Increasing prevalence and incidence rates of multiple sclerosis in Kuwait

Background:

Kuwait was considered as low to intermediate risk area for MS.

Objectives:

To determine the prevalence and incidence rates of MS among Kuwaiti nationals based on 2011 population census.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2010 and April 2013 using the newly developed national MS registry in Kuwait. Patients with a diagnosis of MS according to 2010 revised McDonald criteria were identified. The crude, age- and sex-specific prevalence and incidence rates among Kuwaiti patients were calculated.

Results:

1176 MS patients were identified of which 927 (78.8%) were Kuwaitis and 249 (21.2%) were expatriates. Among Kuwaiti patients, female to male ratio was 1.8:1 with a mean age of 35.40 ± 10.99 years. The prevalence rate of MS was 85.05 per 100,000 persons (95% CI: 82.80 – 87.04). There was a peak in prevalence among patients aged 30–39 years. The incidence of MS was 6.88 per 100,000 persons (95% CI 5.52–8.55). Between 2003 and 2011, the incidence increased 3.22 and 2.54 times in women and men respectively.

Conclusion:

Kuwait is considered a high-risk area for MS. The significant increase in prevalence and incidence rates may represent a true increase despite the improvement in case ascertainment and case definition.

Chemopreventive effects of aloin against 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced preneoplastic lesions in the colon of Wistar rats

Chemoprevention opens new window in the prevention of all types of cancers including colon cancer. Aloin, an anthracycline in plant pigment, can be utilized as a protective agent in cancer induction. In the present study, we have evaluated the chemopreventive efficacy of aloin against 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced preneoplastic lesions in the colon of Wistar rats. DMH-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and mucin-depleted foci (MDF) have been used as biomarkers of colon cancer. Efficacy of aloin against the colon toxicity was evaluated in terms of biochemical estimation of antioxidant enzyme activities, lipid peroxidation, ACF, MDF, histopathological changes, and expression levels of molecular markers of inflammation and tumor promotion. Aloin pretreatment ameliorates the damaging effects induced by DMH through a protective mechanism that involved reduction in increased oxidative stress enzymes (p < 0.001), ACF, MDF, cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin-6, proliferating cell nuclear antigen protein expression, and tumor necrosis factor-α (p < 0.001) release. From the results, it could be concluded that aloin clearly protects against chemically induced colon toxicity and acts reasonably by inducing antioxidant level, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative markers.

Laparoscopic findings of subfertile women attended in a tertiary level care centre

This retrospective study was done in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of Bangladesh Medical College hospital during the period of July 2003 to June 2004 in the women suffering from primary and secondary subfertility, who underwent laparoscopy. The aim of this study was to see the laparoscopic findings of internal genitalia and other pelvic structures in subfertile women. The study group comprises 55 cases of which 67.37% of primary and 32.73% were of secondary subfertility. Both the ovaries were normal looking in 41.81% cases. Endometriosis was present in 5.45% of both the ovaries. Corpus luteum was seen in 20% cases on right ovary and in 27.27% cases on left ovary. Laparoscopy shows normal looking fallopian tube in 65.45% cases in right side and 61.81% cases in the left side. Right sided tubal block was in 5.46% and 9.10 % in the left side. Both the tubes were patent in 81.6% cases.

Azithromycin in combination with riboflavin decreases the severity of Staphylococcus aureus infection induced septic arthritis by modulating the production of free radicals and endogenous cytokines

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN

To determine alternate therapeutic measures to combat Staphylococcus aureus induced arthritis. Thus, azithromycin was combined with riboflavin, which may combat the ROS production and inflammation.

METHODS

An in vivo model of S. aureus infection-induced arthritis was set up by infecting mice with 5 × 10⁶ bacterial cell/mouse. S. aureus was administered intravenously. Azithromycin and riboflavin was injected intraperitoneally at a single dose of 100 and 20 mg/kg body, respectively. The mice were sacrificed at 3, 9, 15 days post infection (dpi). TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-10 from serum and SOD, catalase and reduced glutathione concentration were observed in hepatic, cardiac, renal and splenic tissue.

RESULTS

CFU was found very prominent in spleen and joints and reduced in blood at 3 and 9 dpi. However, treatment with azithromycin and riboflavin completely eradicated the bacteria from blood and spleen. TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, and MCP-1 were induced due to infection which were downregulated by treatment with azithromycin and riboflavin. Infected mice were also found to have altered antioxidant status, measured in terms of reduced glutathione and anti-oxidant enzymes such as SOD and catalase.

CONCLUSION

These changes were found to be ameliorated when the animals were co-treated with azithromycin and riboflavin.

Sensitization of AIDS related non-Hodgkin's B lymphoma cell lines to cytotoxic drugs toxins by interferon-gamma

AIDS-related lymphomas (ARL) progressively become resistant to conventional chemotherapy. We have developed three B cell lines from tumor biopsies of AIDS patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The ARL cell lines were shown to be resistant to a panel of cytotoxic cytokines, toxins and drugs such as tumor necrosis factor, diphteria toxin, ricin, adriamycin, cis-platinum and anti-Fas antibody. However, when these cell lines were pretreated with low concentrations of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), (50 U/ml or 150 U/ml) for 24 to 48 h, the tumor cells became sensitive to these cytotoxic agents. Pretreatment of ARL with IFN-gamma stimulated proliferation while IFN-gamma inhibited the growth of ovarian tumor cell lines. Further, following treatment with IFN-gamma, the secretion of TNF-alpha by ARL lines was significantly decreased and TNF-alpha surface receptor expression was downregulated. The expression of several surface antigens on ARL was upregulated by IFN-gamma. These findings demonstrate that treatment of ARL with IFN-gamma stimulated cell proliferation, modulated several surface antigens, inhibited TNF-alpha secretion and sensitized the tumor cells to cytotoxicity by various drugs/toxins. These findings may be clinically relevant in the treatment of drug-refractory ARL.

[Early intervention for people with alcohol related disorders or at-risk for alcohol use]

Use of alcohol is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in adolescents and young adults. Early interventions may reduce the burden associated with alcohol misuse and alcohol related disorders. Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is a comprehensive and integrated approach to the delivery of early interventions for persons with substance use disorders or at risk for substance use. This paper describes the components, rationale and evidence for the SBIRT approach for people with at risk alcohol use or with alcohol abuse or dependence.

Multiple cavernous haemangiomas of the the orbit and conjunctiva: A rare association

Cavernous haemangioma(CH) is mostly intraconal, single and unilateral in location. A 32 year old female presented with painless progressive growth near the inner canthus of right eye along with swelling of right upper eyelid and superomedial quadrant of the right orbit for five years. MRI showed lesions involving the preseptal space and extraconal compartment of the orbit at the superomedial aspect continous with the conjunctival swelling. Excision biopsy of the growths via anterior orbitotomy (vertical eyelid split technique) was done. Histopathological findings confirmed orbital cavernous haemangioma along with conjunctival CH.

We report a rare case of multiple cavernous haemangiomas arising from the conjunctiva as well as the superomedial orbit. Complete removal of the tumour is possible even in such difficult cases as the CH is totally encapsulated and meticulous surgical dissection can give good cosmetic result to the patient.

In-utero transfer is too difficult: results from a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Perinatal transfer is an unavoidable part of neonatal care. In-utero as opposed to postnatal transfer is recommended whenever possible.

AIMS

To quantify prevalence of in-utero transfers, determine the duration of time spent arranging in-utero transfers and whether failures in the organisation of potential in-utero transfers were occurring.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective study of in-utero transfers referred and completed, and questionnaire study of failed potential in-utero transfers.

SUBJECTS

Women referred to the Emergency Bed Service (EBS), women undergoing in-utero transfer by London Ambulance Service (LAS), and preterm infants undergoing postnatal transfer where in-utero transfer had been potentially achievable, in the London area, over a six month period in 2009.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Number of in-utero transfers being undertaken, duration of time spent arranging in-utero transfer, and number of failed in-utero transfers.

RESULTS

Over the study period LAS undertook 438 in-utero transfers and there were 338 referrals for in-utero transfer to EBS, of which 180 (53%) were successful. Of 69 emergency postnatal transfers of preterm infants (<29 weeks gestational age), 11 were classified as failed in-utero transfers. Median (IQR) duration of EBS involvement in in-utero referrals was 340 (200-696)min. A median (IQR) of 240 (150-308)min was spent contacting a median (IQR) of 7 (6-8)units when attempting to arrange in-utero transfer in the failed in-utero transfer group.

CONCLUSIONS

Arranging in-utero transfer consumes considerable clinical time; an important number of in-utero transfer attempts fail for non-clinical reasons; establishment of a centralised in-utero transfer planning service will save clinical time and may improve outcomes.

Renal insufficiency retains adverse prognostic implications despite renal function improvement following Total Therapy for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

Renal insufficiency (RI) is a frequent complication of multiple myeloma (MM) with negative consequences for patient survival. The improved clinical outcome with successive Total Therapy (TT) protocols was limited to patients without RI. We therefore performed a retrospective analysis of overall survival, progression-free survival and time to progression (TTP) of patients enrolled in TT2 and TT3 in relationship to RI present at baseline and pre-transplant. Glomerular filtration rate was graded in four renal classes (RCs), RC1–RC4 (RC1 ⩾90 ml/min/1.73 m², RC2 60–89 ml/min/1.73 m², RC3 30–59 ml/min/1.73 m² and RC4 <30 ml/min/1.73 m²). RC1–3 had comparable clinical outcomes while RC4 was deleterious, even after improvement to better RC after transplant. Among the 85% of patients with gene expression profiling defined low-risk MM, Cox regression modeling of baseline and pre-transplant features, which also took into consideration RC improvement and MM complete response (CR), identified the presence of metaphase cytogenetic abnormalities and baseline RC4 as independent variables linked to inferior TTP post-transplant, while MM CR reduced the risk of progression and TTP by more than 60%. Failure to improve clinical outcomes despite RI improvement suggested MM-related causes. Although distinguishing RC4 from RC<4, 46 gene probes bore no apparent relationship to MM biology or survival.