Validity of skeletal muscle ultrasound as a screening tool in the assessment of patients with suspected limb-girdle muscular dystrophy.

This cross-sectional study measured the sensitivity and specificity of muscle ultrasound (MUS) in the assessment of patients with suspected limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD). Sixty patients with suspected LGMD from the Neuromuscular Unit, Myology Clinic, Ain Shams University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt, and a series of healthy subjects were included. The patients underwent real-time B-mode ultrasonography performed using a General Electric ultrasound machine (GE Logiq P7) and a General Electric 7.

Global longitudinal strain detects subtle left ventricular systolic dysfunction in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients and carriers.

Background: With the continuous improvement of the respiratory care of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients, cardiac manifestations (heart failure and arrhythmias) become the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Early identification of cardiac muscle affection is crucial to start anti-failure drugs that reverse remodeling and improve prognosis. This study aimed to detect subtle cardiac changes in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients and carriers using electrocardiography and echocardiography.

Borderzone Infarction and Small Vessel Disease in a Sample of Egyptian Stroke Patients: Differences and Similarities.

Background: The anatomical location of white matter hyperintense lesions in small vessel disease are apparently similar to those of borderzone infarction. The objective of this study is to find clinical and radiological points of differentiation between the two vascular disorders in a sample of Egyptian patients which might have an impact on primary and secondary prevention.

Methods: Ischemic stroke patients with white matter lesions were categorized into two groups: small vessel disease and borderzone infarctions.

Predictive value of haptoglobin genotype as a risk of cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the genetic predisposition of haptoglobin (Hp) genotype as a predictor for cerebral vasospasm (CV) after acute subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) in the Egyptian population. This permits CV risk factors stratification of patients with aSAH. Hence, it will guide the treatment plan and intensive monitoring for those patients.

Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism in patients with osteomalacic myopathy in Egypt.

Introduction: Vitamin D works by binding to vitamin D receptor (VDR). The muscle involvement in hypovitaminosis D was broadly named osteomalacic myopathy.

Methods: A case control study involved 20 female patients diagnosed with osteomalacic myopathy compared with 15 age-matched healthy female controls.

ACE Gene in Egyptian Ischemic Stroke Patients.

Background: Angiotensin-1-converting enzyme (ACE) is a crucial player in vascular homeostasis and in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and hypertension. The present study was conducted to determine whether there is an association between the ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism and ischemic stroke in Egyptian population. Also, we analyzed the ACE gene I/D polymorphism as a risk factor for small-vessel (SV) versus large-vessel (LV) disease.