Development and Validation of a Novel 1-year Mortality Risk Score That Includes the Use of Antithrombotic in Patients With Overt Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

GOALS AND BACKGROUND: We aimed to develop a novel 1-year mortality risk-scoring system that includes use of antithrombotic (AT) drugs and to validate it against other scoring systems in patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). STUDY: We developed a risk-scoring system from prospectively collected data on patients admitted with GIB between January 2013 and August 2020, who had at least 1- year of follow-up. Independent predictors of 1-year mortality were determined after adjusting for the following confounders: the age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (divided into 4 groups: CCI-0=0, CCI-1=1 to 3, CCI-2=4 to 6, CCI-3 ≥7), need for blood transfusion, GIB severity, need for endoscopic therapy, and type of AT. The risk score was based on independent predictors. RESULTS: Five hundred seventy-six patients were included and 123 (21%) died at 1-year follow-up. Our risk -score was based on the following: CCI-2 (2 points), CCI-3 (4 points), need for blood transfusion (1 point), and no use of aspirin (1 point), as aspirin use was protective (maximum score=6). Patients with higher risk scores had higher mortality. The model had a better predictive accuracy [AUC=0.82, 95% confidence interval (0.78-0.86), P <0.0001] than the Rockall score for upper GIB (Area Under the Curve (AUC)=0.68, P <<0.0001), the Oakland score for lower GIB (AUC=0.69, p =0.004), or the Shock Index for all (AUC=0.54, P <0.0001). CONCLUSION: A simple and novel score that includes use of AT upon admission accurately predicts 1-year mortality in patients with GIB. This scoring system may help guide follow-up decisions and inform the prognosis of patients with GIB.

Varenicline Treatment for Waterpipe Smoking Cessation.

BACKGROUND: Waterpipe smoking is increasing worldwide with no proven interventions for cessation. We compared abstinence rates with 12-week varenicline therapy versus placebo among habitual waterpipe smokers willing to quit. METHODS: This double-blind placebo-controlled single-center trial, randomized waterpipe smokers from Lebanon who did not smoke other tobacco products to receive varenicline or placebo for 12 weeks. All participants also received three structured 30-minute individual behavioral intervention sessions. The primary outcome was repeated point prevalence abstinence assessed by self-report and verified by exhaled carbon monoxide three times during 12 weeks and analyzed with the intention to treat. End of treatment urine cotinine, weight, blood pressure, anxiety, depression, withdrawal, and adverse symptoms were also assessed. RESULTS: In total, 152 waterpipe smokers (mean age 38 years [SD = 13], 39% females) willing to quit, who smoked waterpipe exclusively (average 2.3 per day [SD = 1.6] for 16.8 years [SD = 10.8]) were randomized. Seventy-nine participants (52%) with any missing abstinence assessment were considered to have relapsed. Repeat point prevalence abstinence rate was numerically higher among the varenicline group compared to placebo, but the difference did not reach statistical significance when assessed by self-report (16.9 vs. 13.6%, respectively, p = .6) and when further verified by exhaled carbon monoxide (14.1% vs. 9.9%, respectively, p = .4). Abstinence rates were similar in both groups when further verified by urine cotinine at end of treatment. No serious adverse events were reported, adverse symptoms and other outcomes were similar in the varenicline and placebo arms. CONCLUSIONS: Varenicline for 12 weeks was not more effective than placebo to achieve abstinence among daily waterpipe smokers. IMPLICATIONS: Varenicline in combination with a behavioral intervention did not significantly enhance the quit rate among exclusive waterpipe smokers compared to behavioral intervention plus placebo. We experienced difficulty enrolling exclusive waterpipe smokers willing to quit and observed high dropout rates among participants demonstrating the difficulties of waterpipe smoking cessation.

Stroke in Middle Eastern children with cancer: prevalence and risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and to characterize the different types of strokes in children with cancer at the Children's Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL), in addition to assess the factors and clinical findings leading to stroke in children. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and brain images (MRIs and CTs) of children admitted to the CCCL and diagnosed with cancer between years 2008 and 2017. Brain images were reviewed for the strokes' onset, size, location, possible origin, its recurrence and type: intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), acute arterial ischemic stroke, and cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) with and without venous infarct. Medical charts of the patients were reviewed for age, sex, their type of cancer, the treatment protocol they followed, and abnormal findings on their laboratory studies and neurological exams. RESULTS: Out of the 905 charts reviewed, twenty-seven children with variable types of cancer had strokes, with a prevalence of 2.9%. Their median age at cancer diagnosis was 9.4 (4.8-13.7) years and the median age at stroke onset was 10.6 (6.7-15.5) years. The median time between the cancer diagnosis and the stroke episode was 6 months. CSVT cases were the most common (60%) followed by acute arterial ischemic (22%) and hemorrhagic strokes (18%), with CSVT being the latest to occur. We observed that the different types of strokes were related to some types of cancer. Of the children that had acute arterial ischemic stroke in this cohort, 83% had brain tumors, of the children who had CSVT, 87.5% had leukemia, and of the children who had hemorrhagic stroke, 40% had leukemia. Neurological abnormalities were more prevalent in acute arterial ischemic stroke (80%). Patients with CSVT recovered better than those with other types of strokes. Strokes recurred in 60% of ischemic strokes. L-Asparaginase was significantly associated with CSVT. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of strokes was 2.9% in children with cancer. We were able to identify factors related to the types of the stroke that occurred in children including the type and location of the cancer the type of treatment received, and stroke recurrence.

Validation of the new ABC score for predicting 30-day mortality in gastrointestinal bleeding.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The ABC score is a new pre-endoscopic scoring system that was recently developed to accurately predict one-month mortality in upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). We aim to validate this new score on a cohort of Lebanese patients treated in a tertiary care center and to compare it to currently existing scores. METHODS: Adult patients admitted to the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) with overt GIB between January 2013 and August 2020 were included. The area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves of the ABC score in predicting 30-day mortality was calculated using the SPSS software. Other optimal existing scores for predicting mortality (the Oakland score for lower GIB, the AIMS-65 and the Rockall scores for upper GIB)s were also assessed and compared to the ABC score. RESULTS: A total of 310 patients were included in our study. For upper GIB, the ABC score showed good performance in predicting 30-day mortality (AUROC: 0.79), outperforming both the AIMS-65 score (AUROC 0.67, p < 0.001) and the Rockall score (AUROC: 0.62, p < 0.001). For lower GIB, the ABC score also had good performance which was comparable to the Oakland score (AUROC: 0.70 vs 0.56, p = 0.26). CONCLUSION: In our cohort of patients, the ABC score demonstrated good performance in predicting 30-day mortality for patients with upper and lower GIB compared to other established risk scores, which may help guide management decisions. This simple and novel score provides valuable prognostic information for patients presenting with GIB and appears to be reproducible in different patient populations.

The prognostic value of biomarker levels and chest imaging in patients with COVID-19 presenting to the emergency department.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to compare the prognostic value of a quantitative CT severity score with several laboratory parameters, particularly C-reactive protein, Procalcitonin, Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, D-dimer, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, lactate, troponin and B-type Natriuretic Peptide in predicting in-hospital mortality. METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review study of COVID-19 patients who presented to the Emergency Department of a tertiary care center between February and December 2020. All patients ≥18 years old who tested positive for the COVID-19 real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and underwent CT imaging at presentation were included. The primary outcome was the prognostic ability of CT severity score versus biomarkers in predicting in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: The AUCs were: D-dimer (AUC: 0.67 95% CI = 0.57-0.77), CT severity score (0.66, 95% CI = 0.55-0.77), LDH (0.66, 95% CI = 0.55-0.77), Pro-BNP (0.65, 95% CI = 0.55-0.76), NLR (0.64, 95% CI = 0.53-0.75) and troponin (0.64, 95% CI = 0.52-0.75). In the stepwise logistic regression, age (OR = 1.07 95% CI = 1.05-1.09), obesity (OR = 2.02 95% CI = 1.25-3.26), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (OR = 1.02 95% CI = 1.01-1.04), CRP (OR = 1.01 95% CI = 1.004-1.01), lactate dehydrogenase (OR = 1.003 95% CI = 1.001-1.004) and CT severity score (OR = 1.17 95% CI = 1.12-1.23) were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: In summary, CT severity score outperformed several biomarkers as a prognostic tool for covid related mortality. In COVID-19 patients requiring lung imaging, such as patients requiring ICU admission, patients with abnormal vital signs and those requiring mechanical ventilation, the results suggest obtaining and calculating the CT severity score to use it as a prognostic tool. If a CT was not performed, the results suggest using LDH, CRP or NLR if already done as prognostic tools in COVID-19 as these biomarkers were also found to be prognostic in COVID-19 patients.

Media Exposure and Health Behavior during Pandemics: The Mediating Effect of Perceived Knowledge and Fear on Compliance with COVID-19 Prevention Measures.

Emerging research has examined the role of media coverage of diseases in influencing people's health behavior, particularly their compliance with prevention measures. This study examines whether increased media exposure to COVID-19 news and interpersonal communication about the disease positively relate to people's abidance by prevention measures, and whether perceived knowledge and fear mediate this relationship. The study focuses on Lebanon, whose government and media responses led to a successful containment of COVID-19 in its first phase, although the country was experiencing a severe economic crisis, widespread political unrest, and a massive influx of refugees. It examines both legacy media (Television) and social media, as well as interpersonal communication, through a cross-sectional researcher-administered phone survey of 1,536 adults and a nationally representative probability sample. The fieldwork was conducted between March 27 and April 23, 2020, and resulted in a 51.6% response rate. The findings support the hypotheses that increased media exposure to COVID-19 news positively relates to people's abidance by prevention measures and that perceived knowledge and fear mediate this relationship. However, the same hypotheses for interpersonal communication were not supported.

Right Ventricular Volumes, Ejection Fraction, and Systolic Function Indices in Normal Neonates by Three-Dimensional Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography.

The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of measuring right ventricular (RV) volumes, ejection fraction (EF), and systolic function indices in neonates using three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (3D-STE). Thirty-eight neonates underwent complete echocardiographic evaluation, including the acquisition of three full-volume 3D datasets or more from each of the apical, parasternal, and subcostal windows while naturally sleeping. Datasets were analyzed using a commercially available software (Tomtec). Global RV 3D volumes and EF were measured. In addition, 2D free wall longitudinal strain (LS), tricuspid valve annulus (TVA), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and its index to RV length (TAPSEi), and fractional area change (FAC) were obtained from a non-shortened apical 4-chamber view of the RV, derived from the 3D dataset. Three or more datasets obtained from the apical window were available for analysis for each subject. At least one dataset was adequate for analysis in all subjects. Mean indexed 3D diastolic, systolic, stroke volumes, and EF were measured at 28.5 ± 3.4 ml/m2, 13 ± 2.0 ml/m2, 15.6 ± 1.9 ml/m2, and 54.6 ± 3.2%, respectively. Free wall 2D LS was calculated at (- 27.9 ± 2.5%). In addition, mean TVA measured 11.1 ± 0.8 mm, TAPSE measured 6.8 ± 0.9 mm, and TAPSEi and FAC were calculated at 24.2 ± 2.1 and 46 ± 3.4%, respectively. 3D-STE is feasible in normal neonates without the need for sedation. Reference values of RV 3D volumes and 2D indices of systolic function were obtained. These data could be helpful in patients where the size or systolic function of the RV is in question. Larger studies are required to establish nomograms for the above indices in this age group.

Treatment-induced cerebral sinus venous thrombosis in childhood acute lymphoblastic malignancies: New risk factors to consider.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) is one of the many side effects encountered during acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapy. Due to the rarity of cases, lack of data, and consensus management, no recommendations exist to target the population at risk. METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review of 229 consecutive patients diagnosed with ALL with an age range of 1-21 years, treated at the Children's Cancer Center of Lebanon between October 2007 and February 2018. RESULTS: The incidence of CSVT was 10.5%. Using univariate analysis, increased risk of CSVT was observed with male gender, age >10 years, T-cell immunophenotype, intermediate/high-risk disease, maximum triglyceride (TG) level of >615 mg/dl, presence of mediastinal mass, and larger body surface area (BSA). With multivariate analysis, the only statistically significant risk factors were maximum TG level, BSA, presence of mediastinal mass, and risk stratification (intermediate/high risk). CONCLUSION: Our study was able to unveil TG level of >615 mg/dl, mediastinal mass, and a larger BSA as novel risk factors that have not been previously discussed in the literature.

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on ED visits in Lebanon.

INTRODUCTION: As the COVID-19 pandemic spread globally, emergency departments (ED) around the world began to report significant drops in volumes and changes in disease patterns. During the early COVID-19 period, Lebanon followed an aggressive containment approach to halt the spread of the disease. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the impact of the different national containment measures and the early COVID-19 outbreak in Lebanon on ED visit volume and disease spectrum in a single center ED in Lebanon. METHODS: This study is a secondary analysis of ED visit administrative data, comparing ED visits during the three months period prior to the first identified COVID-19 case in Lebanon with the first 3 months post-COVID-19. A time series analysis of ED visit trends in relation to the major lockdown measures was conducted. Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, version 27) and STATA version 15 (StataCorp LLC., College Station,TX). Statistical significance was set at 0.05. RESULTS: The daily ED visit volume significantly decreased in response to the closure of educational institutions (19.96% per day, p-value = 0.04) and the declaration of public mobilization state with border closure (97.11% per day, p-value <0.0001). ED visits decreased by 47.2% post-COVID-19. The drop was highest amongst pediatric patients (66.64%). Patients who presented post-COVID-19, compared to pre-COVID-19 were older (40.39 ± 24.96 vs 33.71 ± 24.83, p-value <0.0001), had higher hospital admission rates (28.8% vs. 22.1%, p-value <0.0001), higher critical care admission rates (5.6% vs. 3.5%, p-value <0.001), and double mortality rate (0.4% vs 0.2%, p-value = 0.006). While visits for most diseases dropped, the odds of presenting to the ED post-COVID19 were higher for bacterial infections and non-communicable disease and lower for injuries and communicable diseases. CONCLUSION: ED visits dropped significantly during the COVID-19 containment period. Understanding the trends of changes in disease entities is important for ED staffing purposes during the pandemic and the varying containment efforts. While stringent lockdown measures were associated with drops in ED visits, understanding the reason behind these drops, specifically whether behavioral or related to true drops in disease prevalence, needs further exploration.

The prevalence and predictors of extended spectrum B-lactamase urinary tract infections among emergency department patients: A retrospective chart review.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Inadequate initial antibiotic treatment of ESBL urinary tract infections (UTI) can lead to increase in the number of antibiotics used, return visits, longer hospitalizations, increased morbidity and mortality and increased costs. Given the important health implications on patients, this study aimed to examine the prevalence and predictors of ESBL UTIs among Emergency Department (ED) patients of a tertiary care center in Beirut, Lebanon. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Single-center retrospective observational study involving all adult UTI patients who presented to the ED of the American University of Beirut Medical Center, a tertiary care center between August 2019 and August 2020. RESULTS: Out of the 886 patients that were included, 24.9% had an ESBL organism identified by urine culture. They had higher bladder catheter use within the previous 90 days, antibiotic use within last 90 days, and were more likely to have a history of an ESBL producing isolate from any body site in the last year. Antibiotic use in the last 90 days and a history of ESBL producing isolate at any site in the previous year were significantly associated with developing an ESBL UTI (OR = 1.66, p = 0.001 and OR = 2.53, p < 0.001 respectively). Patients diagnosed with cystitis were less likely to have an ESBL organism (OR = 0.4 95%CI [0.20-0.81], p = 0.01) CONCLUSION: The prevalence of ESBL organisms was found to be 24.9% in urinary tract infections. The predictors of an ESBL UTI infection were antibiotic use in the last 90 days, a history of ESBL producing isolate at any site in the previous year. Based on the findings of our study, we can consider modifying initial empiric antibiotic treatment for patients presenting with a UTI with the above stated risk factors.

Predictors of a short hospitalization in bone marrow transplantation patients presenting to the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Despite the advantages of bone marrow transplantation (BMT), patients receiving this intervention visit the emergency department (ED) frequently and for various reasons. Many of those ED visits result in hospitalization, and the length of stay varies. OBJECTIVES: The objective of our study was to identify the patients who were only briefly hospitalized and were thus eligible for safe discharge from the ED. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted on all adult patients who have completed a successful BMT and had an ED visit that resulted in hospitalization. RESULTS: Our study included 115 unique BMT with a total number of 357 ED visits. Around half of those visits resulted in a short hospitalization. We found higher odds of a short hospitalization among those who have undergone autologous BMT (95%CI [1.14-2.65]). Analysis of the discharge diagnoses showed that patients with gastroenteritis were more likely to have a shorter hospitalization in comparison to those diagnosed with others (95%CI [1.10-3.81]). Furthermore, we showed that patients who presented after a month from their procedure were more likely to have a short hospitalization (95%CI [1.04-4.87]). Another significant predictor of a short of hospitalization was the absence of Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD) (95%CI [2.53-12.28]). Additionally, patients with normal and high systolic blood pressure (95%CI [2.22-6.73] and 95%CI [2.81-13.05]; respectively), normal respiratory rate (95%CI [2.79-10.17]) and temperature (95%CI [2.91-7.44]) were more likely to have a shorter hospitalization, compared to those presenting with abnormal vitals. Likewise, we proved higher odds of a short hospitalization in patients with a quick Sepsis Related Organ Failure Assessment score of 1-2 (95%CI [1.29-5.20]). Moreover, we demonstrated higher odds of a short hospitalization in patients with a normal platelet count (95%CI [1.39-3.36]) and creatinine level (95%CI [1.30-6.18]). CONCLUSION: In our study, we have shown that BMT patients visit the ED frequently and many of those visits result in a short hospitalization. Our study showed that patients presenting with fever/chills are less likely to have a short hospitalization. We also showed a significant association between a short hospitalization and BMT patients without GvHD, with normal RR, normal T °C and a normal platelet count.

COVID-19 in conflict region: the arab levant response.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has hit the world in an unprecedented way causing serious repercussions on several aspects of our life. Multiple determinants have affected various nations' level of success in their responses towards the pandemic. The Arab Levant region in the Middle East, notoriously known for repeated wars and conflicts, has been affected, similarly to other regions, by this pandemic. The combination of war, conflict, and a pandemic brings too much of a burden for any nation to handle. METHODS: A descriptive analysis of data obtained from the health departments of various Arab Levant Countries (ALC) was performed. ALC include Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Palestine. The data collected involves incidence, recovery rate, case fatality rate and number of tests performed per million population, Global Health Security index, government stringency index, and political stability index. The information obtained was compared and analyzed among the ALC and compared to global figures. An extensive electronic literature search to review all relevant articles and reports published from the region was conducted. The 2019 Global Health Security (GHS) index was obtained from the "GHS index" website which was made by John Hopkins University's center for health security, the Nuclear threat Initiative (NTI) and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Government stringency index and political stability index were obtained from the University of Oxford and the website of "The Global Economy", respectively. Other world governance indicators such as government effectiveness were obtained from the World Bank website. RESULTS: In terms of incidence of COVID-19, Iraq has the highest with 9665 per one million population, Syria the lowest at 256 per million. Deaths per million population was highest in Iraq at 237, and the lowest in Syria at 12. As for number of tests per million population, Lebanon ranked first at 136,033 with Iraq fourth at 59,795. There is no data available for the tests administered in Syria and subsequently no value for tests per million population. In terms of recoveries from COVID-19 per million population, Iraq had the highest number at 7903 per million, and Syria the lowest at 68 per million. When compared as percent recovery per million, Palestine ranked first (84%) and Syria last (27%). The government response stringency index shows that Jordan had the highest index (100) early in the pandemic among the other countries. Palestine's index remained stable between 80 and 96. The other countries' indices ranged from 50 to 85, with Lebanon seeing a drop to 24 in mid-August. Even with improved stringency index, Iraq reported an increased number of deaths. CONCLUSION: In countries devastated by war and conflict, a pandemic such as COVID-19 can easily spread. The Arab Levant countries represent a breeding ground for pandemics given their unstable political and economic climate that has undoubtedly affected their healthcare systems. In the era of COVID-19, looking at healthcare systems as well as political determinants is needed to assess a country's readiness towards the pandemic. The unrest in Lebanon, the uprising in Iraq, the restrictions placed on Syria, and the economic difficulties in Palestine are all examples of determinants affecting pandemic management. Jordan, on the contrary, is a good example of a stable state, able to implement proper measures. Political stability index should be used as a predictor for pandemic management capacity, and individual measures should be tailored towards countries depending on their index.

The association of waterpipe smoking with arterial stiffness and wave reflection in a community-based sample.

PURPOSE: The evidence linking waterpipe smoking to cardiovascular disease is limited. We evaluated the association of waterpipe smoking (WPS) with arterial stiffness and wave reflection measured by augmentation pressure (AP), augmentation index (AIx), and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CFPWV), which are validated predictors of cardiovascular disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Community-based, cross-sectional study including 205 exclusive waterpipe smokers and 199 matched never-smokers aged 35 years or older (mean age 51.7 ± 8.9 years, 36% females). Smoking and its extent were assessed using a validated questionnaire and urine cotinine levels. CFPWV, AP, AIx (AP/aortic pulse pressure) and heart rate adjusted AIx (AIx@75) were determined using tonometry and compared between smokers and non-smokers, and the association of WPS with tonometry measures was assessed using linear regression adjusting for possible confounders. RESULTS: Waterpipe smokers and non-smokers had similar mean age and sex distribution. Compared to non-smokers, waterpipe smokers had significantly higher adjusted AP (10.5 ± 3.9 vs. 9.4 ± 3.9 mmHg respectively; p = 0.01), AIx (28.1 ± 8.4 vs. 25.7 ± 8.5% respectively; p = 0.01) and AIx@75 (24.2 ± 8.7 vs. 21.8 ± 8.9% respectively; p = 0.01). AIx was significantly associated with WPS extent, measured by a number of waterpipe smoked/day (ß = 1.04/waterpipe, 95%CI:[0.50-1.58]), duration of waterpipe smoking (ß = 0.77/10-years, 95%CI:[0.16-1.38]), their products in waterpipe-years (ß = 0.30/10-waterpipe-year, 95%CI:[0.12-0.47]) and plasma cotinine (ß = 0.56/100 ng/ml, 95%CI:[0.14-0.98]), adjusting for possible confounders, and so were AP and AIx@75. CFPWV however, was not associated with waterpipe smoking. CONCLUSION: In a community-based sample, exclusive WPS and its extent were associated with a dose-dependent increase in AIx and AP, accounting for other risk factors, suggesting that waterpipe smokers are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

SuPAR, a potential inflammatory mediator in psoriasis pathogenesis.

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disorder that is strongly associated with the metabolic syndrome. The sole reliance on clinical examination to guide prognostication and treatment is insufficient at best; accurate diagnostic and prognostic psoriatic molecular biomarkers are needed. Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) has been implicated in inflammation. The aim of this study is to determine whether suPAR plays a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and whether an association exists between suPAR levels, disease severity, and other variables like insulin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). This study also compares the pattern of uPAR staining in healthy vs psoriatic skin: 39 psoriatic and 30 control subjects were included. Two biopsies (affected and unaffected skin) and one biopsy were taken from psoriasis patients and healthy controls, respectively, with uPAR staining of all skin biopsies. Blood samples from all subjects were obtained to determine suPAR, ESR, CRP, and fasting insulin levels. uPAR staining was prominent in unaffected skin from psoriasis patients and healthy individuals vs weak/absent uPAR staining in psoriatic skin. CRP, ESR and suPAR levels were not significantly elevated in the mild psoriasis group compared to healthy controls. The loss of epidermal uPAR is suggestive of its tentative role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Patients with mild-moderate psoriasis possibly lack the powerful association attributed to metabolic syndrome in psoriatic patients. Further studies on larger cohorts are needed to ascertain the validity of the mentioned conclusions.

Does implementation of the PECARN rules for minor head trauma improve patient-centered outcomes in a lower resource emergency department: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Managing children with minor head trauma remains challenging for physicians who evaluate for the need for computed tomography (CT) imaging for clinically important traumatic brain injury (ciTBI) identification. The Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) prediction rules were adopted in our pediatric emergency department (PED) in December 2013 to identify children at low risk for ciTBI. This study aimed to evaluate this implementation's impact on CT rates and clinical outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study on pediatric patients with head trauma presenting to the PED of the American University of Beirut Medical Center in Lebanon. Participants were divided into pre- (December 2012 to December 2013) and post-PECARN (January 2014 to December 2016) groups. Patients were further divided into < 2 and ≥ 2 years and stratified into groups of low, intermediate and high risk for ciTBI. Bivariate analysis was conducted to determine differences between both groups. RESULTS: We included 1362 children of which 425 (31.2%) presented pre- and 937 (68.8%) presented post-PECARN rules implementation with 1090 (80.0%) of low, 214 (15.7%) of intermediate and 58 (4.3%) of high risk for ciTBI. CTs were ordered on 92 (21.6%) pre- versus 174 (18.6%) patients post-PECARN (p = 0.18). Among patients < 2 years, CT rates significantly decreased from 25.2% (34/135) to 16.5% (51/309) post-PECARN (p = 0.03), and dropped in all risk groups but only significantly for low risk patients from 20.7% (24/116) to 11.4% (30/264) (p = 0.02). There was no significant decrease in CT rates in patients ≥2 years (20% pre (58/290) vs 19.6% post (123/628), p = 0.88). There was no increase in bounce back numbers, nor in admission rates or positive CT findings among bounce backs. CONCLUSIONS: PECARN rules implementation did not significantly change the overall CT scan rate but reduced the CT scan rate in patients aged < 2 years at low risk of ciTBI. The implementation did not increase the number of missed ciTBI.

Perception, attitude, practice and barriers towards medical research among undergraduate students.

BACKGROUND: Early exposure to medical research, specifically at the undergraduate level, contributes in building a solid medical education for students. In 2014, the Medical Research Volunteer Program (MRVP) was established at the American University of Beirut (AUB). This program provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to be involved in ongoing medical research projects, on a voluntary basis. Little is known about undergraduates' outlook on medical research and the challenges they face. The aim of this study was to assess, among AUB undergraduate students, the perception, attitude, practice and barriers towards medical research, as well as to identify factors affecting them, such as background characteristics and research involvement. METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried out at AUB, where undergraduate students enrolled in specific chosen classes were surveyed in spring 2019 via paper based questionnaires. Close-ended questions assessed students' attitude, perception, practice and barriers towards medical research using a 5-point likert scale. Moreover, demographic characteristics and research involvement information were collected. RESULTS: Five hundred and twenty three students were surveyed. About half of the students were premedical students (51.5%), and only 43.6% of them were aware of the medical research program at their university. The average attitude, perception, practice and barriers scores were found to be 3.58, 4.35, 3.58 and 2.60, respectively (on a scale from 1 to 5). Students found the lack of mentoring and guidance to be the main barrier in conducting medical research. CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal that students express interest towards medical research and recognize its importance. A medical research program at the undergraduate level is indispensable in guiding students in their future career endeavors. Therefore, research programs should be constantly monitored to assure a research-oriented environment within institutions.

The Impact of Ramadan on Patient Attendance Patterns in an Emergency Department at a Tertiary Care Center in Beirut, Lebanon.

BACKGROUND: Emergency departments (EDs) worldwide experience substantial variability in hourly patient arrivals. The month of Ramadan represents a repetitive annual occurrence, which could be associated with distinct patient arrival patterns compared with other months of the year. OBJECTIVE: This study examined hourly patient arrival patterns and patient characteristics in an ED in a tertiary care center in Beirut, Lebanon to determine whether there are significant changes in patient attendance patterns during the month of Ramadan. METHODS: Data on patients presenting to the ED during the month of Ramadan with those presenting 1 month prior to and 1 month after, between 2012 and 2018, were accounted for in the study. Pearson chi-squared test was used in the bivariate analysis, whereas Student's t-test was used to compare continuous variables. RESULTS: Patient attendance patterns significantly varied between Ramadan and non-Ramadan periods (p < 0.0001). Patient flow dropped starting at 8:00 am, with the greatest drop between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm, and increased in the early morning hours between 2:00 am and 4:00 am (p < 0.0001). The total number of visits per day significantly decreased in Ramadan compared with non-Ramadan periods (135.6 ± 14.74 vs. 145.5 ± 18.90, p-value < 0.0001), whereas length of stay decreased slightly. CONCLUSION: We found a drop in daily ED visits during Ramadan, in addition to a distinct pattern of patient arrivals. ED administrators should consider different scheduling arrangements for nurses and physicians during this period in EDs that serve communities where Ramadan is commonly observed.

Characteristics and determinants of high-risk unscheduled return visits to the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: High-risk unscheduled return visits (HRURVs), defined as return visits within 72 hours that require admission or die in the emergency department (ED) on representation, are a key quality metric in the ED. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and describe the characteristics and predictors of HRURVs to the ED. METHODS: Case-control study, conducted between 1 November 2014 and 31 October 2015. Cases included all HRURVs over the age of 18 that presented to the ED. Controls were selected from patients who were discharged from the ED during the study period and did not return in the next 72 hours. Controls were matched to cases based on gender, age (±5 years) and date of presentation. RESULTS: Out of 38 886 ED visits during the study period, 271 are HRURVs, giving an incidence of HRURV of 0.70% (95% CI 0.62% to 0.78%). Our final analysis includes 270 HRURV cases and 270 controls, with an in-ED mortality rate of 0.7%, intensive care unit admission of 11.1% and need for surgical intervention of 22.2%. After adjusting for other factors, HRURV cases are more likely to be discharged with a diagnosis related to digestive system or infectious disease (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.65 and OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.05 to 7.51, respectively). Furthermore, presentation to the ED during off-hours is a significant predictor of HRURV (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.43) as is the presence of a handover during the patient visit (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.75). CONCLUSION: HRURV is an important key quality outcome metric that reflects a subgroup of ED patients with specific characteristics and predictors. Efforts to reduce this HRURV rate should focus on interventions targeting patients discharged with digestive system, kidney and urinary tract and infectious diseases diagnosis as well as exploring the role of handover tools in reducing HRURVs.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Pediatric Septic Patients With Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric oncology patients may be at a higher risk of complications and mortality from sepsis compared with their nononcology counterpart. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to compare characteristics, treatment, and sepsis-related mortality between oncology and nononcology patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). METHODS: This is a retrospective single-center cohort study including patients <18 years old with a diagnosis of sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock, or bacteremia presenting to an academic ED between January 2009 and January 2015. A total of 158 patients were included with 53.8% having an underlying malignancy. The primary outcome of the study was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included ED vital signs, resuscitation parameters, laboratory work, infection site, general practitioner unit, intensive care unit length of stay, and hospital length of stay. RESULTS: Oncology patients had a higher in-hospital mortality (5.9% vs. 2.7%), however, it did not meet statistical significance (p = 0.45). On presentation, oncology patients had a lower respiratory rate (24.33 ± 9.48 vs. 27.45 ± 7.88; p = 0.04). There was a significant increase in the white blood count in oncology patients (4.011 ± 4.965 vs. 17.092 ± 12.806; p < 0.001) with this cohort receiving more intravenous fluids. In the first 6 hours (33.0 ± 27.7 mL/kg vs. 24.9 ± 16.1 mL/kg; p = 0.029) as well as having a higher percentage of vasopressor administration (15.3% vs. 1.4%; p = 0.002). Antibiotics were initiated at an earlier stage in the oncology cohort (1.25 ± 1.95 vs. 3.33 ± 1.97 hours; p < 0.0001). Cancer-free patients had a significantly higher rate of lung infections compared with cancer patients (68.5% vs. 32.9%; p < 0.0001). In terms of infection characteristics, cancer patients had a higher percentage of bacteremia (27.1% vs. 4.1%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There was no statistical significance regarding mortality between the 2 cohorts. Pediatric cancer patients were found to have a higher incidence of bacteremia and received more aggressive treatment.

Characteristics of patients presenting post-suicide attempt to an Academic Medical Center Emergency Department in Lebanon.

BACKGROUND: Emergency Department (ED) visits for suicide attempts have been described worldwide; however, the populations studied were predominantly Western European, North American, or East Asian. This study aims to describe the epidemiology of ED patients presenting post-suicide attempt to an academic medical center in Lebanon and to report on factors that affect ED disposition. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted between 2009 and 2015. Patients of any age group were included if they had presented to the ED after a suicide attempt. Patients with unintentional self-harm were excluded. Descriptive analysis was performed on the demographics and characteristics of suicide attempts of the study population. A bivariate analysis to compare the two groups (hospitalized or discharged) was conducted using Student's t test and Pearson Chi-square where appropriate. A multivariate analysis was then conducted to determine the predictors of hospital admission. RESULTS: One hundred and eight patients were included in the final analysis. Most patients were females (71.4%) and between 22 and 49 years of age. A considerable number of patients were unemployed (43%), unmarried (61.1%), and living with family (86.9%). Most suicide attempts were performed at home (93.5%) and on a weekday (71.3%). The most common mechanisms of injury were overdose with prescription medications (61.3%), overdose with over-the-counter drugs (27.9%), and self-inflicted lacerations (10.1%). The classes of medication most commonly abused were benzodiazepines (39.3%) followed by acetaminophen (27.3%). A large portion of our patients were admitted (70.3%), with the majority going to the psychiatric ward (71.1%). Of note, a quarter (27.5%) of our patients left the ED against medical advice, with 23.5% of admitted patients leaving the hospital before completion of treatment. The main predictors of admission were found to be overdose on prescription medications OR 9.25 (2.12-40.42 CI95%). CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics of our suicide attempters mirror those of international and regional suicide attempters. Further work is required to quantify the effect of voluntary refusal of hospital treatment, the repercussions of family, and financial barriers to healthcare and suicide as a whole in our society.