Tertiary Hospital In Riyadh Research Articles

Demographic and clinical profile of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis in Saudi Arabia.

To determine the clinical features of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was carried out at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We enrolled 660 male and female participants with medical records indicating a history of chronic rhinosinusitis between 2021 and 2022. Quantitative and descriptive analyses of age, gender, nationality, presence of polyps, aspirin sensitivity, presence of urticaria, asthma, and allergies were performed. Of the 660 enrolled patients, 60% (n=396) were male and 40% (n=264) were female. Additionally, 67.7% (447) had nasal polyps, 32% had a history of asthma, 10% had hypersensitivity to aspirin, 1.4% reported a history of urticaria, 9.7% reported allergies to medications, 7.9% reported food allergies, 26% reported multiple allergies, and 1.8% reported environmental allergies. Our study revealed the following: Samter's triad was present in 6.9% of participants with chronic rhinosinusitis; the greatest prevalence of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps was observed among those older than 50 years. The prevalence of urticaria was not significantly different among groups; a higher rate of environmental allergies was observed among those with CRSwNP than among those without nasal polyps; and a higher prevalence of aspirin hypersensitivity was observed among those with CRSwNP than among non-polyps group.

The effect of portable air-purifiers in improving indoor air quality in pediatric intensive care units at two tertiary hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: A set of environmental preventive measures involving ventilation control within healthcare facilities is well established. Portable air purifiers have been introduced in recent years as one of alternative technologies used to prevent infection and other respiratory complications in indoor environment. Objective: To asses indoor air quality in pediatric intensive care units at two tertiary hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in the presence and absence of portable air purifiers.Method: Fine particles (PM 2.5) and coarse particles (PM10) were obtained using optical particle counter and microbial counts were obtained using Andersen air sampler from outdoor and two patient rooms in pediatric intensive care units. Pollutants levels reduction between outdoor and indoor were calculated and compared using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS Version 27.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp) were utilized for statistical analysis. Results: In hospital A and B, non-protective environment room (NPE) had a significantly higher number of fine particles and total bacterial count (TBC) respectively than semi-protective environment room (SPE). Meanwhile, there was significantly higher reductions of fine particles (hospital A) and coarse particles, fine particles and TBC (hospital B) in SPE rooms compared with NPE room. Hospital-A had significantly higher reduction efficacy compared with matched rooms in hospital-B for fine particles, coarse particles, and TBC. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that portable air purifiers have a great impact in the reduction of indoor air pollutants in PICUs including fine particulate matters and TBC in particular. Furthermore, ventilation systems equipped with HEPA filters along with portable air purifiers significantly reduce the levels indoor air pollutants of outdoor sources. Moreover, this study showed that newer and well-maintained HVAC systems play a significant role in controlling the levels of airborne pollutants.

Complications of ultrasound-guided percutaneous native kidney biopsies in children: A single center experience

Introduction: Percutaneous kidney biopsy is a necessary tool to diagnose many kidney diseases. However, major complications were reported in adults, including bleeding in the kidney or around it, creation of arteriovenous fistula, wound infection, damage to adjacent organs, or even loss of the kidney. Such complications can rapidly develop serious consequences. Exploring risk factors might help in preventing them. Objective: The current study aims to evaluate and explore the complications that happened after percutaneous kidney biopsy in children and associated risk factors. Methodology: A retrospective record-based study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of children with post-ultrasound-guided percutaneous kidney biopsy complications at King Saud Medical City, a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during the period from May 2014 to June 2021. Data were extracted using pre-structured data collection sheet. Data collected included children’s age, gender, primary disease, laboratory findings, and kidney complications with needed management. Results: The study identified 76 children who had undergone 86 ultrasound-guided percutaneous kidney biopsies in the study period and fulfil the inclusion criteria. Children’s ages ranged from 1 years to 15 years with a mean age of 7.3 ± 4.0 years old. Most of the study children had nephrotic syndrome (61.6%; 53), followed by glomerulonephritis (25.6%; 22). Thirty-five (40.7%) children developed at least one of the complications. The most-reported complication was microscopic haematuria (32.6%; 28), followed by gross haematuria (3.5%; 3), Flank pain was reported among 3 (3.5%) children also and hematoma (1 child), only 2 children (3.9%) among those who had no complications recorded Haemoglobin drop > 2 g/dl compared to 3 of those who had complications with no statistical significance (p = .365). Prothrombin time was significantly higher among children who had renal complications than others who had not (11.7 ± 1.8 vs. 10.8 ± 1.2 seconds; p = .022). Conclusion: Suggestive by the low need to intervene in complications, ultrasound-guided percutaneous kidney biopsy is a relatively safe procedure in children. Even in the most commonly observed complication, i.e. hemorrhagic ones, blood transfusion is rarely needed.

Bronchial Asthma Exacerbation in the Emergency Department in a Saudi Pediatric Population: An Insight From a Tertiary Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Background Severe uncontrolled asthma in the pediatric population is a complicated disease and is considered a major challenge for pediatricians. Severe bronchial asthma in the pediatric population is related to significant morbidity and mortality. Children with complicated asthma are at a higher risk for unfavorable outcomes, including medication-associated adverse effects, severe life-threatening exacerbations, and poor quality of life. Methodology A cohort study was conducted at National Guard Health Affairs Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using the chart review method utilizing a data collection sheet. A total of 363 charts of children aged one month to 14 years who visited the emergency room (ER) due to asthma exacerbation at NGHA were reviewed, from January 2016 to May 2022, to extract the variables. Variables included demographic data, comorbidities, and asthma-related variables which included the number of asthma exacerbations, hospital admission, ER visit, medication use (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids), and the presence of allergic rhinitis and eczema. Results A total of 363 patients were analyzed, with 229 (63.1%) males and 134 (36.9%) females. The mean age was 4.9 years (SD = 3.5 years). Overall, 8.5% of patients had congenital heart disease, 4.1% had gastroesophageal reflux disease, 2.2% had diabetes mellitus, 1.9% had obstructive sleep apnea, and 0.6% had hypertension. Most patients presented with a cough at 88.2% (n = 320), followed by shortness of breath at 59% (n = 214) and fever at 46% (n = 167). Male asthmatics visited ER more than females. Forty-four patients were admitted to the hospital. Inhaled steroids were associated with fewer emergency department visits and night symptoms. Most asthmatic patients presented in the winter and fall seasons. Conclusions Asthma is a common pediatric respiratory disease that could be a burden if not controlled well. Unfortunately, the frequency of hospital admissions and pediatric ER visits due to asthma exacerbation is increasing. Comorbidities such as obesity and gastroesophageal reflux disease play a significant role in asthma control.

Increasing Awareness of Hypertensive Patients About Their Blood Pressure Readings During Clinic Visits in a Tertiary Hospital in Riyadh.

Introduction Hypertension(HTN) is one of the most important cardiovascular risk factors. It is associated with significant complications, such as coronary artery disease, stroke, and chronic kidney disease. Awareness among hypertensive patients regarding their blood pressure (BP) is low in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Aim This study aimed to evaluate the awareness of patients regarding their BP readings and to identify which aspects of HTN they needed to be informed about. Patients and methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among hypertensive patients attending outpatient clinics at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. An electronicquestionnaire was used by a trained physicianto collect datafrom patients during telephone interviews. The information included socio-demographic data (i.e., age, gender, and education), family history, compliance with medications, and BP measurements. Patients were asked to answer questions to assess their awareness of their BP readings. Results Of the 475 hypertensive patients included in this study, 32.7% were aged between 56 and 65 years and 60.4% were female. The proportion of patients who had knowledge of their target BP (systolic: 120-129 mmHg; diastolic: 80-84mmHg) was 74.4%. The significant independent predictors of increased knowledge about BP were a high level of education, regular measurement of BP, and having received education about a healthy lifestyle. The significant independent predictor of decreased knowledge about BP was having an acceptable or poor understanding of chronic BP. Conclusion Hypertensive patients visiting the outpatient clinic at King Fahad Hospital had a good understanding of their target BP readings. Educated patients who regularly measured their BP and who received education about a healthy lifestyle tended to exhibit a higher motivation to achieve their BP targets. More research is needed to gain more insights into the knowledge of hypertensive patients and into how they manage their BP to determine the factors that influence their knowledge.

Impact of Implementing Key Performance Indicators on Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) Rates Among Adult ICU Patients in Saudi Arabia

The prevalence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) in hospitals characterizes one of the most significant problems in healthcare. This study aims to assess whether the implementation of impact of key performance indicators (KPIs) checklist reduces the number of CAUTI in adults present in intensive care unit (ICU) with indwelling catheters. This is a retrospective analytical study conducted in a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from June 2020 to June 2021. One hundred and thirty-four patients with CAUTIs met the criteria and were included in the study. Socio-demographic data was collected to enable informed analysis based on personal information (age, gender, marital status, monthly income, level of education, and department) and medical history (duration of catheterization, types of organisms, history of chronic illness, and duration of hospitalization). The research also used a prevention of CAUTI checklist containing 26 items. The outcome measures were 1) the rate of CAUTIs measured pre- and post-implementing performance measurement indicators (KPI) of CAUTIs prevention practice and 2) the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infection in three areas: general information recording, insertion practices, and maintenance practices. The study found that there was compliance with the prevention of CAUTIs in terms of recording the general patient's information (72%), insertion practices (52%), and maintenance practices (50%). However, most safety practices, including poor hygiene and safety standards, patient handling, and audited protocol programs, were not strictly followed, resulting in increased risk factors for CAUTIs. Compliance with the prevention of CAUTIs in terms of recording the general patient's information, insertion practices, and maintenance practices lies within the range of 50-75%, and the recommended practices are usually followed. A targeted education on CAUTI-prevention practices curtailing the most aggravating risk factors and adopting a safety culture driven by a patient handling and audited protocol program should be explored to reduce hospital CAUTIs.

Effect of curfew from the COVID-19 pandemic on amblyopia treatment in children in Saudi Arabia

Background: Amblyopia was defined as a reduction in the best-corrected visual acuity in one or both eyes with the presence of amblyogenic factors. Objective: The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of curfews resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic on amblyopia treatment in children. Design: A prospective longitudinal study. Methods: The study was conducted in pediatric ophthalmology clinics at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Children aged 3–9 years who underwent amblyopia treatment from September 2020 to May 2021 were recruited. Visual acuity data were collected from the subjects’ record files for the first visits prior to the curfew and from the clinics for the second visits after the curfew had ended. Results: A total of 97 children with amblyopia (strabismic, anisometropic, mixed, and visual deprivation) were included. In all, 15 children did not attend the clinic for follow-up visits after the outbreak of COVID-19. The follow-up visits for most of the participants took place 4–5 months after the first visit. No significant difference in visual acuity in the amblyopic eye was found between the first and second visits ( p > 0.05). No significant correlation was noted between the baseline difference in visual acuity at the first and second visits and the duration of the amblyopia treatment between the two visits. The adjusted model shows a variation of 0.18% according to the duration between the two visits. Conclusion: The findings showed no significant difference in visual acuity in amblyopic eyes between the first and second visits (before and after the COVID-19 curfew), although visual acuity was clinically improved.

Risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome in patients attending the primary care center of a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A case-control study.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), the most common entrapment neuropathy in the upper extremity, is known to be a multi-factorial disease that raises medical and nonmedical risk factors. The aim of the current study was to determine the risk factors of CTS in patients attending the primary care center at a tertiary hospital. A case-control study was conducted by reviewing all medical records of patients above the age of 18 years old diagnosed with CTS from 2015 to 2021. The selected cases were evaluated by physical examination and confirmed by a nerve conduction study. Cases and controls were matched by age, gender, and nationality, with a case-to-control ratio of 1:2. Odds ratios were calculated for association between carpel tunnel syndrome and various factors and Chi-sqauare test determined statistical significance. Multiple logistic regression was performed to adjust for confounding. The study recruited 144 cases with a mean age of 53.38 ± 12.20 years and 288 controls with a mean age of 53.80 ± 12.27 years. The majority of subjects were female (84.7%) and of Saudi nationality (68.3%). There was a significant difference in body mass index, employment status, number of years of employment, occupation, mean systolic blood pressure, mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, and mean blood urea level between cases and controls (P < 0.05). Laboratory tests that were found to be significantly associated with CTS in univariate analysis were thyroid-stimulating hormone (crude odds ratio [COR] = 0.828) and urea level (COR = 0.802). In fully adjusted analyses, obesity (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =3.080), chronic kidney disease (AOR = 3.629), and the use of corticosteroid (AOR = 0.470) were also significantly associated with CTS. Similar to the findings of other studies, this study identified several potential risk factors for CTS. More large-scale longitudinal studies are required to establish a precise causal association.

Assessment of Maternal Knowledge and Practices Regarding Acute Diarrheal Illnesses in Children in Saudi Arabia: A Tertiary Care Center Survey.

Background Diarrheal illness remains one of the most common causes of death among children specifically those who live in developing countries. Appropriate mothers' knowledge and practice regarding acute diarrhea illness in children can considerably reduce diarrhea-related morbidity and mortality. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate mothers' knowledge and practice regarding acute diarrheal illness in children. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia using a newly developed questionnaire that was distributed to King Abdullah Specialist Children. The calculated sample size was 375. Results A total of 375 mothers were included in this study and the majority of them(99%) were Saudis. More than half of the participants (61%) were university graduates.The majority(96.5%) choseprevious experience as the main source of information about diarrhea while(40%) chose physician. Most of the mothers(69.6%) believed that teething is the leading cause of diarrheal illness in children. Regarding the treatment, fluid was recognized to be the major treatmentfor diarrhea as chosen by the mothers. Around (42.7%) of the respondents thought intravenous fluid is more effective than oral rehydration solution (ORS) in treating dehydration associated withdiarrheal episodes. ORS was the main type of fluid (74.1%) which was selected by the mothers to be given during the diarrheal episode. Conclusion Mothers showed good knowledge and practice overall in regard to acute diarrheal illness in children. However, this study revealed some misconceptions among the caregivers which necessitates more educational sessions to be conducted in the community and during the hospital visit.

Patterns and Characteristics of Intentional Self-inflicted Hand Injuries among Military Personnel: A Retrospective Study and Proposal of Treatment Algorithm.

This retrospective chart review study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Our inclusion criteria included military personnel patients who presented to the emergency department with intentional self-inflicted hand-related injuries between 2016 and 2018. A total of 274 cases were included; 241 (88%) were men. Injuries to the left hand (52.2%) were more common than injuries to the right hand. The most common injury site involved the little finger (45.6%). The majority were followed up (97.8%), and 28.8% of cases had a complication. The majority of fractures were managed with open reduction and internal fixation (63.9%). Moreover, the mean sick leave duration was 23 days. Self-inflicted injuries can be challenging to diagnose when patients are manipulative about the cause and mechanism. Most self-inflicted injuries involved the left little finger, and most were treated with open reduction and internal fixation. A self-inflicted injury is possible in the context of an unusual injury with a vague medical history.

Prevalence of Delayed Eruption of Permanent Upper Central Incisors at a Tertiary Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Tooth eruption is defined as the axial movement of the tooth from its site of development in the alveolar bone to its functional position in the oral cavity. A delay in eruption can directly affect the accurate diagnosis, overall treatment planning, and timing of treatment. Thus, Delayed Tooth Eruption can have a significant impact on a patient's proper health care. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of delayed eruptions of permanent upper central incisors in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A retrospective study assessed panoramic radiographs of children between the ages of 6-10 years old who attended the Dental University Hospital clinics at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between 2014 and 2020. The radiographs were collected and examined to detect any delayed eruption of the permanent upper central incisors. Panoramic radiographs with delayed erupted permanent upper central incisors were identified by tooth developmental stages and eruption sequence. Of the 745 radiographs, 23 (3.09%) presented at least one delayed erupted permanent upper central incisor of which boys and girls comprised 16 (69.5%) and 7 (30.4%), respectively. Retained primary teeth was the most causative factor of delayed eruption (43.4%), followed by the early loss of primary teeth (21.7%) and insufficient arch space. The present study is the first to assess the prevalence of delayed eruption of the permanent upper central incisors on a Saudi population. Boys were found to have more prevalence of delayed eruption of the permanent upper central incisors compared to girls. Clinicians should be aware of such a condition as early diagnosis of delayed eruption is essential for providing optimal dental care.

WITHDRAWN

SESSION TITLE: Biologics and Severe Asthma: Latest Outcome Data SESSION TYPE: Original Investigations PRESENTED ON: 10/16/22 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM PURPOSE: Dupilumab which is an anti-IL-4/13 monoclonal antibody can be used to treat severe uncontrolled asthma. Since its approval, patients who were uncontrolled on other biological therapies are switched to Dupilumab. Our study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of switching Mepolizumab to Dupilumab for the treatment of severe asthma in a real-world severe asthma clinic in a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: We did a chart review on severe asthma patients who were treated with Mepolizumab for at least 6 months with suboptimal asthma control and are currently on Dupilumab for more than 6 months from January 2017 through August 2021. Multiple outcomes were observed which include the rate of asthma exacerbation (RAE), reduction in maintenance Oral Corticosteroids (mOCS) dose, improvement in Asthma Control, lung function, and effects on total IgE and eosinophils. RESULTS: A total of 14 severe asthma patients (85% females) were on mepolizumab for at least 6 months then switched to Dupilumab. The average age was 43 years with an average BMI of 31, half of the patients have a background of Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyposis. At baseline prior to mepolizumab, patients had an average of 18.5 Emergency Room (ER) visits and 14.5 short courses of Prednisone due to asthma exacerbations. Their average Asthma Control Test (ACT) was 10 at baseline and 57% of them were on mOCS at baseline. The average FEV1 pre-bronchodilator (BD) was 1.67 L. Eosinophils count prior to Mepolizumab was 0.77 and total IgE was 317. After a minimum of 6 months on Mepolizumab, results were as follows: both average ER visits and short courses of Prednisone for asthma attacks were reduced to 3.7 and 5 respectively. The average Asthma Control Test (ACT) improved to 13.2. All 14 patients were uncontrolled on Mepolizumab with 23.7% of them were on mOCS. Their average FEV1 was 1.86. Prior to Dupilumab, the average peripheral eosinophils was 0.23 along with 332 for total IgE. 6 months post-Dupilumab initiation, there was a significant improvement in multiple outcomes. The average RAE was 1.42 and ACT was 18.1. Only 10% of patients are on mOCS. Furthermore, the average FEV1 has also improved compared to previous results with pre FEV1 of 2.48 (82%) and the average total IgE was 156. However, eosinophils were higher compared to Mepolizumab period with an average count of 1.54 and 0.92 at 3 and 6 months period. CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective real-life study, we have shown that switching patients who were uncontrolled on Mepolizumab to Dupilumab had a significant effect in reducing annual asthma exacerbations. It also helped in reducing daily OCS dose along with improvement in lung function and asthma symptoms. Overall, Dupilumab was a safe medication apart from an increase in eosinophils count. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dupilumab showed that it can improve severe asthmatics who failed Mepolizumab. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Riyad Al-Lehebi No relevant relationships by Yasmin Alkhunaizi No relevant relationships by SAUD ALMOUSA

Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Utilization and Prescribing Patterns in Cancer Patients: A Single Institution Experience of a Saudi Cancer Center.

BackgroundFebrile neutropenia (FN), owing to its negative association with immune function and infectious complications, acts as a treatment-limiting factor in myelotoxic cancer chemotherapy. This study aimed to analyze the incidence of FN, utilization of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in patients who experienced FN, and its association with age and comorbidities.MethodologyThis retrospective study was conducted in a major tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Inclusion criteria entailed all neutropenic adults aged >18 years with a proven cancer diagnosis, including solid and hematological malignancies. Patients who were treated with chemotherapy and G-CSF were included in the study. Data regarding FN, administration of G-CSF, and patient and physician-related factors were collected.ResultsWe collected data on 53 cancer patients with a mean age of 41.9 ± 17.1 years (range = 16-75). FN was present in 16 (30.2%) patients and absent in 37 (69.8%) patients. The mean neutrophil count post-filgrastim did not significantly differ from pre-chemotherapy neutrophil count (Student’s t-test, p = 0.067), while there was a significant difference from post-chemotherapy neutrophil count (Student’s t-test, p = 0.044). In our cohort, 24 (45.3%) patients achieved remission, 12 (22.6%) died, and 17 (32.1%) were not cured. We did not find any significant association between gender, specialty, comorbidities, and age with FN.ConclusionsG-CSF administration significantly decreases the incidence of FN post-chemotherapy in cancer patients.

Patient safety culture awareness among healthcare providers in a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Patient safety is a serious concern in the health care industry. To enhance patient safety, healthcare providers are expected to minimize accidental harm to patients and enhance the quality of patient-centered care. The main objective of this study is to explore the awareness of the patient safety culture among healthcare providers. It is further intended to assess key fields and factors that hinder patient safety adoption and determine the effects of demographic factors on healthcare providers' awareness of patient safety culture. This study applied a cross-sectional quantitative design. It was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The participants consisted of all healthcare providers working in a specific tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. A random sampling technique was applied in this study. The study sample size was 409 participants. A valid and reliable questionnaire was used to collect the required data. The T-tests, ANOVA. And regression was used. The study found that there is a moderate level of patient safety culture awareness among healthcare providers. Moreover, the findings also revealed that the age group “31–40” showed statistically different awareness levels as compared to the “more than 50 years' age group” (p = 0.012). Also, this study has found that gender and education have a significant influence on the awareness level of patient safety culture while position and work area have no influence on the awareness level of patient safety culture among healthcare providers. Managers in healthcare institutions should develop speeder response plans and make them part of the patient safety culture. Institutions offering bachelor's degrees and postgraduate in nursing should pay more attention to the subject of patient safety. The government healthcare sector, together with the private healthcare sector, should continuously train healthcare providers on patient safety procedures to improve the patient safety culture. Healthcare providers should be encouraged to report errors made during diagnosis or treatments to avoid them in the future.

TRAUMATIC INJURIES PRESENTING TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT IN A LEVEL-1

Objective: Traumas are a major health concern in Saudi Arabia, and they can result in many injuries burden. Furthermore, it is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the worldwide. As a result, the awareness of physicians who are the first to see trauma is critical. The study aims to determine the prevalence of traumatic injuries in emergency department. Methods: It is a retrospective study that used the trauma registry of the King Abdulaziz Medical City, Trauma Center to analyze data from January 2015 to January 2020 on trauma patients admitted to the hospital. Demographic features, date and time of admission, type and mechanism of injury, patterns of transportation, and rates of severity were analyzed. p&lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 6095 patients, the majority were male (79.9%). Blunt trauma was the most prevalent type of injury (85.7%, p&lt;0.001). A motor vehicle accident was the most prevalent mechanism of injury (37.5%). The highest proportion of trauma per age group was in the 21–30 year age group (28.7%). The mean of Injury Severity Score in the current study was found to be 10.7 and the injured patients’ Glasgow coma scale (GCS) mean was 13.4. The ICU stay average was 3.6 days while the hospital stay was 17.2 days. Conclusion: This study revealed trauma injury patterns in a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, demonstrating the local variation across genders, age groups, types of injury, and mechanisms of injury. These demographic data would be useful for local resourcing of the healthcare system to full impact.

Differences of Lipid Profile Among Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

ObjectiveThis study aims to compare the serum lipid profiles of patients with ischaemic and hemorrhagic strokes.Study designThis was a retrospective, comparative study.Place and duration of the studyThe study was conducted at Military Hospital, Riyadh, from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020.MethodologyPatients with a diagnosis of stroke who presented to the emergency department and was confirmed to have ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes by computed tomography (CT) from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020. This study was based on data extracted from an electronic hospital information system (BESTCare) of patients presenting to King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard Health Affairs, which is a tertiary medical center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Patients who lack lipid profile reading within six months before the incident or had a traumatic hemorrhagic stroke were excluded from the study. All these variables were included in the study: age, gender, height, weight, date of the incident, date of last lipid profile results, type of stroke, comorbidities, on a statin or not, and lipid profile including (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol, and triglycerides). Microsoft Excel 2019 (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) was used for data entry and data cleaning, and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used for data analysis and visualization of the results.ResultsThe mean age of presentation of stroke was 68±13, 59% of patients were males, and 41% were females. BMI ranged from 30±8. Obesity (BMI 30 or above) was predominant in both stroke subtypes. Among all patient comorbidities, hypertension was the most predominant. Diabetes was present in 71% of the population. Of the participants in this study, 114 had ischemic stroke and 87 had a hemorrhagic type. A comparison of the serum lipid profile of two categories of strokes showed no statistical significance in serum values of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-C in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients.

Knowledge about the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Visiting the Outpatient Clinics at Tertiary Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: One of the primary goals of diabetes management is to prevent cardiovascular events. The rate of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is significantly high in the diabetic population. Inadequate knowledge of CVDs risk in diabetes may result in the failure of its early prevention, causing increased morbidity and mortality. The objectives of this study were to assess the CVD risk knowledge and determine the predictors of the knowledge among adults with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the study objectives. Convenience sampling was used to recruit adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) who visited the King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC) outpatient clinics. Data were collected using the Heart Disease Fact Questionnaire. SPSS software (version 24.0) was used for data analysis. Results: A total of 383 patients were recruited. The level of CVD risk knowledge was high among all participants (19.04 ± 3.47). There were significant differences in knowledge scores between different groups, including age (p = 0.01), marital status (p = 0.01), and type of residence (p = 0.04). Participants who were older than 40 years, married, and lived in traditional houses had higher knowledge scores. Conclusion: The study findings indicated a high level of CVD risk knowledge in our study population. The presence of multidisciplinary intensive education programmes targeting type 2 DM patients, such as that conducted at KSUMC, might be responsible for the higher levels of knowledge among our study population. Thus, increasing the efforts towards the education of patients will improve the level of knowledge, including CVD risk knowledge.

Association Between Asthmatic Patients' Asthma Control Test Score and the Number of Exacerbations per Year in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh.

BackgroundAsthma is a reactive airway disease that has a high prevalence across the globe. Asthma exacerbations can occur due to various bacterial and viral infections that irritate nerve endings in the airways. With time, airway obstruction follows, and patients with asthma have various symptoms that occur intermittently. Asthma symptoms primarily include breathlessness, wheezing, coughing, and chest tightness. This research focused on the association between the Asthma Control Test (ACT) score and number of exacerbations per year.Methods A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study was conducted at the outpatient pulmonary clinic, King Abdulaziz Medical City, a tertiary hospital in Riyadh. The study included 227 adult patients who were diagnosed with asthma and had no other pulmonary diseases or other medical diseases that could mimic asthma exacerbation. Data was collected by direct interview with the patients and through the BESTCare system in King Abdulaziz Medical City. All the data were collected through Microsoft Excel 2010 (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA) and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics version 23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, US). The categorical data we used were presented by percentages and frequencies such as gender, whereas the numerical data were prescribed as mean and standard deviation such as age and number of exacerbations. For inferential statistics, Chi square was used to find the association between the categorical variable while T-test and ANOVA test were used to find the relationship between asthma control test score of asthmatic patients, which was divided into three different groups based on their scores that include: well-controlled, partially controlled, or uncontrolled, and the number of exacerbations per year. ResultsA total of 227 adult asthma patients were enrolled in this study, most of them were females (72.7%). Average age of the participants was 47.3 ± 13.8 years. The average ACT score was found to be 18.5 ± 4.9 out of 25. Uncontrolled asthma was present in 26% of the patients, 22.9% were partially controlled and 51.1% had well-controlled asthma; to relieve the exacerbation most of the patients used salbutamol (51.5%), 35.2% used oxygen and 30.4% did not use any medication. Gender and age were not associated with ACT score (P = 0.787 and 0.797, respectively), whereas number of exacerbations was significantly associated with ACT score (P = 0.000), as fewer exacerbations were reported with higher ACT scores.ConclusionAbout one-quarter of the patients had uncontrolled asthma, slightly less than one-quarter of the patients had partially controlled asthma while more than half of the patients had well-controlled asthma. Number of exacerbations was found to be significantly associated with asthma control test score as fewer exacerbations were reported in well-controlled asthmatic patients.

Effect of chronic hydroxychloroquine use on COVID-19 risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus: a multicenter retrospective cohort.

ObjectiveHydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been used during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic because of its reported anti-viral activity. This study examined the association of chronic HCQ use with the incidence and complications of COVID-19.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included adults with rheumatoid arthritis and/or systemic lupus erythematosus who visited rheumatology clinics in three tertiary hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between January 2019 and December 2020. Patients were categorized into two groups based on HCQ use. Data were obtained from the electronic health record and by interviews with patients. The primary study objective was the incidence of COVID-19 and its complications from March 2020 to February 2021.ResultsAlmost 11% of the study cohort was positive for COVID-19, and the incidence of COVID-19 was similar between HCQ users (11.11%) and nonusers (10.86%). Disease complication rates were similar in the study arms, and they mainly included fever, dry cough, fatigue, and breathing difficulty.ConclusionsThis study revealed no significant association between chronic HCQ use and the incidence of COVID-19, and disease complications were similar in the study arms.

Irritable bowel syndrome prevalence and health-related quality of life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome at tertiary hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Irritable bowel syndrome prevalence and health-related quality of life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome at tertiary hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia