Assessment of Quality of Life of Primary Caregivers of Egyptian Asthmatic Children and Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Asthma as a serious public health problem worldwide exerts a serious load on children's health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and their families. OBJECTIVE: We assess the HRQOL of the primary caregivers of Egyptian asthmatic children and adolescents and its relation to HRQOL of their children and asthma severity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 128 pairs of asthmatic children (7-16 years) and their primary caregivers. Pediatric asthma quality of life (QOL) questionnaire, pediatric asthma caregiver's QOL questionnaire, and asthma control questionnaire were used. RESULTS: Uncontrolled asthmatic patients had statistically significantly lower mean caregiver score compared to controlled asthmatic (P < 0.005). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between caregiver's individual and overall QOL scores and their children (individual and overall QOL scores) (P < 0.05). A statistically significant negative correlation between asthma severity and QOL scores of the caregivers of asthmatic children and adolescents was found (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The QOL of the primary caregivers of asthmatic children is significantly adversely affected by their children's illness severity.

Relation of Asthma Control with Quality of Life among a Sample of Egyptian Asthmatic School Children.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is considered a chronic health illness that not only resulted in physical symptoms but also emotional effects. It is; therefore, so important to assess the quality of life of asthmatic patients besides their level of disease control. AIM: To determine the correlation of asthma control with the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of asthmatic children in Egypt. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-eight asthmatic Egyptian children were enrolled in the study. They were subjected to asthma severity grading, asthma control questionnaire (ACQ) and pediatric asthma quality of life questionnaire (PAQLQ). Studied cases were taken from 6 primary and preparatory schools, Giza governorate. RESULTS: The mean child control score was significantly higher in not well-controlled asthmatics compared to well-controlled asthmatics (p < 0.005). The not well controlled asthmatic children showed significantly lower activity limitation score, symptoms score, and overall asthmatic score compared to controlled asthmatic children (p < 0.05). The severity of asthma shows significant positive correlation with symptoms score, emotional function score and overall asthmatic score (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The quality of life for the asthmatic children is strongly correlated with the level of asthma control and severity.

MicroRNAs as Potential Biomarkers for Childhood Epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy is the most frequent chronic neurologic condition in childhood. Its clinical diagnosis is based on electroencephalograms (EEG) and neuroimaging techniques. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) modulate gene expression of several genes and are aberrantly expressed in several diseases. AIM: Evaluation of using circulating miR-106b and miR-146a as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in children patients with epilepsy. METHODS: Thirty epileptic children and twenty controls were enrolled in our study. They were assessed for the expression pattern of miR-106b and miR-146a in plasma using quantitative real-time PCR and determination of plasma Immunoglobulin levels. RESULTS: MiR-146a and miR-106b expression patterns were significantly up-regulated in children patients than that in normal controls. Plasma Immunoglobulins were differentially expressed in epileptic patients in comparison with healthy controls. No correlations were found between expression levels of miRNAs (miR-146a and miR-106b) and clinical data or immunoglobulin levels in children patients with epilepsy. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that up-regulated plasma miR-106b and miR-146a could be used as biomarkers for epilepsy evaluation.

Prediction of Gut Wall Integrity Loss in Viral Gastroenteritis by Non-Invasive Marker.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal fatty acid binding proteins (I-FABPs) are mainly expressed in the intestinal villi, which are the initial site of destruction in viral gastroenteritis. AIM: This study was designed to assess serum I-FABPs as a predictor of gut wall integrity loss in viral gastroenteritis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This case-control cross-sectional study was conducted on 93 cases of acute viral gastroenteritis. Twenty-eight healthy children matching in age were recruited as control group. Serum I-FABPs were measured using ELISA technique. Viral detection and typing were done by PCR for adenovirus, and by Reverse transcriptase PCR for rotavirus, astrovirus and norovirus. RESULTS: Serum I-FABPs level was significantly higher in the cases compared to the controls and was also higher in the 46 rotavirus gastroenteritis cases compared to other viral gastroenteritis cases. Serum I- FABPs level was significantly higher in severely dehydrated cases as compared to mildly dehydrated ones (P=0.037). CONCLUSION: Serum I-FABPs could be used as an early and sensitive predictor marker of gut wall integrity loss in children with viral gastroenteritis and its level can indicate case severity.

Genetic variants in vitamin D pathway in Egyptian asthmatic children: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Asthma is a genetically heterogeneous disease. Genetic variants in vitamin D pathway have been reported to be involved with asthma risk. The study aimed to test whether vitamin D binding protein (VDBP or GC-group component) and vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms were associated with asthma characteristics as well as vitamin D level in Egyptian children. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study included 51 asthmatic children and 33 healthy controls of matched sex and age. All participants were genotyped for two SNPs; GC (rs2282679) and VDR (rs2228570) using TaqMan allele discrimination assays. RESULTS: Genotype distribution of GC and VDR showed a significant association with asthma (P = 0.02, P = 0.002). Children carrying the risk "G" allele for GC SNP are 2.22 times more prone to develop asthma [OR = 2.22, 95% CI (1.18-4.2)] whereas those carrying the risk "F" allele for VDR SNP are nearly twice and half times susceptible for asthma development [OR = 2.68, 95% CI (1.36-5.28)] than healthy individuals. For the GC SNP, homozygous children "GG" exhibited significant difference in pulmonary functions (FEV1, FEV1/FVC), asthma severity and asthma control, IgE and vitamin D levels compared to pooled cases of GT and TT genotypes. For the VDR SNP, no significant association between VDR variants and the tested characteristics except for the pulmonary functions where the FEV1/FVC in asthmatic children with "FF " genotype differ significantly from those carrying "Ff"genotype. CONCLUSION: GC and VDR variants may be implicated in asthma susceptibility; hence, further larger studies are still needed to extrapolate our findings to the general population.