RESUMO
To study bowel patterns [function/habits] and its associated variables in an adult Saudi population. In a cross sectional study, a 21-item questionnaire on bowel function [habits and frequency] was distributed to 10,000 high school students from all 5 regions of Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia, between February and April 2011. The randomly selected students, and 2 of their household or family members completed the questionnaire. Socio-demographic characteristics, eating habits, chronic diseases, and medications used were studied. Sixty-one percent [N=4918] were above the age of 16 years, of which 51.5% were males, and 88.1% were Saudis. It was observed that 18.1% of respondents perceived their bowel movements as being irregular and abnormal. There was no association between gender and abnormal/irregular bowel movement [OR: 0.89; p=0.13]. Individuals over 60 years suffered from bowel pattern abnormalities [OR=1.8; p=0.01]. Educational status [secondary], occupation [teacher and unemployed], diet habits, and chronic diseases of study subjects were also statistically significantly associated with their bowel movements. Respondents consuming more vegetables, fruits, meats, dairy products, and rice had significantly more normal bowel movements. Females tended to defecate less frequently as compared with males [p<0.0001]. Approximately 40% of both genders have bowel movements at least once a day. Our results may serve as a baseline for appropriate intervention strategies, and also for future studies to substantiate, negate, or add more observations/conclusions.
RESUMO
Acute appendicitis is the most common acute surgical condition of the abdomen. Computed tomography [CT] and Ultrasonography [US] can reduce the rate of complications and unnecessary appendectomies, in addition, they can establish an alternative diagnosis. We carried out a systematic review to evaluate the evidence relating radiological imaging [US and CT scan] and early detection of acute appendicitis in patients presenting with equivocal findings, and to provide recommendations to use radiological imaging [US and CT scan] in diagnosing acute appendicitis as part of the initial clinical assessment of the patients presenting with equivocal findings to reduce complications and unnecessary appendectomies. We used the MEDLINE to search for articles published from 1966 to December 2005 that related to radiological imaging of acute appendicitis; additional articles were identified from the bibliographies of review articles. Selection criteria were used to limit the analysis to prospective studies with more than 100 patients involved in each study as a study group. Forty-five studies fulfilling our inclusion and exclusion criteria were extracted, and 13,046 patients were included. Although the CT scan was more sensitive than US in diagnosing patients with equivocal appendicitis [93.4% [95% CI 92.1-94.6] versus 83.7% [95% CI 82.3-85.0]], either diagnostic study should be used as part of the initial assessment of the patients presenting with equivocal findings