LEOPARD Syndrome with a Sporadic PTPN11 Mutation in a Saudi Patient.

LEOPARD syndrome (LS) is a rare autosomal dominant inherited or sporadic genetic disorder caused commonly by missense mutations in the protein-tyrosine phosphatase-nonreceptor type 11 (PTPN11) gene. Due to its rarity and a high chance of misdiagnosis, the epidemiological profile of LS is poorly established. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second report with a documented PTPN11 gene mutation in Saudi Arabia.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Among the Public in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Cross-Sectional Survey-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Obstruction of the Eustachian tube is a common condition that is unpleasant and might lead to various middle ear disorders. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) among the public in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted in Jeddah during August 2018 by distributing an electronic survey form to participants from different districts of the city. All male and female residents of Jeddah aged 10 years and above had the chance to participate in this study. RESULTS: A total of 2372 participants (female, 1535/2372, 64.71%; male, 837/2372, 35.28%; mean age 31.31 years, SD 11.85 years) agreed to contribute to our study. Upon analysis of their answers to the questionnaire, the overall prevalence of ETD in our sample was found to be 42.49% (1008/2372). The prevalence was higher among participants who reported a previous diagnosis of ETD and hearing loss (1897/2372, 80.00% and 1902/2372, 80.21%, respectively). Additionally, participants with a family history of hearing loss had a significantly higher prevalence (1136/2372, 47.92%) of ETD than those with no family history of hearing loss. Our analysis also showed that females were at a greater risk of developing ETD than males (P=.01). CONCLUSIONS: As per our prevalence data, ETD is a common disease in Jeddah, pointing to the need for more attention, awareness, and research.

Awareness, knowledge, and attitude toward nonmelanoma skin cancer and actinic keratosis among the general population of western Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the levels of awareness, knowledge, and attitude, including sun-protection habits, toward basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis among the Saudi population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the general population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia using a 12-item survey concerning the knowledge and awareness of basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis, as well as associated preventive measures. A Chi-square test was used to determine associations among variables. RESULTS: The majority of participants were unaware of basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis (80.7%), while 8.6% were aware of both, and 9.8% and 1% were aware of only basal cell carcinoma or actinic keratosis, respectively. The majority of participants who were educated up to high school level had no knowledge of either condition (96%, P < 0.0001). Among participants with high levels of awareness of basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis, medical practitioners were identified as the main source of information (72.5%, P < 0.0001, and 70.6%, P < 0.0001, respectively). The majority of participants whose knowledge of the relationship between sun exposure and skin cancer was insufficient also lacked sufficient awareness of either basal cell carcinoma or actinic keratosis (92.6%, P < 0.0001). The majority of participants (62.8%) declared using sunscreen "rarely". CONCLUSION: This study showed a low level of knowledge about the risks associated with sun exposure and suitable protection methods, with only a small fraction of participants declaring a regular use of sunscreen. Public education campaigns are required to increase the awareness of cancer risks and protection methods among the Saudi population.

Skin metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix to the lower extremities: Case report and review of the literature.

Squamous cell carcinoma of cervix commonly metastasizes to the lymph nodes of the pelvis and skin metastasis is a rare presentation even in the late stages of cervical cancer. We report here the first case of cervical cancer with skin metastasis in Saudi Arabia in a 69-year-old female that preceded the diagnosis of cervical carcinoma. Microscopic examination of the skin lesion revealed poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The patient was in stage IVB based on the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system. Due to her late presentation and advanced stage, the decision was to place the patient on palliative therapy. Later, the patient passed away due to the progression of her disease. The case reported in this paper emphasizes the need for a complete clinical assessment to rule out metastatic disease from cases with known cervical cancer and include skin examination in their follow-up.

Awareness of Interventional Radiology Among Medical Students at a Saudi Medical School: Clerkship versus Pre-clerkship Years.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess the awareness of interventional radiology (IR) as a specialty among medical students and determine any difference between the clerkship and pre-clerkship years. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, survey-based study in February 2018 at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Five hundred and forty-two medical students were enrolled. The survey consisted of 17 items canvassing student awareness of and interest in IR. The data were compared using the chi-square test. RESULTS: A large proportion of the respondents (n = 199, 36.7%) rated their knowledge of IR as poor, and 85 (15.7%) reported that they knew nothing about IR. Only 87 students (16.1%) responded that they would consider a career in radiology. The most common reason for not considering IR was lack of knowledge (42.9%). Students in their clerkship years had more interest and exposure to IR than pre-clerkship students (73.0%, p < 0.001 and 55.7%, p = 0.030, respectively). Awareness of IR was significantly more common among those interested in diagnostic radiology and IR (65.5%, p < 0.001 and 61.5%, p = 0.010, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of and exposure to IR is poor among medical students, and can only be increased by a direct contribution from IR physicians to the undergraduate curriculum. Lack of a unified radiology curriculum in medical schools across the country should be addressed by the Council of Deans of Saudi Medical Schools. Involvement of the Saudi Interventional Radiology Society and Radiological Society of Saudi Arabia is essential.

Prevalence and predictors of depression among dermatology clinic patients in a teaching hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

CONTEXT: Depression in patients with a skin condition can lead to severe consequences that affect the quality of life. To our knowledge, the estimated prevalence of depression in patients who visited dermatological clinics in Jeddah remains unknown. AIMS: To assess the prevalence of depression among patients with dermatological conditions and evaluate the association between clinical and demographic characteristics and depressive symptoms. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted among dermatological patients at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used for screening depression. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Chi-square test and odds ratios (ORs) were used to determine the association among variables. RESULTS: The study included 273 participants. More than two-thirds (194) of the participants were women (71.1%). Depressive symptoms were prevalent in 43 (15.8%) participants. Depression was the most prevalent among patients with psoriasis (39.5%, P < 0.001), followed by those with acne (30.2% P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Psychosocial assessment should be addressed when evaluating and treating dermatological diseases. Screening tools, including PHQ-9, can facilitate the early detection of depressive symptoms and improve clinical outcomes. Addressing psychosocial aspects of skin conditions may help in reducing exacerbation of symptoms, mainly for conditions aggravated by stress, including dermatitis and psoriasis.

Pattern and severity of sleep apnea in a Saudi sleep center: The impact of obesity.

AIM: The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of obesity on the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by assessing the relationship between OSA and body mass index (BMI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 among patients who had been referred to the sleep center at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) for polysomnography between January 2012 and September 2017. The data were abstracted from the medical records of these patients at KAUH. Initial data analysis included descriptive statistics; Chi-square test, t-test, and one-way ANOVA as appropriate were used to assess the associations between the variables. RESULTS: The study included 803 patients; the average age of the patients was 45.9 years and 56.5% were male. About 70.4% were obese, 54% of whom were classified as having Class 3 obesity. Approximately, 75% patients had OSA. The prevalence of OSA was higher among obese patients (77.7%) compared to nonobese patients (22.3%). Moreover, the severity of OSA was higher in obese patients, with 85.3% of obese patients considered as having severe OSA. CONCLUSION: Obesity is a considerable risk factor for developing OSA and could play a major role in increasing the severity of the disease. We encourage further studies on the impact of sedentary lifestyle and its association with OSA in Saudi Arabia, with an emphasis on the evaluation of the cost-effectiveness and burden of the disease.

Pattern of skin diseases in a university hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: age and sex distribution.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have investigated the pattern of dermatological diseases in some regions of Saudi Arabia, but studies on the prevalence of skin diseases in Jeddah are lacking. OBJECTIVES: Assess the pattern of skin diseases in Jeddah based on age and sex differences and compare the results with those of previous studies conducted in other regions of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. DESIGN: A cross-sectional prevalence study, retrospective. SETTING: Dermatology clinic of King Abdulaziz University hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data obtained from electronic medical records were summarized and analyzed. We only included new patients, who first visited the clinic in 2017. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Descriptive epidemiological data and statistical comparisons. SAMPLE SIZE: 1244. RESULTS: Among 3458 patients who attended the dermatology clinic, 1244 were new patients. There were 365 (29.3%) men and 879 (70.7%) women for a male-to-female ratio of 1:2.4. The mean (SD) age of the total population was 35 (3.8) years. The most common dermatological disease was dermatitis (n=266, 21.4%), followed by acne (n=195, 15.7%) and fungal infection (n=136, 10.9%). Atopic dermatitis was the most prevalent dermatome in children (41.7%), while acne was the most prevalent disease in adults (19.5%). The chi-square test indicated a significant difference between acne and sex (P=.007), with adult women being more commonly affected (79%) and for alopecia and sex (P less than .001), with women being more commonly affected (91.2%). CONCLUSIONS: There are slight differences in the prevalence of dermatological diseases in Jeddah, as shown in this study and other studies from other regions in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. We recommend initiating awareness campaigns to increase knowledge about skin diseases, particularly in men, and improving dermatology-related training programs for primary health care physicians. A population-based study is warranted to clarify the prevalence of skin diseases in Saudi Arabia. LIMITATIONS: The inclusion of patients who visited the dermatology clinic only in 2017 and data collection from only registration records. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.