Saudi Journal of Medicine & Medical Sciences最新文献

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common condition, but there is a lack of evidence from Saudi Arabia regarding its impact on the academic performance of medical students.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and associated factors of OSA among medical students at a Saudi Arabian university and its impact on academic performance.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2021 and selected first- to fifth-year medical students at King Saudi University, Riyadh, using a disproportionate stratified random sampling according to gender and academic year. The questionnaire comprised two sections: the first elicited sociodemographic information, self-reported GPA, and presence of chronic diseases, while the second included the English and Arabic versions of the Berlin Questionnaire.

Results: A total of 621 responses were received, of which 61.8% were male and the mean age was 21.1 (±1.7) years. The prevalence of high-risk OSA was 14.5%. There was a significant association between being at a high risk of OSA and male gender (P < 0.001). In the multiple logistic regression model, male gender (odds ratio [OR] = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.01-3.9; P = 0.047) and overweight/obesity (OR = 2.59, 95% CI: 1.92-3.5; P = 0.001) were significant predictors of OSA. OSA was not a significant predictor of academic performance (OR: 0.7, 95% CI: 0.48-1.03; P = 0.07).

Conclusion: This study found that among first- to fifth-year medical students at a Saudi Arabian university, male gender and obesity were significant predictors of obstructive sleep apnea. On the other hand, obstructive sleep apnea was not a significant predictor of academic performance.

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a rare disorder characterized by persistent hypereosinophilia leading to multi-organ dysfunction. Its clinical manifestations vary widely; however, cardiac and neurological involvement are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Corticosteroids are the initial treatment of choice, but in idiopathic HES resistant to corticosteroids, second-line therapy should be considered. Imatinib is usually reserved for patients with a positive platelet-derived growth factor receptor A (PDGFR-A) mutation; however, its use in idiopathic HES with a negative PDGFR mutation is debatable given that such patients usually respond well to high doses of corticosteroids. Here, we present a case of a young male with corticosteroid-refractory idiopathic HES successfully treated with imatinib. The patient presented with features suggestive of acute coronary syndrome and confusion. A coronary angiogram was normal. Echocardiography showed an ejection fraction of 37%, and brain imaging showed evidence of multifocal cerebral thromboembolic infarcts. During the hospital stay, the patient developed diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. Biochemically, it was noted that the patient had hypereosinophilia. Through thorough workup, a diagnosis of idiopathic HES was established. The patient was started on high-dose corticosteroid (500 mg intravenous methylprednisolone daily) followed by a maintenance dose of prednisolone (0.5 mg/kg/day), but had no response. Second-line therapy with imatinib (400 mg per oral daily for 4 days and then down-titrated to 100 mg daily) was initiated, which resulted in drastic biochemical and clinical improvements. This case report supports the efficacy of imatinib as a second-line agent in corticosteroid-resistant idiopathic HES with a negative PDGFR mutation.

Background: Breast density is an independent risk factor for breast cancer and affects the sensitivity of mammography screening. Therefore, new breast imaging approaches could benefit women with increased breast density in early cancer detection and diagnosis.

Objectives: To assess the diagnostic performance of abbreviated breast MRI compared with mammography and other imaging modalities in screening and diagnosing breast cancer among Saudi women with dense breast tissue.

Methods: A retrospective diagnostic study was conducted using anonymized medical images and histopathology information from 55 women, aged ≥30 years, who had dense breasts (Breast Imaging and Reporting Data System [BI-RADS] breast density categories C and D) and an abnormal mammogram. The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were calculated for mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), synthetic mammography (SM) derived from DBT, ultrasound, and abbreviated breast MRI (ABMRI).

Results: A total of 19 women had pathology-proven breast cancer. Among all methods, ABMRI showed the highest sensitivity (94.7%) and specificity (58.3%), while mammography showed the lowest (84.2% and 44.4%, respectively). AUC for ABMRI was higher than all the methods including mammography (0.751 vs. 0.643; P < 0.05).

Conclusion: ABMRI appears to be more accurate in cancer diagnosis than mammography and other modalities for women with dense breast tissue. Further research is advised on a larger sample of Saudi women to confirm the benefit of ABMRI in breast cancer screening and diagnosis for women with increased breast density.

Background: Acinetobacter is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes nosocomial infections, increasing healthcare costs, patient morbidity, and mortality. The rate of carbapenem resistance among Acinetobacter species is rising in several countries, including Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To determine the risk factors and compare the predictors of mortality in patients infected with carbapenem-susceptible and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter strains.

Materials and methods: This retrospective study included patients with Acinetobacter infection who were admitted to a community hospital in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, between January 2017 and June 2021. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the risks of acquiring carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter infections and the mortality risk associated with these infections.

Results: This study included 138 Acinetobacter-infected cases, of which 114 (82%) were carbapenem-resistant infections. Between 2017 and 2020, resistance rates increased from 75% to 87%. Patients with carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter infections had higher 90-day mortality than those with carbapenem-susceptible infection (62% vs. 29%, P = 0.006). The risk factors for carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter infections were prior antimicrobial therapy (aOR: 8.36 [1.69-41.29]; P = 0.009) and mechanical ventilation (aOR: 6.07 [1.82-20.20]; P = 0.003). Among all patients with Acinetobacter infections, significant predictors of 90-day mortality were carbapenem resistance (aOR: 3.26 [1.19-8.90]; P = 0.021) and Charlson comorbidity score (aOR: 1.19 [1.06-1.34]; P = 0.004).

Conclusion: The increase in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter cases in this study was consistent with the findings of other studies from Saudi Arabia. This, together with the high associated mortality rates, indicates the urgent need for effective antimicrobials and infection prevention strategies to combat carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter infections in hospitals.

Non-alcoholic fatty pancreatic disease (NAFPD), also known as pancreatic steatosis, is a benign condition characterized by deposition of lipids in the pancreas and is associated with insulin resistance, malnutrition, obesity, metabolic syndrome, aging, and absence of heavy alcohol intake or infection. Similar to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFPD is a phenotypic entity that includes fat buildup in the pancreas, pancreatic inflammation, and subsequent fibrosis. The extent to which pancreatic fat infiltration is clinically important remains unclear. Despite these clinical associations, most of the clinical effects of NAFPD are not known. NAFPD may be identified by transabdominal and elastography ultrasound, computed tomography scan, or magnetic resonance imaging modalities, but a confirmatory diagnosis can only be made through tissue histology. In addition to complications such as acute and chronic pancreatitis, NAFPD may progress to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. However, further research is required to fully understand the associations, pathophysiology, and effects of NAFPD. This review provides a narrative synthesis of the current literature on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, complications, diagnostic and imaging tools, and management of NAFPD.

Background: Structural variants (SVs), such as copy number variants (CNVs), insertions, deletions, inversions, and translocations, contribute significantly to genetic diversity and disease etiology. CNVs, which involve the duplication or deletion of DNA segments, are particularly impactful on genes crucial for biological functions and disease processes.

Objective: To reassess unclassified SVs that may be underlying unresolved neurodevelopmental disorders among Saudi patients.

Methodology: In this retrospective study conducted at King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 30 probands with neurodevelopmental disorders and congenital malformations were examined using next-generation sequencing methods-exome sequencing, gene panels, or SNP arrays (the Illumina platform). Reclassification was aided by online tools such as VarSome and ClinVar, with pathogenicity assessments using the ClinGen CNV Pathogenicity Calculator based on American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics criteria for CNV loss and gain, and dosage sensitivity.

Results: A total of 31 CNVs were analyzed, of which 2 were reclassified: one as benign and the other as pathogenic. The pathogenic CNV, [3p13p12.3 (70411134_75249376) x1], included a deletion of the FOXP1 gene and was associated with an intellectual developmental disorder, language impairment, possible autistic features, psychomotor impairment, developmental regression, and epilepsy.

Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of continuously documenting and revisiting unclassified CNVs in accessible databases to enhance the diagnosis and understanding of complex genotype-phenotype relationships. Reclassifying these CNVs not only accelerates diagnostic processes but also enriches our insight into their significant roles in health and disease.

Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is a significant concern in women's health. However, there is limited research on its prevalence and characteristics in Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of AUB in a gynecology outpatient setting in Saudi Arabia and to categorize the cases of AUB according to the FIGO classification.

Methods: This retrospective study included all Saudi female patients who presented to the Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, over a 2-year period, except those who were pregnant. Data regarding demographics, BMI, clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, ultrasound results, and histopathology findings was collected. Cases of AUB were classified using the FIGO PALM-COEIN system.

Results: A total of 2724 patients were included, of which 44.6% had AUB. The most common presentations of AUB were irregular cycles (59.3%) and heavy bleeding (12.8%), and the most affected group was the reproductive age group (19-39 years). Obesity was identified as a significant risk factor. AUB-O (ovulatory disorder; functional cause) was the most prevalent (23%), followed by AUB-L (leiomyomas, 18%; structural cause) and AUB-P (polyps, 8.8%). Specific AUB patterns correlated with ultrasonographic findings, with heavy bleeding associated with polyps, adenomyosis, and leiomyomas. AUB patients had lower hemoglobin levels, indicating potential health impacts.

Conclusions: The study found that nearly half of all women presenting with gynecological complaints in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have AUB. According to the FIGO classification, functional causes of AUB were more prevalent than structural causes. Further research is necessary to explore underlying causes of AUB and its long-term health implications.

Background: Preterm infants are at risk of developing nutritional deficiencies, which is further compounded by the fact that providing them with adequate nutrition is often challenging. Enteral feeding (EF) practices vary across neonatal units and can be impacted by the setting and geographical region. There is also a lack of evidence on best practices.

Objective: To investigate EF practices and related nutrition factors, patterns, and outcomes in preterm infants in Saudi Arabia by examining studies published in this area.

Methods: A search was conducted for articles on EF practices among preterm infants in Saudi Arabia that were published between January 2010 and May 2024. Searches were carried out across five electronic databases and through searching inward and backward citation and reference lists of relevant papers. Studies that described or assessed EF practices used in preterm infants from any region of Saudi Arabia and were published in English or Arabic were included.

Results: The database and manual search resulted in 1905 articles. After removing duplicates and applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 14 publications were included: 12 were observational studies, 1 was a conference abstract (with retrospective analysis), and 1 was a commentary. Of these, 7 studies were conducted in the Central Province, 6 in the Western Province, and 1 in the Eastern Province. More than half of the publications (8 of 14) were published between 2021 and 2023. The studies included were categorized to three themes based on their aim: studies describing practices on mother-infant bond to encourage breastfeeding, assessing nutritional status and EF, and assessing EF as a risk factor for developing prematurity complications.

Conclusion: While research activity on EF practices in Saudi Arabia has increased very recently, yet there is a paucity of studies, particularly experimental studies that focus on both short- and long-term health outcomes.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the level of burnout among postgraduate healthcare trainees at a tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and assess the need to establish a well-being program.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2021 and January 2022 and used two validated questionnaires: the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) for assessing burnout among postgraduate healthcare trainees, and a questionnaire for assessing program directors' opinion on the need for a well-being program.

Results: A total of 386 trainees and 85 program directors completed the questionnaire. In both groups, the majority of the respondents were male (trainees: 53.9%; program directors: 61.2%). A total of 226 trainees (58.5%) scored above the CBI burnout cut-off score, with the median score being highest in the personal domain (62.5,IQR: 45.8-75). In the univariate analysis, the mean burnout score was higher among trainees who were married (P = 0.036), had children (P = <0.001), and were seniors (P = 0.028), whereas in the multivariate analysis, the only significant predictor of burnout was having 1-2 children (P = 0.023) or 3-4 children (P = 0.013). In the program directors survey, 90.6% agreed that improving physicians' well-being would directly rectify patients' overall well-being, but only 28.2% stated that it is currently incorporated in the curriculum.

Conclusion: This study found that a large proportion of postgraduate healthcare trainees experience burnout, particularly in the personal domain. Although program directors supported the concept of trainees' well-being, its incorporation into the curriculum was lacking, suggesting the necessity of establishing a well-being program.

Background: There is scant data regarding the use of oral disease-modifying treatments (oDMT) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (PwRRMS) from Saudi Arabia.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the response rate to oDMT in PwRRMS compared to interferon (IFN) in terms of achieving no evidence of disease activity-3 (NEDA-3).

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia and included all adult PwRRMS over a 2-year period who were on oDMTs or IFN for <1 year. The achievement of overall NEDA-3 and its components (namely, relapse, disability progression, and focal MRI activity) were assessed for each treatment.

Results: A total of 231 patients were included for the analysis of NEDA-3 status, of which 78 (33.8%) were on oDMTs (namely, dimethyl fumarate, teriflunomide, and fingolimod). NEDA-3 status was achieved in 51.3% (OR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.28-2.71) of patients on oDMTs and in 32% of patients on IFN (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.58-0.89) (P < 0.001). Compared to the IFN group, the oDMT group had significantly lower rates of clinical relapse (P < 0.001), disability progression (P = 0.004), and new focal MRI activity (P = 0.01). Patients on dimethyl-fumarate had higher odds of achieving NEDA-3 (OR: 2.18, 95% CI = 1.09-4.34; P =0.02) compared with those on fingolimod (OR 2.15, 95% CI = 0.70-6.58; P =0.16) and teriflunomide (OR: 1.53, 95% CI = 0.81-2.91; P =0.18).

Conclusion: More than half of the patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis on oral DMTs achieved NEDA-3 status in this study. Significant differences were observed in NEDA-3 status parameters and achievement between patients on oral DMTs and interferon, with the likeliness being highest among patients treated with dimethyl-fumarate.