Background:Acute spontaneous urticaria (ASU) is a common inflammatory skin condition that is encountered in emergency and primary healthcare. Around 20% of people experience an episode of ASU at some point in their lives. Objective:This study aims to assess the knowledge and awareness of management of acute spontaneous urticaria among emergency and family medicine physicians of tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia. Methods:A web-based survey, validated by expert consultants in the field, was used, which was followed by another validation by calculating the Cronbach's alpha for the data collected from the emergency medicine and family medicine staff for the period November, 2021 to January, 2022. Results:In this study, 123 doctors responded to the survey. Approximately 83% of the doctors knew the morphology of urticaria and 79.7% knew the pathophysiological mediator of urticaria. More than 90% knew that blood tests are not required in the management of acute urticaria. While nearly 80% knew the mainstay of urticaria treatment (79.7%) and whether topical treatment is effective (80.5%), only 44.7% could correctly pinpoint how long urticarial lesions usually last before they are completely resolved. Conclusion:Emergency medicine physicians were noted to be more adept in the management of acute spontaneous urticaria compared to family medicine physicians and general practitioners. No significant association was seen between physicians' knowledge and their response rate levels.
Background:Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women worldwide and a major public health concern in Saudi Arabia, where cases are increasingly diagnosed at younger ages and advanced stages. Early detection through screening is essential to improve survival outcomes. Objective:This study aimed to assess the level of awareness and screening practices related to breast cancer among women in Hafar Al-Batin, Saudi Arabia. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among 411 adult women residing in Hafar Al-Batin using a self-administered electronic questionnaire distributed via social media and healthcare networks. The survey assessed socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge about breast cancer risk factors and symptoms, and screening practices, including mammography and clinical breast examination. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, with chi-square and Fisher's exact tests applied to examine associations between knowledge, practices, and socio-demographic factors. Results:Most participants (97.8%) had heard about breast cancer, and 79.1% reported receiving health education. However, only 17.5% had ever undergone mammography screening, and 22.1% had received a clinical breast examination. Higher education and a positive family history were significantly associated with better knowledge levels (p < .05). Age, marital status, and employment were significantly linked to mammography screening uptake, with older, married, and employed women more likely to participate. Conclusion:Although awareness of breast cancer was generally high, participation in preventive screening remained low. Targeted health education and outreach programs focusing on younger, unmarried, and unemployed women are needed to enhance early detection and reduce breast cancer mortality in Saudi Arabia.
Background:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a widespread endocrine disorder affecting women of reproductive age, often associated with hormonal imbalances that disrupts the normal functioning of the ovaries. Key reproductive hormones involved include Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Oestrogen (E2), and Prolactin. These disruptions can contribute to symptoms like irregular periods, infertility, weight gain, and emotional distress. Understanding the delicate balance of these hormones is essential for diagnosis and managing PCOS. Objective:The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare reproductive hormone levels including FSH, LH, E2, and prolactin in woman with PCOS and those with normal ovarian morphology. Methods:A total of 100 reproductive-age woman from Bosnia and Herzegovina were included, divided in control group (n=50) normal ovaries and PCOS group (n=50). Hormonal levels were measured and statistically analysed. Results:According to the obtained results, a statistically significant difference in LH levels and FSH/LH ratio between the PCOS and control group was observed. Women with PCOS exhibited elevated LH levels and a decreased FSH/LH ratio, indicating a hormonal shift in favour of LH. Although FSH levels in PCOS patients were lower, they remained within the lower reference range. No statistically significant differences were observed in E2 and Prolactin levels between the two groups. Conclusion:PCOS is characterized by altered reproductive hormone profiles, particularly elevated LH and a disrupted FSH/LH ratio, while E2 and Prolactin remain largely unaffected. These findings contribute to a better understanding of PCOS pathophysiology.
Background:Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) are the venous thromboembolism (VTE) events that together present a major healthcare problem in the world, which results in significant morbidity, mortality and economic outflow. VTE is a multifactorial disorder, determined by a combination of risk factors including hospitalization, surgery, critical care, and one or more isolated medical conditions. Objective:The objective of the study is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the prevalence of VTE and to identify key risk factors across various clinical and demographic conditions, in order to inform prophylactic measures. Methods:A literature search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar among the studies that were published between 1998 and 2022 in the English language. The keywords were used as "venous thromboembolism", "deep vein thrombosis", "pulmonary embolism", "incidence", and "risk factors". The observational, cohort studies, and systematic reviewed research on the VTE epidemiology and risk factors among human populations were considered as the eligible studies. Studies with improper methodologies and editorials, non-English studies were eliminated. Results:The incidence of VTE varies worldwide, ranging from 2 cases per 1,000 person-years, with higher prevalence in hospitalized patients (15-30%) and critically ill patients (up to 20 %). The main risk factors include advanced age, hospitalisation, and surgical intervention, as well as malignant tumours (4-7-fold increased risk), obesity, immobility, inherited thrombophilia with a common genetic background, and rare diseases such as KILT syndrome. Additionally, ethnic and gender differences influence the incidence. Conclusion:VTE is a complex condition that must be prevented on an individual basis, considering different risk profiles. Future research should focus on prospective studies across various groups to enhance risk assessment models and enable personalised thromboprophylaxis, thereby reducing the burden of VTE.
BACKGROUND:Duffy-negative individuals were long considered resistant to Plasmodium vivax, yet emerging infections challenge this assumption, underscoring the need to examine Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) gene polymorphisms and clarify evolving susceptibility patterns. OBJECTIVE:This study investigated the association between DARC genetic variants and susceptibility to P. vivax infection to elucidate transmission patterns and explain the rising incidence of P. vivax infection in Sudan. METHODS:A total of 405 participants were recruited for the study, including 202 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of P. vivax malaria and 203 blood donors serving as the control group. DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood, and DARC polymorphic variants were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction- sequence specific primer (PCR-SSP). RESULTS:The study showed that the Duffy-negative homozygous genotype FYBES/FYBES was present in both P. vivax-infected patients and the control group; however, it was significantly more frequent in healthy blood donors. The frequencies of the homozygous FYB/FYB genotype and the two heterozygous genotypes FYB/FYA and FYB/FYBES were substantially higher among the patients with P. vivax malaria than in the control group. The homozygous genotype FYA/FYA was more frequent among P. vivax malaria patients, while the heterozygous genotype FYA/FYBES was more common in the control group; however, the differences were not statistically significant. The FYAES allele was not detected in either group. CONCLUSION:There was a potential association between FYA and FYB alleles and susceptibility to P. vivax infection. The FYBES allele confers partial resistance to P. vivax malaria, as some infected individuals were found to carry the homozygous Duffy-negative genotype (FYBES/ FYBES).
