Publications by authors named "Amna Ahmed"

Background: Studies of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency (PAI) in African children are rare but in Sudan, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and Triple A syndrome are the most common genetic causes. Differential diagnosis is challenging, especially in resource-limited settings, where presentation can mimic common childhood diseases and facilities for biochemical and genetic testing may be restricted.

Patients & Methods: Forty-eight (48) patients from 43 families (31M:17F) with PAI were included (CAH/Triple A excluded).

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Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is a rare autosomal recessive neurometabolic genetic disease resulting from defects in the bile acid metabolism. This report describes cases diagnosed with CTX at an exceptionally early age - 4 months (Patient #2 and #3) - making them the youngest reported cases to date. All three presented with intractable congenital diarrhea, a hallmark manifestation of the disease.

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Scurvy, arising from vitamin C deficiency, remains relevant despite historical declines. Scurvy commonly presents with severe leg pain, reluctance to walk, and limping. Other symptoms include gingival bleeding, hypertrophy, and ecchymoses.

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  • This study investigates the outcomes of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients with a specific genetic marker (del(17p)) who underwent an upfront autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at MD Anderson Cancer Center from 2008 to 2018.
  • Out of 115 patients analyzed, those with del(17p) displayed poor prognosis, with primary measures showing a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 19.9 months and overall survival (OS) of 71.5 months.
  • Additionally, patients with both del(17p) and another genetic abnormality (t(4;14)) had the worst
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  • There is a growing push for increased plant food consumption, particularly soy foods, which have potential health benefits for women, despite ongoing controversies regarding their effects.
  • A systematic review and meta-analysis of 40 randomized trials involving over 3,000 postmenopausal women were conducted to assess the impacts of soy isoflavones on various estrogen-related measures.
  • The results showed no significant effects of soy isoflavones on endometrial thickness, vaginal maturation, follicle-stimulating hormone, or estradiol levels, indicating that they may function as selective estrogen receptor modulators rather than acting like estrogen itself.
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  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex condition with increasing rates, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, particularly notable in regions with high consanguineous marriage rates like the Middle East.
  • A unique case of a family with three children diagnosed with ASD revealed that while the parents and two children had normal chromosomal patterns, one child exhibited chromosomal abnormalities, prompting investigation into genetic and external influences on the disorder.
  • This situation highlights the need for detailed studies to better understand the overlapping roles of genetics and environment in ASD, especially in contexts with unique cultural practices like those in the Middle East.
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Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is the most prevalent skin cancer and continues to witness a surge in incidence rates. The categorization of BCC subtypes into low or high risk, guided by recurrence and invasiveness metrics, underscores the need for precise differentiation. While the punch biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis, its invasiveness prompts a need for non-invasive alternatives.

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Objectives: To evaluate whether a focused, expert medication management intervention is feasible and potentially effective in preventing anticoagulation-related adverse events for patients transitioning from hospital to home.

Design: Randomised, parallel design.

Setting: Medical wards at six hospital sites in southern Ontario, Canada.

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Background: Volunteering is a beneficial activity with a wide range of positive outcomes, from the individual to the communal level. In many ways, volunteering has a positive impact on the development of a volunteer's personality and experience. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of health volunteering on improving the self-skills and practical capacities of students in the western region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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  • - The study investigates the complex relationship between gut microbiota and cardiovascular diseases, emphasizing how dietary factors and gut bacteria influence heart health.
  • - It explores the gut-heart axis, discussing research on the impacts of soy, probiotics, and dietary adjustments on gut microbiota and cardiovascular risk factors.
  • - The authors highlight the need for more extensive studies and personalized treatments to better understand how gut microbiota affects heart conditions, aiming to improve future cardiovascular strategies and diagnostics.
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Background: Emotional stress is a common precipitating cause of takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC). Preexisting psychiatric disorder (PD) was linked to worsening outcomes in patients with TC. However, there is limited data in literature to support this.

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  • * In CRC, miRNAs can function as oncogenes or tumor suppressors, impacting critical cellular functions such as cell growth and death, and their dysregulation can lead to abnormal gene expression and cancer progression.
  • * MiRNAs present opportunities for early CRC detection and targeted therapies, but challenges in delivery systems and ensuring long-term safety remain to be resolved for effective treatment implementation.
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Background And Aim: Spiral computed tomography (CT) scans, which are considered a high-contrast resolution, quick and cross-sectional imaging technique, have grown in popularity as a result of technological advancements. However, these advancements have brought with them the potential for significantly increased radiation doses to the patient. Consequently, many organizations recommended optimization and establishing diagnostic reference levels.

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Background: The years 2022-2023 witnessed a monkeypox virus (mpox) outbreak in some countries worldwide, where it exists in an endemic form. However, the number of infectious cases is continuously on the rise, and there has been an unexpected, drastic increase in cases that result from sustained transmission in non-endemic regions of the world. Under this scenario, it is pertinent for the world to be aware of healthcare threats to mpox infection.

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Multiplex stool polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panels offer rapid comprehensive testing for patients with infectious diarrhea. We compared antibiotic utilization among hospitalized patients with suspected infectious diarrhea who underwent diagnostic testing with either a stool culture or stool PCR panel. No significant differences in antibiotic utilization were identified.

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  • A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to investigate how food sources of fructose-containing sugars affect blood pressure (BP) under different energy control conditions.
  • Out of 147 trials involving over 5,200 participants, it was found that excess energy from fructose-containing sugars decreased BP when sugar was added but had no significant effects during substitution, subtraction, or free intake trials.
  • The results suggest that consuming fruit and 100% fruit juice at low levels may help lower BP, while high doses of mixed sources, especially sugar-sweetened beverages, can increase BP, highlighting the influence of food source and energy balance on BP outcomes.
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Background: Health authorities are near universal in their recommendation to replace sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) with water. Non-nutritive sweetened beverages (NSBs) are not as widely recommended as a replacement strategy due to a lack of established benefits and concerns they may induce glucose intolerance through changes in the gut microbiome. The STOP Sugars NOW trial aims to assess the effect of the substitution of NSBs (the "intended substitution") versus water (the "standard of care substitution") for SSBs on glucose tolerance and microbiota diversity.

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Background: Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) providing excess energy increase adiposity. The effect of other food sources of sugars at different energy control levels is unclear.

Objectives: To determine the effect of food sources of fructose-containing sugars by energy control on adiposity.

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  • Honey, although a type of free sugar, is often considered healthy and may influence cardiometabolic risk factors related to obesity and type 2 diabetes.
  • The systematic review and meta-analysis analyzed 18 controlled trials to evaluate honey's effects on various health markers, including fasting glucose and cholesterol levels.
  • Results indicated that honey consumption led to improvements in fasting glucose, cholesterol levels, and other markers, with certain types of honey showing particularly beneficial effects, though the certainty of evidence was mostly low.
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  • Research explores the link between fructose-containing sugars in sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and inflammatory markers, focusing on food source and energy control.
  • A systematic review analyzed 64 controlled trials, looking at how different fructose sources (like sweetened dairy and fruit juice) affect inflammation over varying energy levels.
  • Findings indicate that total fructose-containing sugars reduced C-reactive protein (CRP) in addition trials, while other trial types showed no significant effects on inflammation, suggesting the food source plays a critical role.
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