ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a global increase in mental health issues, including suicidal behaviors. This study focuses on assessing the impact of the pandemic on the prevalence and characteristics of suicidal behavior at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 580 patients from January 2017 to December 2022, focusing on those aged 18 and above referred for suicide evaluation. Data were collected via chart reviews and analyzed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS, version 25; IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Armonk, NY). RESULTS: Our study reviewed 580 patient charts, with 555 (95.7%) meeting the inclusion criteria. The majority of participants were in the 18-29 age group (66.7%). We observed an increase in the number of cases undergoing suicide attempt assessment post COVID-19, with 296 incidents (53.3%) from March 2020 to December 2022 (about a year and eight months), compared to 259 incidents (46.7%) from January 2017 to March 2020 (over three years). A significant post-pandemic increase was noted in individuals with secondary education or higher (p = 0.004). No significant changes were found in other demographic variables or in the profiles of individuals with an intention to end life before and after the pandemic. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the nuanced impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicidal behavior in Saudi Arabia, revealing an increased demand for suicide assessments, particularly among educated individuals. However, no corresponding increase was observed in the rate of high-intent suicidal cases or other significant variables. The findings underscore the complexity of factors influencing suicidal behavior during the pandemic and the need for targeted mental health interventions. Future research, ideally supported by a national database, is essential for a comprehensive understanding of suicidal behavior in Saudi Arabia.
ABSTRACT
Tardive dyskinesia is an involuntary athetoid or choreiform movement lasting a minimum of a few weeks. It is associated with the use of neuroleptic medication for at least three months and persists beyond four to eight weeks. Tardive dyskinesia usually occurs as a result of the long-term use of dopamine receptor-blocking agents, mainly first-generation antipsychotics or a high-dose, second-generation antipsychotic. We present a case of a 28-year-old female with osteogenesis imperfecta presented later with major depressive disorder with psychotic features. She was given a low-dose second-generation antipsychotic, namely, risperidone (2 mg) for psychosis for a cumulative duration of three months. As a result, she developed extrapyramidal symptoms in the form of akathisia, axial dystonia, involuntary movement of the right hand, and smacking movement of the lips. Symptoms persisted for more than eight weeks despite discontinuing risperidone and switching to quetiapine. After the exclusion of other differential diagnoses, she was labeled as a case of tardive dyskinesia. More studies are needed to assess whether undiscovered contributing factors to tardive dyskinesia exist and to understand how second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) contribute to the development of tardive dyskinesia.
ABSTRACT
ARTIs have a huge impact in health systems in which 20-30% of all hospital admissions and 30-60% of practitioner visits are related to respiratory tract infections. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence, age distribution, and seasonal variation of respiratory viruses. This study was descriptive retrospective study in which all patients 14 years of age and below who presented with signs and symptoms of ARTIs between January 2013 and December 2014 and had respiratory specimen tested by direct immunofluorescence assays for viruses identification were included in the study. During that period, a total of 4611 patients who presented with ARTIs from January 2013 to December 2014 were investigated, viruses were detected in 1115 (24%). RSV was associated with 97.4% of the total viral pathogens. Viruses were detected throughout all the two years with a peak in winter; Dec (n: 265), Jan (n: 418), Feb (n: 218), and Mar (n: 109). Viral pathogens are very important cause of ARTIs in our region. RSV was the most common virus detected with the highest detection rate in children who are two years old and below. A multi-center surveillance with more sensitive detection methods like PCR may help to provide a comprehensive understanding of virus distribution in our area, which may contribute implant an effective prevention approach for each virus.
