Rabab A. El Wahsh

Association Between Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1-675 4G/5G Insertion/Deletion Polymorphism and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

ABSTRACT Molecular pathology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is still being investigated to discover relationships with disease pathogenesis. Evidence of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) overexpression in the sputum and the blood of COPD patients is growing. We aimed to investigate the potential relation between PAI-1 promoter 4G/5G insertion/deletion polymorphism and COPD development. In a case-control study, we genotyped 117 COPD patients and 160 control subjects for PAI-1 promoter 4G/5G polymorphism by an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction analysis. All subjects were male smokers. In the co-dominant model, there was a significant difference in the distribution of 5G/5G, 4G/5G and 4G/4G genotypes between COPD patients and controls (p = 0.002). In the recessive model, carriers of 4G/4G genotype were significantly higher in COPD patients than controls (p = 0.01). Carriers of 4G/4G genotype were at higher risk to develop COPD than those carrying 5G/5G or 4G/5G genotypes (crude odds ratio (OR) = 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.19–3.73, adjusted OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.22–3.99). In conclusion, PAI-1 4G/5G genetic variations are associated with COPD development in males.

Study of swine flu infection in Menoufia governorate in years 2009-2010

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of new H1N1 swine flu infection in Menoufia governorate during the years 2009 and 2010, with regard to the prevalence and mortality rates, and the most risky groups for infection and complications. Background Swine influenza is an infection caused by swine influenza virus that is endemic in pigs and was transmitted to humans. Patients and methods Data of H1N1-infected patients were collected from different hospitals (Chest, Fever and Menoufia University Hospital). Data were collected from Preventive Medicine Authorities in Menoufia governorate (2009-2010). A total of 400 patients were confirmed to be H1N1 infected using nasopharngeal swabs. Only files of 125 patients who were admitted to the hospital could be collected and studied regarding their name, age, sex, address, symptoms, signs, radiological findings, time of initiation of Tamiflu treatment, risk factors and outcome. All collected data were analysed to determine the prevalence of H1N1 infection in Menoufia governorate. Results The mean age of H1N1-infected patients was 30.9 ± 19.6 years. It was more common in urban areas than in rural areas. The presenting clinical features were tachycardia and fever. Radiograph was normal in 59.2% of the infected patients; 32.8% of the patients showed pneumonic patches on radiograph and 8% of the patients had a radiological picture of ARDS; 20% of the patients had chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, 15% of the patients had cardiac diseases and 12% of the patients had diabetes mellitus; 96% of the patients improved and 4% died during the course of the illness. Only eight patients (6-4%) underwent mechanical ventilation. Conclusion Patients who received Tamiflu treatment within 48 h had better prognosis. Early suspicion of the infected cases is very important to decrease complications.