Background Limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by progressive muscle weakness and degenerative muscle changes. Studies have shown that ultrasound can be useful both for diagnosis and follow-up of LGMDs patients. Objectives This study aims to measure the sensitivity and the specificity of muscle ultrasound in assessment of suspected limb girdle muscular dystrophy patients. Subjects and Methods This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on Fifty-five patients with suspected LGMD from neuromuscular unit, myology clinic, Ain Shams University hospitals and eight healthy subjects. Age was above 2 years. Both sexes were included in the study. They underwent real-time B-mode ultrasonography performed with using Logiq p9 General Electric ultrasound machine and General Electric 7-11.5 MHZ linear array ultrasound probe. All ultrasound images have been obtained and scored by a single examiner and muscle echo intensity was visually graded semiquantitative according to Heckmatt's scale. The examiner was blinded to the muscle biopsy results and clinical evaluations. Results Statistical analysis revealed that the diagnostic performance of muscle US (Heckmatt’s score) in LGMD is most sensitive when calculated in all examined upper limb and lower limb muscles, followed by lower limb muscles alone. US of upper limb was found to be the least sensitive. Conclusions Muscle ultrasound is a practical and reproducible and valid tool that can be used in assessment of suspected LGMD patients.

Category: Hindfoot Introduction/Purpose: Posterior tibial tendon insufficiency (PTTI) remains the most important contributor to AAFD. When the deformity becomes rigid, management options are limited to arthrodesis. Triple arthrodesis is considered the gold standard for treating painful, rigid flatfoot deformities with proven long-term reliability of correction and favorable functional outcomes. However, the necessity of fusing an unaffected calcaneocuboid joint has been questioned, and double arthrodesis has been suggested as an alternative to triple arthrodesis. The double arthrodesis has been proven to restore function, provide a plantigrade foot, and protect against postoperative ankle valgus. This study aims to prospectively compare double and triple arthrodesis in terms of functional outcomes and deformity correction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first prospective comparative study in the literature to date. Methods: This is a prospective comparative cohort study carried out between May 2017 and May 2019. The study was approved by the IRB at Assiut University and done according to the Helsinki declaration. Patients with AAFD stage III aged between 15 and 40 years old were assigned to double arthrodesis or triple arthrodesis. The groups were prospectively followed for one year. Primary outcomes were union rates, AOFAS scores, and radiological parameters of deformity correction plain radiographs. Secondary outcomes were operative time, time to union, and complications. Twenty-three patients matched the inclusion criteria. Thirteen (all males) patients underwent double arthrodesis, while ten (nine males and one female) patients underwent triple arthrodesis. The mean age for double and triple arthrodesis was 20.15+-5.63 and 25.10+-8.36 years, respectively, and the mean follow-up lengths were 12.46 and 12.9 months, respectively, with no statistically significant differences in age, follow-up or gender between both groups. Results: All patients in both groups achieved union by four months. The mean time to union in the double and triple arthrodesis groups was 3.39+-0.65 vs. 3.31 +-0.6 months, respectively, with no statistically significant differences (P=0.77). The mean operative time in the double arthrodesis group than the triple arthrodesis group, 55.77+-15.18 vs. 91.6+-24.14 minutes (P<0.001), respectively. Both double and triple arthrodesis groups had a statistically significant improvement of the mean AOFAS hindfoot score postoperatively (71.46 +-7.77 vs. 88.38 +-3.66, P<0.001) and (66.9 +-7.69 vs. 85 +-5.83, P<0.001), respectively. Both double and triple arthrodesis groups had statistically significant improvement of preoperative Meary’s angle, calcaneal pitch, Cal-MT5 height, calc-MT1 angle, and TN coverage angle postoperatively. There were no statistically significant differences between double vs. triple arthrodesis groups in AOFAS score improvement or the magnitude of deformity correction. Conclusion: Double arthrodesis is an equally reliable surgical option for AAFD stage III for achieving union, improving the functional outcomes, and deformity correction as triple arthrodesis with a significantly shorter operative time in the former. The authors recommend double arthrodesis if the calcaneocuboid joint is unaffected.

Analysis of circulating nucleic acids in plasma, such as cell free RNA offers an avenue for non-invasive monitoring of a variety of physiological and pathological conditions. Because albumin is the most abundant protein in the body and is synthesized by the liver, the current study was designed to assess plasma albumin mRNA (ALB mRNA), as a noninvasive diagnostic marker of liver injury in chronic HCV (CHC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The study included 50 patients, 20 patients had CHC and 20 were of HCC as well as 10 healthy control subjects. Patients were subjected to clinical examination, abdominal ultrasonography, CT for HCC cases and laboratory investigations including liver function tests, AFP and plasma albumin mRNA by Real Time-PCR. Patients with CHC and HCC have a significant increase in their plasma ALB mRNA than controls; the higher level was in HCC cases. ALB mRNA in plasma is liver specific; it is increased in liver disease suggesting liver pathology and may be more diagnostically sensitive than alpha-fetoprotein and Alanine amino transaminase (ALT) serum levels. Thus, future studies should assess if the plasma concentration of ALB mRNA may be used as therapy monitoring.