Risk factors associated with epilepsy in children and adolescents: A case-control study from Syria.

INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy is a major public health concern in low-income countries (LIC) as they contain 80% of total cases worldwide. Syria has been in war since 2011 which made it difficult to prevent epilepsy risk factors which made this the first study on that matter. METHODS: This is a case-control study from 3 medical centers in Damascus, Syria. Data were collected using questionnaires introduced by trained doctors. The control group included patients from a general practice clinic while the cases were taken from the three pediatric neurology clinics. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 334 patients with 167 cases and 167 controls. Multivariable analysis confirmed the association between positive family history (FH) in 1st degree (OR, 3.37, 95%CI 1.2-9.47) and 2nd degree relatives (OR, 3.98, 95%CI 1.84-8.62), febrile seizures whether they were simple (OR, 15.08, 95%CI 3.27-69.5) or complex (OR, 13.32, 95%CI 1.58-112.32), developmental delay/regression (OR, 14.31, 95%CI 6.3-32.49), and central nervous system (CNS) infection (OR, 34.05, 95%CI 2.02-573.92). Head trauma, parental factors, consanguinity, asphyxia parameters, and other risk factors were not found to be significantly associated with epilepsy (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: While some results were similar to other studies, others were not. Efforts should be made to facilitate healthcare access and proper diagnosis.

Behavioral difficulties and associated factors among the 'lost generation' of Syrian children and adolescents.

Childhood and adolescence, vital in shaping adult life and society, are profoundly impacted during conflicts like Syria's devastating war. This study explores the prevalence of behavioral disorders in Syrian children and adolescents, examining the influence of war and family-related factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted on children aged 2-17 years at a children's outpatient clinic in Damascus, Syria. We assessed parents' quality of life, war and family-related factors, and behavioral difficulties through parental interviews using two questionnaires: the Arabic version of the Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the brief Arabic version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). 74.67% of children aged 2-4 years and 61.29% of children aged 5-17 years were experiencing behavioral difficulties, with emotional difficulties being the most prevalent ones. Children exposed to kidnapping, family losses, lack of school enrollment, and those with parents having lower education, lower socioeconomic status, and poorer quality of life exhibited higher Total SDQ scores. The high prevalence of behavioral difficulties among children and adolescents in Syria is a major concern, with both direct and indirect war-related factors contributing to this issue.

Is psychological distress associated with carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms and nerve conduction study findings? A case-control study from Syria.

BACKGROUND: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common entrapment neuropathy of the median nerve at the wrist which causes severe symptoms. However, psychological aspects can affect patients' perception of this pain and can cause similar pain in some instances. This study aims to determine the association between symptoms severity, functional status, and nerve conduction studies (NCS) of adult patients with CTS and their anger, anxiety, and depression status. METHODS: This case-control study was conducted in clinics in Damascus, Syria. Controls were frequency matched by gender and age from a general clinic. Interviews based on questionnaires were used that included the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ-A), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Dimensions of Anger Reactions Scale-5 (DAR-5), and NCS. RESULTS: Overall, 242 patients (121 cases) were included in this study. Cases with CTS had significantly higher anxiety and depression when compared to controls, but not higher anger. Cases with higher anxiety, depression, and anger had significantly more CTS symptoms and less functional status. Anxiety was also higher in cases with normal NCS in the case group. When using regression, anxiety and depression remained significantly associated with having CTS. CONCLUSION: Anxiety and depression are more prominent with CTS. Furthermore, having anxiety and depression were associated with more CTS symptoms in the hand. Having anger was also associated with more CTS symptoms among cases. These findings emphasize the importance of psychological aspects when having hand pain or CTS symptoms as these patients might have these symptoms despite having normal NCS.