Screening for urine abnormalities among preschool children in western Saudi Arabia

To estimate the frequency of urinary problems among preschool children. In this cross-sectional study, 1000 preschool asymptomatic children attending the outpatient clinics of the Children's Hospital, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between August 2013 and December 2013 were subjected to dipstick urine analysis. Microscopic examination was performed for the abnormal dipstick samples, and children with hematuria were investigated for kidney function. Dipstick urine analysis revealed abnormal findings in 25.1% of the screened children. The most common dipstick abnormalities were positive nitrite test in 18.1%, hematuria in 16.9%, and positive leukocyte esterase test in 14.3% of the cases. The most common abnormality in microscopic urine examination was crystals in 13% of the cases. Pyuria were evident in 5% of cases and hematuria in 2.5%. The most common bacteria in positive urine culture samples was Escherichia coli in 62.6%.In view of these important findings, dipstick screening should be implemented in preschool children.

Correlation between the level of vitamin D and Bone mass index in primary osteoporotic patients in Taif, KSA

Osteoporosis [OP] is considered as one of the commonest metabolic bone diseases in orthopedics, characterized by a reduction in bone mass density and micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to diminished material properties with an increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to minor trauma fractures. The aim of this cross sectional study was to detect the level of vitamin D in patients suffering from primary osteoporosis and to correlate their levels with bone mass index. This work was performed - at the Orthopedic Outpatient Clinic of King Abdul Aziz specialist Hospital, Taif, [KSA] - on 115 patients [77 females and 38 males] fulfilling WHO revised criteria of 1994 for osteoporosis. The mean age of patients was 67.5 +/- 8.2. A medical history was taken and bony pains, fragility fractures, and loss of height, were elicited, with Inclusion criteria in the form of a T-score

Management of obesity and outcomes of hepatitis C treatment

Obesity is a modifiable risk factor for nonresponse to chronic hepatitis C [CHC] treatment. We examined whether weight loss during pegylated interferon [IFN] plus Ribavirin therapy is associated with improved response. Rapid virological response, early virological response, end of treatment response, and sustained virological response [SVR] were compared among patients with or without weight loss [>/= 0.5 body mass index [BMI]] during therapy for hepatitis C virus. Among 324, who provided consent, 280 were treatment-naive patients and 200 started pegylated-IFN/Ribavirin therapy and were included in the study. Median pretreatment BMI was 28.8 +/- 5.7 [19.9-48.9] with 42.6% overweight and 31.6% obese [BMI 25-30 and >/= 30, respectively]. Hepatitis C virus genotype 1 was the prevalent genotype among the candidates of this study, affecting 99 cases of 136 [72.7%], whereas genotypes 2/3 affected 37 cases [27.3%]. For genotype 1, weight loss at 1 and 3 months was associated with higher SVR rates [59.5 vs. 36.8% at 1 month and 55.2 vs. 34.1% at 3 months, respectively, P values=0.02 and 0.03, respectively]. Hepatic fibrosis, elevation of high-density lipoprotein, and decline of homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance at 6-months follow-up were proven to be independent predictors for SVR. Weight loss during the first 6 months of IFN therapy was associated with improved SVR in patients with CHC genotype 1 rather than genotypes 2/3. Molecular changes associated with weight loss during CHC and its relation with treatment response need to be prospectively examined