ABSTRACT
Background/aim Heart transplantation is often the only preferable treatment for end-stage heart failure (HF); however, there are insufficient organ donors in Saudi Arabia. In this study, we aimed to understand the desire and readiness of Taif populations for heart donation after death. Methods We carried out a descriptive cross-sectional study among Taif residents in November 2022. A questionnaire designed from a previous survey was distributed among the participants. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data and questions assessing their desire for heart donation. Results The study included 405 subjects who have accepted to participate in the study. About half of the participants were aged 18 to 32 years (43.5%), most were females, were non-employed, and had a university degree. Of them, 86.2% accepted the concept of organ transplantation, 81% accepted the concept of heart transplantation, and one-third of the participants desired to donate their hearts. The participants with a university degree reported significantly less acceptance of the concept of heart transplantation (p-value=0.026), and those employed showed a significantly stronger desire for organ donation to a relative after death (p-value=0.049). In addition, younger participants showed a significantly higher willingness for organ donation to a relative or non-relative after death (p-value=0.017 and 0.009, respectively). Employed participants were significantly more willing to undergo heart transplantation surgery if needed (p-value=0.044). Conclusion Awareness campaigns could be established in the community and popularized during contact with the health system to build trust in the organ donation system, stress the importance of heart donation in saving the lives of more patients, and reduce the shortage of organ transplantation.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The admission of patients on weekends in multiple health centers has been associated with poorer outcomes relative to care provided during regular weekday hours. This study aimed to assess and compare the health outcomes of patients discharged on weekends and weekdays after undergoing surgery in a tertiary hospital in Taif, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of patients were collected from hospital records in a retrospective manner, and the outcomes were assessed after discharge. Patients discharged on Friday and Saturday were considered weekend discharges, and those discharged on other days were considered weekday discharges. Data related to readmission and emergency department (ED) visits included the primary diagnosis, number of days post-primary discharge, length of stay, chief complaint, and the number of ED visits. A logistic regression model was done to assess the predictive factor for 30-readmission after surgery. Results: The frequency of discharge over the weekend was 9.1%. About 6.5% and 7.3% were found to have 30-day readmission and 30-day ED visits, respectively. A statistically significant association was not observed between weekend discharge and the development of postoperative complications (p>0.05). A multinomial logistic regression showed that patients who had emergency admission, postoperative complications, and the presence of cancer were found to be independently associated with 30-day readmission after discharge (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Proactive strategies to reduce costly readmissions after surgery can be designed once the high-risk patient subset is identified.
ABSTRACT
Background Postoperative hypoparathyroidism has been investigated in health records and surgical cohorts, but the results have been highly variable and imprecise. It is not clear how often endocrinologists encounter this hormone deficit in clinical practice. Thus, the aim of this study is to determine the incidence of permanent hypoparathyroidism and the factors associated with it in a group of post-thyroidectomy patients followed at three tertiary care institutions in Taif city. Materials and Methods A retrospective cohort analysis was done to examine patients who had a total thyroidectomy in the city of Taif between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2019. Patients were eligible for the study if they received total thyroidectomy, were above the age of 18 years, had surgical and pathological data available, and had been monitored in the same institution for at least a year after their thyroidectomy. Patients who did not return for follow-up care following surgery were excluded from the study. Results The incidence of hypoparathyroidism was 10.3%, and females had a higher prevalence (12.1%) than males (3.2%). In patients with two and three parathyroid glands, hypoparathyroidism was found to be more prevalent (33.3% and 25.5%) in permanent histological sections. There was no single independent risk factor for hypoparathyroidism according to a logistic regression model. Conclusion The incidence rate of hypoparathyroidism following total thyroidectomy was about 10.3%. There were no independent risk factors identified for hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy. Permanent hypoparathyroidism severely affects the quality of life, and research should be done to prevent its incidence after thyroidectomy.
