Saudi Medical Horizons Journal

The Effect of Obesity on Surgical Outcomes in General Surgery Patients: A Systematic Review of 1,680,694 patients

2024-03-23T22:49:05+01:00

The study examined the impact of obesity on general surgery patients, analyzing eleven studies with 1,680,694 patients. Results showed that obesity increases postoperative wound infection risk, blood loss, and recovery times. However, prospective studies found no increase in surgical complications or hospitalization expenses. Obesity may protect against venous thromboembolism and death, but post-operative complications in obese patients undergoing general surgical procedures remain controversial due to metabolic, pharmacologic, and systemic illnesses. Obesity increases surgical duration and SSIs, potentially increasing immediate complications.

Updates on Diagnosis, Clinical Presentation, and Management of Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid (OCP): A Systematic Review

2024-03-28T11:39:42+01:00

This study systematically searched literature on the diagnosis, clinical presentation, and management of ocular chronic pain (OCP), including eight studies with 168 patients. The most reliable method of diagnosis was biopsy, with inflammatory markers detected in a small proportion of patients. Some patients had systemic or oral involvement and associated Sjogren's syndrome. Common immune-suppressives were MFF and steroids. Cyclophosphamide is a good choice in severe cases. Methotrexate and Rituximab were used as a maintenance therapy. OCP is characterized by ocular involvement that progresses to fibrosis and scarring. Diagnostic hurdles and inconclusive results make a comprehensive examination and clinical suspicion crucial.

Cryotherapy vs Laser for Genital Warts Management: A Systematic Review

2024-03-18T12:21:10+01:00

The study compared cryotherapy and laser in managing external genital warts (EGW) using various databases. The research involved eleven studies with 92 patients, with follow-up durations ranging from 28 days to 39 months. One study found that CO2 laser therapy was two times more effective than cryotherapy in terms of clearance, recurrence, and complication rates. Six studies showed that laser was the best option for immunocompromised patients and those who did not respond to cryotherapy, with the lowest recurrence rates and complications. Cryotherapy is economical, effective, and safe, but it is painful, deformed, and requires multiple sessions. Current treatment approaches focus on the surface wart rather than the underlying viral infection, making them less successful in long-term effects. There is little evidence to support the idea that a specific therapy is not more successful than others. Future research should focus on extensive comparisons with larger sample sizes.

Cold Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia as First Clinical Manifestations in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in Young Female Patient, a Rare Association: Case Report

2024-03-15T11:03:01+01:00

Background: Cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia” is very uncommon in systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), and until now a small number of similar reports have been published in scientific papers.

Case presentation: Here, we present a nineteen-year-old female patient who admitted with cold type hemolytic anemia, pancytopenia and was later diagnosed to have SLE.

Conclusion: Despite the very rare association between SLE and cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), this case report improves clinical practice regarding considering SLE as one of the differential diagnoses in cold AIHA, to provide early diagnosis and optimal management.

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: a case report

2024-03-15T11:00:09+01:00

Introduction: Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is a rare and locally invasive benign hypervascular neoplasm, representing 0.05 to 0.5% of all neoplasms in the head and neck. Though it is benign, it has an aggressive nature. The clinical presentation of this tumor is a triad of epistaxis, unilateral nasal obstruction, and a mass in the nasopharynx. It could cause massive epistaxis or intracranial involvement, which both lead to fatal consequences. It is most commonly seen in adolescent males because it is considered an androgen-dependent tumor.

Case Presentation: This report introduced a case of a 13-year-old Saudi male patient who presented two months after surgical removal of JNA with a complaint of progressively left-sided nasal blockage, snoring, rhinorrhea, hyposmia, and oral fullness with no epistaxis. Computed tomography (CT) with contrast of the sinuses was done and confirmed the recurrence of angiofibroma.

Conclusion: This report revealed a recurrent period of two months after the surgical removal of a primary tumor, which is shorter than the typical period of recurrence.

The Impact of WFH on Eating Habits

2024-03-27T15:18:31+01:00

Background: In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, working environments globally adopted work-from-home practices, including in the higher education sector in Saudi Arabia. The shift changed the dietary habits, affecting everyone's life, including faculty staff.

Purpose: To study the association between working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic and eating habits among PNU faculty members in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted by distributing a validated survey to the faculty members at Princess Nourah University in Saudi Arabia. Chi-square test, McNemar test, and paired sample t-test were performed to compare the quality and quantity of consumed food and the associations between eating habits and working from the office or from home. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: A total of 303 faculty members completed the questionnaire. Key results showed that 32% and 18% reported significantly healthier eating habits (P<0.001), 47% and 28% ate home-cooked meals (p<0.001), and there was no difference in the quality of food scores (12.85+2.66 and 12.77+2.65) for working from home and the office respectively.

Conclusion: A shift in dietary habits among university faculty members in Saudi Arabia was noted due to the changes in working patterns from an office-based system to working from home and back. These changes were mostly positive for those working from home.

Challenges of Dental Material' Ordering at Governmental PHC clinics, Specialized Dental Centers, and Hospitals in KSA; Observational study

2024-03-15T11:01:50+01:00

Background: Ordering of dental materials (DM) at Ministry of Health (MOH) dental facilities is restricted by many challenges in time and supply among other factors

Methods: a questionnaire was distributed among dentists working at MOH dental facilities exploring the ordering way of DM and challenges if exist.

Result: 53.8% of dentists still use paper slip for ordering DM. Shortage is still a major obstacle as cited by 59.8% and it may take up to two weeks to receive the ordered DM

Conclusion: Atomization of DM ordering will save effort and time and enact efficient utilization of DM and reduce waste in expired or discarded materials.