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Background. Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an inflammatory state categorized by a disturbance of immunoregulatory mechanisms. MicroRNA-155 (miRNA-155) has an essential role in regulating gene expression and can mediate the allergic TH2 process. Objective. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the role of miR-155 as a biomarker in AR and correlate its level with the total nasal symptom score (TNSS) and the levels of serum interleukin-4 (IL-4). Methods. This study included 90 children: 45 with pollen-induced AR and 45 healthy controls. Serum miR-155 expression levels were measured using quantitative real-time PCR. Human IL-4 ELIZA kits were used for the semiquantitative detection of the serum levels of IL-4. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the best cutoff values for the studied parameters for the diagnosis of AR. Results. The demographic characteristics of the two groups were matched with respect to age and sex. The AR case group included 23 (51.1%) males and 22 (48.9%) females, while the control group included 24 (53.3%) males and 21 (46.7%) females. The miR-155 level was increased in the serum of children with pollen-induced AR compared with controls (mean difference = 2.8, p<0.001). A significant positive correlation between the serum expression level of miR-155 and TNSS in children with AR was detected (r = 0.494, p<0.001). However, no significant correlation was identified between the expression of miR-155 and that of IL-4. At a cutoff value of 1.09, the sensitivity of miR-155 as a biomarker for AR was 100%, and the specificity was 71.1%. Conclusion. MiR-155 expression levels were elevated in the serum of AR children. Therefore, miR-155 could be used as a biomarker in AR diagnosis.

Background The diagnosis of epilepsy should be made as early as possible to give a child the best chance for treatment success and also to decrease complications such as learning difficulties and social and behavioral problems. In this study, we aimed to assess the ability of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in detecting the lateralization side in patients with Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in correlation with EEG and MRI findings. Methods This was a case–control study including 40 patients diagnosed (clinically and by EEG) as having temporal lobe epilepsy aged 8 to 14 years (mean, 10.4 years) and 20 healthy children with comparable age and gender as the control group. All patients were subjected to clinical examination, interictal electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic examination (MRS) was performed to the patients and the controls. Results According to the findings of electroencephalography, our patients were classified to three groups: Group 1 included 20 patients with unitemporal (lateralized) epileptic focus, group 2 included 12 patients with bitemporal (non-lateralized) epileptic focus and group 3 included 8 patients with normal electroencephalography. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy could lateralize the epileptic focus in 19 patients in group 1, nine patients in group2 and five patients in group 3 with overall lateralization of (82.5%), while electroencephalography was able to lateralize the focus in (50%) of patients and magnetic resonance imaging detected lateralization of mesial temporal sclerosis in (57.5%) of patients. Conclusion Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a promising tool in evaluating patients with epilepsy and offers increased sensitivity to detect temporal pathology that is not obvious on structural MRI imaging.