Treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea as a therapeutic modality for associated erectile dysfunction.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the impact of long-term treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and obstruction relieving surgical procedure on obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) patients on erectile function (EF).

Methods: Eighty male OSAS patients, suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) were studied. The severity of OSAS was determined by evaluation of daytime sleep tendency using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), measure of minimal oxygen saturation (SaO(2)) percentage and the frequency of apnoea-hypopnea index (AHI) during sleep.

Colonic conduit for esophageal replacement: long-term endoscopic and histopathologic changes in colonic mucosa.

Background: Long-term follow-up has substantiated the colon as a durable and highly acceptable esophageal substitute. Exposure of colonic conduit to gastric acid may lead to histopathologic changes in the form of chronic inflammation.

Materials/methods: Thirty children with esophageal replacement were studied from 2 to 12 years (mean, 5.

Antistreptolysin O titer in health and disease: levels and significance.

Over diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) based on a raised antistreptolysin O titer (ASOT) is not uncommon in endemic areas. In this study, 660 children (aged 9.2 ±1.

Radiation exposure in children during the current era of pediatric cardiac intervention.

Cardiac catheterizations are among the X-ray procedures with the highest patient radiation dose and therefore are of great concern in pediatric settings. This study aimed to evaluate factors that influence variability of X-ray exposure in children with congenital heart diseases during cardiac catheterization. The study included 107 children who underwent either diagnostic (n = 46) or interventional (n = 61) procedures.

Screening for depression in a sample of Egyptian secondary school female students.

Background: Depression is common in female adolescents. Data on prevalence rates, socio-demographic correlates, and putative risk factors in Egyptian population are needed along with better screening tools to inform future research and service development. We aimed to estimate the point prevalence of depression in a representative sample of Egyptian female students; to detect the sensitivity and specificity of CDI as a screening tool, and to highlight some putative risk factors associated with depression.

Factors affecting vascular access complications in children undergoing congenital cardiac catheterization.

Background: Complications at the vascular access sites are among the most common adverse events in congenital cardiac catheterization. The use of small-gauge catheters may reduce these events; however, other factors can contribute to the development of vascular complications.

Objectives: To determine factors associated with the development of vascular access complications in children undergoing congenital cardiac catheterization.

Stress and serum TNF-alpha levels may predict disease outcome in patients with pemphigus: a preliminary study.

The aim of the current preliminary case-control study was to estimate the initial serum levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in case patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and pemphigus foliaceus (PF) and correlate them with history of stress, body surface area (BSA) affected, disease severity, and disease outcome. Ten PV and 4 PF case patients as well as 7 healthy matched controls had their serum levels of TNF-alpha measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Case patients were treated and followed up for 2 months.

Conservative treatment for mild femoroacetabular impingement.

Purpose: To report early results of conservative treatments (including modifications in activities of daily living) for mild femoroacetabular impingement.

Methods: 27 male and 10 female athletic patients aged 23 to 47 years presented with unilateral hip pain secondary to femoroacetabular impingement and an alpha angle of <60 degrees. Patients were instructed to adapt to their safe range of movement and perform activities of daily living with minimal friction.

Microvillous inclusion disease: a clinicopathologic study of 17 cases from the UK.

Background: Microvillous inclusion disease (MVID) is a rare congenital disease producing intractable secretory diarrhea in early infancy. It is characterized by diffuse intestinal villous atrophy with no inflammatory reaction. Ultrastructural identification of apical microvillous inclusions in the surface enterocytes is diagnostic.

Attitudes of Egyptian nursing home residents towards staying in a nursing home: a qualitative study.

Aim.  The aim of this study was to identify the attitudes of Egyptian nursing home residents towards staying in a nursing home and to differentiate between various types of these attitudes. Background.

Immediate- and medium-term effects of balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in infants with critical pulmonary stenoses during the first year of life: A prospective single center study.

Background: Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (BPV) represents the standard of management for all patients with severe pulmonary stenosis (PS) irrespective of their age. Nevertheless neonates and infants with critical PS represent a high-risk group that needs to be studied.

Methods: The study population included 72 infants with severe congenital valvular PS and four infants with imperforate pulmonary valve (PV) who were subjected to detailed history taking, full clinical examination, resting 12-lead ECG, Chest roentgenogram and transthoracic echocardiography.

Cutaneous mononuclear cells and eosinophils are significantly increased after warm water challenge in pruritic areas of polycythemia vera.

Background: Increased cutaneous cells following warm water challenge in pruritus-related polycythemia vera (PV) have been reported, but their nature and magnitude are not known.

Methods: Qualitative and quantitative assessments (digital image analysis) of the cutaneous mononuclear cells, eosinophils and mast cells were carried out in PV patients and healthy controls (n = 10 each) following exposures to water at room temperature and warm water.

Results: Infiltration of the spongiotic epidermis and dermis by mononuclear cells and eosinophils together with edema and vasodilatation of upper dermis following warm water contact was clearly observed only in PV patients.

The impact of high-dose sodium selenite therapy on Bcl-2 expression in adult non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients: correlation with response and survival.

The present study was undertaken to explore the effect of administration of high doses of sodium selenite on the expression of Bcl-2 in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Fifty patients with newly diagnosed NHL were randomly divided into two groups. Group A-I received standard chemotherapy whereas group A-II received adjuvant sodium selenite 0.

Relationship between systolic pulsed wave tissue Doppler parameters and both invasive and noninvasive reperfusion criteria in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Despite normal flow in the infarct-related artery after primary percutaneous coronary intervention, patients may not achieve adequate perfusion at the tissue level. We examined the applicability of pulsed wave tissue Doppler (PTD) in detection of successful myocardial reperfusion.

Methods: In all, 24 patients with anterior infarction were enrolled.

Manganese superoxide dismutase alanine to valine polymorphism and risk of neuropathy and nephropathy in Egyptian type 1 diabetic patients.

Unlabelled: Oxidative stress, characterized by a marked increase in the level of oxygen free radicals (OFR), has been implicated in the development of diabetic microangiopathic complications, such as diabetic neuropathy (DN) and nephropathy (DP). Antioxidant enzymes may protect against the rapid onset and progression of microangiopathy, by reducing the excess of OFR and peroxides. Mutations and polymorphisms in genes encoding such enzymes may therefore result in a predisposition to this disorder.

A comparative study of two angiogenic factors: vascular endothelial growth factor and angiogenin in induced sputum from asthmatic children in acute attack.

Background: Angiogenesis is a prerequisite for airway remodeling in bronchial asthma. Several factors may play important roles in inflammation and angiogenesis through effects on inflammatory cell infiltration or neovascularization.

Objectives: (1) To determine the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiogenin in sputum supernatants of asthmatic children during the acute attack and 6 weeks after start of therapy; and (2) to correlate their levels with the degree of asthma severity.

Common dermatoses in moderately pigmented skin: uncommon presentations.

Several common dermatoses appear different in people of color. Most international literature, especially the reputed textbooks, are replete with photographs of skin diseases in fair-skinned patients. The orientation of Western dermatologists to common diseases in pigmented skin therefore is needed.

Peripheral venous pressure is an alternative to central venous pressure in paediatric surgery patients.

Background: Peripheral venous pressure (PVP) is easily and safely measured. In adults, PVP correlates closely with central venous pressure (CVP) during major non-cardiac surgery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agreement between CVP and PVP in children during major surgery and during recovery.

Selective cultivation of normal human sebocytes in vitro; a simple modified technique for a better cell yield.

Selective cultivation of normal human sebocytes is essential for better understanding of drug pharmacokinetics and diseases of the pilosebaceous apparatus. In the present study, sebocytes are selectively cultivated in vitro using modified MCDB 153 medium to which cholera toxin (1 x 10(-9) M), crude bovine pituitary extract (70 micro g/ml), epidermal growth factor (10 ng/ml), basic fibroblast growth factor (2 ng/ml), hydrocortisone (1.4 x 10(-6) M), insulin (10 micro g/ml), fetal bovine serum (10%), and antibiotics were added.

Neovascularization of the amniotic membrane as a biological immune barrier.

The clinical application of islet transplantation is limited due to the limited source and the morbidity of systemic immunosuppression to prevent rejection. The two problems can be solved by using encapsulated islets. We have used amniotic membranes as biocompatible natural immune barriers.

Colonization of burn wounds in Ain Shams University Burn Unit.

A prospective study was carried out on 70 burned patients admitted to the Burn Unit, Ain Shams University Hospital, Cairo, with the aim to verify the pattern of microbial colonization of burn wounds. Throughout the study period starting from 1 June 1999 till 31 May 2001, 281 sampling procedures (surface swabs) were performed from the burn wounds. A total of 301 microbial isolates were grown in cultures.

Malformations in adult cases in Egypt.

The pathologic patterns as an indication for cardiac surgery in adults with congenital heart diseases and subsequently the surgical techniques have changed greatly in the last decade. The presence of fully equipped pediatric cardiac units helped in early surgical repair in many lesions. However, this service is not always readily available in many parts of the world with the effect of seeing patients with congenital heart diseases latter on during their life needing intervention.

The angiotensin II AT2 receptor is an AT1 receptor antagonist.

The vasopressor angiotensin II activates AT(1) and AT(2) receptors. Most of the known in vivo effects of angiotensin II are mediated by AT(1) receptors while the biological functions of AT(2) receptors are less clear. We report here that the AT(2) receptor binds directly to the AT(1) receptor and thereby antagonizes the function of the AT(1) receptor.

Oral anticoagulation therapy during pregnancy in patients with mechanical mitral valves: a prospective study.

Reports on phenindione toxicity have limited its use as an oral anticoagulant. Our aim was to evaluate its risks in pregnant women. Thirty-one pregnancies in 29 women with mitral (+/-aortic) St.