DepressIon AmoNg CardiovaScular Disease Patients in Libya-PrEvalenCe and AssociaTions: INSPECT Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to assess the prevalence and identify factors associated with depression among patients with cardiovascular diseases and followed-up in a public teaching hospital. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a systematic random sample of 302 out-patients with cardiovascular diseases and followed-up in the cardiology outpatient department at Tripoli University Hospital. Stable adults (>18 years of age) were eligible to be included in this study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to complete a questionnaire comprising questions on demographic, medical, and lifestyle issues besides the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 tool. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Version 22, was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Age ranged between 29 and 84 years with a mean age of 60.6 ± 10.4 years; 60.6% were females and 75.8% were married. The highest prevalent morbidity was hypertension (76.2%) followed by diabetes mellitus (48%), ischemic heart disease (39%), and different types of arrhythmias (22.8%). About 59.3% of screened patients had different degrees of depression from mild to severe. The participants with a positive history of psychological problems, those complicated with cardiomyopathy, those who were females, patients with a history of cerebrovascular accident, and patients who were living alone were more likely to be depressed. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of depression is found to be higher among patients with cardiovascular diseases and a family history of psychological illnesses, and cardiomyopathy had the highest contribution as independent predictor for depression. Screening of all patients with cardiovas-cular diseases is essential to identify and treat the patients at greater risk of depression.

Mutational analysis of AGXT gene in Libyan children with primary hyperoxaluria type 1 at Tripoli Children Hospital.

Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is an inborn error of glyoxylate metabolism. It results from genetic mutation of the AGXT gene. The study objective was to verify the clinical and epidemiological patterns of PH1 in Libyan children at Tripoli Children Hospital confirmed by AGXT gene mutation. A descriptive case series study of 53 children with PH1 diagnosed between 1994 and 2015 was carried out in the Nephrology Unit at Tripoli Children Hospital. Diagnosis of PH1 was based on the clinical presentation (renal stones or nephrocalcinosis), positive family history of PH1, and high 24 h urinary oxalate. Sampling for AGXT gene mutation was collected from April 2012 to December. 2015. Among the 53 children included, males composed of 62.3% of patients. Their age at presentation ranged between two months and 20 years with a mean age of 55.4 ± 48 months. The parents of 81.1% of these patients had positive consanguinity. Forty (75.5%) patients were from South West (mountain area), and 16 (40%) of them were from Yefrin. The most common mutation found in this study was c.731T>C (p.lle244thr) seen in 32 (71%) of children, and interestingly, among these patients, 87.1% were homozygous in gene typing, 86.2% had positive history of consanguinity, 71.4% were from South West (mountain area), 96.6% had family history of PH1, and 20% presented with impaired renal function. The patients with this mutation were younger at presentation than that with other genes, and it was more prevalent among boys (61.3%). Thus, the most common gene mutation found in Libyan children with PH1 was c.731T>C (p.lle244thr) and this is more likely due to the strong genetic pooling caused by the high consanguinity rate which requires an extensive genetic counseling.