Comparison of the prevalence of malocclusion and oral habits between children with cerebral palsy and healthy children.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral palsy (CP) represents for children an important problem of health and affects roughly 2 per 1000 live births and is the most common pediatric developmental motor disability. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, type and severity of malocclusion and oral habits in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and to compare them with a control group of healthy children in Sana'a city. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, case-control study was made of two groups, a cerebral palsy and a control group. The study population consisted of 60 children who had CP, and a control group of 60 matched children with no physical or mental disabilities. Data were collected using a questionnaire and assessment for malocclusion was done clinically. The patients were compared with equal number of age-matched controls. The inclusion criteria were individuals aged over 6 years; absence of previous orthodontic treatment; no missing permanent first molars. RESULTS: Results showed an increased prevalence of malocclusion in children with cerebral palsy. Molar class II relationship was statistically higher in cerebral palsy children than healthy control (P = 0.001). Cerebral palsied children are likely to have a significantly increased protrusion of the anterior teeth (P < 0.001) when compared with normal children. Mouth breathing and Tongue thrust. Habits were significantly higher in the CP group (p = 0.0001) when compared with normal children. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of malocclusion was higher in children with Cerebral palsy than in normal children, and the present study concludes that in children with Cerebral Palsy, more oral Habits problems due to oral motor dysfunctions are common and problems of mouth breathing and Tongue thrust produce different malocclusion and poor oral hygiene complications in these children.

Potential Involvement of Human Leukocyte Antigen-DR/DQ Polymorphisms with Schizophrenia Among Patients with Schizophrenia in Yemen.

Objectives: To evaluate the hypothesis that human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) confer susceptibility to schizophrenic disorders, by assessing their contribution to the risk of schizophrenia in a Yemeni population. Methods: The researchers approached patients who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia at Al-Amal Hospital for Psychiatric Diseases, Sana'a. Controls were drawn randomly from the general population. The HLA class II alleles of the participants were examined. The genotypes of the HLA-DQB1 and HLA-DRB1 alleles were determined by polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific primers. Results: The subjects comprised 110 patients with schizophrenia, matched by an equal number of controls. The prevalence of HLA-DRB1*04 was significantly higher among patients than among controls (7.3% vs. 0.0%; p =0.003), as was HLA-DRB1*07 (62.7% vs. 17.3%, odds ratio (OR) = 8.1, 95% CI: 4.3-15.1; p < 0.001). HLA-DRBI*14 was significantly less prevalent among patients (0.9% vs. 11.8%, OR = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01-0.50, χ2 = 10.9; p < 0.001). HLA-DQB1*07 was the most common allele discovered in schizophrenia patients and was found to have a much higher incidence in patients than the control group (22.7% vs. 4.5%, OR = 6.2, 95%CI: 2.3-16.8, χ2 = 15.4; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The HLA-DQB1 and HLA-DRB1 gene loci are linked to schizophrenia in the Yemeni population, according to the current study's evidence.

Human Leukocyte Antigen Class I and II Variants in Yemeni Patients with Chronic Renal Failure.

BACKGROUND: Human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) are found to be significant genetic factors concerning the susceptibility of an individual to certain diseases. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between variants of class I (A and B) and class II (DRB1) HLA alleles and chronic renal failure (CRF), compared with healthy controls, in Yemen. METHODS: A case-control study in the Urology and Nephrology Center at Al-Thawra University Hospital in Sana'a, Yemen was carried out between January 2013 and December 2015 and included 187 CRF patients, and 194 healthy controls visiting the same center for kidney donation. All CRF patients in the study were on haemodialysis. The control group was confirmed to be healthy following a clinical examination by specialist physicians. Among both patients and controls, HLA class I (A and B) and class II (DRB1) HLA typing was carried out by Sequence Specific Primers (SSP) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: There was a significant protective function for HLA-A*30 gene (CRF 9.1% vs. con 16%, p=0.045) against CRF development. There was a high frequency of HLA-A*02, HLA-B*51 and HLA-DRB1*04 alleles in both patients and controls. CONCLUSION: No HLAs were located to have a significant association with genetic tendency to CRF in the current study population, however, certain HLA alleles, for instance in HLA-A*30, could be considered protective against CRF progress.