Trauma research in Qatar: a literature review and discussion of progress after establishment of a trauma research centre

A structured research programme is one of the main pillars of a trauma care system. Despite the high rate of injury-related mortalities, especially road traffic accidents, in Qatar, little consideration has been given to research in trauma. This review aimed to analyse research publications on the subject of trauma published from Qatar and to discuss the progress of clinical research in Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries with special emphasis on trauma research. A literature search using PubMed and Google Scholar search engines located 757 English-language articles within the fields of internal medicine, surgery and trauma originating from Qatar between the years 1993 and 2013. A steep increase in the number of trauma publications since 2010 could be linked to the setting up of a trauma research centre in Qatar in 2011. We believe that establishing a research unit has made a major impact on research productivity, which ultimately benefits health care.

Epidemiology of idiopathic cardiomyopathy in Qatar during 1996-2003

To report the rates of cardiomyopathies in the population below 50 years of age in Qatar. We conducted a retrospective review of clinical data on patients with Cardiomyopathy who were hospitalized in Hamad General Hospital, Doha. Data were collected from medical records during the 1996-2002 period and prospectively from the patients who were hospitalized during the year 2003. All Cardiomyopathy patients below 50 years of age who were citizens or permanent residents in Qatar were included in this study. During the study period, a total of 132 cases were recorded with idiopathic cardiomyopathies. Among these, 67.4% were males and 32.6% females; Qatari 31.8%, non-Qatari 68.2%. The consanguinity rate was high among Qatari patients. In the first 7-year study period, 1996-2002, the incidence rate of all types of cardiomyopathies was 2.5/100,000 population per year [95% Cl: 1.4-3.5]. It increased to 5.2/100,000 population during the year 2003 [95% Cl: 3.6-6.7]. Dilated Cardiomyopathy was most prevalent [75.8%] in all age groups, and the incidence increased remarkably with age. Lower prevalence of hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy [13.6%] and left ventricle noncompaction Cardiomyopathy [6.1%] was found. In children below 15 years of age, the incidence rate for all types of cardiomyopathies was 2.7/100,000 population. The overall mortality rate was 5.3%. Most cases of car-diomyopathy were identified at an early age: below 15 years and above 35 years of age. Introducing preventive and early diagnosis programs may have an impact on reducing the mortality and morbidity from idiopathic Cardiomyopathy

Obesity: a risk factor for acute myocardial infarction with angiographically patent epicardial coronary vessels in an adolescent

Toreport a causal relationship between myocardial infarction [MI] and obesity in an adolescent in the absence of the well-known risk factors for MI. A morbidly obese 17-year-old male, a nonsmoker, nondiabetic and normotensive patient, who sustained acute inferior MI with no family history of coronary artery disease, presented with central chest pain. ECG showed low voltage, normal sinus rhythm and ST segment elevation in the inferior leads; cardiac enzymes were elevated. Screening for ethanol and cocaine were negative. He was admitted to the coronary-care unit as a case of inferior MI with late presentation. Cardiac catheterization revealed patent epicardial coronary arteries; short- and long-term plans for weight reduction and family counseling were started. The hospital stay was uneventful, and the patient was discharged home on the fourth day. Based on clinical and laboratory findings, we assume that the MI might partly be secondary to coronary artery spasm or invisible premature atherosclerotic plaques. Public education and awareness for this complication in a young obese patient are warranted

Pathophysiology and hemodynamic of postresuscitation syndrome

The fatal outcome of victims after initially successful resuscitation for cardiac arrest has been attributed both to global myocardial ischemia during the cardiac arrest and the adverse effects of reperfusion. Postresuscitation syndrome comprises 2 major components; pathophysiologic postresuscitation disease and postresuscitation hemodynamic changes. Both components predict the myocardial function, which in its turn will outline the outcome of the resuscitation effort. Awareness of those components before and early after restoration of the circulation will improve the outcomes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Clinical and histologic studies of a Qatari family with myofibrillar myopathy

The current study reports the first family with confirmed myofibrillar myopathy MFM in the Middle East and the third family worldwide. This study highlights the importance of considering MFM in young patients presenting with idiopathic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia or atrioventricular block in the Gulf states. This is the first report that presented 2 different types of cardiomyopathy and 2 different indications of permanent pacemaker placement in the same generation of a family with MFM. This report studies a Qatari family consisting of one brother and 3 sisters. The brother had restrictive cardiomyopathy at the age of 16 years. One sister underwent heart transplantation for severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at the age of 15 years, the other sister had permanent pacemaker for complete heart block at the age of 21 years. This report is focused mainly on the clinical presentation and investigations carried out for the brother including echocardiogram, cardiac catheterization, cardiac and skeletal muscle biopsy, and electromyography and electrophysiology studies. The study findings support the diagnosis of MFM