The elevation of plasma neopterin concentrations in early JIA patients may indicate stimulation of immune response. Serum neopterin can be used as a sensitive marker for assaying background inflammation and disease activity score in JIA patients.

BACKGROUND:Asthma is a chronic airway disease which is characterized by oxidant antioxidant imbalance with the generation of oxidative stress related mediators.AIM:The study aimed to evaluate the role of asymmetric dimethylarginine, and malondialdehyde as oxidant markers and serum paraoxonase activity as an antioxidant marker in asthma, and to determine their relationship to the asthma severity and lung function among asthmatic children in Egypt.PATIENTS AND METHODS:This case control study was conducted on sixty patients with asthma compared with sixty apparently healthy children of matched age and sex.RESULTS:Serum concentrations of oxidant markers as asymmetric dimethylarginine and malondialdehyde were significantly increased in asthmatic patients while anti-oxidant marker as paraoxonase activity was significantly decreased compared to healthy controls (P < 0.05). ANOVA test revealed highly significant elevation of the serum concentrations of oxidant markers while anti-oxidant marker was significantly decreased in severe asthmatic patients (P < 0.001) compared to the patients with moderate and mild asthma respectively. Serum malondialdehyde concentration was a strong predictor of asthma severity by multiple regression analysis (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:The study revealed an imbalance between oxidative and antioxidant defence systems in asthmatic children. Serum concentration of malondialdehyde was the most predictive biomarker having a significant association with asthma severity.

Lead remains a public health problem in Egypt. High blood lead levels were significantly associated with bad health habits and housing with increased exposure, as well as abnormal behavior and pallor.

BACKGROUND:Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is one of the essential intrauterine hormonal mediators of growth, and its serum values are often low after preterm delivery.AIM:To evaluate the influence of immediate breast milk feeding on serum IGF-1 in preterm newborns.SUBJECTS AND METHODS:This prospective, observational cohort study included 60 premature infants born < 32 weeks of gestation, divided into group A and B regarding breastfeeding or formula feeding. Growth measurements were taken at birth. The standard deviation of each measurement was calculated. Serum IGF-I was measured one day postnatal and at a time equivalent to 40 weeks of gestation.RESULTS:Significant higher level of mean serum IGF-1 was detected in group A than B at postnatal age equivalent to 40 weeks of gestation. In group A, the higher significant level was detected in mean serum IGF-1 at an age equivalent to 40 weeks of gestation than at birth (25.21 ± 6.69 and 20.13 ± 5.46 p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that high birth weight, increased age of gestation and breastfeeding were correlated to the elevated serum level of IGF-1 at a postnatal age corresponding to 40 weeks gestational age.CONCLUSION:Immediate breast milk feeding was accompanied by elevated IGF-1 in the serum of preterm infants.

BACKGROUND:In developing countries, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is mainly acquired during childhood and may be a predisposing factor for peptic ulcer or gastric cancer later in life. Noninvasive diagnostic tools are particularly useful in children for screening tests and epidemiological studies. Data on serologic testing of children are lacking. Accurate noninvasive tests for diagnosing Helicobacter pylori infection in children are strongly required.AIM:The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of a serological test (serum IgG antibody for H. pylori) in Egyptian children with recurrent abdominal pain necessitating endoscopy.SUBJECTS AND METHODS:One hundred children, referred to the endoscopy unit at Mansoura University. Upper endoscopy was done for each with rapid urease test (RUT) and histological examination as the gold standard test for detection of H. pylori infection. Serum samples were collected for detecting IgG for H. pylori infection.RESULTS:The mean age of the subjects included in the study was 7.23 ± 1.94 year. Serological test (IgG to H. pylori) was positive in 60% of all cases. A highly significant association between the standard test and the serological test at a cutoff > 10 U/ml at p = 0.001 were detected for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio for the IgG antibody a cutoff > 10 U/ml, were 96.5%, 93%, 13.83, 0.038 respectively.CONCLUSION:Serum IgG antibody to H. pylori infection has a high diagnostic value and can be considered as a suitable and reliable noninvasive test for detection of H. pylori infection.