Israel Medical Association Journal

Background: Familial nephritis is a heterogeneous group of disorders caused by several genetic conditions such as Alport syndrome, glomerulonephritic syndromes, and unclas­sified nephritis without deafness or ocular defects.

Objectives: To describe a family of Iraqi Jewish origin, several of whose members suffer from non-syndromic renal failure without deafness or ocular defects and where transmis­sion is by autosomal dominant inheritance. We present the case histories of four family members and describe the molecular analysis performed in order to seek a possible linkage to one of the genes causing Alport or Alport-like syndromes.

Methods: We investigated all family members over the age of 18 for evidence of renal failure. We also extracted DNA and carried out molecular linkage analysis with polymorphic markers in each of the known loci involved in Alport and Alport­like syndromes.

Results: Histology of the renal biopsy specimens showed non-specific findings. Linkage was excluded for all the Alport and Alport-like syndrome loci.

Conclusions: The condition suffered by several members of this family seems to represent a unique autosomal dominant type of progressive hereditary nephritis, characterized by hypertension and progressive renal failure without significant hematuria or proteinuria. The main histological changes are non-specific in the early stage of the disease. Our study rules out all the currently known genes that cause Alport syndrome as being responsible for the basic defect in this type of nephritis.

Objective: To explore the putative effect of cardiac rehabilitation programs on the health-related quality of life’ and ‘return to work’ in pre-retirement patients one year after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Methods: Of the 2085 patients aged 45-4 who survived one year after CABG and were Israeli residents, 145 (6.9%) had participated in rehabilitation programs. Of these, 124 (83%) who answered QOL questionnaires were individually matched with 248 controls by gender, age within 5 years. and the time the questionnaire was answered. All patients had full clinical follow-up including a pre-operative interview. The Short Form-36 QOL questionnaire as well  as a specific questionnaire were mailed to surviving patients one year after surgery. Study outcomes included the scores on eight scales and two summary components of the SF-36, as well as return to work’ and ‘satisfaction with medical services’ from the specific questionnaire. Analysis was done for matched samples.

Results: Cardiac rehabilitation participants had signifi­cantly higher SF-36 scores in general health, physical functioning, and social functioning. They had borderline significant higher scores in the physical summary component of the SF-36. The specific questionnaire revealed significantly better overall functioning, higher satisfaction with medical care. and higher rate of return to work. While participants in cardiac rehabilitation and their controls were similar in their socio­-demographic and clinical profiles, participating patients tended to be more physically active and more fully employed than their controls.

Conclusions: Rehabilitation participants had a self-per­ception of better HRQOL, most significantly in social function­ing. Our findings of more frequent return to work and higher satisfaction with medical care should induce a policy to encourage participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs after CABG.
 

Background: Between 1970 and 1979, there was an increase in the incidence of viral hepatitis in Israel with a shift of peak incidence to an older age in the Jewish population, followed by a declining trend during the early 1980s. In July 1999 universal immunization of infants against hepatitis A was introduced.

Objective: To evaluate the chan-ges in the epidemiology of viral hepatitis A in Israel during the past decade.

Methods: Viral hepatitis is a notifiable disease in Israel and cases are reported to the regional health offices, which in turn provide summary reports to the Ministry of Health's Department of Epidemiology. The data in this study were derived from the summary reports and from results of seroprevalence studies.

Results: Following the increase in the incidence of reported viral hepatitis (mainly due to type A) between 1970 and 1979, the rates then stabilized and around 1984 began to decline until 1992. Since then there has been a slight increase. Whereas until 1987 the rates were consistently higher in the Jewish population. since then they are higher in the Arab population. The shift in the peak age-specific incidence from the 1-4 to the 5-9 year age group observed in the Jewish population around 1970 occurred 20 years later in the Arab population. The previously described seasonality is no longer evident. Recent seroprevalence studies indicate that by age 18 years only about 30-40% of the Jewish population have anti-hepatitis A antibodies.

Conclusions: The decline in the incidence of hepatitis probably reflects the changing socioeconomic condition occurring at different times in the two major population groups. Since hepatitis A accounts for almost all the acute viral hepatitis in Israel, the universal vaccination of infants introduced in 1999 should substantially lower the morbidity within the next few years.

Background: Classic Kaposi's sarcoma is a rare tumor with an indolent behavior. Local therapy is not applicable in disseminated cutaneous disease. Patients with advanced disease are usually treated with systemic chemotherapy.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness and toxicity of  single-agent vinblastine in the treatment of disseminated and recurrent Kaposi's sarcoma.

Methods: Ten patients with wide cutaneous spread of classic Kaposis sarcoma were treated with single-agent vinblastine, 6 mg/m² intravenously once every 2 weeks. Vinblastine was continued for 2 months after achieving a maximal response.

Results: The male:female ratio was 2.3:1, and median age 64 years (range 50-79 years). The median number of involved nodules in the skin was 34. The overall response rate was 90%, 5 with complete response (50%) and 4 with partial response (40%). Complete responders had a longer duration of response than partial responders: 41.2 vs. 14.8 months. The median survival of all patients was 33 months. Side effects were minimal and tolerable.

Conclusions: Vinblastine is very effective in the treatment of extensive classic Kaposi's sarcoma, and results in a high response rate, long survival and disease-free survival with tolerable toxicity.

Background: Asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic derma­titis are leading causes of chronic diseases in developed countries, with at least one allergic condition troubling 10 to 20% of the general population. The few studies performed in Israel determined the prevalence of allergic conditions in selected populations (schoolchildren and soldiers) no study representative of the general population has previously been done.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of allergic conditions in the general population in Israel and the differences between ethnic and socioeconomic groups.

Method: Using a computer-assisted telephone interview, a telephone questionnaire was conducted in a representative sample of the general Israeli population.

Results: Of the population studied, 140/a claimed to have bronchial asthma, 14% allergic rhinitis, and 6% other allergic conditions. Prevalence rates were higher in the Israeli Arab population and in those with low income and low education levels. Of those with allergic conditions, 58% were treated by a primary physician, 32% were not treated at all, and only 10% were treated by a different specialist physician.

Conclusions: The prevalence of allergic conditions in this study concurs with that found by other studies in developed countries. Allergic conditions are higher in the Israeli Arab population and in those with low income and low education level.

Background: Narcotic abuse has steadily become more prevalent in Israel and may result in an increasing number of children exposed prenatally to narcotics, with a consequent increase in the number of infants born with neonatal abstinence syndrome.

Objective: To report our experience with infants born to narcotic-addicted women between the years 1995 and 1998 at the Soroka University Medical Center.

Methods: The medical records of 24 newborns and their drug-addicted mothers admitted to our Medical Center for parturition were analyzed retrospectively. A diagnosis of NAS was established on the basis of the clinical presentation and anamnesis. The Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System was used to assess drug withdrawal. Urine toxicological analysis for narcotics was done only for year 1998.

Results: Of the 24 newborn infants exposed prenatally to narcotics 23 (96%) developed NAS, and 78% (18 of the 23) had a Finnegan score of 8 or more. These 18 infants were treated pharmacologically (tincture of opium and/or Phenobarbital) until the score was reduced to less than 8, after which they received supportive treatment. In one child who became lethargic after the first dose of tincture of opium, the medication was stopped and supportive treatment alone was given. Four of the five neonates with scores of 7 and less were given supportive treatment. One of five infants who had a low Finnegan score at birth nevertheless received pharmacological therapy to prevent further deterioration of his physical state since he was born with severe dyspnea. Ten of the 24 children (42%) were followed for lengths of time ranging from 6 to 22 months after discharge, all of whom showed normal development.

Conclusion: About three-quarters of newborns exhibiting withdrawal syndrome required pharmacological therapy. Previous information on maternal drug abuse is a crucial criterion for early detection and treatment.