Consanguineous marriages, premarital screening, and genetic testing: a survey among Saudi university students.

Background: Marriage among cousins or close relatives, i.e., consanguinity, is prevalent in many parts of the world, especially the Muslim world. Across civilizations, cultural norms, religious beliefs, and economic factors affect consanguineous marriages (CMs); however, such marriages have social, genetic, and health repercussions. The present study investigated the university students' attitudes regarding CMs and factors influencing their attitudes at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: This cross-sectional prospective study was conducted at KAU Jeddah in 2023. The questionnaire was distributed via electronic media (Emails, Facebook Messenger & WhatsApp). The convenience sampling technique was used to select participants, and descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data on SPSS-26. Results: A total of 1707 university students were part of the study (females, 1,198, 70.2%; males, 509, 29.8%). Almost half of the participants, 819 (48.0%), had parents with CMs. Most of the participants, 1,391 (81.5%), had CMs in the family. Half of the participants disagreed that parents consider marriage stable due to high compatibility and the same social relationship before and after marriage. About one-third of respondents said parents believe family marriage transmits cultural values and continuity and keeps wealth in the family. More than three-fourths of the participants stated that if marriage is arranged with first cousins, they will opt for genetic analysis (82.5%) and premarital counseling (85.2%). The personal attitudes of females (p < 0.001), undergraduate (p = 0.02), and health sciences students (p = 0.02) were more positive than their counterparts. Males (OR = 0.41; p < 0.001) and non-health sciences students (OR = 0.68; p = 0.01) were less likely to have significant positive attitudes than their counterparts. Among participants who had CM parents, males (OR = 0.397; p < 0.001) and non-health sciences students (OR = 0.60; p = 0.01) and urban residents (OR = 0.59; p = 0.01) had significantly lower odds of having a positive attitude than their counterparts. Conclusion: The practice of CMs is still prevalent in Saudi culture, with almost half of the participants having CM parents and the majority reporting these marriages in their families. Personal attitudes toward CMs were extremely positive. Most students prefer genetic testing and premarital counseling if marrying first cousins. Gender, faculty, parental income, and educational background influenced participants' attitudes.

Evaluating patient safety research performance in Arab world countries: Changing trends and reflections.

Background and Objective: Patient safety is a major concern in health care. Research is an important tool to minimize preventable errors. Research performance and trends evaluation need to be identified for future guidance. Our objective was to evaluate the research performance in Arab World countries related to patient safety so that real picture is available to all stake holders for future application. Methods: This was a descriptive exploratory study carried at King Abdulaziz University Jeddah, using Bibliometric analyses on Web of Science extracted data, exploring the research publications related to Patient Safety from the Arab World in last two decades (2001-2020). Digital resources were used. Data collected was further explored to see the trends. Results: Only 2% of total worldwide publications on Patient Safety were from Arab World. A positive trend, however, has emerged since 2015. Out of 5940 documents identified, only 383 had single authorship. Egypt and Saudi Arab were the major contributors. Other countries had less or even zero publications. Researchers are coordinating with others in Western countries to enhance the research productivity. Cairo University with 734 publications had most affiliations. Publications on safety culture and medication safety were frequent. Hospital Acquired Infections and error reporting had limited research. Conclusion: Researches on patient safety in the Arab World are not sufficient. Countries other than Egypt and Saudi Arabia also need to contribute more frequently. Critical problems, like Hospital Acquired Infections, should have regular research from all countries to assist those treating patients and those making health related policies.

Quality of life, stress, anxiety and depression and associated factors among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Western region Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: The objective of this study is to evaluate the quality of life (QoL), depression, anxiety, and stress, along with associated factors among individuals with diabetes in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This survey was conducted at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The assessment of depression, anxiety, and stress related to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) was conducted using the DASS-21 questionnaire, while diabetes-related QoL was evaluated using the revised version of the diabetes QoL questionnaire (RV-DQoL13). Data were analyzed using SPSS-26. Results: A total of 251 subjects were included in the study (165 [65.7%] males and 86 [34.3%] females, mean age 50.1 ± 14.5 years). The individuals with DM had a mean value of QoL of 29.16 ± 9.23, with 46.9% having poor QoL. Furthermore, in dimensions of QoL, almost half of the individuals reported high worry about the disease (49.6%), followed by a high diabetes impact (46.6%) and low life satisfaction (42.9%). The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 49.4, 71.7, and 49.8%, respectively. A significant correlation was found between depression, anxiety, and stress and DASS-21 scores with QoL (p < 0.001). The regression analysis indicated an association of distinct factors with QoL like age above 41 years (p = 0.004), being married (p < 0.001), being divorced (p = 0.04), higher education (p = 0.007), regular medicine intake (p = 0.01), regular exercise (p = 0.03), lipid profile (p = 0.01), HbA1c (p < 0.001), and DASS-21 scores (p < 0.001). Poor QoL score (TQoL score > 27) was significantly associated with depression, anxiety, and stress (p < 0.001). The participants with higher monthly income, shorter disease duration, regular medicine use, and altered lipid profile, and older subjects had a lower chance of depression, anxiety, and stress. Conclusion: Approximately half of individuals with T2DM experienced poor QoL, while the prevalence rates for depression, anxiety, and stress were 49.4, 71.7, and 49.8%, respectively. Scores in the domains of impact, worry, and satisfaction were below optimal levels. Several factors were linked to QoL and depression, anxiety, and stress, and an association was observed between DASS-21 scores and QoL.

Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research Productivity on Vitamin D and Bone Metabolism (2001-2020): Learn from the Past to Plan Future.

Vitamin D has long been known for preserving bone and non-skeletal health. Despite its magnitude of impact, scarce literature has explored the evolution of the relevant published literature. This study aimed at evaluating the trends and performance of Vitamin D and bone metabolism-related publications (2001−2020). All pertinent English language 16,887 articles were searched and extracted from the Web of Science (WoS) database and "R-Bibliometrix" was used for comprehensive analysis. Around 60,149 authors contributed from 114 countries, showing the USA on top with >1/4th of all articles, followed by Japan, China, and the United Kingdom. For authors, Cooper C, Dawson-Hughes B, and Holick MF were found to have written the most articles, citations and highest h-index, respectively. Corresponding authors from the top 20 countries collectively were responsible for around 84% of the articles. Among 2735 sources, Osteoporosis International (632), Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (569), and Bone (448) were foremost. Most prominent sources showed recent declining contributions. The increasing trend of publications with a higher spike from 2008 to 2014, followed by a gradual increase till 2017, was observed. Leading countries, affiliations, and authors showed collaborative publications and were mostly from developed countries with limited contributions, particularly from low- and middle-income countries.

Psychosocial, cultural, and academic challenges to Saudi Arabian students in Australia.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the perceptions of Saudi Arabian medical disciplines students undergoing training in various institutes of Australia regarding psychosocial, cultural, and academic challenges. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was from March 15 to June 15, 2019. Data were collected by an online questionnaire. It consisted of questions regarding demographic, psychosocial, cultural, and academic challenges. Two hundred nineteen students studying in Australia responded to our questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the total 219 students, 13(6.0%) were undergraduate, 167(76%) were postgraduate, and 39(18%) were Ph.D. students. For most students (171[79.2%]), Australia was the country of choice for studying. Most of them were satisfied with their academic performance and adjustment to the Australian way of living. Most of the students (180[82.2%]) showed satisfaction over the availability of fair chances of their religious practices in Australia. Few of them faced difficulties coping with the Australian climate (25[11.4%]), homesickness (59[26.9%]), and food and dietary sources (44[20.1%]). Students were overall satisfied with the student advisory system (156[71.2%]), university assessments (147[67.2%]), and available research facilities (170[77.6%]). Among participants, 77 (35.1%), 119(54.3%), and 23(10.5%) students indicated that they wished to stay in Australia only until completion of their studies, temporarily and permanently, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that Saudi students in Australia had strong psychosocial well-being, cultural integration, and academic success. Most of them were satisfied and adjusted well to Australian culture.

Development and Validation of an Arabic Version of the Drug Abuse Screening Test-10 (DAST-10) among Saudi Drug Abusers.

The Drug Abuse Screening Test-10 (DAST-10) is a valid and reliable screening tool for drug use-related problems, however there is no Arabic version. To our knowledge, this is the first study to develop and validate an Arabic DAST-10 version. Saudi young adults participated in the study as two groups; drug users (n=360) recruited from Alamal Complex for Mental Health, Jeddah, and drug non-users (n=100). Three measures were used: (1) Demographic and drug use description questionnaire, (2) Arabic DAST-10 version, and (3) Urine analysis for drug use. The developed Arabic DAST-10 version demonstrated adequate internal consistency. High correlations were shown between its scores and the two standard measures (urine analysis and self-reporting question) indicating good criterion validity. Sensitivity and specificity values were between 91.5 - 99.7% and 57 - 92.5% with different DAST-10 cutoff values. An optimal performance at a cutoff score of 3 or more was most likely to significantly identify drug users. Discriminant analysis showed that more than 90% of cases were correctly classified. Distribution of participants in categories of DAST-10 scores according to degree of problems was reasonable. It is concluded that the developed Arabic DAST-10 version is a reliable and valid screening tool for drug use-related problems in Arabic speakers.

Diabetes and COVID-19.

Several factors are linked with a higher risk of mortality from Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), including male gender, increased age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer. Hyperglycemic COVID-19 patients have severe clinical problems, increased ICU admittance, machine-driven ventilation, and a substantial rise in inflammatory markers. Among all patients, those with diabetes or hyperglycemia have a two- to four-fold increase in mortality and severity of COVID-19 than those without diabetes. The primary cause of mortality in COVID-19 patients with diabetes is compromised immune response to viral infections. Increased blood sugar level probably affects intracellular degradation of bacteria, neutrophil chemotaxis, and phagocytosis, thus improving viral binding affinity and entry and decreasing virus clearance. In addition, it has significant effects on the proteins by inducing glycosylation and altering the composition of complements, and glycosylation renders cells susceptible to viral inflammation and damage. The treatment of COVID-19 in patients with diabetes requires an integrated team approach to minimize the risk of medical complications and mortality. Moreover, physicians should adopt proactive strategies to care for persons with comorbidities. This strategy would help reduce the frequency of complications and mortality among patients and load on the healthcare system.

Scientometric Evaluation of Research Productivity on Diabetes from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the Last Two Decades (2000-2019).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data was extracted from the Web of Science (WoS) platform and later bibliometric analysis performed using the "R-Bibliometrix" package. A wide range of indicators was explored to measure the quantity and quality of the publications related to diabetes from KSA. RESULTS: Saudi Arabia was 28th in rank with 2600 documents (0.83% of global share). Articles were the main document type (76%). The total number of authors was 9715 from 104 countries. Three authors showed >50 publications and >100 total citations while 2 authors showed an H-index of ≥20. The USA, UK, and Egypt were other leading contributive countries in terms of corresponding authors and total citations per country. King Saud University was the major contributing affiliation followed by King Abdulaziz University. Among 865 sources, Saudi Medical Journal was the leading and consistent source over the years. Diabetes, Diabetes Mellitus, and Type 2 Diabetes were the most frequently used keywords. CONCLUSION: This study provides a macroscopic overview of diabetes-related research output from KSA. Overall, similar identifications and trends of top authors were observed in terms of productivity, impact, international collaborations, and organizational affiliations. Generally, an increasing productivity trend was observed with the majority published in the last 5 to 10 years. Study findings can benefit relevant stakeholders to better understand the trends and performance of diabetes-related regional research.

Association of Serum Omentin-1, Chemerin, and Leptin with Acute Myocardial Infarction and its Risk Factors.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of serum omentin-1, chemerin, and leptin with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and its risk factors among individuals admitted with AMI to the coronary care unit (CCU). METHODS: The current case-control study was conducted at the CCU of King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), in 2016-2018. A total of 122 AMI patients admitted to CCU, and 52 BMI and age-matched healthy subjects, between 30 and 65 years of age, were included. RESULTS: Chemerin and omentin-1 are independent predictors of the incidence of MI. Furthermore, serum omentin-1 was significantly lowered while chemerin and hsCRP levels were found to be significantly raised among the individuals with AMI compared to the healthy subjects, and no notable change was found in the serum leptin level. Serum omentin-1, chemerin, and leptin were significantly correlated with weight, BMI, waist circumference in patients, and control subjects. Binary logistic regression analysis displayed that the occurrence of MI is positively correlated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG), TC, TG, LDL-C, hsCRP, and chemerin and in a negative manner with HDL-C, and omentin. The chemerin and omentin-1 were also linked with the MI in multiple logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicated that the serum omentin levels were significantly lowered while chemerin and hsCRP levels were found to be markedly raised among patients. No change was found in serum leptin levels. Serum chemerin and omentin-1 levels were independently associated with the MI. It appears that these parameters may be used to assess the risk spectrum of CAD.

Association of Dyslipidemia and Comorbidities with Risk Factors Among Diabetic Patients: A Retrospective Analysis.

PURPOSE: To find out the association of dyslipidemia and comorbidities with risk factors among type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients attending King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three hundred and twenty-five T2DM patients were enrolled from the electronic record of the KAUH. The patients' existing comorbidities and dyslipidemia correlation with demographic, clinical, and available laboratory data were sought. Statistical analysis was performed on SPSS-23. RESULTS: Of the total 325 T2DM patients with a mean age of 60.13±10.5 years [males 95 (29.23%) and females 230 (70.77%)] were included from the electronic record. Poor glycemic control was observed in 222 (68.31%) subjects (HbA1c > 7%), and 154 (47.39%) subjects had DM for more than ten years. Among our study subjects, 103 (31.69%) were hypertensive (HTN), 112 (34.46%) had ischemic heart disease (IHD), 45 (13.85%) were obese, 8(2.46%) had a stroke and 269 (82.77%) had dyslipidemia. Of the total 269 dyslipidemic patients,168 (62.45%) were on hypolipidemic treatment. On comparison of study variables according to dyslipidemia versus normal lipid levels, the lipid profile, including HDLc, LDLc, TC, and TG, revealed a highly significant difference (p-value <0.001) whereas many variables were not significantly different. HBA1c, FBG, and RBG were significantly higher in dyslipidemic subjects. Logistic regression analysis of risk factors and comorbidities in our patients revealed that age 60-69 years and 70-79 years had a significant association with comorbidities. Similarly, logistic regression analysis of risk factors and dyslipidemia in our patients revealed no statistically significant association. CONCLUSION: Our results observed that the comorbidities were associated with increasing age and common comorbidities were HTN, IHD, dyslipidemia. Our study has highlighted the current trends in T2DM symptomatology and comorbidities. Efficient management and control by early screening and developing healthy lifestyles in our patients can be very helpful in the prevention of all these highly morbid complications of this preventable disease.

Blended Learning: The impact of blackboard formative assessment on the final marks and students' perception of its effectiveness.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of Blackboard (Bb) formative assessment on the final score in the endocrine module and determine the medical students' perception of the impact and effectiveness of Bb. METHODS: This exploratory case study was carried out at the King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA). Blackboard was used in the course management and formative assessment of third-year medical students and three years of data was collected (2016, 2017, 2019). In the last week of the module before the final exam, a formative assessment test that comprised of 50 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) was posted on Bb each year. All the students filled a questionnaire regarding their perception about the impact and effectiveness of Bb. RESULTS: Overall, summative exam scores were significantly higher than the scores in formative assessment (p <0.001). A substantial positive correlation was observed between students' marks in the online (Bb) MCQ exam and their final exam marks (p <0.001). Regarding the features of Bb, most often used by the students' were course resources uploaded on the Bb, assignments, online quizzes, and others. Majority of the students were satisfied with the use of Bb in this module. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the students liked this blended learning (BL) method and conceded the impact and effectiveness of Bb. The formative online assessment on Bb improved the students' performance in the final exam and a positive correlation was noted between students' marks in online (Bb) exams with their final exam marks.

Relationship Between Smoking Habit and Sperm Parameters Among Patients Attending an Infertility Clinic.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to estimate stress markers, oxidative stress (OS), reproductive hormones and sperm parameters in male smokers and non-smokers and observe the impact of oxidative stress markers and smoking on sperm count, motility and morphology in a selected population of Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2017 to July 2018 at Aga Khan University (AKU), in Karachi, Pakistan. The subjects were recruited from the Sindh Institute of Reproductive Medicine (SIRM), Karachi based on defined inclusion criteria. The subjects were categorized into fertile and infertile based on cut off values of sperm parameters as recommended by the WHO i.e., sperm count/ejaculate of 39 × 106/ml, sperm motility 40% and normal morphology 4%. Two hundred eleven fertile and 165 infertile male subjects were included in the study. Serum cortisol, adrenaline, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were analyzed by ELISA kits. Data was analyzed on SPSS-22. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Age, Body Mass Index (BMI), and body fat were similar among smokers and non-smokers. Age was significantly lower, while mean BMI and body fat were significantly higher among infertile smokers vs. fertile smokers (p-value < 0.05). The testosterone levels were significantly reduced among smokers as compared to non- smokers (p-value < 0.05). The median cortisol levels were increased as well as GPX, and steroid hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were significantly reduced among smokers as compared to non-smokers. Additionally, the same findings with a significant difference have also been observed among infertile smokers as compared to fertile smokers (p-value < 0.05). This study has shown that the semen parameters (total count, motility, and morphology) are decreased in infertile smokers as compared to infertile non-smokers. Furthermore, the multivariate analysis showed that smoking causes a significant decrease in sperm count and morphology but it did not have any significant effect on motility. CONCLUSION: Smoking has a significant effect on fertility, specifically sperm count and normal morphology of sperm. This might be due to OS produced by smoking, which has devastating effects on semen parameters, thus reducing male fertility. Infertility specialist should counsel their patients about the ill effects of smoking on their fertility status and should advise maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including normal weight and avoiding smoking, to prevent future health problems. Hence smokers should quit smoking for their next generation.

Medical students' preferences towards learning resources and their study habits at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to explore why our medical students are avoiding the study of professional textbooks. We conducted this study from 10th March to 15th May 2017 at the King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, to investigate their preferences towards learning resources, their study habits and correlation of academic achievements as a result of these trends. A questionnaire was provided as a web link. The participants of the study included medical students and data was analyzed on SPSS-Version 21. RESULTS: A total of 347/500 medical students participated in the study. Among our participants, there were 123 (35.5%) males and 224 (64.6%) were females. Female students' spent most of their time reading textbooks as compared to males (P-value = 0.001). Males mostly preferred the lecture handouts provided by their teachers. One-third of students admitted that, due to lack of a good grasp of English, they do not readily understand textbooks and consequently 67 (19.3%) students' showed a lack of interest in textbooks. Majority of the males 103 (84%) spent twice a time (66 vs. 33%) watching television as compared to the females. WhatsApp and Facebook kept both the sexes busy in most of their spare time.

Association Between Vitamin D, Reproductive Hormones and Sperm Parameters in Infertile Male Subjects.

Background: The prevalence of infertility and vitamin D deficiency is common in Pakistan. Therefore, our study aims were to assess and compare Vitamin D; 25-hydroxyvitamin (25OHD) and reproductive hormone levels in male fertile and infertile subjects with normal and abnormal sperm parameters. Furthermore, the study is aimed to explore the association of 25OHD levels with these sperm parameters in a selected population of Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: The cross-sectional study was carried out from August 2016 till December 2017, 313 study subjects were recruited from an Infertile Clinic from Islamabad, Pakistan, and the general population. First, we took the couples' history of parenting and then carried out a semen analysis and infertile and fertile male subjects were then subgrouped into "normal" and "altered sperm parameter/s." Forward linear regression was done for selection of 25OHD as a significant predictor of sperm parameters. Results: The median values of the total count, motility, morphology as well as serum 25OHD were significantly higher in the group with "normal" (186) as compared to subjects (127) in "abnormal sperm parameters" group. The 25OHD levels were significantly high in males with "normal sperm parameters"; 80.90 ± 23.33 nmol/L vs. "altered sperm parameter/s," 64.68 ± 24.21 nmol/L (mean ± SD) with p < 0.001. Serum testosterone level had a significant positive correlation with 25OHD while LH had a significant negative correlation with 25OHD (p < 0.001), and FSH level had a non-significant negative correlation with 25OHD. Results of regression model showed one unit increase of motility would give 0.15-unit positive significant impact on 25OHD; 20% variation in 25OHD was explained by the total count, motility, and morphology, while the model was adjusted for BMI. Conclusion: The impact of 25OHD levels on sperm parameters can be emphasized on the basis of detection of its high serum levels in "normal" subjects in both fertile as well as infertile males in comparison to subjects that had altered sperm parameters; total sperm count, motility, and normal morphology. The considerably positive association between 25OHD, testosterone, total count, motility, and morphology further accentuates its impact on normal spermatogenesis and the male reproductive functions required for acquiring fertility.

Undergraduate medical research in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: a descriptive study of the students' perspective.

OBJECTIVE: There is a lack of research-oriented physicians in several Arab countries and especially in Gulf region countries. In this context, it is important to explore medical students' perceptions and motivations towards research. The aim of the present study was to investigate research attitude, practices, and motivations among medical students from GCC countries. RESULTS: There were 228 students who participated in this study (male 88, females 140). Thirty-eight percent of the students were participating from Saudi Arabia, 20.6% from the UAE, 17.1% from Oman, 12.7% from Kuwait and 11.4% from Bahrain. Among participants, 43.0% had experience of funded research, and 53.1% had a contribution to research. The confidence of participants in their ability to interpret and to write a research paper was quite high (70.2%). The majority of the students (87.3%) believed that undergraduate students could conduct research and can present at conferences. Improving research skills, attaining research publication, and improvement in patient care were claimed as the top three motives for conducting research. The majority (75.0%) were compelled to research to facilitate their acceptance to a residency program and 63.6% due to compulsion for a research methodology course.

Perceived stress, reasons for and sources of stress among medical students at Rabigh Medical College, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Medical students have high levels of stress that could be due to the daily life stressors and the extra stress of academic burden. The present study investigated the perceived stress level as well as the reasons and sources of stress among medical students at a comparatively newly established medical college affiliated with King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA). METHODS: The present study was carried out at Rabigh Medical College (RMC), KAU, Jeddah, and completed in 2015. The data was collected by an anonymous self-administered questionnaire that has three components: a list of 33 items of probable stressors, perceived stress scale, and demographic information and academics. RESULTS: The response rate in our study was 86% (152/176), the mean age was 20.35 ± 1.09, 77 (51%) were from preclinical years and 75 (49%) from clinical years. The mean PSS score among our participants was 28.5 ± 3.8 with a median of 28.0 (IQR 26.0-31.0) and 59.2% of participants were stressed. The mean PSS score 30.6 ± 4.4 for students with sibling > 5 was significantly higher as compared to the mean PSS score (27.9 ± 3.3) for students with sibling ≤5. Similarly, the mean PSS score (32.0 ± 3.4) of students with often/always occurrence of psychosocial stressors was higher as compared to the mean PSS score (28.3 ± 3.7) of those students with less than a frequent occurrence of stressors. Moreover, those students that were more stressed had lower marks in the last exam (< 80%) as compared to students with less stress who had higher marks (≥80%) (P < .05). Performance in practicals, examinations frequency, disappointment with the class lectures, lack of personal interest in medicine, lengthy academic curriculum/syllabus, worries about the future and periodic examinations performance were rated as severe. The logistic regression analysis showed that stress cases were linked with last exam marks [OR 1.26, 95% CI 0.64-2.48], number of siblings [OR 2.27, 95% CI 0.97-5.27], and academic stressor [OR 2.02, 95% CI 0.61-6.66] but no significant relationship was found. CONCLUSION: There were high-stress levels among the participants of this study, and the main stressors were academic-related.

Prevalence and attitude of university students towards mobile phone use while driving in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and attitude of university students towards mobile phone use while driving. The present study was conducted at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Five hundred and ninety-three participants were recruited for this study. Attitude, consequences and their involvement in various reckless behaviours pertaining to the use of mobile phone while driving were checked by a questionnaire. Overall, the majority of the respondents (90%) use a mobile phone while driving. About half of the participants had experienced consequences regarding texting while driving and had engaged in reckless behaviour. The majority of the students of Faculty of Medicine, Engineering Sciences, Earth Sciences, Administration and Economics and Orientation Classes were more frequently texting while driving (p < .001). The unmarried students were more often texting while driving as compared to married (p < .001). Overall, the majority of the respondents use the mobile phone while driving.

Effect of genetic polymorphisms in SREBF-SCAP pathway on therapeutic response to rosuvastatin in Saudi metabolic syndrome patients.

AIM: Genetic variants contribute to statins' therapeutic variability. SREBF-SCAP pathway is a key player in lipid homeostasis. Hence, effect of SREBF-SCAP polymorphisms on therapeutic response was studied. PATIENTS & METHODS: Metabolic syndrome patients of either sex were prescribed rosuvastatin 10 mg for 24 weeks. Clinical, anthropometric and lipid measurements were done before and after treatment. Genotyping was done by pyrosequencing. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: No associations of SCAP and SREBF-1a genotypes with baseline lipids but significant associations with lipid reductions were observed. Significant effect of SCAP (GG; B = -8.16, p = 0.001); SREBF-1a (GG; B = -7.47, p = 0.001) and SREBF-1a (-delG; B = -7.42, p = 0.001) was observed on total cholesterol reduction. Additive trend was found between SCAP genotypes and lipid reductions. A total of 88% responders have SCAP 'G' allele (p = 0.001). Patients carrying SCAP (GG) and SREBF-1a (GG and -delG) have 9.5-, 8.6- and 14.6-times more likelihood of being responders (p < 0.05). 'G' allele in SCAP and SREBF-1a is significant predictor of rosuvastatin response.

Innovation in ethics and professionalism course: Early experience with portfolio-workbook.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse students' perception regarding the use of portfolio-workbook in ethics course. METHODS: This mixed method study was conducted at the King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2014, and comprised fourth-year medical students. The "portfolio-workbook", developed on principles of cognitive load and guided learning theories, contained essential reading material. Learning sessions were also facilitated by teaching tools like role-plays, movie/video clips, vignettes, etc., followed by reflective writing exercises. Feedback questionnaire with open- and closed-ended questions was used to collect data. Quantitative data was analysed for frequencies and percentages. Content analysis was conducted for the open-ended responses. RESULTS: Of the 20 participants, 10(50%) considered using portfolio-workbook as difficult initially. However, on completion of module 16(80%) found it easy. Moreover, 17(85%) appreciated it as a learning tool. Besides, 19(95%) students found teaching videos and 13(65%) found open discussions as effective learning tools. Portfolio-workbook as an assessment tool was preferred by 19(95%) students. CONCLUSIONS: The use of portfolio-workbook in teaching ethics to undergraduates was found to be encouraging as it generated interest and interaction.

Analysis of patient falls among hospitalised patients in Makkah region.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency and its correlation of patient fall with preventing or precipitating factors among inpatients. METHODS: The observational study was conducted in Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia from October 15 2012 to November 4, 2013. Data was collected using a questionnaire from 16 hospitals in four districts of Makkah province. The material was sampled through systematic randomisation from inpatient files and data was collected for those who had fallen inside the hospital. The questionnaire, validated through a pilot study run under the Directorate of Quality and Patient Safety in Makkah, was used to see whether the hospitals had adopted and applied international standards for assessment of adult and paediatric patients for falls as well as effectiveness of these applications. RESULTS: Of 4,799 beds, occupancy rates ranged from 1680(35%) to 4,799(100%). Out of 291 falls in all, 144(49.48%) were in Jeddah. Besides, 116(40%) of the falls occurred in the last quarter of the Islamic calendar. Statistically significant difference was found in fall episodes in different months (p=0.007). Statistical analysis indicated that the factors that significantly raised the number of patient falls were increase in hospital beds and their occupancy rate (Spearman's correlation: 0.621 and 0.579 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of falls varied from hospital to hospital and factors like higher number of bed capacity and occupancy rate increased the falls.