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Item Gemcitabine plus platinum versus docetaxel plus platinum as first line therapy for metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A randomized clinical study(2021) Yang, Hui; Lu, Ying; Xu, Zhuohua; Wei, MingjingHuang, HaixinBackground:A well-established first-line chemotherapy standard for metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma is yet lacking. Objectives:To compare the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine plus platinum versus docetaxel plus platinum regimen as first-line therapies for distal metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Study Design and Participants: A single center, randomized, open-label, parallel-arm study. The study included 120 patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma who met the study requirements. Interventions: Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio through a sealed envelope selection. Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2/d intravenously (IV) for >30 min (days 1 and 8) or docetaxel 75 mg/m2/d IV for 1 h (day 1) were administered to the respective group participants. Nedaplatin 75 mg/m2/d, IV (day 1), cisplatin 75 mg/m2/d IV (day 1) or carboplatin (area under the curve set as 5) IV (day 1) were used in both groups. One cycle duration was 21 days, with 4–6 cycles for all participants. Outcomes: The primary assessed outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcomes were short-term efficacy [i.e., response rate (RR) and disease control rate (DCR)] and safety. Results: Seven patients withdrew from the study, and efficacy and adverse reactions were obtained for 113 patients (gemcitabine: 56; docetaxel: 57). Compared with the docetaxel plus platinum group, the gemcitabine plus platinum group had significantly higher RR (71.4% vs. 52.6%, P < 0.05); mPFS (9.7 vs. 7.8 months, P < 0.05), and mOS (20.6 vs. 16.8 months, P < 0.01). The significance was not associated with increased adverse reactions, as both groups showed similar Grades 3 and 4 adverse reactions (P > 0.05). DCR was non-significantly higher in the gemcitabine group (85.7% vs. 75.4%, P > 0.05). Multivariable analysis revealed that time to disease progression, number of involved organs, liver metastasis, and grouping were associated with mPFS and mOS (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: The combination of gemcitabine with platinum is likely superior to that of docetaxel with platinum as first-line treatment for metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Item Convalescent Plasma in COVID-19: To what Degree should Clinicians Rely on Currently Available Data?(2021) Alhazzani, Waleed; Jaeschke, RomanEditorial(Abstract Not Available)Item Item Pregnancy with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: A case series with review of the literature(2021) Al-Dosari, Yara; Al-Zahrani, Hazza; Al-Mohareb, FahadHashmi, ShahrukhParoxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare, acquired hematopoietic stem cell disorder, and eculizumab and ravulizumab are its two approved therapies. Only few case series/reports have reported the outcomes of pregnancies in patients with PNH despite the increased risk of thrombosis. Similarly, there is limited knowledge regarding the effect of the approved treatments on conception and pregnancy outcomes. Here, we report the first series of pregnancies in PNH patients from the Middle Eastern region from our tertiary care hospital. Ten pregnancies in four females after diagnosis with PNH were identified. In terms of PNH management, only eculizumab was used, as the safety of ravulizumab use in pregnancies has not yet been established. In the antepartum period, the patients had variable symptoms that ranged from mild symptoms including epistaxis, tea-colored urine and vaginal bleeding to life-threatening vessel thrombosis. Further, red blood cell and platelet transfusions were required because of bleeding and hemolysis in four pregnancies. The pregnancy outcomes varied, but based on these, the safety of eculizumab use during pregnancy remained inconclusive. The postpartum period was complicated in one case by portal vein thrombosis and was managed accordingly. In conclusion, pregnant females with PNH are at an increased risk for complications due to PNH, and thus experienced hematologists and obstetricians should be involved jointly in their care.Item “Thrombectomy and Back:” A novel approach for treating patients with large vessel occlusion in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia(2021) Al-Jehani, Hosam; AlHamid, May; Hudhiah, Kawthar; Al-Bakr, Aisha; Bunayan, ReemAlAbbas, FaisalBackground: Timely access to comprehensive stroke centers for patients suffering from acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO) remains a commonly encountered obstacle worldwide, especially in areas with no comprehensive stroke or thrombectomy-capable stroke centers. Objective: To present our novel experience with a “thrombectomy-and-back” model implemented in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Methods: King Fahd Hospital of the University (KFHU), a 600-bed hospital located in Al Khobar with an open-access emergency department, was designated as a comprehensive stroke center in the Eastern Province. “Thrombectomy-and-back” was designed such that the neurologist in the referring hospital directly communicates with the attending neurovascular team at KFHU for their anticipation of the case, and subsequently confirms LVO presence through urgent acquisition of a CT and a CT angiogram. Once LVO was confirmed, the patients were timely transferred to KFHU for mechanical thrombectomy. Upon procedure completion, the patients returned to the referring hospital with the same medical and EMS team. The safety of transfer and peri-procedural complications were analyzed. Results: From December 2017 to December 2019, 20 thrombectomy-and-back codes were activated, of which 10 were deactivated on negative LVO and 10 remained activated. Of these 10 patients, 2 required admission to our hospital's Neuro-ICU: one was because the middle cerebral artery reoccluded during the procedure and the other was due to hemodynamic instability upon arrival; this first patient passed away 2 months later due to the complications of the malignant left middle cerebral artery stroke. Conclusions: The novel Thrombectomy-and-Back model in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia has proved to be a safe and efficient approach for patients presenting with LVO to receive timely interventional therapy and minimizing futile transfers.Item Natural history and clinical course of symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia(2021) Almubark, Rasha; Memish, Ziad; Tamim, Hani; Alenazi, Thamer; Alabdulla, Mohammed; Sanai, Faisal; BinDhim, Nasser; Alfaraj, SarahAlqahtani, SalehObjectives:To analyze symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia in terms of initial presentation, risk factors, laboratory findings, clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization. Methods: All laboratory-confirmed reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction positive COVID-19 patients who had been tested at three governmental hospitals in Saudi Arabia (two in Riyadh and one in Makkah) between March 8 and May 18, 2020 were included. Demographics, COVID-19 variables, clinical characteristics and healthcare utilization variables were extracted and combined, and a descriptive analysis was conducted. Symptomatic and asymptomatic (on presentation) patients' data were compared. Results: Eighty percent of the patients were males (81.4% of symptomatic and 73.2% of asymptomatic patients, P = 0.02). Moreover, 47.6% and 38.4% of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were aged 40–64 years, respectively. Fever, cough and breathing difficulties were frequent presenting symptoms. Overall, diabetes (16.4%), hypertension (11.7%), chronic respiratory disease (7.1%) were the most frequent comorbidities, with no differences between the two groups. Symptomatic patients had higher C-reactive protein levels (3.55 vs. 0.30 mg/L; P < 0.0001) and lower total lymphocytes (1.41 vs. 1.70; P = 0.02). ICU admission and mortality were 12.1% and 4.1% in symptomatic, compared to 6.0% and 2.9% in asymptomatic patients, respectively. Conclusion: In the studied COVID-19 cohort, symptomatic patients tended to be older, had higher C-reactive protein and more lymphopenia with worse outcome than asymptomatic patients. This granular analysis of COVID-19 cohorts enables identification of at-risk cohorts in future waves, optimizing development of patient pathways and public health interventions.Item Ketamine for Sickle Cell Vaso-Occlusive Crises: A Systematic Review(2021) Alshahrani, Mohammed; Alghamdi, MohannadIntroduction: Vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) is one of the main causes of hospital admission in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Ketamine is often used as an adjuvant to opioids to control sickle cell crisis however, there is a lack of evidence about its safety and efficacy for VOC in SCD patients. Objective: To synthesize evidence from published reports about the efficacy and safety of ketamine in the management of acute painful VOC in both pediatric and adult SCD patients. Methods: A systematic literature search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO and Cochrane Library was conducted, up to March 2019. Studies reporting the analgesic effects and side effects of ketamine in the management of acute painful VOC in pediatric and adult SCD patients were included. The primary outcome measure was improvement in pain scale, and the secondary outcomes were reduction in opioid utilization and side effects. Studies were narratively summarized in this review. Results: Fourteen studies (with a total of 604 patients) were included in the final analysis. Several case reports and case series showed that ketamine significantly reduced pain scales and opioid utilization in both populations. The only randomized controlled trial available showed that ketamine was noninferior to morphine in reducing pain scores, but had a higher incidence of nonlife-threatening, reversible adverse effects. However, a retrospective study of 33 patients showed a higher pain score in the ketamine group with an acceptable short-term adverse effect. Conclusion: Ketamine has a potentially comparable efficacy with other opioids in reducing the pain during VOC in SCD patients. However, it also likely has a higher rate of transient adverse events. Owing to the lack of published randomized controlled trials, current evidence is not sufficient to confirm the safety and efficacy of ketamine. Future well-designed randomized controlled trials are strongly recommended.Item Clinical practice and barriers of ventilatory support management in COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia: A survey of respiratory therapists(2021) Alqahtani, Jaber; Aldabayan, Yousef; AlAhmari, Mohammed; AlRabeeah, Saad; Aldhahir, Abdulelah; Alghamdi, Saeed; Oyelade, Tope; Althobiani, MalikAlrajeh, AhmedObjective: This study was conducted to determine the clinical practice and barriers of ventilatory support management in COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia among respiratory therapists. Methods: A validated questionnaire comprising three parts was distributed to all critical care respiratory therapists registered with the Saudi Society for Respiratory Care through the official social networks. Results: A total of 74 respiratory therapists completed the survey. The mean (±standard deviation) of intensive care unit beds was 67 ± 79. Clinical presentation (54%) and arterial blood gas (38%) were the two main diagnostic tools used to initiate ventilatory support. While protocols for the initiation of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV; 81%) were widely available, participants had limited availability of protocols for the use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV; 34%) and high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC; 34%). In mild cases of COVID-19, most respondents used HFNC (57%), while IMV was mostly used in moderate (43%) and severe (93%) cases. Regular ventilator check was mostly done every 4 h (57%). BiPAP (47.3%) and full-face masks (45.9%) were the most used mode and interface, respectively, while pressure-regulated volume control (55.4%) and pressure control (27%) were the most used mechanical ventilation modes for COVID-19 patients. In terms of use of proning, 62% used it on IMV, while 26% reported using awake proning. Staff shortage (51.4%), personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage (51.4%), increased workload (45.9%), inadequate training (43.2%) and lack of available protocols and policies (37.8%) were the main barriers. Conclusion: Ventilatory support management of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia was inconsistent with the global practice, lacked uniformity, and there was limited use of standard protocols/treatment guidelines. Shortage of staff and PPE, increased workload and insufficient training were the most prevalent barriers.Item Two Cases of the Emerging Candida auris in a university hospital from Saudi Arabia(2021) Al-Jindan, Reem; Al-Eraky, DoaaCandida auris is an opportunistic multidrug-resistant pathogen that was first isolated in 2009 and has since been reported from about 30 countries. In Saudi Arabia, only four cases of C. auris have previously been reported here, we report two new cases of this infection. Both patients were polymorbid and had long hospitalization periods with recurrent intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. The findings of the tissue/blood cultures and antimicrobial therapy protocols are explained in the case report. Urine culture in both cases was positive for C. auris, and the colonies grew well at 42°C. The fungal isolates were confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The first patient was treated with the recommended dose of caspofungin, but he passed away. The second patient was also planned to be treated with caspofungin, but he passed away before the treatment could be initiated. The present cases further corroborate signs of a growing number of reports of C. auris in patients with high-risk factors, such as hospitalization in ICU, multiple chronic conditions and prolonged antimicrobial treatment exposure. It also highlights the need for hospitals to further improve their infection control practices to prevent nosocomial infections such as C. auris.Item Emotional Intelligence and its Association with Academic Success and Performance in Medical Students(2021) Altwijri, Sulaiman; Alotaibi, Abdulaziz; Alsaeed, Mohammed; Alsalim, Abdulrahman; Alatiq, Abdulrahman; Al-Sarheed, Saud; Agha, Sajida; Omair, AamirBackground: Emotional intelligence (EI) is potentially associated with higher academic performance. However, no study from the Gulf region has previously assessed if EI affects academic success and academic performance in medical students. Objectives: To examine the relationship between EI and academic success and academic performance in a sample of Saudi Arabian medical students. Methods: This cross-sectional, questionnaire study included all 4th–6th year medical students enrolled at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the academic year 2017–18. Eligible students were invited to complete the self-administered Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test and the Academic Success Inventory for College Students (ASICS) along with a questionnaire eliciting demographic information between January and April 2018. Academic achievement was assessed based on each student's self-reported grade point average in the most recent examination. Results: Of 377 eligible students, 296 (78%) completed the questionnaires. A significant association was identified between overall EI and ASICS scores (r = 0.197 P < 0.001). EI scores were constant in males and females and the year of study. No statistically significant association was observed between EI and academic success across gender and academic years (P > 0.05 for all values). However, in terms of external motivation and career decidedness by level of study, final-year students had higher scores compared with students in the other two study years (P = 0.02 and P = 0.01, respectively). Conclusion: This study offers primary data on the impact of EI scores on academic success in medical education, and it identified several factors associated with EI and academic success. The findings of this study suggest that EI and academic success are linked, and that both are vital for increasing academic performance.Item Understanding Obesity: The Role of Adipose Tissue Microenvironment and the Gut Microbiome(2021) Awan, Nusrat; Meurling, Imran; O'Shea, DonalThe prevalence of obesity has more than doubled globally over the past few decades, with a 12-fold rise in extreme levels. Obesity, with its multiple complications, remains a major ongoing challenge for health-care professionals, as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, where people with obesity had poorer outcomes. In this article, we review advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology underlying obesity, with a focus on the immune system and its interaction with both the adipose tissue organ and the gut microbiome. As our understanding of the causes and effects of obesity improves, opportunities should emerge, underpinned by rigorous laboratory and clinical research, to both better prevent and treat this global epidemic.Item Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Italian Patients: Gender Differences in Presentation and Severity(2021) Baiardo Redaelli, Martina; Landoni, Giovanni; Di Napoli, Davide; Morselli, Federica; Sartorelli, Marianna; Sartini, Chiara; Ruggeri, Annalisa; Salonia, Andrea; Dagna, Lorenzo; Zangrillo, AlbertoBackground: In the first wave of the novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infections, Italy experienced a heavy burden of hospital admissions for acute respiratory distress syndromes associated with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Early evidence suggested that females are less affected than males. Objective: This study aimed to assess the gender-related differences in presentation and severity among COVID-19 patients admitted to IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study included all patients admitted to the hospital between February 25 and April 19, 2020, with a positive real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for COVID-19. The following data were collected: date of admission, gender, age and details of intensive care unit admission and outcomes. Results: A total of 901 patients with COVID-19 were admitted to the hospital and provided consent for the study. Of these, 284 were female (31.5%). The percentage of admitted female patients significantly increased over time (25.9% of all admissions in the first half of the study period vs. 37.1% in the second half P < 0.001). Females accounted for 14.4% of all COVID-19 intensive care unit admissions. There was no gender-based difference in the overall hospital mortality: 20.1% for females and 19.2% for males (P = 0.8). Conclusions: In our hospital, which was in the epicenter of the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, female patients were few, presented late and were less critical than male patients.Item Endoscopic Management of Post-Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Leakage and Stenosis Using Fully Covered Stent(2021) Aljahdli, Emad; Aldabbagh, Ammar; Salah, Fatima; Alsahafi, Majid; Maghrabi, AshrafBackground: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is the most commonly performed surgery to treat morbid obesity. Post-LSG leak and stenosis are serious complications that can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Objective: The objective was to report the efficacy and safety profile of using specifically designed fully covered self-expandable metallic stent for the treatment of post-LSG complications. Methods: This retrospective study included adult patients who underwent placement of a fully covered esophagogastric, self-expandable metallic stent for post-LSG leak or stenosis. The procedure was carried out at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between September 2017 and May 2019. Data regarding demographics, indication for stenting, size of the stent, procedural success and poststenting adverse events were collected. Results: A total of 14 patients met the inclusion criteria, with indication for endoscopic stenting being post-LSG leak in 11 patients and stenosis in 3 patients. The technical success rate of self-expandable metallic stent placement was 100%, and the clinical success was 85.7% (12 of 14 patients). Nausea (71.4%) and vomiting (85.7%) were the most frequent mild adverse events reported. Stent-induced esophageal stricture was the only major adverse event reported in two patients. Conclusion: Placement of specifically designed self-expandable metallic stent for the treatment of post-LSG leak and stenosis is an effective and safe approach. Further studies with larger cohorts are needed to assess the optimal duration needed to treat such complications.Item Item Transient myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-positive acute disseminated encephalomyelitis following influenza A infection: A rare case(2021) Nasa, Prashant; Mortada, Mohamed; Singh, Aanchal; Malhotra, VickrantSyed, HabibAcute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an uncommon disease generally with a preceding history of infectious illness. Here, we report a rare case of ADEM following influenza A infection with transient detection of anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody in a young male patient who presented with extensive demyelination of brain and spinal cord, likely the result of dysregulated immune response from previous influenza A infection. The patient presented to the emergency with urinary retention and progressive ascending weakness of lower limbs. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and spinal cord showed multiple ill-defined hyperintensities, suggestive of demyelination. The clinical presentation, MRI findings, cerebrospinal fluid examination, negative anti-aquaporin-4 antibody and metabolic and other viral infectious screening supported the diagnosis of ADEM. The patient had transiently positive anti-MOG antibodies (for 3 months) and was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin followed by oral prednisolone for 3 months. There was a significant recovery in the upper limb weakness and brainstem function. This case highlights the association of anti-MOG antibody with ADEM following viral infections and the need for prolonged follow-up to differentiate between transient antibodies from relapsing MOG antibody disease.Item Antibiotic resistance pattern of Acinetobacter baumannii strains: A retrospective study from Oman(2021) Sannathimmappa, Mohan; Nambiar, VinodAravindakshan, RajeevBackground: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii is of serious health concern and associated with high mortality. Data regarding the antibiotic resistance pattern of A. baumannii strains in Oman is limited. Objectives: To determine the antibiotic resistance pattern of A. baumannii from various clinical samples in a tertiary care hospital in the North-Batinah region of Oman. Methods: A. baumannii isolates recovered from various clinical samples in the Microbiology laboratory of Sohar Hospital, Oman, during 2015–2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Organism identification and their antibiotic resistance patterns were performed as recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Results: A total of 1890 A. baumannii nonduplicate isolates were found from clinical samples of 1326 patients. The isolates were more frequently isolated from elderly patients (40%) and in-patient department patients (67%). Infection/colonization was more common among patients treated in the medicine, intensive-care unit, and surgery departments. A. baumannii strains were highly resistant (50-83%) to most of the tested antibiotics, with the highest against ceftriaxone (83%) and ceftazidime (75%), and lowest against colistin (1%) and tigecycline (8%). Among the isolates, 67% (1265) were MDR strains. Of these, 22%, 32% and 16% were resistant to all six, five and four classes of the tested antibiotics. Conclusion: The study found that the frequency of isolation of MDR A. baumannii isolates in the northern region of Oman is high.Item Saudi Arabian Consensus Statement on Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Refractory Epilepsy(2021) Alqadi, Khalid; Aldhalaan, Hesham; Alghamdi, Abdulaziz; Bamgadam, Fawzia; Abu-Jabber, Amal; Baeesa, Saleh; Althubaiti, Ibrahim; Baz, SalahVagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an approved adjunctive therapy for refractory epilepsy and used in patients who are not candidates for resective epilepsy surgery. In Saudi Arabia, VNS device implantation is being performed since 2008 by several comprehensive epilepsy programs, but with variable protocols. Therefore, to standardize the use of VNS, a task force was established to create a national consensus. This group consisted of epileptologists, epilepsy surgeons and a VNS nurse coordinator working in comprehensive epilepsy centers and dealing with refractory epilepsy cases. The group intensively reviewed the literature using Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library, in addition to physician's manual. Evidence is reported as three stages: preimplantation and patient selection, a perioperative phase involving all stakeholders and post-operative care with specific programming pathways.Item Survival and prognostic factors of HIV-positive patients after antiretroviral therapy initiation at a Malaysian referral hospital(2021) Chet, Lee; Hamid, Siti; Bachok, Norsa'adah; Chidambaram, SureshAdnan, WanBackground:Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has transformed the management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and significantly improved survival rates, but there is lack of such survival data from Malaysia. Objective: The objective was to determine the survival rates and prognostic factors of survival in HIV-infected adults treated with ART in Malaysia. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study considered all HIV-positive adult patients registered in Sungai Buloh Hospital, a major referral center in Malaysia, between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2016. Then, patients were selected through a systematic sampling method. Demographic, clinical, and treatment data were extracted from electronic medical records. Person–years at risk and incidence of mortality rate per 100 person–years were calculated. The Kaplan–Meier survival curve and log-rank test were used to compare the overall survival rates. Cox proportional hazards regression was applied to determine the prognostic factors for survival. Results: A total of 339 patients were included. The estimated overall survival rates were 93.8%, 90.4%, 84.9%, and 72.8% at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years, respectively, from ART initiation. The results of multiple Cox proportional hazard regression indicated that anemic patients were at a 3.76 times higher risk of mortality (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.97–7.18; P < 0.001). The hazard risk was 2.09 times higher for HIV patients co-infected with tuberculosis (95% CI: 1.10, 3.96; P = 0.024). Conclusion: The overall survival rates among HIV-infected adults in this study are higher than that from low-income countries but lower than that from high-income countries. Low baseline hemoglobin levels of <11 g/dL and tuberculosis co-infection were strong prognostic factors for survival.Item Efficacy and Safety of Azilsartan and Telmisartan in Hypertensive Patients(2021) Kumar, Alok; Khrime, DorchhomLetter to the Editor(Abstract Not Available)
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