Sensitivity and specificity of chest ultrasound in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in the emergency department: A case-control study.

Objectives: The present study was designed to evaluate the role of chest ultrasound in the diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and determine its accuracy using multi-detector CT-pulmonary angiography (MD-CTPA) as a gold standard technique for PE diagnosis. Patients and methods: A prospective case-control study was performed with 75 patients who presented to the emergency department of Minia Cardiothoracic University Hospital with clinical suspicion of PE. All patients were evaluated clinically and by laboratory tests to assess the risk of PE. Thoracic ultrasound (TUS) was then performed for all patients for signs suggestive of PE. Finally, MD-CTPA was performed to confirm or exclude the presence of PE. Results: Patients were subdivided into two groups according to the result of MD-CTPA; group I (patients with PE) and group II (control group without PE). In our study, PE was present in the lower lobe in 75% of cases, then in the middle in 13% and in the upper lobe in 3.8% of cases. The majority of lesions in TUS were wedge-shaped lesions. No vascular flow was detected in 83% of PE-confirmed patients. The current study revealed that TUS has 81.25% sensitivity, 95% specificity, 98.3% positive predictive value, 77.2% negative predictive value and 87% accuracy in the diagnosis of PE. Univariate regression analysis revealed that the presence of wedge-shaped pleural-based lesions in grayscale US and the absence of flow signals by colour Doppler sonography (CDS) increase the possibility of PE. Wedge-shaped pleural-based lesions increase the possibility of PE by 1.48 times (P=0.0001), and the absence of flow signals by CDS increases the possibility of PE by 92.89 times (P=0.00001). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that adding absent flow signals by CDS to wedge-shaped pleural-based lesions by grayscale US increases the possibility of a PE diagnosis by 50.28 times (P=0.001). Conclusion: Chest ultrasound is a simple, safe, noninvasive, inexpensive, bedside diagnostic radiological technique that can be used in the emergency department for suspected PE or as an alternative to MD-CTPA when CTPA is contraindicated. Wedge-shaped lesions and the absence of flow signals by CDS increase the diagnostic value of ultrasound for PE.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine by patients with cancer: a cross-sectional survey in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) along with conventional therapies (CT), whereas a smaller proportion delay or defer CT in favor of CAM. Previous studies exploring CAM use among cancer patients in the Middle East region have shown discrepant results. This study investigates the prevalence and pattern of CAM use by Saudi cancer patients. It also discusses the possible benefits and harm related to CAM use by cancer patients, and it explores the beliefs patients hold and their transparency with health care providers regarding their CAM use. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in oncology wards and outpatient clinics by using face-to-face interviews with the participants. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients with a median age of 50 years (18-84) participated in the study. The prevalence of CAM use was 69.9%; the most prominent types of CAM were those of a religious nature, such as supplication (95.4%), Quran recitation (88.1%), consuming Zamzam water (84.4%), and water upon which the Quran has been read (63.3%). Drinking camel milk was reported by 24.1% of CAM users, whereas camel urine was consumed by 15.7%. A variety of reasons were given for CAM use: 75% reported that they were using CAM to treat cancer, enhance mood (18.3%),control pain (11.9%), enhance the immune system (11%),increase physical fitness (6.4%), and improve appetite (4.6%). Thirty percent of CAM users had discussed the issue with their doctors; only 7.7% had done so with their nurses. CONCLUSIONS: The use of CAM, including camel products, is highly prevalent among cancer patients in the Middle East, but these patients do not necessarily divulge their CAM use to their treating physicians and nurses. Although CAM use can be beneficial, some can be very harmful, especially for cancer patients. Association is known between camel products and brucellosis and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Both can lead to tremendous morbidity in immune-compromised patients. Doctor-patient communication regarding CAM use is of paramount importance in cancer care.

A Prospective Study on the Incidence and Outcomes of Neonatal Thrombocytopenia at a Tertiary Care Facility in Central Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of neonatal thrombocytopenia is low, yet highly dependent on the populations studied. PURPOSE: To assess the incidence of neonatal thrombocytopenia and identify factors associated with its outcomes, namely time to disease onset, recovery duration, and platelet count. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted between May and October 2013 at a large tertiary care facility in Saudi Arabia. Neonates with a platelet count of fewer than 150,000/µL of blood were followed up until their recovery or death. RESULTS: The period incidence of neonatal thrombocytopenia was 84/4379 (1.9%). The mortality rate associated with the condition was 68/100,000 births. The male-female ratio of neonates with thrombocytopenia was 2.4:1. The mean (standard deviation) time to disease onset was 1.83 (1.29) days, whereas that of recovery duration was 15.35 (18.46) days. The mean (standard deviation) platelet count at onset was 109,543 (32,826)/µL of blood, whereas that of the increase in platelet count from onset to recovery was 121,876 (78,218)/µL of blood. Treatment comprised monitoring/spontaneous recovery (n = 52, 64.2%) or platelet transfusion (n = 9, 11.1%), immunoglobulins (n = 8, 9.9%), or a combination of both (n = 12, 14.8%). Neonates with a higher gestational age (ß = 8061, t = 2.456) and late disease onset (ß = 26,178, t = 3.969) were more likely to have a larger increase in platelet count from onset to recovery than those with a lower gestational age (adjusted P = .017) and earlier disease onset (adjusted P < .001). IMPLICATIONS: The high incidence of neonatal thrombocytopenia in this Middle Eastern setting indicates that it may be dependent on the population studied. Special attention should be focused on neonates of lower gestational ages and with an early disease onset, because their platelet count recovery may be slower than that of the countergroup.

Health-Related Predictors of Quality of Life in Cancer Patients in Saudi Arabia.

Research on Saudi Arabian cancer patients is a priority at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Because there is limited research on the quality of life (QoL) of Saudi Arabian cancer patients, the aim of this study was to identify the predictors of the QoL in a sample of Saudis with cancer. In August 2016, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 438 patients with a variety of cancer types (145 breast, 109 colorectal, 38 leukemia, 45 lymphoma, and 99 other types) who attended the Oncology Outpatient Clinics at KAMC. Sociodemographics, clinical symptoms, and cancer treatments were collected for each patient. We used the SF-36 instrument to assess QoL. Of the cancer patients studied, 28.4% had a family history of cancer, and, according to subgroup analyses, the elderly, those lacking formal education, the unemployed, those diagnosed with Stage III/IV, and those with metastasis had significantly worse physical functions than the other cancer patients. According to multiple linear regression analyses, cancer patients who exercised regularly tended to have better physical function, emotional role function, vitality, social function, and general health (increase in SF-36 scores of 8.82, 9.75, 5.54, 6.66, and 4.97, respectively). Patients with first-year-after-cancer diagnosis tended to have poor emotional wellbeing, social function, and general health (decrease in SF-36 scores of 5.20, 7.34, and 6.12, respectively). Newly diagnosed cancer patients and patients who did not exercise tended to experience significantly poor QoL in several domains; thus, the effectiveness of exercise must be assessed in Saudi cancer patients as an intervention to improve QoL.

Symptoms of Daytime Sleepiness and Sleep Apnea in Liver Cirrhosis Patients.

Background/propose. Sleep disturbance and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) have been reported in patients with hepatic cirrhosis with no hepatic encephalopathy (HE). The objective of this study was to evaluate daytime sleepiness and risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among liver cirrhosis patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC)-Riyadh over a period of six months, using a structured questionnaire that investigated: 1) Sleep patterns and daytime sleepiness using the Epworth Sleeping Scale (ESS), and 2) The risk for sleep apnea using the Berlin Questionnaire (BQ). We enrolled patients with a confirmed diagnosis of liver cirrhosis who were being followed at the hepatology and pre-liver transplant clinics. RESULTS: We enrolled 200 patients with liver cirrhosis, 57.5% of whom were male. The mean age was 60 (± SD 12.2). The reported prevalence of EDS, OSA, and both EDS and OSA were 29.5%, 42.9%, and 13.6%, respectively. The prevalence of EDS was higher in patients with Hepatitis-C and patients with DM, who experienced short sleep duration. We did not find any association between the severity of liver disease and EDS or OSA as measured by Child-Pugh scores (CPS). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of OSA and EDS is high among liver cirrhosis patients. Those patients with cirrhosis secondary to Hepatitis C are at higher risk of EDS and OSA. Both EDS and OSA affect patients designated as CPS Class A more frequently than patients designated as CPS Class B.

The effects of age and gender on the prevalence of insomnia in a sample of the Saudi population.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of insomnia among the Saudi adult population. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional insomnia survey was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The presence of insomnia was defined by difficulty initiating sleep, early morning awakening, or frequent awakening, in addition to the second-day effect in the form of fatigue, tiredness, or changes in the mode because of lack of sleep. RESULTS: The crude prevalence of insomnia was 77.7% (95% CI = 75.9-79.5%). The gender-adjusted prevalence of insomnia was higher for females, 88.7% (95% CI = 86.4-90.7%) than for males, 70.4% (95% CI = 67.8-72.9%), p-value = .001. The age-adjusted prevalence of insomnia was higher for the elderly, 93.7% (95% CI = 90.6-96.0%) than for the middle aged, 79.8% (95% CI = 77.4-82.1%), or for the young group, 64.2% (95% CI = 59.9-68.4%), p-value = .001. The Chi-square analyses revealed that (1) being elderly, widowed/divorced, females, or housewives, (2) having a lack of education, and (3) excessive tea consumption were significantly associated with elevated risks for insomnia (p-values < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Insomnia is most prevalent among Saudi females and the elderly Saudi population.

Saudi SCD patients' symptoms and quality of life relative to the number of ED visits.

BACKGROUND: Individuals living with sickle cell disease (SCD) have significantly increased emergency department (ED) use compared to the general population. In Saudi Arabia, health care is free for all individuals and therefore has no bearing on increased ED visits. However, little is known about the relationship between quality of life (QoL) and frequency of acute care utilization in this patient population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 366 patients with SCD who attended the outpatient department at King Fahad Hospital, Hofuf, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through self-administered surveys, which included: demographics, SCD-related ED visits, clinical issues, and QoL levels. We assessed the ED use by asking for the number of SCD-related ED visits within a 6-month period. RESULTS: The self-report survey of ED visits was completed by 308 SCD patients. The median number of SCD-related ED visits within a 6-month time period (IQR) was four (2-7 visits). According to the unadjusted negative binomial model, the rate of SCD-related ED visits increased by (46, 39.3, 40, and 53.5 %) for patients with fever, skin redness with itching, swelling, and blood transfusion, respectively. Poor QoL tends to increase the rate of SCD-related ED visits. Well education and poor general health positively influenced the rate of SCD-related ED visits. Well education tends to increase the rate of SCD-related ED visits by 50.2 %. The rate of SCD-related ED visits decreased by 1.4 % for every point increase in general health. CONCLUSION: Saudi patients with sickle cell disease reported a wide range of SCD-related ED visits. It was estimated that six of 10 SCD patients had at least three ED visits within a 6-month period. Well education and poor general health resulted in an increase in the rate of SCD-related ED visits.

Health-related quality of life in patients with sickle cell disease in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of research concerning health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Saudi patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), particularly among adult populations. The aim of the current study was to describe the characteristics of SCD patients and their impact on their quality of life (QoL). METHODS: Six hundred twenty-nine adult SCD patients who attended King Fahad Hospital in Hofuf and King Fahad Central Hospital in Jazan were included in the analysis. Demographic/clinical data were collected and an Arabic version of the Medical Outcomes 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire was used to assess QoL. RESULTS: SCD patients who hold a university degree reported positive impacts on the following domains of SF-36: physical role function, vitality, emotional well being, social function, pain reduction, and general health (P = .002, P = .001, P = .001, P = .003, P = .004, and P = .001, respectively). In general, patients with fever, skin redness, swelling, or history of blood transfusion tended to impair the health status of the SF-36. A multivariate analysis revealed that patients with a university degree tended to report high scores of physical role functions, emotional role function, and vitality. Patients with regular exercise tend to increase vitality, social function, general health, and reduce pain. Unemployment tends to lessen vitality and worsen pain. On average, pain, social function, and physical function scores tended to worsen in patients with swelling or history of blood transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlighted that poor education, fever, skin redness, and swelling were negatively associated with specific components of SF-36. SCD patients with a history of blood transfusion found their QoL poorer, whereas regular exercise tended to improve QoL.

Symptoms of Daytime Sleepiness and Sleep Apnea among Pregnant Women.

OBJECTIVES: Despite the fact that sleep disturbances have been associated with poor maternal and neonatal health outcomes in pregnancy, no studies have assessed excessive daytime sleepiness or the risk for sleep apnea among pregnant Saudi Arabian women. We sought to estimate the prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and the high risk for sleep apnea (OSA) in a sample of pregnant Saudi women. METHODS: An anonymous self-report questionnaire was completed by 517 pregnant women who attended obstetric outpatient clinics at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a routine pregnancy check. We collected demographic and clinical data for all patients and used the Berlin Questionnaire and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale to determine the primary outcomes. RESULTS: A high risk of OSA was found in 37.1% of women (95% confidence interval (CI): 33.00%-41.50%), and EDS was found in 32.1% (95% CI: 28.10%-36.30%). The presence of both (EDS and a high risk of OSA) was found in 14.9% of women (95% CI: 11.90%-18.30%). We found increased odds of EDS in women who reported pain three times or more per week (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.59) and insomnia (aOR = 1.65). Older women (≥ 37 years) (aOR = 3.00), those who reported pain once a week (aOR = 1.99), pain twice a week (aOR = 2.75), three times or more a week (aOR = 2.57), and insomnia (aOR = 1.95) increased the odds of high risk for OSA. CONCLUSIONS: EDS and a high risk for OSA affected a large portion of the pregnant women included in the study, primarily those who reported pain and insomnia. Our study provides important information for gynecologists to help promote healthy sleep and manage the issues arising from sleep disturbances among pregnant women as part of their daily practice.

Improving adherence to lung cancer guidelines: a quality improvement project that uses chart review, audit and feedback approach.

INTRODUCTION: The implementation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines is one of the most effective interventions for improving quality of care. A gap between guidelines and clinical practice often exists, which may result in patients not receiving appropriate care. This project aimed at improving adherence to lung cancer guidelines at our institution. METHOD: The records of patients with lung cancer were evaluated for adherence to guidelines by using an auditing tool that was developed to capture pertinent information. The study team collected data about the following variables: compliance with documentation of pathological diagnosis, documentation of disease stage prior to treatment initiation, presentation at thoracic tumour board within 30 days of diagnosis, management course, and management of end of life in terms of early 'no code' initiation, stopping chemotherapy and referral to palliative care prior to 2 weeks of death. Annual audits were performed from 2012 to 2015. Education and discussion with team members to address the deviations were the main interventions to improve adherence. RESULTS: The baseline measurements were taken in 2012 (49 patients). Histological subtype identification improved from 94% to 100%. Presentation of new cases at the tumour board improved from 35% to 82%. Testing for epidermal growth factor receptor mutation for non-squamous cell lung cancer improved from 77% to 100%. The staging was documented in 100% of the cases. CONCLUSION: Running audits to monitor adherence to guidelines and discussions with the team have a positive effect on providing consistent evidence-based care for patients with lung cancer.

Recurrence rate of scabies in patients 14 years or older in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the rate of scabies diagnostic recurrence and identify factors associated with the high likelihood of frequent scabies recurrences among adults in Saudi Arabia.  Methods: This multi-center retrospective study was conducted in adult patients who were diagnosed with one or multiple recurrent infestations of scabies between January 2016 and September 2018 at the Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs hospitals and clinics, Saudi Arabia. The number of scabies recurrences during the study period was recorded and modeled using a Poisson model. Results: A total of 468 adult patients (39.8±17.8, range: 14.2-105.7 years) were included in the study, resulting in 645 scabies diagnoses in which 302 (46.8%) were recurrences. The multivariate Poisson model revealed that male gender (adjusted rate ratios [aRR]: 1.465; 95% CI: 1.064 - 2.017; p=0.019), first tertile (January to April) (aRR: 3.021; 95% CI: 1.484 - 6.149; p=0.002), and high humidity (aRR: 1.066; 95% CI: 1.002 - 1.133; p=0.043) had a higher likelihood of frequent scabies recurrences. Conclusion: The rate of scabies recurrence among adult patients in Saudi Arabia was high, and is comparable with previous report in Japan. The study suggests that male gender, first tertile, and high humidity were independently associated with the high rate of scabies recurrences among adults. An interventional program to lower the rate of scabies recurrences and prevent outbreak should be undertaken.

Enhancing the performance of gastrointestinal tumour board by improving documentation.

Tumour board contributes to providing better patient care by using a multidisciplinary team approach. In the efforts of evaluating the performance of the gastrointestinal tumour board at our institution, it was difficult to assess past performance due to lack of proper use of standardised documentation tool. This project aimed at improving adherence to the documentation tool and its recommendations in order to obtain performance measures for the tumour board. A multidisciplinary team and a plan were developed to improve documentation. Four rapid improvement cycles, Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, were conducted. The first cycle focused on updating the case discussion summary form (CDSF) based on experts' input and previous identified deficiencies to enhance documentation and improve performance. The second PDSA cycle aimed at incorporating the CDSF into the electronic medical records system and assessing its functionality. The third cycle was to orient and train staff on using the form and launching it. The fourth PDSA cycle aimed at assessing the ability to obtain tumour board performance measures. Adherence to completion of the CDSF improved from 82% (baseline) to 94% after the fourth PDSA cycle. Over 104 consecutive cases discussed in the tumour board between January and July 2016 and 76 cases discussed in 2015, results were as follows: adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines in 2016 was observed in 141 (95%) recommendations, while it was observed in 90 (92%) recommendations in 2015. Changes in the management plans were observed in 37 (36%) cases in 2016 and in 6 (8%) cases in 2015. Regarding tumour board recommendations, 87% were done within 3 months of tumour board discussion in 2016, while 69% were done in 2015. Implementing electronic standardised documentation tool improved communication among the team and enabled getting accurate data about performance measures of the tumour board with positive impact on healthcare process and outcomes.

The pattern of bone involvement, management, and outcomes in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer: A retrospective study.

CONTEXT AND AIM: The skeleton is a frequent site for metastasis in patients with breast, lung, and prostate cancer. Bone metastasis compromises skeletal integrity leading to skeletal-related events (SREs). This study aims at estimating the prevalence of bone metastasis in lung cancer and describing types of bone involvement, management, outcomes, and overall survival. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 259 patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer who consulted the Department of Medical Oncology at our institution between January 2002 and December 2012. We documented their lung cancer characteristics, presence of skeletal metastases, management types, outcome parameters, and survival status. RESULTS: A total of 116 patients (58.6%) were diagnosed with bone metastasis. The most common site of metastasis was the spine. The most common SREs were bone pain (44%) and need for radiotherapy (25.9%). Patients with adenocarcinoma (P = 0.002) and concomitant liver metastasis (P = 0.013) tended to have more incidence of bone metastasis. Survival rates were (36%) at 1 year, and (3%) at 5 years. Metastasis to the bone did not impact patients' survival. Patients tended to have worse survival in the presence of concomitant bone and liver metastases (P = 0.012), older age (P = 0.024), lower limb metastasis (P = 0.014), hypercalcemia (P = 0.001), and not receiving calcium therapy (P = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Metastatic bone disease is considered a huge burden on patients, clinicians, and the society. The majority of bone metastasis patients will experience SREs. Most SREs predict poor prognosis. Supportive therapy to overcome the reasons for poor prognosis may improve patients' survival and quality of life.

Impact of GI Tumor Board on Patient Management and Adherence to Guidelines.

PURPOSE: As the burden of cancer on the population and the health care system continues to increase with more complicated treatment options, the need for multidisciplinary teams to be as efficient as possible becomes more vital. Our study aimed to evaluate the consistency of GI Tumor Board (GI TB) recommendations with international guidelines, the adherence of physicians involved in patient care to TB recommendations, and the impact on the management of patients. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted from January to June 2016 at our institution, which is a major tertiary hospital that provides comprehensive cancer care. All cases presented at the GI TB during this period were included. Data regarding adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, adherence to TB recommendations, and changes made to the management of patients were collected weekly from the GI TB in a data collection form. RESULTS: Of the 104 patients included, 57 (55%) were males and the median age was 58 (16 to 85) years. Colorectal cancer was the most common diagnosis, in 65 patients (63%). Nearly one-half of cases (45%) were stage IV cancers. Starting new treatment was recommended for 72 patients (69%). Further investigations were requested for 15 patients (14%). For imaging, 24 recommendations (23%) were made. Adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines was observed in 97% of total recommendations. New findings were found in pathology (11%), radiology (13%), and staging (4%). Management plans were changed in 37 cases (36%). Over a 3-month period after presentation to the GI TB, most of the recommendations (87%) were performed. CONCLUSION: A multidisciplinary tumor board enhances the adherence to guidelines and has an impact on patient management in approximately one-third of patients. Among physicians, adherence to recommendations of the TB was high.

Factors associated with recovery delay in a sample of patients diagnosed by MERS-CoV rRT-PCR: A Saudi Arabian multicenter retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Research evidence exists that poor prognosis is common in Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) patients. OBJECTIVES: This study estimates recovery delay intervals and identifies associated factors in a sample of Saudi Arabian patients admitted for suspected MERS-CoV and diagnosed by rRT-PCR assay. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted on 829 patients admitted between September 2012 and June 2016 and diagnosed by rRT-PCR procedures to have MERS-CoV and non-MERS-CoV infection in which 396 achieved recovery. Detailed medical charts were reviewed for each patient who achieved recovery. Time intervals in days were calculated from presentation to the initial rRT-PCR diagnosis (diagnosis delay) and from the initial rRT-PCR diagnosis to recovery (recovery delay). RESULTS: The median recovery delay in our sample was 5 days. According to the multivariate negative binomial model, elderly (age ≥ 65), MERS-CoV infection, ICU admission, and abnormal radiology findings were associated with longer recovery delay (adjusted relative risk (aRR): 1.741, 2.138, 2.048, and 1.473, respectively). Camel contact and the presence of respiratory symptoms at presentation were associated with a shorter recovery delay (expedited recovery) (aRR: 0.267 and 0.537, respectively). Diagnosis delay is a positive predictor for recovery delay (r = .421; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: The study evidence supports that longer recovery delay was seen in patients of older age, MERS-CoV infection, ICU admission, and abnormal radiology findings. Shorter recovery delay was found in patients who had camel contact and respiratory symptoms at presentation. These findings may help us understand clinical decision making on directing hospital resources toward prompt screening, monitoring, and implementing clinical recovery and treatment strategies.

Improving physician's hand over among oncology staff using standardized communication tool.

Cancer patients are frequently admitted to hospital for many reasons. During their hospitalization they are handled by different physicians and other care providers. Maintaining good communication among physicians is essential to assure patient safety and the delivery of quality patient care. Several incidents of miscommunication issues have been reported due to lack of a standardized communication tool for patients' hand over among physicians at our oncology department. Hence, this improvement project aims at assessing the impact of using a standardized communication tool on improving patients' hand over and quality of patient care. A quality improvement team has been formed to address the issue of cancer patients' hand over. We adopted specific hand over tool to be used by physicians. This tool was developed based on well-known and validated communication tool called ISBAR - Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation, which contains pertinent information about the patient's condition. The form should be shared at a specific point in time during the handover process. We monitored the compliance of physician's with this tool over 16 weeks embedded by four 'purposive' and 'sequential' Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles; where each PDSA cycle was developed based on the challenges faced and lessons learned in each step and the result of the previous PDSA cycle. Physicians compliance rate of using the tool had improved significantly from 45% (baseline) to 100% after the fourth PDSA cycle. Other process measure was measuring acknowledgment of hand over receipt email at two checkpoints at 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. The project showed that using a standardized handover form as a daily communication method between physicians is a useful idea and feasible to improve cancer patients handover with positive impact on many aspects of healthcare process and outcomes.

Prevalence of sleep duration among Saudi adults.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations between sleep duration and a variety of demographic and clinical variables in a sample of Saudi adults.  Methods: A cross-sectional study among 2,095 participants was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, between May and October 2014. A questionnaire was administered to collect data related to clinical health outcomes and demographic characteristics. Participants were asked to report their average sleep duration per night in hours.  Results: One-third (33.8%) reported short sleep duration of less than 7 hours/night. Short sleep duration was more prevalent in females (37.3% versus 31.4%, p=0.004). The most common medical problems reported were obesity with body mass index of greater than 30 Kg/m2 (39.1%), hypertension (33.9%), diabetes mellitus (20.8%), depression (4.3%), asthma (17.3%), COPD (6.6%), and hyperlipidemia (2.7%). Diabetes mellitus was associated with long sleep of more than 9 hours/night (25.4%, p=0.011) and hypertension (54.2%, p=0.001). The linear regression model tend to reduce their sleep duration by roughly 22 minutes in female gender, 66 minutes in participants with hyperlipidemia, and 70 minutes in participants with poor sleep quality.  Conclusions: Short sleep duration per night was prevalent, it affects one in every 3 Saudi adults. Long sleep duration of more than 9 hours was associated with increased comorbid conditions.

The predictors of poor quality of life in a sample of Saudi women with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The protocols for treatment, along with many adverse effects, can strongly affect cancer patients' quality of life (QoL). As there is limited research on the QoL of Saudi Arabian women being treated for breast cancer, the purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of poor QoL in a sample of Saudi women with breast cancer. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 145 Saudi women with breast cancer who attended the Oncology Outpatient Clinic at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh for routine follow-up. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected for each patient, and a Medical Outcome Study Health Survey 36-Item Short Form (SF-36) instrument was used to assess QoL. RESULTS: Of 145 breast cancer patients studied, 42.1% had a family history of cancer and 52.4% were newly diagnosed cancer patients (first-year-after-cancer diagnosis). According to linear regression analyses, cancer patients with metastasis tended to have pain, along with poor physical function, little vitality, and poor general health (a decrease in SF-36 scores of 22.9, 15.0, 19.4, and 16.9, respectively). Regular exercise was a positive predictor of poor general health (an increase in the SF-36 score of 8.2). Patients with first-year-after-cancer diagnoses tended to have poor emotional well-being (a decrease in the SF-36 score of 8.5). CONCLUSION: In breast cancer patients, regular exercise was a significant positive predictor of better general health. Breast cancer patients with multiple tumors, metastasis, or fever tended to experience significantly poor QoL in several SF-36 domains. Clearly, a routine assessment of QoL in breast cancer patients is important.

The prevalence of abnormal leukocyte count, and its predisposing factors, in patients with sickle cell disease in Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION: High white blood cell (WBC) count is an indicator of sickle cell disease (SCD) severity, however, there are limited studies on WBC counts in Saudi Arabian patients with SCD. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of abnormal leukocyte count (either low or high) and identify factors associated with high WBC counts in a sample of Saudi patients with SCD. METHODS: A cross-sectional and retrospective chart review study was carried out on 290 SCD patients who were routinely treated at King Fahad Hospital in Hofuf, Saudi Arabia. An interview was conducted to assess clinical presentations, and we reviewed patient charts to collect data on blood test parameters for the previous 6 months. RESULTS: Almost half (131 [45.2%]) of the sample had abnormal leukocyte counts: low WBC counts 15 (5.2%) and high 116 (40%). High WBC counts were associated with shortness of breath (P=0.022), tiredness (P=0.039), swelling in hands/feet (P=0.020), and back pain (P=0.007). The mean hemoglobin was higher in patients with normal WBC counts (P=0.024), while the mean hemoglobin S was high in patients with high WBC counts (P=0.003). After adjustment for potential confounders, predictors of high WBC counts were male gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=3.63) and patients with cough (aOR=2.18), low hemoglobin (aOR=0.76), and low heart rate (aOR=0.97). CONCLUSION: Abnormal leukocyte count was common: approximately five in ten Saudi SCD patients assessed in this sample. Male gender, cough, low hemoglobin, and low heart rate were associated with high WBC count. Strategies targeting high WBC count could prevent disease complication and thus could be beneficial for SCD patients.

Effect of age and gender in the prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness among a sample of the Saudi population.

The aim of this study is to assess whether the effect of gender on the excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is influenced by two confounders (age and hours of sleep per night). A cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City-Riyadh (KAMC-R). A total of 2095 respondents answered a questionnaire that included questions regarding gender, age, hours of sleep per night, and daytime sleepiness using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). The prevalence of EDS was 20.5% (females 22.2%, males 19.5%, p-value=0.136). The EDS did not differ between genders, age groups, or hours of sleep per night (<6 vs. ⩾6h). However, stratified statistical analysis shows that the prevalence of EDS did differ according to gender (25.3% in females, 19.0% in males, p-value=0.036) in respondents with shorter hours of sleep per night. EDS was strongly related to female gender and young age (ages⩽29years) in respondents with short hours of sleep. This study reveals that one out of five of the general Saudi population has EDS. The effect of gender on EDS appeared to be influenced by hours of sleep per night. High EDS strongly related to female gender with short hours of sleep.