The differential diagnosis of tuberculous and malignant pleural effusion (PE) is extremely difficult and continues to pose clinical challenges. Aim of the study: To evaluate the utility of pleural fluid interferon gamma (IFN-c), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels with T cells subsets in differential diagnosis of malignant (MPE) and tuberculous pleural effusions (TPE). Methods: Forty patients with ... Read more

Abstract Background and Aims: The changes of autonomic nervous activity during bronchoscopic procedures are closely related to the development of cardiovascular complications. We aimed to evaluate the changes of autonomic nervous activity during bronchoscopic procedures using R-R interval variability from electrocardiograms (ECGs) obtained during diagnostic bronchoscopy. Methods: Twenty-four patients who underwent bronchoscopy were included.Continuous ECG was recorded prior to, during ... Read more

Abstract Background: Sirtuin-1 (SIRT-1), a protein has been found to protect the cells against oxidative stress due to its deacetylase activity. In this investigation, we aimed to study SIRT-1 gene rs2273773 C >T single nucleotide polymorphism and markers of serum protein oxidation (protein carbonyl and sulfhydryl groups) in asthmatic patients. Subjects and methods: 120 asthmatic patients and 120 healthy controls ... Read more

Objective: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the main health issues in Egypt. Nationwide collective data on the current trends of infection are scarce. The aim of the study was to evaluate the patterns and trends of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) cases in Sohag, Upper Egypt. Methods: Cross-sectional study involving a retrospective review of all TB cases registered as extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) ... Read more

Objective: To evaluate the cognitive status in patients with bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: 40 patients with bronchial asthma, 40 patients with COPD and 20 healthy subjects (control) were included in the study. Comparison was done between the three groups in both Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test and P300 latency. Also, correlation between these scores and ... Read more

Abstract Background: Vitamin D is a potent immunomodulator of innate immune responses, and its deficiency was implicated in the activation of tuberculosis (TB). The effects of vitamin D are exerted by the interaction with the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and may be influenced by polymorphisms in the VDR gene. Methods: We conducted a case–control study to identify 25(OH) D levels ... Read more