Mucolipidosis Type IV in Omani Families with a Novel MCOLN1 Mutation: Search for Evidence of Founder Effect.

Mucolipidosis Type IV (MLIV) is caused by a deficiency of the mucolipin cation channel encoded by Mucolipin TRP Cation Channel 1 gene (MCOLN1). It is a slowly progressive neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorder causing severe psychomotor developmental delay and progressive visual impairment, which is often misdiagnosed as cerebral palsy. We describe six patients with MLIV from two Omani families with a novel c.237+5G>A mutation in the MCOLN1 gene predicted to affect mRNA splicing. Mutation screening with a high-resolution melting (HRM) assay in a large population sample did not detect this mutation in control subjects. This report highlights the importance of considering MLIV in the differential diagnosis of patients in a pediatric age group with cerebral palsy-like presentation. Although the same rare mutation was seen in two apparently unrelated families, this was not seen in the sample screened from the general population. The HRM assay provides a cost-effective assay for population screening for the c.237+5G>A mutation.

Validity of Prostate Health Index and Percentage of [-2] Pro-Prostate-Specific Antigen as Novel Biomarkers in the Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer: Omani Tertiary Hospitals Experience.

OBJECTIVES: Prostate cancer is the leading cancer in older men. The Ministry of Health Oman Cancer Incidence Registry 2013 lists cancer of the prostate as the first most common cancer in males. Therefore, early detection is important and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is widely used as an established laboratory test. However, despite its wide use, its value in screening, particularly in asymptomatic males, is controversial when considering the risks and benefits of early detection. METHODS: This prospective, observational study included 136 males (67.0±8.9 years; range 45-90) who were scheduled for a prostate biopsy in two different tertiary care teaching hospitals in Oman: the Royal Hospital and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital. Blood specimens from these patients were collected at the same setting before obtaining a prostatic biopsy. Three PSA markers (total PSA (tPSA), free PSA (fPSA), and [-2]proPSA (p2PSA)) were measured and the Prostate Health Index (phi) calculated. The histopathological report of the prostatic biopsy for each patient was obtained from the histopathology laboratory of the concerned hospital along with clinical and laboratory data through the hospital information system. RESULTS: Phi has the highest validity markers compared with other prostate markers, with a sensitivity of 82.1%, specificity of 80.6%, and area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.81 at a cutoff of 41.9. The other prostatic markers showed sensitivities and specificities of 78.6% and 25.9% for tPSA; 35.7% and 92.6% for %fPSA; and 64.3% and 82.4% for %p2PSA, respectively. The AUCs at the best cutoff values were 0.67 at 10.1 µg/L for tPSA; 0.70 at 11.6% for %fPSA; and 0.55 at 1.4% for %p2PSA. An association between phi values and aggressiveness of prostate malignancy was noted. Of the 28 patients with prostate cancer, 22 patients had tPSA > 4 µg/L. However, no patient had phi in the low-risk category, and five, six, and 17 patients had phi in the moderate-, high-, and very high-risk categories, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Phi outperforms tPSA and fPSA when used alone or in combination, and appears to be more accurate than both markers in excluding prostate cancer before biopsy. Use of this biomarker helps clinicians to avoid unnecessary biopsies, particularly in patients with gray-zone tPSA level. Phi is the strongest marker that correlates proportionally with Gleason Score; therefore, it is also useful in predicting the aggressiveness of the disease. This is the first reported experience for the use of p2PSA and phi in Oman, the Middle East, and North Africa.

The Effect of Residing Altitude on Levels of High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol: A Pilot Study From the Omani Arab Population.

Lower mortality rates from coronary heart disease and higher levels of serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) have been observed in populations residing at high altitude. However, this effect has not been investigated in Arab populations, which exhibit considerable genetic homogeneity. We assessed the relationship between residing altitude and HDL-C in 2 genetically similar Omani Arab populations residing at different altitudes. The association between the levels of HDL-C and other metabolic parameters was also investigated. The levels of HDL-C were significantly higher in the high-altitude group compared with the low-altitude group. Stepwise regression analysis showed that altitude was the most significant factor affecting HDL-C, followed by gender, serum triglycerides, and finally the 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose. This finding is consistent with previously published studies from other populations and should be taken into consideration when comparing cardiovascular risk factors in populations residing at different altitudes.

Extreme hypertriglyceridemia following intravenous heparin infusion.

We report a case of unexpected extreme hypertriglyceridemia in a 32 year old man following 5 days of intravenous heparin infusion. We believe the cause of the elevation is mainly due to a temporary depletion of lipoprotein lipase caused by heparin. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of such an extreme elevation in triglycerides following prolonged intravenous heparin infusion. The clinical history and details of the suggested mechanism of the hypertriglyceridemia are discussed in this case report.