performance in pre-clinical assessment a good predictor of the final doctor of medicine grade?

To investigate if any correlation exists between students' grades on their final doctor of Medicine [MD] assessment and their overall preclinical grade point average [GPA] and its component parts. Student data available from the Deanship of Admissions and Registration were analyzed. Pearson correlation coefficient was obtained to assess the degree of linear relationship between performance in the preclinical and the MD assessment of 529 students who graduated from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud, Oman from June 1998 to June 2005. Simple and multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate individual and combined impact of the preclinical courses' grades on MD grades. Preclinical GPA correlated highly with MD GPA [r=0.641]. The science component taught early in the preclinical phase correlated more strongly [r=0.457] than student electives [r=0.246]. This correlation was better in the "good" English group. Students' performance, however, was best in electives, but worst in English. Most students who had low MD GPA [<2.0] had also preclinical and science GPA of <2.5. The students with low GPA were found to spend longer in the medical program. Restricting progression to the clinical phase to those students whose preclinical GPA is >/= 2.5, and limiting the credit hour requirement of electives by the College seems to be justified

Quantitative and qualitative corneal endothelial morphology of Omani patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome

Pseudoexfoliation [PEX] syndrome is one of the leading causes of secondary open angle glaucoma and blindness. This study explored whether in PEX eyes, preoperative changes in corneal endothelial cell morphology might be a risk factor for postoperative corneal decompensation. One hundred twenty six eyes of 69 preoperative cataract patients [43 males, 26 females] were enrolled in this cross-sectional study from the Ophthalmology Department at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital between 2003-2005. All patients were subjected to confocal biomicroscopy. The mean age of patients with PEX eyes was 63.2 years. One hundred and eight [85.7%] eyes with PEX had endothelial cell counts within the normal range [1650-3500/mm[2]]. The qualitative morphology of the endothelium of PEX corneas was highly abnormal in term of polymegathism and pleomorphism. Twelve eyes had endothelial cell counts higher than normal for that age group. Only 6 eyes had endothelial cell counts lower than normal. The mean value for the pleomorphism was found to be significantly lower than normal and for polymegathism significantly more than normal. The relationship between pleomorphism and polymegathism was stronger for males than for females and stronger for patients under 60 years than patients over 60 years. The same relationship between pleomorphism and polymegathism showed a stronger relationship for the glaucoma group as compared to the non-glaucoma group. This study revealed that corneal decompensation in PEX eyes can occur in presence of abnormalities in polymegathism and pleomorphism, even when the endothelial cell counts may be normal

Use of intravenous sulprostone for the termination of pregnancy with fetal death in second and early third trimester of pregnancy

To study the efficacy of intravenous sulprostone [Nalador] for the termination of pregnancy with fetal death in second and early third trimester of pregnancy. This is a retrospective collection and analysis of data from a cohort of 97 women with fetal death between 12-30 weeks gestation treated with intravenous infusion of a prostaglandin analogue, sulprostone, to achieve expulsion of the products of conception. It was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman. The data collected was from January 2000 to December 2005. Sulprostone was started as an intravenous infusion of 15 micro gm/hr and titrated to a maximum of 240 micro gm/hr to a total dose of 1500 micro gm/day, as per the departmental protocol. The patients- demographic data, gestational age, induction-expulsion interval, the need for evacuation, side effects and complications were studied. Out of the 97 women who received sulprostone, 90 aborted within 24 hours. The average induction-expulsion interval was 11.9 +/- 8.0 hours. Sulprostone use was associated with few side effects and was well tolerated by patients. Although most of the patients required evacuation and curettage, the blood loss was minimal. Only six out of 97 women required blood transfusions and two patients needed hysterotomy. We found sulprostone an efficient drug for termination of pregnancy with fetal death in second and early third trimester of pregnancy