Knowledge and Awareness of Leukemia Among the Population of Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer is characterized by the rapid proliferation of abnormal cells that exceed their normal boundaries, infiltrating other body parts and leading to metastasis, a distinctive feature setting it apart from other diseases. Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths, with nearly 10 million global fatalities, making it the leading cause of mortality. Leukemia, a type of cancer originating in the bone marrow or blood cells, presents significant complications and is associated with various risk factors, including a positive family history, smoking, and obesity. This study aims to evaluate the general knowledge of leukemia and its associated risks among the inhabitants of the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted targeting all residents of the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, who were Saudi nationals, spanning both genders and aged 15 to 59 years. The questionnaire was distributed electronically through social networking applications, and responses were collected via Google Forms (Google, Mountain View, CA). RESULTS: The study findings indicated that the most frequently identified risk factors for leukemia included blood disorders, genetic disorders, and extensive exposure to radiation and chemicals. The most prevalent leukemia symptoms were bruising and bleeding, followed by vomiting, nausea, and headache. The most commonly reported side effects of leukemia treatment were dizziness, followed by anorexia and exhaustion. CONCLUSION: The study revealed a lack of awareness about leukemia and its associated risks among participants. This underscores the need for continued educational initiatives and awareness campaigns to improve leukemia knowledge and early detection rates, potentially leading to better outcomes for affected individuals. Future research should aim to overcome study limitations and provide a broader perspective on leukemia awareness throughout Saudi Arabia.

Vision-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Keratoconus: A Nationwide Study in Saudi Arabia.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of keratoconus (KC) on quality of life and assess visual performance via the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (NEI-VFQ-25) in the Saudi population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using the NEI-VFQ-25 to evaluate the vision-related quality of life among previously diagnosed KC patients. An online questionnaire was used to distribute the validated survey through various social media networks. The data were extracted, reviewed, coded, and then analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). RESULTS: A total of 429 patients completed the questionnaire. The overall score of NEI-VFQ-25 was 58.6 (SD: 18.0). The visual performance was worse in females than males (with a score of 55.1), especially in patients aged less than 30 years. Visual function improved with the use of low-vision aids (spectacles and contact lenses) compared with those who did not use them. CONCLUSION: Our study confirms the functional impairment in patients with KC, especially in females, patients aged less than 30 years, and those with no low-vision aids. Moreover, it suggests a significant role of these vision aids (spectacles and contact lenses) in improving the quality of life in patients with KC.

Prevalence of Hypothyroidism Among Dialysis Patients in Eastern Region, Saudi Arabia.

Background Hypothyroidism carries significant morbidity among the general population and is more common among patients with reduced Glomerular filtration Rate (GFR). Patients with reduced GFR have higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, which might be increased in the presence of hypothyroidism. A thyroid function test is not routinely included in predialysis workups. Aim The aim was to explore the prevalence of hypothyroidism among hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients at a single large center in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Methods A chart-review cross-sectional study was conducted at Al Jabr Kidney Center from February to May 2022. It included adult patients on hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Data was extracted through a pre-structured data extraction sheet to avoid data collection errors. Extracted data included the patient's demographic data, causes of renal failure, and comorbidities besides laboratory investigations and thyroid profile. Results A total of 99 patients were included, with their ages ranging from 15 to 89 years, with a mean age of 51.3 ± 16.9 years old. The exact 76 (76.8%) patients were males. Exact five (5.1%) patients had high thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), nine (9.1%) had low TSH, and 85 (85.9%) were euthyroid. There was no difference in the prevalence of hypothyroidism according to the type of dialysis (p=0.872). Dialysis adequacy was achieved in the majority of included patients based on Kt/V (80.5%) and URR (61.7%) regardless of thyroid status (p=0.115 and 0.653, respectively). The presence of hypertension and erythropoietin were more prevalent among patients with high TSH levels. Conclusion We concluded that hypothyroidism among dialysis patients was less common in our study compared to previously reported prevalence nationally and internationally. The prevalence of hypothyroidism was similar in both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients, and it did not affect dialysis adequacy. Hypertension and erythropoietin were more common among our dialysis patients with hypothyroidism. Screening for thyroid disorders among chronic disease patients (especially on dialysis) is essential to improve the quality of care.

Migraine Headache and the Risk of Depression.

BACKGROUND:  Migraine is a primary headache and a complicated neurological disorder with sensory and autonomic abnormalities. Many variables, including genetic and psychological ones, contribute to migraine onset and development. Anxiety and depression are typical psychiatric comorbidities among migraineurs. This kind of comorbidity increased migraine chronicity, treatment effectiveness, and the likelihood of additional comorbidities. The purpose of this research was to determine the prevalence of depression among Saudi migraine sufferers in AlAhsa. METHODS:  Descriptive cross-sectional research of 101 migraine patients at King Fahd Hospital-Hofuf, AlAhsa, Saudi Arabia from May to December 2021. Depression was assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire which is a reliable tool (PHQ-9). The PHQ-9 measures the presence and severity of depression. Consider sociodemographic, clinical, and individual variations that impact migraine development and prognosis.  Results: The inclusion criteria were satisfied by 94 migraine patients in total, with a mean age of 36.9 ± 9 years and they are predominantly females 75.5%. The majority of the participants (76.6%) were on medication to relieve migraine attacks and only 13.9% reported that >75% of attacks were relieved by medication. Almost all of the patients (96.8%) used to drink coffee and tea. The prevalence of depression and migraine was revealed to be 42.6% mild and 8.5% severe among the participants. Four statistically significant correlations (p < 0.05) were young age, being female, low level of education at higher risk to have depression compared to another group of migraineurs. CONCLUSION:  A neurological disorder that commonly causes disability is migraine. Numerous studies have shown that mood disorders and migraines are often co-occurring, and these individuals are more likely to have a migraine-related disability. This research has shown that it is beneficial to prevent psychiatric comorbidity by using PHQ-9 as a regular screening tool for migraine patients.

Arabic Coffee Consumption and Its Correlation to Obesity Among the General Population in the Eastern Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Aim This study aims to assess the relationship between Arabic coffee consumption and obesity among the Saudi adult population. Subjects and methods This is a cross-sectional study conducted among the population living in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among the general population using an online survey. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, and different parameters to assess the factors associated with Arabic coffee consumption. Results Three hundred eighty-nine participants were involved (57.1% females vs 42.9% males). Obese respondents constitute 33.7%. More than half of the total (53.5%) drink coffee daily. Our results revealed that there were statistically significant associations between the overall level of BMI according to the frequency of drinking coffee per day (p<0.001), number of cups drank per day (p=0.006), favorite additives for coffee such as milk (p=0.017), cardamom (p=0.017), other calorie additives (p=0.050) and eating chocolate while drinking coffee (p=0.034). Increased odds of consumption of Arabic coffee were predicted among female, married, overweight, and those who were eating dates while drinking Arabic coffee. Conclusion This study concluded that excessive consumption of Arabic coffee was predicted to have a direct association with obesity specifically in female and when mixed with additives including milk, cardamom, and other calorie additives. Furthermore, the odds of obesity tend to increase more when eating chocolate and dates along with coffee. Awareness campaigns are necessary to educate the community about the detrimental effect of unwarranted consumption of Arabic coffee mixed with food or additives.