Saudi Med J
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To translate the Glasgow Children's Benefit Inventory (GCBI) questionnaire into Arabic language and assess its validity and reliability in scoring the benefit of patients after cochlear implantation in children. ⋯ The GCBI questionnaire (Arabic version) is reliable tool to evaluate retrospectively the quality of life after an intervention in pediatric age for Arabic speaking population.
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To identify the epidemiologic profile of cerebral vein thrombosis (CVT) among fasting women using oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) during the holy month of Ramadan. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on all patients diagnosed with CVT and using OCPs from records at a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during 2016-2017. The study participants were categorized into 2 groups (an intermittently fasting group during the holy month of Ramadan and a non-fasting group). Results: Out of 108 female patients with CVT, 36.1% were secondary to OCP, of whom 41% participants were fasting. ⋯ Dehydration (p=0.003) amongst the fasting group and protein S deficiency (p=0.027) in the non-fasting group were identified as the 2 prominent risk factors. Unfractionated heparin was the most common anticoagulant therapies used during the initiation phase for non-fasting (36.4%) and fasting groups (50%). Conclusion: All women who are using OCP should undergo formal written risk assessments for factors of CVT. Our study suggests that the negative effects of OCPs use might outweigh its benefits; thus, it should be prescribed with caution, more so in fasting patients.
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To evaluate the accuracy and e cacy of ne-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in diagnosing thyroid nodules, correlating it with the histopathological findings. ⋯ The findings for FNAC from our data set of 314 patients showed a sensitivity value of 79.8%, specificity of 82.1%, accuracy of 74.8%, positive predictive value of 74.8%, and negative predictive value of 85.9%. Conclusion: Our study showed that FNAC has high sensitivity and speci city in the initial evaluation of patients with thyroid nodules. When guided by ultrasonography, the accuracy can be markedly improved. Molecular markers once widely available can improve the diagnostic power of FNAC to be no less than the histopathologic evaluation of thyroid tissue.
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To explore nephrologists' concerns and recommendations in counseling their advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on Ramadan fasting. ⋯ This research addresses nephrologists' perspectives about Ramadan fasting for patients with advanced CKD. It highlights factors they consider when advising CKD patients about fasting, which were used to suggest applications in practice. Further studies are needed to comprehend nephrologists' and CKD patients' perspectives on fasting.
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The current research aims to study the impact of raising tobacco tax and implementation of plain packaging on male smokers' quitting intentions in Saudi Arabia. ⋯ Although the current price of cigarette packs reported to be very high by the participants, imposing a new higher tax may motivate smokers who had plans to quit in the near future. Plain packaging seems to be an effective new strategy in addition to tobacco taxation in Saudi Arabia, yet, more time and further research are required to assess the effectiveness of the strategy.