Medical principles and practice : international journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre
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The red cell distribution width (RDW) is an inexpensive, readily available prognostic indicator of several diseases. RDW has been assessed as a prognostic biomarker in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in only one study; furthermore, the relationship between the RDW and combined pulmonary fibrosis emphysema (CPFE) has yet to be reported. ⋯ High RDW values appear to be a simple prognostic factor in patients with IPF or CPFE.
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Adipolin/C1q/TNF-related protein-12 is a family of CTRPs highly expressed in adipose tissue with glucose-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects. Various risk factors have been suggested in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, such as a decrease in anti-inflammatory or an increase in inflammatory factors. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the correlation of adipolin with anthropometric, angiographic, echocardiographic, and biochemical parameters. ⋯ The current study showed an independent association of adipolin with EFT for the first time in patients with AMI. Decreased adipolin levels in patients with AMI may be involved in the process of atherosclerosis, which requires further study.
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Several symptoms are common to knee osteoarthritis and Baker's cyst. To what extent each condition contributes to the patient's discomfort is still a matter of debate. The aim of the present study was twofold: first, to compare the burden of symptoms in patients with isolated knee osteoarthritis and patients with knee osteoarthritis associated with Baker's cyst; second, to assess the outcomes after conservative treatments. ⋯ The study shows that Baker's cysts associated with knee osteoarthritis contribute to the burden of symptoms. The conservative treatment of both conditions allows significant improvements, but in the medium term (6 months) the efficacy of the therapy declines in patients with knee osteoarthritis associated with Baker's cyst.
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This study aimed to investigate the sex- and age-specific trends of stunting and combined overweight with stunting among schoolchildren over a 13-year period in Kuwait. ⋯ Although the prevalence of stunting and combined stunting with overweight is low, there is an emerging upward trend in schoolboys that warrants further investigation and monitoring. This highlights the need for gender-specific interventions to reduce nutritional abnormalities in high-income countries in the Middle East countries like Kuwait.
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Sickle cell anaemia is characterized by defective haemoglobin synthesis and is associated with both endocrine and metabolic alterations. The effects of this clinical condition on kidney function are multifactorial and often begin early in childhood. This study aims to assess renal function in children with sickle cell anaemia using urine albumin:creatinine ratio (ACR) and urine human neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL). ⋯ Kidney injury probably starts early in childhood in sickle cell individuals as indicated by the higher urine ACR detected in them. We infer that urine NGAL and uNCR are not sensitive markers of kidney disease especially in young sickle cell individuals possibly because of the hyperfiltration present at this age.