Multiple myeloma: a descriptive study of 217 Egyptian patients

Multiple myeloma is a neoplasm of plasma cells that results in the overproduction of light and heavy chain monoclonal immunoglobulins. The incidence rate increases with age, particularly after 40 years, and is higher in men. To determine the clinical and laboratory characteristics and survival of diagnosed Egyptian multiple myeloma patients admitted to the Haemato-Oncology Department between 2000 and 2010. Records of all patients in whom multiple myeloma was diagnosed at the Kasr Al Aini Hospital between 2000 and 2010 were included in this retrospective study. The mean age of patients was 58.5 years (range, 27–80 years). Fifty-nine percent were males. The majority of patients (73 %) had an immunoglobulin G monoclonal band and 70 % were Kappa chain-positive. Mean overall survival was 37.5 months (range, 1–84 months). Survival analysis was statistically insignificant with respect to age, sex, International Staging System and type of treatment (p?>?0.05). Our records were largely comparable to those reported in Chinese studies but different from those noted in Western and Arabic countries.     

Role of Helicobacter pylori in common rosacea subtypes: A genotypic comparative study of Egyptian patients

Helicobacter pylori was incriminated as an etiological factor of rosacea. However, there is still controversy about this association. We conducted a comparative study in order to assess the role of H. pylori in rosacea patients who had dyspeptic symptoms. The study included 68 patients and 54 controls. Screening for H. pylori was performed and positive cases were referred for gastric endoscopy. The inflammatory response and bacterial density were evaluated in gastric biopsy. H. pylori vacA alleles, cagA and iceA genotypes were assessed by polymerase chain reaction. We found that 49 rosacea (72%) and 25 controls (46.3%) were infected with H. pylori. Thirty‐one rosacea cases were papulopustular (PPR) while 18 were erythematotelangiectatic (ETR). Gastric ulceration was higher in PPR cases (38.7%) than ETR (11.1%) and controls (12%). A significant inflammatory reaction was observed more in PPR cases (74.2%) compared with 44.4% in ETR (P = 0.04) and 44% in controls (P = 0.02). Analysis of H. pylori genotypes revealed that vacA s1m1 was more identified in PPR cases (54.8%) compared with 22.2% in ETR (P = 0.03) and 16% in controls (P = 0.003). There was a significant elevation of cagA/vacA s1m1 positivity in PPR cases. After the eradication regimen of H. pylori, a significant improvement (P < 0.05) was observed in 15 out of 27 PPR cases (55.6%) compared with three out of 17 ETR (17.6%). We concluded that H. pylori has a significant role in rosacea patients who had dyspeptic symptoms. The PPR type is more influenced by H. pylori and this is regarded as being because of certain virulent strains that increase the inflammatory response in gastric mucosa and also in cutaneous lesions.     

Single-Dose Pharmacokinetics of Aztreonam in Healthy Volunteers and Renal Failure Patients

Summary

The pharmacokinetics of aztreonam were studied in 6 healthy male volunteers and 12 male patients with various degrees of chronic renal failure after intravenous bolus injection of 1g of the drug. Serum pharmacokinetics of aztreonam were described by an open, two-compartment kinetic model. The serum levels of aztreonam exceeded the reported minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)₉₀ for Enterobacteriaceae for 8 hours and up to 24 hours, in healthy volunteers and renal failure patients, respectively. However, the serum levels of the drug exceeded the MIC₅₀ for Pseudomonas aeruginosa for only 4 hours and 12 hours in healthy volunteers and patients, respectively. The half-life of elimination (t 1/2/β) increased significantly (P < 0.001) from 1.8 ± 0.14 h in healthy volunteers and to 4.9 ± 1.1 h in patients with renal failure. The total serum clearance of aztreonam decreased significantly (P< 0.001) from 84.2 ± 7.8 ml/h/kg in healthy volunteers to 30.2 + 9.2 ml/h/kg in patients with renal failure. Á linear correlation (r = 0.971, P< 0.001) was found between creatinine clearance and the total serum clearance of aztreonam. The AUC_0–∞ increased significantly (P< 0.001) from 137.5 ± 12.2 μg/h/ml in healthy volunteers to 464 ± 114.5 μg/h/ml in patients with renal failure.     

Effect of storage time on metabolite profile and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity of Cosmos caudatus leaves – GCMS based metabolomics approach

Cosmos caudatus, which is a commonly consumed vegetable in Malaysia, is locally known as “Ulam Raja”. It is a local Malaysian herb traditionally used as a food and medicinal herb to treat several maladies. Its bioactive or nutritional constituents consist of a wide range of metabolites, including glucosinolates, phenolics, amino acids, organic acids, and sugars. However, many of these metabolites are not stable and easily degraded or modified during storage. In order to investigate the metabolomics changes occurring during post-harvest storage, C. caudatus samples were subjected to seven different storage times (0 hours, 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, 10 hours, and 12 hours) at room temperature. As the model experiment, the metabolites identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were correlated with α-glucosidase inhibitory activity analyzed with multivariate data analysis (MVDA) to find out the variation among samples and metabolites contributing to the activity. Orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) analysis was applied to investigate the metabolomics changes. A profound chemical alteration, both in primary and secondary metabolites, was observed. The α-tocopherol, catechin, cyclohexen-1-carboxylic acid, benzoic acid, myo-inositol, stigmasterol, and lycopenecompoundswerefoundtobethediscriminatingmetabolitesatearlystorage;however, sugars such as sucrose, α-d-galactopyranose, and turanose were detected, which was attributed to the discriminating metabolites for late storage. The result shows that the MVDA method is a promising technique to identify biomarker compounds relative to storage at different times.     

Effect of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) leaf extract on diabetic nephropathy in rats

Diabetic nephropathy is a clinical syndrome characterized by albuminuria, hypertension and progressive renal insufficiency. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) leaf extract on diabetic nephropathy in rats. Streptozotocin (STZ) diabetic rats were orally treated with three doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) of strawberry leaf extract for 30 days. Nephropathy biomarkers in plasma and kidney were examined at the end of the experiment. The three doses of strawberry leaf extract significantly decreased the levels of blood glucose, urea nitrogen, plasma creatinine, kidney injury molecule (Kim)‐1, renal malondialdehyde (MDA), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α), interleukin (IL)‐ 6 and caspase‐3 in diabetic rats. Meanwhile, the levels of plasma insulin, albumin, uric acid, renal catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF‐A) were significantly elevated in diabetic rats treated with strawberry leaf extract. These results indicate the role of strawberry leaves extract as anti‐diabetic, antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and anti‐apoptosis in diabetic nephropathy.     

The efficiency of Poly(ADP‐Ribose) Polymerase (PARP) cleavage on detection of apoptosis in an experimental model of testicular torsion

The aim of this study was to evaluate the histopathological and apoptotic changes occurring in the rat ipsilateral and contralateral testes, after experimental spermatic cord torsion, and to explore and the role of poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage in testicular torsion–detorsion injury. A total of 37 Wistar albino rats were subjected to 720° unilateral spermatic cord torsion for 1, 2 and 4 h, followed by 4‐h reperfusion, or else to a sham operation (control group). Histology of the testicle was evaluated using haematoxylin–eosin (H&E) staining and Johnsen's scoring system. Germ cell apoptosis was evaluated via active caspase‐3 immunostaining, and PARP expression levels were evaluated via Western blotting. The mean Johnsen's tubular biopsy scores (JTBS) of the ipsilateral testicles were lower for all torsion groups than for the controls (P < 0.05), but the JTBS of the contralateral testicles were only lower in the 4‐h torsion group (P < 0.05). The mean apoptosis score (AS) of the ipsilateral and contralateral testicles was significantly higher in the torsion groups than in the sham group. AS increased correlatively with torsion time, in both testicles. The effect of testicular torsion on PARP cleavage was time dependent, with the highest effect observed after 4 h of testicular torsion (P < 0.05). Testicular torsion caused time‐dependent histological changes, apoptosis and increases in PARP cleavage. Our results suggest that testicular torsion–detorsion injury caused cell damage and germ cell apoptosis that apparently involved cleavage of PARP. Increased PARP cleavage could, in turn, lead to enhanced apoptosis.     

Can rheumatoid arthritis affect sleep in Egyptian patients?

Aim of the work

To investigate sleep problems in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to correlate sleep scores with disease characteristics and activity.