Background: Few studies focused on the construction of preoperative patient surgical risk profile using only patients’ personal, social history, and comorbidity profiles. Objective: To identify risk factors for mechanical wound complications and postoperative infections in patients’ preoperative profiles. Design: Quantitative retrospective cohort study using 2009–2011 Health Care Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) databases. Patients: 56,853 patients who underwent elective open intestinal resection. Measurements: Predictors of mechanical wound complications and postoperative infections in patients’ personal, social history, and comorbidity profiles. Results: Patients age 18–39 were more likely to suffer mechanical wound complications compared to patients age 65–79 (OR = 1.9, 95% CI [1.5, 2.4], p < .01) and to patients age 80 and over (OR = 2.9, 95% CI [2.2, 3.8], p < .01).  Patients age 18–39 were also more likely to suffer postoperative infections compared to patients age 65–79 (OR = 1.4, 95% CI [1.1, 1.6], p < .01) and to patients age 80 and over (OR = 2.0, 95% CI [1.6, 2.6], p < .01).  Other most significant predictors included male gender, fluid and electrolyte disorders, pulmonary circulation disorders, and weight loss, as well as patients with comorbidities. All statistically significant predictors with positive estimates for postoperative infections were also statistically significant predictors of mechanical wound complications.  Conclusions: Individual patient risk profile can be constructed using preoperative patient profiles for improving perioperative care coordination and patient care quality. Postoperative infections were associated with mechanical wound complications in patients undergoing elective open intestinal resection.

Objectives : To assess the impact of oral health outcomes on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) among intellectual disabled children and their families. Methodology : OHRQoL based study was conducted among 150 intellectual disabled children students in the North West part of the country, Rajasthan, India. Guardians were asked to complete questionnaire on socioeconomic status and the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) on their perception of the children’s OHRQoL. Clinical assessment included dental caries and OHI-S INDEX. Univariate regression analysis was fitted to assess covariates for the prevalence of impacts on OHRQoL. Results : 54% of the caregivers reported that their child had an impact on at least one ECOHIS item. Negative impacts were more prevalent on items related to difficulty in eating some foods, difficulty in pronouncing any words and missed preschool, day-care or school. The univariate Poisson regression analysis showed that dental caries was significantly associated with the outcome. The prevalence of any impact on OHRQoL was approximately 1.32 and 2.84 times higher for children with low and higher severity of dental caries respectively when compared with those who were free of caries. Conclusion : Patient-oriented outcomes like OHRQoL will enhance our understanding of the relationship between oral health and general health and demonstrate to clinical researchers and practitioners that improving the quality of patient’s well-being go beyond simply treating dental disease and disorders.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy is a major complication with high morbidity and mortality, and leads to end stage renal disease (ESRD). Type IV collagen is the main component of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and the extracellular matrix. The thickening of the GBM is due to accumulation of type IV collagen and alterations in its structure and composition. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of plasma and urine type IV collagen with albuminuria status and to determine the clinical implications of type IV collagen as a marker in the early stage of diabetic nephropathy. Materials and methods: A total of 150 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with more than 5 year diabetic duration in the age group of 35 to 60 years were selected for this study and 50 age and sex matched healthy individuals were selected as  control group. Type IV collagen (Plasma and urine), Insulin were analyzed by ELISA method and micro albumin was analyzed by turbilatex method. Routine investigations fasting plasma glucose, post prandial glucose, lipid profile parameters, serum urea and creatinine were analyzed by using Auto analyzer. Results: The plasma and urinary type IV collagen levels were signiï¬cantly higher in the normoalbuminuric group with diabetes than in the control group, and increased with increasing severity of albuminuria among diabetics. Both plasma and urine type IV collagen levels showed positive correlation with albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) and regression analysis showed significant influence with ACR and also  positive significant correlation of ACR  with FPG, PPG, HbA1C ,HOMA-IR , negative correlation with HDL cholesterol was observed. Conclusion: Plasma and urinary type IV collagen can be helpful in the prediction of the subsequent development of albuminuria in type 2 diabetic patients.  

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of etonogestrel subdermal implant (Implanon) on haematological and biochemical parameters of its users. Methodology: A prospective observational study among healthy women using Implanon for contraception. The study site was the family planning clinic of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria. Informed consent was obtained and participants were followed up for three years. Follow up parameters were haematological and biochemical evaluation at insertion (baseline), first and third years post-insertion. Statistical analysis was with SPSS-version 20.0; p value <0.05 was significant. Results:  124 participants of age 20-44years were included in the study. During the period of study, a progressive increase in the weight as well as in the level of alanine transaminase and systolic blood pressure was recorded. As compared to the baseline values, statistically significant difference in the mean values of systolic blood pressure (p<0.01), alanine transaminase (p<0.01) and weight (p=0.001) were recorded at the first year. Packed Cell Volume (p=0.001), weight (p=0.001), alanine transaminase (p=0.001) and alkaline phosphatase (p<0.05) were significant at the third year. Between the first and third year post-insertion, there was statistically significant difference in Packed Cell Volume (p=0.001), urea (p<0.05), aspartate (p=0.001) and alanine transaminase (p=0.001) and weight (p=0.001). However, there were no clinically detectable abnormalities or pregnancy during the study period. Conclusion: Haematological and biochemical parameters change with Implanon use but they were not significant to cause clinical sequelae. Implanon remains a safe long term contraceptive.

Objectives: Cytokines are important mediators of inflammatory and immune responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in cytokines concentration (IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α) and serum advanced glycation end products (sAGEs) in senile diabetics with or without cataract and non-diabetic patients with cataract. Methodology: The study included 124 subjects (sixty or over sixty years age), distributed as four groups thirty senile diabetic patients with cataract (Group I) (16 female and 14 male), thirty senile non-diabetic patients with cataract (Group II) (15 female and 15 male), thirty three senile diabetic patients without any complication (Group III) (16 female and 17 male), thirty one apparently normal healthy individuals (Group IV) (16 female and 15 male), age, sex and weight matched with senile control subjects were investigated. Patients were selected on clinical grounds from Eye Ward Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. Results: Interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were significantly increased (P < 0.001) in Group I and III as compared to Group II and IV. Fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum fructosamine, malondialdehyde (MDA), sAGEs, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α levels were significantly increased (P < 0.001) in Group I as compared to Group II and the levels were almost same in Group II and IV. There was a significant decrease in serum vitamin E and total antioxidant status (p< 0.001) in Group I and Group III as compared to Group II and Group IV. Conclusion: The results of the present study thus demonstrated that levels increased in both condition but are more severe in diabetic patients with cataract that may be a predictor for cataractogenesis and the levels were almost same in Group II and IV.  

Objective: WHO and NACO recommend treatment of STIs/RTIs on the basis syndromic case management (SCM), even without laboratory confirmation, which may lead to over-treatment. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the utility of laboratory diagnosis for confirmation of patients with vaginal discharge diagnosed on the basis of SCM. Methodology: 234 married women in reproductive age group, diagnosed as having vaginal discharge syndrome were included. Normal saline wet-mount slide preparations were made for detection of motile trichomonads. Gram stained smear were prepared and scored as per classification developed by Nugent. The presence of pseudohyphae and/or budding yeast cells was considered diagnostic of candidal infection. VDRL, TPHA and HIV testing were also done as per protocol. Results: The median age of the study population was 34 years. Most common cause was bacterial vaginosis (positive= 21.4%, 95% CI= 16.6- 27.1%; intermediate score= 17.5%, 95% CI= 13.2- 22.9%), followed by candidiasis (13.7%, 95% CI= 98- 18.7%) and trichomoniasis (0.4%, 95% CI= 0- 2.6%). No etiological diagnosis for vaginal discharge could be established in half of the women. Only two women were HIV positive; one was reactive by VDRL and TPHA tests. Conclusion: Our study highlights the possible lacunae in SCM. Large number of patients may be over-treated if only syndromic management is followed, with financial, medical and social implications. Thus we recommend, the treatment maybe initiated on the basis of SCM, but it is essential that laboratory diagnosis is sought for and the treatment modified accordingly.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical utility of esophageal manometry among Sudanese patients presenting to the National Centre for Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Ibn Sina Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan. Methodology: Consecutive patients referred for esophageal manometry at the aforementioned center from July 2008 through January 2011 were included in the study. Manometric studies were done after stopping medicines with a known effect on esophageal motility and an overnight fast. Immediately before the manometric study, the patients’ history and clinical examination were recorded using a structured questionnaire. Results: The major referral reason was the investigation of dysphagia in 78 patients (60.5%), followed by the evaluation of Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in 39 patients (30%), while 11 patients (9%) were referred because of non-cardiac chest pain. The manometric diagnosis in the 78 patients with dysphagia, where 51(65.4%) had achalasia, 13(16.7%) had nonspecific motility disorder, the remaining percentage was formed by GERD diffuse esophageal spasm, connective tissue disease, Nutcracker esophagus, hypertensive lower esophageal sphincter, patient manometry suggestive of myasthenia gravis, and normal manometry. Conclusion: GERD and Achalasia were the commonest conditions among the study group. Patients presenting with achalasia manifest the same clinical symptoms as published in the literature. The leading abnormality predisposing to GERD was hypotensive lower esophageal sphincter and weak esophageal clearance function. GERD was main cause of non-cardiac chest pain in the study population. However, it is difficult to generalize the findings of this study for the whole country since it was a single center study.

Objective: Preterm birth (PTB) increases the risk of adverse outcomes for new born infants. Subgingival bacteria are implicated in causing PTB. The aim of the present study was to assess the accuracy of some subgingival gram positive and gram negative bacteria detected by routine lab procedures in predicting PTB. Methodology: Pregnant Saudi women (n= 170) visiting King Fahad hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, were included in a pilot cohort study. Plaque was collected in the 2 nd trimester and screened for subgingival anaerobes using Vitek2. Pregnancy outcome (preterm/ full term birth) was assessed at delivery. Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios were calculated for the identified bacteria to predict PTB. Results: Data about time of delivery was available for 94 subjects and 22 (23.4%) had PTB. Three gram negative and 4 gram positive subgingival bacteria had sensitivity ≥ 95% with two of each having negative likelihood ratios ≤0.10. Three gram positive bacteria had specificity > 95% with only one having positive likelihood ratio >2. Conclusion: Subgingival bacteria identified using readily available lab techniques in the plaque of pregnant Saudi women in their 2 nd trimester have useful potential to rule out PTB.  

Background : The neoplasm is still a potential threat for breast, Non-Small Cell Lung (NSCL) and cervix cancer patients. Those gradually invade into other body organs, inducing complex pathological complications. Whereas, the anticancer drugs suppress the bone marrow, resulting serious hematological toxicities. Thus, the monocytic toxicity may the chance of infections, particularly in AID’s patients. Objective : We aimed this retrospective study to investigate the monocytopenia induced by vinorelbine following chemotherapy in cancer patients.  Patients and method: A total 60 adult cancer patients were divided into two groups; Group-1 patients received the treatment of Vinorelbine alone while group 2 patients received Vinorelbine based combination chemotherapy. Result : The overall comparison of mean monocyte count (×10 3 per µl) with time showed a significant statistical difference ( p value <0.001) for G-I and no significant difference for G-II ( p value <0.08). The independent comparison of mean values for two groups at every week confirms the non-significant statistical difference during all of the five weeks ( p values 0.551, 0.112, 0.559, 0.372, 0.468 respectively). In addition of that, the comparison of mean values observed before therapy with that of week 4 (after therapy) showed significant difference in G-I ( p value <0.001) and non-significant in G-II ( p value 0.053). Conclusion : Monocytopenia is induced in both of the chemotherapy protocols allows the clinical oncologists and consultant physicians to select either of the chemotherapy protocol. The therapeutic efficacy should constitute the intervening consideration to treat the breast, cervix and NSCL (Non-Small Cell Lung’s) cancers.  

Objectives: Exposure to energy dense foods increases the risk of obesity and non communicable disease  in adult life. We conducted this study to assess the dietary behavior among class six to ten school students of government and private schools in Pakistan. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a sub district of Hyderabad, Pakistan using a questionnaire to measure food frequency by interviewing them through a recall method. A total of 504 male and female students of 6-10 grades were selected by simple random sampling method. Results: We found that 83% children did not bring lunch from home to school and 44% ate at a fast food outlet during the school time. We also found that 31% schools allowed some food chain restaurant to sell fast food to students during recess hours and schools took their students to such restaurants for fun and eating trips for on an average of 1.8±0.8 times a week. More than half of the students ate breakfast and lunch at home less than three times a week. We also found that children ate vegetables and fruit least frequently whereas starch and meat containing foods more frequently and in greater amounts. Conclusions: School children in our sample were exposed to high density fast foods and ate vegetable and fruits less frequently and could access fast foods much easily during school hours. Most did not bring lunch to school. Many schools facilitated the students to be exposed to fast foods by letting fast food companies to operate inside schools or by arranging student trips to the fast food outlets.  

     Holmes tremor is a rare symptomatic movement disorder, characterized by a combination of resting, postural, and action tremors. It is usually caused by lesions involving the brainstem, thalamus, and cerebellum. It is often difficult to treat, many medications have been used with varying degrees of success. It may respond to stereotactic thalamotomy and deep brain stimulation in ventralis intermedius nucleus. Here I report a case of Holmes tremor secondary to multiple sclerosis that treated with L-dopa/carpidopa and showed marked improvement. A relevant literature search was performed, using PubMed for Holmes tremor as labelled in the literature. I included all patients diagnosed with Holmes tremor who responded to medical treatment. I found 27 cases, which are summarized in this review. This report describes a patient with Holmes tremor, who responded very well to Levodopa. This outcome suggests that Levodopa should be considered in the initial management of Holmes tremor. 

     Histamine H 3 receptors are present as autoreceptors on histaminergic neurons and as heteroreceptors on nonhistaminergic neurones. They control the release and synthesis of histamine and several other key neurotransmitters in the brain. H 3 antagonism may be a novel approach to develop a new class of antipsychotic medications given the gathering evidence reporting therapeutic efficacy in several central nervous system disorders. Several medications such as cariprazine, lurasidone, LY214002, bexarotene, rasagiline, raloxifene, BL-1020 and ITI-070 are being developed to treat negative symptoms and cognitive impairments of schizophrenia. These medications works through diverse mechanisms which include agonism at metabotropic mGluR2/3, partial agonism at dopamine D 2 , D 3 and serotonin 5-HT 1A receptors, antagonism at D 2 , 5-HT 2A, 5-HT 2B and 5-HT 7 receptors, combined dopamine antagonism with GABA agonist activity, inhibition of monoamine oxidase-B, modulation of oestrogen receptor, and activation of nuclear retinoid X receptor. However, still specific safe therapy for psychosis remains at large. Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder result both from hyper- and hypo-dopaminergic transmission causing positive and negative symptoms, respectively. Pharmacological stimulation of dopamine release in the prefrontal cortex has been a viable approach in treating negative symptoms and cognitive deficits of schizophrenia symptoms that are currently not well treated and continue to represent significant unmet medical challenges. Administration of H 3 antagonists/inverse agonists increase extracellular dopamine concentrations in rat prefrontal cortex, but not in the striatum suggesting that antagonism via H 3 receptor may be a potential target for treating negative symptoms and cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia. Further, insights are emerging into the potential role of histamine H 3 receptors as a target of antiobesity therapeutics which is one of the limiting adverse effects of second generation schizophrenia medications. The recent failures of two promising H 3 compounds in clinical trial dampened the interest in seeking antipsychotic like activities of H 3 receptor antagonists. However, due to the inconclusive nature of many of these studies, the development of H 3 compounds via H 3 antagonism/inverse agonism approach still hold lot of promises and may be developed as a novel class of drugs for schizophrenia and its related complications e.g. weight gain 

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is much more common than people recognize, and habitually goes undetected and undiagnosed until the disease is well advanced or when their kidney functions is down to 25% of normal function. Genetic and non-genetic factors contribute to cause CKD. Non-genetic factors include hypertension, High level of DNA damage due to the production of reactive oxygen species and nucleic acid oxidation has been reported in CKD patients. Main genetic factor which causes CKD is diabetic nephropathy. A three- to nine-fold greater risk of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is observed in individuals with a family history of ESRD. This greater risk have led researchers to search for genes linked to diabetic and other forms of nephropathy for the management of CKD. Multicenter consortia are currently recruiting large numbers of multiplex diabetic families with index cases having nephropathy for linkage and association analyses using various cytogenetic techniques. In addition, large-scale screening studies are underway, with the goals of better defining the overall prevalence of chronic kidney disease, as well as educating the population about risk factors for nephropathy, including family history. Cytogenetic biomarkers play an imperative role for the linkage study using G banding and detection of genomic instability in CKD patients. Classical and molecular cytogenetic tools with cytogenetic biomarkers provide remarkable findings in CKD patients. The aim of the present review is to draw outline of classical and molecular cytogenetic findings in CKD patients and their possible role in management to reduce genomic instability in CKD patients.

     Idiopathic spinal cord herniation (ISCH) is a rare cause of progressive spinal myelopathy, which frequently presents as Brown-Sequard syndrome. A 50 year old woman consulted for diffculty in walking. On examination, the patient reported sensory deficit of temperature on the left side, associated with diminished anal sensitivity. Nine months before consultation, a walking disorder began disturbing the activities of everyday life.A single case report with surgical treatment outcome. 
Idiopathic spinal cord herniation is a potentially treatable condition, which should be diagnosed early and treated. The surgical operation contributed clinical improvement in functional autonomy with modification in McCormick classification in our patient. Despite the existence of growing number of ISCH cases in the literature, misdiagnosis and choice of treatment remains a major concern. SCH is a rare clinical entity that seems to be increasing with the accessibility of MRI imaging. Preoperative diagnosis can be made with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). ISCH should be considered as differential diagnosis of Brown-Sequard syndrome, especially after fourth decade of life. Although progression of neurologic deficits can be gradually slow, reducing surgically the cord hernia and repair of the defect are vital factors in preventing the deterioration and display reversible improvement. In recent reviews, patients who underwent surgery had better outcomes as with our case.

     Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common and the leading cause of joints pain and disability around the world. Despite the power of modern molecular approaches and persisting investigative efforts, therapeutic options for OA treatment are still limited, while providing relief from pain, none of the treatments has been proved to inhibit disease progression; they also have varying degrees of adverse effects such as gastrointestinal toxicity, ulcers, cardiovascular effects etc. (1,2) In cases of late OA, only a total joint replacement can provide relief; however, many patients are not the right candidates for joint replacement, as the surgery is highly invasive and the procedure is extremely expensive. (3) In OA, cartilage cellularity is reduced due to chondrocytes death, and the remaining chondrocytes are activated by inflammatory signals to a catabolic and abnormal differentiation that leads to the breakdown of articular cartilage. (4) In chondrocytes and/or synoviocytes, activation of mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs): p38-MAPK, extracellular receptor kinases (ERK) and cJun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and the activation of transcription factors: nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and activator protein 1 (AP-1) are critical cellular events that lead to the expression/production of several inflammatory mediators such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, etc. which are well known for their catabolic responses on articular cartilage degradation, (5,6) therefore suggesting that targeting inflammatory mediators and their associated cellular events could offer therapeutic options for OA therapy.       Green tea from plant Camellia sinensis is one of the most popular beverages consumed globally. The health benefits of consuming green tea have been well documented; (7,8) including prevention of cancer onset, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, neuroprotective, antiangiogenic, cholesterol-lowering effects, etc . Most of these beneficial effects of drinking green tea are related to its catechin, especially epigallocatechin-3- O -gallate (EGCG), which is a most abundant bioactive polyphenol of green tea and its potential value as an anti-arthritis agent has been demonstrated in several cellular and animal investigations. (7-9) Reports from the past decade or so have shown that EGCG has cartilage-preserving and chondroprotective activities. (10-12) EGCG inhibits the IL-1β-induced expression of iNOS and production of nitric oxide (NO) via inhibiting the activation of NF-κB inflammatory signaling events in human OA chondrocytes. (10) It is also reported that EGCG also inhibits the excessive production of prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) via blocking of COX-2 activity in human chondrocytes. (11) Furthermore, a wide range of biological effects of EGCG has also been reported that provide evidences of EGCG induced protective effects on OA cartilage via blocking of various pro-inflammatory events. (12) Moreover, I and some of my colleagues also have demonstrated that EGCG is non-toxic to human OA chondrocytes and inhibited the expression and production of TNF-α and MMP-13 in stimulated human chondrocytes. (13) The inhibitory effect of EGCG on the expression of TNF-α and MMP-13 may be via suppression of p38-MAPK and JNK activation. In the same study we have also shown that EGCG inhibits phosphorylating activity of IKKβ kinase and also inhibits DNA binding activity of NF-κB by suppressing the degradation of its inhibitory protein IκBα in the cytoplasm. (13) Studies from other investigators have shown that EGCG inhibits the degradation of human cartilage proteoglycan and type-2 collagen (8,14) and selectively inhibits the A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS)1, ADAMTS4, and ADAMTS5. (15) Importantly, Leong et al have shown that EGCG significantly slows OA disease progression and exerts a relaxing effect in an OA animal model. (16) They demonstrated that EGCG-treated arthritic mice exhibited reduced levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, ADAMTS5, and MMP-1, -3, -8, and -13. Moreover, they also noticed reduced OA associated pain, as indicated by higher movement behavior of arthritic mice. (16) These excellent findings clearly indicating potential of EGCG as a therapeutic agent for OA progression.      MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous and non-coding single-stranded RNAs with a profound role in gene regulation at posttranscriptional levels. (17) Currently, 1881 precursors of human miRNA and 2588 mature human miRNAs are registered in the latest miRBase database (release 21, June 2014, www.miRBase.org ). In OA, alterations in miRNAs expression have been reported in the pathophysiology of cartilage and in maintaining cartilage homeostasis. (17) Recently, I and some of my colleagues have demonstrated the global expression of miRNAs in stimulated human OA chondrocytes and also have shown that miRNAs are capable to regulate most of OA relevant genes. (18) In another study, we demonstrated that microRNA miR-27b is a direct regulator of MMP-13 in human OA chondrocytes. (19) More recently, we also demonstrated for the first time that microRNA hsa-miR-26a-5p regulates the expression of iNOS via activation of NF-κB signaling events. (20) In addition, other miRNAs including miR-127-5p, miR-602, miR-608, miR-320, miR-558, miR-9, miR-381, etc. have also been recently demonstrated to have significant roles in regulation of key inflammatory genes which are relevant to OA pathogenesis. (21-26) These findings clearly indicating potential role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of OA. In recent years, several studies revealed that EGCG has potential to modulate miRNAs expression in cells from various patients. (27-30) Recently, I and my colleagues have addressed the question for the first time of a possible role of EGCG on miRNAs regulation in OA. (31) Our novel findings demonstrated that EGCG inhibits COX-2 mRNA/protein expression via up-regulating microRNA hsa-miR-199a-3p expression in IL-1β-stimulated human OA chondrocytes. (31) Moreover, in another study we demonstrated the potential role of EGCG on global miRNA modulation (unpublished data). Our results identified several novel OA-relevant miRNAs which have been targeted and negatively regulated by EGCG. These novel pharmacological actions of EGCG on stimulated human OA chondrocytes provide new suggestions that EGCG or compounds derived from it inhibit inflammatory events by regulating miRNAs in OA. In conclusion, for the drug designers, EGCG is a safer molecular for testing in humans, as the positive outcomes from the studies reported here, EGCG has a potential for a clinical development as an anti-arthritic agent for prevention/treatment of OA and other degenerative disorders.