One-Year Mortality Rates Following Fragility Femoral Fractures in Patients Presenting to King Saud Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to investigate one-year mortality rates following femur osteoporotic fractures, and to investigate factors that are associated with higher mortality rates. DESIGN: A retrospective study was conducted from 2010 to 2021 (11 years) of all patients who presented to King Saud Medical City, Saudi Arabia, and had a fragility fracture of the proximal or distal femur. PATIENTS: One hundred eight patients who sustained a proximal or distal femoral fracture, as a result of low-energy trauma, were included. RESULTS: The majority of our cohort (77.8%) had proximal femoral fractures, whereas only 22.2% had a distal femoral fracture. 55.6% were less than 75 years old, and 44.4% were 75 years or older. All patients had fallen from standing height. Hypertension and diabetes were the most common comorbidities among our cohort at 49.1% and 47.2%, respectively, but neither showed a statistically significant increase in the risk of mortality. When assessing the overall mortality, 21.3% of our patients had passed away. Although this finding was not statistically significant, mortality rates were found to be higher in patients with proximal femoral fractures compared to distal femoral fractures (25% vs. 8.3%, respectively, p=0.095). Patients with a normal bone mass density (BMD) had higher mortality rates as opposed to those with abnormal BMD (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Mortality rates are higher in proximal femoral fractures compared to distal femoral fractures. In addition, within our study cohort, patients with normal BMD had higher mortality rates. We recommend prospective studies that compare mortality rates between proximal and distal femoral fractures in patients with osteoporosis, as these studies would provide more accurate data. We also recommend having BMD measured in those patients to avoid further fractures in this patient population.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of bariatric surgery among adult Saudi community, Saudi Arabia, 2019.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is higher in developed countries than in developing countries of all ages (data from 2013). This study is aimed at assessing the knowledge and attitudes of people in Saudi Arabia toward bariatric surgery. To do this, the specific objectives sought to determine the satisfaction of people who underwent bariatric surgery and to determine the importance of bariatric surgery among the community. METHODS: The study is a cross-sectional, community-based study conducted among the Saudi adult population. The final sample size was 891 respondents from different regions of Saudi Arabia. Data collection was through online questionnaires that consisted of 26 questions to assess the perceived knowledge and attitudes toward obesity and bariatric surgery adopted from Abouhamda (2016). RESULTS: More than 70% of the study participants were aged between 18 and 25 years. There were more males than there were females 76.0% versus 24.0%, while most of the respondents were living single. The proportion of respondents across listed regions of Saudi Arabia significantly varied at a 5% level (P = 0.000). Sixty percent of the study respondents were within the normal weight range (BMI 18.5-25), 9% were marked as obese (BMI >30). Age group was not significantly associated with knowledge of quantization and perceived the knowledge that quantization can cause death (P > 0.05 in both cases). CONCLUSION: The knowledge about obesity in Saudi Arabia is generally good and most Saudis would rather take the approach of proper diet as opposed to surgery, with the bigger percentage being in the normal range (BMI 18.5-25).

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among clinical laboratory workers.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among clinical laboratory workers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This questionnaire-based cross-sectional study included the clinical laboratory departments of six governmental tertiary and secondary hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The selected instrument was a self-administered adapted standardized questionnaire. The sample comprised 306 laboratory workers, and the selected sampling technique was a non-random convenient method. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of WMSDs in any body region was 82% in the last 12 months; it was mainly linked to lower back pain (61%). In the logistic regression, age <30 years, working in specific laboratories and working in hematology/flow-cytometry laboratory divisions were all found to be significant risk factors (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Clinical laboratory workers are at a high risk for WMSDs; it is essential that we take preventative action to address this.

Knowledge of first aid skills among medical and nonmedical students in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: First aid is the first treatment a health care worker provides at the site of an accident to a patient who is injured or very sick before the ambulance arrives. First aid providers are those who have the skill and knowledge to deal with life-threatening conditions outside the facilitated environment of a hospital. This study aims to assess the knowledge of first aid among university students in Saudi Arabia. METHODOLOGY: An observational descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from 17 August 2018 until 2 February 2019 on Saudi universities' students, including medical and nonmedical students and excluding postgraduate. The sample size was 384 students using a cluster sampling technique. The questionnaire was developed specifically for the purpose of this study after searching the literature and consulting an epidemiologist. It contains questions that assess the level of knowledge regarding first aid. It was subjected to a prop to test for validity and liability. Data were analyzed using (SPSS, version 22.0) and (P values of ≤ 0.05) considered significant. The consent was obtained before data collection. RESULT: Only 40.35% (157/389) of the total participants had basic life support (BLS) course in their college syllabus. Good knowledge was generally observed in both medical (61.2%) and nonmedical (53.2%) student participants. Medical students' knowledge regarding first aid was better than nonmedical students in all questions, whereas the results were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Medical students were more familiar with the knowledge of first aid than other colleges' students. Researches should investigate the willingness of medical students to apply their first aid knowledge when necessary using a health belief model.

Ileal volvulus secondary to cystic lymphangioma: A rare case report with a literature review.

Lymphangioma is a benign malformation of the lymphatic system. It usually affects the neck, head, and rarely, the abdomen. Volvulus is a serious condition, which occurs as a result of bowel twisting around itself or around the mesentery leading to severe consequences such as obstruction. The most common cause of volvulus in children is malrotation. We report a rare case of a 2-year-old boy who was brought by his parents to the emergency room with the complaint of constipation for 5 days and vomiting for the last 4 days. Examination and plain abdominal X-ray suggested intestinal obstruction. Furthermore, ultrasonography indicated the presence of a cyst and dilatation of the bowel. On exploratory laparotomy, an ileal volvulus caused by cystic lymphangioma developed on the mesenteric wall and associated with ileal and jejunal dilatation was observed. The diseased segments were resected in addition to 5cm before and after the cystic lymphangioma to prevent recurrence.