Background and Objectives. Attitudes toward students with epilepsy and epilepsy-related knowledge of teachers are crucial for child's safety in the school. The aim of this study was to evaluate teachers' knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 824 teachers from 24 randomly selected middle and high schools. Scale of Attitudes Toward Persons with Epilepsy (ATPE) was modified to assess teachers' knowledge about epilepsy and attitudes toward students with epilepsy. Results. Median knowledge score about epilepsy was 5 (out of 13), while median attitude score was 10 (out of 15). Both knowledge and attitude median scores were significantly higher in senior teachers with longer teaching experience and in respondents who dealt with a person with epilepsy. There was significant association between knowledge score and attitude score (p < 0.01). Logistic regression showed that significant variables, independently associated with poor knowledge after adjusting for possible confounders, were not having a family member with epilepsy (p = 0.009), unawareness of life circumstances of persons with epilepsy (p = 0.048), and a poor attitude score (p < 0.001). Conclusion. School teachers in Kuwait have relatively poor knowledge about epilepsy but have positive attitudes toward students with epilepsy. A number of historical and stigmatizing ideas about epilepsy still exist. It is recommended to provide teachers with information about handling seizures in the educational setting through development and implementation of epilepsy education programs.

The aim is to assess metabolic disturbance in early rheumatoid arthritis patients and its relation to the clinical characteristics of patients. Forty recently diagnosed untreated rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with disease duration less than 1 year (group I) along with age- and sex-matched forty healthy volunteers who served as controls (group II) were studied. Disease activity score was used to assess disease activity. Blood pressure, BMI, glucose, insulin and complete lipid profile, visfatin, and adiponectin were measured. Insulin resistance (IR) was estimated by the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Beta-cell function was estimated by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-B). Also, rheumatoid factor, anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies were measured. Group I had significantly higher fasting insulin, HOMA-(IR, B), visfatin, lipid profile (except HDL), and lower adiponectin versus group II (p = 0.000). There were significant positive correlations between visfatin and the following biochemical parameters: insulin, HOMA-IR, HOMA-B, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C (p = 0.05, 0.029, 0.005, 0.001, 0.002, 0.045, respectively). Also, the disease activity score was positively correlated with visfatin (p = 0.003). Meanwhile, there were significant negative correlations between adiponectin and the following biochemical parameters: insulin, HOMA-IR, HOMA-B, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, visfatin (p = 0.031, 0.023, 0.001, 0.000, 0.000, 0.016, 0.000, respectively). Also, the disease activity score was negatively correlated with adiponectin (p = 0.001). The findings of the present study showed that recently diagnosed untreated RA patients are characterized by a severe metabolic disturbance state that is driven primarily by disease activity.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (PSS) is associated with increased risk of lymphoproliferative malignancy, and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) is the most frequent type. To evaluate CD4+ T lymphocytes distributions in patients with (PSS) and the association of CD4+ T lymphocytopenia with the development of (B-NHL), this study included 8 (PSS) patients associated with B-NHL (group I), 50 (pSS) patients without B-NHL (group II), and 30 healthy volunteers who served as controls. The frequency of circulating CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes distributions and CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio was assessed using flow cytometry coulter EPICS-XL and compared between patients groups and controls. There was statistically significant CD4+ T lymphocytopenia in (PSS) patients with B-NHL than those without lymphoma and controls (P = 0.001). Moreover, a significant low CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio 0.8 in group I than group II and controls (P = 0.001) was found. Significant positive correlations of CD4+ T lymphocytopenia with other risk factors (parotid swelling, vasculitis, rheumatoid factors, low complement, cryoglobulinemia) were detected. CD4+ T lymphocytopenia is associated with B-NHL developed in patients with PSS and can be considered as an important predictor of lymphoma.

Background: Constipation in patients with liver cirrhosis is one of the key factors that might lead to hepatic encephalopathy. However, management of constipation stands on a balance between strategies for prevention and self-care/non-pharmacological perspective. Aim; Examine effect of Lifestyle Modification on constipation relieve among Patients with Liver Cirrhosis. Design: A quazi-experimental non-equivalent pre post-test time series control group. Setting; Medical departments at one of the Educational Hospital affiliated to Cairo-University hospital; Egypt.Hypothesis: H1: Study group who will receive life style modification will have a significant higher mean activity of daily living score compared to the control group who will receive routine hospital care. H2: Study group who will receive life style modification will have a significant lower mean Constipation-Symptoms score compared to the control group who will receive routine hospital care. H3: Study group who will receive life style modification will show improvement of the stool form compared to the control group who will receive routine hospital care. Sample: A purposive sample of 60 adult male & female patients.

No abstract