prevalence of allergic rhinitis and atopic markers in obstructive sleep apnea

Allergic rhinitis [AR] related inflammation might worsen the severity of obstructive sleep apnea [OSA], however, the relationship between the two disorders remains controversial. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of AR and atopic markers in OSA. This cross-sectional study recruited participants with sleeprelated complaints referred to a sleep center from February 2013 to June 2014. The diagnosis of OSA was based on the Berlin questionnaire [BQ] followed by confirmatory polysomnography [PSG]. The diagnosis of AR was made via focused history and clinical examination and was confirmed by measuring atopic markers. OSA was diagnosed in 97 out of 157 adults attending the sleep clinic [61.8%]. There was a high prevalence of AR [52.6%] among OSA individuals. This was not significantly different from the frequency in the non-OSA individuals [p = 0.5]. Elevated total immunoglobulin E [IgE; >100 K/micro L], eosinophil count, and positive Phadiatop tests were found in individuals with OSA to be 37.1%, 11.3%, and 41.2%, respectively. Individuals without OSA have shown similar percentages. In our cohort, there was no significant difference in frequency of AR and atopy among participants with OSA compared to those without OSA

Mycobacterium chelonae empyema with bronchopleural fistula in an immunocompetent patient

Mycobacterium chelonae is one of the rapidly growing mycobacteria that rarely cause lung disease. M chelonae more commonly causes skin and soft tissue infections primarily in immunosuppressed individuals. Thoracic empyema caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria and complicated with bronchopleural fistula is rarely reported, especially in immunocompetent patients. In this article we report the first immunocompetent Arabian patient presented with M chelonae-related empyema with bronchopleural fistula which mimics, clinically and radiologically, empyema caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia in a Saudi patient

Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia [CEP] is a rare disorder that was first reported in 1960 but the syndrome was best described by Corrington et al in 1969. To our knowledge, no single Saudi case has been reported up to the present date