ABSTRACT
To assess the prevalence of epidemiologically defined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] in Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional, observational, population-based survey of COPD was conducted between June 2010 and December 2011 across the country of Saudi Arabia. A total of 56,000 randomly selected telephone numbers were called, which identified 10,001 eligible subjects; of whom 9,779 agreed to participate. A screening questionnaire included 6 questions related to cigarette consumption and water-pipe use was administered to each participant. Subjects with positive screening results were invited to provide input for a detailed COPD questionnaire. The adjusted proportion of subjects who reported a current, or past smoking history was 27.9%. Gender specific smoking rates adjusted by age were 38.7% [95% confidence interval [CI]: 37.5-39.9%] in men, and 7.4% [95% CI: 6.5-8.3%] in women. The epidemiological definition of symptomatic COPD was met by a total of 249 subjects. The age and gender-adjusted prevalence of COPD was 2.4% [95% CI: 2.1-2.7%]. Overall, COPD was more frequently documented [p<0.0001] in men [3.5% [95% CI: 3-4%]] than in women [1% [95% CI: 0.7-1.3%]]. The prevalence of epidemiologically defined COPD in the general population of Saudi Arabia is 2.4%, which is lower than that reported in industrialized countries
ABSTRACT
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis [IPF] is rare and can be challenging to diagnose. Limited data is available from the Middle Eastern region, especially Saudi Arabia. This was a retrospective study that looked at all the patients diagnosed with IPF between 2007 and 2012 at two tertiary care hospitals in Saudi Arabia. We collected the demographical, clinical, laboratory and radiological data from the patients' medical records. Medications administered and 1 year survival was also assessed. Between 2007and 2012, 134 IPF patients were identified. Their baseline characteristics [Mean +/- SD] included: age 64 +/- 13 years, body mass index 29 +/- 8 kg/m 2, FEV 1 56 +/- 15 percent of predicted, FVC 53 +/- 13 percent of predicted, FEV 1 /FVC 0.81 +/- 0.09, total lung capacity 75 +/- 13 percent of predicted, diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide 57 +/- 15 percent of predicted, on home oxygen at presentation 71 [53%], mean ejection fraction 0.50 +/- 0.07, mean pulmonary artery systolic pressure [via echocardiogram] 40 + 22 mmHg, presentation mean S pO2 92 +/- 7%, presentation 6-min walk distance 338 +/- 64 m and lowest S pO2 during 6-min walk test 88 +/- 5%. Patients were predominantly female [56%], and 42% of patients had diabetes and were active smokers. The IPF patients' frequency of hospital admission [n = 99] was 2.4 +/- 1.7 per year and duration of hospital stay [n = 99] was 17.4 +/- 23.8 days. Overall 1 year survival in all IPF patients was good, 93% [124] patients remained alive after 1 year. In Saudi Arabia, IPF patients tended to be slightly older and the disease progression was somewhat slower than reported IPF cohorts in other populations. They had frequent hospital admissions and a long hospital length of stay. The influence of genetics and co-morbid diseases on the incidence and outcome of IPF should be explored further
ABSTRACT
To assess the health-related quality of life [HRQL] of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] in 4 Gulf Council Cooperation countries. We conducted a cross-sectional survey between December 2011 and March 2012 in the following countries: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah], Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. The HRQL was measured using the COPD Assessment Test [CAT] and the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire-Self-Administered Standardized questionnaire [CRQ-SAS]. We recruited 120 patients from 6 centers in 4 countries. Their average forced expiratory volume [FEV][1] was 49.3% [+/- 13.4] of predicted, and the ratio of FEV[1] to forced vital capacity was 0.58 [+/- 0.11]. The average COPD Assessment Test [CAT] score was 20.4 +/- 7.6; CAT scores were highest for Riyadh [24.1 +/- 7.7]; and lowest for Kuwait [18.5 +/- 9.2], with no significant difference between the centers. For the CRQ-SAS, the dyspnea domain score was 4.6 +/- 1.6, the fatigue domain score was 4.3 +/- 1.3, the emotional domain was 4.6 +/- 1.2, and the mastery domain was 4.8 +/- 1.4. The correlation coefficients of the association between the CAT score and the 4 domains of the CRQ-SAS for all of the centers combined was statistically significant. The CAT and CRQ-SAS revealed that the patients with COPD experienced a moderate to severe impact from the disease, and a considerably compromised quality of life in the GCC countries
ABSTRACT
Lung cancer accounts for 4% of all newly diagnosed cancers in Saudi Arabia. The pattern of presentation is unknown. The objectives of this study were to assess the clinical, radiological pathological, biochemical and cronchospcopic abnormalities in lung cancer patients and to compare our findings with those reported in the literature. A total of 114 patients with proven lung cancer were selected for the study. A questionnaire concerning patients' demographic data was obtained; the abnormalities and the cell types of lung cancer were recorded prospectively in each subject. A total of 114 patients with lung cancer were studied. Mean age +/- SD was [59.8 +/- 10.8] years, and [71.1%] were smokers and 95.1% of them were male, [90.1%] smoked > 20pack/yr [96.2%] for 20 years of more. Cough [76.3%] and clubbing [40.4%] were the most common symptom and physical abnormality respectively. The right lung [64.9%] was more commonly affected than the left [37.7%]. Metastases were present in [49.1%] at presentation. The right and left upper bronchi [24% vs. 16%] were the mostly affected. Hypercalcemia was more common in squamous cell, while hyponatremia was more common in adenocarcinoma, and small cell. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common cell type [51.85] and significantly associated with smoking [P