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Objective: To motivate healthcare professionals, with a focus on improving hand hygiene compliance., Methods: An observational, prospective, longitudinal study was conducted on the evaluation of hand hygiene compliance at Hera General Hospital, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from May 2009 to May 2010. Four components to improve hand hygiene compliance were implied; daily audit, monthly staff education; quarterly workshops of hand hygiene, and education material distribution. The compliance rate was calculated by its adherence with number of opportunities., Results: Of total 163 healthcare professionals were surveyed for hand hygiene compliance; 57 (35%) were doctors, 92 (56.4%) nurses, and 14 (8.6%) patient care technicians. The overall compliance rate was 50.3%, and its distribution among staff was as follows; doctors 49.1%, nurses 52.2%, and technicians 42.8%. The highest compliance rate among doctors and nurses was found in surgical units. A low compliance in high intensity patient care area was observed such as in the emergency room and out patient department. The patient care technicians showed highly variable results, as their compliance rate was 100% in medical units while 0% in various other clinical areas., Conclusion: The overall hand hygiene compliance rate of healthcare professionals reached 50% after a long education campaign, and was highest among the nurses. Further study is needed to explore the reasons for non-compliance.

Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) syndrome is an uncommon but well-described cause of recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding or iron deficiency anaemia. Atiology is unknown but several associated diseases have been reported like connective tissue or autoimmune disorders or cirrhosis. Cases have been reported in systemic sclerosis, achlorhydia, atrophic gastritis and chronic renal failure. The most common cause is portal hypertension and portal hypertensive gastropathy. This is especially so after eradication of oesophageal varices by sclerotherapy or banding. Diabetic complications are characterised by microvascular diseases especially in the retina, glomerulus and vasa nervorum. It involves apoptosis and remodelling of endothelial cells. Hyperglycaemia is an essential cause of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated oxidative stress in this complication. Angiopathy of gastric mucosa in diabetes mellitus has not been reported so far in the literature. We are presenting an interesting case of diabetes mellitus with gastric vascular ectasia without evidence of any other systemic illness.