Saudi Journal of Medicine & Medical Sciences最新文献

Background: Despite guideline recommendations, suboptimal prescription rates of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have been observed in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the temporal trends, variations, and mortality outcomes among acute coronary syndrome patients prescribed ACEIs/ARBs in the multi-ethnic population of Malaysia.

Methodology: This retrospective study utilized data from the Malaysian National Cardiovascular Disease-Acute Coronary Syndrome registry, encompassing consecutive patient records from 2008 to 2017 (N = 60,854). Ten-year temporal trends of on-discharge ACEIs/ARBs prescription were examined. Demographics, clinical characteristics and 1-year all-cause mortality outcomes were compared between patients prescribed and not prescribed ACEIs/ARBs.

Results: The 10-year prescription rate of on-discharge ACEIs/ARBs was 52.8% (n = 32,140), with a significant decline over the years [linear trend test, P = 0.008; SD = 0.03; SE = 0.001; 95% CI = 0.55-0.64]. Patients aged ≥65 years (aOR = 0.79; 95% CI = 0.73-0.86) were less likely to be prescribed ACEIs/ARBs than those aged <65 years. In addition, patients with comorbid diabetes mellitus (DM) (aOR = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.79-0.92) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) (aOR = 0.34; 95% CI = 0.30-0.40) were significantly less likely to receive ACEIs/ARBs. IPW-adjusted survival analysis revealed a 38% lower 1-year all-cause mortality rate in patients prescribed on-discharge ACEIs/ARBs (HR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.56-0.69; P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Acute coronary syndrome patients with concomitant DM and CKD were less likely to receive on-discharge ACEIs/ARBs in Malaysia. Suboptimal prescription rates of ACEIs/ARBs persisted over the 10-year period, despite improved 1-year survival in ACS patients prescribed ACEIs/ARBs.

Background: Subvastus approach and medial parapatellar approach are two major approaches for total knee replacement (TKR). There is no global consensus on the superiority of either approach in terms of functional outcomes.

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the functional outcome of TKR through subvastus approach and medial parapatellar approach by using patient-reported scores at 3-, 6-, and 12-month post-operative follow-ups.

Methods: This prospective cohort follow-up study included patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent elective primary TKR either through the subvastus or medial parapatellar approaches at King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from January 2019 to December 2022. Scores from the self-reported Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) were compared in the two groups of patients at 3-, 6-, and 12-month post-operative follow-ups.

Results: A total of 98 patients were included, of which 37 underwent TKR through the subvastus approach and 61 through the medial parapatellar approach. There was an overall significant change over time in both WOMAC and OKS scores (P < 0.001). Patients who underwent the subvastus approach had significantly higher mean of WOMAC and OKS than patients with the medial parapatellar approach at the 3- and 6-month follow-ups (P < 0.05), but not at the 12-month follow-up.

Conclusions: For TKR, the medial parapatellar approach results in better functional outcomes at the 3- and 6- month follow-up periods compared with the subvastus approach.

Background: Organic aciduria diseases (OADs) occur worldwide, with differences in prevalence and patterns between populations.

Objectives: To describe the spectrum of OADs identified in Tunisia over a 35-years period.

Materials and methods: This retrospective study included patients who were diagnosed with OADs between 1987 and 2022 in the Laboratory of Biochemistry, Rabta Hospital, Tunisia. Organic acids were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Results: A total of 30,670 urine samples were analyzed for OADs, of which 471 were positive for OADs. The estimated incidence of OADs in Tunisia was 6.78 per 100,000 live births. Methylmalonic (n = 146) and propionic (n = 90) acidurias were the most common OADs (estimated incidence: 2.10 and 1.30 per 100,000 live births, respectively). There were 54 cases of L-2-hydroxyglutatric acidurias and 30 cases of pyroglutamic acidurias, which makes it one of the highest in the world. The main clinical features were hypotonia (65%) and feeding difficulties (41%). Age at diagnosis was highly variable, ranging from 1 day to 49 years. Only 27% of the patients were diagnosed within the first month of life. The prevalence of OADs was highest in the Center-East and Southeast regions.

Conclusions: In Tunisia, OADs are relatively frequent, but there are shortcomings regarding the diagnosis of these disorders. The frequency and health/social impact of these disorders warrant the need for implementing newborn screening programs and suitable patient management.

Objective: To perform a bibliometric analysis of the scientific production related to intestinal microbiota and bariatric surgery between January 2016 and December 2022.

Materials and methods: A bibliographic search was performed in the Scopus database to identify published papers. Free and controlled terms (MeSH and Emtree) were used. The information collected was analyzed with SciVal.

Results: A total of 518 published papers were included in the analysis. Carel Le Roux was the author with the highest scientific production; however, Edi Prifti had the highest impact. French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale) was the institution with the highest number of published articles. Six of the 10 institutions with the highest production were in France, yet the United States had the highest volume of scientific production in this research topic. Most papers were published in first quartile journals. Articles with international collaboration had the highest impact. There is a sustained increase in the number of publications since 2019.

Conclusions: The study found that the vast majority of research on gut microbiota changes following bariatric surgery are conducted in the United States and European countries. In addition, the sustained increase in production coupled with the articles being published in high-quality journals and having good citation impact are indictors of the current interest in this research field.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a prominent cause of mortality in prostate cancer patients. However, it has been reported that patients with preexisting CVDs are at greater risk. Literature on the magnitude of this problem in Saudi Arabia is lacking.

Objectives: To measure the prevalence of prostate cancer patients with preexisting CVDs in our population and to elucidate the possible risk factors of new cardiovascular events (CVEs) in patients who received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).

Materials and methods: This retrospective study included all patients newly diagnosed with prostate cancer at a tertiary hospital in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia from October 2008 to January 2019. The prevalence of preexisting cardiovascular diseases in these patients were determined. In addition, the incidence of new CVEs after initiating ADT was determined along with the risk factors for the same.

Results: The prevalence of preexisting CVD in our cohort was 16%. About 6% of the patients who received ADT had CVEs after a median follow-up of 39 months (IQR: 11-49 months). In the univariate analysis, hyperlipidemia (P = 0.002), stroke (P = 0.001), peripheral vascular disease (P = <0.001), cardiac patients with stents (P = <0.001), and cardiac patients without stent (P = <0.001) were significant risk factors of new CVEs after initiating ADT. However, in the multivariate regression analysis, only history of stroke and CVD (with or without stent) were found to be significant risk factors of new CVEs after initiating ADT (P = 0.01).

Conclusion: About one-fifth of the prostate cancer patients had preexisting CVDs. This study also found that luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist could be a risk factor for new CVEs.

Background: Signet-ring cell colorectal carcinoma (SRCC) is an extremely aggressive yet uncommon histologic subtype of colorectal cancer (CRC) with an unknown etiology. There is a stark difference in the prevalence of signet cancers between Western countries and the Indian subcontinent; however, India itself is a vast and diverse country with variable cancer incidence.

Objective: To study the spatial epidemiology of SRCC in India for identifying regions with high prevalence.

Methods: This retrospective study included all patients diagnosed with colorectal adenocarcinoma at Tata Memorial Hospital, the largest colorectal cancer referral unit in India, between January 2020 and December 2022. Geocoding based on the location of the residence was done to map the incidences. Comparisons were performed between the proportion of signet cell and non-signet colorectal cancers.

Results: A total of 4100 patients with colon or rectal adenocarcinomas were included, of which signet cell histology was found in 624 (15%) patients. SRCC accounted for the highest proportions of CRCs in the Central (19%) and Northern (19%) regions, and the lowest in the North-Eastern (10%) and Western (12%) regions of India (P < 0.001), with non-overlapping confidence intervals. Compared with patients with non-signet CRCs, those with SRCC more commonly had colon cancers (22% vs. 17%; P = 0.003) and belonged to a lower socioeconomic background (67% vs. 59%; P < 0.001).

Conclusions: This study found that SRCCs accounted for a significant proportion of CRC cases in India, but there was no substantial disparity in distribution across regions.

Background: Students' satisfaction surveys are valuable tools for assessing and improving the quality of education being imparted. Limited data are available from Saudi Arabia regarding students experience at halfway through an undergraduate dental program.

Objective: To determine students' perception of their halfway experience on various attributes of the quality of dental education programs in public dental schools across Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This exploratory study included all students from four major public universities who had completed their third year of undergraduate dental education during the academic year 2022-23. A previously validated, self-administered, 23-item Students Experience Survey was modified and used to collect data regarding the following five factors: course characteristics, infrastructure and facilities, learning resources, instructor characteristics, and program efficacy.

Results: The questionnaire was administered to 296 students, of which 252 (85.1%) responded. Overall, 84% of the students had a positive experience regarding the quality of the dental education programs. Females reported significantly higher positive experiences than males (mean score: 4.36 vs. 4.21, respectively; P = 0.042). Course characteristics (P = 0.041), instructors' characteristics (P = 0.002), and program efficacy (P = 0.009) were significant predictors of students' overall experience.

Conclusion: This study found that the majority of students had a positive halfway experience with the quality of dental education programs offered in Saudi Arabia. The significant predictors of satisfaction identified in this study can be useful for policymakers to further improve satisfaction levels.

Background: Social stigma is a major problem among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), which can affect their quality of life. There is limited research from Saudi Arabia on the anticipated stigma among patients with MS.

Objectives: To determine the levels of anticipated stigma and its predictors in patients with MS in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included adult patients with MS across Saudi Arabia. Sociodemographic and medical information, including age, gender, marital status, educational level, duration of disease, number of MS episodes in the past 12 months, previous diagnosis of mental illness, and performing activities of daily living without assistance, were collected. Anticipated stigma was measured using an Arabic version of the Chronic Illness Anticipated Stigma Scale.

Results: A total of 222 patients with MS were included. Moderate to severe anticipated stigma was found among 70.4% of the patients. The highest anticipated stigma mean score was from work colleagues (2.96/5). Predictors of stigma were age (P = 0.049), gender (P = 0.016), marital status (P = 0.015), education level (P = 0.003), number of MS episodes in the previous year (P < 0.001), and previous diagnosis of a mental disorder (P = 0.001).

Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate the need for developing programs that reduce the anticipated stigma among patients with MS in Saudi Arabia.

Ischemic stroke is a considerable public health hazard and a significant cause of disability and mortality in Saudi Arabia. Primary prevention strategies in the country are currently limited. With the health sector transformation program that depends on the principles of value-based care and applying the new model of care in disease prevention, aggressive and serious steps for primary stroke prevention are expected to be implemented. This article reviews primordial and primary prevention of ischemic stroke in Saudi Arabia and suggests a combination approach and framework for implementation. We provide a pragmatic solution to implement primordial and primary stroke prevention in Saudi Arabia and specify the roles of the government, health professionals, policymakers, and the entire population. Currently, there are several key priorities for primordial and primary stroke prevention in Saudi Arabia that should target people at different levels of risk. These include an emphasis on a comprehensive approach that includes both individual and population-based strategies and establishing partnerships across health-care providers to share responsibility for developing and implementing both strategies. This is an urgent call for action to initiate different strategies suggested by experts for primary stroke prevention in Saudi Arabia.