The clinical value of ficolin-3 gene polymorphism in rheumatic heart disease. An Egyptian adolescents study.

Objective: Ficolin-3 is one of the innate immunity molecules that was thought to play a pivotal role in Streptococcus pyogenes autoimmunity and its complications; rheumatic fever (RF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). We aimed to disclose if there is an association between ficolin-3 (FCN3) gene polymorphisms (rs4494157 and rs10794501) and RF with or without RHD for the first time in Egyptian adolescents.

Results: Serum ficolin-3 level was significantly elevated in patients suffering from RF with and without RHD in comparison with control.

New guidelines for diagnosis of rheumatic fever; do they apply to all populations?

Background And Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of recently updated Jones criteria for diagnosis of rheumatic fever in high incidence populations like Egypt.

Methods: Clinical data of 891 Egyptian patients with rheumatic fever, aged 5-15 years in a highly specialized rheumatic fever clinic were reviewed retrospectively from March 2014 to March 2016. Discriminant analysis was used to detect the most effective predictors for diagnosis of rheumatic fever in our patients incorporating echocardiographic criteria.

Experience with balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty and predictors of outcome: a ten-year study.

Background: Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty is the treatment of choice for patients with moderate to severe pulmonary valve stenosis.

Methods: An observational retrospective cross-sectional study including neonates, small infants, and children who underwent balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in the period from 2007 to 2016 in the cardiac catheterisation unit of the paediatric cardiology department in Cairo University. Multivariable models were built to report the predictors of the outcome of balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty and its complications.

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.

Off-label use of duct occluder devices to close hemodynamically significant perimembranous ventricular septal defects: A multicenter experience.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the feasibility, technical aspects, and outcome of transcatheter perimembranous ventricular septal defect (pmVSD) closure using duct occluder devices with a single retention disc.

Background: Use of duct occluder devices to close pmVSD seems a promising alternative therapy. However, limited data exist on this technique.

MBL2 gene polymorphism rs1800450 and rheumatic fever with and without rheumatic heart disease: an Egyptian pilot study.

Background: Rheumatic fever (RF) is the result of an autoimmune response to pharyngitis caused by infection with Streptococcus pyogenes. RF is most prevalent in Africa and the Middle East. Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the most serious complication of RF.

Acute Kawasaki disease with emphasis on the echocardiographic profile: A single center experience.

Echocardiographic features of acute Kawasaki disease (KD) have not been well characterized in Egyptian children. This study aimed to provide insight into the pattern of cardiac involvement in Egyptian children with Kawasaki disease, focusing on echocardiographic coronary abnormalities and their associated risk predictors. Medical records of 64 KD patients from 2012 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed with recalculation of coronary artery z-scores during the first eight weeks after fever onset.

The impact of growth factors on human induced pluripotent stem cells differentiation into cardiomyocytes.

Unlabelled: Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) act as a promising therapeutic alternative for cardiovascular diseases. They yield a large number of functional cardiomyocytes (CMs) from autologous cell sources without ethical or immunological problems. However, significant limitations still remain in terms of line-to-line variability in CM yield and reproducibility.

Predictors of transient left ventricular dysfunction following transcatheter patent ductus arteriosus closure in pediatric age.

Objectives: To evaluate the left ventricular function before and after transcatheter percutaneous patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure, and to identify the predictors of myocardial dysfunction post-PDA closure if present.

Interventions: Transcatheter PDA closure; conventional, Doppler, and tissue Doppler imaging; and speckle tracking echocardiography.

Outcome Measures: To determine the feasibility and reliability of tissue Doppler and myocardial deformation imaging for evaluating myocardial function in children undergoing transcatheter PDA closure.

Cardioprotective Effects of Wharton Jelly Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation in a Rodent Model of Myocardial Injury.

Background: Whartons jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells are a valuable alternative source that possess multipotent properties, easy to obtain and available in large scale compared to BMMSCs. We investigated the possibility of cardiac function improvement post isoproterenol induced cardiac injury in a rat model following human WJMSCs transplantation.

Materials And Methods: MSCs were extracted and cultured from cord WJ, characterized by morphology, Immunophenotyping and differentiation to osteoblast and adipocytes.

Echocardiographic changes and growth retardation in a group of Egyptian children with rheumatic heart disease.

Background: Advances in echocardiographic studies have identified a massive burden of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) which continues to be a major health hazard in most developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between cardiac affection as regards the presence of single or multiple valvular lesions, and their severity and the growth parameters in a group of Egyptian children with RHD.

Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study, that was conducted on 200 children with RHD and 400 age-matched healthy.

Incomplete RV Remodeling After Transcatheter ASD Closure in Pediatric Age.

Published data showing the intermediate effect of transcatheter device closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) in the pediatric age-group are scarce. The objective of the study was to assess the effects of transcatheter ASD closure on right and left ventricular functions by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). The study included 37 consecutive patients diagnosed as ASD secundum by transthoracic echocardiography and TEE and referred for transcatheter closure at Cairo University Specialized Pediatric Hospital, Egypt, from October 2010 to July 2013.

Regression of a large congenital hepatic arteriovenous malformation.

Congenital hepatic arteriovenous malformations are rarely seen in association with persistent neonatal pulmonary hypertension. We report the case of a full-term female newborn who presented with heart failure and respiratory distress soon after birth. Echocardiographic investigation revealed severe persistent pulmonary hypertension and patent ductus arteriosus.

Evaluation of the policy of secondary prevention against rheumatic fever among Egyptian children.

Objective: We evaluated the effectiveness of long acting penicillin (LAP) as a 2-weekly regimen in winter and a 3-weekly regimen in summer for prevention of streptococcal colonization and also studied the common complaints of patients during the period of compliance for LAP administration. We also attempted to determine the incidence of relapses or recurrence of rheumatic fever (RF) after the onset of first episode of RF.

Patients & Methods: 210 rheumatic patients with good compliance to LAP (for at least one year) were included in the study.

Gene expression profiling of endometrium versus bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells: upregulation of cytokine genes.

Postulated Stem/progenitor cells involved in endometrium regeneration are epithelial, mesenchymal, and endothelial. Bone marrow (BM) has been implicated in endometrial stem cells. We aimed at studying gene expression profiling of endometrial mesenchymal stem cells compared to BM MSCS to better understand their nature and functional phenotype.

Comparative characteristics of endothelial-like cells derived from human adipose mesenchymal stem cells and umbilical cord blood-derived endothelial cells.

Adult peripheral blood contains a limited number of endothelial progenitor cells that can be isolated for treatment of ischemic diseases. The adipose tissue became an interesting source of stem cells for regenerative medicine. This study aimed to investigate the phenotype of cells obtained by culturing adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ad-MSCs) in the presence of endothelial growth supplements compared to endothelial cells obtained from umbilical cord blood (UCB).

Stenting the arterial duct in neonates and infants with congenital heart disease and duct-dependent pulmonary blood flow: a multicenter experience of an evolving therapy over 18 years.

Objectives: The primary aim of this multi-institutional study was to describe our 18-year experience of ductal stenting (DS) in infants with a duct-dependent pulmonary circulation. The secondary aim sought to identify a subgroup of patients who may benefit the most using this evolving technique.

Background: No study has examined the extraordinary evolution of this promising therapy over the last two decades.

Serial echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction measurements: a tool for detecting thalassemia major patients at risk of cardiac death.

Cardiac damage remains a major cause of mortality among patients with thalassemia major. The detection of a lower cardiac magnetic resonance T2* (CMR-T2*) signal has been suggested as a powerful predictor of the subsequent development of heart failure. However, the lack of worldwide availability of CMR-T2* facilities prevents its widespread use for follow-up evaluations of cardiac function in thalassemia major patients, warranting the need to assess the utility of other possible procedures.

Treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis with once-daily amoxicillin versus intramuscular benzathine penicillin G in low-resource settings: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Primary prevention of acute rheumatic fever is achieved by proper antibiotic treatment of group A β -hemolytic streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis.

Methods: To assess noninferiority of oral amoxicillin to intramuscular benzathine penicillin G (IM BPG). Children (2 to 12 years) meeting enrollment criteria were randomized 1:1 to receive antibiotic treatment in 2 urban outpatient clinics in Egypt and Croatia.

The effect of hemodialysis on Q-T interval on children with chronic renal failure.

The hemodialysis patients have a wide variety of electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities and, in certain instances; hemodialysis itself seems to be a cause of ECG changes and different kinds of dysrhythmias. The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of hemodialysis on QT and corrected QT (QTc) interval and QTc interval dispersion in patients with end-stage renal failure 10 min before (pre-HD) and 10 min after each hemodialysis (post-HD). An observational cross-section study was conducted on 30 patients'admitted to the dialysis unit in Abou El Ressh pediatric hospital along a period of 6 months starting from October 2008.

The utility of rapid antigen detection testing for the diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis in low-resource settings.

Objectives: To evaluate the utility of rapid antigen detection testing (RADT) for the diagnosis of group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis in pediatric outpatient clinics in four countries with varied socio-economic and geographic profiles.

Methods: We prospectively evaluated the utility of a commercial RADT in children aged 2-12 years presenting with symptoms of pharyngitis to urban outpatient clinics in Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, and Latvia between August 2001 and December 2005. We compared the performance of the RADT to culture using diagnostic and agreement statistics, including sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values.

Variation in clinical presentation of childhood group A streptococcal pharyngitis in four countries.

We conducted a cross-sectional study from September 2001 to August 2003 during which children between 2 and 12 years of age presenting with complaint of sore throat were recruited from urban pediatric clinics in Brazil, Croatia, Egypt and Latvia. The objective of the study was to compare clinical signs and symptoms of children presenting to urban pediatric clinics with sore throat in and between countries and to identify common clinical criteria predicting group A beta hemolytic streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis. Using a single standard protocol in all four sites, clinical data were recorded and throat swabs obtained for standard GAS culture in 2040 children.

A clinical decision rule for management of streptococcal pharyngitis in low-resource settings.

Background: Most of the world's children live in regions where laboratory facilities are not available. In these regions, clinical prediction rules can be useful to guide clinicians' decisions on antibiotic therapy for streptococcal pharyngitis, and to reduce routine presumptive antibiotic therapy for all pharyngitis.

Methods: Prospective cohort study to assess diagnostic signs and develop a prediction rule.