Differential aspects of consultation-liaison psychiatry in a Saudi hospital. I: referral pattern and clinical indices

Consultation-liaison psychiatry has emerged as an important sub-specialty in the general hospital setting during recent years as a result of psychiatric acute wards moving into these hospitals. This has inspired the need for better structured research to establish its relevance and effectiveness. We, therefore, carried out a prospective cohort study at King Fahad General Hospital. We report the interaction of sociodemographic, clinical and diagnostic factors, time lag of referral and diagnostic ability of referring physicians. A total of 206 patients were referred over a period of 6 months. Sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic skills of the referring doctors were found to be generally poor, particularly for anxiety

Differential aspects of consultation-liaison psychiatry in a Saudi hospital. II: knowledge and attitudes of physicians and patients

To assess the attitude and knowledge of physicians and patients towards psychiatry, we asked 115 referring doctors and 188 referred patients to complete questionnaires. We examined the results along with the referral rates to try to identify factors that may affect a consultation-liaison psychiatry service. Generally, knowledge was poor and attitudes towards psychiatry negative in both groups. This negatively influenced the referral rates and reflected the lack of integration of psychiatry and medicine at the training level. This is an indication that psychiatrists need to work in collaboration with hospital doctors to integrate psychiatry into medicine at all levels and emphasizes the priority of education of hospital staff, patients and the community in consultation-liaison psychiatry

Evaluation of the immune response against Pasteurella multocida

The control of pasteurellosis caused by Pasteurella multocida in rabbits remains a problem despite the vaccine available for influence subsequent rabbit reproduction performance and extent the immunity throughout the largest period. Different inactivated vaccines against pasteurellosis [Heat, Formalinized, Binary ethyleneimine [BEI] irradiated and potassium thiocyanate [KSCN] were prepared. These vaccines were tested by indirect haemagglutination test [IHT] to measure the average titers of antibodies in experimental rabbits. Data revealed that, among the tested inactivated vaccines, irradiated and KSCN gave the highest values of the overall mean of antibodies, as post-vaccination, being 1236.8 as compared to the other inactivated vaccines, followed by BEI and formalized inactivated vaccines [946.5 and 856.8, respectively when tested at 7,15,21,35,45 and 60 days. However, heat inactivated vaccine gave the lowest value, being 688.2 when estimated at the same time. Using bioassay test in rabbits, results revealed that KSCN vaccine gave the highest value, being 100% of protection against virulent strain of Pasteurella multocida. These results were followed by BEI and heat vaccine, being 90% protection, while formalinized vaccine and irradiated vaccine gave 80% protection. It was concluded that potassium thiocyanate extract vaccine is the best vaccine for protection against pasteurellosis in rabbits

Some anatomical studies on the ligaments of the genual articulation of the goat

This work was conducted on 20 amputated pelvic limbs of medium sized animals. The material was treated by ordinary routine methods used for fixation and preservation of anatomical specimens, using 10% neutral formalin to which 4% phenol have been added. The origins, structures and insertions of the various ligaments and muscles associated with the genual articulation were thoroughly described. The results were discussed