Annals of Saudi Medicine最新文献

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of life as well as hospital admissions. We hypothesized that many infectious diseases and hospitalizations in the pediatric age group might have decreased during the pandemic period.

Objective: Evaluate patients admitted to the general pediatric wards during the pandemic in comparison with the pre-pandemic period.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional SETTING: General pediatrics wards of a tertiary hospital in Istanbul PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included patients aged 0-18 years who were followed up while hospitalized in the general pediatrics wards between 11 March 2019 and 11 March 2021. The hospitalizations were grouped as pre-pandemic and pandemic based on the date when COVID-19 was declared a pandemic (11 March 2020).

Main outcome measures: Hospital admissions, length of stay, diagnoses, gender, age.

Sample size and characteristics: 4343 hospitalizations.

Results: Of the total 4343 hospitalizations meeting the inclusion criteria, 2786 (64.1%) occurred before the pandemic and 1557 (35.9%) during the pandemic, a 44% decrease. The distribution of all hospitalization diagnoses during the two years was as follows: respiratory tract diseases, 1768 (40.7%); neurological diseases, 946 (21.8%); gastrointestinal diseases, 550 (12.7%); hematological and oncological diseases, 514 (11.8%); genitourinary system and nephrological diseases, 504 (11.6%); and soft tissue infections, 255 (5.9%). During two years, there were 1418 (32.7%) patients with lower respiratory tract infections, 316 (7.3%) with gastroenteritis, and 440 (10.1%) with urinary system infections. The median hospital stay was 6 days before the pandemic and 4 days during the pandemic (P<.0001). During the pandemic, the rate of respiratory diseases decreased from 48.7 to 26.5%, and that of lower respiratory tract infections decreased from 40.5 to 18.6% (P<.0001).

Conclusion: Both previous studies and our results indicate that many infectious diseases in the pediatric age group significantly decreased, especially in the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Limitations: Single-center study.

Conflict of interest: None.

In this biography, the life of William Hugh Isbister is traced through three continents, where he planted the seeds of academic surgery into a generation of leaders in colorectal surgery. This ultimately improved the care for thousands of patients. His last station in Saudi Arabia made a huge impact on the country. I hope this article inspires others to write about their mentors who were important in their development as surgeons and physicians. Short biographies of these important figures will serve as a valuable historical record for generations to come.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major threat to public health.

Objective: Compare the gut microbial composition between Chinese and Japanese patients with cardiovascular diseases and healthy subjects.

Study selection: Observational studies with Chinese and Japanese populations. Reviews, duplicate, book chapters, and other irrelevant studies were excluded.

Data extraction: Independent searching by two investigators (LLJ, HJL).

Data synthesis: Data from eleven studies (with 960 subjects) were included for the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that the abundance of Firmicutes in patients with cardiovascular disease was [ES=0.42, 95%CI, (0.34, 0.50), P<.01], while the abundance of Firmicutes in control subjects was [ES=0.36, 95%CI, (0.23, 0.49), P<.01] (ES: effect size). When compared to control subjects, the differential expression of Firmicutes abundance in patients with CVDs was [MD = 15.21, 95%CI (8.95, 21.48), P<.01] (MD: mean difference). The ratio of Firmicutes abundance in patients with CVDs to the control subjects was [RR=1.28, 95%CI (0.98, 1.67), P=.07]. The ratio of Firmicutes in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients and controls was [RR=1.42, 95%CI (1.05, 1.94), P=.02]. Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio is [OR=1.64 95%CI (1.11, 2.42), P=.01].

Conclusion: Our data show that patients with cardiovascular disease had higher levels of gut Firmicutes when compared to healthy controls. In addition, gut microbial dysbiosis was present in patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Limitations: Due to limited quality and quantity of selected studies, conclusions from the current study need to be validated by future studies.

Conflict of interest: None.

Background: Mortality from emergency left-sided colorectal surgery can be substantial due to acuteness of the presentation and the urgent need to operate in the setting of a limited preparation in a morbid patient.

Objectives: Determine the 30-day postoperative outcomes and identify risk factors for complications and mortality following emergency colorectal operations.

Design: Retrospective SETTINGS: Three tertiary hospitals in three countries.

Patients and methods: Factors that were studied included age, sex, ASA score, type and extent of the operation, and presence/absence of malignancy. Unadjusted 30-day patient outcomes examined were complications and mortality. Differences in proportions were assessed using the Pearson chi-square test while logistic regression analyses were carried out to evaluate the correlation between risk factors and outcomes.

Main outcome measures: 30-day postoperative morbidity and mortality SAMPLE SIZE: 104 patients.

Results: Among 104 patients, 70 (67.3%) were men, and 34 (32.7%) were women. The mean (SD) age was 57.2 (17.1) years. The most common indication for emergency colonic surgery was malignant obstruction in 33 (31.7%) patients. The postoperative complication rate was 24% (25/104), and the mortality rate was 12.5% (13/104) within 30 days of the operation. The ASA status (P=.02), presence of malignancy (P=.02), and the presence of complications (P=.004) were significantly related to mortality in the multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Conclusions: The 30-day mortality of emergency colorectal operations is greatly influenced by the presence of malignancy in the colon and physiological status at the time of the procedure.

Limitations: The retrospective design and small sample size.

Conflict of interest: None.

Background: The two most common surgical approaches to treat stress urinary incontinence in men are the traditional perineal and the new penoscrotal approach for artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) implantation. Each method carries its own advantages and disadvantages. The few reports that compare the approaches have disparate outcomes.

Objective: Compare the outcome of first time AUS implantation by the perineal versus the penoscrotal approach.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Patients and methods: We included all male patients who underwent primary perineal or penoscrotal AUS placement between June 2004 and October 2018 at our tertiary care hospital. Patients were followed at least one year postoperatively.

Main outcome measures: Rates of dry, infection, erosion, malfunction, atrophy, revision.

Sample size: 44 males who underwent 68 procedures.

Results: Twenty-five (56.8%) patients underwent a perineal and 19 (43.2%) underwent a penoscrotal approach. The patients had 68 procedures: 36 (52.9%) perineal and 32 (47.1%) penoscrotal approaches. The median (25th-75th percentiles) age at the time of surgery was 61.0 (51.0-68.0) years (n=68 procedures). The median (25th-75th percentiles) operative time was significantly shorter for the penoscrotal approach, 87 (69-140), vs. 93 (72-210) minutes for the perineal approach (P=.016). The 44 patients were followed up for a mean (SD) of 52.5 (20.3) months for the 68 procedures. Postoperative complications occurred in 16 (36.36%) patients; 11 (44%) perineal approach patients and 5 (26.3%) penoscrotal. There were no significant differences in complications of infection, erosion, malfunction, or urethral atrophy between the two groups. Only removal/revision was significantly more common with the perineal approach (10 patients perineal and two patients penoscrotal, P=.042). At the last follow-up, dryness was comparable among groups.

Conclusion: The outcomes of AUS placement are comparable between perineal and penoscrotal approaches in terms of complications and one year dryness. The penoscrotal approach however has shorter operative time and less need for revision and removal.

Limitations: Small sample size, single-center.

Conflict of interest: None.

Background: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are new agents for treating type 2 diabetes. In addition to the glycemic benefits, these agents provide cardiorenal protection in patients with diabetes and without diabetes. There is consistent evidence that these agents increase the risk of genitourinary infections and dehydration, but randomized controlled trials have not included patients from the Middle East.

Objectives: Determine the efficacy and safety of empagliflozin, specifically whether the genitourinary infection risk differs in our population and whether there is an increased risk of dehydration, ketoacidosis, hypoglycemia, and hospitalization with fasting.

Design: Retrospective review of medical records.

Settings: Department of medicine at tertiary care center.

Patients and methods: We reviewed the electronic records of patients with type 2 diabetes who took empagliflozin from 1 December 2018 to 30 November 2019. We collected safety and efficacy data for 12 months from the initiation of treatment.

Main outcomes measures: Glycemic and weight loss efficacy, risk of hospitalization due to hypoglycemia, dehydration, and genitourinary infections.

Sample size: 637 patients.

Results: We observed an improvement in glycated hemoglobin, a 4.2% weight loss, improved left ventricular function, stable serum creatinine, and reduced albuminuria. Our patients did not have an increased risk of genitourinary infections, hypoglycemia, dehydration, ketoacidosis, or hospitalizations. Fasting did not increase the incidence of adverse events.

Conclusions: Empagliflozin is safe and effective in our local population. We hypothesize that glycosuria induced by empagliflozin is not the sole contributor to the increased risk of genitourinary infections. Local hygiene and circumcision might reduce this risk. Empagliflozin can be used safely during fasting.

Limitations: Retrospective design.

Conflict of interest: None.

Background: Hyponatremia is common in hospitalized patients with heart failure (HF) and predicts a poor prognosis after discharge. In general, hyponatremia can be divided into two types: dilutional or depletional.

Objective: Assess the impact of hyponatremia type on short-term outcomes.

Design: Retrospective cohort SETTINGS: Single center in China PATIENTS AND METHODS: We sorted patients by hyponatremia into two types: dilutional hyponatremia (DiH, with hematocrit <35%) and depletional hyponatremia (DeH, with hematocrit ≥35%). The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis were used to identify the impact of hyponatremia types on the risk for 90-day readmission and death.

Main outcome measures: 90-day readmission and death combined.

Sample size: 1770 patients.

Results: Hyponatremia was present in 324/1770 patients with 182 cases classified as DiH versus 142 as DeH. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed a higher incidence of poor short-term outcomes in hyponatremia compared with normonatremia (log-rank P<.001), and the risk was higher in DiH than DeH although the difference was not statistically significant (log-rank P=.656). Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that only DiH was independently associated with short-term outcomes (HR=1.34, 95%CI: 1.02-1.77, P=.038), but not DeH (HR=1.32, 95%CI: 0.97-1.80, P=.081). Analysis of the secondary endpoints showed that DiH increased the risk of readmission but not death (HR=1.36, P=.035 for readmission; HR=1.13, P=.831 for all-cause death).

Conclusions: Low hematocrit, rather than high hematocrit, with hyponatremia was associated with a risk of 90-day readmission in patients with HF.

Limitations: Single center, nonrandomized.

Conflict of interest: None.

Background: The ACEF risk score (age, creatinine, and ejection fraction) has been associated with satisfactory predictive values not only for short-term and long-term mortality but also for major adverse cardiovascular events.

Objectives: Investigate the relationship between ACEF risk score and degree of coronary artery stenosis.

Design: Retrospective, observational study.

Setting: Tertiary percutaneous coronary intervention center.

Patients and methods: In patients with coronary coronary artery stenosis <70% were compared with patients with stenosis ≥70%. All were diagnosed with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) and had undergone coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA). Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed for the cut-off value of the ACEF risk score. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses were performed for significant parameters related to degree of coronary artery stenosis in coronary CTA.

Main outcome measures: Relationship between ACEF risk score and degree of coronary artery stenosis in coronary CTA.

Sample size: 148 patients.

Results: In the multivariable regression analysis; left ventricular ejection fraction (OR: 0.94; 95%CI: 0.89-0.99, P=.015) and ACEF risk score (OR: 5.63; 95% CI: 1.62-19.57, P=.007) were independent predictors for degree of coronary artery stenosis. The ACEF risk score was statistically significantly higher in with patients with stenosis ≥70% (1.43 [0.59]) than in patients with stenosis <70% (0.98 [0.35]), P<.001). An ACEF risk score value >1.04 was a predictor of the presence of severe coronary artery stenosis detected by coronary CTA in patients with CCS, with 66% sensitivity and 69% specificity.

Conclusions: A high ACEF risk score (age, creatinine, ejection fraction) in patients with CCS is associated with the presence of severe coronary artery stenosis detected by coronary CTA, and was useful as an assessment tool for coronary angiography in patients with CCS.

Limitations: Since we do not have long-term follow-up results, we do not know the prognostic value of the ACEF risk score in the long-term follow-up of patients with CCS.

Conflict of interest: None.

Background: COVID-19 and solid cancer are both associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism.

Objectives: Assess whether solid cancer is a risk factor for acute ischemic event development among patients with COVID-19.

Design: Retrospective cohort SETTING: A tertiary training and research hospital PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19 for ≥3 days between 15 March 2020 and 30 March 2021 at Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkiye. were included in the study. Independent predictors of the development of acute ischemic events during hospitalization were determined using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Main outcome measures: Risk factors for acute ischemic event development.

Sample size: 538 patients.

Results: Patients diagnosed with solid cancer comprised 11.3% of the cohort (n=61). Forty-one (7.6%) developed an acute ischemic event at a median of 3 (range, 1-15) days after hospitalization. The presence of a solid cancer (OR 3.80, 95% CI 1.20-12.03, P=.023) along with length of hospital stay (OR 1.05 per day, 95% CI 1.01-1.09, P=.025) were independent predictors of acute ischemic event development during the course of COVID-19. Mortality was reported in 200 (37%) patients at a median of 5 (range, 3-10) days after hospitalization. The presence of solid tumor increased mortality 5.83 times (95% CI 3.19-10.63, P<.001) while this ratio was 4.59 (95% CI 2.29-9.23, P<.001) for patients who experienced an acute ischemic event.

Conclusion: Patients with active cancer carry a significant risk for acute ischemic event development during the course of COVID-19 and such patients may require particular attention in terms of anticoagulation therapy.

Limitations: Retrospective design and small sample size.

Conflict of interest: None.

Background: There are conflicting results in studies investigating the effects of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on the prognosis of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) during or outside of usual hospital working hours. While some researchers have reported higher mortality rates in STEMI patients admitted outside of working hours, others did not find a statistically significant difference.

Objectives: Investigate the short-term endpoints and long-term outcomes of STEMI patients by time of admission.

Design: Retrospective SETTING: Tertiary percutaneous coronary intervention center.

Patients and methods: Patients were grouped by admission, which consisted of four intervals: 06:00 to <12:00, 12:00 to <18:00, 18:00 to <24:00, and 24:00 to <06:00. We analyzed demographic, clinical and mortality by admission time interval and mortality by multivariate analyses, including the time intervals.

Main outcome measures: Clinical data and mortality SAMPLE SIZE: 735 patients; median (IQR) age 62 (22) years; 215 (29.3%) women.

Results: Patients admitted at night were 1.37 times more likely to experience pulmonary edema than patients whose symptoms started in the daytime (P=.012); 32.9% of the patients whose symptoms started at night presented with Killip class II-IV, while during the daytime, 21.4% presented with Killip class II-IV (P=.001). Among the patients, the most common was inferior STEMI (38.6%). However, no-reflow was significantly higher during the daytime compared to the nighttime (P=.12). The risk of the cardiac arrest on admission was 1.2 times higher in patients admitted at night (P=.034). Neither time interval of admission nor several other variables had an effect on clinical outcome or mortality.

Conclusions: While patients admitted at night presented with pulmonary edema and cardiogenic shock more frequently, no reflow was observed during the day after the procedure. Although patients admitted at night with STEMI presented with worse clinical conditions, similar results were observed between the groups in clinical outcomes.

Limitations: More "real world" results might have been obtained if the study had replicated more typical referral conditions for PCI.

Conflict of interest: None.