Component 1 Inhibitor Missense (Val480Met) Variant Is Associated With Gene Expression and Sepsis Development in Neonatal Lung Disease.

Background: Neonatal lung disease has a multifaceted etiopathology, including an explosive inflammatory sequence in the immature lung. Complement component 1 Esterase INHibitor (C1INH) is implicated in controlling inflammation in response to infection/injury.

Aim: To explore for the first time the association of the rs4926 (Val480Met) variant and circulatory transcript expression levels in the neonates that had evidence of lung disease and the clinic-laboratory data.

Utilising red cell antigen genotyping and serological phenotyping in sickle cell disease patients to risk-stratify patients for alloimmunisation risk.

Background: Alloimmunisation and haemolytic transfusion reactions (HTRs) can occur in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) despite providing phenotype-matched red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. Variant RBC antigen gene alleles/polymorphisms can lead to discrepancies in serological phenotyping. We evaluated differences between RBC antigen genotyping and phenotyping methods and retrospectively assessed if partial antigen expression may lead to increased risk of alloimmunisation and HTRs in SCD patients at a tertiary centre in Canada.

Pharmacy hydroxyurea education materials for patients with sickle cell disease: An environmental scan and assessment of accuracy.

Background: Hydroxyurea (HU) remains a cornerstone of sickle cell disease (SCD) therapy; however, its use is limited by poor patient adherence owing to concerns about side effects. Pharmacies routinely provide patients with handouts about HU, which, we hypothesized, contain inaccuracies that may contribute to negative patient perceptions of HU.

Methods: We used a systematic approach to collect and review patient information handouts (PIHs) on HU from pharmacies in Ontario, Canada.

Serum Folate Levels in Patients with Chronic Hemolytic Anemia on Regular Folic Acid Supplementation Before and After Dose Modification.

Objective: In light of the recommendation of folic acid supplementation in chronic hemolytic anemia, with possible supratherapeutic dosing and associated side effects, we performed this study to investigate serum folate levels in children with chronic hemolytic anemia.

Methods: Phase 1 was a cross-sectional study of 134 patients in the Pediatric Hematology service, documenting daily dosage and performing serum folate levels. In phase 2, we reduced the dose to 1 mg for 148 patients and repeated the testing after six months.

Effectiveness of a Training Course on Accuracy of Triaging of Pediatric Patients.

Background: In the context of a new but busy Pediatric Emergency Department, the risk of missing patients who need more emergent care can be reduced by timely and accurate triaging. In the emergency department of King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale had already been implemented, including the pediatric version (PaedCTAS). However, a common observation remained that critical patients did not always receive priority with subsequent delays in management.

Predictors of early synchronized non-invasive ventilation failure for infants < 32 weeks of gestational age with respiratory distress syndrome.

Introduction: The current trend in management of preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome is to attempt noninvasive ventilation (NIV) to avoid endotracheal intubation. However, failure of noninvasive ventilation may lead to increased morbidity and mortality. There is a scarcity of studies establishing predictors for the usefulness of NIV in this age group.

Is subclinical atherosclerosis associated with visceral fat and fatty liver in adolescents with type 1 diabetes?

Introduction: There is a 3-fold higher prevalence of cardiovascular complications in patients with type 1 diabetes. The aim was to assess the relationship between subclinical atherosclerosis and visceral fat and fatty liver in diabetic adolescents.

Material And Methods: The study was performed on 110 adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) attending the Pediatric Diabetes Clinic of the University Hospital, Ismailia, Egypt.

Antioxidant activity of methanolic extract of Bombax ceiba.

The antioxidant activity of a methanolic extract of Bombax ceiba was evaluated using several antioxidant assays, in terms of its: (i) ability to scavenge DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) and hydroxyl free radicals; (ii) action against lipid peroxidation (in rat liver microsomes and soy bean phosphatidylcholine liposomes), induced by ascorbyl radicals and peroxynitrite; and (iii) effect on myeloperoxidase activity. The cytotoxicity was monitored through the mitochondrial activity in the Vero cell line. The extract showed antioxidant activity in all assays, the EC(50) (microg/ml) for DPPH was 87 and for lipid peroxidation of microsomes and soy bean liposomes induced by ascorbyl radicals were 141 and 105, respectively, and by peroxynitrite were 115 and 77, respectively.