The Influence of Gender and Education on Awareness About Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among King Saud University and Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud Islamic University Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a global issue facing the world. In a conservative community like Saudi Arabia, discussing such matters is considered taboo, and this might impact the awareness of STDs. Therefore, this study aims to determine if gender, level of education, and university affiliation influence the level of awareness of STDs. METHODS: This research is a cross-sectional study that involves 389 students who are studying at King Saud University (KSU) and Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMAMU). Twenty-six questions were gathered from a previous study and implemented into the questionnaire and were validated after. RESULTS: Overall, awareness about STDs was poor. Females scored higher than male participants (7.9 ± 3.3 vs. 7.1 ± 3.2, p < 0.017) respectively. Interestingly, undergraduates scored higher than postgraduates (4.7 ± 3.7 vs. 3.7 ± 3.3, p < 0.029). For the university, KSU students scored higher than their counterparts did at IMAMU (10.4 ± 5.7 vs. 8.9 ± 5.5, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Female participants have shown a higher level of STD awareness than males, but the overall awareness is still extremely low. However, KSU scored higher than IMAMU As a result, appropriate education and promotion efforts about STDs must be implemented based on gender and education level.

Epidemiological and clinical profiles of Saudi patients with hyperprolactinemia in a single tertiary care center.

BACKGROUND: Prolactin is a hormone of the pituitary gland whose main function is the production of milk. Hyperprolactinemia is defined as an increase in prolactin levels above 25 µg/L in women and 20 µg/L in men. Causes of hyperprolactinemia include pituitary tumors, especially prolactinomas. Hyperprolactinemia can manifest clinically with a variety of symptoms, including galactorrhea and menstrual irregularities in women and erectile dysfunction in men. There are limited data on the epidemiology of hyperprolactinemia in the Middle East region. OBJECTIVES: Description of the epidemiology and clinical features of hyperprolactinemia in a cohort from Saudi Arabia. DESIGN: Medical record review SETTING: Tertiary medical center in Riyadh PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included adult patients with hyperprolactinemia in King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh. The patients were treated in endocrinology clinics from 2015 to 2019. Patients of both sexes older than 14 years were enrolled in the study. Patients with insufficient follow-up were excluded. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, symptoms, prolactin level, cause of high prolactin level, and treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The frequency of different etiologies and symptoms in patients with hyperprolactinemia. SAMPLE SIZE: 295 patients RESULTS: The majority of patients with hyperprolactinemia were female 256 (86.8%). Hyperprolactinemia was diagnosed more frequently in patients in the age groups 21-30 years (42.6%) and 31-40 years (24.1%). The majority of the study population was obese or overweight: 136 (46.3%) and 74 (25.2%), respectively. Most of the cases were symptomatic (192, 65.1%). In women, the most common symptom was oligomenorrhea (35%). In men, infertility and erectile dysfunction were the most common clinical symptoms (50% and 44.7%, respectively). Idiopathic causes were the most common etiology (108, 36.6%), followed by pituitary adenomas (81, 27.5%). The majority of patients were treated (184,62.4%), with cabergoline being the most commonly used medication (173, 94.0%). CONCLUSION: The demographic and clinical presentations and causes of hyperprolactinemia in male and female Saudi patients were similar to that in studies in other populations. LIMITATIONS: Single-center retrospective chart review study. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

Suicide Attempts by Poisoning: An Experience From a High-Volume Emergency Department.

Background There has been a tremendous increase in self-poisoning behavior worldwide, with different trends depending on cultural and geographic aspects. Objectives Our study aims to assess the trends, outcomes, and predictors in patients of suicide attempts by poisoning at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) ED. Materials and methods A retrospective cohort study took place at KAMC. Frequencies and percentages were used to display categorical variables. Minimum, maximum, mean, and SD were used to display continuous variables. Chi-squared test and independent t-test were utilized to test for factors associated with suicidal intention. Results A total of 130 cases were identified. The participants were mostly females (73.8%, n = 96). Most of the participants were pediatric patients (57.7%, n = 75). The most consumed agents were acetaminophen in 59 (45.83%) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in 22 (16.92%). The ICU admission rate was 8.5% (n = 11). The management for both populations was unspecific, involving observation, supportive measures, and symptomatic treatment. BMI (p < 0.001), gender (p < 0.001), age (p = 0.012), and a history of neuropsychiatric disorders (p < 0.001) were associated factors. Conclusion It is crucial that the trends and risk factors of self-poisoning suicide attempts are identified to provide support to those in need. Several variables of interest were noted since the two most observed agents share several key features, such as accessibility and availability. However, contradicting literature reports warrant further investigation to confirm or negate the evidence.

Bilateral Complete Loss and Partial Regeneration of Photoreceptor Layers in a Pediatric Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) Case.

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease is a multisystem autoimmune disease affecting melanocyte-containing tissues in the eyes, meninges, ear, and skin. As far as we are aware, this is a unique case report documenting the regeneration of the photoreceptor layer after bilateral complete loss of the photoreceptor layer in a child with VKH. We report a case of a 12-year-old male with no significant past medical history who presented during the chronic stage of incomplete VKH. He was found to have a complete loss of photoreceptor layer in both eyes during a work-up to confirm the aforementioned disease. Upon receiving his first pulse dose of 500 mg IV methylprednisolone as a treatment course, he developed severe steroid-induced hyperglycemia (random blood glucose of 17.6 mmol/L). Additionally, a brain MRI revealed pituitary gland changes compatible with diabetes insipidus, which is a combination that was mentioned once in the literature before. A review of the systems did not suggest any other systemic diseases. The patient's elevated blood sugar level was managed by a pediatrician, and it normalized. At his last visit, optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed hypertrophy/regeneration of the photoreceptor layer. This case report indicates that retinal photoreceptor layer regeneration can be sometimes observed with follow-up after the resolution of inflammation and uveitis.