Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (G8790A) Gene Polymorphism as a Risk Factor for COVID-19 in Egyptian Children and Adolescents.

Objective: Recently, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene has emerged as a potential candidate gene for susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. We investigated whether ACE2 G8790A (rs2285666) polymorphism could be a genetic marker for susceptibility to COVID-19 and disease severity in Egyptian children and adolescents.

Methods: This was a prospective case-control study included 580 cases diagnosed with COVID-19, and 580 matched control children and adolescents.

Antiphospholipid Antibody Testing: An Audit on Testing Practices in a Public Tertiary Care Center.

Background: Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) are antibodies directed against cell membrane components and can be associated with clinical features or be asymptomatic. Testing and interpreting these antibodies is associated with many challenges and pitfalls in clinical practice.

Objective: To review all antiphospholipid antibody testing and describe the testing practices, indications for testing and interpretation of results to infer local challenges with aPL testing and subsequently address ways to overcome those challenges.

Incidence and predictors of demyelinating disease in spondyloarthritis: data from a longitudinal cohort study.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate the incidence of demyelinating disease (DD) among SpA patients and to identify risk factors that predict DD in this patient population.

Methods: Axial SpA (axSpA) and PsA patients were identified from a longitudinal cohort database. Each group was analysed according to the presence or absence of DD.