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Kallmann syndrome (KS) is a disease clinically characterized by the association of hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and anosmia or hyposmia. It is a neuronal migration disorder. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is used to visualize the olfactory tracts and to evaluate the olfactory sulci. Five patients who clinically had hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism were examined by MR. Thin coronal images of the interior frontal region were used to determine presence or absence of olfactory tract and to evaluate the olfactory sulci.

AIM:To investigate hepatitis C virus (HCV) seropreva lence in Tunisian patients with diabetes mellitus and in a control group. METHODS:A crosssectional study was conducted to determine the HCV seroprevalence in 1269 patients with diabetes (452 male, 817 female) and 1315 non diabetic patients, attending health centers in Sousse, Tunisia. HCV screening was performed in both groups using a fourthgeneration enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS:In the diabetic group, 17 (1.3%) were found to be HCVinfected compared with eight (0.6%) in the control group, although the difference was not significant (P = 0.057). Quantitative PCR was performed in 20 patients. Eleven patients were positive and showed HCV genotype 1b in all cases. CONCLUSION:Frequency of HCV antibodies was low in patients with diabetes and in the control group in central Tunisia, with no significant difference between the groups.

Commonly cardiovascular risk (CVR) is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus as this type is known to be part of the metabolic syndrome, which includes other cardiovascular factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia. Inversely, CVR of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is currently being debated apart from the occurrence of diabetic nephropathy (DN). For this, we did a review of CVR in patients with T1DM complicated or not with DN. The place of novel non-invasive techniques in screening of subclinical vascular damage is also discussed in this review.

Background1.7 billion Muslims worldwide obey divine commands of fasting for a month. This may increase the probability of the acute complications of diabetes during the fasting period.Design and methodsWe primarily aimed to compare the incidences and duration of Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) admissions during Ramadan compared to the month before (Shaaban) and the month after (Shawal) as well as the average pre-Ramadan six months' admissions. Our secondary objective was to assess the different incidence of DKA between Ramadan and the other months regarding precipitating factors, fasting practices in people admitted with DKA and gender differences.This was a prospective study that included all Muslims who were admitted with DKA to major hospitals in the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Tunisia and Morocco during the pre-Ramadan month, Ramadan and post-Ramadan month, in addition to the average monthly admissions during the last six months before Ramadan. Demographics, clinical, and laboratory indices were collected and analyzed to assess primary and secondary end points.ResultsOne hundred seventy patients were admitted during the study duration, 56 were admitted during Ramadan and 63 in Shawal. Six months before Ramadan showed an average admission of 56 + 7 per month. All those admitted during Ramadan were people with type1 diabetes. 29.8 % of those admitted during Ramadan did not receive structured education program on diabetes management in Ramadan. Non-compliance to medications represented the commonest cause for admission in the whole study period. Hospital stay was comparable through different months, but the duration of acidosis was longest during Ramadan month.ConclusionIn concordance with DKAR1, DKAR international showed higher rates of DKA during Ramadan when compared to preceding Lunar month (Shaaban). In Shawal, however, the rates of DKA admission were higher than the average monthly DKA admissions. The duration of acidosis was longer in Ramadan group and positively correlated with duration of diabetes. Many patients did not receive structured education about diabetes and fasting Ramadan. Our study calls for formal pre-Ramadan education and enforces the need for advice against fasting in patients who already experienced DKA in the months preceding Ramadan.