Background Hemodialysis patients with COVID-19 have been reported to be at higher risk for death than the general population. Several prognostic factors have been identified in the studies from Asian, European or American countries. This is the first national Lebanese study assessing the factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 mortality in hemodialysis patients. Methods This is an observational study that included all chronic hemodialysis patients in Lebanon who were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 from 31st March to 1st November 2020. Data on demographics, comorbidities, admission to hospital and outcome were collected retrospectively from the patients’ medical records. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess risk factors for mortality. Results A total of 231 patients were included. Mean age was 61.46 ± 13.99 years with a sex ratio of 128 males to 103 females. Around half of the patients were diabetics, 79.2% presented with fever. A total of 115 patients were admitted to the hospital, 59% of them within the first day of diagnosis. Hypoxia was the major reason for hospitalization. Death rate was 23.8% after a median duration of 6 (IQR, 2 to 10) days. Adjusted regression analysis showed a higher risk for death among older patients (odds ratio = 1.038; 95% confidence interval: 1.013, 1.065), patients with heart failure (odds ratio = 4.42; 95% confidence interval: 2.06, 9.49), coronary artery disease (odds ratio = 3.27; 95% confidence interval: 1.69, 6.30), multimorbidities (odds ratio = 1.593; 95% confidence interval: 1.247, 2.036), fever (odds ratio = 6.66; 95% confidence interval: 1.94, 27.81), CRP above 100 mg/L (odds ratio = 4.76; 95% confidence interval: 1.48, 15.30), and pneumonia (odds ratio = 19.18; 95% confidence interval: 6.47, 56.83). Conclusions This national study identified older age, coronary artery disease, heart failure, multimorbidities, fever and pneumonia as risk factors for death in patients with COVID-19 on chronic hemodialysis. The death rate was comparable to other countries and estimated at 23.8%.

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Histology& Histochemistry Journal include various morphological, anatomical, histological, histochemical, toxicological, physiological changes associated with individuals, and populations. In addition, the journal promotes research on biochemical and molecularbiological or environmental, toxicological and occupational aspects of pathology are requested as well as developmental and histological studies on light and electron microscopical level, or case reports. www.eajbs.eg.net Provided for non-commercial research and education use. Not for reproduction, distribution or commercial use.

In the last decades, the light had been shed on the importance of male reproduction and how to protect it from disease conditions and inflammation which may cause infertility. Accordingly, the mechanism underlying inflammation-mediated infertility must be well clarified. In the present study, an experimental model of acute inflammation in mature male albino rats was established by intraperitoneal (ip) injection of a single dose of lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Consequently, basic reproductive parameters were estimated after LPS administration. Blood samples were collected and assayed for serum testosterone levels. Semen was also analyzed for live sperm percent. Testes were removed for histopathological evaluation. The findings revealed that testosterone level in LPS-treated rats decreased significantly (P<0.05) compared to control rats at 6 and 12 hrs after injection. Meanwhile, serum testosterone recovered 72 hrs after injection. Moreover, live sperm percent decreased drastically in LPS-treated rats (P<0.001) compared with control rats at 6 and 12 hrs after LPS injection. Adverse effects of LPS on sperm vitality at 72 hrs after LPS injection were also found. Microscopic examination revealed that degenerative changes were observed in LPS-treated rats at 6 and 12 hrs. Most of histopathological findings returned to normal structure in LPS-treated rats at 72 hrs.

Background:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is currently the fifth most common solid tumor worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer related deaths. Several studies have shown that the tumor suppressor gene p16INK4A is frequently downregulated by aberrant methylation of the 5’-cytosine-phosphoguanine island within the promoter region.Aim:To find out the frequency of methylated p16INK4A in the peripheral blood of HCC and cirrhotic patients and to evaluate its role in hepatocarcinogenesis.Patients and Methods:This study was performed on 58 subjects: 30 HCC patients, 20 cirrhotic patients, and eight healthy volunteers. Methylation of p16INK4A was examined using methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (MSP). Comparison of quantitative variables between the study groups was done using Mann-Whitney U test for independent samples when not normally distributed. For comparing categorical data, Chi-square (χ2) test was performed. Exact test was used instead when the expected frequency was less than 5.Results:Methylation of p16INK4A was found in 6.7% of HCC patients, 5% of liver cirrhosis (LC) patients, and none of the healthy volunteers; 66.67% of the p16INK4A-methylated cases (2/3) were positive for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies (one of them had HCC). All HCC cases with aberrant p16INK4A methylation show very high serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level (9,080; 30,000 μg/mL). There were no significant associations between the status of p16INK4A methylation and tumor size.Conclusion:Hypermethylation of p16INK4A was found to be infrequent among Egyptian patients with HCC.