Digital Commons Network^™

Genomic Prediction Of Relapse In Recipients Of Allogeneic Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation., J Ritari, K Hyvärinen, S Koskela, M Itälä-Remes, R Niittyvuopio, A Nihtinen, U Salmenniemi, M Putkonen, L Volin, T Kwan, T Pastinen, J Partanen

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation currently represents the primary potentially curative treatment for cancers of the blood and bone marrow. While relapse occurs in approximately 30% of patients, few risk-modifying genetic variants have been identified. The present study evaluates the predictive potential of patient genetics on relapse risk in a genome-wide manner. We studied 151 graft recipients with HLA-matched sibling donors by sequencing the whole-exome, active immunoregulatory regions, and the full MHC region. To assess the predictive capability and contributions of SNPs and INDELs, we employed machine learning and a feature selection approach in a cross-validation framework to discover the …

Randomized Trial Of Polychromatic Blue-Enriched Light For Circadian Phase Shifting, Melatonin Suppression, And Alerting Responses., J. P. Hanifin, S. W. Lockley, K. Cecil, K. West, M. Jablonski, B. Warfield, M. James, M. Ayers, B. Byrne, E. Gerner, C. Pineda, M. Rollag, G. C. Brainard

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Wavelength comparisons have indicated that circadian phase-shifting and enhancement of subjective and EEG-correlates of alertness have a higher sensitivity to short wavelength visible light. The aim of the current study was to test whether polychromatic light enriched in the blue portion of the spectrum (17,000 K) has increased efficacy for melatonin suppression, circadian phase-shifting, and alertness as compared to an equal photon density exposure to a standard white polychromatic light (4000 K). Twenty healthy participants were studied in a time-free environment for 7 days. The protocol included two baseline days followed by a 26-h constant routine (CR1) to assess initial …

Reducing Return Of Disease Activity In Patients With Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis Transitioned From Natalizumab To Teriflunomide: 12-Month Interim Results Of Teriflunomide Therapy., Stanley Cohan, Keith Edwards, Lindsay Lucas, Tiffany Gervasi-Follmar, Judy O'Connor, Jessica Siuta, Vineetha Kamath, Lore Garten, Chiayi Chen, James Thomas, Kyle E Smoot, Kiren Kresa-Reahl, Kateri Spinelli

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Background: Natalizumab is an effective treatment for relapsing multiple sclerosis. Return of disease activity upon natalizumab discontinuance creates the need for follow-up therapeutic strategies.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of teriflunomide following natalizumab discontinuance in relapsing multiple sclerosis patients.

Methods: Clinically stable relapsing multiple sclerosis patients completing 12 or more consecutive months of natalizumab, testing positive for anti-John Cunningham virus antibody, started teriflunomide 14 mg/day, 28 ± 7 days after their final natalizumab infusion. Physical examination, Expanded Disability Status Scale, laboratory assessments, and brain magnetic resonance imaging were performed at screening and multiple follow-up visits.

Results: Fifty-five patients were enrolled …

An Inflammatory Landscape For Preoperative Neurologic Deficits In Glioblastoma., Amal Katrib, Hyun-Hwan Jeong, Nina L Fransen, Kristin S Henzel, Jeremy A Miller

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

A Microbial-Based Cancer Vaccine For Induction Of Egfrviii-Specific Cd8+ T Cells And Anti-Tumor Immunity., Lauren Zebertavage, Shelly Bambina, Jessica Shugart, Alejandro Alice, Kyra D Zens, Peter Lauer, Bill Hanson, Michael J. Gough, Marka R Crittenden, Keith S Bahjat

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Dysregulated signaling via the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-family is believed to contribute to the progression of a diverse array of cancers. The most common variant of EGFR is EGFRvIII, which results from a consistent and tumor-specific in-frame deletion of exons 2-7 of the EGFR gene. This deletion generates a novel glycine at the junction and leads to constitutive ligand-independent activity. This junction forms a novel shared tumor neo-antigen with demonstrated immunogenicity in both mice and humans. A 21-amino acid peptide spanning the junctional region was selected, and then one or five copies of this 21-AA neo-peptide were incorporated into …

Altered Domain Functional Network Connectivity Strength And Randomness In Schizophrenia., Victor M Vergara, Eswar Damaraju, Jessica A Turner, Godfrey Pearlson, Aysenil Belger, Daniel H Mathalon, Steven G Potkin, Adrian Preda, Jatin G Vaidya, Theo G M Van Erp, Sarah C Mcewen, Vince D Calhoun

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Functional connectivity is one of the most widely used tools for investigating brain changes due to schizophrenia. Previous studies have identified abnormal functional connectivity in schizophrenia patients at the resting state brain network level. This study tests the existence of functional connectivity effects at whole brain and domain levels. Domain level refers to the integration of data from several brain networks grouped by their functional relationship. Data integration provides more consistent and accurate information compared to an individual brain network. This work considers two domain level measures: functional connectivity strength and randomness. The first measure is simply an average of …

Diagnosing And Treating Diabetes In Rural Jamaica, Emily C. Sims

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: This research study was conducted to determine the correlation between finger stick glucose and finger stick hemoglobin A1c values in order to draw conclusions about the redundancy of the two tests in a rural Jamaican traveling clinic setting. Methods: This study was conducted using de-identified data from an electronic health record used in clinics in St. Mary’s Parish, Jamaica. A correlational analysis was completed using the glucose and A1c variables to determine both the direction and strength of the correlation. Results: A positive correlation of 0.654549 was found in analysis. This correlation did not meet the set threshold for …

Ribonucleotide Reductase Inhibitor 3-Ap Induces Oncogenic Virus Infected Cell Death And Represses Tumor Growth, Lu Dai, Jungang Chen, Yueyu Cao, Luis Del Valle, Zhiqiang Qin

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent of several human malignancies, particularly Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS), which preferentially arise in immunocompromised patients such as HIV+ subpopulation while still lacking of effective therapeutic options. We recently found that the ribonucleotide reductase (RR) subunit M2 is potentially regulated by the key oncogenic HGF/c-MET pathway in KSHV-related lymphoma cells. One of RR inhibitor, 3-aminopyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3-AP) effectively induced apoptosis of KSHV+ lymphomas and suppressed tumor progression . In the current study, we found that 3-AP treatment selectively inhibited the proliferation of KSHV-infected endothelial cells, the major cellular components of KS, through inducing DNA …

Cumulative Exposure To Solar Ultraviolet A & B Increases Apoptosis Of Peripheral Blood Cutaneous Lymphocyte Antigen (Cla)+ T-Lymphocytes In Outdoor Workers, Afif Nurul Hidayati, Saut Sahat Pohan, Widodo J. Pudjirahardjo, Isaac Effendy

Journal of General - Procedural Dermatology and Venereology Indonesia

Background: Exposure to ultraviolet A & B (UVA-UVB) plays a role in the survival of human life, but it may cause negative effects, such as immunosuppression and skin cancer. The effect of solar UVA-UVB exposure on apoptosis (Bax/Bcl-2 ratio) of peripheral blood cutaneous lymphocyte antigen (CLA)+ T-lymphocyte; the immune competent cells in the skin, has not been investigated. Apoptosis of peripheral blood CLA+ Tlymphocyte affects its function; which serves as the skin's resistance and is involved in infectious diseases, skin inflammation, and malignancies. This study observed the effect of solar UVA-UVB to apoptosis (Bax/Bcl2 ratio) of peripheral blood CLA+ …

Effect Of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field On Menstrual Distress In Primary Dysmenorrhic Women, Ahmed H. Abd El Aziz, Engy M. El Nahas, Hesham M. Kamal

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background Primary dysmenorrhea is a common menstrual cramp that is recurrent and is not owing to other diseases and is a common cause of stay at home and school or work. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) on menstrual distress in primary dysmenorrheic women. Patients and methods A total of 40 women having primary dysmenorrhea were selected from Physical Therapy Department in Al Mataria Teaching Hospital in Cairo. Their ages ranged from 20 to 30 years. They were divided randomly into two groups equal in number: group A (study group), …

Comparison Between The Effect Of Intra-Articular Injections Of Platelet-Rich Plasma And Corticosteroids In Advanced Knee Osteoarthritis, Abeer H. Ismaiel

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Objective The objective of this study was to compare intra-articular injections (IAIs) of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and corticosteroid injections in reducing pain and studying which has a more effective and lasting functional improvement. Patients and methods A total of 60 patients with chronic knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren–Lawrence grades 3 and 4) were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomized to treatment either with a single leukocyte-rich PRP or corticosteroid IAIs. Patients were assessed by visual analog scale, and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. Results Our results showed improvement in all variables in …

Laparoscopic Presentation In Unexplained Infertility: A Retrospective Study, Abd Elatif M. Elbalshy, Ashraf M. Kansouh

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Objective Infertility is a growing challenge for all gynecologists worldwide. There is no definite answer as to what should be the best approach to the management of the couples with unexplained infertility (UI). This study aimed to evaluate laparoscopic diagnostic findings that were helpful in planning the protocol for management of cases of UI. Patients and methods This retrospective study was conducted in Shibeen El Kom Teaching Hospital, Egypt, from January 2012 to October 2017. Data of 250 infertile couples were collected from patient case records and subjected to laparoscopy or combined with hysteroscopy. Intraoperative findings such as endometriosis, pelvic …

The Relationship Between Presbycusis And Vestibular Activity, Gehan M. S. Abd El-Salam

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Introduction Presbycusis or age-related sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a complex disorder that results in a slow deterioration in auditory function. A considerably high number of these patients with presbycusis or age-related SNHL also experience dizziness and related vestibular symptoms. Although auditory and vestibular systems are distinct, they work just alike. So, there is a great relation among their functions. Once one is stimulated, the other experiences changes as well. Participants and methods This study comprised 40 adult patients (50–75 years) without any vestibular symptoms or diagnosed vestibular diseases. Audiological status was measured with auditory brainstem response (ABR). The vestibular …

Effects Of Iron-Deficiency Anemia On Auditory Function In School-Aged Children, Eman Soliman Abd El-Gaffar, Gehan M. S. Abd El-Salam, Hala M. Abd El-Samad

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Introduction Iron is important for proper myelination of spinal cord and white matter of cerebellar folds in brain and is a cofactor for a number of enzymes involved in neurotransmitter synthesis. Auditory brainstem evoked response (ABR) represents the progressive activation of different levels of the auditory pathway from the acoustic nerve (wave I) to the lateral lemniscuses (wave V). Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) are sounds measured in the external ear canal that reflect movement of the outer hair cells in the cochlea. Patients and methods A total of 40 children, of both sexes, with age ranging from 6–12 years old, were …

Screening And Identification Of Red Blood Cell Alloantibodies Among Hemodialysis Patients In National Institute Of Urology And Nephrology, Ahmed Hasan, Aisha M. A. Elshimy, Tarek A. Fouad

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background It is well known that alloimmunization to red blood cell antigens resulting from the genetic disparities between the donor and the recipient is one of the risks of blood transfusion. Alloimmunization can result in clinical hemolysis and difficulty in cross-matching blood. The risk of alloimmunization is higher in patients who have received multiple blood transfusions such as renal failure patients on dialysis who receive blood transfusions. The antibody-screening test (2–3 cells panel) used to detect unexpected antibodies is not a mandatory pretransfusion testing in our blood bank of National Institute of Urology and Nephrology (NIUN), and is performed routinely …

Implantable Biomaterials To Provide Local Immunotherapy Following Surgical Resection., Michael J Gough, Jason R Baird, R Bryan Bell

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

No abstract provided.

The Addition Of Simvastatin Administration To Cold Storage Solution Of Explanted Whole Liver Grafts For Facing Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury In An Area With A Low Rate Of Deceased Donation: A Monocentric Randomized Controlled Double-Blinded Phase 2 Study., Duilio Pagano, Elisabetta Oliva, Simone Khouzam, Fabio Tuzzolino, Davide Cintorino, Sergio Li Petri, Fabrizio Di Francesco, Calogero Ricotta, Pasquale Bonsignore, Alessandro Tropea, Sergio Calamia, Federico Costanzo, Angelo Luca, Salvatore Gruttadauria

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation is the best treatment for end-stage liver disease. The interruption of the blood supply to the donor liver during cold storage damages the liver, affecting how well the liver will function after transplant. The drug Simvastatin may help to protect donor livers against this damage and improve outcomes for transplant recipients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the benefits of treating the donor liver with Simvastatin compared with the standard transplant procedure.

PATIENT AND METHODS: We propose a prospective, double-blinded, randomized phase 2 study of 2 parallel groups of eligible adult patients. We will compare …

In Vitro Growth Of Human Ovarian Follicles For Fertility Preservation, Diego Marin, Min Yang, Tianren Wang

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Young female cancer survival rates significantly increased due to the great progress of cancer therapy. In fact, cryostorage and transplantation of ovarian tissue have already resulted in the birth of healthy babies. Follicle in vitro growth (IVG) has the great potential of restoring fertility by achieving functional oocytes from the most immature stages to maturation. This is suitable for a wide range of patients, from pubertal to perimenopause women. Notable achievements have been achieved in human follicle IVG in the past decade. Mature oocytes have been successfully collected from long-term sequential follicle IVG. However, it is still a major challenge …

Targeted Therapies For Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Xiaojuan Ai, Xialing Guo, Jun Wang, Andreea L Stancu, Patrick M N Joslin, Dianzheng Zhang, Shudong Zhu

PCOM Scholarly Works

Lung cancer is a serious health problem and the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, due to its high incidence and mortality. 85% of lung cancers are represented by the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Traditional chemotherapy has been the main treatment option in NSCLC. However, it is often associated with limited efficacy and overall poor patient survival. In recent years, molecular targeting has achieved great progress in therapeutic treatment of cancer and plays a crucial role in the current clinical treatment of NSCLC, due to enhanced efficacy on cancer tissues and reduced toxicity for normal tissues. In this review, …

The Current Understanding Of Microrna's Therapeutic, Diagnostic, And Prognostic Role In Chordomas: A Review Of The Literature., Paul J Choi, Rod J Oskouian, R Shane Tubbs

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Chordomas are primary low-grade bone tumors derived from the embryonic notochord that make up less than 5% of all osseous malignancies and commonly affect the spine at its vertebral body and at its two ends i.e., skull base and the sacrum. Although histologically defined to be low-grade, chordoma is locally destructive, metastatic, and has a serious recurrence rate, which all contribute to the dismal median survival rate of six years. Its locally destructive nature places the adjacent vital neurovascular structures at risk, making an en-bloc resection a challenge. This tumor is also known to show high resistance to currently available …

Differential Expression Of Genes Related To Innate Immune Responses In Ex Vivo Spinal Cord And Cerebellar Slice Cultures Infected With West Nile Virus, Amber M. Paul, Parminder J.S. Vig, Deyin Lu, Ram Kuwar, Maria Lopez, Dobrivoje S. Stokic, A. Arturo Leis, Michael R. Garrett, Fengwei Bai

Publications

West Nile virus (WNV) infection results in a spectrum of neurological symptoms, ranging from a benign fever to severe WNV neuroinvasive disease with high mortality. Many who recover from WNV neuroinvasive infection present with long-term deficits, including weakness, fatigue, and cognitive problems. While neurons are a main target of WNV, other cell types, especially astrocytes, play an important role in promoting WNV-mediated central nervous system (CNS) damage. Conversely, it has been shown that cultured primary astrocytes secrete high levels of interferons (IFNs) immediately after WNV exposure to protect neighboring astrocytes, as well as neurons. However, how intrinsic responses to WNV …

Non-Pharmacological Solutions To Sleep And Circadian Rhythm Disruption: Voiced Bedside Experiences Of Hospice And End-Oflife Staff Caregivers, Rana Sagha Zadeh, Elizabeth Capezuti, Paul Eshelman, Nicole Woody, Jennifer Tiffany, Ana C. Krieger

Publications and Research

Background: Sleep disturbance is a significant issue, particularly for patients with advanced terminal illness. Currently, there are no practice-based recommended approaches for managing sleep and circadian disruptions in this population. To address this gap, a cross-sectional focus group study was performed engaging 32 staff members at four hospices/end-of-life programs in three demographically diverse counties in New York State.

Methods: Participants responded to structured open-ended questions. Responses were transcribed and subjected to qualitative content analysis. The themes and recommendations for improved practice that emerged were tabulated using Atlas TI qualitative software.

Results: This report details the experiences of hospice and end-of-life …

Efficacy Of A T Cell-Biased Adenovirus Vector As A Zika Virus Vaccine, Brianna L. Bullard, Brigette N. Corder, Matthew J. Gorman, Michael S. Diamond, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a major public health concern due to the risk of congenital Zika syndrome in developing fetuses and Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults. Currently, there are no approved vaccines available to protect against infection. Adenoviruses are safe and highly immunogenic vaccine vectors capable of inducing lasting humoral and cellular immune responses. Here, we developed two Adenovirus (Ad) vectored Zika virus vaccines by inserting a ZIKV prM-E gene expression cassette into human Ad types 4 (Ad4-prM-E) and 5 (Ad5-prM-E). Immune correlates indicate that Ad5-prM-E vaccination induces both an anti-ZIKV antibody and T-cell responses whereas Ad4-prM-E vaccination only induces a …

Mechanical Suppression Of Osteolytic Bone Metastases In Advanced Breast Cancer Patients: A Randomised Controlled Study Protocol Evaluating Safety, Feasibility And Preliminary Efficacy Of Exercise As A Targeted Medicine, Nicolas H. Hart, Daniel A. Galvão, Christobel Saunders, Dennis R. Taaffe, Kynan T. Feeney, Nigel A. Spry, Daphne Tsoi, Hilary Martin, Raphael Chee, Tim Clay, Andrew D. Redfern, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: Skeletal metastases present a major challenge for clinicians, representing an advanced and typically incurable stage of cancer. Bone is also the most common location for metastatic breast carcinoma, with skeletal lesions identified in over 80% of patients with advanced breast cancer. Preclinical models have demonstrated the ability of mechanical stimulation to suppress tumour formation and promote skeletal preservation at bone sites with osteolytic lesions, generating modulatory interference of tumour-driven bone remodelling. Preclinical studies have also demonstrated anti-cancer effects through exercise by minimising tumour hypoxia, normalising tumour vasculature and increasing tumoural blood perfusion. This study proposes to explore the promising …

Regulators Of Oncogenic Mutant Tp53 Gain Of Function., Satomi Yamamoto, Tomoo Iwakuma

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The tumor suppressor p53 (TP53) is the most frequently mutated human gene. Mutations in TP53 not only disrupt its tumor suppressor function, but also endow oncogenic gain-of-function (GOF) activities in a manner independent of wild-type TP53 (wtp53). Mutant TP53 (mutp53) GOF is mainly mediated by its binding with other tumor suppressive or oncogenic proteins. Increasing evidence indicates that stabilization of mutp53 is crucial for its GOF activity. However, little is known about factors that alter mutp53 stability and its oncogenic GOF activities. In this review article, we primarily summarize key regulators of mutp53 stability/activities, including genotoxic stress, post-translational modifications, ubiquitin …

Prenatal Risk For Asd: Fetal Cortisol Exposure Predicts Child Autism-Spectrum-Disorder Symptoms, Sheena Ram, Mariann A. Howland, Curt A. Sandman, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is multifactorial, complex, and likely involves interactions among genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. With respect to environmental influences, a growing literature implicates intrauterine experiences in the origin of this pervasive developmental disorder. In this prospective longitudinal study, we examined the hypothesis that fetal exposure to maternal cortisol may confer ASD risk. In addition, because ASD is four times more prevalent in males than in females, and because sexually dimorphic responses to intrauterine experiences are commonly observed, we examined whether or not any associations differ by fetal sex. Maternal plasma cortisol was measured at …

Prenatal Risk For Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd): Fetal Cortisol Exposure Predicts Child Asd Symptoms, Sheena Ram, Mariann A. Howland, Curt A. Sandman, Elyssia Poggi Davis, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is multifactorial, complex, and likely involves interactions among genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. With respect to environmental influences, a growing literature implicates intrauterine experiences in the origin of this pervasive developmental disorder. In this prospective longitudinal study, we examined the hypothesis that fetal exposure to maternal cortisol may confer ASD risk. In addition, because ASD is four times more prevalent in males than in females, and because sexually dimorphic responses to intrauterine experiences are commonly observed, we examined whether or not any associations differ by fetal sex. Maternal plasma cortisol was measured at …

Making Prescriptions “Talk” To Stroke And Heart Attack Survivors To Improve Adherence: Results Of A Randomized Clinical Trial (The Talking Rx Study), Ayeesha Kamran Kamal, Wardah Khalid, Abdul Muqeet,, Anum Jamil,, Kashfa Farhat, Sehar Rahim Ali Gillani, Maryam Zulfiqar, Mehreen Saif, Aliya Amin Muhammad, Fabiha Zaidi, Saleem Sayani, Salim S. Virani

Section of Neurology

Background: We developed and tested the effectiveness of a tailored health information technology driven intervention: "TalkingPrescriptions" (Talking Rx) to improve medication adherence in a resource challenged environment.
Methods: We conducted a parallel, randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded trial at the Aga Khan University (AKU), Karachi, Pakistan. Adults with diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or coronary artery disease (CAD) diagnosed least one month before enrollment, on anti-platelets and statins, with access to a mobile phone were enrolled. The intervention group received a) Daily Interactive Voice Response (IVR) call services regarding specific statin and antiplatelet b) Daily tailored medication reminders for statin and antiplatelet …

Spio Enhance The Cross-Presentation And Migration Of Dcs And Anionic Spio Influence The Nanoadjuvant Effects Related To Interleukin-1Β., Hui Liu, Heng Dong, Na Zhou, Shiling Dong, Lin Chen, Yanxiang Zhu, Hong-Ming Hu, Yongbin Mou

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIO) have been synthesized and explored for use as carriers of various nanoadjuvants via loading into dendritic cells (DCs). In our study, homogeneous and superparamagnetic nanoparticles are susceptible to internalization by DCs and SPIO-pulsed DCs showed excellent biocompatibility and capacity for ovalbumin (OVA) cross-presentation. Herein, we found that SPIO-loaded DCs can promote the maturation and migration of DCs in vitro. SPIO coated with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTS) and meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), which present positive and negative charges, respectively, were prepared. We aimed to investigate whether the surface charge of SPIO can affect the antigen cross-presentation of the DCs. …

Retinopathy Of Prematurity: A Major Review And Situation Analysis In Egypt, Ihab S. Othman

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) remains a major cause of childhood blindness in developing countries. As childhood and neonatal mortality in Egypt has shown tremendous improvement over the past two decades, it is expected to encounter an increasing number of cases of blindness from ROP in surviving infants unless strict guidelines and cooperation between different involved departments are explicitly set. In this review article, the author highlights the studies conducted and published risk factors, recommends protocols for early diagnosis, and describes management strategies to lessen or prevent blindness related to ROP.