These findings demonstrate the practical difficulties of using anti-HBc as a surrogate marker for hepatitis C in areas endemic for hepatitis B virus.

To our knowledge, only a few epidemiological reports on the prevalence of hepatitis E antibodies in Saudi blood donors have been published. Men of several nationalities, donating blood at King Khalid National Guard Hospital (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) were selected (n = 593) for this study examining the seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in the local male donor population and testing the relationship of the antibody to HEV (anti-HEV) to donor characteristics using Odds Ratio (OR) and Chi-square statistic. The prevalence of anti-HEV in the group examined was 16.9 per cent (100/593). The seroprevalence for Saudi donors was 14.8 per cent compared with 33.3 per cent for non-Saudis of Middle Eastern origin. Donors who were 40 yr and over had significantly higher seroprevalence than those donors who were 30 yr or younger (OR = 2.5, p = 0.006). There was a significant association between anti-HEV and anti-HCV with donors who were positive to anti-HCV having about 5 times the risk of HEV than those who were anti-HCV negative (p = 0.02). These findings demonstrate the high seroprevalence rate of anti-HEV among male blood donors in Saudi Arabia.

We studied a 28-year-old Yemeni woman with typical Seckel syndrome. Two deceased sibs, a twin sister and a brother, had also been affected. The father of these individuals was married to his cousin's daughter: the pedigree suggests autosomal recessive inheritance. Classical Seckel syndrome has not been reported previously in Arabs, and this appears to be the first report from the Middle East.

Fifty-two normally pregnant women underwent echocardiography to examine their pericardium in the first, second and third trimester. Pericardial effusion was noted in 15.3% of the women (n = 8) in the first trimester, 19.2% (n = 10) in the second trimester and 44.2% (n = 23) in the third trimester of pregnancy. Pericardial effusion during pregnancy was found to be completely resolved in all patients who underwent an echocardiogram 6 weeks post delivery (n = 11). There was no statistically significant difference in age, hemoglobin, total protein, albumin/globulin ratio or mean blood pressure during pregnancy between those who developed pericardial effusion and those who did not. The frequency of occurrence of pericardial effusion in primigravidas at 69.2% (9/13) was higher than that in multigravidas, with a ratio of 35.9% (14/39), the difference being statistically significant (p less than 0.025). The frequency of occurrence of pericardial effusion in patients who gained more than 12 kg during pregnancy at 67.7% (11/17) was higher than in patients who gained less than 12 kg, with a ratio of 34.3% (12/35), the difference being statistically significant (p less than 0.025).

Analysis of renal stones may help in elucidating the pathogenesis of nephro-lithiasis. This study compared the use of 2 methods for the analysis of renal stones. One method is qualitative dry 'spot tests' whereas the other is quantitative 'wet chemistry.' In the wet chemistry method, dissolved stone material were analysed using automated chemistry analysers, whereas, the dry method involved spot colour end-point detection. Stones (n = 64) were analysed by both methods. The majority of stones were calcium oxalate as determined by wet chemistry (57.4 per cent) and spot tests (50.0 per cent). Fewer mixed stones were obtained by the wet chemistry method (16.8 per cent) compared with the spot tests method (39.0 per cent), whereas, more uric acid stones were obtained by the wet chemistry method (5.6 per cent) compared with the spot tests method (1.9 per cent). 'Pure' calcium phosphate stones (3.0 per cent) were only obtained by the wet chemistry method. In the wet chemistry method, dissolved stone material did not show significant deterioration on storage for up to 9 days.

Our data are consistent with a diurnal secretion pattern for GM-CSF in both normal and neutropenic patients. As this finding might have practical implications, including timing of administration of GM-CSF in neutropenic patients, further studies are suggested.

About 10% coronavirus (COVID-19) infected patients are with diabetes comorbidity. Also, diabetes promotes severe progression in COVID-19 patients. Diabetes comorbidity is associated with significant mortality in those people with COVID-19. In this position statement, the management of diabetes in cases of COVID-19, has been presented. The impact of diabetes on the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19, as well as both the target glucose level and the method of blood glucose control have been presented in details.

Rifampicin(R) is a potent enzyme inducer which is now widely used to treat many conditions. We have investigated its effect on adrenal function tests in 18 adults with tuberculosis on rifampicin (R) and isoniazid (INH) as in-patients. Midnight cortisol was above 250 nmol/l in 11 patients with a mean +/- (SD) of 340 +/- 193 nmol/l. The morning serum cortisol following 1 and 4 mg dexamethasone overnight was abnormal in 88.9 per cent and 83.3 per cent respectively. The respective mean values +/- (SD) were 350 +/- 179 and 336 +/- 279 nmol/l. The mean 24-hour urinary free cortisol +/- SD was 513 +/- 375 nmol and was above normal in 6 (33.3 per cent) patients. These results show that midnight cortisol, dexamethasone suppression tests and 24-hour urinary free cortisol are misleading in patients with tuberculosis on (R) and should not be employed for investigating such patients for Cushing's syndrome.