Association of ficolin-2 (FCN2) functional polymorphisms and protein levels with rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease: relationship with cardiac function.

Introduction: A role for ficolin (FCN) 2 gene polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of recurrent severe streptococcal infections and rheumatic carditis has been suggested. The aim of the study was to evaluate a possible relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms located at positions -602 and -4 of the FCN2 gene and FCN2 serum levels and risk of development of rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

Material And Methods: Seventy-seven Caucasian Egyptian patients with RF were recruited with a control group of 43 healthy subjects.

Forgotten Right Ventricle in Pediatric Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

To evaluate the right ventricular (RV) function in relation to that of the left ventricle (LV) in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Echocardiographic examination was done using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) and two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) for 32 pediatric patients with DCM comparing them to another 32 normal matched controls. The global longitudinal strain (GLS) derived from 2D-STE was used to reflect the LV systolic function.

Renal involvement in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus in Egypt.

Lupus nephritis has been described as the most serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the strongest predictor of poor outcome. While the incidence of childhood SLE is relatively low, renal involvement appears to be more common and more severe in childhood SLE. This study aims to characterize the features and outcome of renal involvement in childhood-onset SLE based on a study of 100 Egyptian patients (mean age at diagnosis 10.