Serum Hepcidin as a Diagnostic Marker of Severe Iron Overload in Beta-thalassemia Major.

Objectives: To investigate potential usefulness of serum hepcidin in the diagnosis of iron overload in children with β-thalassemia.

Methods: A study was conducted on 30 thalassemia major (TM), 30 thalassemia intermedia (TI) and 60 healthy children as controls. Serum hepcidin was measured by Human Hepcidin, ELISA Kit.

Association between Duffy antigen receptor expression and disease severity in sickle cell disease patients.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with a pro-inflammatory state, characterized by an elevated baseline leukocyte count and inflammatory cytokines. Inflammation, white blood cell (WBC) adhesion to vascular endothelium with subsequent endothelial injury, and repeated ischemia-reperfusion injury contribute to disease pathogenesis. Identification of genetic polymorphisms that may modulate disease severity in SCD is becoming a field of interest.

Prevalence of human papilloma virus (HPV) and its genotypes in cervical specimens of Egyptian women by linear array HPV genotyping test.

Background: The association of human papillomavirus (HPV) with cervical cancer is well established.

Aim: To investigate HPV genotype distribution and co-infection occurrence in cervical specimens from a group of Egyptian women.

Methods: A group of 152 women with and without cervical lesions were studied.

Molecular identification of giardia intestinalis in patients with dyspepsia.

Background/aims: Giardia intestinalis triggers symptoms of functional dyspepsia. The aim of this study was to distinguish genotypes of G. intestinalis isolated from dyspeptic patients to evaluate their correlation with dyspeptic symptoms.

Frequency of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 gene polymorphisms and their influence on warfarin dose in Egyptian pediatric patients.

Introduction: Warfarin is a widely used anticoagulant that shows a high inter-individual variability in the dose needed to achieve target anticoagulation. In adults, common genetic variants in the cytochrome P450-2C9 (CYP2C9) and vitamin K epoxide reductase complex (VKORC1) enzymes, in addition to non-genetic factors, explain this dose variability. In children, data about warfarin pharmacogenetics are limited and inconsistent.

Short-term evaluation of autologous transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in patients with cirrhosis: Egyptian study.

Background: Stem cell-based therapy has received attention as a possible alternative to organ transplantation. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of autologous transplantation of bone marrow (BM)-derived stromal cells in post-HCV liver cirrhosis patients.

Methodology: 10 × 10(6) of isolated human bone marrow (HBM)-stromal cells in 10 mL normal saline were injected in the spleen of 20 patients with end-stage liver cirrhosis guided by the ultrasonography, and then patients were followed up on monthly basis for six months.