Background Coronavirus disease has spread widely all over the world since the beginning of 2020, and this required rapid adequate management. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) has become an initial valuable tool for screening, diagnosis, and assessment of disease severity. This study aimed to assess the clinical, radiographic, and laboratory findings of COVID-19 with HRCT follow-up in discharged patients to predict lung fibrosis after COVID-19 infection in survived patients. Results This study included two-hundred and ten patients who were tested positive for the novel coronavirus by nasopharyngeal swap, admitted to the hospital, and discharged after recovery. Patients with at least a one-time chest CT scan after discharge were enrolled. According to the presence of fibrosis on follow-up CT after discharge, patients were classified into two groups and assigned as the “non-fibrotic group” (without evident fibrosis) and “fibrotic group” (with evident fibrosis). We compared between these two groups based on the recorded clinical data, patient demographic information (i.e., sex and age), length of stay (LOS) in the hospital, admission to the ICU, laboratory results (peak C-reactive protein [CRP] level, lowest lymphocyte level, serum ferritin, high-sensitivity troponin, d-dimer, administration of steroid), and CT features (CT severity score and CT consolidation/crazy-paving score). CT score includes the CT during the hospital stay with peak opacification and follow-up CT after discharge. The average CT follow-up time after discharge is 41.5 days (range, 20 to 65 days). There was a statistically significant difference between both groups (p ˂0.001). Further, a multivariate analysis was performed and found that the age of the patients, initial CT severity score, consolidation/crazy-paving score, and ICU admission were independent risk factors associated with the presence of post-COVID-19 fibrosis (p<0.05). Chest CT severity score shows a sensitivity of 86.1%, a specificity of 78%, and an accuracy of 81.9% at a cutoff point of 10.5. Conclusion The residual pulmonary fibrosis in COVID-19 survivors after discharge depends on many factors with the patient’s age, CT severity, consolidation/crazy-paving scores, and ICU admission as independent risk factors associated with the presence of post-COVID-19 fibrosis.

Background Emergence of 2019-nCoV attracted global attention and WHO declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern. Therefore we aimed to explore the severity and atypical manifestations of COVID-19 among children. Methods This is an observational cohort study conducted on 398 children with confirmed COVID-19 by using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of 2019-nCoV nucleic acid during the period from March to November 2020. Patients were subdivided regarding the severity of COVID-19 presentation into Group I (Non-severe COVID-19) was admitted into wards and Group II (Severe COVID-19) admitted into the PICU. Results Non- severe cases were 295cases (74.1%) and 103cases (25.9%) of severe cases. There was a significant difference between age groups of the affected children (P < 0.001) with a median (0–15 years). Boys (52%) are more affected than girls (48%) with significant differences (P < 0.001). 68.6%of confirmed cases had contact history to family members infected with COVID-19. 41.7% of severe patients needed mechanical ventilation. Death of 20.4% of severe cases. In COVID-19 patients, fever, headache, fatigue and shock were the most prominent presentations (95, 60.3, 57.8, and 21.8% respectively). 3.5% of children were manifested with atypical presentations; 1.25% manifested by pictures of acute pancreatitis, 1.25% presented by manifestations of deep venous thrombosis and 1.0% had multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C). Multivariate regression analysis showed that COVID-19 severity in children was significantly higher among children with higher levels of D-dimer, hypoxia, shock and mechanical ventilation. Conclusion Most children had a non-severe type of COVID-19 and children with severe type had higher levels of D-dimer, hypoxia, shock and mechanical ventilation.

BackgroundNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is leading cause of cancer related death and the survival rate for patients with NSCLC remain poor so early diagnosis of NSCLC represents the best opportunity for cure. Cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) is extracellular nucleic acids found in cell-free plasma/serum of humans, given the recent approval of a liquid biopsy in lung cancer, the use of circulating tumor DNA as a novel non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarker is promising.ObjectivesStudying whether the concentrations of circulating Cell Free DNA in serum can be used as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for NSCLC patients.MethodThis study was carried out on 140 subjects included 60 patients with non small cell lung cancer,40 patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and 40 healthy controls. Quantitative analysis of serum circulating cf-DNA was done b y AlU-based quantitative real time PCR. Serum level of CEA was measured by ELISA.ResultsNSCLC patients demonstrated significantly higher values of each of ALU 215, ALU 247, and DNA integrity than both COPD patients and controls. On ROC curve analysis, the total accuracy of ALU 247, ALU 115, DNA integrity (92.1%, 83.6%, 56.4%) at cutoff points (325, 565 & 0.48) respectively. On combining both DNA integrity and CEA, improved sensitivity to 93.3% was noted. For NSCLC patients, ALU 115 & ALU 247 increased significantly with more advanced stage and highest level was noticed in metastatic patients. Regarding survival there was better overall survival among patients with low DNA integrity.ConclusionSerum cf-DNA concentrations and integrity index may be valuable tool in early diagnosis of NSCLC and prediction of prognosis of those patients.

Serum miR-210 and miR-155 levels are independent diagnostic markers for RA, out-performing several routine indices and reflect disease activity. Thus, miR-210 and miR-155 might serve as non-invasive biomarkers for the diagnosis of RA.

Most superficial mycotic infections of human skin are due to dermatophytes. Children are frequently affected due to different predisposing factors, particularly overcrowding in classrooms. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of dermatophytes infections and their related risk factors among school children in Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Six public primary and preparatory schools were randomly selected and their pupils (n = 3464) were asked to complete a predesigned questionnaire covering both personal data and suspected risk factors for superficial dermatophyte infections. The children were also examined for dermatological diseases. Any suspected lesions were biopsied for mycological examination. The prevalence of clinically suspected dermatophytes infections was 1.41%, whereas the prevalence of culture confirmed cases was 0.98%. The most common clinical type was tinea capitis with a prevalence of 1.01%. Microsporum canis was the only isolated organism from the suspicious lesions with a 69.4% positivity rate. A higher prevalence was observed among boys, low socio-economic pupils and those with a family history of dermatophyte infections. Pet contact and sharing towels and caps among pupils were significant risk factors. Dermatophyte infection is still prevalent among basic school pupils. Fortunately, it is related to preventable risk factors. We recommend regular screening and use of educational health programmes for kids to control it.