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Introduction: PEACE MENA (Program for the Evaluation and Management of Cardiac Events in the Middle East and North Africa) is a prospective registry in Arab countries for in-patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or acute heart failure (AHF). Here, we report the baseline characteristics and outcomes of in-patients with AHF who were enrolled during the first 14 months of the recruitment phase. Methods: A prospective, multi-centre, multi-country study including patients hospitalized with AHF was conducted. Clinical characteristics, echocardiogram, BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide), socioeconomic status, management, 1-month, and 1-year outcomes are reported Results: Between April 2019 and June 2020, a total of 1258 adults with AHF from 16 Arab countries were recruited. Their mean age was 63.3 (±15) years, 56.8% were men, 65% had monthly income ≤US$ 500, and 56% had limited education. Furthermore, 55% had diabetes mellitus, 67% had hypertension; 55% had HFrEF (heart failure with reduced ejection fraction), and 19% had HFpEF (heart failure with preserved ejection fraction). At 1 year, 3.6% had a heart failure-related device (0-22%) and 7.3% used an angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor (0-43%). Mortality was 4.4% per 1 month and 11.77% per 1-year post-discharge. Compared with higher-income patients, lower-income patients had a higher 1-year total heart failure hospitalization rate (45.6 vs 29.9%, p=0.001), and the 1-year mortality difference was not statistically significant (13.2 vs 8.8%, p=0.059). Conclusion: Most of the patients with AHF in Arab countries had a high burden of cardiac risk factors, low income, and low education status with great heterogeneity in key performance indicators of AHF management among Arab countries.

We describe the characteristics of ambulatory patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in the Gulf region (Middle East) and the implementation of guideline-recommended treatments. We included 2427 HFrEF outpatients (mean age 59 ± 13 years, 75% males and median left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] of 30%). A high proportion of patients received guideline-recommended medications (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor [ACEI]/angiotensin receptor blocker [ARB]/angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor [ARNI] 87%, β-blocker 91%, mineralocorticoid antagonist [MRA] 64%). However, only a minority of patients received guideline-recommended target doses (ACEI/ARB/ARNI 13%, β-blocker 27%, and MRA 4.4%). Old age was a significant independent predictor for not prescribing treatment ( P < .001 for ACEI/ARB/ARNI and MRA; and P = .002 for β-blockers). Other independent predictors were chronic kidney disease (for both ACEI/ARB/ARNI and MRA, P < .001) and higher LVEF ( P = .014 for β-blockers and P < .001 for MRA). Patients with HFrEF managed by heart failure specialists more often received recommended target doses of ACEI/ARB/ARNI (40% vs 11%, P < .001) and β-blockers (56% vs 26%, P < .001) compared to those treated by general cardiologists. Although the majority of our patients with HFrEF received guideline-recommended medications, the doses they were prescribed were suboptimal. Understanding the reasons behind this is important for improved practice.

BackgroundThis pilot study describes the overall design and results of the Program for the Evaluation and Management of the Cardiac Events registry for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region.MethodsThis prospective, multi-center, multi-country study included patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and/or acute heart failure (AHF). We evaluated the clinical characteristics, socioeconomic and educational levels, management, in-hospital outcomes, and 30-day mortality rate of patients that were admitted to one tertiary-care center in each of 14 Arab countries in the MENA region.ResultsBetween 22 April and 28 August 2018, 543 AMI and 381AHF patients were enrolled from 14 Arab countries (mean age, 57±12 years, 82.5% men). Over half of the patients in both study groups had low incomes with limited health care coverage, and limited education. Nearly half of the cohort had a history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or hypercholesterolemia. Among patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarctions, 56.4% received primary percutaneous interventions, 24% received thrombolysis, and 19.5% received no acute reperfusion therapy. The main causes of AHF were ischemic heart diseases (55%) and primary valvular heart diseases (15%). The in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates were 2.0% and 3.5%, respectively, for AMI, and 5.4% and 7.0%, respectively, for AHF.ConclusionsThis pilot study revealed a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with AMI and AHF in Arab countries, and low levels of socioeconomic and educational status. Future phases of the study will improve our understanding of the impact that these factors have on the management and outcomes of cardiac events in these patient populations.

Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is a very popular technique for the treatment of morbid obesity. Less and less invasive laparoscopic approaches to SG have been proposed and shown to be safe and feasible. We developed a reduced port laparoscopic approach to sleeve gastrectomy (RLSG) with the aim to further optimize the advantages of laparoscopy. Preliminary and safety profile of RLSG as well as 3 years weight loss outcome are hereby discussed. University Hospital, Kuwait. All patients had morbid obesity with history of failure of conservative treatment. The RLSG procedure was performed using only two skin incisions. The analyzed population comprised 808 patients, including 642 women and 166 men. Mean age and BMI were 28.34 ± 8.37 and 41.09 ± 6.34, respectively. Mean operative time was 43 ± 20 min (range, 31–185). Mortality was nil. Overall morbidity rate was (4.5%). Three patients had postoperative leak (0.4%). Median duration of hospital stay was 2 days (range, 1–5). Mean percentage of excess weight loss (% EWL) was 23.18 ± 17.3% at 1 month, 55.08 ± 22.9% at 6 months, 82.6 ± 22.6% at 1 year, and 84.3 ± 22.4% at 3 years. Mean percentage total weight loss (%TWL) was 9.34% at 1 month, 22.42% at 6 months, and 34.57% at 1 year. RLSG is a safe and effective surgical option in patients with morbid obesity. Moreover, 3-year follow-up assessment confirmed adequate % EWL.

Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is currently the most common bariatric procedure in France. It achieves both adequate excess weight loss and significant reduction of comorbidities. However, leak is still the most common complication after SG. Nevertheless, its risk of occurrence is3% in specialized centers. Its management is difficult, long, and challenging. Although the procedure is commonly endoscopic and nonoperative, the management of post-SG fistulas could sometimes be surgical, including peritoneal lavage, abscess drainage, disrupted staple line suturing, resleeve, gastric bypass, or total gastrectomy. Roux-en-Y fistulojejunostomy (RYFJ) has been described as a salvage option. In this study, we report the early results of RYFJ for post-SG fistula, emphasizing indications, operative technique, and short-term outcome.Between January 2007 and December 2012, we treated 62 patients with post-SG fistula. Before surgery, intra-abdominal or thoracic abscesses or collections were either excluded or treated by computed tomographic scan-guided drainage or even surgery. Endoscopic stenting was then attempted. After optimization of the nutritional status in case of failure of endoscopic measures, some of the patients underwent RYFJ.Between January 2007 and December 2012, a total of 21 patients (16 women and 5 men) had RYFJ for post-SG fistula. Mean age was 47 years (range, 22-59 years). Procedures were performed laparoscopically in all but 3 cases. The rate of secondary conversion to laparotomy was 11.1%. The was no mortality. The postoperative morbidity rate was less than 5%. The rate of fistula control was eventually 100%.RYFJ is a safe and feasible salvage procedure for the treatment of patients with post-SG fistula. Longer outcome analysis is, however, needed especially regarding the physiological and metabolic behavior of the procedure.

Aim: To evaluate changes in management practices and its influence on short term hospital outcomes in pa- tients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) admitted during two different time periods, 2007 and 2004. Methods and Results: We studied AMI patients from two acute coronary syndrome registries carried out in Kuwait in 2007 and 2004. We included 1872 and 1197 patients from the 2007 and 2004 registries, respectively. When compared with 2004, patients from the 2007 registry had similar baseline clinical characteristics. In 2007 compared to 2004, during the in-hospital period, patients with AMI received significantly more statins (94% vs. 73%%, p

Kuwait was chosen by the International Lymphoma Study Group (ILSG) as one of the sites attending in the project on "Clinical characteristics and pathological classification of non Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in the developing countries". The Kuwait study involved 206 cases of NHL, diagnosed, staged and treated in the Kuwait Cancer Control Center (KCCC). All cases were reviewed and reclassified independently by the pathologists of KCCC and the International Lymphoma Study Group (ISLG) using the latest World Health Organization (WHO) classification of neoplastic disease of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues. Immunophenotyping as to B- or T-cell was documented in all cases. Three main pathological entities (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, peripheral T-cell lymphoma) were identified and studied thoroughly. The intense cooperation between experts of the ISLG and pathologists of the KCCC proved that the WHO classification was fully reproducible in Kuwait. The high incidence of extranodal lymphomas (53%) observed in the KCCC may not be due to special ethnic or environmental conditions in Kuwait but rather be due to a selection of patients coming to our center.

Aim: The aim of this study is to describe the clinical characteristics of ambulatory patients with chronic heart failure (HF) in the Arabian Gulf and to examine several aspects including types of HF, causes, and adherence to management guidelines. Methods: Gulf documentation of ambulatory sick patients with HF (Gulf DYSPNEA) registry is a multicenter, cross-sectional study, recruiting adult ambulatory HF patients from 24 hospitals in five Arabian Gulf countries. Consecutive patients are recruited prospectively from participating clinics with no follow-up data collection. Recruitment started on November 07, 2016 and will stop when 3,500 patients are enrolled in this study. Collected data explore demographics, baseline patient characteristics, symptoms, previous medical history, comorbidities, physical signs, presenting electrocardiogram, echocardiographic findings, types of HF, and management. Conclusion: This registry is expected to provide useful data on several important aspects and features of ambulatory patients with chronic HF in Arabian Gulf countries. The trial registration number is “ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02793180”.