Lifestyle and Dietary Patterns during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Bahrain: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Lifestyle factors such as dietary habits, perceived weight, sleep, and physical activity worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this study, we aimed to understand the impact of COVID-19 on these lifestyle factors in Bahrain. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1005 adult Bahrainis. Data were collected online using a structured and validated questionnaire for the assessment of eating habits, physical activity, and lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were snowballed through those who agreed to answer the online questionnaire. There was a higher consumption of fast food, and a higher dependence on takeaways during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 63.5% of the participants consumed >4 meals per day, compared to 36.5% before the COVID-19. About 30% reported consumption of sugar sweetened beverages from two to three times a day. Weight loss was predominantly observed in persons exercising 1-3 times a week. The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was also high, with about 19% reporting drinking sweet beverages once every day, 10.6% from two to three times a day, and 40.4% from one to four times a week. A higher proportion of the participants reported poor sleep quality during the pandemic (31.2%) compared to before (12.2%), and 39.7% of the participants reported feeling lazy. Screen time use also doubled during the pandemic, with participants spending more than five hours per day on screens for entertainment, which went from 22.4% before to 51.9% during the pandemic. The lifestyle and dietary habits changed drastically for our study participants during the pandemic. The increased reliance on processed fast food instead of healthier options is a challenge to be tackled in any future pandemic situation. Future research needs to focus on strategies to promote healthier lifestyle modifications during situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Extensive eczema herpeticum in a previously well child.

BACKGROUND: Eczema herpeticum, also known as Kaposi varicelliform eruption, is a potentially life-threatening disseminated cutaneous viral infection. In the majority of cases, this condition develops as a complication in patients with atopic dermatitis. However, it may arise in a wide spectrum of pre-existing skin conditions, including psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, cutaneous T cell lymphoma, pemphigus vulgaris, and others. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 2-year-old boy who was brought to the emergency department because of a high-grade fever and rash. The fever started 2 days before his presentation, and its maximum measurement was 39.6°C. The following day, the patient developed numerous painful, pruritic vesiculopustular eruptions, and oozing involving the lips, rendering the patient unable to tolerate oral feeding. The patient was seen by the dermatology team who diagnosed the child as having eczema herpeticum. The patient was commenced on antiviral and empirical antibiotic therapy in the form of intravenous acyclovir and cephalexin along with topical fusidic acid and panthenol. The patient showed clinical improvement with resolution of the fever and partial involution of the rash 2 days following the administration of the antimicrobial therapy. CONCLUSION: Eczema herpeticum is a rare clinical entity that can result in significant morbidity. The case highlights the importance of considering the diagnosis of eczema herpeticum in the appropriate clinical settings, even in patients who were not known to have any prior skin disorder.