Epilepsy in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes and relation to glutamic acid decarboxylase 65

Objectives:To report if the association of epilepsy in pediatric patients (below the age of 15 years) with Insulin-dependent Diabetes (IDDM) at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC) is higher than the prevalence of epilepsy in the same age group (who have no IDDM) in our community. Consequently, we would determine if there is a relationship between the presence of epilepsy in diabetic children and the presence of positive antiGAD65 antibodies.Methods:This cohort study included 305 pediatric patients below the age of 15 years with Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM). They were randomly recruited at the Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic in KFMC. The patients’ caregivers were given a questionnaire between December 2015 till March 2019 to determine the seizure disorder history. There was also a retrospective review of 214 patients’ files for anti-GAD 65 positivity.Results:Our study found a significant relation between the presence of epilepsy in children with IDDM. Therefore, we could confirm the relationship between the existence of epilepsy in children with IDDM and having positive GAD65 antibodies.Conclusion:Our study supports the presence of consistent relation between having IDDM and having epilepsy in children and between the latter and the presence of positive GAD65 antibodies.

Insulin dependent diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) is a common condition in children and adolescents worldwide and so is epilepsy.1,2 Recently, there were increasing reports suggesting a potential association between having IDDM and the occurrence of epilepsy.3 Their association might represent simply a chance to relate their underlying mechanisms. However, the cause-effect relationship is not fully well defined. Literature from other countries have shown the increased prevalence of seizure disorders in this group of patients.4,5 There are scarce studies in the literature investigating IDDM characteristics contributing to having epilepsy, including positive GAD 65 antibodies. In this study that ran in King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) we are aiming to determine if the prevalence of epilepsy among 1DDM children under the age of 15 years (in our center) is higher than controls (same age without IDDM), and to check the positivity of anti-GAD 65 amongst those patients in order to find if there is a relationship between epilepsy in children with diabetes and the presence of positive GAD65 Antibodies.     

Ocular dysfunctions and toxicities induced by antiepileptic medications: Types,pathogenic mechanisms,and treatment strategies

Introduction: Ocular dysfunctions and toxicities induced by antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are rarely reviewed and not frequently received attention by treating physicians compared to other adverse effects (e.g. endocrinologic, cognitive and metabolic). However, some are frequent and progressive even in therapeutic concentrations or result in permanent blindness. Although some adverse effects are non-specific, others are related to the specific pharmacodynamics of the drug.

Areas covered: This review was written after detailed search in PubMed, EMBASE, ISI web, SciELO, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register databases (from 1970 to 2019). It summarized the reported ophthalmologic adverse effects of the currently available AEDs; their risks and possible pathogenic mechanisms. They include ocular motility dysfunctions, retinopathy, maculopathy, glaucoma, myopia, optic neuropathy, and impaired retinal vascular autoregulation. In general, ophthalmo-neuro- or retino-toxic adverse effects of AEDs are classified as type A (dose-dependent), type B (host-dependent or idiosyncratic) or type C which is due to the cumulative effect from long-term use.

Expert opinion: Ocular adverse effects of AEDs are rarely reviewed although some are frequent or may result in permanent blindness. Increasing knowledge of their incidence and improving understanding of their risks and pathogenic mechanisms are crucial for monitoring, prevention, and management of patients’ at risk.     

Age-related variations in gene expression patterns of renal cell carcinoma

Background

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is known to occur across the adult lifetime traversing the spectrum of age-related organismal changes. Little is known as to how the aging process may affect the course of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and the repertoire of genes involved.

Evolutionary puzzle of Toxoplasma gondii with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts: An updated systematic review and meta‐analysis

The World Health Organization has reported an annual global suicide rate of 14.5 per 100,000 people. On the other hand, it is estimated that approximately one‐third of the global population are infected with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) parasite. It is widely assumed that microbial pathogens, such as T. gondii, are probably associated with affective and behavioural modulation. The present article aimed to assess the proposed role of toxoplasmosis in raising the risk of suicidal ideation (SI) and suicide attempts (SA) using the available epidemiological data. Seven major electronic databases and the Internet search engine Google were searched for all the studies published between the 1st of January 1950 and 31st of October 2019. The heterogeneity and the risk of bias within and across studies were assessed. Following data extraction, pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) across studies were calculated using the random‐effects models. A total number of 9,696 articles were screened and 27 studies were regarded as eligible in our systematic review (SI with five papers and 22 papers on SA). A significant association was detected between antibodies against T. gondii with TA (ORs = 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23–2.00, p = .000). Exploration of the association between T. gondii and SA yielded a positive effect of seropositivity for IgG antibodies but not IgM. Despite the limited number of studies, a statistical association was detected between suicidal behaviours and infection with latent T. gondii.     

Peak bone mass of Iranian population: the Iranian Multicenter Osteoporosis Study.

Osteoporosis is a major public health problem in the Western countries and is projected to have a similar impact in the Middle East. It has been suggested that peak bone mineral density (BMD), a major determinant of osteoporotic fractures later in life, may be lower in this part of the world compared with the Western world. The purpose of the Iranian Multicenter Osteoporosis Study was to determine peak bone mass in a randomly chosen sample of healthy Iranian subjects. A total of 5201 participants (2340 males, mean age 42.7+/-13.8) were recruited based on randomized clustered sampling from all regions of five major cities across the country. In women, peak lumbar BMD (1.182+/-0.127 g/cm2) occurred in the 29- to 33-yr age group, whereas peak total femur BMD (1.006+/-0.126 g/cm2) occurred in the 32- to 36-yr age group. In men, peak lumbar BMD (1.181+/-0.153 g/cm2) and femoral BMD (1.096+/-0.159 g/cm2) both occurred in the 20- to 24-yr age group. When standardized to mg/cm2 units using established formulas, Iranian peak bone mass values are comparable with that of Western countries and are generally higher than that of Eastern Asian and Middle Eastern countries.     

Diabetes mellitus. II: Routine chest radiography.

Chest radiographs of 43 consecutive diabetic patients were evaluated with a view to determine their role as a routine investigation of patients with diabetes mellitus. 22 (51.2%) patients had normal chest radiographs. The remaining 21 patients had 61 abnormalities found in their chest radiographs. 26 (42.6%) of these were significant abnormalities while 35 (57.4%) were non-significant. Of the former, 42.3% were due to cardiomegaly while in the latter group, aortic unfolding was the main finding. Radiological abnormalities were more commonly observed in patients aged 40 years and over, than in those below, with a ratio of 3:1. Chest radiographs corroborated clinical diagnosis in 19 of the 21 cases in whom abnormalities were observed. This study shows that routine chest radiograph in diabetic patients is useful in those with clinical symptoms and in older diabetics above the age of 40 years.     

Cosolvency of Dimethyl Isosorbide for Steroid Solubility

Dimethyl isosorbide (DMI), which is currently under investigation for its potential use as a pharmaceutical vehicle and drug permeation enhancer, is a water-miscible liquid with relatively low viscosity. The solubilization behavior of DMI as a cosolvent for nonpolar drugs was characterized via dielectric constant measurements of binary solvent systems containing DMI and either water, propylene glycol (PG), or polyethylene glycol (PEG). Evidence from the dielectric constant profiles and NMR studies suggest that DMI undergoes complexation with water and PG, but not with PEG, through hydrogen bonding interactions. The solvent complexation exhibited a major effect on the solubilities of prednisone, dexamethasone, and prednisolone in the mixed solvent systems. Maximum solubility of each drug was found to occur near a DMI/water or DMI/PG concentration ratio of 1:2. In the DMI–PEG mixed system, while there is no apparent interaction between DMI and PEG molecules, the solubility of prednisone was found to increase with decreasing dielectric constant.     

Hibiclens keratitis

Presumed accidental corneal exposure to Hibiclens (chlorhexidine 4% and detergent) in two patients resulted in severe and permanent corneal opacification. We investigated the corneal toxicity of Hibiclens by gross, biomicroscopic, and histopathologic studies of rabbit eyes exposed to Hibiclens for varying time intervals ranging from five to 15 minutes. Severe, irreversible, and progressive corneal damage resulted in all eyes studied.