Total Leucocytic Count Research Articles

The assessment of pentraxin 3: a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in lower respiratory tract infections in children

BackgroundPentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an acute-phase reactant that is elevated in the plasma during inflammatory responses. We aimed to evaluate the utility of PTX3 as a clinical marker in children with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and the association between PTX3 and LRTIs severity.MethodsWe included 60 patients admitted to Fayoum University Hospital with LRTIs fulfilling the WHO criteria for diagnosing LRTIs. We collected data on peak temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, oxygen saturation upon admission, and length of hospital stay. The complete blood count (CBC), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and PTX3 were measured upon admission.ResultsPTX3 levels were significantly correlated with peak temperature, duration of hospital stay, the Pediatric Respiratory Severity Score (PRESS), total leucocytic count (TLC), CRP, and blood cultures.ConclusionPTX-3 represented the severity of the disease and predicted the prognosis. Pentraxin levels demonstrate a statistically significant sensitivity of (93.3%) and a specificity of (70%) at the cut-off value (of 8.84) with an area under the curve (90.7%) in the diagnosis of LRTIs.

Clinical findings and laboratory parameters associated with CO-RADS classification in children with COVID-19

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to determine whether there are proven associations between CO-RADS categorizations and clinical and laboratory findings in children diagnosed with COVID-19 infection.MethodsThis is a retrospective observational study that includes the clinical and radiological data of pediatric patients who were admitted to both Minia University Hospital and Minia Insurance Hospital with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, detected via reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) from nasopharyngeal swabs obtained between June 2022 and February 2023. Patients were divided into 5 groups based on the severity of involvement in chest CT.ResultsThis study involved a total of 62 children who were confirmed to have COVID-19 infection. The most commonly observed symptoms in these children were fever (91.9%), shortness of breath (88.7%), and cough (87.1%). In addition, vomiting (24.2%), diarrhea (12.9%), impaired consciousness (11.2%), and convulsions (9.7%) were also reported. Significant differences were observed between CO-RADS classes in relation to patient gender, severity of respiratory distress, presence of cough, occurrence of diarrhea, elevated LDH levels, and prognosis.ConclusionThe CO-RADS classification exhibited positive correlations with inflammatory biomarkers such as total leucocytic count, LDH, D-dimer, serum ferritin, and AST. Conversely, the CO-RADS classification showed negative correlations with ionized calcium levels, hemoglobin, and platelet count.

Serum Angiotensin II Level in Pediatric Patients with COVID-19 and its Correlation with the Disease Severity

Abstract Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a newly discovered RNA betacoronavirus infection. It has been caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Angiotensin II (Ang-II) is a mitochondrial toxin that under normal circumstances is rapidly removed by angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2). SARS-CoV-2 uses the receptor ACE-2 for host cell entry and viral replication. ACE-2 proteins are occupied and downregulated by SARS-CoV-2. ACE-2 downregulation has been directly linked to toxic over accumulation of Ang-II. Accumulating Ang-II triggers many severe and fatal conditions such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Aim of the Work To assess the serum level of Ang-II and correlate it with the severity of COVID-19 infection in pediatric patients. Patients and Methods This case control study was conducted on 45 positive COVID-19 RT-PCR children who were compared to age and sex matched 45 healthy controls. Clinical examination, laboratory assays and imaging studies were done for the patients group to assess the severity of COVID–19 infection. Serum Ang-II was measured by ELISA for both groups and correlated with clinical (heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation), laboratory (total leucocytic count, lymphocytes, neutrophils, serum ferritin, ESR and CRP) and radiological (chest x-ray and CORAD score of CT chest ) parameters of the patients. Results The median “IQR” of serum Ang-II was significantly higher in the COVID-19 patients than in the controls (100 (88-137) ng/L) versus 20 (15-25) ng/L) (p-value= 0.001). There were statistically significant positive correlations between serum Ang-II levels and different grades of clinical severity classification (rs = 0.92, p-value=0.001) and CORAD score of CT chest. On the other hand, no statistically significant correlations were found between serum levels of Ang-II and total leucocytic count, lymphocytes, neutrophils, ESR and CRP. Conclusion Serum Ang-II could be used as a biomarker in predicting the severity of COVID-19 infection in pediatrics.

Cell Free DNA in SLE Patients: A Possible Marker of Disease Activity and Organ Damage

Abstract Background Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is a prototypic autoimmune disease with a complex pathogenesis involving multiple genetic and environmental factors. Cell death has been regarded as an important event in lupus pathogenesis as it leads to release of antigens as nucleic acids for immune complex formation. DNA-antibody complex in the circulation are one of the hallmarks of SLE that leads to detrimental effects causing manifestations of SLE. Fluctuation in circulating DNA level might be one of the driving factors behind flare-ups of SLE. Objectives This study aims to measure the circulating cell free DNA (cf-DNA) in patients with SLE as a potential marker for disease activity and organ damage. Methods This case control study included 100 participants categorized into 75 SLE patients as patient group (Group I), further divided to 39 SLE patients without therapy (group Ia), 36 SLE patients with therapy (Group Ib) and 25 age and sex matched healthy subjects as a control group (Group II). All participants were subjected to full history taking, thorough rheumatological examination and lab assessment of complete blood count (CBC), ESR, CRP, C3, C4 levels, ANA titer, anti-ds-DNA concentration by ELIZA and measurement of plasma cf-DNA levels by real time PCR. Cf- DNA concentration is expressed as concentration (ng/ml). Results SLE patients (Group Ia and Ib) showed significant increase in (plasma cf-DNA,CRP, ESR, ANA, anti-ds-DNA), significant decrease in (C3 and C4, hemoglobin, total leucocytic count and platelet count). Plasma cf-DNA (ng/ml) was significantly lower in group Ib compared to group Ia. There was significant positive correlation between plasma cf-DNA (ng/ml) and levels of ANA and anti-ds-DNA in all SLE patients and with SLEDAI-2k score in all patients. Conclusion Plasma level of cf-DNA is significantly increased in SLE patients especially before starting therapy these data may suggest it to be a possible marker of treatment follow up. Further studies on a larger patient population are still needed to confirm these results.

Study of Right Ventricular Function in Post COVID Syndrome in Recovered Mild Severity COVID-19 Patients Using Conventional and Speckle Tracking Echocardiography

Abstract Background Many patients seek medical help for COVID-19’s longer term physical and mental effects. The term post COVID syndrome is used by the World Health Organization (WHO) to identify individuals with a history of probable or confirmed COVID-19 infection, usually 3 months from the onset of infection with symptoms that last for at least 2 months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis. Symptoms may be due to persistent chronic inflammation, sequelae of organ damage, and hospitalization and social isolation. These symptoms may persist from the initial infection, or appear after a period of recovery. RV dimensions (RVD) and RV function (RVF) are closely correlated to symptom occurrence and to exercise capacity in many clinical conditions. Consequently, a comprehensive and accurate evaluation of the RV is essential. Echocardiography is the modality of choice for the assessment of RVD and RVF in clinical practice owing to its numerous advantages. It is widely available, relatively cheaper than other modalities, non-invasive, and doesn’t require radiation or contrast injection. Nevertheless, the RV special anatomy, its retrosternal position and its complex architecture pose a challenge to conventional echocardiographic imaging. Novel modalities of echocardiography, such as myocardial deformation imaging by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), provide the solution to overcome most of these challenges owing to the fact that it is independent of cardiac translation, angle-independent and load-independent. Aim and Objectives The aim was to study RV function in post COVID syndrome in recovered mild severity COVID-19 patients using 2D RV STE and correlate these findings with the patients’ symptomatology. Patients and Methods This study included 96 subjects divided into 3 age and gender matched groups; the first group consisted of 32 mild severity COVID-19 patients 3-6 months after recovery and not complaining of post COVID-19 syndrome, the second group consisted of 32 mild severity COVID-19 patients 3-6 months after recovery and complaining of post COVID-19 syndrome and the third group consisted of 32 healthy controls who didn’t get COVID-19. This study was conducted at Ain Shams University Hospitals. The patients were recruited from the outpatient ECHO clinic in the cardiology department during the period from March 2022 to August 2022. The entire study population was evaluated via 2D conventional echocardiography and STE imaging. Results Our study assessed RV functions at 3-6 months after recovery from mild severity COVID-19 disease. At the follow-up, TAPSE, RV-FAC, RV S’, RV-GLS and RV-FWLS parameters were significantly lower in patients with mild severity COVID-19 disease than healthy controls. They also showed lower values in patients with post COVID syndrome than those without post COVID syndrome with P-value = 0.032, 0.034, 0.003, 0.010 and 0.029 respectively. In addition, RV diameters (longitudinal, mid and basal RVEDD), RV MPI and sPAP values were significantly higher in patients with mild severity COVID-19 disease than healthy controls. They also showed higher values in patients with post COVID syndrome than those without post COVID syndrome with P-value = 0.043, 0.026, 0.014, 0.000 and 0.025 respectively. LV-GLS showed lower value in patients with post COVID syndrome than control group with P-value = 0.002. It also showed lower value in patients with post COVID syndrome than those without post COVID syndrome with P-value = 0.018. We also found that the most common symptom in post COVID syndrome was fatigue, with a percentage of 65.6%, followed by palpitations (40.6%) and chest pain (31%). These three symptoms showed a significant negative relation with RV 2D STE parameters. Additionally, a negative correlation between inflammatory markers including CRP, TLC, PLT, ferritin and D-dimer levels during active infection and long term echocardiographic parameters such as RV-GLS, RV-FWLS and LV-GLS was detected in our study. Conclusion We concluded that RV-GLS and RV-FWLS decreased at 3-6 month follow-up of patients with history of mild severity COVID-19 disease especially those complaining of post COVID syndrome. Additionally, it is demonstrated that increased CRP, TLC, PLT, ferritin and D-dimer levels during acute infection is related to RV-GLS, RV-FWLS and LV-GLS values. 2D STE may be used for both detection and follow-up for possible long term right ventricular dysfunction after mild severity COVID-19 disease. Key words: Post-COVID Syndrome, Speckle Tracking Echocardiography, RV-GLS, RV-FWLS, LV-GLS Abbreviations. Abbreviations: RV Right Ventricle STE Speckle Tracking Echocardiography 2D 2-Dimensional TAPSE Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion RV-FAC Right Ventricular Fractional Area Change RV-GLS Right Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain RV-FWLS Right Ventricular Free Wall Longitudinal Strain LV-GLS Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain RVEDD Right Ventricular End Diastolic Dimension RV MPI Right Ventricular Myocardial Performance Index sPAP Systolic Pulmonary Artery Pressure CRP C – Reactive Protein TLC Total Leucocytic Count PLT Platelets WHO World Health Organization LVEDD Left Ventricular End Diastolic Dimension LVESD Left Ventricular End Systolic Dimension FS Fractional Shortening EF Ejection Fraction

Assessment of olfactory and gustatory functions in COVID-19 patients

BackgroundOlfactory and gustatory disorders are common problems encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic with a significant impact on the patient’s quality of life: The aim of this study was to assess the olfactory and gustatory functions in COVID-19 patients with correlation between them and clinical and laboratory markers. This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 63 subjects recruited from the COVID-19 clinics at Police Authority and Menoufia University hospitals. The patients were assessed using history taking, anterior rhinoscopy, endoscopic examination, computed tomography, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Olfactory functions were assessed using the alcohol threshold test. Gustatory functions were assessed using the three-drop method. The olfactory and gustatory functions were correlated with age, gender, and laboratory parameters. Also, the recovery of smell and taste disorders was correlated with our assessed laboratory markers.ResultsThe prevalence of olfactory dysfunction among study participants was 41 patients (65%) of the participants including 12 patients (19.1%) having mild hyposmia, 10 patients (15.8%) having moderate hyposmia, 9 patients (14.3%) having severe hyposmia, and 10 patients (15.8%) having complete anosmia. The prevalence of gustatory dysfunction among study participants was 24 patients (38.1%). Age, gender, and laboratory parameters did not show any statistically significant difference between those who experienced olfactory dysfunction or gustatory dysfunction and those who did not. However, there was a significant positive correlation between the total leucocytic count, serum level of CRP, and serum level of D-dimer and the degree of olfactory dysfunction (0.049, 0.03, and 0.02, respectively). There was a nonsignificant correlation between recovery of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction and laboratory markers.ConclusionOlfactory and gustatory dysfunction are established clinical presentations among COVID-19-positive patients. The laboratory markers had no correlation with the incidence of these dysfunctions or their recovery. However, TLC, serum CRP, and serum D-dimer had a significant positive correlation with the severity of olfactory dysfunction.

Serum C reactive Protein versus Total Leucocytic Count in Early Diagnosis of Leakage in Colonic Anastomosis

Serum C reactive Protein versus Total Leucocytic Count in Early Diagnosis of Leakage in Colonic Anastomosis

Evaluation of Total leucocytic count and CD8+ T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of COVID-19 patients as primary markers of disease severity

Evaluation of Total leucocytic count and CD8+ T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of COVID-19 patients as primary markers of disease severity

Biological and histological changes and DNA damage in Oreochromis niloticus exposed to oxytetracycline: a potential amelioratory role of ascorbic acid

Antibiotics are crucial in the control of bacterial infections on fish farms. However, the influence of licensed antibiotics on DNA damage, histological changes, and protein differentiation in some farmed fish species is unidentified. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of therapeutic (80 mg/kg body weight/day) and high doses (160 mg/kg body weight/day) of oxytetracycline (OTC) on some biological indices, protein differentiation, histological changes, and DNA damage in Oreochromis niloticus (n = 360; 40 ± 3.5 g) and the potential positive effects of dietary ascorbic acid (AA) and whether it is capable of reducing the deleterious impacts of OTC and working synergistically to increase fish disease resistance and decrease morbidity and mortality rates. In the current study, fish were fed diets with or without OTC (80 or 160 mg/kg body weight/day) and AA (100 mg/kg diet/day) for 28 days, followed by a bacterial stress test with two different virulent strains for 14 days. Treatments include CTR (control; without additives), AA, OTC80, OTC160, OTC80 + AA, and OTC160 + AA. The results revealed that the AA group had the best antioxidative (significant increase in SOD, CAT, and GPx) and immunomodulatory effects (an increase in IgM, nitroblue tetrazolium, and total leucocytic count). Furthermore, the hematological parameters, immune indices (NBT), and antioxidant enzymes were significantly reduced by OTC160 (p ≤ 0.05). The results also showed that OTC160 notably augmented the activity of liver (ALT, AST, and LDH) and kidney (creatinine and urea) damage markers (p ≤ 0.05). OTC160 revealed considerable hepatic and renal tissue damage and significantly higher hepatocyte DNA damage. Pathological changes and DNA damage were directly correlated to the dosage of OTC exposure, where they were more severe in OTC160. OTC80 showed insignificant changes in most parameters. Compared to CTR, the inclusion of AA in the O. niloticus diet significantly restored the biological indices, histological changes, and DNA damage in OTC-treated groups. The morbidity and mortality percentages after bacterial challenge were significantly lower in the OTC80 + AA group, followed by the OTC160 + AA group than in the CTR. These results corroborate the use of AA as a potent antioxidant and immune stimulant and a potential co-adjuvant to OTC in the diet of O. niloticus to reach optimal resistance to disease.

A Multicenter Retrospective Study to Understand the Clinical Characteristics, Treatment Patterns, and Resource Utilization for Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: CREEK Study

Abstract Introduction: The ever-growing array of treatments available for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) led to a significant change in CLL management over the last few years. However, information about managing CLL is scattered across various regions, resulting in significant disparities in treatment approaches and patient outcomes between countries. The CREEK study aimed to describe the disease characteristics, treatment patterns, and overall survival (OS) among CLL-treated (CLL-Tx) patients and CLL treatment-naïve (CLL-N) patients in different regions. Methods: Data from 1009 patients were collected retrospectively from June 2016 to March 2023. This observational study included 886 CLL-Tx patients from 17 countries in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), Asia Pacific (AP), and Latin America (LA); and a pilot cohort of 123 CLL-N patients from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Patients' demographics, disease characteristics, laboratory assessments, comorbidities, treatment patterns, treatment-related adverse events (AEs), OS, and medical resource utilization (MRU) data were recorded. Results: The average age for both cohorts was 63 years. Most patients were males, 66.7% in CLL-Tx and 69.9% in CLL-N. The mean duration from clinical manifestation until diagnosis was 21.37 months for CLL-Tx and 1.46 months for CLL-N patients (p<0.0001). For CLL-Tx, almost 62% of the patients in MEA, 59.3% in AP, and 68.8% in LA had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score of 0 or 1, and similarly for CLL-N patients (56.1%). Total leucocytic count, lymphocytes, and platelets showed a significant difference (p<0.05) between CLL-Tx and CLL-N patients. As per the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS), musculoskeletal (p<0.0008) and endocrine-metabolic (p<0.0001) comorbidities were more frequent in the CLL-Tx group. Regarding the CLL-Tx patients, 69.7%, 62.9%, and 41.1% had extremely severe hematological problems (CIRS score 4) in MEA, LA, and AP, respectively. At diagnosis, patients from the MEA region presented with the highest prevalence of advanced disease staging, with 44.8% and 35.3% based on Rai and Binet Staging Scores, respectively; moreover, CLL-Tx patients exhibited a more advanced staging compared to CLL-N based on the same scores (p <0.0001). FISH testing for disease prognosis was not performed in about 59% of the patients across all regions. The testing rates for cytogenetic abnormalities, IGHV mutation status, and TP53 aberrations were relatively low in all regions. The percentage of unmutated IGHV was considerably higher (p=0.0001) in CLL-Tx (15.6%) patients, with the highest percentage in LA (21.0%), compared to CLL-N (10.6%). Cytogenetic abnormalities did not show significant differences between CLL-Tx and CLL-N patients (p>0.05), while TP53 aberrations differ significantly (p<0.05) (Table 1). Most patients, 76.0%, 81.8%, and 69.4%, received chemo-immunotherapies as 1 st line therapy, while 18.3%, 17.1%, and 30.1% received targeted therapy in MEA, AP, and LA, respectively. The percentage of patients with AEs who received 1 st line chemo-immunotherapies was higher than those who received targeted therapy (25.6% vs. 7.3%). The mean OS was 153.89 months in the treated study population (Table 2). The mean number of inpatient hospitalizations was 1.9 times for chemo-immunotherapy and 0.8 times for targeted therapy. The mean lengths of stay of 14.9 and 13.9 days, respectively; mean emergency room visits were 0.5 and 0.7, and blood transfusions were received by 16.7% and 9.2% of patients, respectively. Conclusions: This study highlights the variable disease characteristics between CLL-Tx and CLL-N patients and provides insight into the regional variations in treatment patterns and OS for CLL-Tx patients. A considerable number of patients had advanced disease staging at diagnosis; however, the study showed relatively low genetic testing rates, indicating the need for adequate clinical watchfulness. Despite being in the era of approved targeted therapy, the utilization of chemo-immunotherapy continues to be higher than that of targeted therapy in the first line, probably due to the lower access to targeted therapies. Keywords: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Genetic Testing, Treatment Patterns, Targeted Therapy, Chemo-immunotherapy, Real World Data.

Glucose indices as inflammatory markers in children with acute surgical abdomen: a cross-sectional study

Background Glycaemic dysregulation potentiates the pro-inflammatory response and increases oxidative injury; therefore, preoperative hyperglycaemia is linked to increased mortalities. In addition, inflammation is accompanied by higher glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, and the relationship between this and random blood sugar (RBS) could be non-linear. Methods This is a cross-sectional study. Non-diabetic paediatric patients with acute surgical abdomen, presenting to the emergency surgical services were enrolled, over a period of 6 months. They were all screened for their random blood sugar and HbA1c levels. Results Fifty-three cases were studied. The prevalence of glycaemic dysregulation in the enrolled children was high. Abnormal HbA1c was observed in 66% of the study group. Stress hyperglycaemia was observed in 60% of the enrolled children. There was a significant correlation (r = 0.770, p-value: < 0.001) between RBS and the total leucocytic count (TLC). The TLC cutoff value for predicting stress hyperglycaemia was 13,595 cells/mm3. The cutoff value of RBS for predicting leukocytosis was 111.5 mg/dl. Median RBS level was significantly higher in complicated appendicitis (169.5 mg/dl), compared to uncomplicated appendicitis (118.0 mg/dl). Conclusion HbA1c and RBS could be used as inflammatory markers for surgical acute abdomen and its degree of severity, respectively. HbA1c rises in a considerable number of cases with surgical acute abdomen, irrespective of the disease stage. However, as the disease progresses, the random blood sugar rises due to stress hyperglycaemia, thus becoming a surrogate inflammatory marker.

Acute phase reactants in non-COVID-19 community-acquired pneumonia

BackgroundAcute phase reactants (APR) are markers of inflammation that could be applied for the assessment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) severity in association with various pneumonia severity scores. So, the aim of the study was to assess levels of APR such as total leucocytic count (TLC), platelets, neutrophils, neutrophils-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), CRP, D-dimer, ferritin, and ESR in patients with CAP and to correlate between their values and disease severity.MethodologyThe study included 51 patients diagnosed as non-COVID-19 (CAP). Patients were classified into two groups group A (pneumonia only) and group B (pneumonia complicated with empyema/complicated para-pneumonic effusion). All patients underwent clinical evaluation, CURB65, radiological assessment, and blood sampling to measure APR.ResultsThe mean age of patients was 47 ± 17 years. The main symptoms were productive cough (90.2%) and Fever (92.2%).TLC, platelets, neutrophils, CRP, D-dimer, ferritin, and ESR were elevated than normal values. Significant positive correlations were found between the duration of fever and CRP, D-dimer, and ferritin with p values = 0.024, 0.012, and 0.034 respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between CURB65 and both CRP and ferritin with p values = 0.007 and 0.020. A significant increase in platelet count and ESR values was found in group B than in group A.ConclusionAPR are important markers that can be used in the assessment of CAP in collaboration with clinical evaluation and severity scores. CRP, D-dimer, and ferritin were positively correlated with CURB65, while ESR and platelets could be considered predictors of the development of complications.Trial registrationRetrospectively registered, registration number NCT05926089, date of registration is 06/29/2023.

Value of total leucocytic count and pelvic-abdominal ultrasound in distinguishing complicated from noncomplicated acute appendicitis

Background Complicated appendicitis is associated with elevated rates of morbidity and mortality compared with noncomplicated appendicitis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of combining total leucocytic count (TLC) and abdominal ultrasound (US) in distinguishing simple from complicated appendicitis. Patients and methods This is a prospective study that included patients with acute appendicitis who underwent appendectomy. The patients’ data regarding demographic characteristics, clinical, laboratory, and US findings, as well as intraoperative findings and postoperative complications, were recorded and analyzed. Results This study included 80 patients. Overall, 48 (60%) patients had noncomplicated appendicitis, and 32 (40%) had complicated appendicitis. Patients with complicated appendicitis had significantly higher ages and TLC. Concerning the US findings, significantly higher cases of visualized blind-ended loop (P = 0.042), right iliac fossa fluid (P = 0.006), and pelvic collection (P &lt; 0.001) were shown in the complicated group. Multiple regression analysis revealed that TLC and the presence of pelvic collection by the US were the only variables significantly predicting complicated appendicitis. Adopting either a TLC cut-off value of 12.95×109/l and/or the presence of pelvic collection for the diagnosis yielded a sensitivity of 90.6%, a specificity of 77.1%, and an accuracy of 82.5%. Conclusion The presence of a TLC cut-off value of 12.95×109/l and/or a pelvic collection in abdominal ultrasound seems to be reproducible for the preoperative prediction of complicated acute appendicitis.

Effectiveness of Duplex Doppler Sonography of Portal Vein as a Supplementary Tool in Diagnosis of Pediatric Appendicitis

Background Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in pediatric patients. Ultrasound is the preferred initial imaging modality to evaluate children with clinically- suspected appendicitis. whether by directly visualizing the inflamed appendix or by using secondary signs. However. rate of falsely negative or equivocal exams is still high, leading to a risk of complications from negative appendectomies as well as delayed diagnosis. Objective To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of portal vein flow velocity and diameter in diagnosis of pediatric acute appendicitis Patients and Methods A cross-sectional study over the course of 6 months from June until November 2021. Portal vein diameter and peak systolic flow velocity were measured for 75 pediatric patients with clinically suspected appendicitis referred to radiodiagnosis department at Ain Shams University Hospitals for a pelvi-abdominal ultrasound examination. The largest appendix diameter secondary sonographic signs, and total leucocytic count were recorded if available. Results The mean age of the population was 112 ± 4.12 years (range. 3-18 years). Mean portal vein flow velocity was 38.94 ± 9.59 cm/s in the appendicitis group and 27.96 ± 6.98 cites in the non-appendicitis group. Median portal vein flow velocity was significantly higher in the appendicitis group (p &amp;lt; 0.001 with an overall diagnostic accuracy 82.1% at cut-off value of &amp;gt; 33.3 cm/sec. Mean portal vein diameter was 9.37±2.01 mm in the appendicitis group and 8.84 ± 2.19 mm in the non-appendicitis group, showing no statistically significant difference (P = 0.27). The presence of right iliac fossa echogenic fat was highly significant (P &amp;lt; 0.001) in predicting acute appendicitis. Conclusion The use of portal vein velocity as a supplementary tool improved the diagnostic performance and increased the sensitivity of ultrasound in diagnosing acute appendicitis. thus, decreasing the incidence of delayed appendectomies that have an increased risk of complications as well as decreasing the incidence of unnecessary appendectomies. Further studies are required to establish a comprehensive guideline to use it as a tool in ultrasound examinations of these patients.

The PRECISE-DAPT Score as a Predictor of Constrast Induced Nephropathy in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Abstract Background In the ACS population, there are inherent difficulties in rapidly assessing CIN risk and instigating prophylactic measures. Moreover, these procedures often use increased contrast volume and the patients are more likely to be haemodynamically compromised, increasing their risk of renal impairment. This was a prospective observational cohort study conducted on 200 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI); to evaluate the predictive value of PRECISE DAPT score for the development of contrast induced nephropathy (CIN). Aim of the Work To evaluate the predictive value of PRECISE DAPT score for the development of CIN in ACS patients undergoing PCI, and compare its predictive power to Mehran score, and to contrast volume/eGFR ratio. Patients and Methods A total of 200 patients who were diagnosed with ACS and undergoing PCI, were recruited from Ain Shams University Hospitals and enrolled in the study. The primary endpoint was the development of CIN after PCI. CIN defined as an increase of &amp;gt; 25%, and/or &amp;gt; 0.5 mg/dl in serum creatinine at 3-5 days after PCI when compared to baseline value. Results The median age of all patients was (55) years, the majority (74.5%) of patients were males; while (25.5%) were females; (6.5%) of patients had positive family history of CAD, (35.5%) had DM, (42%) had HTN, (18.5%) had Dyslipidemia, (10%) had history of anemia, and (10.5%) had previous indexed MI The median Contrast volume was 180 ml, the median duration of procedure was (50 min). LAD was the culprit artery in (65.5%) of cases, RCA in (21.5%) of cases, LCX in (13 %) of cases. (10.5%) of patients suffered post procedural CIN (n = 21), (3%) of patients had No reflow, (4.5%) had Major bleeding, (27.5%) had Minor bleeding, and (25%) had Acute Heart Failure. The average Mehran score was 5 (range from 1 to 28), the average PRECISE DAPT score was 18(range from 2 to 60), PRECISE-DAPT score showed excellent predictive value for CIN development (AUC = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.86 to 0.94, P &amp;lt; 0.0001). Best cut-off is score &amp;gt;27 (sensitivity = 85.7%, 95% CI = 63.7% - 97.0%, specificity = 87.7%, 95% CI = 82.0% - 92.1%; Jindex = 0.73). PRECISE-DAPT was superior to both Mehran score (ΔAUC = 0.12, P = 0.018) and CV/eGFR (ΔAUC = 0.19, 95%, P = 0.018). There was no statistically significant difference between Mehran and CV/eGFR. (ΔAUC = 0.07, P = 0.304). Conclusion PRECISE-DAPT score showed excellent predictive value in predicting the development of (CIN) in ACS population, AUC = 0.91 (P &amp;lt; 0.0001). Best cut-off is score &amp;gt; 27 (sensitivity = 85.7%, specificity = 87.7%), exceeding Mehran score and CV/eGFR ratio. Validation of Mehran score in ACS was achieved. It showed good predictive value, AUC = 0.79 (P &amp;lt; 0.0001). Best cut-off is Mehran score &amp;gt; 6 (sensitivity = 81.0%, specificity = 67.6%). There is no statistically significant difference between Mehran and CV/eGFR. Logistic regression analysis showed that; serum creatinine level pre-PCI, wall motion score index, LAD infarction, and PRECISE DAPT score; all had an independent effect on increasing the probability of CIN occurrence; with significant statistical difference (p &amp;lt; 0.05 for all). Abbreviations ACEI: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ACS: Acute coronary syndrome; AHA: American Heart Association; AKI: Acute kidney injury; AMI: Acute myocardial infarction; CI-AKI: Contrast-induced acute kidney injury; CIN: Contrast-induced nephropathy; CK-MB: Creatine kinase myocardial band; CM: Contrast media; CV/GFR: Contrast Volume/eGFR Ratio: Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate.; DBP: Diastolic blood pressure; DM: Diabetes mellitus; EF: Ejection fraction; Gp: Glycoprotein; Hb: Hemoglobin; HOCM: High osmolar contrast media; IABP: Intra-aortic balloon; IQR: Inter-quartile range; LAD: Left anterior descending artery; LCX: Left circumflex coronary; MAP: Mean arterial blood pressure. MI: myocardial infarction.; MBG: Myocardial blush grade; MINOCA: Myocardial infarction in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease; NSTEMI: Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction; PCI: Percutaneous coronary intervention; PLT: Platelets; RCA: Right coronary artery; ROC curve: Receiver operating characteristic analysis; SD: Standard deviation; STEMI: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction; SYNTAX: Synergy Between PCI With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery; TIMI: Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction; TLC: Total leucocytic count

New Prognostic Indicators in CLL: Relation to Disease Burden

Abstract Background Identifying prognostic markers is important for the clinical and pathological course of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Cluster of differentiation CD49d expression and percentage of smudge cells in CLL patients have recently been reported as newer prognostic factor. Aim of the Study To estimate CD49d expression as an independent prognostic marker in CLL patients and to investigate its relation to the known prognostic factors Methods Thirty adults with CLL were enrolled. Smudge cells percentage was calculated by microscopic evaluation of blood smears. Testing of cluster of differentiation CD49d expression was done by flowcytometry and detection of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene, protein 53(P53) gene deletions and trisomy 12 were performed using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Results CD49d expression was associated with lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, advanced staging, high total leucocytic count, immunophenotyping scoring, CD38 positivity, short LDT, low smear cell percentage, and presence of p53 deletion. Low percentage of Smear cell (&amp;lt;30%) showed a significantly higher incidence of lymphadenopathy and organomegaly. Additionally, it was associated with a high total leucocytic count, low platelet count, high atypical lymphocytic count and typical IPT scoring, shorter LDT, positive CD38 expression and CD49d expression and ATM and P53 deletions. Conclusion CD49d expression and low smudge cell percent were consistently associated with poor prognostic indicators, suggesting that they could be considered as adverse predictors and they should be merged together to improve the power of the prognostic panels of CLL in the clinical setting.

Elevation of D-dimer levels are associated with early need for mechanical ventilation support in patients with COVID-19

BackgroundSevere COVID-19 disease is typically associated with an urgent need for supplemental oxygen therapy that may be successfully delivered through conventional methods or require invasive mechanical ventilation. Early prediction of the need for invasive mechanical ventilation could significantly improve outcomes of COVID-19 patients. Plasma levels of D-dimer and a number of inflammatory markers as well as values of complete blood counts, all measured in the first two days of hospital admission of COVID-19 patients, were evaluated for their significance as predictors of the eventual need for invasive mechanical ventilation support as well as their values as predictors of post-ventilation morbidly and mortality.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single center and included data pertaining to 200 patients with previously confirmed moderate to severe COVID-19 disease in the period between May 2021 and the end of December 2022. Data were retrieved from medical records for further analysis.ResultsThe mean (SD) age of patients stood at 59 (14) years of age, and with a majority of patients being male (77%). About 18% of cases, all of significantly older age, had been connected to invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Total leucocytic count (TLC), as well as levels of urea, creatinine, D-dimer, ferritin, and CRP in IMV patients were significantly higher than non-ventilated patients (p < 0.01 for all). In contrast, lymphocytic count, hemoglobin level, and platelet count were significantly lower in IMV patients (p < 0.001, 0.04, and 0.002, respectively). The mortality rate was significantly higher in IMV patients (p < 0.001). D-dimer independently predicted IMV demand (OR = 1, p = 0.001 in adjusted and unadjusted models). The utility of D-dimer was excellent; and the cutoff level of above 1415 µ/L showed sensitivity and specificity of about 92% and 76%, respectively. Also, the D-dimer level was very effective in predicting post-IMV survival; the AUC = 0.86, p = 0.02, and a cutoff value below 4558 µ/L was associated with 100% and 66% sensitivity and specificity, respectively.ConclusionsHigh D-dimer levels independently correlated with the need for invasive mechanical ventilation. Low levels of this marker could evidently predict post-IMV survival of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients. Measuring D-dimer levels during routine follow up of those patients would thus be useful in predicting patient outcomes.

Quercetin as a Dietary Supplementary Flavonoid Alleviates the Oxidative Stress Induced by Lead Toxicity in Male Wistar Rats.

Quercetin is a naturally existing plant pigment belonging to the flavonoid group; it is contained in a wide range of vegetables and fruits. The accumulated evidence points to the potential uses of quercetin in protection of some disease conditions. Lead is one of the highly toxicant heavy metals that are widely spread in the environment and implicated in a wide spectrum of industries. No previous study has been reported to evaluate the effect of quercetin on lead toxicity. Therefore, the present study was conducted to elucidate some aspects of quercetin bioactivities in regard to its ability to combat the oxidative stress induced by lead toxicity. For this purpose, a total of sixty male Wistar rats were randomly and equally divided into three groups of 20 animals each; untreated control animals (group 1), lead-exposed animals (group 2; exposed to lead daily by oral gavage at the dose of 80 mg/Kg b.w.), and group 3 of animals, which were exposed to lead and daily received quercetin (10 h gap time between lead exposure and the receiving of quercetin) by oral gavage at the dose of 350 mg/Kg b.w. The experiment period was 8 weeks. All the assayed hematological and biochemical parameters of animals exposed to lead were significantly altered compared with the untreated control levels. Animals exposed to lead (group 2) exhibited significant decrements of the erythrocytic and total leucocytic counts, hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume percent, total proteins, albumin and globulin. These animals also disclosed significantly decreased levels of antioxidant markers including total thiols, catalase and glutathione. On the other hand, these animals demonstrated significant increments in the levels of bilirubin, urea, creatinine, BUN, serum enzymes, H2O2 and MDA. Animals exposed to lead and given quercetin (group 3) exhibited improvement of these parameters, which were brought back at varying degrees toward the untreated control levels. Basing on the improvements of the assayed hematological and biochemical parameters, it was concluded that quercetin as a dietary supplement can act efficiently as an antioxidant to counteract the oxidative stress induced by lead toxicity and to maintain the oxidant antioxidant balance.

5613082 CD34+ HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL COUNT AS NOVEL BIOMARKER FOR PREDICTING VASCULAR EVENTS IN EGYPTIAN CHILDREN WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE

Background: Vasoocclusion is the major clinical feature of sickle cell disease (SCD). It results in acute painful vasoocclusive crises and progresses to multiple organ failure (1). Severe SCD is defined as frequent pain, recurrent Acute Chest Syndrome (ACS), stroke and death(2). Therefore, it is essential to identify relevant predictive markers for clinical vascular events. Aim: Evaluation of circulating CD34 as a novel predictive marker of occurrence of vascular events in children with sickle cell disease in their steady state and to relate its levels to other clinical and laboratory parameters of SCD. Methods: 50 patients diagnosed with SCD aged 0.3-13 years old (median 2 years) in their steady state for at least 3 month were enrolled. History with emphasis on neurovascular and peripheral vascular events was taken then hematology, hemolysis, coagulation markers and flow cytometery for quantification of circulating CD34 were withdrawn at inclusion and compared to age and sex matches control then patients were prospectively followed up for 6 months where 2 groups of patients were compared depending on development of vascular events. Results: Results showed statistically significant higher level of circulating CD34+ in patients with SCD compared to control (p <0.001). Patients who developed peripheral vascular events on follow up (n=29) has statistically significant higher level of previous neurovascular events, previous history of vasooclussive crisis(VOC) and previous hospitalization for VOC (p-value 0.015, 0.001 and 0.001 respectively).As for laboratory markers, they have statistically significant higher level of total leucocytic count(TLC), neutrophil count, platelet count and CD34+ level with cut off value of >4340 cell/ ml and higher Time Averaged Mean Flow (TAMMAX)>115cm/sec(p-value 0.015, 0.008, 0.042 and 0.022, 0.028 respectively). There was negative correlation between CD34 and age of diagnosis (p<0.006), hemoglobin level at inclusion (p=0.045), while positively correlated with peripheral vascular events on follow up, TLC, platelet count and bilirubin level at inclusion(p=0.022, 0.01, 0.044, <0.001). Conclusion: Our data showed that circulating CD34 is a potential biomarker for predicting vascular events in children and adolescents with SCD at steady state.

Diagnostic and prognostic values of miR181b-5p and miR21-5p for neonatal sepsis risk and their link to SNAP II score and disease mortality.

Neonatal sepsis is a lethal syndrome that necessitates prompt treatment to avoid disease complications. As a result, biomarkers that may either differentiate sepsis early or predict the outcome of sepsis are essential. The goal of this research was to find out the clinical weight of using miR181b-5p and miR21-5p expression levels as diagnostic and prognostic new genetic markers for neonatal sepsis. A total of 60 neonates with sepsis and 60 healthy neonates were involved in this study. Laboratory tests include complete blood count (CBC), random blood sugar (RBS), arterial blood gases (ABG), and serum C-reactive protein (CRP). Neonates with sepsis were assessed by the Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology II (SNAP II). The serum fold changes of the target miRNAs were determined using qRT-PCR and the 2-ΔΔCt equation. The relative serum level of miR181b-5p was [ median (IQR)=0.2509 (0.0009-4.11)] and for miR21-5p was [median (IQR)=0.07 (0.007-7.16)] which were significantly downregulated in patients with neonatal sepsis compared to controls (p<0.001 each). There was a strong significant positive correlation between miR181b-5p and miR21-5p with r=0.718 and p<0.001. MiR181b-5p and miR21-5p were significantly negatively correlated with total leucocytic count (TLC), lymphocytic count, and CRP. While they were both positively correlated to the SNAP II score. Obvious association between higher expressions of target genes and higher SNAP II score groups. After a following-up period, twenty-two (36.7%) neonates died, while 38 (63.3%) of the babies became better and were released from the hospital. We reported that miR-181-5p, miR21-5p, SNAP II score and CRP were significantly higher in non-survivors than survivors. Only miR181b-5p, miR21-5p, and SNAP II were predictive factors of septic mortality. MiR181b-5p and miR21-5p are diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of neonatal sepsis.