A possible novel co-relation of locus 7q11 rs1761667 polymorphism with the severity of preeclampsia in Egyptian pregnant women

Genotypic and Allelic Distribution of the CD36 rs1761667 Polymorphism in High-Level Moroccan Athletes: A Pilot Study

Previous studies have shown that variations in the CD36 gene may affect phenotypes associated with fat metabolism as the CD36 protein facilitates the transport of fatty acids to the mitochondria for oxidation. However, no previous study has tested whether variations in the CD36 gene are associated with sports performance. We investigated the genotypic and allelic distribution of the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1761667 in the CD36 gene in elite Moroccan athletes (cyclists and hockey players) in comparison with healthy non-athletes of the same ethnic origin. Forty-three Moroccan elite male athletes (nineteen cyclists and twenty-four field hockey players) belonging to the national teams of their respective sports (athlete group) were compared to twenty-eight healthy, active, male university students (control group). Genotyping of the CD36 rs1761667 (G>A) SNP was performed via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing. A chi-square (χ2) test was used to assess the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) and to compare allele and genotype frequencies in the "athlete" and "control" groups. The genotypic distribution of the CD36 rs1761667 polymorphism was similar in elite athletes (AA: 23.81, AG: 59.52, and GG: 16.67%) and controls (AA: 19.23, AG: 69.23, and GG: 11.54%; χ2 = 0.67, p = 0.71). However, the genotypic distribution of the CD36 rs1761667 polymorphism was different between cyclists (AA: 0.00, AG: 72.22, and GG: 27.78%) and hockey players (AA: 41.67, AG: 50.00, and GG: 8.33%; χ2 = 10.69, p = 0.004). Specifically, the frequency of the AA genotype was significantly lower in cyclists than in hockey players (p = 0.02). In terms of allele frequency, a significant difference was found between cyclists versus field hockey players (χ2 = 7.72, p = 0.005). Additionally, there was a predominance of the recessive model in cyclists over field hockey players (OR: 0.00, 95% CI: 0.00-0.35, p = 0.002). Our study shows a significant difference between cyclists and field hockey players in terms of the genotypic and allelic frequency of the SNP rs1761667 of the CD36 gene. This divergence suggests a probable association between genetic variations in the CD36 gene and the type of sport in elite Moroccan athletes.

Assessment of efficacy and safety of two Egyptian protocols for treatment-experienced HCV patients: an observational study

Background

The devastating adverse effects of interferon (IFN) for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) lead to the emerging of direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs). This investigation was undertaken to assess safety and efficacy of two Egyptian DAA protocols for HCV: sofosbuvir (SOF)/daclatasvir (DCV)/simeprevir (SMV)/ribavirin (RBV) and sofosbuvir (SOF)/ombitasvir (OMB)/paritaprevir (PTV)/ritonavir (RTV)/RBV for 12 weeks in treatment-experienced HCV Egyptian patients.

Methods

It is a retrospective study where 139 patients, out of 400 patients, were divided according to their documented treatment protocol into two groups (Gp1: SOF/DCV/SMV/RBV and Gp2: SOF/PTV/OMB/RTV/RBV). All patients’ physical examination, disease history, laboratory baseline, and end of treatment data were collected from their profiles, evaluated and compared.

Results

Gp1 and Gp2 regimens had achieved sustained virologic response rates (SVR12) of 96.6% and 95.1%, respectively. Hemoglobin, ALT, and AST had decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in the two groups. Total bilirubin level had increased significantly in Gp1 and Gp2 (P = 0.002 and < 0.001, respectively). Creatinine level had increased significantly (P = 0.002) in Gp1 at end of treatment, while Gp2 remained unchanged. Headache and fatigue were the most common side effects in both protocols.

Conclusions

SOF/DCV/SMV/RBV and SOF/PTV/OMB/RTV/RBV regimens achieved high similar efficacy in Egyptian treatment-experienced HCV patients. Even though the outcome was with tolerable side effects, a better treatment regimen was recommended to abate these side effects for the welfare of Egyptian HCV patients.