Frequency of visits for health care by low-birth-weight and preterm Saudi infants in the first year of life.

A retrospective hospital-based cross-sectional survey in a Saudi Arabian hospital compared the frequency of visits to hospital of low-birth-weight and normal-birth-weight infants and of preterm and full-term infants during the first year of life. A multivariate analysis of the visits for health care with birth weight, term, Apgar score, mode of delivery and sex was made for 1892 infants. The number of visits for health care was significantly higher for low-birth-weight and preterm infants. While the mode of delivery had no effect on the frequency of visits, male sex and poor Apgar score 5 minutes after birth were associated with greater frequency of visits to specialty clinics and higher rates of hospitalization.

Frequency of visits for health care by low-birth-weight and preterm Saudi infants in the first year of life

A retrospective hospital-based cross-sectional survey in a Saudi Arabian hospital compared the frequency of visits to hospital of low-birth-weight and normal-birth-weight infants and of preterm and full-term infants during the first year of life. A multivariate analysis of the visits for health care with birth weight, term, Apgar score, mode of delivery and sex was made for 1892 infants. The number of visits for health care was significantly higher for low-birth-weight and preterm infants. While the mode of delivery had no effect on the frequency of visits, male sex and poor Apgar score 5 minutes after birth were associated with greater frequency of visits to specialty clinics and higher rates of hospitalization

Eight years experience of a regional burns unit in Saudi Arabia: clinical and epidemiological aspects.

A retrospective analysis of 435 consecutive admissions to a regional burns unit over an 8-year period is presented. The majority were domestic accidents, while a few were suicidal and two were due to child abuse. Scalds were commoner than flame burns, 70.6 per cent were children under 12 years, 12.4 per cent had > 40 per cent TBSA affected, 66.9 per cent were deep partial or full thickness burns, 24.4 per cent had signs of shock on admission, 13.6 per cent had smoke inhalation injury. In spite of these known adverse factors the overall outcome was satisfactory, with a case fatality rate of 7.4 per cent and a residual disability rate of 10.8 per cent. Good initial resuscitation, a low infection rate (18.4 per cent) and the ready availability of appropriate surgical intervention (35.6 per cent), with good intensive care support, could account for the satisfactory outcome.

Initiating a new renal transplant program: problems and results.

Patients from the North-West area of Saudi Arabia had to travel to Riyadh or Jeddah for renal transplantation and post-transplant follow-up. The administration of the North-West Armed Forces Hospitals Program provided medical expertise and financial support to set up a renal transplant program in this area. Suitable staff members including nephrologists, transplant surgeons, staff nurses social workers and laboratory personnel were recruited. A strong link was established with the Saudi Canter for Organ Transplantation in Riyadh. At the end of two years since establishment, 25 renal transplants (11 cadaver donor and 14 living donor) have been performed. During follow-up, nine patients developed serious infection including pneumonia, wound infection and tubercu-losis; all were managed successfully. Three grafts were lost necessitating graft nephrectomy and there were four deaths. The two-year graft survival is 83.3% and patient survival, 84%. These results are highly satisfactory taking into consideration the fact that our transplant program is new.

Outcome of commercial renal transplantation: two years follow-up.

The results of living non-related renal transplants from India involving unethical exploitation of the donor are inferior. We followed-up 12 patients from our unit who went to a center in Bombay for renal transplantation and compared the results with our local new renal transplant programme. Two-year graft survival was 70% compared to 88% with our new renal transplant program. Also, we emphasised the human side of the problem. We addressed the problem of shortages of organ donation locally because failure to obtain consent from relatives and the need for intensive public education is required to overcome this problem. Finally, Islamic principles and rules that are related to organ transplantation have been discussed in detail, and the main purpose is to enlighten the Western reader.

Management and follow-up of harlequin siblings.

Harlequin fetus is a rare clinical entity, and survival of affected infants beyond the first year of life is uncommon. Management involves intensive care of the skin and eyes, close monitoring of fluid and electrolyte status, constant support and counselling of parents, and surveillance against infection and side-effects of medication. A well-coordinated multidisciplinary approach can prolong survival beyond the neonatal period. We report our experiences in the management and follow-up of two successive harlequin siblings.