Relationship of BsmI polymorphism of vitamin D receptor gene with left ventricular hypertrophy and atherosclerosis in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a common manifestation of cardiovascular disease and has an important prognostic value in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Vitamin D receptor (VDR) has been intensively investigated, and one of these (BsmI) already has been associated with survival in the dialysis population.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of VDR polymorphism (BsmI) on the development of ventricular hypertrophy and atherosclerosis in hemodialysis patients.

CRP and acute renal rejection: a marker to the point.

Objectives: C-reactive protein (CRP) is increased in end-stage renal disease patients. Recent studies have shown positive associations between inflammatory markers and cardiovascular mortality in kidney transplant recipients. The aim of the present study was to examine the correlation between CRP and early detection of renal allograft rejection.

Bone density, body composition, and markers of bone remodeling in type 1 diabetic patients.

Objective: To assess bone mineral density (BMD), body composition by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and various biochemical markers of bone growth and resorption in a group of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

Patients And Methods: The study included 47 patients with T1DM and 30 age- and sex-matched controls. Anthropometric measurements, biochemical markers for bone formation, bone resorption and DXA were done for all patients and controls.

Relationship of increased circulating adrenomedullin with cardiac dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress and volume overload in hemodialysis patients.

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a peptide involved in cardiovascular homeostasis. The aim of our study was to investigate whether circulating AM might be related to cardiac function, volume overload, oxidative stress and inflammation in hemodialysis patients. Plasma adrenomedullin, C-reactive protein (CRP), oxidized LDL (ox-LDL), lipoprotein (a), systolic and diastolic cardiac functions were assessed before hemodialysis in 80 patients as well as in 40 healthy control subjects.

Association of fetuin-A and cardiac calcification and inflammation levels in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Vascular calcification is commonly found in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and it is one of the predictors of cardiovascular death. Recently, several studies have demonstrated that low fetuin-A levels are associated with mortality in uremic patients. Objectives.

Apelin: a potential link between inflammation and cardiovascular disease in end stage renal disease patients.

Background And Objectives: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients. Increasing evidence suggests a role for apelin in the pathology of the cardiovascular system. In the present study, the plasma level of apelin was studied in patients with hemodialysis to assess the effect of renal transplantation and dialysis session on plasma apelin and whether circulating apelin levels reflect cardiovascular homeostasis and inflammation in these patients.

Total and acylated ghrelin in liver cirrhosis: correlation with clinical and nutritional status.

Objectives: The pathogenesis of anorexia in cirrhotic patients is complex and the appetite-modulating hormone ghrelin could be involved. Acylated ghrelin is the biologically active form that modifies insulin sensitivity and body composition. The aim of the present study was to compare acylated and total ghrelin concentration in patients with liver cirrhosis and to investigate the possible relationship between ghrelin and clinical and nutritional parameters.

The relation between dual energy x-ray absorptiometry measurement of body fat composition and plasma ghrelin in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Objective: To clarify the role of ghrelin in malnutrition in uremia and its relationship to fat composition using dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Methods: This is a cohort study including Group I: 60 patients with end stage renal disease 30 on hemodialysis [group IA] and 30 pre-dialysis [group IB] and Group II: 20 controls. This study was carried out in Cairo University Hospital, Kasr Al-Aini, Cairo, Egypt in 2007.

The role of PDE5 inhibitors in heme oxygenase-cGMP relationship in rat cavernous tissues.

Introduction: Heme oxygenase (HO) enzyme catalyzes oxidative degradation of heme to biliverdin and carbon monoxide (CO). CO shares many properties with nitric oxide (NO) including the activation of soluble guanyl cyclase.

Aim: To assess cavernous tissue HO activity and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) levels in response to oral phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors.

p53 mutation in HCV-genotype-4 associated hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients.

HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common neoplasm in Egypt where genotype-4 is prevalent. In the present study the incidence and pattern of p53 mutations was assessed in relation to HCV-genotype- 4 in Egyptian HCC patients. We investigated 25 HCV positive HCCs for p53 mutations/overexpression in relation to HCV-NS3 by immunohistochemistry, SSCP and sequencing.

Cytokine profile in Egyptian hepatitis C virus genotype-4 in relation to liver disease progression.

Aim: To observe the imbalance between T helper cell Th1 and Th2 cytokines in several chronic hepatitis disease at different stages of disease progression.

Methods: We measured the cytokine levels of Th1 (IL-2 and IL-2R), Th2 (IL-10) and the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-6R and TNF and TNF-RI and II) by the ELISA technique in the sera of 33 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and 20 chronic liver disease (CLD) patients. In addition, 20 asymptomatic hepatitis C virus carriers and 20 healthy subjects negative for hepatitis C virus(HCV) markers served as controls.

Human papillomavirus infection in Egyptian esophageal carcinoma: correlation with p53, p21, mdm2, C-erbB2 and impact on survival.

The etiological role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in esophageal carcinoma (EC) in relation to p53, mdm2, p21(waf), c-erbB2 and the overall survival (OS) rate was investigated. Tumor and normal tissues from 50 EC were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction and InnoLiPA for HPV. Single strand conformation polymorphism/sequencing were used to detect p53 gene mutations.

Alterations of the fragile histidine triad gene in hepatitis C virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aim: The present study was conducted to address whether homozygous deletion (HZD) or transcriptional alterations of the fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene play a role in the development and progression of hepatitis C virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Homozygous deletion of the FHIT gene at exons 3-9 was assessed as well as mRNA FHIT expression using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The study included 23 samples of HCC, 11 on top of cirrhosis and 12 non-cirrhotic, in addition to five cases with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), as well as seven morphologically normal tissues distant to the tumor (NDT) and 10 normal liver samples from liver transplantation donors.

Risk factors for cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B and C virus reactivation after bone marrow transplantation.

To derive guidelines for a safer bone marrow transplantation (BMT) policy, we have to study pre-BMT risk factors that may be associated with an increased post-BMT death. Among those factors, the importance of pre-BMT viral hepatitis markers in BMT donors and recipients remains unsettled. In the present study, we have determined the effect of prior donor and recipient cytomegalovirus (CMV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) exposure on the incidence of those viral infections after bone marrow transplantation (BMT).

Cyclin A and cyclin D1 as significant prognostic markers in colorectal cancer patients.

Background: Colorectal cancer is a common cancer all over the world. Aberrations in the cell cycle checkpoints have been shown to be of prognostic significance in colorectal cancer.

Methods: The expression of cyclin D1, cyclin A, histone H3 and Ki-67 was examined in 60 colorectal cancer cases for co-regulation and impact on overall survival using immunohistochemistry, southern blot and in situ hybridization techniques.