American University Of Beirut Medical Center Research Articles

Significance of Clostridium difficile in community-acquired diarrhea in a tertiary care center in Lebanon

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is becoming a cause of community-acquired diarrhea. The aim is to describe (CDI) as a cause of acute diarrhea in patients presenting from the community to the Emergency Department (ED) of a tertiary care center in Lebanon. A retrospective study conducted in the ED at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). Adult patients presenting with the chief complaint of diarrhea and having positive CDI by stool laboratory testing (toxins A and B), during a three-year period were included. 125 patients with CDI were included. Average age was 61.43 (±20.42) with roughly equal sex prevalence. 30% (n = 36) of patients had neither antibiotic exposure nor recent hospitalization prior to current CDI. Mortality was 9.6% (n = 12), CDI was attributed as the cause in 16.7% (n = 2) and a contributing factor in 41.6% (n = 5). Recurrence within 3 months occurred in 9.6% (n = 11) in mainly those taking Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) and having multiple co-morbidities. There is a high rate of community acquired CDI in Lebanon. Review of patients’ medications (PPIs and antibiotics) is crucial. More studies are needed to assess mortality associated with CDI and the outcome of coinfection with other enteric pathogens.

Prevalence of Iron Deficiency (ID) without anemia in the general population presenting to primary care clinics: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Objectives There are no evidence-based recommendations to screen for iron deficiency in non-anemic patients, even though symptoms may be present. The aim of this study is to measure the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) without anemia in the general population aged 18–50 presenting to primary care along with the incidence and time to develop anemia in the iron-deficient population. Methods A single-center retrospective chart review of patients who presented to family medicine clinics between June 2010 and March 2018 at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). Adults 18–50 years old, who had a CBC and ferritin levels ordered with the proximity of maximum four weeks, with an absence of current or previously documented anemia (back to 2007) defined as MCV less than 80 or hemoglobin (Hb) less than 12 in females and 13 in males were included. ID was defined as serum ferritin level below 30 ng/mL. Results A total of 1,784 adults aged 18–50 years were included. The prevalence of iron deficiency without anemia was 57.5% [95% confidence interval, 55.08% to 59.92%] among females and 7.6% [95% confidence interval, 3.77% to 11.43%] among males. Iron deficiency without anemia was significantly associated with the level of hemoglobin (Hb) among females (Chi-square, p < 0.001). Overt iron deficiency anemia developed within the 5 years follow up in 14% of females and 0.5% of males. There was a statistically significant association between iron deficiency and menorrhagia (Chi-square, P-value = 0.004), dizziness (Chi-square, P-value = 0.018), dyspnea/shortness of breath (Chi-square, P-value = 0.020), polycystic ovarian syndrome (Chi-square, P-value = 0.0256) and rheumatoid arthritis (Chi-square, P-value = 0.00278). Conclusion Iron deficiency without anemia in childbearing females is common but only one-seventh of females developed anemia within 5 years. Guidelines should consider incorporating ferritin levels with CBC in the workup of patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of iron deficiency or anemia.

Outpatient Management of Cancer Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified in Wuhan, China. In no time, SARS-CoV- 2 found its way to the whole world, to be declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11th, 2020. As this disease continues to take its toll on the world as a whole, we, at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), believe that it is essential to protect those who are at a particularly high-risk for contracting the virus, namely cancer patients. Besides complying with all the protective measures recommended by WHO, we developed quality improvement plans for the outpatient management of febrile neutropenia, pneumonia and pulmonary embolism in cancer patients. The aim of such plans is to offer adequate management for cancer patients on an outpatient basis, whenever possible, and thus limit their admission rates together with their risk of contracting the novel virus, SARS-CoV- 2.

Influenza vaccine and cardiac protection: a study from a tertiary care center

ABSTRACT Patients with heart disease (HD) are at increased risk of developing cardiac complications if they acquire the influenza virus. The objective of this study was to determine whether the influenza vaccine has a primary role in preventing newly diagnosed HD in patients who have no history of HD and who were being followed up at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). The study is a retrospective cohort, with 2-years follow up, which was conducted using electronic medical records between the years of 2011–2013 in a tertiary care center. All patients 60 years and older (n = 698) who have taken the flu vaccine were randomly selected from the University Health Service records (UHS) and compared to a group who has not taken the flu vaccine during the same period. The odds of developing HD among vaccinated people with cofactors are 0.97 times the odds of that among non-vaccinated. This odds ratio is not significantly different than that of people vaccinated without cofactors (OR = 1.74). The occurrence of HD in the presence of vaccination revealed a non-significant decrease trend with the increase in a number of risk factors (OR = 1.61 vs 0.97). Our results suggest that there was a non-significant difference between the effect of the vaccine for influenza on patients who had cofactors for HD and those who had not. Similarly, the effect of vaccine showed a non-significant increase in protective effect as the number of comorbidities increase. The potential effects of the vaccine may be related to the protection against flu.

Introduction of Ultrasound Simulation in Medical Education: Exploratory Study.

BackgroundUltrasound is ubiquitous across all disciplines of medicine; it is one of the most commonly used noninvasive, painless diagnostic tools. However, not many are educated and trained well enough in its use. Ultrasound requires not only theoretical knowledge but also extensive practical experience. The simulated setting offers the safest environment for health care professionals to learn and practice using ultrasound.ObjectiveThis study aimed to (1) assess health care professionals’ need for and enthusiasm toward practicing using ultrasound via simulation and (2) gauge their perception and acceptance of simulation as an integral element of ultrasound education in medical curricula.MethodsA day-long intervention was organized at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) to provide a free-of-charge interactive ultrasound simulation workshop—using CAE Vimedix high-fidelity simulator—for health care providers, including physicians, nurses, ultrasound technicians, residents, and medical students. Following the intervention, attendees completed an evaluation, which included 4 demographic questions and 16 close-ended questions based on a Likert scale agree-neutral-disagree. The results presented are based on this evaluation form.ResultsA total of 41 participants attended the workshop (46% [19/41] physicians, 30% [12/41] residents, 19% [8/41] sonographers, and 5% [2/41] medical students), mostly from AUBMC (88%, 36/41), with an average experience of 2.27 (SD 3.45) years and 30 (SD 46) scans per attendee. Moreover, 15 out of 41 (36%) participants were from obstetrics and gynecology, 11 (27%) from internal medicine, 4 (10%) from pediatrics, 4 (10%) from emergency medicine, 2 (5%) from surgery and family medicine, and 5 (12%) were technicians. The majority of participants agreed that ultrasound provided a realistic setting (98%, 40/41) and that it allowed for training and identification of pathologies (88%, 36/41). Furthermore, 100% (41/41) of the participants agreed that it should be part of the curriculum either in medical school or residency, and most of the participants approved it for training (98%, 40/41) and teaching (98%, 40/41).ConclusionsAll attendees were satisfied with the intervention. There was a positive perception toward the use of simulation for training and teaching medical students and residents in using ultrasound, and there was a definite need and enthusiasm for its integration into curricula. Simulation offers an avenue not only for teaching but also for practicing the ultrasound technology by both medical students and health care providers.

EMT Markers in Locally-Advanced Prostate Cancer: Predicting Recurrence?

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequent cause of cancer-related death in men worldwide. It is a heterogeneous disease at molecular and clinical levels which makes its prognosis and treatment outcome hard to predict. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marks a key step in the invasion and malignant progression of PCa. We sought to assess the co-expression of epithelial cytokeratin 8 (CK8) and mesenchymal vimentin (Vim) in locally-advanced PCa as indicators of EMT and consequently predictors of the progression status of the disease.Methods: Co-expression of CK8 and Vim was evaluated by immunofluorescence (IF) on paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 122 patients with PCa who underwent radical prostatectomies between 1998 and 2016 at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). EMT score was calculated accordingly and then correlated with the patients' clinicopathological parameters and PSA failure.Results: The co-expression of CK8/Vim (EMT score), was associated with increasing Gleason group. A highly significant linear association was detected wherein higher Gleason group was associated with higher mean EMT score. In addition, the median estimated biochemical recurrence-free survival for patients with < 25% EMT score was almost double that of patients with more than 25%. The validity of this score for prediction of prognosis was further demonstrated using cox regression model. Our data also confirmed that the EMT score can predict PSA failure irrespective of Gleason group, pathological stage, or surgical margins.Conclusion: This study suggests that assessment of molecular markers of EMT, particularly CK8 and Vim, in radical prostatectomy specimens, in addition to conventional clinicopathological prognostic parameters, can aid in the development of a novel system for predicting the prognosis of locally-advanced PCa.

Ten-year surveillance study of ventilator-associated pneumonia at a tertiary care center in Lebanon

BackgroundVentilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is associated with significant adverse outcomes in critically-ill patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Systematic data from Lebanon on VAP are not available and large epidemiological studies from the region are scarce. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study over a 10-year period at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), a tertiary referral center in Lebanon in order to describe the incidence, microbiology, and temporal trends of VAP in the medical/surgical ICU. ResultsA total of 162 patients developed VAP over the study period and the overall incidence of VAP was 7.9 per 1000 ventilator-days. There was a statistically significant decrease over time in the incidence of VAP, from 13.1 in 2008 to 1.1 per 1000 ventilator-days in 2017. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter spp. was the predominant pathogen, both in early- as well as late-onset VAP, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ConclusionsFollowing significant efforts from the Infection Control and Prevention Program, a considerable reduction in the incidence of VAP was achieved at AUBMC. The predominance of MDR Acinetobacter spp. should be taken into consideration when deciding on empirical therapy in patients with VAP.

Management of Hip Fractures at an Academic Center: Challenges and Opportunities

Objective: To assess characteristics of patients with hip fractures and investigate the extent of osteoporosis-related care they receive at a tertiary referral center in Lebanon. Methods: A retrospective review of charts of 400 patients admitted with a hip fracture to the American University of Beirut-Medical Center, between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2015. We reviewed medical records of adults admitted with a nonpathologic/nontraumatic hip fracture, and evaluated basic demographics and relevant clinical information, associated risk factors, and the management received. Results: The mean age of the population was 78 ± 10 years and men constituted 37%. Women were more likely to be assessed and/or treated. On admission, 21% were taking calcium and 18% vitamin D supplementation. During hospitalization, vitamin D level was assessed in only 39% of patients; a dietary and an osteoporosis consult were requested on only 32% and 22% of the cases, respectively. One-fourth to a third of patients were discharged on calcium or vitamin D, and less than 5% on bisphosphonates. Bone mineral density was measured in a minority although 21% had a history of previous contralateral hip fracture. One year mortality rate in a subset where follow-up available was 12% in men and 7% in women. Conclusion: A large care gap in the management of patients admitted with hip fracture persists despite clear national osteoporosis guidelines. This study provides a strong impetus for establishing and monitoring a fracture liaison service to understand and address barriers to providing optimal care to patients with osteoporosis.

First insights on the genetic diversity of MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Lebanon

BackgroundLebanon hosts a heterogeneous population coming from underdeveloped and developing countries, resulting in increasing incidences of tuberculosis over the past years. The genetic heterogeneity and lineages associated with tuberculosis, along with their resistance determinants have not been studied at the genomic level previously in the region.MethodsIsolates were recovered from the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles were determined using the MGIT automated system for the first-line drugs at AUBMC, while second-line drug susceptibility was tested at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) was performed to classify mycobacterial lineages and highlight single nucleotide mutations causing resistance to both 1st line and 2nd line antimicrobials. wgSNP analysis provided insights on the phylogeny of the isolates along with spoligotyping and core genomic SNVs, IS6110 insertion sites, and variable number tandem repeats (VNTR).ResultsThe analyzed isolates carry distinct resistance determinants to isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, quinolones, and streptomycin. The isolates belonged to different lineages including the Euro/American lineage (Lineage 4) (53.8%), M. bovis (15.4%) and Delhi/Central Asia (Lineage 1) (15.4%), Beijing/East Asia (Lineage 2) (7.7%), and East Africa/Indian Ocean lineage (Lineage 3) (7.7%) showing great phylogenetic differences at the genomic level.ConclusionsThe population diversity in Lebanon holds an equally diverse and uncharacterized population of drug resistant mycobacteria. To achieve the WHO “END-TB” milestones of 2025 and 2035, Lebanon must decrease TB incidences by 95% in the next decade. This can only be done through WGS-based patient centered diagnosis with higher throughput and genomic resolution to improve treatment outcomes and to monitor transmission patterns.

Clinical review of liver hydatid disease and its unusual presentations in developing countries.

Human hydatid cyst disease is an international public health issue that particularly affects the developing countries. In this article, we discuss the epidemiology of hydatid disease in third world countries, the life cycle of echinococcus granulosus and how to make the clinical diagnosis of the disease, including laboratory tests and imaging modalities as well as uncommon presentation of this entity that we have encountered at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). We emphasize on the new World Health Organization classification of hepatic echinococcosis with examples from our clinical practice at AUBMC, and finally we describe the treatment, including medical and interventional therapies.

Molecular characterization of Carbapenem resistant Escherichia coli recovered from a tertiary hospital in Lebanon.

The emergence of carbapenem resistant Escherichia coli represents a serious public health concern. This study investigated the resistome, virulence, plasmids content and clonality of 27 carbapenem resistant E. coli isolated from 27 hospitalized patients at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) in Lebanon between 2012 and 2016. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data were used to identify resistance determinants. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), phylogenetic grouping and PCR-based replicon typing (PBRT) were also performed. The 27 isolates were distributed into 15 STs, of which ST405 (14.8%; n = 4) was the most prevalent. All of the 27 isolates were carbapenem resistant and 20 (74%) were extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) gene carriers. The predominant detected carbapenemases were blaOXA-48 (48.1%; n = 13) and blaOXA-181 (7.4%; n = 2), for the ESBLs it was blaCTX-M-15 (55.6%; n = 15) and blaCTX-M-24 (18.5%; n = 5), and for the AmpC-type β–lactamases, blaCMY-42 (40.7%; n = 11) and blaCMY-2 (3.7%; n = 1). Thirteen replicons were identified among the 27 E. coli isolates including: IncL/M, IncFIA, IncFIB, IncFII, IncI1, and IncX3. PFGE revealed a high genetic diversity with the 27 isolates being grouped in 21 different pulsotypes. SNPs analysis and PFGE showed a possible clonal dissemination of ST405, ST1284, ST354 and ST410 and the dominance of certain STs, monitoring of which could help in elucidating routes of transmission. This study represents the first WGS-based in depth analysis of the resistomes and mobilomes of carbapenem resistant E. coli in Lebanon.

Clinical and genetic characteristics of pulmonary arterial hypertension in Lebanon

BackgroundPulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease with an incidence rate of 2–6 cases per million per year. Our knowledge of the disease in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is limited by the small number of clinical studies and the complete absence of genetic studies.MethodsOur aim was to shed light on the clinical and genetic characteristics of PAH in Lebanon and the region by using exome sequencing on PAH patients referred to the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). Twenty-one idiopathic, hereditary and Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) PAH patients were prospectively recruited, their clinical data summarized, and sequencing performed.ResultsThe mean age at diagnosis was 33 years with a female preponderance of 70%. The mean pulmonary artery pressure at the time of diagnosis was 55. Genetic testing showed that 5 out of 19 idiopathic and Congenital Heart Disease PAH patients had Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptor 2 (BMPR2) mutations at 25% prevalence, with 2 of these patients exhibiting a novel mutation. It also showed the presence of 1 BMPR2 mutation with 100% penetrance in a heritable PAH family. In the remaining cases, the lack of a complete genotype/phenotype correlation entailed a multigenic inheritance; suspected interactions involved previously associated genes T-box transcription factor 4 (TBX4), Bone Morphogenic Protein 10 (BMP10) and Growth Differentiation Factor 2 (GDF2).ConclusionsThis is the first study that looks into the genetic causes of PAH, including known and new BMPR2 mutations, in the MENA region. It is also the first study to characterize the clinical features of the disease in Lebanon.

Dengue fever in Lebanon: First confirmed case since 1945 and review from the region.

Lebanon yearly witnesses a high flux of expatriates and workers from Dengue virus (DENV) endemic regions. Multiple cases of Dengue fever have been documented at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) in travellers to endemic regions. Given the presence of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in Lebanon, introduction of DENV to the country is highly likely. We report a case of DENV infection in Lebanon diagnosed in April 2012 in a patient with no prior travel history. The patient presented with fever (39°C) and lower urinary tract symptoms and was initially diagnosed with culture negative prostatitis. He was started on empiric antibiotics but continued to have severe headache, diffuse myalgias, bone pain, and fatigue. He later developed a faint rash with leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Extensive work-up was unrevealing. DENV IgM and IgG were positive suggesting acute infection. This is the first reported case since 1945 from Lebanon in a patient with no prior travel history.

Increase in spleen volume as a predictor of oxaliplatin toxicity.

BackgroundOxaliplatin is a nonconventional third-generation platinum compound. It is an important chemotherapeutic agent in regimens used in gastrointestinal carcinomas as well as other malignancies. Oxaliplatin toxicity profile includes neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and splenomegaly. The primary aim of this study was to measure the spleen volume of patients on oxaliplatin therapy before and during chemotherapy to detect any increase in splenic size as a biomarker for early oxaliplatin toxicity.MethodsThis was a prospective pilot study conducted at the American University of Beirut-Medical Center. Fifty patients newly started on oxaliplatin were included. The spleen volume was measured from the patients’ baseline CT scan using the IntelliSpace Portal upgraded system (using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors [RECIST]), for each follow-up CT scan. Side effects were evaluated at each patient visit and graded according to the severity.ResultsThirty-seven (74%) patients developed an increase in spleen size. Thirty-three (66%) sampled patients developed peripheral neuropathy (all grades) at 3 months, whereas only two (4%) patients developed grade 3 neuropathy. Only one (3%) patient who developed an increase in spleen size also developed grade 3 peripheral neuropathy – a result that is significantly different (p<0.001) when comparing patients with an increase in spleen size who also developed peripheral neuropathy of other grades.ConclusionAn increase in spleen volume possibly precedes a significant peripheral neuropathy which could be a potential marker for oxaliplatin-induced toxicity.

Examining Burnout, Depression, and Attitudes Regarding Drug Use Among Lebanese Medical Students During the 4Years of Medical School.

This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of burnout, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms and attitudes toward substance use in medical students as well as their evolution during the 4years of medical school. A cross-sectional study was carried out at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) between September and December 2016. In total, 176 out of 412 eligible medical students responded. The survey was anonymous and administered via e-mail link to an electronic form. The study included general socio-demographic questions and standardized validated tools to measure depressive symptomatology (PHQ-9), burnout (Burnout Measure), anxiety (GAD-7), alcohol use (AUDIT), and substance abuse (DAST-10) as well as questions pertaining to attitudes toward recreational substance use. Overall, 23.8% of medical students reported depressive symptomatology, with 14.5% having suicidal ideations. Forty-three percent were found to have burnout. Those who screened positive for burnout were more likely to be males, to be living away from their parents, and to have experienced a stressful life event during the last year. With the exception of burnout, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of depression or anxiety among the 4years of medical school. There was a significant difference in alcohol use, illicit substance use, and marijuana use during the four medical school years. The results of this study show high rates of depression, burnout, and suicidal ideation among medical students from the Middle East region. Increased rates of substance use were detected as well as a more tolerant attitude toward substance use in general, specifically cannabis. It is crucial that medical educators and policymakers keep tackling the complex multifactorial mental health issues affecting medical students and design effective solutions and support systems.

Effect of computer use on physician-patient communication using a validated instrument: Patient perspective

BackgroundPhysician-patient communication is essential in the physician-patient relationship. Concerns were raised about the impact of the computer on this relationship with the increase in use of electronic medical records (EMR). Most studies addressed the physician’s perspective and only few explored the patient’s perspective. AimThis study aims to assess the patient’s perspective of the effect of the physician’s computer use during the clinical encounter on the interpersonal and communication skills of the physician using a validated communication assessment tool (CAT). Design and settingsThis is a cross-sectional survey of three hundred eighty-two patients who visited the family medicine clinics (FMC) at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). Material and methodsAt the end of the visit with the physician, the patients were approached by the clinical assistant to fill a paper-based questionnaire privately in the waiting room to measure communication skills of physicians using CAT. ResultsNearly two-thirds of the patients (62%) did not consider that using the computer by their physician during the visit would negatively affect the patient-doctor communication. Patients rated their physician with a higher communication score when there was an ongoing relationship between the physician and the patient. Higher communication scores were reported for extensive use of the computer by the physician to check results (p<0.001), to retrieve patient record information (p<0.001) and to educate patients (p<0.001) as compared to less use. ConclusionsPhysician-patient communication was not negatively affected by the physician use of the computer as rated by patients. An ongoing relationship with the physician remains a significant predictor of better physician-patient communication even in the presence of the computer.

Sequential Regimen with Thiotepa, Cyclophosphamide, Etoposide, Fludarabine and Busulfan in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for the Treatment of Relapsed and Refractory Hematological Malignancies

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Relapsed / Refractory leukemia and lymphoma (R/R, L/L) patients have a very poor prognosis despite all the well-known therapeutic strategies. Sequential conditioning followed by allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) provides an efficient disease control in those high risk patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: we conducted a retrospective study at the American University of Beirut medical center (AUBMC) to assess the safety and efficacy of sequential conditioning in patients with R/R, L/L undergoing allo-SCT. We included 14 consecutive patients with (R/R, L/L) who received sequential conditioning followed by allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) from either matched related or haploidentical donors from April 2015 to May 2017. At time of transplantation patients included in the study were either in progressive disease (PD) or complete remission 2 (CR2), or partial remission (PR) after many lines of treatment. The study was approved by the institutional review board of American University of Beirut Medical Center. All patients received the following conditioning regimen of sequential chemotherapy: Thiotepa intravenous (IV) (5mg/kg/day) on days -13 and -12, Cyclophosphamide IV (400mg/m2/day) from day -11 to day -8 , Etoposide IV (100mg/m2/day) from day -11 to day-8, Fludarabine IV (30mg/m2/day) from day -5 to day-1, Busulfan IV (130mg/m2/day) on days -5 and -4 and ATG (thymoglobuline) IV 2,5 mg/kg on days -2 and -1 , followed by peripheral stem cells infusion on day 0. All patients characteristics, infectious complications and outcomes are listed in Table1.The primary outcomes weresafety and efficacy of this new sequential conditioning in allo-SCT. Secondary outcomes included engraftment, chimerism, acute and chronic graft versus host disease (GVHD), infections and relapse on days +30, +100 and 1 year post allo-SCT. RESULTS: After a median follow up of 7 months (range, 2-23) post-allo-SCT, all patients had neutrophil engraftment after a median time of 14 days (range, 10-20), and 13 patients had platelets engraftment after a median time of 15 days (range, 10-100). One patient failed to have platelets engraftment. At the time of last follow up, 9 patients (64%) were alive with complete remission (CR), with a median follow up of those of 7 months (range,2-23); four of whom had progressive disease (PD) at time of transplantation. Five patients who had PD at time of transplantation died. Of those, three (21%) died due to disease relapse that occurred at a median time of 152 days post allo-SCT (range, 60-296). The other two (14%) patients died because of transplant related mortality, one because of veno occlusive disease and one because of infection while were in CR. The cumulative incidence of Grade II-IV acute GVHD was 21%. Three patients (21%) developed chronic GVHD. The median progression free survival (PFS) and the median overall survival (OS) were not reached. All the complications and outcomes post allo-SCT are listed in table 1. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that this sequential conditioning regimen appears to be feasible, with low TRM, allows high rate of engraftment and good disease control among high-risk patients. Further large prospective trials needed to evaluate that. Download : Download high-res image (181KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Risk of obstructive sleep apnea and excessive daytime sleepiness in hospitalized psychiatric patients.

ObjectivesThis study evaluated the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in hospitalized psychiatric patients at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUB-MC). Factors associated with OSA and EDS occurrence in this sample were also examined.MethodsThe Berlin questionnaire and the Epworth sleepiness scale; which respectively evaluate OSA and EDS symptoms, were administered to individuals hospitalized at an acute psychiatric treatment unit at the AUB-MC between the dates of January 2014 and October 2016. Additional data collected included general demographics, psychiatric diagnoses, and questionnaires evaluating depression and anxiety symptoms. Statistical analyses utilizing SPSS were performed to determine the prevalence of OSA and EDS, as well as their respective associations with patient profiles.ResultsOur results showed that 39.5% of participants were found to have a high risk of sleep apnea and 9.9% of the participants were found to have abnormal daytime sleepiness. The risk of developing OSA was associated with a higher body mass index (BMI) (P=0.02), and depression severity (patient health questionnaire 9 score) (P=0.01). Increasing severity of depressive symptoms was associated with a higher risk of sleep apnea (P=0.01). BMI (odds ratio [OR] =5.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.89–18.82) and depression severity (OR =4.04, 95% CI 1.80–9.07) were also found to be predictors of OSA. The psychiatric diagnoses of the participants were not found to have a significant association with the risk of sleep apnea.ConclusionThe risk of OSA is increased among hospitalized psychiatric patients, and this condition can have detrimental effects on psychiatric patients. OSA appears to be under-recognized in this population, psychiatrists should screen for OSA in hospitalized psychiatric patients and refer them for diagnostic testing or treatment when indicated.

A 27-year experience with infective endocarditis in Lebanon.

Although rare, infective endocarditis (IE) continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality. Previous data from the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) had shown predominance of streptococcal infection. As worldwide studies in developed countries show increasing trends in Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis, it becomes vital to continually inspect local data for epidemiological variations. We reviewed all IE cases between 2001 and 2014, and we performed a comparison to a historical cohort of 86 IE cases from 1987 to 2001. A total of 80 patients were diagnosed with IE between 2001 and 2014. The mean age was 61 years. The most commonly isolated organisms were streptococci (37%), compared to 51% in the previous cohort. S. aureus accounted for 11%. Only one S. aureus isolate was methicillin-resistant. In the historical cohort, 26% of cases were caused by S. aureus. Enterococci ranked behind staphylococci with 22% of total cases, while in the previous cohort, enterococcal IE was only 4%. Compared to previous data from AUBMC, the rates of streptococcal and staphylococcal endocarditis have decreased while enterococcal endocarditis has increased. This study reconfirms that in Lebanon, a developing country, we continue to have a low predominance of staphylococci as etiologic agents in IE.

Anxiety, Depression and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients in the Levant

Background:Limited data are currently available regarding the psychological well-being and quality of life of breast cancer patients after active treatment in Lebanon and the Arab region in general. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression among Arab breast cancer patients and assess the quality of life with reference to socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted among female breast cancer patients diagnosed between January 2009 and March 2014, who were recruited from the outpatient clinics of Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) from November 2015 till December 2016. An interview was conducted utilizing two validated questionnaires: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B). Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics that might predict patient quality of life were collected and summarized.Results:A total of 150 patients were interviewed (median age 53.5±10.4 years). Most were assessed 3 to 5 years (68.7%) after initial diagnosis and had undergone surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or hormonal therapy (97.3%, 79.3%, 80.7% and 86.0%, respectively). The median total HADS score was 10.0 ± 8.0, with approximately 41.3% of study participants having abnormal scores on the anxiety subscale and 24.7% on the depression subscale. Significant predictors of total HADS score were nationality and level of education (p=0.001, p=0.001 respectively; R2=0.181). Participants who were Iraqi, had stage IV disease, had a household monthly income below 1000 USD, or had received chemotherapy exhibited significantly lower total FACT-B scores, these being highly negatively correlated with total HADS scores (rs= -0.73, p=0.001).Conclusion:There is a vital need for the development of individualized interventions and psychosocial support programs tailored to the physical and psychological well-being of breast cancer patients in the Levant region.