Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Consensus Interferon Plus Ribavirin For Hepatitis C Genotype 3 Patients Previously Treated With Pegylated Interferon Plus Ribavirin, Zaigham Abbas, Ghiasun Nabi Tayyab, Mustafa Qureshi, Mohammad Sadik Memon, Amna Subhan, Tanzila Shakir, Wasim Jafri, Saeed Hamid

Section of Gastroenterology

Background

Not enough data are available about the effectiveness of consensus interferon (CIFN) among HCV genotype 3 patients who failed to respond to pegylated interferon and ribavirin.

Objectives

We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of CIFN and ribavirin in non-responders and relapsers to pegylated interferon with ribavirin therapy.

Patients and Methods

This open-label investigator-initiated study included 44 patients who received CIFN 15 µg /day plus ribavirin 800-1200 mg daily. In patients with an early virological response (EVR), the dose of CIFN was reduced to 15 µg thrice a week for further 36 weeks. Patients with delayed virological response …

Comparison Of The Virulence Markers Of Helicobacter Pylori And Their Associated Diseases In Patients From Pakistan And Afghanistan, Javed Yakoob, Zaigham Abbas, Wasim Jafri, Muhammad W. Usman, Fatima Jafri, Safia Awan

Section of Gastroenterology

BACKGROUND/AIM: Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative bacteria, which is associated with development of gastroduodenal diseases. The prevalence of H. pylori and the virulence markers cytotoxin-associated gene A and E (cagA, cagE) and vacuolating-associated cytotoxin gene (vacA) alleles varies in different parts of the world. H. pylori virulence markers cagA, cagE, and vacA alleles in local and Afghan nationals with H. pylori-associated gastroduodenal diseases were studied.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:Two hundred and ten patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms and positive for H. pylori by the urease test and histology were included. One hundred and nineteen were local nationals and 91 were Afghans. …

Changing Trends Of Hepatitis B Seromarkers Amongst Pakistani Population: A Laboratory-Based Review, Afia Zafar, Erum Khan, Muhammad Shoaib Khan, Bushra Moiz, Wasim Jafri

Section of Gastroenterology

Objective:

To study the changing trends of hepatitis B markers tested at Aga Khan University Hospital clinical laboratory according to the internationally recognised classification of hepatitis B profile.

Methods:

The retrospective study involved analysis of laboratory records of hepatitis B profiles of all patients collected from January 2001 to December 2008 at the Aga Khan University Hospital\'s clinical laboratory. Patients with complete profile tested were categorised according to the Centre for Diseases Control classification of hepatitis B profile. SPSS 16 was used for statistical analysis. R

Results:

A total of 185,825 patients had serological markers for hepatitis B tested. Mean-age …

Varied Presentation Of Celiac Disease In Pakistani Adults, Zaigham Abbas, Sajjad Raza, Javed Yakoob, Shahab Abid, Saeed Hamid, Hasnain Shah, Wasim Jafri

Section of Gastroenterology

he objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate presentation of celiac disease in adults. It included 77 patients, 41 (53.2%) males with median age 26 years and median body mass index of 18 (16 â�� 22) kg/m2. Typical presentation with gastrointestinal symptoms was seen in 76.6%. Atypical presentation with extra intestinal complaints in 7.8% and silent presentation in 15.6%. Major symptoms were diarrhea in 64.9%, weight loss 36.4%, abdominal pain 35.1%, vomiting 32.5%, pallor 24.7%, and weakness 13%. Iron deficiency was documented in 20.8%, B12 deficiency in 9.1%, folic acid deficiency in 6.5% and vitamin D deficiency in 10.4%. …

Increased Rate Of Cholecystectomies Performed With Doubtful Or No Indications After Laparoscopy Introduction: A Single Center Experience, Elia Pulvirenti, Adriana Toro, Michel Gagner, Maurizio Mannino, Isidoro Di Carlo

HWCOM Faculty Publications

Background

During recent years laparoscopic cholecystectomy has dramatically increased, sometimes resulting in overtreatment. Aim of this work was to retrospectively analyze all laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed in a single center in order to find the percentage of patients whose surgical treatment may be explained with this general trend, and to speculate about the possible causes.

Methods

831 patients who underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy from 1999 to 2008 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

At discharge, 43.08% of patients were operated on because of at least one previous episode of biliary colic before the one at admission; 14.08% of patients presented with acute lithiasic …

A Literature Review Of The Health Effects Of A Plant Based Diet Versus An Animal Based Diet, James Cote

Senior Honors Theses

Health and nutrition can mean a myriad of things to many people in today’s culture. The majority of the time people are unaware of the proper nutrients their body needs and how to get them from food. This thesis will seek to expose the health benefits that are associated with consuming a raw plant-based die, offering a more profound and encompassing view on nutrition. Investigating further into today’s most common diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, cancer and autoimmune disorders, it will seek to discover and answer why we have so many health issues. This thesis will discuss the …

Anti-Helicobacter Pylori Activity And Inhibition Of Helicobacter Pylori-Induced Release Of Il-8 In Ags Cells By Plant Extracts, Javed Yakoob, Zaigham Abbas, Rustam Khan, Muhammad Waqas Usman, Saeed Hamid, Safia Awan, Kanza Shamim, Syed Faisal Zaidi, Toshiro Sugiyama, Wasim Jafri

Section of Gastroenterology

Plants used in popular diet were studied for anti-Helicobacter pylori activity and their effect on the expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8) from H. pylori infected gastric epithelial cells. Extracts were prepared of Allium sativum (A. sativum), Cuminum cyminum (C. cyminum),Piper nigrum (P. nigrum) and their mix in two different dilutions. AGS cell line and H. pyloristrains were used for co-culture experiments. Extracts bactericidal activity was determined by a viable colony count. ELISA (Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) was used to determine IL-8 expression. DNA extracted from bacterial cells was used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) …

Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Native South Asian Pakistani Population; Trends, Clinico-Pathological Characteristics & Differences In Viral Marker Negative & Viral-Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Amna Subhan Butt1, Saeed Hamid, Ashfaq Ahmad Wadalawala, Mariam Ghufran, Ammar Asrar Javed, Omer Farooq, Bilal Ahmed, Tanveer Ul Haq, Wasim Jafri

Section of Gastroenterology

Background

HCC is the fifth most common cancer globally. Our study was conducted to (1)investigate the trends and clinico-pathological characteristics of Hepatocellular carcinoma among native South Asian patients in Pakistan, (2)to estimate the prevalence as well as the trends of viral marker negative HCC and (3) to compare the clinico-pathological, radiological characteristics, applicability of treatment at diagnosis and prognostic factors among patients with both viral marker negative and viral marker positive-HCC being consulted at Aga Khan University Hospital(AKUH), Karachi, Pakistan.

Method

Patients ≥18 years, already diagnosed to have HCC and visiting AKUH during 1999–2009 were identified using ICD code 1550. …

Obesity Interventions: Comparing Two Theoretical Approaches, Maria M. Ojeda

All Publications

Comparison of the Theory of Planned Behavior and the theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness, based upon their use in obesity intervention studies.

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Icad Deficiency In Human Colon Cancer And Predisposition To Colon Tumorigenesis: Linkage To Apoptosis Resistance And Genomic Instability, Youssef Errami, Hassan Brim, Karine Oumouna-Benachour, Mustapha Oumouna, Amarjit S. Naura, Hogyoung Kim, Jihang Ju, Christian J. Davis, Jong G. Kim, Hassan Ashktorab, Kenneth Fallon, Ming Xu University Of Chicago - Chicago, Il, Jianhua Zhang, Luis Del Valle, A Hamid Boulares

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

We previously showed that DNA fragmentation factor, which comprises a caspase-3-activated DNase (CAD) and its inhibitor (ICAD), may influence the rate of cell death by generating PARP-1-activating DNA breaks. Here we tested the hypothesis that ICAD-deficient colon epithelial cells exhibiting resistance to death stimuli may accumulate additional genetic modifications, leading to a tumorigenic phenotype. We show that ICAD deficiency may be associated with colon malignancy in humans. Indeed, an examination of ICAD expression using immunohistochemistry in an array of both colon cancer and normal tissues revealed that ICAD expression levels were severely compromised in the cancerous tissues. Upon DNA damage …

Low Rate Of Recurrence Of Helicobacter Pylori Infection In Spite Of High Clarithromycin Resistance In Pakistan, Javed Yakoob, Shahab Abid, Wasim Jafri, Zaigham Abbas, Khalid Mumtaz, Saeed Hamid, Rashida Ahmed

Section of Gastroenterology

Background

The aim was to investigate the reinfection rate of H. pylori during a follow-up period of 12 months in adults who had undergone eradication therapy.

Methods

One hundred-twenty patients; 116 with gastritis, 3 with duodenal ulcer and 1 gastric ulcer, were studied. Their mean age was 41 ± 13 years (range 18–77) and male: female ratio of 2:1. H. pylori were cultured and antibiotic sensitivity was determined by Epsilometer test (E-test) for clarithromycin (CLR) and amoxicillin (AMX). Primers of urease C gene of H. pylori and Sau-3 and Hha I restriction enzymes were used for polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment …