ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked global stress. This has altered people's coping mechanisms, with some turning to harmful smoking as an option. Smoking is highly prevalent among Saudi healthcare workers, particularly postgraduate physicians. Therefore, it is critical to comprehend the smoking factors among Saudi postgraduate physicians and how COVID-19 affects their smoking status. This cross-sectional study used a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from postgraduate physicians across Saudi Arabia. Data from questionnaires were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Chi-square test, and multivariate and multinomial logistic regression. Of the 740 participants, 27.6% were smokers and 11.6% were former smokers. Cigarette smoking was the most prevalent type, followed by electronic cigarettes and Shisha (51.0%, 47.1%, and 37.3%, respectively). Smoking was found to be associated (P < 0.05) with age over 30, male gender, father and mother smoking, as well as smoking brothers, friends, and smokers' less educated mothers. Despite COVID-19, most smoking postgraduate physicians smoke at their average rates, followed by those who smoke more than their average. Educational and training programs should include appropriate, healthy coping techniques. Furthermore, the associated factors of smoking could help in developing appropriate tobacco-control programs to prevent smoking among postgraduate physicians.
ABSTRACT
Background: The new COVID-19 has been reported as a risk factor for diabetic ketoacidosis in patient with diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2. Diabetes mellitus is associated with several micro-and macro-vascular complications. Diabetic ketoacidosis is occurred as a result of imbalance between insulin and its counterregulatory hormones. Case Report: A 33-year-old male has presented to emergency department with polyuria, polydipsia, and lethargy for three days. He was tested positive with SARS-COV-2. The patient showed morbid obesity and he was on several self-medication products and home remedies for treating COVID-19. Laboratory confirmed the hyperglycemia where random blood glucose level was between 255-345 mg/dl and A1C was 11.66%. Ketone bodies were detected in the urine. Poor diabetes control, infection, obesity, and persistence hyperglycemia have also precipitated the occurrence of diabetic ketoacidosis. The patient was resuscitated with fluids and insulin therapy. After 24 hours, the diabetic ketoacidosis symptoms were resolved. Conclusion: Patients with diabetes mellitus should be aware of the importance of medication adherence and diet control. Further studies on the relationship between the infection with SARS-COV-2 and the incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis will delineate the pathophysiological mechanism.