The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the highly contagious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was announced a pandemic in March 2020 by the World Health Organization. The disease can be diagnosed on the basis of clinical symptoms, polymerase chain reaction positivity, and the presence of ground-glass opacities on computed tomography (CT) scans.Recent studies have focused on the role of serum inflammatory markers that predict COVID-19, such as lymphocyte counts and C-reactive protein (CRP), homocysteine, and D-dimer levels. Vitamin D is thought to reduce the risk of viral infections through several mechanisms.Our aim was to evaluate the correlation between serum vitamin D level and inflammatory markers and severity in Egyptian patients with COVID-19 infection. Serum vitamin D level had a positive correlation with hemoglobin level and lymphocytes.As results, serum vitamin D had a negative correlation with serum ferritin, CRP, and D-dimer and was not correlated with CORAD scoring in the CT chest.In conclusion, serum vitamin D was inversely correlated with inflammatory markers (ferritin, CRP, and D-dimer) which mean that participants with symptoms of COVID-19 had a high level of inflammatory markers and a low level of vitamin D.Participants without symptoms of COVID-19 had normal inflammatory markers and normal vitamin D level.

Objective: One of the potential factors that cause systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) development is autophagy. Immunity-related GTPase family M protein (IRGM) has been shown to be linked to immune-mediated diseases. The aim of the current study was to assess the role of the IRGM-autophagy gene in SLE susceptibility in an Egyptian population and its relation to lupus nephritis. background: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder of obscure etiology [1]. The most valid evidence is the altered immunological mechanisms stemming from the interplay of genetic, hormonal, and other triggering factors [2]. Of potential drivers concerned in the pathogenesis of SLE, Autophagy or ‘self-eating’ is of a particular interest as it orchestrates the intersecting role between the innate and acquired immune pathways; hence, when distorted, leads to a downstream of immune aberrations [3] with heterogeneous clinical manifestations and target tissue damage Methods: A case-control study was conducted in which a total of 200 subjects (100SLE and 100 healthy controls) were enrolled. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs10065172 and rs4958847) were genotyped. Genotypes and alleles analysis was conducted to compare between cases and controls, as well as a stratification analysis was conducted on the presence or absence of lupus nephritis. Results: Among selected SNPs of IRGM, no association was found between both SNPs and SLE susceptibility. For rs10065172, the major expressed genotype was CC (61% and 71%) (Adj OR= 2.9, 95%= 0.545-15.5), followed by TC (34 % and 27%) (Adj OR= 1.985, 95%= 0.357-11.041) in cases and controls, respectively. For rs4958847, AA and AG were comparably expressed in case [(43% and 39%) (Adj OR= 1.073, 95%= 0.483-2.382)] and control [(41% and 43%) (Adj OR= 1.24, 95%= 0.557- 2.763)], respectively. Additionally, no relationship among both SNPs and gender, lupus nephritis, disease activity, or disease duration, was observed. Conclusion: IRGM SNPs (rs10065172 and rs4958847) expression was comparable among SLE patients and controls of the Egyptian cohort. Genotype and allele frequency of IRGM SNPs did not differ in lupus nephritis and non-lupus nephritis patients.

Background According to the World Health Organization (WHO), quality of life is “an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live, and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards, and concerns. Researchers have conceptualized quality of life on many levels, and there are multiple views on how it should be defined and measured. Chronic diseases like diabetes mellitus are known to compromise the HRQoL. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease known to affect HRQoL adversely. Two types of tools have been developed to measure HRQoL. Generic tools are general purpose measures used to assess HRQoL of communities and also for comparison between populations. The EQ-5D-5L consists of two pages—the EQ-5D-5L descriptive system and the EQ visual analog scale (EQ VAS). The descriptive system comprises the five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression). Objectives Assess of quality of life in elderly patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus as well as determine effects of factors related to diabetes and diabetic control on the quality of life of type 2 diabetes. Methods - Population of study and disease condition: ◦ A total of 60 participants were enrolled in this study, and all of the participants were among the geriatric group of people (age ≥ 60 years old). ◦ Thirty of them self-reported to have diabetes mellitus type 2, while the other 30 subjects were a control group (self-reported no to have diabetes mellitus). ◦ All participants were subjected to careful history taking, full clinical examination, in addition to laboratory investigation in the form of HBA1C. ◦ All participants had to fill in self-reported questionnaire which is used as a tool for the assessment of HRQOL named EQ-5D-5L (some patients were illiterate so the questionnaire was interviewed to them). ◦ All participants underwent interview questionnaires of the following HRQOL scales: geriatrics depression scale, ADL (activities of daily living scale), and IADL (instrumental activities of daily living scale). Results EQ-5D-5L score is significantly higher in diabetic patients than non-diabetics (p value < 0.001). EQ VAS score is significantly lower in diabetic patients than non-diabetics (p value < 0.001). ADL (activities of daily living) functional assessment impairment is higher in diabetics than non-diabetics (p value < 0.001).  IADL (independence in activities of daily living) functional assessment impairment is higher in diabetics than non-diabetics (p value < 0.001). Visual prop is impaired in diabetics more than non-diabetics (p value < 0.001). Pain severity is mainly affected in diabetics more than non-diabetics. Conclusion Type 2 diabetes mellitus in elderly patients affects their health-related quality of life and their daily activities. In our study, the HRQOL of uncontrolled diabetic patients were more negatively affected than that of the controlled diabetic patients. Moreover, some of our diabetic patients were found to suffer from cognitive disorders (insomnia and depression) as a complication of diabetes. We also found that the EQ-5D-5L of diabetic patients with comorbidities was higher than those without comorbidities and EQ-VAS was lower in comorbid diabetic patients.

When used in excess, the analgesic paracetamol can cause hepatic centrilobular necrosis, which can be fatal. The goal of this study was to see if strawberry extract could protect rats' livers from paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity. Strawberry (75 and 150 mg/kg bw) and vit C (1 g /kg bw) were given orally, daily for 15 days demonstrated a significant reduction in the effects of caused changes in plasma cholesterol, triacylglycerol, phospholipids and vit C, TBARS, GSH, TNF-α, IL-4 and NO, AST, ALT, ALP, LDH, SOD, GPx and GSH levels. Furthermore, strawberry extract significantly inhibits hepatocyte B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) but significantly induces p53, NF-KB and Trx1 gene expression compared to paracetamol- treated rats. Histological examination showed that significant normalization has been observed in strawberry extract treated rats. Conclusions Strawberry extract shows considerable hepatoprotective benefits in the case of paracetamol-induced liver damage, confirming it's essential use as a treatment for liver damage.