Knowledge Level of Undescended Testis in Saudi Arabia: Why Are We Facing Delayed Presentation?

Background Undescended testis (UDT) or cryptorchidism is a common pediatric surgical presentation. The accepted time for surgical correction (orchidopexy) is when the patient is aged from six months, and should ideally be completed before one year of age. In Saudi Arabia, the median age at the time of orchidopexy is 25 months, exceeding the recommended surgery time. Objective The objective of the study was to determine the factors that cause delayed presentation of UDT among children in Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional, nationwide study targeting the general population of Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted in November 2022 using a validated questionnaire distributed through social media platforms. Results A total of 2360 participants were enrolled. Over half (54.92%) had not heard about UDT. Further, 48.5% of the participants did not know the age of UDT presentation, and 49.1% had no idea about the treatment modality. Moreover, 13.9% had known someone diagnosed with UDT, while 17.68% discovered UDT after more than a year. In addition, 1.5% had previous experience with UDT, and 22.86% were diagnosed after more than a year. There was a significantly high level of knowledge among participants who had experienced UDT. The three most common reasons for delaying the intervention for UDT patients were a lack of community awareness of UDT, parents' ignorance and neglect, and a lack of early screening programs (22.3%, 21.7%, and 19.7%, respectively). Conclusion Our data demonstrated a significant lack of awareness of UDT among the Saudi population since 1296 (54.92%) of the participants had not heard about UDT. The presence of such an awareness gap necessitates cultural education about the topic of UDT by all capable facilities, including medical schools, hospitals, and primary healthcare centers.

Knowledge and Awareness of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Among the Population of Makkah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease that affects mostly females of childbearing age. The exact cause is still unknown, but hormonal and immunological features and genetic predisposition are considered likely etiological factors. Disease presentation is variable but is usually characterized by phases of remission and relapse. Objective This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and awareness of SLE among the general population of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Methods Data were collected using an online survey created with Google Forms that was distributed to the residents of Makkah aged 18 years and older. The survey was disseminated between November 2022 and January 2023. Results A total of 488 participants were included in the study, and the mean age of the participants was 29.1 years; the majority were female (54%). Only 18.6% of the participants knew someone with SLE, while 52.3% had heard about SLE. Additionally, 79.9% of participants had below-average awareness of SLE. Moreover, 72.1% believed that awareness of SLE should be promoted; 65.5% knew about SLE from the Internet or e-resources. Finally, only 5.5% of the participants had heard about SLE from physicians. Conclusion This study showed an insufficient level of knowledge and awareness of SLE in the general population of Makkah. We recommend conducting physical and virtual disease awareness campaigns and activities to enhance the knowledge and awareness of SLE among the general population of Makkah and other parts of Saudi Arabia.

The General Population's Perspectives on Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in Radiology in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia.

Background  Artificial intelligence (AI) is a broad spectrum of computer-executed operations that mimics the human intellect. It is expected to improve healthcare practice in general and radiology in particular by enhancing image acquisition, image analysis, and processing speed. Despite the rapid development of AI systems, successful application in radiology requires analysis of social factors such as the public's perspectives toward the technology. Objectives The current study aims to investigate the general population's perspectives on AI implementation in radiology in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2022 and July 2023 utilizing a self-administrative online survey distributed via social media platforms. A convenience sampling technique was used to recruit the study participants. After obtaining Institutional Review Board approval, data were collected from citizens and residents of the western region of Saudi Arabia aged 18 years or older. Results A total of 1,024 participants were included in the present study, with the mean age of respondents being 29.6 ± 11.3. Of them, 49.9% (511) were men, and 50.1% (513) were women. The comprehensive mean score of the first four domains among our participants was 3.93 out of 5.00. Higher mean scores suggest being more negative regarding AI in radiology, except for the fifth domain. Respondents had less trust in AI utilization in radiology, as evidenced by their overall distrust and accountability domain mean score of 3.52 out of 5. The majority of respondents agreed that it is essential to understand every step of the diagnostic process, and the mean score for the procedural knowledge domain was 4.34 out of 5. The mean score for the personal interaction domain was 4.31 out of 5, indicating that the participants agreed on the value of direct communication between the patient and the radiologist for discussing test results and asking questions. Our data show that people think AI is more effective than human doctors in making accurate diagnoses and decreasing patient wait times, with an overall mean score of the efficiency domain of 3.56 out of 5. Finally, the fifth domain, "being informed," had a mean score of 3.91 out of 5. Conclusion The application of AI in radiologic assessment and interpretation is generally viewed negatively. Even though people think AI is more efficient and accurate at diagnosing than humans, they still think that computers will never be able to match a specialist doctor's years of training.

Assessment of Anxiety Associated With MRI Examination Among the General Population in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia.

Background While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most efficient diagnostic methods used today, some patients may find an MRI examination to be a frightening experience. The proximity to the machine during screening and being in a confined space can cause a feeling of claustrophobia. Severe anxiety during MRI screening can cause the patient to move, which lowers the quality of the imaging and diagnostic test, and can result in the early termination of the MRI examination and the patient declining further testing. Objectives The objective of this study is to evaluate MRI examination-associated anxiety among Saudi Arabia's general population in the western region of the country. Methods Altogether, 465 participants who had undergone an MRI examination in the western region of Saudi Arabia were recruited for this cross-sectional study. We used the Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Anxiety Questionnaire (MRI-AQ) to collect data. Results Regarding anxiety symptoms, 82.8% of the participants believed that they had control over the event, 80.2% were concerned beforehand, 74% required more specific information, just 48% had difficulty breathing, and 51% were panicked. On the other hand, 57.4% felt safe, 56.8% were calm, and 49.2% were relaxed. The majority of the participants (55.9%, 260) reported moderate MRI-related anxiety. Conclusion More than half of our respondents had mild to moderate MRI-related anxiety. The majority needed more detailed information, panicked, and had breathing problems. Statistically, females showed a significantly higher level of anxiety compared with male participants.

Parental Knowledge and Practices Related to Foreign Body Aspiration in Children in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Background Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a life-threatening event and one of the most common causes of mortality in children. As it has different clinical presentations, parental knowledge is essential for early management to prevent complications. Objectives This study was designed to assess the knowledge and practices relating to FBA in children among parents living in Makkah city, Saudi Arabia. Methods An online questionnaire was designed using Google Forms (Google LLC, Mountain View, California, United States) and distributed in October 2022 among parents living in Makkah city. After data collection, an appropriate statistical analysis was conducted. Results A total of 1087 parents enrolled in this study; 63.9% were women and the majority were married 93%. Additionally, 52% of the parents had at least three children. Moreover, 17.6% had an experience of a child having aspirated a foreign body once. The Internet was the most popular source of information on FBA (43.5%). Furthermore, the parents had poor levels of knowledge and practices related to FBA (65.4% and 78.6%, respectively). Conclusion This study reported that parental levels of knowledge of FBA and FBA practices were inadequate. There is a need to increase awareness, which will lead to better outcomes.

Checkpoint Kinase 2 (CHEK2) Gene Mutation in a Patient With Breast and Prostate Cancer: A Unique Presentation of a Rare Disease.

Breast cancer is one of the rarest malignancies in males, with a low incidence rate compared to all breast cancers. Gene mutation plays a significant role in the pathologic process of cancer. Mutations in breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2) have been associated with male breast cancer (MBC), as well as prostate cancer (PCa). Despite the etiopathogenetic similarity, combined MBC and PCa is a rare entity. This report presents the case of a 57-year-old male with a history of breast cancer who underwent modified radical mastectomy (MRM) with lymph node dissection followed by adjuvant chemoradiotherapy four years ago. The patient presented with recurrent episodes of voiding dysfunction for three months, followed by urine retention. His family history was positive for breast and lung cancer. High prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System 5 (PI-RADS5) necessitate transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy, which confirmed the diagnosis of PCa. Molecular genetics testing and next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis identified heterozygous variant c.636T>G, p.(Tyr212*) in the checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2) gene. The patient is planned for neoadjuvant luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) for 3-6 months, to be followed by transurethral tunneling of the prostate (TUTP) with adjuvant LHRH. The allele frequency of this patient mutation was documented for the first time among the general population, and it has not been described in the literature. This unique and rare case was presented with clinical, morphological, and immunohistochemical features together with a review of the current literature.