Ain Shams University Hospital

Analyzing the type and frequency of patient-specific mutations that give rise to Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an invaluable tool for diagnostics, basic scientific research, trial planning, and improved clinical care. Locus-specific databases allow for the collection, organization, storage, and analysis of genetic variants of disease. Here, we describe the development and analysis of the TREAT-NMD DMD Global database (http://umd.be/TREAT_DMD/). We analyzed genetic data for 7,149 DMD mutations held within the database. A total of 5,682 large mutations were observed (80% of total mutations), of which 4,894 (86%) were deletions (1 exon or larger) and 784 (14%) were duplications (1 exon or larger). There were 1,445 small mutations (smaller than 1 exon, 20% of all mutations), of which 358 (25%) were small deletions and 132 (9%) small insertions and 199 (14%) affected the splice sites. Point mutations totalled 756 (52% of small mutations) with 726 (50%) nonsense mutations and 30 (2%) missense mutations. Finally, 22 (0.3%) mid-intronic mutations were observed. In addition, mutations were identified within the database that would potentially benefit from novel genetic therapies for DMD including stop codon read-through therapies (10% of total mutations) and exon skipping therapy (80% of deletions and 55% of total mutations).

The World Allergy Organization (WAO) Guidelines for the assessment and management of anaphylaxis provide a unique global perspective on this increasingly common, potentially life-threatening disease. Recommendations made in the original WAO Anaphylaxis Guidelines remain clinically valid and relevant, and are a widely accessed and frequently cited resource. In this 2015 update of the evidence supporting recommendations in the Guidelines, new information based on anaphylaxis publications from January 2014 through mid- 2015 is summarized. Advances in epidemiology, diagnosis, and management in healthcare and community settings are highlighted. Additionally, new information about patient factors that increase the risk of severe and/or fatal anaphylaxis and patient co-factors that amplify anaphylactic episodes is presented and new information about anaphylaxis triggers and confirmation of triggers to facilitate specific trigger avoidance and immunomodulation is reviewed. The update includes tables summarizing important advances in anaphylaxis research.

Our knowledge of disease genes in neurological disorders is incomplete. With the aim of closing this gap, we performed whole-exome sequencing on 143 multiplex consanguineous families in whom known disease genes had been excluded by autozygosity mapping and candidate gene analysis. This prescreening step led to the identification of 69 recessive genes not previously associated with disease, of which 33 are here described (SPDL1, TUBA3E, INO80, NID1, TSEN15, DMBX1, CLHC1, C12orf4, WDR93, ST7, MATN4, SEC24D, PCDHB4, PTPN23, TAF6, TBCK, FAM177A1, KIAA1109, MTSS1L, XIRP1, KCTD3, CHAF1B, ARV1, ISCA2, PTRH2, GEMIN4, MYOCD, PDPR, DPH1, NUP107, TMEM92, EPB41L4A, and FAM120AOS). We also encountered instances in which the phenotype departed significantly from the established clinical presentation of a known disease gene. Overall, a likely causal mutation was identified in >73% of our cases. This study contributes to the global effort toward a full compendium of disease genes affecting brain function.

The vasopressor angiotensin II activates AT(1) and AT(2) receptors. Most of the known in vivo effects of angiotensin II are mediated by AT(1) receptors while the biological functions of AT(2) receptors are less clear. We report here that the AT(2) receptor binds directly to the AT(1) receptor and thereby antagonizes the function of the AT(1) receptor. The AT(1)-specific antagonism of the AT(2) receptor was independent of AT(2) receptor activation and signaling, and it was effective on different cells and on human myometrial biopsies with AT(1)/AT(2) receptor expression. Thus, the AT(2) receptor is the first identified example of a G-protein-coupled receptor which acts as a receptor-specific antagonist.

Asthma is the most common chronic lower respiratory disease in childhood throughout the world. Several guidelines and/or consensus documents are available to support medical decisions on pediatric asthma. Although there is no doubt that the use of common systematic approaches for management can considerably improve outcomes, dissemination and implementation of these are still major challenges. Consequently, the International Collaboration in Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (iCAALL), recently formed by the EAACI, AAAAI, ACAAI, and WAO, has decided to propose an International Consensus on (ICON) Pediatric Asthma. The purpose of this document is to highlight the key messages that are common to many of the existing guidelines, while critically reviewing and commenting on any differences, thus providing a concise reference. The principles of pediatric asthma management are generally accepted. Overall, the treatment goal is disease control. To achieve this, patients and their parents should be educated to optimally manage the disease, in collaboration with healthcare professionals. Identification and avoidance of triggers is also of significant importance. Assessment and monitoring should be performed regularly to re-evaluate and fine-tune treatment. Pharmacotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment. The optimal use of medication can, in most cases, help patients control symptoms and reduce the risk for future morbidity. The management of exacerbations is a major consideration, independent of chronic treatment. There is a trend toward considering phenotype-specific treatment choices; however, this goal has not yet been achieved.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that free fetal DNA (ffDNA) circulating in maternal plasma originates mainly from the placenta we studied ffDNA levels in anembryonic pregnancies. METHODS: Maternal blood samples were collected from 15 normal first-trimester pregnancies in which fetal sex was subsequently determined and nine patients with a diagnosis of anembryonic gestation (AG). The Y chromosome DYS14 gene was quantified by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) for the determination of fetal sex in both plasma and chorionic tissue samples. Fetal sex in chorionic tissue samples was also determined using quantitative fluorescence PCR (QF-PCR). RESULTS: The correct sex result was obtained from maternal plasma in all. Four AG pregnancies were female (DYS14 negative) results. In five of the AG cases, the chorionic tissue was found to be male (by both QF-PCR and RT-PCR which agreed) and positive male signal was found in maternal plasma by RT-PCR. There was no statistical difference between median free fetal DNA concentration in plasma between the AG male cases (148.3 GE/mL) and controls (145.8 GE/mL). CONCLUSION: Since ffDNA levels are normal in pregnancies without a fetus, the data support the hypothesis that the trophoblastic cells are the major source ffDNA in maternal plasma.

In this study, we report the experience of the only reference clinical next-generation sequencing lab in Saudi Arabia with the first 1000 families who span a wide-range of suspected Mendelian phenotypes. A total of 1019 tests were performed in the period of March 2016-December 2016 comprising 972 solo (index only), 14 duo (parents or affected siblings only), and 33 trio (index and parents). Multigene panels accounted for 672 tests, while whole exome sequencing (WES) represented the remaining 347 tests. Pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants that explain the clinical indications were identified in 34% (27% in panels and 43% in exomes), spanning 279 genes and including 165 novel variants. While recessive mutations dominated the landscape of solved cases (71% of mutations, and 97% of which are homozygous), a substantial minority (27%) were solved on the basis of dominant mutations. The highly consanguineous nature of the study population also facilitated homozygosity for many private mutations (only 32.5% of the recessive mutations are founder), as well as the first instances of recessive inheritance of previously assumed strictly dominant disorders (involving ITPR1, VAMP1, MCTP2, and TBP). Surprisingly, however, dual molecular diagnosis was only observed in 1.5% of cases. Finally, we have encountered candidate variants in 75 genes (ABHD6, ACY3, ADGRB2, ADGRG7, AGTPBP1, AHNAK2, AKAP6, ASB3, ATXN1L, C17orf62, CABP1, CCDC186, CCP110, CLSTN2, CNTN3, CNTN5, CTNNA2, CWC22, DMAP1, DMKN, DMXL1, DSCAM, DVL2, ECI1, EP400, EPB41L5, FBXL22, GAP43, GEMIN7, GIT1, GRIK4, GRSF1, GTRP1, HID1, IFNL1, KCNC4, LRRC52, MAP7D3, MCTP2, MED26, MPP7, MRPS35, MTDH, MTMR9, NECAP2, NPAT, NRAP, PAX7, PCNX, PLCH2, PLEKHF1, PTPN12, QKI, RILPL2, RIMKLA, RIMS2, RNF213, ROBO1, SEC16A, SIAH1, SIRT2, SLAIN2, SLC22A20, SMDT1, SRRT, SSTR1, ST20, SYT9, TSPAN6, UBR4, VAMP4, VPS36, WDR59, WDYHV1, and WHSC1) not previously linked to human phenotypes and these are presented to accelerate post-publication matchmaking. Two of these genes were independently mutated in more than one family with similar phenotypes, which substantiates their link to human disease (AKAP6 in intellectual disability and UBR4 in early dementia). If the novel candidate disease genes in this cohort are independently confirmed, the yield of WES will have increased to 83%, which suggests that most "negative" clinical exome tests are unsolved due to interpretation rather than technical limitations.

OBJECTIVE: The response of patients with dystonia to pallidal procedures is not well understood. In this study, we assessed the postoperative outcome of patients with primary and secondary dystonia undergoing pallidotomy or pallidal deep brain stimulation. METHODS: Fifteen patients with dystonia had pallidal surgery (lesions or deep brain stimulation). These included nine patients with primary dystonia (generalized and cervical dystonias) and six with secondary dystonia (generalized, segmental, and hemidystonias). There were nine male patients and six female patients. The mean age at onset was 21 years for primary dystonia and 18 years for secondary dystonia. The primary outcome measure was a Global Outcome Scale score for dystonia at 6 months after surgery. Other outcome measures were the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale and Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale scores. RESULTS: The mean Global Outcome Scale score at 6 months for patients with primary dystonia was 3 (improvement in both movement disorder and function). In contrast, patients with secondary dystonia had a mean score of 0.83 (mild or no improvement in movement disorder with no functional improvement). All patients with primary dystonia had normal brains by magnetic resonance imaging, whereas five of six patients with secondary dystonia had basal ganglia abnormalities on their magnetic resonance imaging scans. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that primary dystonia responds much better than secondary dystonia to pallidal procedures. We could not distinguish a difference in efficacy between pallidotomy and pallidal deep brain stimulation. The presence of basal ganglia abnormalities on the preoperative magnetic resonance imaging scan is an indicator of a lesser response to pallidal interventions for dystonia.

OBJECTIVE: Although there is evidence for short term benefits of rTMS in stroke, longer term effects have not been reported. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of two different frequencies of rTMS on motor recovery and on cortical excitability up to 1 year post-treatment. METHODS: Forty-eight patients with acute ischemic stroke were randomly classified into three groups. The first two groups received real rTMS over motor cortex (3 and 10 Hz respectively) of the affected hemisphere and the third group received sham stimulation of the same site, daily for five consecutive days. Disability was assessed before, after fifth sessions, and then after 1, 2, 3 and 12 months. Cortical excitability was assessed for both hemispheres before and after the second and fifth sessions. RESULTS: A significant 'rTMS x time' interaction was obtained indicating that real and sham rTMS had different effects on rating scales. This was because real rTMS produced greater improvement than sham that was evident even at one year follow-up. These improvements were associated with changes in cortical excitability over the period of treatment. CONCLUSION: These results confirm that real rTMS over motor cortex can enhance and maintain recovery and may be a useful add on therapy in treatment of acute stroke patients.

With the significant growth of the Muslim population all over the world, there exists a corresponding increase in the need for mental health services that suit this group of patients. Research demonstrates the effectiveness of the integration of spirituality and religiosity into psychotherapy and how religious beliefs could affect the management plans. This article discusses the impact of various beliefs in the Islamic faith on the bio-psychosocial model for the management of different psychiatric disorders including focusing on the modification of psychotherapeutic techniques as cognitive restructuring. It also shows other types of therapies such as music therapy, meditation therapy, and aromatherapy. The main emphasis remains to ensure that Muslim psychiatric patients get ethical, acceptable, and effective treatment.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem in Egypt as the nation bears the highest prevalence rate worldwide. This necessitated establishing a novel model of care (MOC) to contain the epidemic, deliver patient care and ensure global treatment access. In this review, we describe the process of development of the Egyptian model and future strategies for sustainability. Although the magnitude of the HCV problem was known for many years, the HCV MOC only came into being in 2006 with the establishment of the National Committee for Control of Viral Hepatitis (NCCVH) to set up and implement a national control strategy for the disease and other causes of viral hepatitis. The strategy outlines best practices for patient care delivery by applying a set of service principles through identified clinical streams and patient flow continuums. The Egyptian national viral hepatitis treatment programme is considered one of the most successful and effective public health programmes. To date, more than one million patients were evaluated and more than 850 000 received treatment under the umbrella of the programme since 2006. The NCCVH has been successful in establishing a strong infrastructure for controlling viral hepatitis in Egypt. It established a nationwide network of digitally connected viral hepatitis-specialized treatment centres covering the country map to enhance treatment access. Practice guidelines suiting local circumstances were issued and regularly updated and are applied in all affiliated centres. This review illustrates the model and the successful Egyptian experience. It sets an exemplar for states, organizations and policy-makers setting up programmes for care and management of people with hepatitis C.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) to characterize, outside of a pre-specified range of values, stenosis severity, as defined by fractional flow reserve (FFR) ≤0.80, in a prospective, independent, controlled, core laboratory-based environment. BACKGROUND: Studies with methodological heterogeneity have reported some discrepancies in the classification agreement between iFR and FFR. The ADVISE II (ADenosine Vasodilator Independent Stenosis Evaluation II) study was designed to overcome limitations of previous iFR versus FFR comparisons. METHODS: A total of 919 intermediate coronary stenoses were investigated during baseline and hyperemia. From these, 690 pressure recordings (n = 598 patients) met core laboratory physiology criteria and are included in this report. RESULTS: The pre-specified iFR cut-off of 0.89 was optimal for the study and correctly classified 82.5% of the stenoses, with a sensitivity of 73.0% and specificity of 87.8% (C statistic: 0.90 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88 to 0.92, p < 0.001]). The proportion of stenoses properly classified by iFR outside of the pre-specified treatment (≤0.85) and deferral (≥0.94) values was 91.6% (95% CI: 88.8% to 93.9%). When combined with FFR use within these cut-offs, the percent of stenoses properly classified by such a pre-specified hybrid iFR-FFR approach was 94.2% (95% CI: 92.2% to 95.8%). The hybrid iFR-FFR approach obviated vasodilators from 65.1% (95% CI: 61.1% to 68.9%) of patients and 69.1% (95% CI: 65.5% to 72.6%) of stenoses. CONCLUSIONS: The ADVISE II study supports, on the basis rigorous methodology, the diagnostic value of iFR in establishing the functional significance of coronary stenoses, and highlights its complementariness with FFR when used in a hybrid iFR-FFR approach. (ADenosine Vasodilator Independent Stenosis Evaluation II-ADVISE II; NCT01740895).

Patients with mutations of the recombination-activating genes (RAG) present with diverse clinical phenotypes, including severe combined immune deficiency (SCID), autoimmunity, and inflammation. However, the incidence and extent of immune dysregulation in RAG-dependent immunodeficiency have not been studied in detail. Here, we have demonstrated that patients with hypomorphic RAG mutations, especially those with delayed-onset combined immune deficiency and granulomatous/autoimmune manifestations (CID-G/AI), produce a broad spectrum of autoantibodies. Neutralizing anti-IFN-α or anti-IFN-ω antibodies were present at detectable levels in patients with CID-G/AI who had a history of severe viral infections. As this autoantibody profile is not observed in a wide range of other primary immunodeficiencies, we hypothesized that recurrent or chronic viral infections may precipitate or aggravate immune dysregulation in RAG-deficient hosts. We repeatedly challenged Rag1S723C/S723C mice, which serve as a model of leaky SCID, with agonists of the virus-recognizing receptors TLR3/MDA5, TLR7/-8, and TLR9 and found that this treatment elicits autoantibody production. Altogether, our data demonstrate that immune dysregulation is an integral aspect of RAG-associated immunodeficiency and indicate that environmental triggers may modulate the phenotypic expression of autoimmune manifestations.

BACKGROUND: While traditional nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (t-NSAIDs) are relatively contraindicated in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) for fear of disease aggravation, controlled clinical trials showed that cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors have fewer gastrointestinal side effects than the t-NSAIDs. Etoricoxib is a new antiinflammatory inhibitor that has high Cox-2 selectivity. OBJECTIVES: To assess the safety of etoricoxib and effect on disease activity in patients with IBD in a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-control study. METHODS: Study group included 76 patients suffering from IBD (ulcerative colitis (UC) (38), and Crohn's disease (CD) (38)). The control group included 70 patients known to have UC (35) and Crohn's disease (CD) (35). Patients of both groups were referred to the rheumatology clinic for rheumatic manifestations that require antiinflammatory therapy and were intolerable to the t-NSAIDs. The level of the IBD activity at the baseline visit, when drug/placebo therapy was initiated, was scored for all subjects included in the study. In the study group the dose of etoricoxib ranged from 60 to 120 mg tablet once a day according to their rheumatic condition. The control group received a placebo tablet once a day. Adverse events related to the use of the study medication in 1 and 3 months time were documented. Etoricoxib/placebo therapy was stopped once the patient experience flare up of their IBD. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the patients and the control groups. After 3 months of etoricoxib therapy, 8 of 76 (10.53%) of the study group had aggravation of their underlying IBD and stopped the drug therapy, while 68 of 76 (89.5%) completed the study. The mean disease activity index before etoricoxib therapy was 1.15 + 0.794, whereas it was 1.19 + 0.683 after therapy. In the control group 8 of 70 (11.43%) experienced exacerbation of their symptoms while 62 of 70 (88.6%) completed the study. In the control group the mean disease activity before treatment was 1.16 + 0.253, whereas after placebo therapy was 1.20 + 0.481. 67 of 76 (88.2%) of the study group and 62 of 70 (88.6%) of the control group gave history of using t-NSAID therapy in addition to PPI that caused flare up of their IBD. For the patients who had to stop their drug therapy, all the adverse events occurred in the first month of drug/placebo challenge and all symptoms were reversible. CONCLUSION: Etoricoxib therapy is safe and beneficial in most patients with IBD treatment with etoricoxib was not associated with exacerbation of the underlying IBD- and GI-related complications.

BACKGROUND: Recent short-term clinical trials in patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) have indicated greater disease variability in terms of progression than expected. In addition, as average life-expectancy increases, reliable data is required on clinical progression in the older DMD population. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of corticosteroids on major clinical outcomes of DMD in a large multinational cohort of genetically confirmed DMD patients. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study we analysed clinical data from 5345 genetically confirmed DMD patients from 31 countries held within the TREAT-NMD global DMD database. For analysis patients were categorised by corticosteroid background and further stratified by age. RESULTS: Loss of ambulation in non-steroid treated patients was 10 years and in corticosteroid treated patients 13 years old (p = 0.0001). Corticosteroid treated patients were less likely to need scoliosis surgery (p < 0.001) or ventilatory support (p < 0.001) and there was a mild cardioprotective effect of corticosteroids in the patient population aged 20 years and older (p = 0.0035). Patients with a single deletion of exon 45 showed an increased survival in contrast to other single exon deletions. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data on clinical outcomes of DMD across many healthcare settings and including a sizeable cohort of older patients. Our data confirm the benefits of corticosteroid treatment on ambulation, need for scoliosis surgery, ventilation and, to a lesser extent, cardiomyopathy. This study underlines the importance of data collection via patient registries and the critical role of multi-centre collaboration in the rare disease field.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this randomized, parallel-arm trial was to study the effect of treating subsyndromal delirium with risperidone on the incidence of clinical delirium in elderly patients who underwent on-pump cardiac surgery. METHODS: One hundred one patients aged 65 yr or older who experienced subsyndromal delirium after on-pump cardiac surgery were randomized using a computer-generated list to receive 0.5 mg risperidone (n = 51) or placebo (n = 50) every 12 h by mouth. Patients were assessed at 8 h by a blinded observer using the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist, and those scoring more than 3 were evaluated by a blinded psychiatrist to confirm delirium. Patients in either group who experienced delirium were treated according to the same algorithm. Initially, risperidone was administered and if symptoms were not controlled, haloperidol was administered. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who experienced delirium in either group. RESULTS: Seven (13.7%) patients in the risperidone group experienced delirium versus 17 (34%) in the placebo group (P = 0.031) Competing-risks regression analysis showed that failure to treat subsyndromal delirium with risperidone was an independent risk factor for delirium (subhazard ratio, 3.83; 95% CI, 1.63-8.98; P = 0.002). Two (3.9%) patients in the risperidone group experienced extrapyramidal manifestations versus one (2%) in the placebo group (P = 1.0). CONCLUSION: Administration of risperidone to elderly patients who experienced subsyndromal delirium after on-pump cardiac surgery was associated with significantly lower incidence of delirium. Larger studies are required to determine whether early administration of risperidone during the subsyndromal phase of delirium would influence the clinical course of such patients.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the accuracy of sonographic determination of chorionicity in twin pregnancies at 10-14 weeks of gestation. DESIGN: Prospective study on the sonographic prediction of chorionicity at 10-14 weeks of gestation. PARTICIPANTS: During a 30 month period, from October 1997 to May 2000, 165 women attending the departments of fetal medicine or ultrasound. METHODS: Sonographic criteria used in the diagnosis of chorionicity were the number of placental sites, the lambda (lambda) and T signs and the thickness of the inter-twin membrane. The diagnosis of chorionicity was made at the time of the ultrasound examination using all these features and subsequently compared with the postnatal diagnosis, confirmed either by placental histology or discordancy in infant sex. RESULTS: In 150 cases with confirmation of chorionicity following delivery, 116 were postnatally classified as dichorionic and 34 monochorionic. Prenatal ultrasound examination correctly identified chorionicity in 149 (99.3%) cases. The most reliable indicator for dichorionicity was a combination using the lambda sign or two separate placentae with a sensitivity and specificity of 97.4% and 100%, respectively. The most useful test in predicting monochorionicity was the T sign with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 98.2%. Measurement of the inter-twin membrane thickness was a less reliable indicator where the sensitivity for dichorionicity and specificity for monochorionicity was only 92.6%. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound examination of twin pregnancies at 10-14 weeks of gestation predicts chorionicity with a high degree of accuracy using a combination of the number of placentae, lambda and T signs and inter-twin membrane thickness. All hospitals should encourage departments providing ultrasound services to undertake chorionicity determination when examining women with twin pregnancies at this gestation.

PURPOSE: Cockayne syndrome (CS) is a rare, autosomal-recessive disorder characterized by microcephaly, impaired postnatal growth, and premature pathological aging. It has historically been considered a DNA repair disorder; fibroblasts from classic patients often exhibit impaired transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair. Previous studies have largely been restricted to case reports and small series, and no guidelines for care have been established. METHODS: One hundred two study participants were identified through a network of collaborating clinicians and the Amy and Friends CS support groups. Families with a diagnosis of CS could also self-recruit. Comprehensive clinical information for analysis was obtained directly from families and their clinicians. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We present the most complete evaluation of Cockayne syndrome to date, including detailed information on the prevalence and onset of clinical features, achievement of neurodevelopmental milestones, and patient management. We confirm that the most valuable prognostic factor in CS is the presence of early cataracts. Using this evidence, we have created simple guidelines for the care of individuals with CS. We aim to assist clinicians in the recognition, diagnosis, and management of this condition and to enable families to understand what problems they may encounter as CS progresses.Genet Med 18 5, 483-493.

Allergic diseases are distributed worldwide and their risk factors and triggers vary according to geographical and socioeconomic conditions. Allergies are frequent in the Tropics but aspects of their prevalence, natural history, risk factors, sensitizers and triggers are not well defined and some are expected to be different from those in temperate zone countries. The aim of this review is to investigate if allergic diseases in the Tropics have particularities that deserve special attention for research and clinical practice. Such information will help to form a better understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of allergic diseases in the Tropics. As expected, we found particularities in the Tropics that merit further study because they strongly affect the natural history of common allergic diseases; most of them related to climate conditions that favor permanent exposure to mite allergens, helminth infections and stinging insects. In addition, we detected several unmet needs in important areas which should be investigated and solved by collaborative efforts led by the emergent research groups on allergy from tropical countries.

PURPOSE: To report early results of conservative treatments (including modifications in activities of daily living) for mild femoroacetabular impingement. METHODS: 27 male and 10 female athletic patients aged 23 to 47 years presented with unilateral hip pain secondary to femoroacetabular impingement and an alpha angle of <60 degrees. Patients were instructed to adapt to their safe range of movement and perform activities of daily living with minimal friction. The Harris Hip Score and non-arthritic hip score before and after treatment were compared. Open or arthroscopic hip surgery to remove the impinging bone was indicated when conservative treatment failed. RESULTS: Patients were followed up for 25 to 28 months. Of the 37 patients, 4 underwent surgical treatment after conservative management failed. For the remaining 33 patients, the mean Harris Hip Score improved significantly from 72 before treatment to 91 at the 24-month follow-up. The mean non-arthritic hip scores improved from 72 to 91, and the mean visual analogue scores for hip pain from 6 to 2. Six of the 33 patients had recurrent hip pain and discomfort but not severe enough for surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: Conservative treatment did not improve the range of hip movement, despite improvement in function and symptoms. Yet it achieved good early results, as long as the patients could modify activities of daily living to adapt to their hip morphology.