Sex differences in clinical presentation and prognosis in patients with primary biliary cholangitis.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the small intrahepatic bile ducts disproportionally affecting women. Timely diagnosis and treatment can often prevent progression to liver cirrhosis. We hypothesized PBC diagnosis in male patients is delayed and prognosis impaired.

MRI or not to MRI! Should brain MRI be a routine investigation in children with autistic spectrum disorders?

To evaluate the routine usage of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of brain and estimate the prevalence of brain abnormalities in children presenting to the Neurodevelopment Clinic of Al-Khadra Hospital (NDC-KH), Tripoli, Libya with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). The records of all children with ASD presented to NDC-KH over 4-year period (from January 2009 to December 2012) were reviewed. All MRIs were acquired with a 1.

Prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders in Tripoli, Libya: the need for more research and planned services.

Data on autism are lacking for Libya. We conducted a hospital-based study in the Neurodevelopment Clinic of AI-Khadra Hospital in Tripoli to estimate the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders in children attending the clinic. All children referred to the clinic between 2005 and 2009 with a diagnosis of speech and language disorders or behavioural difficulties were assessed.

Is there a need for a focused health care service for children with autistic spectrum disorders? A keyhole look at this problem in Tripoli, Libya.

Background: Autism is a global disorder, but relatively little is known about its presentation and occurrence in many developing countries, including Libya.

Aims: To estimate the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders in children referred to Al-Khadra hospital (KH). To increase the awareness among pediatrician and primary health care providers of the importance of considering autism in children presenting with speech and language disorders.