Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic, destructive joint disease. Vitamin D initiates biological responses via binding to the vitamin D receptor (VDR), which is a member of the steroid hormone receptor superfamily located on chromosome 12 (12q12-q14) that regulates gene expression in a ligand-dependent manner. The receptor (VDR) is active in almost all tissues that are necessary for the effects of vitamin D. Objective: The present work aimed to detect vitamin D receptor FokI gene polymorphism in rheumatoid arthritis patients, to assess its role as a risk factor of the disease. Patients and Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 44 subjects (22 RA patients and 22 apparently normal volunteers age and sex-matched with patients
Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has been afflicting humankind as far back as ancient Egypt. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) appears to have the unique ability to drive both inflammation and new bone formation and could play an important role in the pathogenesis of AS. Objective: The study aimed to evaluate MIF as a diagnostic biomarker in AS. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted on 42 subjects; 21 AS cases and 21 controls. Patients were subjected to full medical history, general and musculoskeletal examinations, laboratory investigations including serum MIF level, sacroiliac X-ray, sacroiliac MRI with the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) for disease activity. Results: Regarding gender of the patients, the majority (71.4%) of patients were males; while (28.6 %) were females. We found that; the mean disease duration of AS patients was (15.05 ± 6.69) years; while the mean ASDAS score was (2.78 ± 0.68). We also found that, (71.4%) of AS patients received NSAIDs, (95.2%) received diseasemodifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), (57.1%) received tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi). Regarding imaging findings in our study, (61.9 %) of AS patients had sacroiliitis in sacroiliac X-ray while (100 %) of AS patients had sacroiliitis in sacroiliac MRI. Conclusion: Serum MIF levels are elevated in AS patients. ROC-curve analysis showed that the best cutoff point of MIF was (>41.3) with area under curve (0.625), with fair accuracy (57.1%), sensitivity (80%) and specificity (50%).
Background: Assessment of Insulin Resistance (IR) as well as glucose intolerance are advised among Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) cases.Objective: To study the rate of IR among infertile women with PCOS at Zagazig University Hospitals. Subjects and Methods: the study was conducted on 60 infertile women with age from 18 to 35 years old as cross sectional trial, at
Six patients were treated for food ileus within a three-year period. In three patients an obstructing phytobezoar (made up of bran, sauerkraut and pumpkin in one case each) was removed at surgery from the small intestine. In three other patients ingestion of a grapefruit, bran and turnip led to an ileus, which lasted for 3-9 days but responded to conservative treatment after 3-9 days. The common finding in all six patients was severe intraperitoneal adhesions of the small intestine (after repeated laparotomies in five, due to Crohn's disease in one). A high content of indigestible roughage in food, antacidity in conjunction with disordered gastric emptying are predisposing factors in phytobezoar formation. In addition to these well documented factors, intraperitoneal adhesions after laparotomy should also make one think of phytobezoar formation. In these circumstances gastrointestinal disorders are not rarely produced by spontaneously expelled phytobezoars. Even a complete ileus can sometimes be successfully treated by conservative measures.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.