Effectiveness of sorafenib in treating intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma patients refractory to transarterial chemoembolization.

Background: Switching to systemic therapy after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) refractoriness is more inclined to preserve liver function and decrease disease progression. Hence, we conducted a comparison between the advantages of sorafenib therapy and the continuation of TACE in patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who developed TACE refractoriness.

Methods: This retrospective cohort work involved 1,200 patients with HCC who received TACE therapy at our institution between January 2018 and December 2022.

Prognostic performance of Hong Kong Liver Cancer with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging systems in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Accurate staging is necessary for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis and guiding patient management. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system has limitations due to heterogeneity observed among patients in BCLC stages B and C. In contrast, the Hong Kong Liver Cancer (HKLC) staging system offers more aggressive treatment strategies.

Health literacy and its association with antibiotic use and knowledge of antibiotic among Egyptian population: cross sectional study.

Background: High prevalence of inappropriate antibiotic use in different sectors of the community indicates a possible strong influence of social and cultural context, which may be influenced by social determinants of health and thereby affecting individuals' health-related behavior, including antibiotic use. And such health-related behavior is largely determined by individuals' health literacy.

Objective: The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between the Egyptian population's health literacy, antibiotic use, and antibiotic knowledge.

Spiramycin-loaded maltodextrin nanoparticles as a promising treatment of toxoplasmosis on murine model.

Despite being the initial choice for treating toxoplasmosis, sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine have limited effectiveness in eliminating the infection and were linked to a variety of adverse effects. Therefore, the search for new effective therapeutic strategies against toxoplasmosis is still required. The current work is the first research to assess the efficacy of spiramycin-loaded maltodextrin nanoparticles (SPM-loaded MNPs) as a novel alternative drug therapy against toxoplasmosis in a murine model.

Insights into the current state of knowledge, practice, and attitudes of physicians regarding gastrointestinal motility disorders in Egypt.

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders are common in clinical settings, but physicians still lack sufficient understanding and effective management of these conditions.

Methods: This research assessed Egyptian physicians' knowledge, practices, and attitudes towards GI motility disorders. A cross-sectional survey employing a self-administered questionnaire was carried out among physicians in Egypt.

Leptin gene Polymorphism and Leptin protein levels in Pediatric Autoimmune Hepatitis.

Background: Leptin plays a role in regulating energy balance, immunity, and inflammation. Studies suggest higher leptin levels might be associated with various autoimmune diseases. Most of them were in adult.

Enhancing colorectal cancer prevention: a national assessment of public awareness in Egypt.

Background: Despite the increasing incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the Egyptian population, it still seems that there is a significant lack of awareness regarding the disease. This study aimed to assess the Egyptian population's awareness of CRC regarding its risk factors, the screening procedures, and the appropriate responses to its diagnosis.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Egypt between July 2022 and March 2023 and recruited a convenient sample of adults from seven governorates representing different geographic areas, and socioeconomic and educational backgrounds with the help of the validated Bowel Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) version 2.

Comparison of transient elastography and shear wave elastography in patients with MAFLD: A single-center experience.

Background: Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis are intimately linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Transient elastography (TE) and point shear wave elastography (pSWE) were used to measure liver stiffness in patients who met the ultrasound criteria for steatotic liver diseases (SLD). This study compared two methods for estimating liver stiffness in patients with SLD, which in turn correlated with liver fibrosis.

APRI and FIB-4 indices as diagnostic noninvasive scores for prediction of severe fibrosis in patients with biliary atresia.

Aim Of The Study: Biliary atresia (BA) is a blockage in the tubes (ducts) that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder. The aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio (APRI), and Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) scores are commonly used compound surrogates for advanced fibrosis. However, the use of APRI and FIB-4 entails a risk of overestimating the fibrosis stage due to the impact of necroinflammatory activity on transaminases.

Attitudes of parents towards influenza vaccine in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A multilevel analysis.

Background: Seasonal influenza vaccines (SIVs) can protect against influenza and substantially reduce the risk of influenza-related hospitalizations and fatalities in children. This study aimed to assess parental attitudes towards SIVs in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR).

Methods: Through an anonymous online survey conducted in 19 countries in the EMR, parents or caregivers over 18 years who had at least one child above 6 months filled out the Parent Attitudes about Childhood Vaccines questionnaire.

A Multicenter Experience of Inducible Clindamycin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus Infection among 800 Egyptian Patients with or without Diabetes Mellitus.

Staphylococcus aureus causes a wide range of illnesses, from skin infections and persistent bone infections to life-threatening septicemia and endocarditis. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is one of the most common bacteria that cause nosocomial and community-acquired infections.

External validation of the parental attitude about childhood vaccination scale.

Introduction: Internal validation techniques alone do not guarantee the value of a model. This study aims to investigate the external validity of the Parental Attitude toward Childhood Vaccination (PACV) scale for assessing parents' attitude toward seasonal influenza vaccination.

Methods: Using a snowball sampling approach, an anonymous online questionnaire was distributed in two languages (English and Arabic) across seven countries.

External Validation of the Revised Cardiac Risk Index and the Geriatric-Sensitive Perioperative Cardiac Risk Index in Oldest Old Patients Following Surgery Under Spinal Anaesthesia; a Retrospective Cross-Sectional Cohort Study.

Background: The Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) and the Geriatric Sensitive Cardiac Risk Index (GSCRI) estimate the risk of postoperative major adverse cardiac events (MACE) regardless of the type of anesthesia and without specifying the oldest old patients. Since spinal anesthesia (SA) is a preferred technique in geriatrics, we aimed to test the external validity of these indices in patients ≥ 80 years old who underwent surgery under SA and tried to identify other potential risk factors for postoperative MACE.

Methods: The performance of both indices to estimate postoperative in-hospital MACE risk was tested through discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility.

Autoantibodies: are they a clue for liver diseases?

Introduction: Autoantibody testing has contributed to both biological and clinical insights in managing patients with liver disease. These autoantibodies often have clinical value for the diagnosis, disease activity and/or prognosis.

Aim Of The Study: We aimed to investigate the potential application of auto-antibodies in different etiologies of non-autoimmune liver diseases.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Parents of Children with Chronic Liver Diseases.

Children with chronic medical conditions are more susceptible to developing a serious negative outcome from corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) than healthy children. This study investigated the extent of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (VH) and its predictors in parents of children with chronic liver disease (CLD) in Egypt. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Liver Institute from September to October 2022, using a random sampling method.

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Dose Acceptance: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) booster dose vaccination after completing the primary vaccination series for individuals ≥18 years and most-at-risk populations. This study aimed to estimate the pooled proportion of COVID-19 vaccine booster dose uptake and intention to get the booster dose among general populations and healthcare workers (HCWs). We searched PsycINFO, Scopus, EBSCO, MEDLINE Central/PubMed, ProQuest, SciELO, SAGE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect according to PRISMA guidelines.

Hydrothermal assisted biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles: A potential study on virulent candida isolates from COVID-19 patients.

Till now the exact mechanism and effect of biogenic silver nanoparticles on fungus is an indefinable question. To focus on this issue, the first time we prepared hydrothermal assisted thyme coated silver nanoparticles (T/AgNPs) and their toxic effect on Candida isolates were determined. The role of thyme (Thymus Vulgaris) in the reduction of silver ions and stabilization of T/AgNPs was estimated by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, structure and size of present silver nanoparticles were detected via atomic force microscopy as well as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.

Altered Protein and Gene Expression of Beclin-1 Correlates with Poor Prognosis of Hcv-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Egyptian Patients.

Autophagy modulation has recently been addressed as a novel target for overcoming therapeutic resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to currently available anti-HCC therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the protein and gene expression of Beclin-1 and its correlation with prognosis in HCV-associated HCC in Egyptian patients. This prospective study included 50 patients with HCV-associated-HCC, treated with surgical resection.

Sudomotor Changes in Hepatitis C Virus Infection with or without Diabetes Mellitus: A Pilot Study in Egyptian Patients.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can affect the neurological system, and neuropathy is one of these manifestations. Hepatitis C virus infection is associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) type II, and diabetic patients are at higher risk of acquiring HCV infection. Sweat function has been proposed to assess early autonomic neuropathy.

Variceal recurrence 4 years post endoscopic band ligation in hepatitis C patients who achieved sustained virological response with oral direct-acting antiviral therapy.

Oral Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are safe, highly effective altering disease burden and prognosis in hepatitis C patients. Sustained virologic response (SVR) is achieved nowadays in more than 90% of the treated patients and related to the improvements in functions of the liver, fibrosis plus survival. Furthermore, portal hypertension is thought to be improved with achievement of virological response, parallel to the improvements in hepatic inflammation and fibrosis.