Validation of a modified cow's milk-related symptom score (CoMISS) for screening of lactose intolerance in adults

Heba Ibrahim Mohammed (1), Essam Baioumy (2), Mohamed Farouk Allam (1), Mohamed Nabil Badawy Al-Ashram (2)

 

1. Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

2. Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

 

DOI: 10.1080/03007995.2022.2057153

 

Abstract

Introduction: Lactose intolerance (LI) is the failure to digest foods and beverages containing the lactose present in milk. LI can present by many digestive symptoms.

Objective: To validate the modified CoMiSS score for prediction of LI, that was confirmed by a stool acidity test.

Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study, was conducted at Ain Shams University Hospitals/Gastrointestinal Clinics, and included one hundred adult participants during the period from December 2018 to December 2019. Enrolled patients had one or more gastrointestinal symptoms and were subjected to a stool acidity test (fecal PH test) as a reference test and modified CoMiSS as an index test. 

Results: The mean age of participants was 35.30 ± 10.714 years old; 55% were females, and their mean body mass index (BMI) was 23.08 ± 2.080 kg/m2, with no significant relation between LI and patients` gender or BMI. Out of the studied participants 24% had positive stool PH, LI diagnosed according to modified CoMISS was present among 19% of them. The mean value of modified CoMISS Score was significantly higher in positive cases (12.37) compared to negative LI participants (2.33) as p < 0.001. Area under ROC Curve was 0.998, at the selected cut-off value 8, the sensitivity was 89.5% and specificity was 100% thus, levels of questionnaire scoring of 8 or higher would indicate presence of lactose intolerance. 

Conclusion: Modified CoMiSS is a simple, fast, and easy-to-use tool that can predict LI, with a cut-off value of >8, the Area under the ROC Curve was 0.998, sensitivity 89.5%, and specificity was 100%.

Keywords: Adults; LI; Modified CoMISS Score; Sensitivity; Specificity; Validity.

 

Current Medical Research and Opinion 2022 Mar 23;1-19.

 

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03007995.2022.2057153

Healthcare Workers Should Receive Seasonal Influenza Vaccine during COVID-19 Pandemic?

Healthcare Workers Should Receive Seasonal Influenza Vaccine during COVID-19 Pandemic?

 

Hadir Fathy Abdel-Rahman Ibrahim (1), Aisha Aboul Fotouh (2), Mohamed Farouk Allam (1,2)*

 

1. Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

2. Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

 

*Correspondence: Mohamed Farouk Allam (farouk.allam@med.asu.edu.eg)

 

ABSTRACT

It is known that seasonal influenza virus vaccination is important to be taken every year among healthcare workers (HCWs) to avoid transmission of influenza virus and its complications inside the workplace. The reason behind the importance of vaccination is that HCWs are at high risk to be infected with influenza virus. Among the studies addressing the rates of influenza vac[1]cine status among HCWs, a study was conducted in three Middle East countries where the vaccination rates were 24.7%, 67.2%, and 46.4% in United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Oman, respectively. Now, after the pandemic of COVID-19 there are beliefs that vaccination with influenza virus could decrease the deaths from COVID-19. A recent retrospective cohort study to detect the effect of seasonal influenza vaccine on the deaths among COVID-19 patients showed that the individuals who didn’t take the influenza vaccine in the last year before being infected with COVID-19 had a higher risk of being hospitalized when compared with patients who took the vaccine. In conclusion, seasonal influenza vaccine could have an important role in the prevention of COVID-19. Seasonal influenza vaccine coverage should be improved among HCWs. New tailored health education programs to improve the attitudes and beliefs of HCWs towards seasonal influenza vaccine during the era of COVID-19 are strongly and urgently needed.

 

Keywords: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Influenza, Vaccine, Healthcare Workers, Review

 

Global Journal of Epidemiology and Infectious Disease 2022;2(1):33-35.

 

https://www.scipublications.com/journal/index.php/gjeid/article/view/215

Role of Ivermectin in Management of COVID-19

Role of Ivermectin in Management of COVID-19

 

Areej Mohamed Abdelhady Ahmed Helaly (1), Ghada Essam El-Din Amin (1,2), Salwa Mostafa Mohammad Abdel Rahman (1,3), Mohamed Farouk Allam (1,4)*

 

1. Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

2. Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

3. Department of Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Management, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

4. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Cordoba, Cordoba 14004, Spain.

 

*Correspondence: Mohamed Farouk Allam (farouk.allam@med.asu.edu.eg)

 

ABSTRACT

The pandemic corona virus disease 19 (COVID-19), caused by (SARS-CoV-2) a single stranded-RNA virus, has been spread rapidly worldwide with high rate of morbidity and mortality. Few months after the spread of the pandemic, few medications have proven to be efficient in human clinical trials. Several antiviral drugs have been used outside the scope of their initial medical use, such as lopinavir, hydroxychloroquine or azithromycin. Recent researches were done to show the efficacy of ivermectin in reducing SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA within 2 days. The use of ivermectin in in vitro studies has proven its efficacy against Corona virus. Based on the potency of ivermectin in in vitro studies, various clinical trials including patients infected with COVID-19 have been started; most of them have not been completed yet. Since the way how the virus infects the cells in vitro and in vivo is different, a decisive comment about how the ivermectin could exactly be bene[1]ficial to the patients has not been proven yet. Nevertheless, if ivermectin is compared to the other therapeutic treatments available for COVID-19 management, ivermectin has proved to have leverage over them. New randomized controlled clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of ivermectin the management of COVID-19 are strongly and urgently needed.

 

Keywords: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Ivermectin, Management, Review.

 

Global Journal of Epidemiology and Infectious Disease 2022;2(2):36-37.

 

https://www.scipublications.com/journal/index.php/gjeid/article/view/238 

OBESITY IS A RISK FACTOR FOR IRON DEFICIENCY AND ANEMIA: A CASE CONTROL STUDY

OBESITY IS A RISK FACTOR FOR IRON DEFICIENCY AND ANEMIA: A CASE CONTROL STUDY

Amira S. Nassar*, Mohamed F. Allam, Maysa A. Samy and Mohsen A. Gadallah.

Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University.

* Department of Nutritional Requirement and Growth, National Nutritional Institute.

 

ABSTRACT:

 

Background: Rapid dietary and lifestyle changes produce a double burden of malnutrition. The populations suffer from increasing over consumption of food, but continue to have high rates of micronutrient deficiencies. Adipose tissue of obese persons produces increased amount of pro-inflammatory cytokines contributing to the development of a low-grade systemic inflammation in these persons.

Aim of the work: to determine the relation between body mass index (BMI) and hemoglobin (Hg) level, serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and C reactive protein (CRP).

Patient and Methods: study was carried out on 60 women attending the outpatient clinic of the National Nutrition Institute (Egypt). Participants were divided into two groups; 30 obese women (case group) and 30 normal weight women (control group). Diagnosis of obesity was based on BMI >30 [WHO, 2014]. Anemia was diagnosed according to Hg level, serum iron and TIBC.

Results: The mean age of participant women was 32.82 years (SD 6.65) and ranged between 18 and 47 years. The mean Hb level of participant women were 11 gm/dl (SD 1.21) and ranged between 8.7 and 13.8 gm/dl. Hb levels showed no significant difference between obese and normal weight women. Serum iron was higher in normal weight women compared with obese women (P <0.05). No significant correlation was observed between BMI and Hb levels. BMI had a significant negative correlation with serum iron. BMI has significant positive correlations with TIBC and CRP. Linear regression analysis showed a significant association between Hb levels and waist hip ratio.

Conclusion: High BMI affected negatively levels of serum iron and is associated with inflammatory process as indicated by higher levels of CRP. High waist hip ratio is an important risk factor for anemia.

 

Key words: Obesity, overweight, BMI, anemia, iron deficiency anemia

 

Ain Shams Medical Journal 2021;75(4):891-898

 

https://asmj.journals.ekb.eg/article_222707_9a4e8866b53089244c47c02b27af75e8.pdf

Melatonin could be used for Treatment of COVID-19?

Melatonin could be used for Treatment of COVID-19?

 

Rehab Mohamed Ali Mohamed (1), Ghada Essam El-Din Amin (1,2), Salwa Mostafa Mohammad Abdel Rahman (1,3), Mohamed Farouk Allam (1,4)*

 

1. Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

2. Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

3. Department of Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Management, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams Univer[1]sity, Cairo, Egypt

4. Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Cordoba, Cordoba 14004, Spain

 

*Correspondence: farouk.allam@med.asu.edu.eg

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31586/gjeid.2022.188

Abstract:

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a broad family of potentially serious RNA viruses that are now causing an outbreak of respiratory disease known as CoV disease 2019 (COVID-19). Melatonin is a pineal hormone that is predominantly produced and released at night from the amino acid trypto[1]phan. Melatonin and its metabolites are also important in immunomodulation, and they have anti[1]oxidative properties due to their capacity to scavenge reactive oxygen species both directly and in[1]directly. COVID-19 leads to changes of altered consciousness levels in about 15% of hospitalized patients, starting from somnolence to disorientation, delirium, stupor, and coma. Melatonin can de[1]crease the molecules that cause delirium in the elderly and central respiratory depression, such as benzodiazepines and antipsychotics. Melatonin may help alleviate infection-induced acute respira[1]tory distress as well as its diverse effects, which include anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and im[1]mune-enhancing properties. Its supplemental dose may be able to prevent SARS-COV-2 infections by reversing aerobic glycolysis via suppression of both HIF-1 and mTOR, allowing pyruvate dehy[1]drogenase complex activity to be suppressed and acetyl-coenzyme A to be produced. When mito[1]chondrion-produced and parenteral melatonin are combined, the cytokine storm is reduced, and COVID-19 infection-induced damage is alleviated. In conclusion, melatonin could have an im[1]portant role in the management of COVID-19.

 

Keywords: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Melatonin, Management, Review.

Global Journal of Epidemiology and Infectious Disease, 2022, 2, 19-22

https://www.scipublications.com/journal/index.php/gjeid/article/view/188