Ali, N. S., A. H. H. Hashem, A. M. Hassan, A. A. Saleh, and H. N. El-Baz, "Serum interleukin-6 is related to lower cognitive functioning in elderly patients with major depression.", Aging & mental health, vol. 22, issue 5, pp. 655-661, 2018. Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is an increased evidence of an association between inflammatory mediators, particularly serum IL-6, depression and cognitive impairment in the elderly. This study aims at exploring the relation of peripheral IL-6 to cognitive functions in elderly patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

OBJECTIVES: (1) Assessment of serum IL-6 levels and cognitive functions in elderly patients suffering from major depression and comparing them to healthy age-matched control subjects; (2) correlation between serum IL-6 levels and clinical characteristics of depression and cognitive functions in these patients.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study is an observational, case-control study. It consisted of 80 subjects, 40 with the diagnosis of MDD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV-TR) with early onset (first episode before the age of 60) and 40 community-dwelling subjects. They were subjected to the Structured Clinical Interview according to DSM-IV, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale, and serum IL-6 assay using ELISA.

RESULTS: In the depression group, subjects had lower scores in cognitive testing, than the control group (p = 0.001). Serum IL-6 was found to have a negative correlation with cognitive testing in these patients even after controlling for the severity of depressive status and Body Mass Index (BMI) (p = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS: MDD in elderly subjects is associated with decline in cognitive functions that may be related to peripheral IL-6 levels.

Mougy, F. E., sahar sharaf, M. Hafez, A. Khattab, H. Abou-Yousef, M. Elsharkawy, H. baz, S. Ekladious, B. Sherif, N. Musa, et al., "CYP21A2 genetic profile in 14 Egyptian children with suspected congenital adrenal hyperplasia: a diagnostic challenge.", Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 1415, issue 1, pp. 11-20, 2018. Abstract

CYP21A2 genotyping remains an important element in the diagnosis and management of congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and establishing accurate genotype-phenotype correlations has facillitated adequate genetic counseling and prenatal management for at-risk families. Despite extensive efforts to establish a clear genotype-phenotype correlation, some discordance remains. Establishing a diagnosis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia on the basis of biochemical and clinical data is occasionally challenging, and the identification of CYP21A2 mutations may help confirm the diagnosis. We review the diagnostic challenges despite an extensive genetic evaluation for 14 patients with a suspected clinical and biochemical diagnosis of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Other diagnostic entities should be considered in the absence of convincing genetic data.

Agha, H. M., A. F. AbdelMassih, M. Y. A. E. Rahman, O. Milanesi, B. Castaldi, G. Geranio, M. C. Putti, A. Kharabish, R. Esmail, G. El-Kamah, et al., "Can myocardial remodeling be a useful surrogate predictor of myocardial iron load? A 3D echocardiographic multicentric study.", Pediatric blood & cancer, vol. 65, issue 10, pp. e27272, 2018. Abstract

The relationship between myocardial iron load and eccentric myocardial remodeling remains an under-investigated area; it was thought that remodeling is rather linked to fibrosis. This study aims to determine whether or not measures of remodeling can be used as predictors of myocardial iron. For this purpose, 60 patients with thalassemia were studied with 3D echocardiography and myocardial relaxometry (T2*) by Cardiac MRI. 3D derived sphericity index was significantly higher in patients with myocardial iron load. It was correlated with T2* with a 100% sensitivity and specificity (cut-off value of 0.34) to discriminate between patients with and without myocardial iron overload.

Enabah, D., H. El Baz, and H. Moselhy, Higher frequency of C. 3435 of the ABCB1 gene in patients with tramadol dependence disorder, , vol. 40, issue 4: Informa Healthcare USA, Inc. New York, pp. 317 - 320, 2014. Abstract
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Elmougy, F. A., M. F. Morgan, D. F. Elgayar, A. M. Mohey, H. N. Baz, and A. M. Ali, Allelic variants of insulin receptor substrate-1 gene in Egyptian women with polycystic ovary syndrome, , vol. 21, issue 6: Springer, pp. 1689 - 1696, 2012. Abstract
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