Annals of Saudi medicine
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Annals of Saudi medicine · Sep 2014
Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus (MERS CoV): case reports from a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia.
Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome caused by novel coronavirus (MERS CoV) has been a major public health challenge since it was first described in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. So far, there is no effective treatment for this serious illness, which features a high mortality rate. We report an initial experience of the use of ribavirin and interferon (IFN)-a2b in the management of MERS CoV at a tertiary care hospital. ⋯ Treatment with ribavirin and IFN-a2b may be effective in patients infected with MERS CoV. There appears to be a low infectivity rate among close contacts of MERS CoV patients.
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Annals of Saudi medicine · Sep 2014
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia in Saudi Arabia: a single-center experience with long-term follow-up.
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D) is a rare genetic disorder that primarily involves the right ventricle (RV). It is characterized by progressive replacement of RV myocardium by fibrofatty tissues. It commonly presents with ventricular tachycardia (VT) of RV origin and may result in RV failure. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics of adult patients with ARVC/D treated at the Heart Centre, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. ⋯ ARVC/D is a rare but increasingly recognized heart muscle disease seen in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world. It is associated with a highly nonspecific presentation. VT of RV origin is a common presentation for this disease. Antiarrhythmic medications and ICD implantation are the main management options.
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Annals of Saudi medicine · Sep 2014
Patients' attitudes toward the attire of male physicians: a single-center study in Saudi Arabia.
The doctor-patient relationship has been influenced by the appearance of physicians, and there is an association between a physician's physical appearance and the patients' initial perceptions of physician competence. This study aims to explore patients' preferences toward the attire of a male physician, and to examine if a physician's choice of uniform influences the degree of trust, confidence, and follow-up care among respondents. ⋯ Respondents were more likely to favor a physician wearing Western attire with a white coat. However, Saudi national dress, followed by Western dress, is the preferred attire when physicians are dealing with social, sexual, and psychological problems.
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Annals of Saudi medicine · Sep 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyMyocardial protection and early outcome of different coronary surgical techniques for diabetic patients with triple vessels.
For patients with diabetes and triple-vessel disease, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery is a well-established procedure, but cardiopulmonary bypass support may also lead to severe complications to these patients. The aim of this study was to compare myocardial protection and early outcomes in patients with diabetes and triple-vessel disease following different coronary surgical techniques. ⋯ OPCAB is superior to the OnP-BH and OnP techniques in terms of postoperative complications and myocardial protection in patients with diabetes and triple-vessel disease. Myocardial injury in the OnP-BH group was significantly higher than that in the OnP group.
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Annals of Saudi medicine · Jul 2014
Plasma level of hypoxanthine/xanthine as markers of oxidative stress with different stages of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
Tissue hypoxia due to repeated apneas among patients of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) leads to cumulative oxidative stress. It is established that an increased plasma level of hypoxanthine/xanthine may serve as a criterion of tissue hypoxia. We presumed that plasma levels of hypoxan.thine/xanthine might be high among patients of OSAS due to oxidative stress. Nobody studied this relationship earlier. The aim of this study was to estimate their plasma levels as markers of hypoxia. ⋯ Plasma levels of xanthine/hypoxanthine were significantly elevated in patients of OSAS, and these were positively correlated with age, serum triglyceride levels, AHI, and severity of the disease.