The Impact of Allergic Rhinitis on Asthma and Its Effect on the Quality of Life of Asthmatic Patients.

Background Allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma are one of the most common diseases in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Asthma and AR patients report significant reductions in their daily activities due to this condition. Therefore, measuring health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adult asthmatic and AR patients and evaluating the use of allergic rhinitis treatment modalities to improve asthma control may help prevent future respiratory complications, improve patient quality of life, and reduce morbidity. Methods This cross-sectional observational study was conducted through an online self-administrated questionnaire distributed electronically on social media through "Survey Monkey" (http://www.surveymonkey.com) from April 2 to September 18, 2021. The study targeted adult patients with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis residing in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia. The study compared and evaluated HRQOL between three groups: asthmatic patients with concomitant AR, patients with asthma only, and patients with AR only. Results A total of 811 questionnaires were analyzed. Of those, 23.1% were diagnosed with asthma and 64% were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis; from those who were diagnosed with AR, 27.2% were asthmatics. A statistically significant association was observed between receiving AR medications and asthma control in respondents with intermittent AR (P < 0.001). However, no association was observed between asthma control and receiving medications for AR in respondents with persistent AR (P = 0.589). The average scores for all eight-item short-form (SF-8) QOL dimensions were lower in patients with combined asthma and AR than in patients with AR only and asthma only (P < 0.001). Conclusions This study suggested that AR was associated with more severe asthma and quality of life impairment.

The Effects of Smoking on the Severity of Atopic Dermatitis in Saudi Arabia.

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a well-known inflammatory skin disease that is associated with a family history of other atopic diseases. Tobacco smoking has been found to affect AD as well as several other inflammatory skin diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate this association and to elucidate the link between dose-dependent tobacco exposure and symptom severity. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on individuals from the general population of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using an online questionnaire. All statistical analyses were performed using RStudio, version 1.1.363 (RStudio, PBC, Boston, Massachusetts, United States). Questions about the participants' age, sex, and occupational status were included. The participants were asked to report their daily handwashing habits and history of atopic diseases. Data on the smoking duration, number of cigarettes smoked per day, and passive exposure were collected. Results A total of 510 participants (41.3 %) reported having AD. Smoking was significantly associated with an increased prevalence of AD. The odds of having AD were 1.78 and 2.27 times higher in occasional smokers (odds ratio (OR) = 1.78, p < 0.05) and daily smokers (OR = 2.27, p < 0.001) than in non-smokers. Neither smoking frequency (p = 0.19) nor duration (p = 0.73) was significantly associated with AD prevalence. Conclusion Smoking is significantly associated with an increased prevalence of AD. Adults should be discouraged from smoking in order to prevent adult-onset AD. The level of nicotine exposure should be measured objectively in future studies.

Prevalence of Dry Eye Disease and Its Association With the Frequent Usage of Eye Cosmetics Among Women.

PURPOSE: Dry eye disease (DED) is defined as a disease of the tear film and ocular surface that leads to discomfort and visual disturbance. The diagnosis of DED mainly depends on the presenting clinical features. A delay in treatment may progress into chronic eye disease. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of dry eye symptoms among eye cosmetic users in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved adult Saudi females using eye cosmetics. The Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire was used to assess DED. RESULTS: A total of 207 responses were included in this study. DED symptoms were reported among those who used eye cosmetics suggesting their effect on the tear film and its stability. This study demonstrated that mascara is the most common cosmetic used, with a prevalence of 98.6%. The prevalence of dry eye syndrome (DES) was 71.6%, where 40.5%, 13.5%, and 17.6% had severe, moderate, and mild conditions, respectively. The frequency of using inner eyeliner significantly increased the prevalence of DES, in which those who used it daily accounted for 75%. In contrast, the results showed no correlation between the frequency of using mascara or external eyeliner and the prevalence of DES. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of DED among women who used eye cosmetics was much higher than its prevalence in the general population, which indicates that eye cosmetics are one of the risk factors in the development of DED. Also, the severity of DED was significantly higher in women who did not use a cleanser for removing cosmetics.

Occupational and environmental exposures, the association with chronic sinusitis.

OBJECTIVES: To find the association between environmental and occupational exposures and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) development. METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items Of Systematic Reviews Guidelines were used when a systematic literature review was conducted to find all published cases of CRS by searching PubMed database and Google Scholar. Published articles between 1989 and 2021 that reported chronic and occupational rhinosinusitis were included. However, articles that reported allergic rhinitis or upper airway diseases and non-English articles were excluded from this study. RESULTS: A total of 97 articles were extracted initially, and 15 articles were reviewed after excluding 82 articles that did not match our inclusion criteria. Most studies linked CRS development to smoke exposure (n=9734), followed by living in rural areas as farms (n=5504). Exposure to pesticides (n=4248) contributed to a higher prevalence of CRS. Blue-collar occupations, such as fire fighters, farmers, and fishermen were significantly related to CRS development in a total of 5260 patients. Chronic rhinosinusitis mainly affected more men (n=8912) than women (n=8076). CONCLUSION: We found that smoking was the most aggravating environmental factor. Chronic rhinosinusitis symptoms' severity increased with direct contact with allergens. Thus, the greatest proportion of patients with CRS was those with blue-collar occupations, such as firefighters, farmers, and fishermen.

Willingness and Motivation of Saudi Patients with Keratoconus to Participate in Clinical Trials.

Introduction Keratoconus is a bilateral non-inflammatory ectasia, characterized by well-described histopathological changes such as stromal thinning, epithelial iron deposition, and breaks in Bowman's layer. The success of clinical intervention among patients with keratoconus is widely determined by randomized clinical trials, and despite associated difficulties, such trials may improve vision and quality of life. Aim This study aimed to assess the willingness of patients with keratoconus in Saudi Arabia to undergo clinical trials. We further aimed to identify patients' beliefs and attitudes towards clinical trials and to establish possible barriers to trial recruitment, potentially improving the quality of future clinical trials and research. Materials and methods This was a quantitative analytical cross-sectional study conducted between October 2020 and March 2021 among patients with keratoconus in Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among the targeted patients. The questionnaire identified the socio-demographic characteristics of the patients and included questions on willingness, motivation, potential barriers, and helpful resources. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 21 (IBM Corp, Armonk, USA). Results A total of 462 patients were recruited. The most common age group was 16-25 years (39.8%). There were slightly more females (51.3%) than males (48.7%). The prevalence of patients with a previous history of keratoconus was 36.8%. Results revealed that 37.2% of the patients had great motivation to take part in clinical research, and 22.3% indicated a high score in potential barriers to participation, whereas nearly 48% showed a high score in helpful resources. Statistical tests revealed that being in an older age group, having children, and possessing a higher monthly income were factors associated with increased barriers to participation in clinical research. Conclusion Patients with keratoconus showed great motivation to participate in clinical research studies and provided helpful resources. The knowledge that participation could benefit others was a primary motivator, while encouragement from other patients who participated in clinical research was the main helpful resource. Possible side effects were shown to be the major concern of the patients.

Impact of Dry Eye Disease on Work Productivity Among Saudi Workers in Saudi Arabia.

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of dry eye disease (DED) on work productivity in Saudi Arabia and investigate its effect on daily activities. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study on male and female Saudi workers age 20 years or older. The data were collected via self-administered questionnaires distributed electronically through social media. We used the Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire to diagnose DED patients and assess their DED severity as mild, moderate, and severe. RESULTS: A total of 463 respondents qualified for the study. All patients in the DED groups reported a loss of work productivity. Most patients in the severe DED group (59%) reported difficulty focusing on work due to DED, whereas 17.1% of patients with mild DED and 22.7% with moderate DED reported the same. These findings indicate significantly worsening productivity as DED progresses in severity (p<0.05). Participants with severe DED reported significantly more affected work hours weekly (35.8%) than participants with moderate (6.1%) and mild DED (7.1%). CONCLUSION: DED has a significant impact on work productivity, with the most pronounced effect among office workers. It is essential to screen office workers for DED and enhance the awareness of its effect on work productivity among the workforce and healthcare providers.

Attitudes Towards Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Pediatricians in Saudi Arabia.

Background Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) refers to a variety of healthcare practices outside the domain of conventional medicine, which may be integrated with conventional medicine by many physicians. Objectives This study aims to assess the attitudes and beliefs of pediatricians toward the use of CAM on children and to evaluate their knowledge and experience regarding CAM therapies and their desire for additional CAM training courses. Methods This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted in Saudi Arabia. A self-administered electronic questionnaire consisting of 27 questions was distributed among pediatricians to assess the demographics, beliefs, experiences, and attitudes of pediatricians related to the use of CAM for children. Non-probability convenience sampling was used in selecting the sample of pediatricians. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results In this study, 140 participants completed the questionnaires. Most of the participants were of the male gender (83, 59.3%) and Saudi nationals (127, 90.7%). With regards to questions related to the experiences and opinions of participants regarding the use of CAM, 101 (72.1%) subjects reported the use of CAM among family members. Pediatricians cited affirmative encounters of use of CAM in 94 (67.1%) by parents. Pediatricians were not in favor of the use of CAM for end-stage (114, 81.4%) and chronic disease (108, 77.1%). The overall median self-reported CAM knowledge score was statistically higher for males in comparison with females [3 (IQR 1-5)] versus 2 (IQR 2-4), P = 0.030]. Also for nationality, median scores were significantly greater for the Riyadh region in contrast to other regions [[3 (IQR 2-5)] versus 2 (IQR 1-4), P = 0.041]. There was a significant difference in median scores for qualification of participants (P = 0.002). A multiple pairwise comparison revealed a statistically significant (P = 0.012) difference between participants with the qualification of residents and specialization. No differences in median CAM scores were found for responses related to the experiences, opinions, and attitudes of pediatricians towards the use of CAM therapies. Conclusion Most of the pediatricians in Saudi Arabia don't recommend the use of CAM treatment in their practice, but they acknowledge that learning more about CAM and imparting appropriate knowledge regarding it may incorporate its use in their routine clinical practices in a safe way.

Illicit Stimulant Use among Medical Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

This study aims to assess the prevalence of illicit use of stimulants and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among a sample of medical students at the main universities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and their motivation for use. We examine the association between the use of stimulants and the students' academic performance. We also look into the possible adverse consequences of illicit stimulant use among students. The competitive nature of medical school might place the students at a higher risk of using stimulant drugs illicitly. Acquiring these stimulants illegally has become easier since the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD have risen. We are unaware of any other study exploring the prevalence of and motivation for illicit use of stimulants among medical students in Riyadh. A cross-sectional web-based survey was the study design we chose as we were targeting medical students in three governmental medical colleges in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The total sample population of 1,177 participants was divided into the three following groups: no previous use of stimulant drugs (Group 1), illicit use (Group 2), and medical use (Group 3). Of the 1,177 medical students, 29 (2.46%) were found to be using stimulants illicitly; 39 (3.31%) were using the stimulants medically as they had been diagnosed with ADHD. The ability to prolong study time was reported as the most common motive for illicit use by many students. The present study contributes to the literature by casting light on this serious issue in Riyadh. More educational effort is needed to promote awareness about the adverse effects of ADHD drugs and their illicit use among students.