Classical fever of unknown origin in 21 countries with different economic development: an international ID-IRI study.

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is a serious challenge for physicians. The aim of the present study was to consider epidemiology and dynamics of FUO in countries with different economic development. The data of FUO patients hospitalized/followed between 1st July 2016 and 1st July 2021 were collected retrospectively and submitted from referral centers in 21 countries through ID-IRI clinical research platform. The countries were categorized into developing (low-income (LI) and lower middle-income (LMI) economies) and developed countries (upper middle-income (UMI) and high-income (HI) economies). This research included 788 patients. FUO diagnoses were as follows: infections (51.6%; n = 407), neoplasms (11.4%, n = 90), collagen vascular disorders (9.3%, n = 73), undiagnosed (20.1%, n = 158), miscellaneous diseases (7.7%, n = 60). The most common infections were tuberculosis (n = 45, 5.7%), brucellosis (n = 39, 4.9%), rickettsiosis (n = 23, 2.9%), HIV infection (n = 20, 2.5%), and typhoid fever (n = 13, 1.6%). Cardiovascular infections (n = 56, 7.1%) were the most common infectious syndromes. Only collagen vascular disorders were reported significantly more from developed countries (RR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.19-3.38). FUO had similar characteristics in LI/LMI and UMI/HI countries including the portion of undiagnosed cases (OR, 95% CI; 0.87 (0.65-1.15)), death attributed to FUO (RR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.65-1.15, p-value = 0.3355), and the mean duration until diagnosis (p = 0.9663). Various aspects of FUO cannot be determined by the economic development solely. Other development indices can be considered in future analyses. Physicians in different countries should be equally prepared for FUO patients.

Neurological Complications of COVID-19: Underlying Mechanisms and Management.

COVID-19 is a severe respiratory disease caused by the newly identified human coronavirus (HCoV) Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was discovered in December 2019, and in March 2020, the disease was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to a high number of cases. Although SARS-CoV-2 primarily affects the respiratory system, several studies have reported neurological complications in COVID-19 patients. Headache, dizziness, loss of taste and smell, encephalitis, encephalopathy, and cerebrovascular diseases are the most common neurological complications that are associated with COVID-19. In addition, seizures, neuromuscular junctions' disorders, and Guillain-Barré syndrome were reported as complications of COVID-19, as well as neurodegenerative and demyelinating disorders. However, the management of these conditions remains a challenge. In this review, we discuss the prevalence, pathogenesis, and mechanisms of these neurological sequelae that are secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aim to update neurologists and healthcare workers on the possible neurological complications associated with COVID-19 and the management of these disease conditions.

Prevalence of asymptomatic atherosclerosis of extracranial vessels among hypertensive patients in southern Egypt: An extracranial duplex study.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of atherosclerosis in extracranial vessels among hypertensive patients in southern Egypt is still unknown. Carotid ultrasound is an accurate method used to identify and follow patients with cerebrovascular disorders. The aim of our study is to detect the prevalence and pattern of extracranial atherosclerosis among those patients. METHODS: Our case-control study was performed from January 2017 to January 2018, including 200 subjects, 100 patients recruited consecutively from the Hypertension Clinic in Assiut University hospitals, Egypt, and 100 healthy controls. Detailed history collection and thorough physical examinations were carried out for each patient. All subjects underwent extracranial ultrasound. We omitted patients with history of ischemic stroke and TIAs. RESULTS: The presence of increased intima media thickness was detected in 37 patients (37%). 22 patients (22%) had internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis, 17 patients (17%) had non-significant stenosis <50%, while five patients (5%) had stenosis 50-69%. 9% had stenosis < 50% in vertebral artery. In addition, age and uncontrolled hypertension have a greater impact on increasing the CCA intima media thickness, which is considered an early sign of atherosclerosis. CONCLUSION: Uncontrolled hypertension is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis and hence ischemic stroke (IS). The cost of screening is considered low compared to IS management. Greater emphasis should be directed toward regular screening programs in this risky population.

Results of a multinational study suggest the need for rapid diagnosis and early antiviral treatment at the onset of herpetic meningoencephalitis.

Data in the literature regarding the factors that predict unfavorable outcomes in adult herpetic meningoencephalitis (HME) cases are scarce. We conducted a multicenter study in order to provide insights into the predictors of HME outcomes, with special emphasis on the use and timing of antiviral treatment. Samples from 501 patients with molecular confirmation from cerebrospinal fluid were included from 35 referral centers in 10 countries. Four hundred thirty-eight patients were found to be eligible for the analysis. Overall, 232 (52.9%) patients experienced unfavorable outcomes, 44 died, and 188 survived, with sequelae. Age (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 1.05), Glasgow Coma Scale score (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.77 to 0.93), and symptomatic periods of 2 to 7 days (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.16 to 2.79) and >7 days (OR, 3.75; 95% CI, 1.72 to 8.15) until the commencement of treatment predicted unfavorable outcomes. The outcome in HME patients is related to a combination of therapeutic and host factors. This study suggests that rapid diagnosis and early administration of antiviral treatment in HME patients are keys to a favorable outcome.

Prevalence of spinal cord disorders in Al-Quseir City, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt.

The knowledge of the prevalence of spinal cord disorders (SCD) is important to understand specific causes in each part of the worldand to allow to potentially adapt health care and public policy including law enforcement to the main causes. SCD have important personal, biopsychological, socio-economic, short-term and long-term consequences. An SCD is the underlying cause for 1 of every 40 patients admitted to a major trauma centre. The affected population consists primarily of young male adults. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and cause of SCD in Al-Quseir City, using a door-to-door method. The total of inhabitants was 33,285 in Al-Quseir City screened by 3 specialists of neurology. Suspected cases were subjected to full clinical assessment and MRI or CT of the spine. The prevalence rate of SCD was 63/100,000 for the total population. Traumatic spinal cord injury had a prevalence of 18/100,000, while non-traumatic SCD was found in 45/100,000. Degenerative cervical disc prolapse was the most common aetiology of SCD with a prevalence rate of 27/100,000.

Efficacy and tolerability of antibiotic combinations in neurobrucellosis: results of the Istanbul study.

No data on whether brucellar meningitis or meningoencephalitis can be treated with oral antibiotics or whether an intravenous extended-spectrum cephalosporin, namely, ceftriaxone, which does not accumulate in phagocytes, should be added to the regimen exist in the literature. The aim of a study conducted in Istanbul, Turkey, was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of ceftriaxone-based antibiotic treatment regimens with those of an oral treatment protocol in patients with these conditions. This retrospective study enrolled 215 adult patients in 28 health care institutions from four different countries. The first protocol (P1) comprised ceftriaxone, rifampin, and doxycycline. The second protocol (P2) consisted of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, rifampin, and doxycycline. In the third protocol (P3), the patients started with P1 and transferred to P2 when ceftriaxone was stopped. The treatment period was shorter with the regimens which included ceftriaxone (4.40 ± 2.47 months in P1, 6.52 ± 4.15 months in P2, and 5.18 ± 2.27 months in P3) (P = 0.002). In seven patients, therapy was modified due to antibiotic side effects. When these cases were excluded, therapeutic failure did not differ significantly between ceftriaxone-based regimens (n = 5/166, 3.0%) and the oral therapy (n = 4/42, 9.5%) (P = 0.084). The efficacy of the ceftriaxone-based regimens was found to be better (n = 6/166 [3.6%] versus n = 6/42 [14.3%]; P = 0.017) when a composite negative outcome (CNO; relapse plus therapeutic failure) was considered. Accordingly, CNO was greatest in P2 (14.3%, n = 6/42) compared to P1 (2.6%, n = 3/117) and P3 (6.1%, n = 3/49) (P = 0.020). Seemingly, ceftriaxone-based regimens are more successful and require shorter therapy than the oral treatment protocol.

Prevalence of dementia in Al Kharga District, New Valley Governorate, Egypt.

BACKGROUND: With aging, there is a parallel increase in the prevalence of dementia worldwide. The aim of this work is to determine the prevalence of dementia among the population of Al Kharga District, New Valley, Egypt. METHODS: Screening of all subjects aged ≥50 years (n = 8,173 out of 62,583 inhabitants) was done through a door-to-door survey by 3 neurologists, using a short standardized Arabic screening test and a modified Mini-Mental State Examination. Suspected cases were subjected to full clinical examination, psychometric assessment using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, Hachinski Ischemic Score, DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria, neuroimaging, and laboratory investigations, when indicated. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of dementia was 2.26% for the population aged ≥50 years. It increased steeply with age to a maximum of 18.48% for those aged ≥80 years. Alzheimer's disease (51.2%) was the most common subtype, followed by vascular dementia (28.7%), dementia due to general medical conditions (12.8%), and lastly dementia due to multiple etiologies (7.3%). Mild dementia was the commonest (53.7%). CONCLUSION: Dementia is prevalent in Egypt as elsewhere. Detection through a door-to-door survey is the best method in developing countries for early detection of mild cases.

Pre- and in-hospital delays in the use of thrombolytic therapy for patients with acute ischemic stroke in rural and urban Egypt.

Background: Reducing pre- and in-hospital delays plays an important role in increasing the rate of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke. In Egypt, the IVT rate has increased steadily but is still far away from an ideal rate. Aim: The study aimed to investigate the factors associated with pre- and in-hospital delays of IVT among patients with acute ischemic stroke coming from urban and rural communities. Methods: This prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study was conducted from January 2018 to January 2019. Patients with acute ischemic stroke, who did not receive IVT, were included in the study. Patients were recruited from three large university stroke centers in Egypt, Assiut (south of Egypt), Tanta (north of Egypt), both serving urban and rural patients, and the University Hospital in Cairo (capital city), only serving an urban community. All participants underwent the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and full neurological assessment, urgent laboratory investigations, and computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging to confirm the stroke diagnosis. The patients were subjected to a structured questionnaire that was designed to determine the parameters and time metrics for the pre- and in-hospital delays among patients from rural and urban regions. Results: A total of 618 patients were included in the study, of which 364 patients (58.9%) lived in rural regions and 254 (41.1%) in urban regions. General demographic characteristics were similar between both groups. Approximately 73.3% of patients who arrived within the therapeutic time window were urban patients. The time from symptom onset till hospital arrival (onset to door time, ODT) was significantly longer among rural patients (738 ± 690 min) than urban patients (360 ± 342 min). Delayed onset to alarm time (OAT), initial misdiagnosis, and presentation to non-stroke-ready hospitals were the most common causes of pre-hospital delay and were significantly higher in rural patients. For patients arriving within the time window, the most common causes of in-hospital delays were prolonged laboratory investigations and imaging duration. Conclusion: The limited availability of stroke-ready hospitals in rural Egypt leads to delays in stroke management, with subsequent treatment inequality of rural patients with acute stroke.

Neurological Manifestations in a Cohort of Egyptian Patients with COVID-19: A Prospective, Multicenter, Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has reached over 276 million people globally with 5.3 million deaths as of 22nd December 2021. COVID-19-associated acute and long-term neurological manifestations are well recognized. The exact profile and the timing of neurological events in relation to the onset of infection are worth exploring. The aim of the current body of work was to determine the frequency, pattern, and temporal profile of neurological manifestations in a cohort of Egyptian patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection. METHODS: This was a prospective study conducted on 582 hospitalized COVID-19 patients within the first two weeks of the diagnosis of COVID-19 to detect any specific or non-specific neurological events. RESULTS: The patients' mean (SD) age was 46.74 (17.26) years, and 340 (58.42%) patients were females. The most commonly encountered COVID-19 symptoms were fever (90.72%), cough (82.99%), and fatigue (76.98%). Neurological events (NE) detected in 283 patients (48.63%) and were significantly associated with a severe COVID-19 at the onset (OR: 3.13; 95% CI: 2.18-4.51; p < 0.0001) and with a higher mortality (OR: 2.56; 95% CI: 1.48-5.46; p = 0.019). The most frequently reported NEs were headaches (n = 167) and myalgias (n = 126). Neurological syndromes included stroke (n = 14), encephalitis (n = 12), encephalopathy (n = 11), transverse myelitis (n = 6) and Guillain-Barré syndrome (n = 4). CONCLUSIONS: Neurological involvement is common (48.63%) in COVID-19 patients within the first two weeks of the illness. This includes neurological symptoms such as anosmia, headaches, as well as a constellation of neurological syndromes such as stroke, encephalitis, transverse myelitis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Severity of acute COVID-19 illness and older age are the main risk factors.

Vaccine hesitancy and refusal among parents: An international ID-IRI survey.

INTRODUCTION: Although vaccines are the safest and most effective means to prevent and control infectious diseases, the increasing rate of vaccine hesitancy and refusal (VHR) has become a worldwide concern. We aimed to find opinions of parents on vaccinating their children and contribute to available literature in order to support the fight against vaccine refusal by investigating the reasons for VHR on a global scale. METHODOLOGY: In this international cross-sectional multicenter study conducted by the Infectious Diseases International Research Initiative (ID-IRI), a questionnaire consisting of 20 questions was used to determine parents' attitudes towards vaccination of their children. RESULTS: Four thousand and twenty-nine (4,029) parents were included in the study and 2,863 (78.1%) were females. The overall VHR rate of the parents was found to be 13.7%. Nineteen-point three percent (19.3%) of the parents did not fully comply with the vaccination programs. The VHR rate was higher in high-income (HI) countries. Our study has shown that parents with disabled children and immunocompromised children, with low education levels, and those who use social media networks as sources of information for childhood immunizations had higher VHR rates (p < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Seemingly all factors leading to VHR are related to training of the community and the sources of training. Thus, it is necessary to develop strategies at a global level and provide reliable knowledge to combat VHR.

Analyzing central-line associated bloodstream infection prevention bundles in 22 countries: The results of ID-IRI survey.

BACKGROUND: Because central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are a significant complication of central venous access, it is critical to prevent CLABSIs through the use of central line bundles. The purpose of this study was to take a snapshot of central venous access bundles in various countries. METHODS: The participants in intensive care units (ICUs) completed a questionnaire that included information about the health center, infection control procedures, and central line maintenance. The countries were divided into 2 groups: those with a low or low-middle income and those with an upper-middle or high income. RESULTS: Forty-three participants from 22 countries (46 hospitals, 85 ICUs) responded to the survey. Eight (17.4%) hospitals had no surveillance system for CLABSI. Approximately 7.1 % (n = 6) ICUs had no CLABSI bundle. Twenty ICUs (23.5%) had no dedicated checklist. The percentage of using ultrasonography during catheter insertion, transparent semi-permeable dressings, needleless connectors and single-use sterile pre-filled ready to use 0.9% NaCl were significantly higher in countries with higher and middle-higher income (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that there are significant differences in the central line bundles between low/low-middle income countries and upper-middle/high-income countries. Additional measures should be taken to address inequity in the management of vascular access in resource-limited countries.

Assessment of Anxiety, Depression, Attitude, and Coping Strategies of the Egyptian Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed several challenges on different populations all around the world, with stress being identified as one of the major challenges. This study aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19-induced stress on the prevalence and severity of anxiety and/or depression, factors that predict the development of anxiety and/or depression, and coping strategies in the Egyptian population during the COVID 19 outbreak. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This is an observational cross-sectional online study. The questionnaire of our study included five sections: demographic and clinical data, attitude towards COVID-19, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and a specifically prepared and standardized Arabic version of a coping strategies scale. The questionnaire was uploaded on 20 May 2020 at 1 p.m. and closed on 7 July 2020 at 8 a.m. RESULTS: The study questionnaire was completed by 283 Egyptians, with mean age 34.81 ± 11.36 years, of which 17% had been infected with COVID-19. The responses showed that 62.9% had moderate anxiety, whereas 12.4% had severe anxiety. Moreover, 13.8% had moderate depression, and 14.1% had severe depression. Our study demonstrated that age, mental status, and being infected with COVID-19 correlated with depression, whereas only age correlated with anxiety. Interestingly, our data showed that anxiety and depression were negatively correlated with some coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Pandemics, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, imposes stress on individuals, which leads to the development of anxiety and/or depression. Several factors, which could be population-dependent, may help predict the development of anxiety or depression. We show the factors correlated with depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Egyptian population. Furthermore, certain personal coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic are negatively correlated with anxiety and depression. Therefore, our study sheds light on the importance of studying factors in each population that can lead to pandemic-induced psychological complications and those that can relieve such complications.

Folic acid ameliorates neonatal isolation-induced autistic like behaviors in rats: epigenetic modifications of BDNF and GFAP promotors.

The current study investigated the role of epigenetic dysregulation of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) genes and oxidative stress as possible mechanisms of autistic-like behaviors in neonatal isolation model in rats and the impact of folic acid administration on these parameters. Forty Wistar albino pups were used as follows: control, folic acid administered, isolated, and isolated folic acid treated groups. Isolated pups were separated from their mothers for 90 min daily from postnatal day (PND) 1 to 11. Pups (isolated or control) received either the vehicle or folic acid (4 mg/kg/day) orally from PND 1 to 29. Behavioral tests were done from PND 30 to 35. Oxidative stress markers and antioxidant defense in the frontal cortex homogenate were determined. DNA methylation of BDNF and GFAP genes was determined by qPCR. Histopathological examination was carried out. Neonatal isolation produced autistic-like behaviors that were associated with BDNF and GFAP hypomethylation, increased oxidative stress, increased inflammatory cell infiltration, and structural changes in the frontal cortex. Folic acid administration concurrently with isolation reduced neonatal isolation-induced autistic-like behaviors, decreased oxidative stress, regained BDNF and GFAP gene methylation, and ameliorated structural changes in the frontal cortices of isolated folic acid treated rats. Novelty: Neonatal isolation induces "autistic-like" behavior and these behaviors are reversed by folic acid supplementation. Neonatal isolation induces DNA hypomethylation of BDNF and GFAP, increased oxidative stress markers, and neuroinflammation. All of these changes were reversed by daily folic acid supplementation.

Managing adult patients with infectious diseases in emergency departments: international ID-IRI study.

We aimed to explore factors for optimizing antimicrobial treatment in emergency departments. A single-day point prevalence survey was conducted on January 18, 2020, in 53 referral/tertiary hospitals in 22 countries. 1957 (17%) of 11557 patients presenting to EDs had infections. The mean qSOFA score was 0.37 ± 0.74. Sepsis (qSOFA ≥ 2) was recorded in 218 (11.1%) patients. The mean qSOFA score was significantly higher in low-middle (1.48 ± 0.963) compared to upper-middle (0.17 ± 0.482) and high-income (0.36 ± 0.714) countries (P < 0.001). Eight (3.7%) patients with sepsis were treated as outpatients. The most common diagnoses were upper-respiratory (n = 877, 43.3%), lower-respiratory (n = 316, 16.1%), and lower-urinary (n = 201, 10.3%) infections. 1085 (55.4%) patients received antibiotics. The most-commonly used antibiotics were beta-lactam (BL) and BL inhibitors (n = 307, 15.7%), third-generation cephalosporins (n = 251, 12.8%), and quinolones (n = 204, 10.5%). Irrational antibiotic use and inappropriate hospitalization decisions seemed possible. Patients were more septic in countries with limited resources. Hence, a better organizational scheme is required.

Neuropsychiatric evaluation of patients with brucellosis.

Brucellosis is a multisystem disease that may present with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. Neurobrucellosis is one of the complications. The objective of this study was to determine neuropsychiatric manifestations among patients with brucellosis. Twenty-seven consecutive patients with brucellosis (14 patients with manifest neurological manifestation and 13 patients without apparent neurological manifestation) were recruited from Assiut University hospital and compared with 50 healthy controls matched with respect to age, sex, and social economic and educational levels. They were subjected to systemic, meticulous neuropsychiatric evaluations, laboratory, radiological, neurophysiology, and psychometric assessment with Mini-Mental State Examination, Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised. and Hamilton Depression Rating. Overt or apparent neurological manifestation was recorded in 14 patients (51.85%) and 13 patients (48.15%) with brucellosis without apparent neuropsychiatric involvement. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement (vascular stroke, meningeoencephalitis, and dementia) was recorded in 9 patients (33.3%) and 6 patients (22.2%) had peripheral nervous sytem (PNS) involvement (polyneuropathy, radiculoapathy, and polyradiculoneuropathy). Depression was recorded in 7 (29.2%) patients; 3 patients (21.4%) of the neurobrucellosis group and 4 patients (30.8%) with brucellosis without neurological manifestations. Patients with brucellosis (neurobrucellosis and patients without neurological manifestations) reported highly significant impairment in some cognitive function measures (mental control, logical memory, visual reproduction) and higher scores on depressive symptoms compared with controls. Patients with a Brucella infection usually manifest central nervous system involvement. Clinicians, especially serving in endemic areas or serving patients coming from endemic areas, should consider the likelihood of neurobrucellosis in patients with unexplained neurological and psychiatric symptoms, and should perform the necessary tests, including cognitive function and depression tests.

Epidemiology of major neurological disorders project in Al Kharga district, New Valley, Egypt.

BACKGROUND/METHODS: A door-to-door ('every door') study was carried out to assess the incidence and prevalence rates of epilepsy, stroke, Bell's palsy and cerebral palsy, as well as the prevalence of dementia, extrapyramidal syndromes, muscle and neuromuscular disorders, cerebellar ataxia and primary nocturnal enuresis among the urban and rural populations of Al Kharga district, New Valley, Egypt. The study was carried out in 3 stages from June 1, 2005 to May 31, 2009. A door-to-door screening including every door was carried out using a standardized questionnaire, which was administered by 3 neurologists to all inhabitants (62,583) of Al Kharga district. The study was designed to assess the prevalence, incidence and risk factors of major neurological disorders in Al Kharga district and aimed to reduce the burden of these neurological disorders in the entire region. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: This study clarified that dementia, primary nocturnal enuresis, epilepsy, stroke and cerebral palsy are the most common neurological disorders. On the other hand, Bell's palsy, extrapyramidal syndromes, cerebellar ataxia, muscle dystrophies and myasthenia gravis are less common neurological disorders in Al Kharga district.

Door-to-door survey of major neurological disorders in Al Kharga District, New Valley, Egypt: methodological aspects.

Epidemiology of neurological disorders is still lacking in Egypt. The door-to-door method is the most suitable one to screen neurological disorders in our country. Over a 4-year period (June 1, 2005 to May 31, 2009), screening and examination had been carried out to ascertain the incidence and prevalence rate of epilepsy, stroke, cerebral palsy and Bell's palsy, as well as the prevalence of dementia, extrapyramidal syndromes, muscle and neuromuscular disorders, cerebellar ataxia and primary nocturnal enuresis among the urban and rural population of Al Kharga District, New Valley, Egypt. A total of 62,583 people were screened by 3 neurologists in a door-to-door manner, including every door, using a standardized Arabic questionnaire to detect any patient with a neurological disorder. This was a project study of neurological disorders including 3 stages: first stage (June 1, 2005 to May 31, 2006) for data collection, designing a standardized questionnaire and screening; second stage (June 1, 2006 to May 31, 2008) for case ascertainment, classification of neurological disorders and investigations, and third stage (June 1, 2007 to May 31, 2009) for data entry and statistical analysis. The results of this study revealed that the total prevalence rate of neurological disorders in Al Kharga District, New Valley was 2.4/100 with no significant difference among both sexes. The highest prevalence rate was recorded among elderly people (60+ years; 9.25%) and among children (≤18 years; 2.9%).

Assessments of Amino Acids, Ammonia and Oxidative Stress Among Cohort of Egyptian Autistic Children: Correlations with Electroencephalogram and Disease Severity.

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to assess the profiles of plasma amino acids, serum ammonia and oxidative stress status among autistic children in terms of electroencephalogram findings and clinical severity among the cohort of autistic Egyptian children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The present study included 118 Egyptian children categorized into 54 children with autism who were comparable with 64 healthy controls. Clinical assessments of cases were performed using CARS in addition to EEG records. Plasma amino acids were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), while, serum ammonia and oxidative stress markers were measured using colorimetric methods for all included children. RESULTS: The overall results revealed that 37.04% of cases had abnormal EEG findings. Amino acid profile in autistic children showed statistically significant lower levels of aspartic acid, glycine, ß-alanine, tryptophan, lysine and proline amino acids with significantly higher asparagine amino acid derivative levels among autistic patients versus the control group (p˂0.05). There were significantly higher serum ammonia levels with significantly higher total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) values among the included autistic children vs controls (p˂0.05). There were significantly negative correlations between CARS with aspartic acid (r=-0.269, P=0.049), arginine (r= - 0.286, p= 0.036), and TAS (r= -0.341, p= 0.012), and significantly positive correlations between CARS with TOS (r=0.360, p= 0.007) and OSI (r= 0.338, p= 0.013). CONCLUSION: Dysregulated amino acid metabolism, high ammonia and oxidative stress were prevalent among autistic children and should be considered in autism management. Still EEG records were inconclusive among autistic children, although may be helpful in assessment autism severity.

Cognitive function, mood, behavioral aspects, and personality traits of adult males with idiopathic epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to assess cognitive function, mood, aggression, and personality traits among adult men with idiopathic epilepsy. METHODS: Seventy-one male patients with idiopathic epilepsy were recruited from the outpatient epilepsy clinic of Assuit University hospitals. Another 58 subjects matched with respect to age, sex, and socioeconomic status formed the control group. For each participant, a complete medical history was obtained, and clinical examination, EEG, and psychometric evaluation were performed. For the psychometric evaluation, we used the Stanford-Binet test (fourth edition) to assess cognitive function, the Beck Depression Inventory to assess symptoms of depression, the Aggressive Behavior Scale, and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. RESULTS: Patients with epilepsy reported highly significant impairment in all cognitive measures and higher scores on depressive symptoms, aggressive behavior, and most personality traits compared with controls. Early age at onset, prolonged duration of illness, increased frequency of seizures, and history of status epilepticus were significantly negatively correlated with some of the cognitive function subscales. CONCLUSION: Epilepsy itself and epilepsy-related factors are associated with cognitive function deterioration, depression, aggression, and some abnormal personality traits.

Public stroke knowledge, awareness, and response to acute stroke: Multi-center study from 4 Egyptian governorates.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Acute stroke treatment has significantly improved over the years in Egypt. However, there is often notable delay in pre-hospital and in-hospital management of acute stroke patients. The delay may be largely attributed to poor stroke knowledge and awareness of the general public and this study was aimed at the evaluation of the abovementioned factors. METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study involving 1154 participants from 4 governorates using a questionnaire in Arabic, collecting sociodemographic data, participants' risk factors, and knowledge and stroke awareness (risk factors, symptoms, prevention, treatment and prognosis, action in response to acute stroke). Data were collected during the World stroke day October 29, 2015. RESULTS: Study participants were found to have a low level of awareness of stroke with median percent score of 35.7% and interquartile range (IQR) of 17.86. Higher income, level of education, having risk factors and knowing someone with stroke were significant predictors of a higher level of stroke awareness. CONCLUSION: In general, low public stroke awareness has been detected among Egyptians, and this is a call for healthcare authorities to invest in public education programmes among the Egyptian population.