD44 expression patterns in Egyptian pediatric patients with B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

INTRODUCTION: The expression pattern of CD27 and CD44 was found to correlate with the differentiation stages of B cell precursors, which were known to be involved in a variety of immunological responses. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to determine the biological significance of CD27 and CD44 expression in patients with B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), as well as their association with standard prognostic factors and therapeutic response. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This case-control study included 60 pediatric patients newly diagnosed with B-ALL and 30 pediatric controls. The patient CD27 and CD44 levels were measured using the Beckman Coulter Navios Flow Cytometer. RESULTS: Most malignant cells (91.6 %) expressed CD44, but only 50 % of the patients had CD27 expressed. The positive CD 44 expression was associated with unfavorable prognostic markers, including a decrease.

Circulating ESR1, long non-coding RNA HOTAIR and microRNA-130a gene expression as biomarkers for breast cancer stage and metastasis.

Breast cancer, the most prevalent cancer among women, has posed a significant challenge in identifying biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis. This study aimed to elucidate the gene expression profile of Estrogen Receptor-1 (ESR-1), long non-coding RNA HOTAIR, and microRNA-130a in the serum of Egyptian breast cancer patients, evaluating the potential of HOTAIR and miR-130a as biomarkers for predicting pathological parameters in BC. The study involved 45 patients with primary BC, with serum samples collected preoperatively and postoperatively twice. The expression levels of ESR-1, HOTAIR, and miR-130a were quantified using real-time PCR and analyzed for correlations with each other and with the clinical and pathological parameters of the patients. Serum HOTAIR levels exhibited a strong positive association with metastasis and demonstrated a significant increase after 6 months in all patients with locally advanced and stage IV BC. Conversely, tumors with advanced stages and metastatic lesions showed significantly lower expression levels of miR-130a. Notably, a significant positive correlation was observed between preoperative ESR-1 expression and both HOTAIR and miR-130a levels. Serum HOTAIR and miR-130a levels have emerged as promising non-invasive biomarkers with the potential to predict the pathological features of BC patients. HOTAIR, an oncogenic long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and miR-130a, a tumor suppressor miRNA, play crucial roles in tumor progression. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the intricate interplay between HOTAIR and miR-130a and to fully comprehend the contribution of HOTAIR to BC recurrence and its potential utility in early relapse prediction.

The impact of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections in patients with Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HCV and occult HBV among newly diagnosed pre-treatment Egyptian lymphoma patients and evaluate patients' outcomes based on the presence of the viral infections. METHODS: The study included 80 therapy-naïve lymphoma patients including 71 non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and 9 Hodgkin lymphoma disease (HD) in addition to 100 healthy volunteers. HBV screening using HBsAg and anti-HBc IgM and HCV using AB/Ag ELISA and real-time RT-PCR were screened in tested and control groups. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were conducted to diseased patients. RESULTS: Healthy patients showed 4/100, (4%) active HCV infection and 1/100, (1%) active HBV infection and no occult HBV infection. Among NHL patients, 28 were positive for HBV (6 active and 22 occult HBV infection). Occult HBV was also detected in 5/9 HD patients. HCV was detected in (30/71, 42.3%) of NHL patients and in a single HD patient. Ten occult HBV NHL patients showed a mixed infection with HCV. The incidence of both HCV and HBV are higher in NHL than HL patients. After antitumor treatment, complete remission for lymphoma was achieved in 45% of patients. Both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were correlated and significantly associated with patients' LDH levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings claim the suggestive role of HCV and occult HBV infections in NHL but not HL patients in comparison to healthy control, suggesting pre-screening of related factors including occult HBV in for potential better therapy response.

Mesoscopic Analysis of Rounded and Hybrid Aggregates in Recycled Rubber Concrete.

Recycled rubber concrete (RRC), a sustainable building material, provides a solution to the environmental issues posed by rubber waste. This research introduces a sophisticated hybrid random aggregate model for RRC. The model is established by combining convex polygon aggregates and rounded rubber co-casting schemes with supplemental tools developed in MATLAB and Fortran for processing. Numerical analyses, based on the base force element method (BFEM) of the complementary energy principle, are performed on RRC's uniaxial tensile and compressive behaviors using the proposed aggregate models. This study identified the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) around the rubber as RRC's weakest area. Here, cracks originate and progress to the aggregate, leading to widespread cracking. Primary cracks form perpendicular to the load under tension, whereas bifurcated cracks result from compression, echoing conventional concrete's failure mechanisms. Additionally, the hybrid aggregate model outperformed the rounded aggregate model, exhibiting closer peak strengths and more accurate aggregate shapes. The method's validity is supported by experimental findings, resulting In detailed stress-strain curves and damage contour diagrams.

Associations Between Serum Soluble Toll-like Receptors 4 and 9 and Breast Cancer in Egyptian Patients.

BACKGROUND: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in regulation of immune cells and are vital in tumorigenesis due to its crucial role in inflammatory microenvironment regulation, as they promote the synthesis and release of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Toll-like receptors 4 and TLRs 9 were found to be highly expressed in breast cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the soluble toll-like receptors 4 and 9 (sTLR4 and sTLR9) as potential biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer and their association with the clinicopathological parameters of breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHOD: In this retrospective case-control study, 186 female subjects were recruited and divided into three groups, Group I: 62 healthy control, Group II: 62 subjects diagnosed with non-metastatic breast cancer, and Group III: 62 subjects diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was used to quantify the levels of sTLR4 and sTLR9 in serum. RESULTS: Both non-metastatic and metastatic groups showed significant higher levels of both serum sTLR4 and sTLR9 expression compared to healthy controls. Only sTLR9 was significantly increased among metastatic patients compared to non-metastatic group. Serum levels of sTLR9 and sTLR4 were still significantly associated with breast cancer in a multiple logistic regression model (P = <.001). ROC curves showed that both sTLR4 and sTLR9 can be a significant parameter to discriminate between normal females and breast cancer patients. CONCLUSION: Soluble toll-like receptors 4 and sTLR9 are over-expressed in patients with metastatic and non-metastatic BC than in benign cases. The expression levels of sTLR4 and TLR9 have clinical interest as indicators of tumor aggressiveness suggested to be prognostic biomarkers. Toll-like receptors may represent therapeutic targets in breast cancer.

The Efficacy of Pericapsular Nerve Group Block Versus Facia Iliaca Block on Immediate Postoperative Pain and Opioid Consumption After Hip Arthroscopy Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pain after hip arthroscopy remains a major cause of patient dissatisfaction in the immediate postoperative period. Adequate postoperative analgesia is associated with increased patient satisfaction, earlier mobilization, and decreased opioid consumption. OBJECTIVES: Therefore, there is a need for safe, reliable, and opioid- and motor-sparing methods of achieving postoperative analgesia following hip arthroscopy. We evaluated the efficacy of pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block vs fascia iliaca block (FIB) in reducing postoperative pain and analgesic consumption in the first 24 hours following hip arthroscopy. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective randomized double-blinded control clinical trial. SETTING: At the arthroscopy unit of the orthopedic department of Assiut University Hospitals, Assiut, Egypt from 2019 to 2022. METHODS: Forty-three patients comprising 18 women and 25 men scheduled for hip arthroscopy were randomized to receive a preoperative block with PENG or FIB from March 2019 to March 2022. The mean age was 27.9 years (standard deviation [SD], 6.2 years; range, 18-42 years) and the mean body mass index was 25.13 kg/m2 (SD, 5.08 kg/m2). Patients were randomized into 2 groups: group A comprising 20 patients that received FIB; and group B comprising 23 patients that received PENG block. The efficacies of FIB and PENG block were evaluated using Visual Analog Scale scores. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences in median pain scores and mean at rest pain scores were observed between the 2 groups at all measured time points following surgery (i.e., 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours). Further, dynamic pain scores (with hip flexion) scores significantly differed between the 2 groups at 24 hours postoperatively (P = 0.001). PENG block significantly decreased postoperative opioid use compared to FIB. Total opioid use in the 24-hour postoperative period was lower in the PENG group compared to the FIB group (16.5 ± 9.9 vs 27.5 ± 9.6; P < 005). LIMITATIONS: Different hip pathologies and different interventions lead to different outcomes. Also, a larger sample size and longer follow-up duration are required. CONCLUSIONS: PENG block may represent the ideal regional anesthesia modality for hip arthroscopy as an alternative to more conventional regional nerve blocks, such as FIB, femoral nerve block, and lumbar plexus block. PENG block is reproducible, easily performed in the preoperative setting, and appears to spare motor function while providing prolonged sensory analgesia.

DDX43 mRNA expression and protein levels in relation to clinicopathological profile of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the most often diagnosed cancer in women globally. Cancer cells appear to rely heavily on RNA helicases. DDX43 is one of DEAD- box RNA helicase family members. But, the relationship between clinicopathological, prognostic significance in different BC subtypes and DDX43 expression remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the clinicopathological significance of DDX43 protein and mRNA expression in different BC subtypes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 80 females newly diagnosed with BC and 20 control females that were age-matched were recruited for this study. DDX43 protein levels were measured by ELISA technique. We used a real-time polymerase chain reaction quantification (real-time PCR) to measure the levels of DDX43 mRNA expression. Levels of DDX43 protein and mRNA expression within BC patients had been compared to those of control subjects and correlated with clinicopathological data. RESULTS: The mean normalized serum levels of DDX43 protein were slightly higher in control than in both benign and malignant groups, but this result was non-significant. The mean normalized level of DDX43 mRNA expression was higher in the control than in both benign and malignant cases, although the results were not statistically significant and marginally significant, respectively. Moreover, the mean normalized level of DDX43 mRNA expression was significantly higher in benign than in malignant cases. In malignant cases, low DDX43 protein expression was linked to higher nuclear grade and invasive duct carcinoma (IDC), whereas high mRNA expression was linked to the aggressive types of breast cancer such as TNBC, higher tumor and nuclear grades. CONCLUSION: This study explored the potential of using blood DDX43 mRNA expression or protein levels, or both in clinical settings as a marker of disease progression in human breast cancer. DDX43 mRNA expression proposes a less invasive method for discriminating benign from malignant BC.

Assessment of macronutrients dietary intake, central adiposity among pre- and postmenopausal Egyptian women with benign and malignant breast tumors.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is the second most frequent cancer in women and the second most common cancer worldwide. Lifestyle factors, like body weight, physical activity and diet, may be accompanying with higher BC risk. AIM: The assessment of macronutrients dietary intake; protein, fat, carbohydrates and their components of amino, fatty acids, and central obesity/adiposity among pre- and postmenopausal Egyptian women with benign and malignant breast tumors. METHODS: The current case control study included 222 women: 85 control, 54 benign and 83 breast cancer patients. Clinical, anthropocentric and biomedical examinations were performed. Dietary history and health attitude were done. RESULTS: The anthropometric parameters including waist circumference (WC) and the body mass index (BMI) of the benign and the women with malignant breast lesions showed the highest values when compared to the control (35.45 ± 15.58 km2 and 101.24 ± 15.01 cm, 31.39 ± 6.77 km2 and 98.85 ± 13.53 cm and 27.51 ± 7.10 km2 and 84.33 ± 13.78 cm). The biochemical parameters revealed high concentration of the total cholesterol (TC) (192.83 ± 41.54 mg/dl), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) (117.88 ± 35.18 mg/dl) and the median insulin level 13.8 (10.2-24.1) µu/ml in the malignant patients with high significant difference compared to the control. The malignant patients had the highest daily caloric intake (795.84 ± 519.95 K calories) proteins (65.39 ± 28.77 g), total fats (69.09 ± 32.15 g) and carbohydrates (196.70 ± 85.35 g), when compared to the control. Data also revealed the high daily consumption of the different types of the fatty acids with high linoleic/linoleinic ratio among the malignant group (14.284 ± 6.25). Branched chain amino acids (BGAAs), sulphur amino acids (SAAs), conditional amino acids (CAAs) and aromatic amino acids (AAAs) proved to be the highest in this group. Correlation coefficient between the risk factors revealed either positive or negative weak correlation except that between serum LDL-C concentration and the amino acids (isoleucine, valine cysteine, tryptophan and tyrosine) and negative association with the protective polyunsaturated fatty acids. CONCLUSION: Participants with breast cancer had the greatest levels of body fatness and unhealthy feeding habits relative to their high calorie, protein, carbohydrate, and fat intake.

Pituitary hyperplasia resulting in visual deficit.

Background: Pituitary hyperplasia is an infrequent cause of visual disturbance and few such cases have been reported in the literature. Case Description: We describe the case of a 16-year-old female who presented with a short history of progressive headache and visual blurring. Examination revealed markedly constricted visual fields. Imaging revealed an enlarged pituitary gland. Hormonal panel was normal. Following endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal biopsy and decompression of the optic apparatus, an immediate improvement in vision was noted. Final histopathological examination revealed pituitary hyperplasia. Conclusion: In patients with pituitary hyperplasia, visual deficit, and no identifiable reversible causes, surgical decompression can be considered to preserve vision.

Evaluation of serum levels of Irisin as a marker of endothelial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

INTRODUCTION: Insulin resistance and obesity have been associated with irisin, a protein in fat cells. The levels of irisin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were significantly lower than those in non-diabetics. This study aimed to examine the relationship between serum irisin levels and endothelial dysfunction in patients with T2DM. METHODS: There were 90 participants in this study. We matched 65 patients with T2DM with 25 healthy control participants. A series of tests were performed on the participants, including fasting blood glucose, 2 hours postprandial blood glucose, glycated haemoglobin, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), TG/HDL-C ratio and albumin/creatinine ratio. In addition to measuring high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was used for estimating irisin concentrations. RESULTS: Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was significantly lower in patients with T2DM; however, there was a non-statistically significant difference between healthy controls and patients with T2DM regarding serum Irisin level. CRP and LDL levels were inversely correlated with circulating irisin levels. In a stepwise regression analysis, only the hs-CRP and LDL were statistically significant in predicting irisin level. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with T2DM, serum levels of irisin were inversely correlated with hyperglycaemia, body mass index and per cent body fat; this suggests that detecting irisin levels early can prevent cardiovascular diseases from progressing. According to the study results, serum irisin serves as a predictive marker for early cardiovascular disease, thus preventing the disease from progressing. There is a need for further research in order to understand how irisin contributes to the development of atherosclerosis and the development of diabetic complications.

High serum leptin and adiponectin levels as biomarkers of disease progression in Egyptian patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: Leptin and adiponectin are adipose-derived immune modulators (adipokines) that may contribute to SLE pathology and symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of serum adiponectin and leptin with clinical manifestations and disease activity in SLE patients. Methods: This is a case control study, where 70 SLE patients and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled from the Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department of Beni-Suef University Hospital from June 2020 till April 2022. The SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) and Systemic Lupus International Collaborative clinics/America Collage of Rheumatology damage index were used to assess disease severity. Laboratory parameters including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and serum concentrations of antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-double stranded DNA, complement 3 and 4, lipids, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured and compared between SLE and control groups. Serum adiponectin and leptin were also measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results: Compared to healthy controls, SLE patients exhibited significantly greater serum leptin (21.1 vs 3.9 ng/mL, p < 0.001) and adiponectin (18.1 vs 4.8 ng/mL, p < 0.001), and both values were positively correlated with SLEDAI scores (p = 0.048 and 0.042). Higher serum leptin was significantly associated with lupus nephritis (LN) (p = 0.048) as well as greater body mass index (p = 0.010), ESR (p = 0.002), serum CRP (p = 0.003), total cholesterol (p = 0.013), and uric acid (p = 0.002), while higher adiponectin was significantly associated with LN (p = 0.046). Conclusion: Serum leptin and adiponectin levels are associated with the clinical and pathological manifestations of SLE, suggesting direct involvement in disease progression and utility as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Changes in breast cancer staging trends among Egyptian women after COVID-19: A retrospective single-center study.

OBJECTIVES: Since being declared a global pandemic, the SARS-CoV-2 virus had a significant impact on the entire globe. The pandemic has placed a heavy burden on healthcare systems worldwide, and cancer patients are particularly prone. Despite the fact that initial international reports suggest delays in breast cancer (BC) diagnosis and screening programs, the Egyptian context requires additional research on this topic. To examine whether COVID-19 has changed the pattern of disease presentation before and after the pandemic, focusing on the tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) staging of the disease at the initial presentation. METHODS: This single-center, retrospective study of female BC patients initially diagnosed at Baheya Foundation was conducted during the following time frames: from Jan 2019 to Jan 2020 (Pre COVID-19 cohort) and from Mar 2020 to Mar 2021 (post-COVID-19 cohort). We compared the two cohorts in terms of clinical characteristics, tumor characteristics, and the number of days from presentation to treatment. Our primary endpoint was the difference in the TNM stage of BC at the initial presentation. RESULTS: This analysis included 710 BC patients, 350 from the pre-COVID cohort and 360 from the post-COVID group. We detected a 27.9% increase in late-stage BC (stages III-IV) in the post-pandemic cohort compared to the pre-pandemic (60.1% vs. 47%, p < 0.001). The time from diagnosis to commencement of treatment was significantly longer (28.34 ± 18.845 vs 36.04 ± 23.641 days, p < 0.001) in the post-COVID cohort (mean difference = 7.702, 95% CI 4.54-10.85, p < 0.001). A higher percentage of patients in the post-pandemic cohort received systemic neoadjuvant therapy (p-value for Exact's test for all treatment options = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The number of patients requiring systemic neoadjuvant chemotherapy increased dramatically in the post-pandemic group with advanced stages of BC at presentation. This study highlights the need for proper management of cancer patients during any future pandemic.