The aim of this study was to examine whether an association exists between glutathione S-transferase Mu-1 (GSTM1) gene polymorphism and idiopathic male infertility. Sixty men with primary idiopathic infertility and 60 fertile men, serving as controls, were recruited for the study. The polymorphism was analysed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. The frequency of GSTM1 null genotype was observed to be higher in infertile men 40% in comparison with 33.3% in the fertile men, but this difference was not statistically significant. There was statistically significant difference between cases and controls as regards GSTM1 genotype distribution ((MC) P = 0.006*) in GSTM1-positive men. Patients with the GSTM1 null genotype had significantly lower sperm concentrations and total sperm count when compared with patients with GSTM1-positive genotype. In the control group, men with GSTM1 null genotype had significantly lower sperm concentrations but not total sperm count when compared with men with GSTM1-positive genotype. The results of this study suggest a possible negative effect of GSTM1 null genotype on the spermatogenic potential of the testis.

To study the genetic polymorphism of 5-α reductase type II enzyme in relation to oxidative stress in cases of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) in a sample of Egyptian population. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 45 patients with different grades of AGA,and 45 healthy subjects as control group. Laboratory tests included DNA extraction from blood, amplification of the 5-α reductase type II by PCR and V89L mutation analysis by restriction endonuclease enzyme RsaІ, and estimation of the levels of plasma catalase and erythrocyte lysate superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes by colorimetric methods. Results: The studied subjects carrying the homozygote(LL) and the heterozygote (VL) genotypes were of no risk of developing AGA.(OR=0). Regarding the leucine allele, the studied subjects carrying the (L) allele were at about 3.7 higher risk of AGA .(OR=3.692), and the results were statistically significant (p<0.001). There was significant increase in the level of SOD and catalase in patients than in control group(p=0.005),and (p<0.001) respectively,plasma catalase is significantly higher in patients with LLvariant than inVL variant (p=0.020). Asignificant relations was found between the severity of the disease and age and family history (p=0.037), and (0.036) respectively, there was no significant correlation between the level of catalase enzyme and SOD in one hand and the severity of the disease among patients. Conclusions: There is a possible association between AGA and V89L genetic polymorphism of 5-alpha reductase type II enzyme, patients carrying the mutant leucine (L) allele have a risk for developing AGA. Also there is possible association between AGA with oxidative stress.

Background Carboxytherapy is a minimally invasive, relatively safe modality that has been used for the treatment of dark circles; however, different flow rates and different injection techniques have been described in the literature. Aim To study the effect of the flow rate on the therapeutic outcome of carboxytherapy in infraorbital dark circles. Methods Eighty patients with infraorbital dark circles were divided into two equal groups: Group A received carboxytherapy at a flow rate of 30 ml/min, and group B received carboxytherapy at a flow rate of 60 ml/min. Patients received weekly sessions for 6 weeks, and the treatment response was evaluated 6 weeks after the last treatment session. Results Significant improvement of the dark circles was detected in both treatment groups. However, no significant difference in the treatment response was found when both flow rates were compared. The frequency of development of side effects was significantly higher in the group receiving CO2 at a flow rate of 60 ml/min. No significant difference in the overall post‐treatment patient satisfaction between the two groups was detected. Conclusion Carboxytherapy is an effective therapeutic modality for infraorbital dark circles. Lower flow rates achieve therapeutic responses similar to higher flow rates but with fewer side effects.

Objective: This study aimed at the evaluation of pruritus and its intensity and aggravating factors in psoriatic patients with the assessment of its relation to interleukin-17 (IL-17) expression in psoriatic lesions. Methods: The study included 50 patients with psoriasis vulgaris. A questionnaire was used for the evaluation of pruritus and its effect on the quality of life. Severity of pruritus was assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS) while clinical severity of psoriasis was assessed using psoriasis area severity index (PASI) score. Tissue immunohistochemical expression of IL-17 was assessed in psoriatic lesions and in 20 normal skin biopsies included as control. Results: Pruritus was encountered in 92% of psoriatic patients studied, 45.5% of them considered emotional stress as the main pruritus aggravating factor. Pruritus had influenced the daily activity and sleep in 91.3% of the studied patients. Mean VAS in studied cases was 5.70 ± 2.76. VAS grades were significantly associated with PASI scores and IL-17 tissue expression on univariate analysis. On multilogistic regression analysis, both IL-17 and PASI scores emerged as independent influencers of pruritus. Conclusion: Pruritus is a common symptom that affects the quality of life in psoriatic patients. IL-17 is an independent aggravating factor of pruritus in those patients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the tissue expression of IL-17 in relation to pruritus. Pruritus treatment should be one of our goals while managing the psoriatic patients and anti-IL-17 may play a pivotal role in this field.