Background The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been increasing steadily in Egypt and worldwide. Detecting risk factors for ASD could help initiate screening and risk prevention approaches. Herein, this study aimed to detect several maternal and neonatal risk factors for ASD in Egypt. Methods In this case-control study, mothers of children with ASD who were visiting Beni-Suef University Hospital in Egypt (n = 268) were compared to mothers of children without ASD attending one primary school with a kindergarten (n = 504) regarding their preconception, conception, and postconception characteristics. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to investigate the possible associations between the collected data and the odds of ASD. Results In the multivariable-adjusted models, urban residence: OR (95% CI) = 2.33 (1.60–3.38), relative father: 2.63 (1.74–3.96), history of diabetes: 5.98 (1.99–17.97), previous abortion: 2.47 (1.20–13.38), assisted fertility: 4.01 (1.20–13.38), family history of ASD: 7.24 (2.00–26.24), multiple pregnancy: 11.60 (2.54–53.07), exposure to passive smoking during pregnancy: 2.95 (1.86–4.68), vaginal bleeding during pregnancy: 3.10 (1.44–6.67), hypertension with pregnancy: 3.64 (1.06–12.51), preterm labor: 2.64 (1.26–5.57), neonatal convulsions: 14.88 (5.01–44.20), and admission to neonatal intensive care unit 2.13: (1.21–3.74) were associated with the increased odds of ASD. On the other hand, the intake of vitamins during pregnancy: 0.09 (0.06–0.16) and C-section: 0.44 (0.27–0.70) were associated with the decreased odds of ASD. Conclusion This study detected several maternal and neonatal risk factors for ASD in Egyptian children.

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Sera from 168 patients with various types of chronic glomerulonephritis (GN) were assayed for immune complexes (IC) by two independent methods, a modification of the PEG precipitation test (PEG) and the inhibition of complement-dependent lymphocyte rosette formation (RI). Both assays had different reactivities, the RI being more sensitive than the PEG test. Higher percentages of positivity of these tests were observed in the GN groups than in normal controls. However, serial measurements demonstrated that IC were present only intermittently in most instances. The presence of IC correlated with disease activity in patients with focal glomerulosclerosis membranous GN and membranoproliferative GN, while in lupus erythematosus it reflected the effects of different treatment regimens although it had no relationship with clinical symptoms. Nevertheless, our results suggest that these tests are of little help to the clinician to appreciate disease activity and monitor therapy in individual GN patients.

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