Determination of vWF, ADAMTS-13 and Thrombospondin-1 in Venous Thromboembolism and Relating Them to the Presence of Factor V Leiden Mutation.

Thrombophilia in venous thromboembolism (VTE) is multifactorial. Von Willebrand factor (vWF) plays a major role in primary hemostasis. While elevated vWF levels are well documented in VTE, findings related to its cleaving protease (ADAMTS-13) are contradicting.

Evaluating von Willebrand factor and ADAMTS13 levels in thalassemia major patients and assessing a possible association with Thrombospondin-1.

Introduction: Alterations in the endothelium and endothelial adhesion proteins such as von Willebrand factor (vWF) play major roles in hypercoagulability in thalassemia. vWF protein release leads to platelet aggregation and thrombi formation at the site of vascular injury. It is then degraded by the proteolytic enzyme ADAMTS13.

Relationship of Thrombospondin 1 to von Willebrand Factor and ADAMTS-13 in Sickle Cell Disease Patients of Arab Ethnicity.

Background: Thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1) is a multifunctional glycoprotein secreted by platelets. In sickle cell disease (SCD), TSP-1 promotes red cell adhesion to the endothelium by binding to von Willebrand factor (vWF) and inhibiting its degradation by the protease ADAMTS-13. We investigated a possible correlation between TSP-1, vWF and ADAMTS-13 in adult and pediatric SCD patients.

Nurses' Attitude Towards Patients with Mental Illness in a General Hospital in Kuwait.

Introduction: Stigma and discrimination have been reported to cause unnecessary delay in mentally-ill patients seeking help, which adversely affects a patient's outcome. The attitude of health care professionals has been described as being, even more, negative than that of the general public, which worsens the prognosis for patients with a mental illness.

Aims: The aim of this study was to describe the attitude of nurses toward mentally-ill patients in a general hospital.

Evaluation of von Willebrand factor and ADAMTS-13 antigen and activity levels in sickle cell disease patients in Kuwait.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a severe form of hemolytic anemia characterized by chronic hemolysis and is associated with increased thrombotic risk. Elevated von Willebrand factor (vWF) levels in SCD have been attributed to increased secretion and impaired processing by its cleaving protease ADAMTS-13. In this study we measured vWF and ADAMTS-13 antigen and activity levels in our SCD patients.

Population genetic analyses of 15 STR loci from seven forensically-relevant populations residing in the state of Kuwait.

Allele frequencies and population statistics of 15 forensically-important STR loci were estimated for seven populations residing in the State of Kuwait. The populations were: Saudi Arabian, Iraqi, Egyptian, Iranian, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi, and Indian. All loci were highly polymorphic.

Smoking, von Willebrand factor and ADAMTS-13 in healthy males.

While von Willebrand factor (vWF) has been reported to be elevated in smokers, there are no reports on the effects of smoking on its cleaving protease ADAMTS-13, particularly in subjects of Arab ethnicity. This study was conducted to determine the effects of smoking on vWF and ADAMTS-13 antigen and activity levels in Arab males. Venous blood samples from 80 smoking (at rest) and 80 non-smoking healthy males were collected after asking subjects to fast and refrain from smoking for 8 hours.

A fatal case of oleandrin poisoning.

The study presents a case of fatal poisoning with oleander leaves in an adult diabetic male. After repeated vomiting, and gastrointestinal distress the patient was admitted at the hospital with cardiac symptoms 1h after the ingestion. Urine samples were assayed immunochemically and by GC-MS for drugs of abuse and for general toxicological screen.

Effects of cigarette smoking on hematological parameters and von Willebrand factor functional activity levels in asymptomatic male and female Arab smokers.

Objectives: This study aimed at determining the effects of cigarette smoking based on gender, on several hematological parameters and von Willebrand factor protein in the asymptomatic Arab population of Kuwait.

Subjects And Methods: Ninety-two subjects participated in this study: 55 males (31 smokers and 24 nonsmokers) and 37 females (18 smokers and 19 nonsmokers). Complete blood count results were obtained using Beckman Coulter Hematology Analyzer.

Validity assessment of nine discriminant functions used for the differentiation between iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia minor.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and thalassemia minor are two of the most common causes of microcytic anemias worldwide. Because of similar red blood cell count parameters and blood picture, it was imperative to develop other measures that would differentially and correctly diagnose these two anemias. Several mathematical formulas and simple RBC indices have been introduced as simple, fast and inexpensive means of providing differential diagnosis for IDA and thalassemia minor.

Comparison of erythrocyte sedimentation rate measurement by the automated SEDIsystem and conventional Westergren method using the Bland and Altman statistical method.

Objectives: To compare the performance of SEDIsystem(TM), a fully automated analyzer for the measurement of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), with the manual Westergren method.

Materials And Methods: Both methods were applied to 150 randomly selected subjects. The linear regression and Bland and Altman data analysis methods were used to measure the agreement between the automated and manual methods.