Long term inhibition of hip joint damage under tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors in spondyloarthritis.

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of long-term treatment with TNF blockers on the radiographic progression of hip disease in spondyloarthritis (SpA). This retrospective multicentric cohort study included 2 groups of patients with SpA and hip involvement. Patients of group 1 were treated with anti-TNF alpha for at least 2 years, whereas those of group 2 were anti-TNF-naïve patients.

An Immunoscore System Based On CD3 And CD8 Infiltrating Lymphocytes Densities To Predict The Outcome Of Patients With Colorectal Adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the Immunoscore (IS) methodology as a prognostic marker of colorectal adenocarcinoma in Tunisian population. Tumor blocks were retrospectively collected from 106 patients with sporadic colorectal cancer.

Methods: Immunohistochemical staining and images analysis software were used to quantify the density of CD3 and CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in the center of the tumor and invasive margin.

Parenteral Nutrition Complications in Children Undergoing Bone Marrow Transplantation.

Background: Parenteral nutrition (PN) seems to be a practical solution to face the negative nutritional effects of bone marrow transplantation.

Objective: Report and describe all observed PN-related complications in children undergoing allogenic bone marrow transplantation in a tertiary center and determine the possible risk factors.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective and observational study including 51 allografted children 2 to 17 years of age.

A cross sectional study of bone and cartilage biomarkers: correlation with structural damage in rheumatoid arthritis.

The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between bone and cartilage remodeling biomarkers and joint damage in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), and to detect whether they have the capacity to predict the progression of joint disease assessment by computed tomography (CT) erosion score. We analyzed 65 female patients with established RA in our Rheumatology Department. Serum levels of bone and cartilage markers were measured: osteocalcin (OC), N-propeptide of type I collagen (PINP), collagen type I and II, C-telopeptide (CTX I, CTX-II) and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP).

Filgrastim following HLA-Identical Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation: Long-Term Outcomes of a Randomized Trial.

Human recombinant granulocyte colony stimulating factor reduces the duration of neutropenia following HLA-identical allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. However, its use remains controversial due to the risk of increasing the incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and slower platelet recovery. To clarify these risks, we conducted a prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial of filgrastim 5 µg/kg/day i.

First site of recurrence after breast cancer adjuvant treatment in the era of multimodality therapy: which imaging for which patient during follow-up?

Purpose: We evaluated the relation between first site of recurrence of early breast cancer and disease profile at presentation and reported survival results, suggesting a personalized diagnostic imaging guidance during follow up.

Methods: Among 1400 early breast cancer treated from 2000 to 2010, 324 relapses were divided into 4 groups according to first site: A-locoregional, B-bone, C-Brain and D-visceral. We analyzed redictive factors of each group compared to a control group of 100 non relapsing patients and the remaining groups matched.

Late mitral restenosis after percutaneous commissurotomy: Predictive value of inflammation and extracellular matrix remodeling biomarkers.

Background: The role of chronic inflammation in mitral restenosis after percutaneous mitral commissurotomy (PMC) is still controversial.

Aims: We sought to assess the predictive value of inflammation and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling biomarkers in late mitral restenosis after PMC.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 155 patients (mean age 46.

Prognostic factors in children with extracranial malignant germ cell tumors: a monocentric pediatric Tunisian study.

Background Extracranial Germ cell tumors (GCT) are a rare and a heterogeneous group of pediatric cancers but highly curable. Aim We aimed to review management, outcome and prognostic factors that influence overall survival (OS) in a pediatric Tunisian oncologic unit. Methods We retrospectively evaluated between January 1998 and December 2012, 33 patients affected by extracranial germ cell tumors and treated according to TGM95 protocol established by the SFOPin a pediatric Tunisian oncologic unit.

Development and validation of a food photography manual, as a tool for estimation of food portion size in epidemiological dietary surveys in Tunisia.

Background: Estimation of food portion sizes has always been a challenge in dietary studies on free-living individuals. The aim of this work was to develop and validate a food photography manual to improve the accuracy of the estimated size of consumed food portions.

Methods: A manual was compiled from digital photos of foods commonly consumed by the Tunisian population.

Comparative clinical trial: fluconazole alone or associated with topical ketoconazole in the treatment of pityriasis versicolor.

Background: The efficacy of ketoconazole and fluconazole in pityriasis versicolor had been proved.

Aim: To compare the efficacy and the safety of two doses of fluconazole given 1 week apart alone or associated to ketoconazole shampoo.

Methods: Our study included all patients with pityriasis versicolor who attended in dermatology department of Habib Thameur Hospital, Tunis (over a 21-month period).

Predictive score for positive upper endoscopies outcomes in children with upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common pediatric emergency. Esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (EGD) is the first line diagnostic procedure to identify the source of bleeding. However etiology of UGIB remains unknown in 20% of cases.

[High risk areas for echinococcosis-hydatidosis in Tunisia].

Aim: The study was conducted in order to identify high risk areas for hydatidosis in Tunisia witch would be eligible for a Hydatidosis control program initiation.

Methods: The most recent epidemiological investigation on surgical incidence of hydatidosis was used to classify governorates according to their incidence rate. A "global hydatidosis risk score" was calculated for each governorate, combining some parameters related to the hygiene conditions of the population, the literacy rate, the canine density and livestock census.

A randomized, controlled trial of nebulized 5% hypertonic saline and mixed 5% hypertonic saline with epinephrine in bronchiolitis.

Background: Bronchiolitis is a public health problem in the word and in Tunisia. Nebulized hypertonic saline seems to have some benefits in bronchiolitis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of nebulized 5% hypertonic saline alone or mixed with epinephrine in bronchiolitis as measured by improvement in clinical score, oxygen saturation or reduction in duration of hospitalization.

[Clinicobiological and morphological profiles of primary sclerosing cholangitis in Tunisia].

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic disease strongly associated, in the western series, to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and particularly to chronic ulcerative colitis. North African data are rare. aim : To study the epidemiological, clinicobiological and morphological profile of PSC in Tunisia.

Association of LRP5 genotypes with osteoporosis in Tunisian post-menopausal women.

Background: Osteoporosis is a highly heritable trait. Among the genes associated with bone mineral density (BMD), the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 gene (LRP5) has been consistently identified in Caucasians. However LRP5 contribution to osteoporosis in populations of other ethnicities remains poorly known.

Health-related Quality of Life Assessment on 100 Tunisian Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis using the SF-36 Survey.

Objectives: The main objective of the study was to examine the self reported health status in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) compared with the general population and the secondary objective (in the AS group) was to study the association between health status, demographic parameters, and specific disease instruments in AS.

Methods: A cross sectional study of 100 AS patients recruited between 2006 and 2009 at the Department of Rheumatology. Health status was assessed by using the SF-36 health questionnaire in patients with AS.

Comparison of C-reactive protein and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in patients on hemodialysis.

Chronic inflammation is highly prevalent in patients on hemodialysis (HD), as evidenced by increased levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). We compared CRP to high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) to determine whether it has any clinical implications and prognostic significance in terms of mortality. CRP was measured using a standard immunoturbidometric assay on the COBAS® INTEGRA system and hs-CRP was measured using the Dade Behring on the Konelab Nephelometer in 50 patients on HD.

[Medical demography in Tunisia: current situation and perspectives].

Background: Health human resources management is one of the important determinants of health care access equity.

Aims: To analyse the trend of Tunisian medical density during 2000-2009 and to predict its situation by 2024.

Methods: Current medical density was calculated using Bar Council of Physicians of Tunisia database.

Association of serum levels of aggrecan ARGS, NITEGE fragments and radiologic knee osteoarthritis in Tunisian patients.

Objectives: Proteolytic degradation of aggrecan is a hallmark of the pathology of osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was to develop enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to quantify the serum levels of specific aggrecan fragments generated by aggrecanases-mediated cleavage. We investigated the relationships between these two aggrecan degradations fragments and urinary CTX-II levels.

Anomalies of intra-synovial citrullination: is there any interest in the diagnosis of early rheumatoid arthritis?

Autoantibodies to citrullinated proteins (ACPA) are specifically associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and seem to play an important role in its pathogenesis. The specific immunological conflict between ACPA and citrullinated fibrin plays a major role in the self-maintenance of synovial inflammation by forming fibrin deposits in the synovial tissue. These deposits, secondarily citrullinated by a local peptidylarginine deiminase (PADI) enzyme activity, seem to maintain the immunological conflict and the inflammation.

What is the ability of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies determination in synovial fluid in discriminating rheumatoid arthritis from non-rheumatoid arthritis patients? A Tunisian cross-sectional study.

Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) seem to be produced locally at the site of joints inflammation in the first stage of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A strong correlation between serum ACPA and ACPA in the synovial fluid (SF-ACPA) is now suggested. A case-control study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of ACPA determination in SF of patients with RA.