Our objective was to determine the prevalence juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. Population-based study was performed to identify the prevalence of JIA in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, between November 2009 and November 2010. Prevalence of JIA was 3.43 per 100,000 (95 % CI 3.1-4.3). Prevalence in boys was 2.58 per 100,000 (95 % CI 2.4-3.6) and in girls 4.33 per 100,000 (95 % CI 3.3-5.1). Uveitis presented in 19.7 % of cases, antinuclear antibody in 48.5 %, and rheumatoid factor in 27.2 %. Oligoarthritis representing 52.2 % of the total population, and enthesitis-related arthritis presented only in 6 patients. No cases of undifferentiated arthritis or psoriatic arthritis were found. This is the first epidemiological study of JIA in Sharkia, Egypt. Oligoarthritis was the most common subtype.

Identification of the genetic basis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may contribute to the discovery of effective drugs before renal involvement. Our aim of this study was to estimate the association between Fc gamma receptor (FcγR) polymorphisms and SLE and renal involvement in Egyptian patients. FcγRIIB and FcγRIIA R131H gene polymorphisms were genotyped in 180 Egyptian adults. Genotyping for FcγRIIA R131H was performed using allele-specific PCR and FcγRIIB-Ile232 Thr polymorphism was genotyped using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The study showed that the homozygous genotype (Thr/Thr) of FcγRIIB significantly increased in all SLE patients (90 patients) and in SLE patients complicated with nephritis (61 patients). The Thr allele was significantly associated with an increased risk of the disease in all the patients and in patients complicated with nephritis. Our study demonstrated an association of FcγRIIB polymorphisms with SLE and lupus nephritis and a lack of association of FcγRIIA polymorphisms with SLE in the Egyptian patients.

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The aim of this study was to identify the possible determinants of impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Egyptian children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Fifty-eight consecutive patients of JIA aged from 8 to 18 years underwent assessment of socio-economic and demographic characteristics; HRQOL using Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scale, disease activity using the Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score based on 27 joints (JADAS-27), functional ability using the childhood health assessment questionnaire (CHAQ), pain score on visual analog scale and psychological symptoms using the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) score. Multivariate modeling was applied to determine the factors that associated with HRQOL impairment. A total of 55 % of the patients (32 of 58) had impaired HRQOL (<78.6). In multiple regression analyses, high CHAQ scores (OR 6.0, 95 % CI 2.0-17.5, P = 0.001), pain (OR 3.1, 95 % CI 1.9-6.3, P = 0.01), stop going to school (OR 3.9, 95 % CI 2.0-7.3, P = 0.01), low socioeconomic status (OR 2.3, 95 % CI 1.09-4.7, P = 0.04) and high psychological symptoms (OR 4.2, 95 % CI 2.0-12.6, P = 0.001) were determinants for HRQOL impairment. HRQOL impairment is a significant problem in Egyptian children and adolescents with JIA. These findings underscore the critical need for monitoring of HRQOL in these patients. More attention should be given to JIA patients who stop going to school and who has low socioeconomic status.

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