ABSTRACT
Background The objective of this cross-sectional study is to identify the prevalence of contraceptive use and the knowledge and attitudes of Saudi women towards it. Methods We distributed a survey to Saudi women aged 19-49 attending primary care centers under King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh to identify their views on using contraceptives and what they know about them. We calculated the sample size using the Roasoft sample calculator. Results This study enrolled 432 Saudi women. The number of women who were contraceptive users was 249 (57.6%). Among those who were using contraceptives, the most common reason was the idea of taking care of themselves and avoiding consecutive pregnancies (105, 42.2%). Of the non-users, the most common reason was concerns regarding side effects (41%). The most commonly used contraceptive methods were contraceptive pills (55.6%) and intrauterine devices (IUDs) (17.6%). The most commonly used non-pharmacological contraception methods were withdrawal (17.6%) and rhythm (8.6%). Conclusion In this study, factors associated with contraceptive use among Saudi women were explored. Demographic data, type, attitude, and associations provided insight into factors taken into consideration while developing future contraceptives in addition to improving clinical practice.
ABSTRACT
Background In this study, we aimed to analyze various complications following cataract surgery in diabetic patients and compare the outcomes of diabetic patients with comorbidities versus diabetic patients without comorbidities. Methodology This study was conducted in the adult ophthalmology department at a tertiary teaching care center. A retrospective cross-sectional chart review was conducted from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019. The selection was made using a non-probability consecutive sampling technique with a data collection sheet to include all male and female Saudi diabetic patients 40-80 years old who underwent cataract surgery in 2019. The data were divided into diabetic patients with comorbidities and diabetic patients without comorbidities to assess the postoperative complications in both groups. SPSS version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) was used for data analysis. Results This study analyzed 290 diabetic patients; the most common age group was more than 65 years old (150, 51.7%), with slightly more females (147, 50.7%). A total of 181 (62.7%) patients had complications after surgery, and 255 (87.9%) patients had comorbidities. The most reported complication was corneal edema (181, 62.4%). Additionally, hypertension was the most frequently reported comorbidity (206, 71%). We also found that complications after cataract surgery were more common among females (p = 0.025). Conclusions The most prevalent postoperative cataract surgery complication was corneal edema in 181 (62.4%) patients. Despite comorbidities, no changes were reported in the prevalence of postoperative complications.
ABSTRACT
Background Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) are disproportionately vulnerable to COVID-19 and its complications due to the older age and significant burden of comorbid conditions. Data about the impact of COVID-19 on the ESKD population in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is scarce, and this study aims to bridge this gap. Method This is a retrospective cohort study that included ESKD patients who were receiving either in-center hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) for at least three months and were hospitalized due to COVID-19 at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh (KAMC) between March 2020 and March 2021. Of note, the in-center hemodialysis means that the patients come to the dialysis center three times per week to receive their dialysis sessions, as home hemodialysis is not available at our center. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to explore the association of clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters with ICU admission and mortality. Results A total of 104 patients were included in the analysis. The mean age was 62.6 (SD=17.4) years, 101 (97%) were on HD, predominantly through a central venous catheter (72%), and 53 patients (51%) were male. Patients with COVID-19 were either asymptomatic (42%) or had mild symptoms (37%), mainly cough and fever. At the time of admission, 37 patients (36%) had extrapulmonary symptoms, and 13 patients (12%) had altered mental status. Normal chest X-ray (48%), followed by bilateral lung infiltrates (24%), and unilateral lung infiltrate (11%) were the most common radiological findings. We did not observe any thromboembolic events. Twenty patients (19%) required ICU admission and 19 patients (18%) died during hospitalization. Predictors for in-hospital mortality were: 1) the need for inotropes (adjusted OR: 53.01, p=0.006), 2) age (adjusted OR: 1.07, p=0.019), and 3) C-reactive protein (CRP) level on admission (adjusted OR: 1.02, p=0.04). We did not find any strong predictor for ICU admission. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that COVID-19 carries significant mortality and morbidity in the ESKD population. Age, inotropic support requirement and elevated CRP on admission predicted mortality in our population. The high rate of adverse outcomes of COVID-19 among ESRD patients calls for strict implementation of preventive measures, including vaccination, social distancing, and universal masking at the level of both the healthcare providers and patients. Further studies are needed to assess the association of COVID-19 and hypercoagulability ESKD population.
