Eman Ahmed’s genetic sample sent to Germany

MUMBAI: In the first sign of improvement since Eman Ahmed was shifted to Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi from Saifee Hospital in the city earlier this month, the 36-year-old Egyptian is now able to raise her right arm.
Bed-bound since she suffered a stroke that caused her to lose mobility in her right hand and legs two-and-a-half years ago, Eman was an estimated 500 kg when she was brought to Saifee from Alexandria.She reduced to her current weight of around 170 kg after a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgery at Saifee led by Dr Mufazzal Lakdawala.
Now, a panel of advanced genetic workup has been sent to Germany for possible detection of any genetic disorder that Yassin El-Shahat, chief medical officer at Burjeel, feels may explain Eman’s condition and help in managing her obesity.
“We have achieved marvellous improvement in Eman’s psychological status, significant improvement in her bed sores and treatment of severe urinary tract infection with improvement of her kidney function,” said El-Shahat, who, along with a multi-disciplinary team of 20 doctors that includes orthopaedic surgeons, cardiologists, nephrologists, gastroenterologist, plastic surgeon, physiotherapists and dieticians, has been looking after Eman’s current phase of treatment.
Previously, when city doctors had been treating Eman, a gene study from the US analysing 91 different types of genes related to obesity had revealed that a mutation in the LEPR gene, for which medicines are yet to be tested, was causing Eman’s weight gain.
A heart echo study has revealed “severe regurgitation of her aortic valve”, for which she is currently on a “conservative treatment”, but a valve replacement may be necessary as a long-term plan, said El-Shahat.
While Eman is able to sit now “with minimal to no assistance”, radiological studies for her pelvis and upper and lower limbs reveal “advanced deformities in hip and knee joints” that will be taken into consideration by the team of doctors at Burjeel focused on chalking out short- and long-term goals to improve Eman’s overall health condition.
Eman was under observation in the ICU of Burjeel since her arrival in Abu Dhabi on May 4 before she was shifted to a special suite after three days. “Eman’s assessment was started on board of Egypt Air cargo flight when she started her trip from Mumbai,” said El-Shahat.