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AIMRC), Ministry of National Guard, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health-Science, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Mohammed AlMuqbil, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, 11481, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966 50533 7752, Email [email protected] Objective: This study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics and factors associated with neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) and its neurodevelopmental outcomes. Methods: We conducted retrospective case-control research to investigate the clinical and labour-related risk factors for HIE. In addition, a single-centre cohort study was conducted on infants with HIE to describe their neurodevelopment from birth to 24 months. For this investigation, cases with a diagnosis of HIE who were born at King Abdullah Children's Specialist Hospital (KASCH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between 2015 and 2019 were identified and matched with controls from the same facility (1:4). Each case's clinical information was extracted using electronic medical records. In addition,  24-month follow-up HIE cases were included in a cohort study to describe their neurodevelopmental outcomes. Results: The sample includes 60 infants diagnosed with HIE and 234 infants serving as controls, with a mean gestational age of 38.8 weeks (SD 1.6) and a predominance of males (56.4%). Around one-third of the HIE cases (36.6%) had moderate HIE (stage 2), whereas 35.1% of infants had severe HIE (stage 3), according to Sarnat staging. Compared to the control group, children with HIE were twice as likely to be born to mothers with maternal comorbidities and more likely to have prepartum and intrapartum complications. A 24-month follow-up of neurodevelopmental outcomes for HIE babies revealed that approximately 24% exhibited delays in gross motor skill development, 22% in fine motor skill development, 33% in language skill development, and 22% in social skill development. Conclusion: In the HIE group, maternal comorbidities and prepartum or intrapartum complications were more common. The severity grade of HIE can be used to predict neurodevelopmental consequences. Enhancing patient care and rehabilitation requires a minimum of 24 months of neurodevelopmental follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Smartphone addiction is prevalent among medical students, and there is a concern that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic fueled a rise in smartphone addiction. Earlier studies suggest a link between excessive smartphone usage and negative outcomes such as depression, stress, and reduced academic achievement. However, there is a dearth of both local studies in Saudi Arabia and studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic exploring the prevalence of smartphone addiction and its association with academic performance, depression, and perceived stress, which is the purpose of the current study. Methods: In 2021, a cross-sectional research project took place among medical students at King Saud University and the Vision Colleges located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. An online self-administered questionnaire consisting of demographic variables, grade point average (GPA), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Perceived Stress Scale-4 (PSS-4), and the Smartphone Addiction Scale—Short Version (SAS-SV) was deployed. Results: Three hundred and fifteen students participated. Around 47.9% of students reported smartphone addiction, and the mean SAS-SV score was 32.31 ± 12.01 points. Both PHQ-9 and PSS-4 scores showed a significant positive correlation with the SAS-SV score (r = 0.216, p < 0.001 and r = 247, p < 0.001, respectively), while GPA did not (r = −0.027, p = 0.639). An adjusted analysis showed that the PSS-4 score was positively associated with the SAS-SV score (odds ratio (OR) = 1.206, p < 0.001), while the PHQ-9 score was not (OR = 102, p = 0.285). Conclusions: Smartphone addiction is prevalent among medical students and associated with perceived stress. Additional research is required to gain a deeper comprehension of this issue and to assess the success of intervention initiatives aimed at encouraging healthy smartphone usage, particularly in times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The doctor–patient relationship is often challenged by complex communication issues and nondisclosure of important related medical information, especially in diabetes management. Very little information is known about diabetic patient nondisclosure to their doctors. The present study evaluated the prevalence of nondisclosure of information by persons with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus to healthcare providers and its associated factors among the Saudi population, as well as the differences between persons with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: A cross-sectional study targeting persons with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus was conducted at King Saud University Medical City, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. An online self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Results: A total of 285 participants were included in the study (155 [54.4%] and 130 [45.6%] type 1 and 2 diabetic patients, respectively). Having an unhealthy diet (25.3%, n = 72), not regularly exercising (23.5%, n = 67), hiding some glucose readings (23.2%, n = 65), and not following instructions for weight loss (22.8%, n = 44) were the most common types of nondisclosed information among diabetic patients. The nondisclosure of information was significantly higher among type 2 patients (29.2%) than type 1 diabetic patients (18.7%) in terms of not participating in regular exercise (p = 0.018). Similarly, the nondisclosure of information was significantly higher among persons with type 1 diabetes compared to persons with type 2 diabetes in terms of hiding some glucose readings (p < 0.001) and not disclosing hyperglycemia (p = 0.011). Conclusion: Nondisclosure of important related medical information among diabetic patients to their healthcare providers is prevalent among the Saudi population. Furthermore, the types and causes of nondisclosed information differ among persons with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Empathy is an important attribute of a healthy doctor–patient relationship. Although multiple studies have assessed empathy in different countries, little is known about its levels among Saudi residents and its association with perceived stress. Objectives: To assess the levels of empathy and to identify if there is an association with stress in general and across the demographic and training characteristics of residents. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was carried out from December 2020 to March 2021 among residents training at a tertiary academic center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Empathy and perceived stress were measured using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Results: A total of 229 residents participated. The mean JSE score was 105.25 ± 15.35. The mean JSE scores were significantly higher among residents training in pediatrics (mean difference (MD) = 17.35, p < 0.001), family medicine (MD = 12.24, p = 0.007), and medical specialties (MD = 11.11, p = 0.012) when compared with surgical specialties and anesthesia. In addition, residents who worked 1–4 on-calls per month had a higher mean JSE score (MD = 11.23, p = 0.028) compared with those who worked 7 or more on-calls. Lastly, no correlation between empathy and perceived stress was detected in the whole sample (r = −0.007, p = 0.913); however, there was a correlation among residents training in medical specialties (r = −0.245, p = 0.025). Conclusion: Residents in our study had empathy levels comparable with Asian but lower than Western residents. We recommend qualitative studies that explore potential factors that might affect empathy among residents and studying the association between empathy and perceived stress among medical residents. Postgraduate curricula should incorporate interventions that foster a more empathetic doctor–patient relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim is to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding prevention, diagnosis, and management of COVID-19 in family medicine residents in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and also to examine the association of the residents' demographic variables with their COVID-19 KAP level. Methods: A cross-sectional survey conducted during July to August 2020 that targeted all family medicine residents who were enrolled in the Saudi board training programs in Riyadh. An online version of a specifically designed questionnaire was distributed to determine the residents' KAP toward COVID-19. Results: A total of 97 of 170 residents responded for a response rate of 57%. The most important results noted from this study are that participants had satisfactory knowledge of COVID-19; but, it was not associated with their demographic characteristics. Most participants demonstrated positive attitudes toward persons having risk factors for COVID-19 and who disclose their exposure (n = 82, 85%). Most participants exhibited good practices except participating in training programs concerning COVID-19 infection prevention and control (n = 46, 47%). Total knowledge scores were significantly affected by feeling tired, lack of confidence in defeating the virus, and persons with risk of COVID-19 infection. There was no significant association between the knowledge and practice. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that family medicine residents in Riyadh overall had good KAP on COVID-19 disease in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Such good KAP could help limit viral spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify predictors of recurrent arteriovenous fistula (AVF) stenosis. It also seeks to calculate the average primary patency duration in Saudi patients undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh. Data from 180 patients who had undergone angioplasty between May 2009 and May 2020 were analyzed. Following the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 99 patients were included. Based on the presence or absence of recurrent AVF stenosis, the patients were divided into cases and controls, respectively. Recurrence was defined as an occurrence of stenosis within <12 months of a previous stenotic event, or patients who had >3 total stenotic events. Clinical, radiological, and laboratory variables were collected and subjected to multivariate binary regression analysis to assess the odds of a recurrence of fistula stenosis. Results: A total of 29 patients were categorized as cases, while 70 patients were categorized as controls. The median primary patency duration was found to be seven months. Multivariate binary regression analysis revealed higher levels of serum calcium (p=0.012) and BMI (p=0.007) in patients with recurrent stenosis. A positive association was also observed between the use of antiplatelets (0.039) and recurrent stenosis. Conclusion: Higher levels of corrected calcium, BMI, and the application of antiplatelet therapy were found to be predictors of recurrent AVF stenosis. No other traditional variables were found to be significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The neonatal period is important for establishing a strong healthy foundation and is also associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. This study aimed to determine the rate of neonatal hospital readmission and to identify the associations between the neonatal age at readmission and the length of stay (LOS) during readmission, the outcome of readmission, and the associated maternal and neonatal factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed by reviewing the medical records of 570 neonates who were born in and readmitted to King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, through emergency and outpatient clinics from January 2016 to December 2018. Results: The neonatal readmission rate during the study period was 2.11%. The most common causes for readmission were respiratory diseases (24.9%), jaundice (22.1%), and fever to rule out sepsis (16.7%). Sex and breastfeeding were significantly associated with neonatal age at readmission (P = 0.025 and P = 0.017, respectively), but only breastfeeding was a significant predictor of age at readmission. Males were more likely to be admitted at the age >7 days, and exclusively formula-fed neonates were approximately three times the risk compared to exclusively breastfed neonates to be admitted at age >7 days (adjusted risk ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval). Neonates readmitted at ages >7 days had double the LOS as those readmitted at ages ≤7 days (P < 0.001). The outcomes (discharge or pediatric intensive care unit admission) had no significant association with neonatal age at readmission. Conclusion: The readmission rate was 2.11% and was most commonly due to respiratory diseases. Age at readmission was significantly associated with sex, breastfeeding, and LOS. Assessment of the factors associated with readmission before discharge may reduce the rate of readmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is an important patient safety concern. VTE leads to significant mortality and morbidity and a burden on healthcare resources. Despite the widespread availability of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines on VTE prophylaxis, we found that only 50.9% of our patients were receiving appropriate prophylaxis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of automation of an adapted VTE prophylaxis CPG using a clinical decision support system (the VTE-CDSS) on VTE prevention among hospitalised adult patients.Design and Setting: A quasi-experimental study (pre- and post-implementation) was conducted at a large 900-bed tertiary teaching multi-specialty hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Participants: The 1809 adult patients in the study included 871 enrolled during the pre-implementation stage and 938 enrolled during the post-implementation stage.Intervention: Multi-faceted implementation interventions were utilised, including leadership engagement and support, quality and clinical champions, staff training and education and regular audit and feedback.Main Outcome Measure: Two rate-based process measures were calculated for each admission cohort (i.e. pre- and post-implementation): the percentage of inpatients who were assessed for VTE risk on admission and the percentage of inpatients who received appropriate VTE prophylaxis. Two outcome measures were calculated: the prevalence of hospital-acquired VTE (HA-VTE) events and the in-hospital all-cause mortality.Results: The percentage of inpatients risk assessed for VTE on admission increased from 77.4% to 93.3% (P < 0.01). The percentage of patients who received appropriate VTE prophylaxis increased from 50.9% to 81.4% (P < 0.01). The HA-VTE events decreased by 50% from 0.33% to 0.15% (P < 0.01).All-cause in-hospital mortality did not significantly change after implementation of the VTE-CDSS compared with pre-implementation mortality (P > 0.05).Conclusion: The VTE-CDSS improved patient safety by enhancing adherence to the VTE prophylaxis best practice and adapted CPG. The multi-faceted implementation strategies approach improved the compliance rate of risk assessment and the adherence to prophylaxis recommendations and substantially reduced the HA-VTE prevalence. A successful CDSS requires a set of critical components to ensure better user compliance and positive patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibility of superficial foot mycoses to spread through contaminated mosque carpets between worshipers imposes a great health burden and is never addressed in Riyadh, SA. We aimed to assess the prevalence of fungal infections, especially human dermatophytosis acquired from mosque carpets, in five different regions of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and establish a means of contamination control. A cross-sectional study of 100 mosques in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was conducted, using a multistage random cluster sampling technique. The study included mosques that had an ablution area and regularly hosted five prayers a day. Sterile swabs were used for sampling, and the samples were transported to the laboratory for culture and analysis using a micro-scan system. A total of 199 (65%) samples contained several fungal species. Rhodotorula (74%), Cladosporium (47%), Bipolaris (46.6%), other yeasts (43.7%), Alternaria (40%), dematiaceous molds (34%), Curvularia (32.4%), and Candida (31%) were the most frequently isolated species. Species belonging to several other genera were also detected. This study revealed a relatively high prevalence of fungal organisms in mosque carpets in Riyadh, suggesting the need for implementing new strategies and laws to increase the level of hygiene awareness among worshipers and mosque caretakers to limit the spread of foot fungal infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

aimi, 2 Abdulrahman Z Alanazi, 2 Mohammad N Alamri, 2 Bader A Alshehri, 2 Saif M Alosaimi 2 1Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Haytham I AlSaifDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2925, Ext. 34, Riyadh 11461, Saudi ArabiaTel +966 565454685Email drhalsaif@gmail.com Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may increase demand for healthcare professionals (HCPs), either because of a HCP shortage due to illness or because of the need to increase surge capacity. Final-year medical students are one of the resources potentially available to expand the workforce. There is a need to explore the willingness of final-year medical students to meet this demand, examine their perceived competence, and determine how their overall perceived competence correlates with their willingness. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a self-administered electronic questionnaire was used. The questionnaire included demographic data, students' self-perceived competence derived from the patient care theme of the Saudi Medical Education Directives (SaudiMED) framework, and their willingness to be measured on a 5-point Likert scale. The study targeted final-year medical students at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Results: The number of participants was 134 (56.1% response rate), of whom 47 students (34.3%) were willing to work, while 31 (23.1%) were somewhat willing. The mean total self-perceived-competence score was 58.36/88 (66.3%). Demonstration of essential clinical skills had the highest mean score 11.48/16 (71.8%) among learning outcomes. There was a positive moderate correlation between willingness and mean perceived-competence score (Spearman correlation coefficient=0.45, p< 0.001). Conclusion: Fifty-seven percent of medical students were willing to work as part of the healthcare workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. Better overall self-perceived competence appeared to correlate with more willingness. Students perceive themselves to be more competent in essential clinical skills. Appropriate training and supervision are suggested in all tasks assigned to them, with additional care required in areas with a lower perceived competence, such as prescription writing and essential clinical procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Saudi Medical Journal is the property of Saudi Medical Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Neurosciences is the property of Neurosciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Saudi Medical Journal is the property of Saudi Medical Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to determine the incidence of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), to identify the risk factors that predispose to ROP, and to assess the outcome of these infants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study on premature infants with a birth weight (BW) of <1501 g or gestational age (GA) of <32 weeks. These infants were admitted to the NICU at a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from January 2010 to December 2014. RESULTS: Five hundred and ninety-three infants were included; data were available for 581 infants. Of them, 224 infants (38.6%) had ROP. Of these, 22 infants (10.4%) had stage 3 ROP. The mean BW of infants with ROP was 938.4 ± 257.9 g, and the mean GA at birth was 27 ± 2.4 weeks. A significant relationship with a P <0.05 was found between the occurrence of ROP and small GA at birth, low BW, low APGAR score at 1 min, and long duration of receiving oxygen (O2) therapy. Based on charts review, none of the infants had blindness. CONCLUSION: The incidence of ROP in our study falls in the range of incidence in developing countries. The low BW and small GA were the most significant risk factors. Furthermore, it is also recommended to control the amount and duration of O2therapy to as little as needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Saudi Medical Journal is the property of Saudi Medical Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

aiman Al-Habib Medical Group, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Dermatology, Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Nujud DahamDepartment of Dermatology, Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Group, King Fahad Road, Olaya, Po Box 91877, Riyadh 11643, Saudi ArabiaTel +966 500211134Email nujud.daham@gmail.com Adalimumab is a fully human, recombinant, IgG1 monoclonal antibody that targets tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). It has been established that adalimumab can cross the placenta and can be detected in the fetal circulation for up to 6 months postpartum. However, clinical studies have failed to show any consistent or specific adverse fetal outcomes from maternal exposure to adalimumab during pregnancy. In our report, we present a case of fetal acrania (exencephaly) in the setting of a pregnant female taking adalimumab prior to and during pregnancy. Exencephaly is a neural tube defect (NTD) that results from failure of closure of the neural fold. It is true that there were other risk factors that might have contributed to our patient's unfortunate outcome. For example, she did not take folic acid supplementation prior to or during her pregnancy. Nonetheless, studies have shown that folic acid deficiency alone is not sufficient to lead to the development of NTDs. Our patient's exposure to adalimumab during her pregnancy might have added to the risk in her situation. Our report aims to inform clinicians of that possible risk and to stimulate them to report any similar outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:  To test the hypothesis that identification and blockade of the intercostobrachial nerve (ICBN) can be achieved under ultrasound (US) guidance using a small volume of local anesthetic.Methods:  Twenty-eight adult male volunteers were examined at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from November 2012 to September 2013. Intercostobrachial nerve blockade was performed using one ml of 2% lidocaine under US guidance. A sensory map of the blocked area was developed relative to the medial aspect of the humeral head.Results:  The ICBN appears as a hyper-echoic structure. The nerve diameter was 2.3±0.28 mm, and the depth was 9±0.28 mm. The measurements of the sensory-blocked area relative to the medial aspect of the humeral head were as follows: 6.3±1.6 cm anteriorly; 6.2±2.9 cm posteriorly; 9.4±2.9 cm proximally; and 9.2±4.4 cm distally. Intercostobrachial nerve blockade using one ml of local anesthetic was successful in all cases. Conclusion:  The present study described the sonographic anatomical details of the ICBN and its sensory distribution to successfully perform selective US-guided ICBN blockade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To identify and quantify factors causing stress in the operating room (OR) and evaluate the relationship between these factors and surgeons' stress level. Methods: This is a prospective observational study from 32 elective surgical procedures conducted in the OR of King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Before each operation, each surgeon was asked of stressors. Two interns observed 16 surgeries each, separately. The interns watched and took notes during the entire surgical procedure. During each operation, the observer recorded anxiety-inducing activities and events that occurred in real time by means of a checklist of 8 potential stressors: technical, patient problems, teamwork problems, time and management issues, distractions and interruptions, equipment problems, personal problems, and teaching. After each operation, surgeons were asked to answer the validated State-Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaire and self-report on their stress level from the 8 sources using a scale of 1-8 (1: stress free, 8: extremely stressful). The observer also recorded perceived stress levels experienced by the surgeons during the operation. Results: One hundred ten stressors were identified. Technical problems most frequently caused stress (16.4%) and personal issues the least often (6.4%). Frequently encountered stressors (teaching and distractions/interruptions) caused less stress to the surgeons. Technical factors, teamwork, and equipment problems occurred frequently and were also a major contributor to OR stress. All patients were discharged in good health and within 1 week of surgery. Conclusion: Certain stressful factors do occur among surgeons in the OR and can increase the potential for errors. Further research is required to determine the impact of stress on performance and the outcome of surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]