Pediatric vs. adult stroke: comparative study in a tertiary referral hospital, Cairo, Egypt.

Background: Even though stroke is rare in children, it is associated with serious or life-threatening consequences. Despite its rarity, the occurrence of stroke in children has age-related differences in risk factors, etiopathogenesis, and clinical presentations. Unlike adults, who have arteriosclerosis as the major cause of stroke, risk factors for pediatric strokes are multiple, including cardiac disorders, infection, prothrombotic disorders, moyamoya disease, moyamoya syndrome, and others.

Frequency of inborn errors of metabolism screening for children with unexplained acute encephalopathy at an emergency department.

Objective: Our study aimed to estimate the frequency of inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) in patients presenting with acute encephalopathy-like picture at an emergency department (ED).

Subjects And Methods: Our study was a prospective observational study conducted on 30 patients admitted to the pediatric ED with unexplained acute encephalopathy. The study included 30 children with an age ranging from 1 month to 5 years.

Cardiac autonomic balance in children with epilepsy: value of antiepileptic drugs.

Background: Dysfunction of the autonomous nervous system causes arrhythmias and, although previous studies have investigated the effects of epilepsy on the autonomic control of the heart, there is still uncertainty about whether imbalance of sympathetic, vagal, or both systems occurs in epilepsy as well as the effect of anticonvulsants on the autonomic system.

Aim: To evaluate cardiac autonomic status in children with epilepsy on antiepileptic drugs.

Patients And Methods: Sixty patients with epilepsy were recruited from the Outpatient Neurology Clinic at Ain Shams University and were divided into the following groups: group I, drug naive; and group II, patients with epilepsy on regular antiepileptic drugs.

Role of plasma amino acids and urinary organic acids in diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases in children.

Background: Diagnostic difficulty in mitochondrial diseases (MD) results not only from the wide spectrum of symptoms and signs but also from the absence of a reliable screening or diagnostic biomarker.

Aim: To investigate the likelihood of MD in patients with symptoms and signs impressive of MD through quantitative measurement of plasma amino acids, and urinary organic acids.

Methods: Twenty patients with symptoms and signs suggestive of MD were further evaluated by quantitative plasma amino acids and urinary organic acids assay and neuroimaging.

Evaluation of neural damage in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients.

The presence of non-progressive cognitive impairment is recognized as a common feature in a substantial proportion of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Concurrently, the amyloid beta peptide (Aβ42) protein has been associated with changes in memory and cognitive functions. Also, it has been shown that different subtypes of neural stem/progenitor cells (CD 34, CD 45, nestin) are involved in the innate repair of plasticity mechanisms by the injured brain, in which Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) acts as chemotactic agents to recruit such cells.

The clinical outcome of adjuvant therapy with black seed oil on intractable paediatric seizures: a pilot study.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of black seed oil, as add-on treatment to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), on seizure frequency and severity as well as oxidative stress in intractable epilepsy patients.

Methods: A prospective, randomised, single-blinded, controlled, crossover pilot study. Five healthy children were included as controls.

Metabolic effects of honey in type 1 diabetes mellitus: a randomized crossover pilot study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the metabolic effects of 12-week honey consumption on patients suffering from type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). This was a randomized crossover clinical trial done in the National Institute for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Cairo, Egypt. Twenty patients of both sexes aged 4-18 years with type 1 DM and HbA1C<10% participated in the study.

Inherited thrombophilia in pediatric ischemic stroke: an Egyptian study.

Pediatric stroke is relatively uncommon, with often subtle clinical presentations. Numerous predisposing risk factors can be both inherited and acquired, including cardiac disease, vascular abnormalities, infectious diseases, collagen tissue diseases, inborn errors of metabolism, anticardiolipin antibody, lupus anticoagulant, deficiencies of protein C, protein S, antithrombin, or plasminogen, and prothrombotic mutations. We explored risk factors, clinical features, and neuroimaging among Egyptian children with ischemic stroke, and estimated the prevalence of inherited thrombophilia.

Correlates of parental stress and psychopathology in pediatric epilepsy.

Background: Chronic conditions like epilepsy in a child can affect his/her entire family. The failure of the family members to adapt adequately to the unique demands of this childhood chronic illness can be considered as an important risk factor for development of psychopathology.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to study the profile of parenting stress in parents of children with epilepsy and its correlates; and, to examine the correlates of psychopathology in these children.

Reproductive hormonal changes and catamenial pattern in adolescent females with epilepsy.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the effect of epilepsy on the reproductive hormones levels among female patients, and to investigate the frequency of catamenial pattern of seizures.

Methods: A total of 42 female patients with epilepsy and 21 healthy females (control group) were included. Subjects were at least 2 years postmenarche with regular cycles.