The high prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy and dress style of women in the sunny UAE.

Unlabelled: In the UAE, 255 women with different dressing styles (veiled and non-veiled) underwent assay for vitamin D(3). The vitamin level was suboptimal in all groups including those dressed in Western style. The contribution of hypovitaminosis D to osteoporosis was less impressive compared to that of age factor.

Sensing the main health concerns in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis.

The principle objective was to determine the spectrum of some health concerns that are likely to be present in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients living in United Arab Emirates. One hundred and one RA patients and 82 with other arthropathies, predominantly Arab individuals, were interviewed for main health concerns while receiving antirheumatic drug therapy. All were requested to indicate and prioritize their first three concerns.

Lack of biochemical hypogonadism in elderly Arab males with low bone mineral density disease.

The aim of the study is to study the relationship between androgen levels and bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly Arab males. Forty-five elderly Arab males underwent Dual X-ray absorptiometry for measurement of BMD. The outcomes were defined as per WHO description.

How much do the Arab females know about osteoporosis? The scope and the sources of knowledge.

Three hundred fifty-eight educated women, 172 with secondary school education (49%) and 186 (51%) with higher education, were consented for the study. Eighty-five percent were Arab females with an average age of 28.8 years.

Lupus Nephritis among Arabs - Differences with other Races; Emphasis on Clinicopathological and Serological Perspectives.

Data on ethnic differences of lupus nephritis (LN) are extremely scattered in the literature. Furthermore, most of the publications on LN in Arabs have in fact discussed the condition within the general frame of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease in mixed, but Arab-dominated groups of patients, and fewer, in exclusively Arab individuals. Lupus nephritis however, seems to be common, occurring in 37-69% of SLE patients in the Arab dominated groups and in 50% of the exclusively Arab group.

Osteoporosis in men: are we referring enough for DXA and how?

The aim of the study is to determine the pattern of male referrals to an osteodensitometry unit in a tertiary hospital in UAE. In this study, we reviewed the records of male patients referred for dual X-ray absorptiometry over 9 months since the establishment of the unit. Indications for scanning were categorized into high and medium risk and infrequent causes of osteopenia/osteoporosis.

Borderline systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): a separate entity or a forerunner to SLE?

Aim: To compare a subgroup of patients with borderline systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with those with classic lupus in order to determine whether the former subset is a separate entity or a forerunner to SLE.

Methods: A retrospective survey was undertaken of a database containing the clinical information of a total of 71 patients in an Abu Dhabi hospital setting over a 12-year period. Data of interest were criterial and non-criterial features of SLE together with relevant laboratory tests.

A patient with extensive blue rubber bleb nevi associated with multiple congenital anomalies: an overlap or a new syndrome?

We report a case of a 13 year old boy with non-familial, multiple blue rubber bleb nevi (BRBN). He also had additional dysmorphic anomalies including a low hairline, low set ears, narrow nares, ptosis, hypotelorism, a high arched palate and downward slanting of the outer canthi. Skeletal deformities included a short, slightly webbed neck, kyphosis, cubitus valgus, non-traumatic luxation of the head of the right radius and a short left little and index fingers.

Salivary gland scintigraphy in Sjögren's syndrome: are quantitative indices the answer?

We evaluated the role of quantitative indices derived from dynamic 99mTc-pertechnetate salivary scintigraphy in the differentiation between a group of patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS), a group of patients without xerostomia, but with underlying autoimmune disorders, and a group of controls. Seventeen patients with SS (group A), 18 patients with autoimmune disorders (group B) and 15 controls (group C) underwent dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy. Functional indices for the parotid and submandibular glands were calculated and comparisons were made between the groups.

Antitopoisomerase I antibody in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus/sicca syndrome without a concomitant scleroderma: two case reports.

We describe two female patients with classic systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and secondary sicca syndrome associated with topoisomerase I (topo-I, Scl-70) antibody, a specific marker for scleroderma (SSc), which is rarely found in other collagen diseases. During the course of the disease, the sera of these two patients were repeatedly found to be positive for topo-I antibody following a positive screening by ANA-EIA. Neither patient had clinical evidence of scleroderma.

False positive VDRL (BFP-STS) and systemic lupus erythematosus; new data in clinico-laboratory associations.

Aim: To investigate the relationships between clinical features and serological parameters in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with false positive venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) test (BFP-STS) and those without.

Methods: The records of 74 patients with SLE were reviewed. These were divided on the basis of the presence of a biologically false positive serological test (BFP-STS) (n = 18) or its absence (n = 56).