Thyroid disorders constitute one of the major endocrine disorders in pediatric service. It includ... more Thyroid disorders constitute one of the major endocrine disorders in pediatric service. It includes a range of congenital versus acquired anatomic and/or functional thyroid diseases in growing children that has a spectrum of severity from severe intellectual disability effect to subclinical mild pathologies. This study was designed to analyze the demographic characteristics, clinical pattern, and severity of thyroid disorders in the pediatric endocrine clinic patients at the teaching hospital of the university over a 7-year duration. A total number of 148 patients with thyroid disorders were seen in pediatric Endocrine clinic during the time between January 2015 and December 2021. Female patients constitute 64% of them. Acquired Hypothyroidism was the commonest disorder; 34% of the cases followed by the congenital hypothyroidism (CH), then Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and 5.8% for others. While a very small percentage was acquired hyperthyroidism. The majority of referrals were from der...
OBJECTIVES: To epidemiologically assess the influence of COVID-19 pandemic on newly diagnosed typ... more OBJECTIVES: To epidemiologically assess the influence of COVID-19 pandemic on newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis at the teaching hospital of the university, Eastern province, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: We enrolled newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus cases among pediatric patients attending the emergency department and outpatient clinics during 2019-2021. The participants' data were collected from electronic medical records which included patients' age at diagnosis, sex, nationality, height, weight, year of diagnosis, length of stay, presentation, random blood sugar, blood gas readings, electrolyte panel, and time of resolution of the diabetic ketoacidosis if present. RESULTS: 108 patients were included with an average age of 8.87 ± 4.21 years and 53.70% were females. The demographic characteristics of all diabetic pediatric patients prior to COVID-19 and during COVID-19 were studied and the difference was statistically insignifica...
Myocarditis in children is not very common, but the state of the disease is similar to viral infl... more Myocarditis in children is not very common, but the state of the disease is similar to viral influenza, making it challenging for a clinician to make an early diagnosis and treatment plan. Elevated levels of inflammatory biomarkers like C-reactive protein, serum lactate, troponin, and abnormal ECG may be helpful for high-index suspicion of myocarditis. This study aimed to determine the predicting factors and outcomes of acute myocarditis in children admitted to a teaching hospital in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Complete medical records of 80 pediatric patients with acute myocarditis over 5 years (from 2015 to 2019) were retrieved, including demographic characteristics, laboratory investigations including cardiac enzymes (serum lactate, CPR, and troponin), and ECG findings for the diagnosis of myocarditis based on tachycardia and bradycardia. There were 22 (27.5%) mortalities that took place during the hospital stay. Low WBC (mmol/dl) levels were associated with in-hospital...
Background: The biomarker procalcitonin (PCT) PCT is good in detecting sepsis in postoperative pe... more Background: The biomarker procalcitonin (PCT) PCT is good in detecting sepsis in postoperative pediatric trauma patients, especially those with a high suspicion of sepsis, and formu-lating a quick treatment. Its use is still limited to pediatric surgical patients, particularly those in in-tensive care units (ICUs), who are more susceptible to sepsis. The purpose of this study was to see if procalcitonin could be used as a reliable and quick biomarker for sepsis in postoperative pediatric trauma patients and were brought to the PICU. Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study was conducted from January 2017 to December 2019. Postoperative pediatric trauma patients aged > 2 weeks old who were hospitalized at the PICU of King Fahd Hospital of the University due to serious trauma or post-acute surgical events were included. Within 24 hours of admission, PCT levels were measured, and again 48-72 hours later. Results: In our study, 31% of severely ill children developed post-surgic...
The possible therapeutic effect of cannabidiol, the major non-psychotropic Cannabis constituent, ... more The possible therapeutic effect of cannabidiol, the major non-psychotropic Cannabis constituent, was investigated against acute hepatotoxicity induced by a single oral dose of acetaminophen (500mg/kg) in mice. Cannabidiol (two intraperitoneal injections, 5mg/kg, each) was given 1 hour and 12 hours following acetaminophen administration. Acetaminophen administration caused significant elevations of serum alanine aminotransferase, and hepatic malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide levels, and a significant decrease in hepatic reduced glutathione. Cannabidiol significantly attenuated the deterioration in the measured biochemical parameters resulted from acetaminophen administration. Also, histopathological examination showed that cannabidiol markedly attenuated ameliorated acetaminophen-induced liver tissue damage. These results emphasize that cannabidiol represents a potential therapeutic option to protect against acetaminophen hepartotoxicity which is a common clinical problem.
The protective effect of thymoquinone (TQ) was investigated in rats exposed to testicular injury ... more The protective effect of thymoquinone (TQ) was investigated in rats exposed to testicular injury induced by sodium arsenite (10mg/kg/day, orally, for two days). TQ treatment (10mg/kg/day, intraperitoneal injection) was applied for five days, starting three day before arsenic administration. TQ significantly attenuated the arsenic-induced decreases of serum testosterone, and testicular reduced glutathione level, and significantly decreased the elevations of testicular malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels resulted from arsenic administration. Also, TQ ameliorated the arsenic-induced testicular tissue injury observed by histopathological examination. In addition, TQ decreased the arsenic-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and caspase-3 in testicular tissue. It was concluded that TQ may represent a potential candidate to protect against arsenic-induced testicular injury.
The protective effect of hesperidin was investigated in rats exposed to liver injury induced by a... more The protective effect of hesperidin was investigated in rats exposed to liver injury induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (CYP) at a dose of 150 mg kg-1. Hesperidin treatment (100 mg kg-1/day, orally) was applied for seven days, starting five days before CYP administration. Hesperidin significantly decreased the CYP-induced elevations of serum alanine aminotransferase, and hepatic malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase activity, significantly prevented the depletion of hepatic glutathione peroxidase activity resulted from CYP administration. Also, hesperidin ameliorated the CYP-induced liver tissue injury observed by histopathological examination. In addition, hesperidin decreased the CYP-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α, cyclooxygenase-2, Fas ligand, and caspase-9 in liver tissue. It was concluded that hesperidin may represent a potential candidate to protect against CYP-induced hepatotoxicity.
Background Procalcitonin (PCT) levels are elevated in pediatric patients with systemic inflammati... more Background Procalcitonin (PCT) levels are elevated in pediatric patients with systemic inflammation. This study was aimed to evaluate the use of Procalcitonin as a single biomarker in the prediction of mortality in pediatric patients after acute traumatic events or post-surgical infection.MethodsThis retrospective longitudinal study involved pediatric patients aged more than two weeks who were admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of King Fahd Hospital of the University from January 2017 to December 2019 due to post-surgical infection. The data includes age, gender, comorbidity, severity of trauma, Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score (PRISM III) score in 24h of admission, PCT level at 24h and 48-72h, day-5 admission, blood culture, PICU stay, multi-organ failure, number of inotropes and intubation requirement were retrieved.ResultsThe mortalities after surgical infection was of 15.9%. Significantly, the elevated mean levels including PRISM III score, PCT level at 24h, 48-72...
To identify ribosome protein L5 gene variants and the risk of hepatic vein thrombosis in Saudi pa... more To identify ribosome protein L5 gene variants and the risk of hepatic vein thrombosis in Saudi patients. Methods: A case-control study was conducted during the period of May 2018 to September 2019. Sixty-five patient cases of hepatic vein thrombosis (HVT) were chosen, and 50 healthy individuals of the same ages and both gender were set as a control group. The genotype of the gene RPL5 was determined by PCR please provide abbreviation in full and capillary electrophoresis. Sanger sequencing for genetically screened variants was applied for the RPL5 gene. Results: Alleles A at variant rs182018447 and T allele at variant rs559377519 were strongly corelated (p=0.009 and p=0.037, respectively) with the risk of HVT. The genotype frequencies of the RPL5 gene, the A/A Original Article genotypes at rs182018447 and T/T at rs559377519 were associated with HVT (p=0.000 and p=0.004; respectively) and an increase in risk for HVT among these patients. Please rephrase the highlighted text without using the word respectively. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the 5 genetic novel variants examined in the RPL5 gene were associated with a risk of HVT in all our Saudi cases. Additionally, the A/A at rs182018447 and T/T at rs559377519 genotypes were substantially susceptible to HVT in all these patients.
Background: Thrombosis directly affects the quality of life with increased mortality. The RPL5 (L... more Background: Thrombosis directly affects the quality of life with increased mortality. The RPL5 (L5) gene on intron 6 on chromosome 1p22, rs6604026 is associated with multiple sclerosis risk, whereas RPL9 (L9) on 8 exons on chromosome 4p14 has been documented so far as being an essential involvement in the proliferation of protein synthesized cells mostly by gene products. Objective: The aim of this work was to assess genetic variants of RPL5 and RPL9 and thrombosis to characterize their role in the diagnosis of thrombosis among the Saudi population. Methods: The cross-sectional study involved 100 Saudi patients diagnosed with thrombosis (arterial or venous) in 50 healthy individuals as controls in the same age and sex groups. Primers were designed RPL5 and RPL9 for molecular analysis. The Sanger System ABI-3730xL (Hong Kong) automatic sequencing was used for DNA sequencing. Statistical analysis was performed using the Prism 5 and SPSS version-21 programs. Results: The male / female age ratio was 66.7 / 57.4, and the mean age was 61.2 years. Most of the patients were self-identifiable and without a previous history of thrombosis (61.0%). Most of the patients had just been diagnosed, that is, in the last five years (74.0%), about 43% of the patients underwent treatment using combination therapy (Aspirin and oral anticoagulants). New gene variants of RPL5 (5 SNPs) and RPL9 (9 SNPs) were detected in Saudi thrombotic patients. Conclusion: Mutations in RPL5 and RPL9 were reported in all thrombotic patients, represented by a new variant of the ribosomal protein gene and correlated with thrombosis in the Saudi population. These results may reflect an association between the ribosomal protein SNP gene and the incidence and progression of thrombosis in the Saudi population.
Background: The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a standard academic assessmen... more Background: The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a standard academic assessment tool in the field of medical education. This study aimed to present an innovative method for digitizing a computerized web-based Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) evaluation system for medical students and explore its efficacy compared to the traditional paper-based system, through the analysis of a User Satisfaction Survey.Method: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study involving a User Satisfaction Survey to test assessors’ attitudes to and acceptance of the new Computerized Web-based OSCE Evaluation System (COES) was used. Fifth-year medical students in the College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia were assessed clinically through their 2019 end-of-year OSCE examination by 30 examiners in five different OSCE stations. The traditional paper-based stations were converted into an online electronic version using QuestionPro sof...
1056 Most sickle cell anemia patients (HBB glu6val homozygotes) indigenous to the Eastern Provinc... more 1056 Most sickle cell anemia patients (HBB glu6val homozygotes) indigenous to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia have a fetal hemoglobin (HbF) level of about 20% that is associated with a mild clinical phenotype. Their HbS gene is on the Saudi-Indian (SI) haplotype characterized by an Xmn1 restriction site at position −158 5' to HBG2 (rs7482144), a Hinc2 site 5' to HBE (rs3834466) and other polymorphisms in the HBB gene-like cluster. However, the functional elements within the HBB gene-like cluster and elsewhere in the genome causing high HbF are yet to be determined. In a previous study we found that Saudi HbS homozygotes with the SI haplotype had a common region of autozygosity that spanned about 126 kb and included the complete HBB cluster. We have sequenced 13.6 kb in the HBD-HBG1 intergenic region (chr11:5255683-5269326, HG19), the region of the Corfu deletion. We found a SNP at position −68 bp 5' to HBD (c.-118 C>T) only in individuals with a SI haplotype. Thi...
We propose an alternate psychometric method for judging minimal competence using core knowledge a... more We propose an alternate psychometric method for judging minimal competence using core knowledge as a major variable. Utilizing the 'Pythagorean' model, we offer to establish a mathematically valid relationship between a borderline candidate's scores in test items reflecting core knowledge, desirable or higher knowledge, and the total raw score obtained in a given test. Using this method, it is possible to establish a mathematical relationship between the above variables and derive a positive integer, named herein as the Correction Factor (CF) that would help in providing a better means to identify minimal competence with greater fidelity.
Oxidative/nitrosative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis play a crucial role in the pathogenesis... more Oxidative/nitrosative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of arsenic-induced testicular injury. Telmisartan, the angiotensin II-receptor antagonist, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The protective effect of telmisartan against arsenic-induced testicular damage was investigated in rats. Testicular damage was induced by sodium arsenite (10 mg kg–1/day, p.o., for 2 consecutive days). Telmisartan (10 mg kg–1/day, i.p.) was given for 3 consecutive days, starting 1 day before sodium arsenite administration. Telmisartan significantly attenuated the arsenic-induced decrease in the levels of serum testosterone and testicular reduced glutathione, and significantly decreased the elevation of the levels of testicular malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and arsenic levels, as well as myeloperoxidase activity resulting from sodium arsenite administration. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examination revealed that telmisartan marke...
To evaluate the antioxidant enzymes and oxidative products in overweight and obese Saudi children... more To evaluate the antioxidant enzymes and oxidative products in overweight and obese Saudi children before the onset of metabolic complications. The study was carried out on 231 Saudi children. They were classified into three groups: uncomplicated overweight, uncomplicated morbid obesity, and the matched age group as control. All subjects underwent anthropometric measurements and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase, the concentrations of reduced GSH, malondialdehyde (MDA) oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) were measured in the blood of these groups. Overweight and obese children had a significantly higher body mass index, while obese children only had a significantly higher waist-to-hip ratio compared to that of the control group. The enzyme activities under study were significantly elevated in the overweight group, although they were significantly reduced among obes...
Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a major etiology of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in young c... more Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a major etiology of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in young children. We tested 149 patients admitted to King Fahd Hospital of the University with diagnosis of LRTI. Viremia caused by the different studied viruses was detected in 31.5% of the total cases by Real-time Polymerase chain reaction. We report five patients who were positive for HBoV in serum samples. Clinical presentation ranged from mild to severe disease as one of them required admission to intensive care unit. Wheezing was a striking feature in most of our patients, but fever was not a consistent finding.
Cadmium-induced testicular toxicity is mediated through oxidative stress and inflammation which e... more Cadmium-induced testicular toxicity is mediated through oxidative stress and inflammation which eventually lead to cell death. Simvastatin, the antihyperlipidemic agent, exhibits additional antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of the present work was to investigate the protective effect of simvastatin against cadmium-induced testicular toxicity in rats. The rats received a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of cadmium chloride (2 mg/kg). Simvastatin treatment (5 mg/kg/day, i.p.) was applied for three consecutive days, starting 1 day before cadmium administration. Cadmium significantly decreased serum testosterone, and testicular reduced glutathione and catalase activity, and significantly increased testicular malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and cadmium ion levels. Simvastatin significantly ameliorated the biochemical changes induced by cadmium. Cadmium-induced testicular tissue injury observed by histopathological examination was attenuated by simvastatin. In addition, simvastatin significantly decreased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor-α, nuclear factor-κB, and caspase-3, and increased heme oxygenase-1 expression in testicular tissue of rats exposed to cadmium toxicity. It was concluded that simvastatin, through its antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities, provided a significant protective effect against cadmium-induced testicular toxicity in rats. However, starting treatment with simvastatin before cadmium exposure, as done in the present work, is not clinically applicable. Therefore, other investigations are needed to assess the protective effect of simvastatin treatment following induction of cadmium testicular toxicity.
The protective effect of naringenin, a flavonoid compound isolated from citrus fruits, was invest... more The protective effect of naringenin, a flavonoid compound isolated from citrus fruits, was investigated against nephrotoxicity induced by gentamicin (80 mg kg −1 /day, i.p., for eight days) in rats. Naringenin treatment (50 mg kg −1 /day, p.o.) was administered for eight days, starting on the same day of gentamicin administration. Gentamicin caused significant elevations of serum creatinine, and kidney tissue levels of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and interleukin-8, and a significant decrease in renal glutathione peroxidase activity. Naringenin treatment significantly ameliorated the changes in the measured biochemical parameters resulted from gentamicin administration. Also, naringenin markedly attenuated the histopathological renal tissue injury observed with gentamicin. Immunohistochemical examinations showed that naringenin significantly reduced the gentamicin-induced expression of kidney injury molecule-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and caspase-9, and increased survivin expression in the kidney tissue. It was concluded that naringenin, through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, may represent a therapeutic option to protect against gentamicin nephrotoxicity.
Thyroid disorders constitute one of the major endocrine disorders in pediatric service. It includ... more Thyroid disorders constitute one of the major endocrine disorders in pediatric service. It includes a range of congenital versus acquired anatomic and/or functional thyroid diseases in growing children that has a spectrum of severity from severe intellectual disability effect to subclinical mild pathologies. This study was designed to analyze the demographic characteristics, clinical pattern, and severity of thyroid disorders in the pediatric endocrine clinic patients at the teaching hospital of the university over a 7-year duration. A total number of 148 patients with thyroid disorders were seen in pediatric Endocrine clinic during the time between January 2015 and December 2021. Female patients constitute 64% of them. Acquired Hypothyroidism was the commonest disorder; 34% of the cases followed by the congenital hypothyroidism (CH), then Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and 5.8% for others. While a very small percentage was acquired hyperthyroidism. The majority of referrals were from der...
OBJECTIVES: To epidemiologically assess the influence of COVID-19 pandemic on newly diagnosed typ... more OBJECTIVES: To epidemiologically assess the influence of COVID-19 pandemic on newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis at the teaching hospital of the university, Eastern province, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: We enrolled newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus cases among pediatric patients attending the emergency department and outpatient clinics during 2019-2021. The participants' data were collected from electronic medical records which included patients' age at diagnosis, sex, nationality, height, weight, year of diagnosis, length of stay, presentation, random blood sugar, blood gas readings, electrolyte panel, and time of resolution of the diabetic ketoacidosis if present. RESULTS: 108 patients were included with an average age of 8.87 ± 4.21 years and 53.70% were females. The demographic characteristics of all diabetic pediatric patients prior to COVID-19 and during COVID-19 were studied and the difference was statistically insignifica...
Myocarditis in children is not very common, but the state of the disease is similar to viral infl... more Myocarditis in children is not very common, but the state of the disease is similar to viral influenza, making it challenging for a clinician to make an early diagnosis and treatment plan. Elevated levels of inflammatory biomarkers like C-reactive protein, serum lactate, troponin, and abnormal ECG may be helpful for high-index suspicion of myocarditis. This study aimed to determine the predicting factors and outcomes of acute myocarditis in children admitted to a teaching hospital in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Complete medical records of 80 pediatric patients with acute myocarditis over 5 years (from 2015 to 2019) were retrieved, including demographic characteristics, laboratory investigations including cardiac enzymes (serum lactate, CPR, and troponin), and ECG findings for the diagnosis of myocarditis based on tachycardia and bradycardia. There were 22 (27.5%) mortalities that took place during the hospital stay. Low WBC (mmol/dl) levels were associated with in-hospital...
Background: The biomarker procalcitonin (PCT) PCT is good in detecting sepsis in postoperative pe... more Background: The biomarker procalcitonin (PCT) PCT is good in detecting sepsis in postoperative pediatric trauma patients, especially those with a high suspicion of sepsis, and formu-lating a quick treatment. Its use is still limited to pediatric surgical patients, particularly those in in-tensive care units (ICUs), who are more susceptible to sepsis. The purpose of this study was to see if procalcitonin could be used as a reliable and quick biomarker for sepsis in postoperative pediatric trauma patients and were brought to the PICU. Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study was conducted from January 2017 to December 2019. Postoperative pediatric trauma patients aged > 2 weeks old who were hospitalized at the PICU of King Fahd Hospital of the University due to serious trauma or post-acute surgical events were included. Within 24 hours of admission, PCT levels were measured, and again 48-72 hours later. Results: In our study, 31% of severely ill children developed post-surgic...
The possible therapeutic effect of cannabidiol, the major non-psychotropic Cannabis constituent, ... more The possible therapeutic effect of cannabidiol, the major non-psychotropic Cannabis constituent, was investigated against acute hepatotoxicity induced by a single oral dose of acetaminophen (500mg/kg) in mice. Cannabidiol (two intraperitoneal injections, 5mg/kg, each) was given 1 hour and 12 hours following acetaminophen administration. Acetaminophen administration caused significant elevations of serum alanine aminotransferase, and hepatic malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide levels, and a significant decrease in hepatic reduced glutathione. Cannabidiol significantly attenuated the deterioration in the measured biochemical parameters resulted from acetaminophen administration. Also, histopathological examination showed that cannabidiol markedly attenuated ameliorated acetaminophen-induced liver tissue damage. These results emphasize that cannabidiol represents a potential therapeutic option to protect against acetaminophen hepartotoxicity which is a common clinical problem.
The protective effect of thymoquinone (TQ) was investigated in rats exposed to testicular injury ... more The protective effect of thymoquinone (TQ) was investigated in rats exposed to testicular injury induced by sodium arsenite (10mg/kg/day, orally, for two days). TQ treatment (10mg/kg/day, intraperitoneal injection) was applied for five days, starting three day before arsenic administration. TQ significantly attenuated the arsenic-induced decreases of serum testosterone, and testicular reduced glutathione level, and significantly decreased the elevations of testicular malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels resulted from arsenic administration. Also, TQ ameliorated the arsenic-induced testicular tissue injury observed by histopathological examination. In addition, TQ decreased the arsenic-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and caspase-3 in testicular tissue. It was concluded that TQ may represent a potential candidate to protect against arsenic-induced testicular injury.
The protective effect of hesperidin was investigated in rats exposed to liver injury induced by a... more The protective effect of hesperidin was investigated in rats exposed to liver injury induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (CYP) at a dose of 150 mg kg-1. Hesperidin treatment (100 mg kg-1/day, orally) was applied for seven days, starting five days before CYP administration. Hesperidin significantly decreased the CYP-induced elevations of serum alanine aminotransferase, and hepatic malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase activity, significantly prevented the depletion of hepatic glutathione peroxidase activity resulted from CYP administration. Also, hesperidin ameliorated the CYP-induced liver tissue injury observed by histopathological examination. In addition, hesperidin decreased the CYP-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-α, cyclooxygenase-2, Fas ligand, and caspase-9 in liver tissue. It was concluded that hesperidin may represent a potential candidate to protect against CYP-induced hepatotoxicity.
Background Procalcitonin (PCT) levels are elevated in pediatric patients with systemic inflammati... more Background Procalcitonin (PCT) levels are elevated in pediatric patients with systemic inflammation. This study was aimed to evaluate the use of Procalcitonin as a single biomarker in the prediction of mortality in pediatric patients after acute traumatic events or post-surgical infection.MethodsThis retrospective longitudinal study involved pediatric patients aged more than two weeks who were admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of King Fahd Hospital of the University from January 2017 to December 2019 due to post-surgical infection. The data includes age, gender, comorbidity, severity of trauma, Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score (PRISM III) score in 24h of admission, PCT level at 24h and 48-72h, day-5 admission, blood culture, PICU stay, multi-organ failure, number of inotropes and intubation requirement were retrieved.ResultsThe mortalities after surgical infection was of 15.9%. Significantly, the elevated mean levels including PRISM III score, PCT level at 24h, 48-72...
To identify ribosome protein L5 gene variants and the risk of hepatic vein thrombosis in Saudi pa... more To identify ribosome protein L5 gene variants and the risk of hepatic vein thrombosis in Saudi patients. Methods: A case-control study was conducted during the period of May 2018 to September 2019. Sixty-five patient cases of hepatic vein thrombosis (HVT) were chosen, and 50 healthy individuals of the same ages and both gender were set as a control group. The genotype of the gene RPL5 was determined by PCR please provide abbreviation in full and capillary electrophoresis. Sanger sequencing for genetically screened variants was applied for the RPL5 gene. Results: Alleles A at variant rs182018447 and T allele at variant rs559377519 were strongly corelated (p=0.009 and p=0.037, respectively) with the risk of HVT. The genotype frequencies of the RPL5 gene, the A/A Original Article genotypes at rs182018447 and T/T at rs559377519 were associated with HVT (p=0.000 and p=0.004; respectively) and an increase in risk for HVT among these patients. Please rephrase the highlighted text without using the word respectively. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the 5 genetic novel variants examined in the RPL5 gene were associated with a risk of HVT in all our Saudi cases. Additionally, the A/A at rs182018447 and T/T at rs559377519 genotypes were substantially susceptible to HVT in all these patients.
Background: Thrombosis directly affects the quality of life with increased mortality. The RPL5 (L... more Background: Thrombosis directly affects the quality of life with increased mortality. The RPL5 (L5) gene on intron 6 on chromosome 1p22, rs6604026 is associated with multiple sclerosis risk, whereas RPL9 (L9) on 8 exons on chromosome 4p14 has been documented so far as being an essential involvement in the proliferation of protein synthesized cells mostly by gene products. Objective: The aim of this work was to assess genetic variants of RPL5 and RPL9 and thrombosis to characterize their role in the diagnosis of thrombosis among the Saudi population. Methods: The cross-sectional study involved 100 Saudi patients diagnosed with thrombosis (arterial or venous) in 50 healthy individuals as controls in the same age and sex groups. Primers were designed RPL5 and RPL9 for molecular analysis. The Sanger System ABI-3730xL (Hong Kong) automatic sequencing was used for DNA sequencing. Statistical analysis was performed using the Prism 5 and SPSS version-21 programs. Results: The male / female age ratio was 66.7 / 57.4, and the mean age was 61.2 years. Most of the patients were self-identifiable and without a previous history of thrombosis (61.0%). Most of the patients had just been diagnosed, that is, in the last five years (74.0%), about 43% of the patients underwent treatment using combination therapy (Aspirin and oral anticoagulants). New gene variants of RPL5 (5 SNPs) and RPL9 (9 SNPs) were detected in Saudi thrombotic patients. Conclusion: Mutations in RPL5 and RPL9 were reported in all thrombotic patients, represented by a new variant of the ribosomal protein gene and correlated with thrombosis in the Saudi population. These results may reflect an association between the ribosomal protein SNP gene and the incidence and progression of thrombosis in the Saudi population.
Background: The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a standard academic assessmen... more Background: The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a standard academic assessment tool in the field of medical education. This study aimed to present an innovative method for digitizing a computerized web-based Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) evaluation system for medical students and explore its efficacy compared to the traditional paper-based system, through the analysis of a User Satisfaction Survey.Method: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study involving a User Satisfaction Survey to test assessors’ attitudes to and acceptance of the new Computerized Web-based OSCE Evaluation System (COES) was used. Fifth-year medical students in the College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia were assessed clinically through their 2019 end-of-year OSCE examination by 30 examiners in five different OSCE stations. The traditional paper-based stations were converted into an online electronic version using QuestionPro sof...
1056 Most sickle cell anemia patients (HBB glu6val homozygotes) indigenous to the Eastern Provinc... more 1056 Most sickle cell anemia patients (HBB glu6val homozygotes) indigenous to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia have a fetal hemoglobin (HbF) level of about 20% that is associated with a mild clinical phenotype. Their HbS gene is on the Saudi-Indian (SI) haplotype characterized by an Xmn1 restriction site at position −158 5' to HBG2 (rs7482144), a Hinc2 site 5' to HBE (rs3834466) and other polymorphisms in the HBB gene-like cluster. However, the functional elements within the HBB gene-like cluster and elsewhere in the genome causing high HbF are yet to be determined. In a previous study we found that Saudi HbS homozygotes with the SI haplotype had a common region of autozygosity that spanned about 126 kb and included the complete HBB cluster. We have sequenced 13.6 kb in the HBD-HBG1 intergenic region (chr11:5255683-5269326, HG19), the region of the Corfu deletion. We found a SNP at position −68 bp 5' to HBD (c.-118 C>T) only in individuals with a SI haplotype. Thi...
We propose an alternate psychometric method for judging minimal competence using core knowledge a... more We propose an alternate psychometric method for judging minimal competence using core knowledge as a major variable. Utilizing the 'Pythagorean' model, we offer to establish a mathematically valid relationship between a borderline candidate's scores in test items reflecting core knowledge, desirable or higher knowledge, and the total raw score obtained in a given test. Using this method, it is possible to establish a mathematical relationship between the above variables and derive a positive integer, named herein as the Correction Factor (CF) that would help in providing a better means to identify minimal competence with greater fidelity.
Oxidative/nitrosative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis play a crucial role in the pathogenesis... more Oxidative/nitrosative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of arsenic-induced testicular injury. Telmisartan, the angiotensin II-receptor antagonist, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The protective effect of telmisartan against arsenic-induced testicular damage was investigated in rats. Testicular damage was induced by sodium arsenite (10 mg kg–1/day, p.o., for 2 consecutive days). Telmisartan (10 mg kg–1/day, i.p.) was given for 3 consecutive days, starting 1 day before sodium arsenite administration. Telmisartan significantly attenuated the arsenic-induced decrease in the levels of serum testosterone and testicular reduced glutathione, and significantly decreased the elevation of the levels of testicular malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and arsenic levels, as well as myeloperoxidase activity resulting from sodium arsenite administration. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examination revealed that telmisartan marke...
To evaluate the antioxidant enzymes and oxidative products in overweight and obese Saudi children... more To evaluate the antioxidant enzymes and oxidative products in overweight and obese Saudi children before the onset of metabolic complications. The study was carried out on 231 Saudi children. They were classified into three groups: uncomplicated overweight, uncomplicated morbid obesity, and the matched age group as control. All subjects underwent anthropometric measurements and activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase, the concentrations of reduced GSH, malondialdehyde (MDA) oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) were measured in the blood of these groups. Overweight and obese children had a significantly higher body mass index, while obese children only had a significantly higher waist-to-hip ratio compared to that of the control group. The enzyme activities under study were significantly elevated in the overweight group, although they were significantly reduced among obes...
Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a major etiology of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in young c... more Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a major etiology of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in young children. We tested 149 patients admitted to King Fahd Hospital of the University with diagnosis of LRTI. Viremia caused by the different studied viruses was detected in 31.5% of the total cases by Real-time Polymerase chain reaction. We report five patients who were positive for HBoV in serum samples. Clinical presentation ranged from mild to severe disease as one of them required admission to intensive care unit. Wheezing was a striking feature in most of our patients, but fever was not a consistent finding.
Cadmium-induced testicular toxicity is mediated through oxidative stress and inflammation which e... more Cadmium-induced testicular toxicity is mediated through oxidative stress and inflammation which eventually lead to cell death. Simvastatin, the antihyperlipidemic agent, exhibits additional antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of the present work was to investigate the protective effect of simvastatin against cadmium-induced testicular toxicity in rats. The rats received a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of cadmium chloride (2 mg/kg). Simvastatin treatment (5 mg/kg/day, i.p.) was applied for three consecutive days, starting 1 day before cadmium administration. Cadmium significantly decreased serum testosterone, and testicular reduced glutathione and catalase activity, and significantly increased testicular malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and cadmium ion levels. Simvastatin significantly ameliorated the biochemical changes induced by cadmium. Cadmium-induced testicular tissue injury observed by histopathological examination was attenuated by simvastatin. In addition, simvastatin significantly decreased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, tumor necrosis factor-α, nuclear factor-κB, and caspase-3, and increased heme oxygenase-1 expression in testicular tissue of rats exposed to cadmium toxicity. It was concluded that simvastatin, through its antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities, provided a significant protective effect against cadmium-induced testicular toxicity in rats. However, starting treatment with simvastatin before cadmium exposure, as done in the present work, is not clinically applicable. Therefore, other investigations are needed to assess the protective effect of simvastatin treatment following induction of cadmium testicular toxicity.
The protective effect of naringenin, a flavonoid compound isolated from citrus fruits, was invest... more The protective effect of naringenin, a flavonoid compound isolated from citrus fruits, was investigated against nephrotoxicity induced by gentamicin (80 mg kg −1 /day, i.p., for eight days) in rats. Naringenin treatment (50 mg kg −1 /day, p.o.) was administered for eight days, starting on the same day of gentamicin administration. Gentamicin caused significant elevations of serum creatinine, and kidney tissue levels of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and interleukin-8, and a significant decrease in renal glutathione peroxidase activity. Naringenin treatment significantly ameliorated the changes in the measured biochemical parameters resulted from gentamicin administration. Also, naringenin markedly attenuated the histopathological renal tissue injury observed with gentamicin. Immunohistochemical examinations showed that naringenin significantly reduced the gentamicin-induced expression of kidney injury molecule-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and caspase-9, and increased survivin expression in the kidney tissue. It was concluded that naringenin, through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, may represent a therapeutic option to protect against gentamicin nephrotoxicity.
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