Side Effects and Efficacy of COVID-19 Vaccines among the Egyptian Population

Background: Knowledge about a vaccine’s side effects and efficacy is important to improving public vaccine acceptance. This study aimed to detect the safety and efficacy of vaccines among the Egyptian population. Methodology and Results: Data was collected using an online survey from participants who took two doses of the BBIBP-CorV, ChAdOx1, or BNT162 vaccines. Pain at the vaccine injection site, muscle pain, fatigue, dizziness, fever, and headache were the most common side effects after the first and second doses. The number pf side effects was higher in ChAdOx1 than in BNT162 and BBIBP-CorV. Most of the side effects started on the first day after vaccination and persisted for 1–2 days. Vaccinated people with past coronavirus infections before vaccination developed better antibodies than those who were only vaccinated. The side-effect severity was greater after the first dose of BBIBP-CorV and ChAdOx1 than after the second dose, but in contrast, the side-effect severity was greater after the second dose of BNT162 vaccine than after the first dose. ChAdOx1 was more effective than BBIBP-CorV, and one dose of ChAdOx1 produced an immune response similar to that of two doses of BBIBP-CorV. Conclusions: Coronavirus vaccines were well-tolerated, safe, and produced an immune response against the virus in most cases. Most postvaccine side effects were mild to moderate, which indicated the building of immunity by the body for protection.

The frequency of periodontitis in end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis in a sample of Egyptian population: multi-center clinical cross-sectional study

Background There is a general assumption that periodontal disease is highly prevalent among patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis. The aim of the study to estimate the frequency of periodontitis in patients on hemodialysis among a sample of the Egyptian population, as well as the correlation between different clinical parameters of periodontal status with serum creatinine and blood urea. This may rule out the bidirectional relationship between periodontitis and renal failure in patients on hemodialysis. Methods The study was conducted on 263 hemodialysis patients (165 males and 98 females) at three dialysis centers in Benha Governorate, Egypt (Benha Hospital, Tukh hospital, Qalyub hospital). Periodontal parameters including plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), clinical attachment level (CAL), and probing pocket depth (PPD) had been recorded in these patients. Serum urea and creatinine levels had been measured, the data had been collected and undergone statistical analysis. Results Frequency of periodontitis was 85.6% with stage III is the most prevalent stage. There was a significant positive strong correlation between age and periodontitis stage (rs = 0.707, p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between clinical parameters and serum creatinine level. Conclusion In the present study, a high frequency of periodontitis had been found among ESRD patients on hemodialysis in the severe form (stage III) periodontitis. There was a significant direct correlation between the severity of periodontitis and CAL with a duration of hemodialysis. There was a weak insignificant association between periodontal indices (PD, BOP, and plaque score) and duration of hemodialysis.

Elephantine

Elephantine. On Judeans in fifth century bce Southern Egypt In the fifth century bce a group of Judaeans lived as mercenaries in the Persian army on and around the island of Elephantine, as guardians of the southern border of the Persian empire and to shield the Persian trade interests. Documents show that these Judaeans had their own form of Yahwism. For almost 100 years they lived in peaceful coexistence with the Persian administration, the local Egyptian population, and with a dozen other ethnic groups settled on the island. From around 425 this pax persica was disrupted by local discords and the destruction by the priests of Khnum of vital elements of the Persian administration as well as the temple of Yahô. This contribution argues that the increasing urge of Egypt to abandon the Persian yoke and the influx of an extra group of Judeans – with a different form of Yahwism – around 420 created increasing tension between the different groups leading to the breakup of the peaceful cohabitation.

High-resolution neuromuscular ultrasound-based diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome in a sample of Egyptian population

Background Carpal tunnel syndrome is the commonest entrapment neuropathy. The cut-off point of cross-sectional area to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome may vary among populations. The objective of this study was to determine the best cut-off point of median nerve cross-sectional area to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome among Egyptian population and to compare the difference of median nerve cross-sectional area in diabetic patients versus healthy individuals. Results Mean cross-sectional area was 7.78 ± 1.260 mm2 among healthy individuals and 8 ± 1.018 mm2 among diabetics. Cut-off cross-sectional area of median nerve above which compression is anticipated is 9.5 mm2. Conclusion Ultrasound can be used to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome by measuring the median nerve cross-sectional area.

Multidetector computed tomography study to measure thoracic aorta diameters in Egyptian population

Background The aorta is the largest and strongest artery in the body that plays an important role in the control of systemic vascular resistance and heart rate. Aortic diseases contribute to the wide spectrum of arterial diseases that may be diagnosed after a long period of subclinical development. Multidetector computed tomographic scanners (≥ 64 detector rows) for aortic imaging remain one of the most preferred imaging techniques for diagnosis and follow-up of aortic conditions in acute as well as chronic presentations. The aim of this study is to establish a normal reference values for aortic diameters among Egyptian population and to find which of the cardiovascular risk factors could be an independent determinant of the aortic diameters. Results Five hundred and sixteen Egyptian individuals were enrolled in our study, the mean age was 53.5 ± 10.9, and males comprised 61.4% of the study population. Aortic root diameters measured at the annulus, sinus and STJ were 23.09 ± 2.55 mm, 33.75 ± 3.93 mm and 26.13 ± 3.05 mm, respectively. The BSA-indexed diameters were 11.70 ± 1.39, 17.10 ± 2.10 and 13.25 ± 1.65, respectively. The diameter of the tubular part of ascending aorta was 30.97 ± 4.16 mm, and the BSA-indexed diameter was 15.71 ± 2.28. The aortic diameters measured at the level of the pulmonary bifurcation were 24.56 ± 2.95 mm and 23.79 ± 2.96 mm at systolic and diastolic phases, respectively. The BSA-indexed diameters were 12.44 ± 1.52 and 12.05 ± 1.52 at systolic and diastolic phases, respectively. At the diaphragmatic level, the mean diameters were 22.39 ± 2.72 mm and 21.49 ± 2.79 mm at systolic and diastolic phases, respectively. The BSA-indexed diameters were 11.34 ± 1.43 and 10.98 ± 1.48 at systolic and diastolic phases, respectively. Age, gender, BSA, BMI and hypertension were statistically significant independent predictors of ascending and descending aortic diameters. Conclusions Our study established a normal reference value for thoracic aortic diameters among Egyptians using contrast enhanced MSCT aortography. Age, Gender, BSA, BMI and hypertension are the major determinants of aortic diameters.

ACR BI-RADS Breast Density and its correlation with breast cancer screening program

Background Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in women over the age of 40 years. Breast cancer screening is used to identify women with asymptomatic cancer with the goal of enabling women to undergo less invasive treatments that lead to better outcomes, ideally at earlier stages and before the cancer progresses. Mammography is the best-studied breast cancer screening modality and the only recommended imaging tool for screening the general population of women. Objective to correlate the relation between ACR density of breast and breast cancer in screening program. Patients and Methods Our study included 40 women of breast cancer were depicted radiologically and histo-pathologically diagnosed after outreaching for screening by Digital Mammography by the Egyptian National Breast Cancer Screening Program in Ain Shams University Hospitals at period from January 2018 to October 2019.Their data were collected from the medical records of the program. Their age ranged between 40 and 65 years. Results According to the BI-RADS 5th edition 2013, cases were classified into four classes as follows: 6 were ACR-A (15.0%), 21 were ACR-B (52.5%), 12 were ACR-C (30.0%) and 1 were ACR-D (2.5%), So according to our study results dense breast shouldn’t be considered as a risk factor for breast cancer as we observed that the percentage of breast cancer in our study increases the most with average breast density ACR class B then increases with ACR class C and A respectively. Conclusion dense breast is not a risk factor for breast cancer, so further researches are needed to study the relationship between breast density and breast cancer in Egyptian population, to elucidate the role of breast density estimation in prediction of breast cancer considering the genotypical and phenotypical differences of the Egyptian population.