Epidemiological, clinical, and biochemical characteristics of Saudi patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a hospital-based study

The estimated prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD] in Saudi Arabia is 7% to 10%. Despite the high prevalence of risk factors including diabetes, obesity, and hyperlipidemia, no recent epidemiological studies have measured the disease burden. We aimed to determine the characteristics of Saudi NAFLD patients attending a university hospital, and study factors affecting alanine aminotransferase [ALT] levels. A prospective study among patients referred for ultrasonography in King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from February to May 2009. NAFLD was defined as an appearance of fatty liver on routine abdominal ultrasound in the absence of coexisting liver disease and alcohol consumption. Patients were classified into normal and high ALT [ALT >60 U/L] level groups for analysis. The prevalence of NAFLD was 16.6% [218/1312]. Patients with normal ALT had the mean [SD] age of 45.9 [10.6] years and the mean body mass index of 34.5 [7.9] kg/m2. Forty percent of the 151 patients with normal ALT had diabetes, 66.2% were obese, and 29.1% had hypertension. Forty-three patients [23%] had high ALT levels. These patients had significantly lower age [P=.003] and fasting blood sugar [P=.03] than the normal ALT group. Non-diabetic patients [odds ratio 0.30, 95% CI 0.1-0.8], men [female OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.1-0.5], lower cholesterol [P=.001], high-density lipoprotein [P=.006], and low-density lipoprotein [P=.008] levels were more likely to be observed among patients with high ALT levels. In a multivariate analysis, younger age [OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-0.99], being male [OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.09-0.57], and a lower cholesterol level [OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.37-0.82] were significant predictors of high ALT levels. Based on the high prevalence of obesity and diabetes, the prevalence of NAFLD will continue to be high, unless awareness is inculcated among the local population

Human Brucellosis in Khartoum State: a Commonly Underdiagnosed Disease

Back ground: Human brucellosis is a major debilitating zoonotic disease. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella Methods: The serum antibody titres to Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus of one thousand febrile patients; randomly selected from Khartoum; Khartoum North and Omdurman Teaching Hospitals; were estimated by the STAT. Results: Eighty nine (8.9) of the febrile patients had brucellosis. The average age of brucellosis patient was 43.9 years. Sixty three (70.8) of the brucellosis patients were males; and 26 (29.2) were females. Fifty four (60.7) of them had significant titres to Brucella melitensis while 23 (25.8) patients had significant titres to Brucella abortus. Twelve (13.5) patients had significant titres to both Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus. The average diagnostic delay of brucellosis in this study was 88.6 days. Conclusion: Brucellosis was found to be misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid fever. Animal contact was found to be a significant risk factor