AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE OF OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA AMONG THE POPULATION OF THE AL-BAHA REGION OF SAUDI ARABIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a known sleep-disordered breathing, with known morbidity and mortality, that affects a lot of people worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of OSA is estimated to be around 8.8% among adult males and 5.1% among adult females. The research is a cross-sectional study design conducted in the Al-Baha region; Saudi Arabia in 385 participants. To evaluate the knowledge and awareness of OSA, the study utilized a validated and reliable adapted Arabic version of the OSA questionnaire. The degree of consciousness and understanding regarding OSA demonstrated a noteworthy connection with varying levels of education and a favorable family history of OSAS (p<0.05). The regression analyses unveiled that people with a familial OSA background had a 2.565-fold increased likelihood of identifying daytime fatigue as a symptom of OSA (p<0.05). The study reported an insufficient level of awareness and knowledge of OSA among the Saudi Arabian population. Various factors, including gender, education, and family history of OSA, may affect the awareness and knowledge of this condition.

A randomized controlled trial examining the impact of low vs. moderate-intensity aerobic training in post-discharge COVID-19 older subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Post-COVID-19 patients complained of pain, fatigue, breathlessness, and reduction in quality of life which required planned intervention. This study aimed to compare the impact of 10 weeks of low vs. moderate-intensity aerobic training on physical fitness, psychological status, and quality of life in post-COVID-19 older subjects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 72 patients were randomized into 3 equal groups, moderate-intensity exercise (MIG, n = 24), low-intensity exercise (LIG, n = 24), and control group (CG, n = 24). The exercise was done 40 min/4 times per week for 10 weeks. We measured exercise capacity using the six-minute walking test, 1 min sit-to-stand test, post-COVID-19 functional scale (PCFS), and quality of life using the SF-36 questionnaire and HAMILTON Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). RESULTS: There was no difference between groups regarding the demographic and most clinical characteristics of the subjects. Compared with CG there were statistically significant improvements in studying groups (MIG and LIG) with (p < 0.05) in most outcomes and the improvement was higher in MIG than in LIG in most outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: 10-week moderate-intensity and low-intensity aerobic training programs are effective with superior effect to moderate-intensity. Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is more effective and feasible in post-discharge COVID-19 older subjects regarding exercise capacity, quality of life, and psychological status than low-intensity aerobic exercise.

Risk factors for ADHD and comorbid psychiatric, academic and behavior problems among primary school students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Risk factors for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), psychiatric, and classroom academic/behavioral problems were examined in 929 students grades 1-6 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Teachers identified ADHD by completing the Vanderbilt ADHD scale. Compared to controls without ADHD, students with ADHD were more likely to have early parental loss, head trauma, motor/language delay, family psychiatric problems, and high family stress. Among those with ADHD, risk factors for psychiatric comorbidity were older age, family psychiatric history, and motor/language delay. Risk factors for impaired academic/behavioral performance were high family stress, family psychiatric problems, and chronic illness. Identifying risk factors for ADHD and common comorbidities associated with this disorder may help parents, teachers and clinicians detect this condition, increasing effective management.

Perspectives for personalized therapy for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tuberculosis is the leading cause of death attributed to a single microbial pathogen worldwide. In addition to the large number of patients affected by tuberculosis, the emergence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug-resistance is complicating tuberculosis control in many high-burden countries. During the past 5 years, the global number of patients identified with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), defined as bacillary resistance at least against rifampicin and isoniazid, the two most active drugs in a treatment regimen, has increased by more than 20% annually. Today we experience a historical peak in the number of patients affected by MDR-TB. The management of MDR-TB is characterized by delayed diagnosis, uncertainty of the extent of bacillary drug-resistance, imprecise standardized drug regimens and dosages, very long duration of therapy and high frequency of adverse events which all translate into a poor prognosis for many of the affected patients. Major scientific and technological advances in recent years provide new perspectives through treatment regimens tailor-made to individual needs. Where available, such personalized treatment has major implications on the treatment outcomes of patients with MDR-TB. The challenge now is to bring these adances to those patients that need them most.