Background: Foreign bodies (FBs) in the upper gastrointestinal tract are produced chiefly by accidental swallowing but rarely produce symptoms. Removal of FBs is not an infrequent challenge for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The aim of this study is to elicit our experience in a 5-year period in dealing with FBs in the upper gastrointestinal tract using upper endoscopy. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt, over a 5-year period. We reviewed all patients' files with full notations on age, sex, type of FB and its anatomical location, treatments, and outcomes (complications, success rates, and mortalities). Patients with incomplete files and those with FBs not identified at the endoscopic examination were excluded. Results: A total of 45 patients were identified. Their ages ranged from 6 months to 102 years. Slight male predominance was noticed (53.3%). The most frequent presentation was a history of FB ingestion without any associated manifestations (44.4%). Coins were the most commonly encountered FBs (14/45). Esophagus was the most common site of trapping (27/45). The overall success rate was 95.6% (43/45). Upper endoscopy successfully resolved the problem by either FB removal (41/43) or dislodgment of the impacted fleshy meat to the stomach (2/43). Two cases were referred for surgical removal. The rate of complications was 6.7%. Furthermore, no mortalities due to FB ingestion or removal had been reported throughout the study. Conclusion: Our experience with FB removal emphasizes its importance and ease when performed by experienced hands, at well-equipped endoscopy units, and under conscious sedation in most cases, with high success rates and minor complications.

Background: Despite significant advancements in the molecular characterization of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), no oncogene addiction has been discovered. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have a lot of promise as cancer biomarkers. LINC00152 and UCA1 have shown potential as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets for human cancers. Aim: To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic potential of serum LINC00152 and UCA1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: The expression levels of LINC00152 and UCA1 in blood samples from 120 patients (60 with HCC, 60 with liver cirrhosis) and 40 healthy subjects were assessed using real-time qRT-PCR. Results: Serum LINC00152 and UCA1 expression were considerably higher in HCC patients compared to patients with liver cirrhosis and the healthy controls (p< 0.001 and p< 0.001 respectively). And their expressions in the liver cirrhosis group were significantly higher than in healthy controls. Both lncRNAs performed well in the ROC analysis, distinguishing HCC patients from patients with liver cirrhosis. Higher levels of LINC00152 expression were linked to lesions in both lobes of the liver (p=0.02), while higher levels of UCA1 expression were linked to vascular invasion and the late stage (p=0.01, p=0.03 respectively). The multivariate analysis showed that a high level of LINC00152 in the blood was an independent indicator of a bad outcome for HCC patients (HR=2.23, 95% CI= 1.30– 5.29, p=0.03). Conclusion: Serum LINC00152 and UCA1 expression were upregulated in patients with HCC, suggesting their use as non-invasive biomarkers for HCC. Furthermore, LINC00152 has the potential to serve as a prognostic indicator.

Background and Aims: Antibiotic resistance in Saudi Arabia has led to decreased efficacy of conventional triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication, prompting the development of alternative treatments like levofloxacin‐based triple and bismuth‐based quadruple therapies. However, comparative data regarding its efficacy are lacking. Therefore, this study's goal was to compare the efficacy of levofloxacin‐based triple therapy with that of standard bismuth‐based quadruple therapy as first‐line regimens.Methods: This retrospective analysis included 197 treatment‐naïve adults with H. pylori infection who received levofloxacin‐based triple (levofloxacin + amoxicillin + PPI) therapy (n = 81) or standard bismuth‐based quadruple (bismuth + tetracycline + metronidazole + PPI) therapy (n = 116). H. pylori eradication was evaluated 4–8 weeks after medication administration using the ¹³C‐urea breath test, and variables that could affect the rate of success were examined.Results: There were no differences between groups in terms of age, sex, nationality, or type of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) used. The bismuth‐based quadruple therapy group exhibited a markedly superior success rate compared to the levofloxacin‐based triple therapy group when the latter was administered for 7 or 10 days (81.03% vs. 6.66%, p < 0.001, and 81.03% vs. 36.1%, p < 0.001, respectively). However, when the levofloxacin‐based triple therapy was extended to 14 days, its H. pylori eradication rate became comparable to that of the 10‐day bismuth‐based quadruple therapy (81.03% vs. 80%, p = 0.898). Eradication rates for both regimens were similar for patients aged ≥ 60, non‐Saudi, when using omeprazole and those treated with levofloxacin‐based triple therapy for 14 days.Conclusion: Quadruple treatment based on bismuth is superior to triple therapy based on levofloxacin for eradicating H. pylori in Saudi Arabia and should be used as a first‐line treatment. However, the 14‐day levofloxacin‐based triple treatment had an H. pylori eradication rate comparable to that of the 10‐day bismuth‐based quadruple therapy.

Background/Objectives. Studying the predictors of survival after liver transplantation is essential to optimize the outcome. The balance of risk (BAR) score is a predictive model which incorporates six recipient and donor factors. It showed superiority over other predictive models. We aimed to evaluate its performance in the prediction of survival after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Methods. 146 adult liver transplant recipients were included. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the independent predictors of survival at 3 months, 1 year, and 5 years. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the BAR score was plotted, and the area under the ROC curve (AUROC) was calculated. Kaplan–Meier curve and log-rank test were used to compare survival above and below the best cutoff values. Results. The mean age was 52.45 ± 8.54 years, and 59.6% were males. The survival rates were 89, 78.8, and 72% at 3 months, 1 year, and 5 years, respectively. The BAR score demonstrated a clinically significant value in the prediction of 3-month (AUROC = 0.89), 1-year (AUROC = 0.76), and 5-year survival (AUROC = 0.71). Among the investigated factors associated with survival, BAR score <10 points was the only independent predictor of 3-month (OR 7.34, $p<0.0001$ ), 1-year (OR 3.37, $p=0.001$ ), and 5-year survival (OR 2.83, $p=0.044$ ). Conclusions. BAR is a simple and easily applicable scoring system that could significantly predict short- and long-term survival after LDLT. A large multicenter study is warranted to validate our results in the Egyptian population.

Background: The emerging COVID-19 coronavirus disease has widely spread, causing a serious worldwide pandemic. Disease severity and mortality risk can be predicted using an analysis of COVID-19 clinical characteristics. Finding out what influences patients’ hospitalization length and in-hospital mortality is crucial for decision-making and planning for emergencies. The goal of this study is to identify the factors that influence hospital stay length and in-hospital death due to COVID-19 infection. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from August to October 2020 and included 630 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. Using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), a multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess the variables that are linked to longer hospital stays and in-hospital deaths. Results: Most patients were male (64.3%), and most were older than 40 years (81.4%). The mean length of hospital stay (LoHS) was 10.4± 11.6 days. The overall death rate among these COVID-19 cases was 14.3%. Non-survivors were older, had more comorbidities, had prolonged LoHS with increased ICU admission rates and mechanical ventilation usage, and had a more severe condition than survivors. ICU admission, low serum albumin, and elevated LDH levels were associated with longer LoHS, while ICU admission, DM, and respiratory diseases as comorbidities, total leukocytic count, and serum albumin were predictors of mortality. Conclusion: Longer LoHS due to COVID-19 infection was linked to ICU admission, low serum albumin, and elevated LDH levels, while the independent predictors of in-hospital death were ICU admission, DM, and respiratory diseases as comorbidities, total leukocytic count, and serum albumin.

Host genetic variation has been recognized as a key predictor of diverse clinical sequelae among severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected patients. Insights into the link between the Interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) and Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) genetic variation and severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are crucial for developing new predictors and therapeutic targets. We aimed to investigate the association of IL-6R rs12083537, IL-1β rs16944, and IL-1β rs1143634 SNPs with the severity of COVID-19. Our study was conducted on 300 COVID-19-negative individuals (control group) and 299 COVID-19-positive cases, classified into mild, moderate, and severe subgroups. Analyses of IL-1β (rs16944, rs1143634) and IL-6R (rs12083537) SNPs’ genotypes were performed using qPCR genotyping assays. The IL-1β (rs16944) CC genotype and IL-6R (rs12083537) GG genotype were substantially related to COVID-19 severity, which was also associated with comorbidities and some laboratory parameters (p < 0.001). The IL-1β (rs1143634) TT genotype was found to be protective. Likewise, the IL-1β (rs16944) CC genotype was associated with increased mortality. IL-1β rs16944 and IL-6R rs12083537 SNPs are promising potential predictors of SARS-CoV-2 disease severity. Meanwhile, the rs1143634 SNP T allele was protective against severity and mortality risk.