Health-care-seeking behaviour among university students in Lebanon.

This cross-sectional study assessed the health-care-seeking behaviour, barriers to accessing care and associated factors among a sample of 543 Lebanese students at Saint-Joseph University. Data were collected on health-care-seeking behaviour for health issues in the previous 12 months using an anonymous questionnaire. Health-care-seeking behaviour was categorized as: formal (professional help sought); informal relational (help sought from friends/family); informal personal (self-help). The health issues examined were: physical, psychological, social and relational, sexual, drug, alcohol and smoking. When facing health-related issues, the students tended to seek informal health care. Formal health-care-seeking behaviour was almost non-existent for psychological issues (3.3%), relational and social issues (1.8%), and issues related to substance use (5.1%). The barriers to seeking formal health care fell into 2 categories: accessibility and relational. To encourage young people to access formal health care, specific health services should be provided for them where they are assured of confidentiality and understanding.

Hypocalcemia and skeletal disease as presenting features of celiac disease.

OBJECTIVE: To describe 15 patients examined for hypocalcemia, skeletal disease, or both in whom the diagnosis of celiac disease was subsequently made. DESIGN: Observational case series. PATIENTS: Fifteen patients (7 women and 8 men) were examined for hypocalcemia (n = 11), skeletal disease (n = 3), or both (n = 1). The diagnosis of celiac disease was subsequently made. The mean age of the patients was 62 years, and 11 patients were 60 years of age or older. RESULTS: Four patients had no gastrointestinal symptoms, 7 patients had mild or intermittent gastrointestinal symptoms, and 4 patients had persistent diarrhea. Ten patients had experienced weight loss. The serum total alkaline phosphatase level was elevated in 10 of 15 patients, the parathyroid hormone level was elevated in all patients, and the urinary calcium level was low in all 6 of the patients tested. The level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D was frankly low in 4 patients, marginal in 8 patients, and normal in 3 patients. Bone mineral density was reduced in all 8 patients in whom it was measured. CONCLUSIONS: Celiac disease should be considered in patients with unexplained metabolic bone disease or hypocalcemia, especially because gastrointestinal symptoms may be absent or mild. Advanced age does not exclude the diagnosis of celiac disease.

Cavernous hemangioma of the heart: case report and review of the literature.

A case of diffuse cavernous hemangioma of the heart discovered incidentally during life is reported. Resection of the tumor was impossible at operation. Two similar cases were found in the literature. Radation therapy is suggested, and the importance of a simple blood pool scan in the investigation of paracardiac masses is stressed.

The role of breast scintigraphy in detecting breast masses.

127 breast scans were performed on 83 female patients using technetium-99m diphosphonate. 46 out of 48 patients with breast cancer had positive breast scans manifested by a focal increased uptake in 37 patients and a diffuse increased uptake in the remaining 9 patients. Benign breast lesions such as fibrocystic disease, fibroadenoma and fat necrosis may also concentrate the radioactive agent in a focal or a diffuse pattern. So breast scanning is a sensitive though nonspecific modality to detect malignant breast lesions and it is worthwhile performing it on all women referred for bone scan.

Angiographic aspects of traumatic intracranial aneurysms following war injuries.

Intracranial aneurysms following head injuries occur very rarely. Only 15 cases following injuries by missiles or shrapnel have been reported in the world literature. The angiographic findings in seven cases injured during the recent fighting in Lebanon, are described. The relatively high frequency of occurrence of these aneurysms in our cases might be explained by the fact that they were injured by low velocity missiles. A high velocity missile would disrupt an artery completely. It is also of interest that most of the aneurysms originated from arterial branches along the path of the foreign body, but not in contact with it. Unlike congenital aneurysms, they bore no relationship to arterial bifurcations and, unlike aneurysms following closed-head injuries, none involved the large basal arteries. None of them had a neck, and a mass effect due to bleeding was found in six of the cases.

[Demonstration of a traumatic bronchobiliary fistula by cholescintigraphy with 99m technetium-EHIDA]. / Démonstration d'une fistule broncho-biliaire traumatique par la choléscintigraphie au 99m technétium-EHIDA.

A case of traumatic bronchobiliary fistula is presented. It is a rare complication of liver injuries. The diagnosis can be made on the observation of biliptysis. Technetium 99m EHIDA cholescintigraphy is of great help in demonstrating the fistulous tract in these patients for early diagnosis and planning for surgical approach.