Gulf implantable cardioverter-defibrillator registry: rationale, methodology, and implementation

Background: The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator [ICD] is effective in the prevention of sudden cardiac death in high-risk patients. Little is known about ICD use in the Arabian Gulf. We designed a study to describe the characteristics and outcomes of patients receiving ICDs in the Arab Gulf region

Methods: Gulf ICD is a prospective, multi-center, multinational, and observational study. All adult patients 18 years or older, receiving a de novo ICD implant and willing to sign a consent form will be eligible. Data on baseline characteristics, ICD indication, procedure and programing, in-hospital, and 1-year outcomes will be collected. Target enrollment is 1500 patients, which will provide adequate precision across a wide range of expected event rates

Results: Fifteen centers in six countries are enrolling patients [Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar]. Two-thirds of the centers have dedicated electrophysiology laboratories, and in almost all centers ICDs are implanted exclusively by electrophysiologists. Nearly three-quarters of the centers reported annual ICD implant volumes of

Conclusions: Gulf ICD is the first prospective, observational, multi-center, and multinational study of the characteristics and, the outcomes of patients receiving ICDs in the Arab Gulf region. The study will provide valuable insights into the utilization of and outcomes related to ICD therapy in the Gulf region

Health education materials for Arab patients: content and design preferences

To investigate the content and design preferences of printed health education leaflets among Arab patients. A survey questionnaire to 17 subjects [women: n = 8, men: n = 9; age range 17-70 years] and three focus-group discussions [total 16 participants] were used to assess preferences by showing samples of Arabic health education materials. The questionnaire was administered by interviewers. For the focus-group discussions, the sessions were conducted by a trained interviewer, audio recorded and analyzed thematically. The subjects' educational level was from no formal schooling to university level. In survey component, all patients preferred photographs over clipart. Typeface ['font'] preferences were for Simplified Arabic in 8 subjects [47%] and Mudir MT in 7 [41%]; the 16-point font size was favored by 14 [82%] patients. In the three focus-group discussions, themes that participants expressed included use of standard Arabic with local dialects, short sentences, and culturally appropriate advice with practical and quantifiable examples. The participants preferred health education materials to be color trifold brochures illustrated with pictures and not clipart and written in Arabic using the Simplified Arabic font in 16-point size