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Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS), commonly known as Roselle, has a rich history of traditional uses and is recognized for its diverse pharmacological properties, including antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and more. This comprehensive review synthesizes the existing literature on the health benefits associated with the consumption of HS or its ingredients. Key areas of focus include metabolic health, blood sugar, and lipid regulation, wherein studies have reported varying effects on parameters such as fasting blood glucose, insulin sensitivity, and lipid profiles. Furthermore, Roselle exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, as evidenced by its impact on inflammatory markers such as MCP-1 and TNF-α. Additionally, HS extracts have shown notable antibacterial efficacy against various strains, with a potential role in urinary tract infection management. Studies also suggest potential benefits for renal function, with improvements in markers such as blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels. In this article, we aim to review the existing literature on the health benefits of HS.
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Background Seizures constitute a serious public health concern, especially in pediatric patients. They are among the most prevalent medical issues affecting children. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a widely used imaging modality to evaluate, assess, and follow up on brain abnormalities. Objectives The purpose of the study is to explore the clinical findings of pediatric patients with seizures and their associated findings on MRI examinations. Material and methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted between 2021 and 2022 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH). A total of 171 pediatric patients (ages 1-14 years old) who had seizures and underwent brain MRI examinations were included in the study. The mean age of the group was two years. Results Focal seizures represented the majority of seizure types in 62 (60.2%) patients compared to 42 patients who presented with generalized seizures and 67 patients who presented with normal findings based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis. The most common finding in imaging was the presence of developmental anomalies, which were found in 31 (18.5%) patients. This was followed by hypoxic-ischemic injury in 12 patients, vascular abnormalities in 10 patients, inherited metabolic disorders in nine patients, and infection-related findings in six patients. Conclusion MRI has an invaluable role in managing pediatric patients with seizures. Accurate diagnosis of patients is an essential step for delivering proper care to patients. MRI is considered the main imaging modality to establish a correct diagnosis and thereby improve prognosis, and electroencephalogram (EEG) should be taken into account during standard neurodiagnostic testing.
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Background Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been designated a public health crisis by the World Health Organization. AMR can lead to escalated healthcare costs, higher mortality rates, increased morbidity, and more frequent hospitalizations. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the appropriateness of Tazocin prescription for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Methodology We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients aged ≥18 years who were admitted with a diagnosis of CAP and administered intravenous Tazocin between November 2021 and October 2022. The primary objective was to assess the appropriateness of Tazocin prescriptions in patients with CAP. Results A total of 39 patients with CAP were included, with a mean age of 61 ± 17.36 years. Overall, 24 (61%) patients were male. The rate of inappropriate prescriptions of Tazocin was 66.6%. The incidence of inappropriate Tazocin prescription varied significantly among different medical specialties, with the highest rate observed in the oncology-palliative specialty (90%; p = 0.033). Conclusions Our study affirms the inclination of physicians to prescribe Tazocin for CAP without justifiable indications and highlights the unwarranted use of Tazocin for CAP across various medical specialties. This is evidenced by the notably high rate of inappropriate empirical prescriptions.
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Purpose: During the COVID-19 quarantine period, most outdoor activities and events were banned, resulting in a decrease in physical activity (PA) and prolonged sitting (PS) time, which are significant factors in the development of lower back pain (LBP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between physical inactivity and daily sitting time during quarantine with LBP among the Saudi Arabian population. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, 288 participants were recruited using an online, self-administered questionnaire in Arabic. It consisted of 21 questions assessing back pain, PA, and daily sitting time before and during quarantine. The main outcome measures included demographics, low back pain levels, daily sitting time, and PA level. Results: The participants consisted of 236 women and 52 men aged 18-65 years. During quarantine, 74% of participants sat most of the time and did not exercise or performed less exercise. Furthermore, almost half of the participants did not engage in PA both before and during the quarantine. There was an increase in the prevalence of LBP, with only 44.8% of participants presenting with LBP before quarantine and 59.4% having it during quarantine. A statistically significant association was found between daily sitting time and LBP (P=0.007) and PA and LBP (P=0.045) during quarantine. However, there was no significant association between age and painkiller use for LBP (P=0.251). Conclusion: Our study highlights the relationship of physical inactivity and PS during quarantine with an increase in the prevalence and intensity of LBP. The limitations of the study include the use of self-reports, a small sample size, and unequal survey distribution. A well-distributed survey with a larger sample size is necessary to obtain an adequate representation of the entire Saudi population.
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Background: The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) resulted in disruption in the traditional teaching methods and lead to a wider adoption of virtual teaching. However, there is a lack of comparative studies regarding the use of either or the mixed mode for teaching radiology to undergraduate students. Objective: This study aimed to determine the barriers, performance, and overall satisfaction of undergraduate medical students and instructors undertaking virtual and traditional radiology learning across Saudi Arabia. Methodology: This cross-sectional questionnaire study included undergraduate students and instructors from across Saudi Arabia who had undertaken radiology either traditionally, through E-learning, or both in the 2019-20 academic year. The questionnaire elicited information regarding attendance, teaching methods, difficulties, knowledge acquisition, and satisfaction. Association between variables was assessed using Chi-square, in addition to a univariate analysis. Results: A total of 404 undergraduate students from 28 universities of Saudi Arabia responded, in addition to 20 instructors. Students preferred E-learning for the quality of the course and the time and effort spent as well as obtained higher grades than those in traditional learning. Traditional education was favored over E-learning for clarity of instructors' voice, ease of understanding image description by the instructor, and lack of technical barriers such as poor Internet connection. The form of education was significantly correlated with grades obtained (P < 0.001) but not with overall satisfaction (P = 0.067). The majority of the instructors (60%) considered E-learning to be helpful in balancing their workload and teaching responsibilities (P = 0.029) and would recommend it as a standard teaching method for radiology (85%). Conclusion: E-learning has potential advantages over traditional learning for teaching radiology to undergraduate medical students. However, further optimization is required to overcome the current deficiencies of this mode.
