ABSTRACT
Myxomas are very rare intracardiac benign tumors. They can arise in any of the cardiac chambers, although 75% occur in the left atrium. Atrial myxomas (AMs) show a female predominance with a sex ratio of 3:1. There is a diversity in the clinical presentation;it may resemble many cardiovascular or systemic diseases. Furthermore, it is possible to present as an acute upper or lower limb ischemia or organ infarction due to systemic emboli. Hereby, we report a previously healthy 38-year-old male, who presented to the emergency department with acute pain of both lower limbs, unilateral upper limb, and acute abdomen. A bedside transthoracic echocardiogram was done which showed a mass that was confirmed to be an AM. The patient underwent surgical embolectomy and tumor resection. As this tumor is rare, the duration between the onset of symptoms to finally reaching the correct diagnosis is usually prolonged, and meanwhile, the patient can experience irreversible neurological damage or even death. Hence, we would like to highlight the role of echocardiogram in detecting AMs. In addition, excluding the primary cause of the thrombi, the patient's ischemic pain has a spectrum of differential diagnosis ranging from peripheral vascular disease to COVID-19. We would also like to emphasize the importance of a high index of suspicion by emergency physicians when such cases present.
ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 is an emerging respiratory virus which was initially reported to the WHO on December 31, 2019 and declared as a public health emergency by the WHO on March 11, 2020. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the public knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward COVID-19. Method: This is an online cross-sectional study. The questionnaire was in both Arabic and English languages and consisted of 4 segments (demographic, knowledge, attitude, and practice). The results were collected anonymously. The data were entered in Excel sheets and then exported and analyzed using SPSS software. Results: A total of 1,602 UAE residents completed the questionnaire. The mean knowledge score is 71%, which reflects good knowledge. The mean attitude score is 78%, which reflects a positive attitude. The mean practice score is 76%, which reflects good practice. Ninety-four percent of the population avoid handshakes, 93.3% wear face masks regularly, 85.5% use hand sanitizers, and 66% wash their hands, 22.7% drink honey with ginger, 13% still prefer to take garlic, and 82% chose to constantly update themselves with information about COVID-19;however, only 10% relied on purely medical sources. Conclusions: This study showed that UAE residents have satisfactory knowledge and favorable practice, with an overall high positive attitude. However, it is still encouraged to continue efforts in spreading awareness and public health education across all platforms, as well as increase awareness campaigns and correct misconceptions circulating on nonmedical platforms since they are a major source of information for the public.