Pre-Treatment and Post-Treatment Dental Anxiety in Patients Visiting Intern Dental Clinic.

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to assess the dental anxiety of patients using the modified dental anxiety scale (MDAS) questionnaire along with examining the possible relationship between dental anxiety and sociodemographic factors. Materials and Methods: The MDAS questionnaire was used to assess the anxiety level of the patients which included a total of five questions and five options to respond to each question. MDAS questionnaire was filled out by all the patients before the dental treatment. After finishing the treatment, all the patients were given a post-treatment questionnaire to assess their anxiety levels after treatment. Descriptive statistics were performed for measuring the frequency of responses. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the anxiety between the gender. The chi-square test was used to identify the distribution of pre-treatment with gender and post-treatment questionnaire with gender and treatment modalities. Linear regression was used to identify the association between clinical variables and different levels of anxiety. Results: A total of 115 patients including 59 males and 56 females with a mean age of 35 ± 11.34 years were included in the current study. Female patients were significantly more anxious about dental treatment compared to male patients. Linear regression showed that age and gender have a significant association with the pre-treatment anxiety level; however, types of treatment is not associated with the MDAS. Anxiety levels decreased for the majority of the patients after the treatment and types of treatment did not show any differences with the post-treatment anxiety level. Conclusions: Age and gender play an important role in dental anxiety; however, types of treatment are not associated with pre-treatment and post-treatment dental anxiety.

A Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Knowledge About Breast Cancer and Perceived Barriers to the Uptake of Mammogram Screening Among Northern Saudi Women: A Population-Based Study.

Background: Mammogram screening (MS) is the gold-standard method for early detection of breast cancer (BC), and its use has been proven to minimize BC-related deaths and reduce treatment costs. However, recent epidemiological surveys have reported that rates of mammogram uptake by the Saudi female population are low. Here, we assessed the knowledge of BC and perceived barriers to MS uptake among pre-eligible northern Saudi women. Participants and Methods: We administered a standard and validated Arabic questionnaire to 400 women aged 40-69 years. SPSS version 21.0 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA) was used for data analysis. We applied logistic regression analysis to find the factors associated with participants' knowledge of BC and MS. Spearman correlation test was applied to find the correlation between knowledge and barrier scores. Results: The study participants reported that smoking habits (61.3%) and unhealthy food habits (57.8%) were the most common risk factors for BC. Of the studied participants, 56.3% had low or medium degrees of knowledge about BC risk factors and MS. The degree of knowledge was significantly associated with education level (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.35; 95% confidence interval [CI]. = 1.61-3.13; P = 0.008) and a family history of BC (aOR, 3.66; 95% CI, 1.94-5.49; P < 0.001). Fear of a BC diagnosis (50.8%) and concerns regarding test procedures were the most common barriers to MS uptake. We also found a negative correlation between participants' knowledge and perceived barriers to MS (rho = -0.389, P < 0.001). Conclusion: We recommend that concerned authorities offer women multiple health education sessions covering BC risk factors and the necessity for pre-eligible women to undergo MS spaced at regular intervals at different facilities. Furthermore, a multicentric mixed-methods survey is warranted to find the qualitative aspects of barriers to MS.

Evaluation of Some Dental Myths Among the Adult Population in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background To provide effective oral health care to patients and healthy individuals, it is critical to recognize prevalent myths. Most myths cause patients to follow the wrong protocol in dentistry, which can make treatment difficult for the dentist. This study aimed to assess dental myths among the Saudi Arabian population in Riyadh. Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among Riyadh adults between August and October 2021. Saudi nationals aged 18-65 living in Riyadh without cognitive, hearing, or vision impairments and with limited or no trouble interpreting the questionnaire were surveyed. Only participants who consented to participate in the study were included. JMP Pro 15.2.0 was used to evaluate survey data. Frequency and percentage distributions were used for dependent and independent variables. The chi-square test evaluated the statistical significance of the variables, with a p-value of 0.05 being considered statistically significant. Results A total of 433 participants completed the survey. Half of the sample (50%) were aged 18-28; 50% were men; and 75% had a college degree. Higher-educated men and women did better on the survey. In particular, 80% of the participants believed "teething causes fever." "Placing a (pain killer) tablet on a tooth reduces pain" was believed by 34.40% of the participants, and 26% thought pregnant women should not get dental work. Lastly, 79% of the participants believed that "infants obtain calcium from their mother's teeth and bone." Most sources of these pieces of information were online (62.60%). Conclusions Nearly half of the participants believe in dental health myths, and as a result, people follow unhealthy practices. This results in long-term health consequences. The government and health professionals must prevent the spread of such misconceptions. In this regard, dental health education may be helpful. Most of this study's crucial findings are consistent with those of prior studies, indicating its accuracy.

Knowledge and Perception of e-Cigarettes among Dental Students in Riyadh Region Saudi Arabia.

Background: Tobacco use is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Dentists play a vital role in tobacco abstinence and counseling. Dental institution being a foundation for a clinical practice from where they can practice and implement the habit of tobacco counseling. E-cigarette can be availed over-the-counter and can be used as alternative to conventional tobacco smoking to reduce ill effects of tobacco. Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess dental student's knowledge, prevalence, and perception about e-cigarette. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done on 400 dental students studying in different universities at Riyadh region, KSA. Questions related to prevalence, knowledge, and awareness about e-cigarette were asked. Results: Forty-four percent of participants were found to be smokers, 26% of the participants had used an e-cigarette themselves with 21% currently using the same. Conclusion: This effective therapeutic tool should be known well by the upcoming budding and professional practicing dentists with through knowledge of each dimensions, merits and demerits of the same to develop positivity in inculcating and encouraging in patient tobacco abstinence program.

Role of MicroRNAs in Cardiac Disease with Stroke in Pregnancy.

Pregnancy-related cardiovascular disease with stroke remains a considerable source of higher maternal morbidity and mortality occurs in periods of pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. It is essential to counsel the mother before pregnancy by an expert cardiologist and obstetric team to discuss any event related to preexistent cardiac or past preeclampsia for estimation of maternal and fetal risks. In pregnancy, the cardiac state includes hypertensive disorders, ischemic heart disease, valvular disease, and postpartum stroke. The incidence of stroke is increasing in pregnancy, particularly in postpartum, and its strong relationship with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (preeclampsia). The combined cardiologist and obstetrics team requires during pregnancy mainly due to the approach to the management of a cardiac disease that subsequently prevents stroke postpartum. Therefore, a general perception of cardiac disease during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum should be a core knowledge extent for all cardiovascular and clinicians. Many studies provided linked that deregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) in maternal circulation and placenta tissue may development of pregnancy complications including preeclampsia considered a diagnostic marker. The desire of this review provides a detailed outline of current knowledge and dealing in this field with strength on the physiological changes during pregnancy.

Female Healthcare Workers' Knowledge, Attitude towards Breast Cancer, and Perceived Barriers towards Mammogram Screening: A Multicenter Study in North Saudi Arabia.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries. This analytical cross-sectional study assessed knowledge, attitude towards breast cancer, and barriers to mammogram screening among 414 randomly selected female healthcare workers from multiple healthcare facilities in northern Saudi Arabia. Of the studied population, 48.6% had low knowledge, and 16.1% had a low attitude towards breast cancer risk factors and symptoms. The common barriers to mammogram screening were fear to discover cancer (57.2%) and apprehension regarding radiation exposure (57%). Logistic regression analysis found that lack of awareness regarding mammogram was significantly associated with age (p = 0.030) and healthcare workers category (ref: physicians: p = 0.016). In addition, we found a significant negative correlation between knowledge and barrier scores (Spearman's rho: −0.315, p < 0.001). It is recommended to develop target-oriented educational programs for the healthcare workers, which would empower them to educate the community regarding the risk factors and the importance of mammogram screening. Furthermore, a prospective study is warranted in other regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to understand the region-specific training needs for the healthcare workers.

Brain Tumor/Mass Classification Framework Using Magnetic-Resonance-Imaging-Based Isolated and Developed Transfer Deep-Learning Model.

With the advancement in technology, machine learning can be applied to diagnose the mass/tumor in the brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This work proposes a novel developed transfer deep-learning model for the early diagnosis of brain tumors into their subclasses, such as pituitary, meningioma, and glioma. First, various layers of isolated convolutional-neural-network (CNN) models are built from scratch to check their performances for brain MRI images. Then, the 22-layer, binary-classification (tumor or no tumor) isolated-CNN model is re-utilized to re-adjust the neurons' weights for classifying brain MRI images into tumor subclasses using the transfer-learning concept. As a result, the developed transfer-learned model has a high accuracy of 95.75% for the MRI images of the same MRI machine. Furthermore, the developed transfer-learned model has also been tested using the brain MRI images of another machine to validate its adaptability, general capability, and reliability for real-time application in the future. The results showed that the proposed model has a high accuracy of 96.89% for an unseen brain MRI dataset. Thus, the proposed deep-learning framework can help doctors and radiologists diagnose brain tumors early.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Schistosoma mansoni co-infection in a young patient with extensive longitudinal acute transverse myelitis.

INTRODUCTION: Acute transverse myelitis is an uncommon inflammatory, intramedullary, disorder of the spinal cord. Spastic paraplegia, impaired sphincter functions, and sensory loss, with sensory level, are the clinical manifestations of this devastating disorder. The utilization of magnetic resonant imaging (MRI) contributes to the surge in the diagnosis of more ATM cases. Although the causes of ATM are numerous, both Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Schistosoma mansoni are uncommon causes and their co-existence in the same patient has not been reported before in Saudi Arabia. CASE: We report a 25-year-old ATM male patient presented with a history of sudden onset severe low back pain. Within four hours from the onset of the back pain, he became completely paraplegic with impaired functions of the bowel and urinary bladder sphincter. Furthermore, he lost all modalities of sensory functions in the lower limbs. His examination revealed spastic complete paraplegia with sensory level at T6. Clinical neurological examination revealed normal upper limbs and brain functions. The MRI of the cervico-dorsal spine showed extensive longitudinal hyperintense lesion extending from the upper cervical segments to the lower dorsal segments (extensive longitudinal transverse myelitis). A post-infectious immune-mediated predisposition was highly suspected due to the very high titers of anti-Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgM and IgG that were detected. The immunosuppressant therapy did not improve his paraplegia. A spinal cord biopsy revealed the presence of several Schistosoma mansoni ova surrounded by chronic inflammatory reactions and reactive gliosis. CONCLUSIONS: Both Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Schistosoma mansoni should be investigated in cases with extensive longitudinal ATM.

Association between breast arterial calcifications found on mammography and coronary artery calcifications in asymptomatic Saudi women.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there are no data on the prevalence of breast arterial calcification (BAC) in Saudi women. Furthermore, there are no data on the relationship between BAC and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) as a coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factor in Saudi women who undergo mammography. OBJECTIVE: Examine the role of BAC as a potential female-specific risk factor for CAD in Saudi women in order to investigate the relationship between BAC and CACS in women who undergo a screening mammography, and study the relationship between BAC and CAD risk factors, including age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic kidney disease (CKD), dyslipidemia, and family history of CAD. DESIGN: Retrospective, medical records review. SETTING: Single tertiary care center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study cohort included women who had mammograms and a CACS scan, and for whom data on CAD risk stratification and CAD risk factors had been collected within one year of each other from 2014 to 2017. Women with CAD were excluded from the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Breast arterial calcification as a marker for coronary artery disease. SAMPLE SIZE: 307 Saudi women. RESULTS: BAC was found in 142 (46%) patients in the study population. BAC+ women were significantly older than the BAC- women (P=.001), and a strong association was found between BAC and CACS (P=.0001), diabetes (P=.0001), hypertension (P=.021), and CKD (P=.0031). However, no association was found between BAC and tobacco smoking, dyslipidemia, and family history of CAD. In addition, a strong correlation was found between CACS and the components of the BAC score (P less than .001). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that age, CAC, and CKD are the only strong predictors of BAC. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of BAC in Saudi women is 46%, and there may be a strong association between BAC and CAC, age, hypertension, and CKD. A large-scale prospective research study is necessary to validate the role of BAC on screening mammography as a CAD risk stratification tool and before routine reporting of BAC on a mammography report. LIMITATIONS: Because this was a retrospective study, patient selection bias cannot be excluded. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

The Relationship Between Absence Coronary Artery Calcification and Myocardial Perfusion Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery calcification score (CACS) is well validated prognostic tool in coronary artery disease (CAD). The data on the prevalence of myocardial ischemia on myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (MPS) in symptomatic patients with zero CACS and low to intermediate risk probability is lacking and controversial. The aim of our study was to evaluate the capability of zero CACS to exclude myocardial ischemia on MPS. METHODS: A total of 157 patients ((mean age 53 ± 10 years), 88 (56%) female patients, 69 (44%) male patients) who were suspected to have CAD and having low to intermediate pretest likelihood for CAD underwent CACS on dedicated computed tomography (CT) scanners. CACS was reported as zero in all patients, subsequently all patients underwent MPS. Patients with abnormal MPS underwent additional imaging with coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). RESULTS: All patients had zero CACS, of which 122 (78%) had normal MPS, and 35 (22%) had abnormal MPS. Abnormal MPS included fixed defect in 22 (13%), equivocal in 10 (6%), and reversible defect in four (3%) patients. All patients with abnormal MPS had further imaging with CTCA. CTCA was normal in 30 (85%) patients, one patient had coronary artery stenosis more than 50%, one patient had coronary artery stenosis less than 50%, one patient had anomalous origin coronary artery, and two patients had myocardial bridging. Patients with abnormal MPS and normal coronary artery had dilated cardiomyopathy in 14 (40%), asymmetrical septal hypotrophy in one (3%), and mitral valve disease in three (9%). CONCLUSIONS: Zero CACS in stable patients with low or intermediate risk indicated very low likelihood of obstructive CAD, less than 1%. Patients with zero CACS and normal MPS most likely will not benefit from further testing; however, patients with abnormal MPS will need further imaging with CCTA. CCTA is helpful in this group of patients for evaluation of coronary artery and cardiac morphology.

Primary Osteosarcoma of the Breast Arising in an Intraductal Papilloma.

INTRODUCTION: Primary osteosarcoma of the breast is extremely rare, and an osteosarcoma arising from an intraductal papilloma is exceptional. CASE PRESENTATION: A 72-year-old Saudi Arabian woman presented with a solid, bone-containing breast mass that was diagnosed as primary osteosarcoma of the breast on biopsy. She had a history of untreated intraductal papilloma. Treatment was completed with a modified mastectomy after excluding extramammary metastases. However, she subsequently developed multiple recurrent lesions at the same site. CONCLUSION: Primary osteogenic sarcomas of the breast are very rare. Although the main treatment is resection the optimal management remains uncertain and prognosis is poor.