Dexamethasone versus methylprednisolone for multiple organ dysfunction in COVID-19 critically ill patients: a multicenter propensity score matching study.

BACKGROUND: Dexamethasone usually recommended for patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to reduce short-term mortality. However, it is uncertain if another corticosteroid, such as methylprednisolone, may be utilized to obtain better clinical outcome. This study assessed dexamethasone's clinical and safety outcomes compared to methylprednisolone. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study was conducted between March 01, 2020, and July 31, 2021. It included adult COVID-19 patients who were initiated on either dexamethasone or methylprednisolone therapy within 24 h of intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The primary outcome was the progression of multiple organ dysfunction score (MODS) on day three of ICU admission. Propensity score (PS) matching was used (1:3 ratio) based on the patient's age and MODS within 24 h of ICU admission. RESULTS: After Propensity Score (PS) matching, 264 patients were included; 198 received dexamethasone, while 66 patients received methylprednisolone within 24 h of ICU admission. In regression analysis, patients who received methylprednisolone had a higher MODS on day three of ICU admission than those who received dexamethasone (beta coefficient: 0.17 (95% CI 0.02, 0.32), P = 0.03). Moreover, hospital-acquired infection was higher in the methylprednisolone group (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.01, 4.66; p = 0.04). On the other hand, the 30-day and the in-hospital mortality were not statistically significant different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone showed a lower MODS on day three of ICU admission compared to methylprednisolone, with no statistically significant difference in mortality.

Association between body mass index and hemoglobin A1c with serum prostate-specific antigen level: A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) with serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was carried out at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from January 2016 to December 2021. Data were collected from the medical records of patients who visited the family medicine clinics, including demographics, smoking status, BMI value, index PSA level, testosterone level, digital rectal exam findings, prostate biopsy status, fasting blood glucose (FBG), HbA1c, diabetes duration, chronic comorbidities (namely, hypertension, dyslipidemia, or chronic kidney disease), and medication history. RESULTS: The mean PSA level was 1.89±4.02 ng/dL and mean HbA1c was 6.59±2.69%. Of the participants, 41.8% were overweight, 54.3% were non-diabetics, and 85.3% were nonsmokers. Only 11 (1.6%) participants had undergone a prostate biopsy after taking a PSA test. There was a positive correlation between PSA level and age, a negative correlation between PSA level and BMI, and no correlation between PSA level and HbA1c or FBG. CONCLUSION: Prostate-specific antigen levels were higher in older people and those with low BMIs. No correlations were found between PSA levels and HbA1c or FBG, even after adjusting for other variables. Moreover, no correlations were found between PSA levels and other comorbidities such as dyslipidemia, chronic kidney disease, and hypertension.

COVID-19 pandemic impact on primary immunization uptake.

Purpose/Background: Pediatricians across the world are seeing a steep drop in the number of children coming in for appointments due to COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent outbreaks of serious diseases that pose an even greater threat to children than COVID-19, it is important that children not skip their routine vaccines. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on primary immunization activities in Saudi Arabia. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional design. Methods and Material: The study was conducted at a community pediatric clinic. All parents of preschool-age children who visited the community pediatric clinics were asked to complete a self-administrated questionnaire on primary immunization uptake during the pandemic. Statistical Analysis Used: The Chi-square and Fisher's exact test were performed to examine the demographic differences between participants who missed vaccination during the pandemic and reasons for missing the vaccination. Results: Three hundred study participants completed our questionnaire. In total, 90.6% of respondents were up to date with their vaccinations prior to the pandemic, and most respondents believed that children should be immunized at an appropriate age, it is essential for children to be fully immunized, vaccination is effective in preventing serious disease, and childhood immunization is essential during the pandemic (98.3%, 98.7%, 97.3%, and 93.7%, respectively). In total, 72.4% of respondents did not miss their vaccinations during the pandemic, while 26.6% missed vaccinations. The most common reason for missing vaccinations during the pandemic was transportation difficulty and curfew, followed by fear of contracting COVID-19 infection (40.9% and 35.5%, respectively). Those who did not believe that childhood immunization was necessary during the pandemic were more likely to miss vaccinations during the pandemic (P < 0.001). In addition, those who did not have a family member with COVID-19 infection were more likely not to miss the vaccine (P < 0.001). Moreover, those who thought taking vaccinations in a primary care setting or hospital is safe were more likely not to miss the vaccination during the pandemic (P < 0.027) and (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Significant portion of the population was affected and missed immunizations during the pandemic. The perceptions on the importance of immunization and having a family member affected with COVID-19 during the pandemic were important factors in missing immunizations. Moreover, transportation and fear of contracting COVID-19 during the curfew were also common reasons for missing immunizations during the pandemic.

Impact of Ursodeoxycholic Acid in Critically Ill Patients With Sepsis: A Retrospective Study.

Background: Using ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in critically ill patients as adjunctive therapy for sepsis/septic shock in neonates and children is controversial, while it has not been extensively investigated in adults. This study aims to assess the effect of UDCA use on the early resolution of sepsis/septic shock in critically ill adult patients. Method: A retrospective study of critically ill adult patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) admitted with sepsis/septic shock at King Abdulaziz Medical City. Based on their usage of UDCA, patients were categorized into two groups. A total of 88 patients were included for analysis after matching, based on severity of illness scores within 24-hours of ICU admission. The primary outcome was to assess the effect of UDCA on the severity and resolution of shock at day three of ICU admission. The secondary outcomes were 30-day in-hospital mortality, mechanical ventilation (MV) duration, and ICU length of stay (LOS). Results: Out of the 88 patients matched, 44 patients (50%) received UDCA during the study period. Using UDCA was neither associated with improvement in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (p-value: 0.32), inotropes/vasopressors requirement (p-value: 0.79), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) (p-value: 0.59) nor total bilirubin levels (p-value: 0.79) at day three compared with the control. There was a significant association between using UDCA and improvement in PaO2/FiO2 ratio (p-value: 0.01) and early extubation at day three (p-value: 0.04). Conclusion: Using UDCA in critically ill patients with sepsis/septic shock was not associated with improvement in shock severity and resolution. However, patients who received UDCA were more likely to be extubated and not require MV on day three of ICU admission.

Attitude and hesitancy of human papillomavirus vaccine among Saudi parents.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is closely associated with cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine is expected to protect against two-thirds of cervical cancer cases in Saudi Arabia. Objectives: To determine the awareness and attitude regarding the HPV vaccine among Saudi parents attending family medicine clinics in Riyadh. Materials and Methods: All Saudi parents of patients of Family Medicine Pediatric Clinics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC), Riyadh, were invited to participate in this study between November 2019 and May 2020. A culturally sensitive and specially designed questionnaire was administered using an interview-based model. The data collected included sociodemographic information, knowledge of HPV and its vaccine, and attitudes regarding HPV acceptance. Results: A total of 296 study participants completed our questionnaire on the HPV vaccine. About 70.6% of the participants were not aware of the HPV vaccine and the majority of them either did not know or did not associate HPV as an etiology for cervical cancer (38.8 and 37.8%, respectively). Only 28.6% of the participants were aware that cervical cancer can be prevented by a vaccine and 89.5% of the study participants did not receive the HPV vaccine for themselves or their children. The employee status was significantly associated with a history of receiving the HPV vaccine (χ2 (2) = 10.607, P =0.005), while age and the level of education had a statistically significant relationship with planning on having the HPV vaccine ((χ2 (9) = 51.841, P <.001) and (χ2 (12) = 23.977, P =0.02), respectively). The level of awareness of the HPV vaccine was significantly associated with a history of having the HPV vaccine; (χ2 (1) = 38.486, P <.001) as well as with planning on having the HPV vaccine (χ2 (1) = 38.486, P <.001). Moreover, the reasons for hesitancy were a statistically significant factor for unvaccinated respondents who were not planning to have the HPV vaccine (χ2 (21) = 97.689, P <.001) while it was not significantly associated with the unvaccinated respondents who were planning to have the HPV vaccine (χ2 (9) = 6.989, P =.63). Conclusion: Our study clearly demonstrated a poor level of awareness and attitude toward the HPV vaccine among Saudi parents. A higher level of awareness of the HPV vaccine was significantly associated with planning on having the vaccine. There is a need for effective awareness programs for better HPV-related education in order to increase the acceptance of the HPV vaccine among Saudi parents.

Evaluation of Low-Dose Aspirin use among Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19: A Multicenter Propensity Score Matched Study.

BACKGROUND: Aspirin is widely used as a cardioprotective agent due to its antiplatelet and anti-inflammatory properties. The literature has assessed and evaluated its role in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. However, no data are available regarding its role in COVID-19 critically ill patients. This study aimed to evaluate the use of low-dose aspirin (81-100 mg) and its impact on outcomes in critically ill patients with COVID-19. METHOD: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study of all critically ill adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) between March 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. Eligible patients were classified into two groups based on aspirin use during ICU stay. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and other outcomes were considered secondary. Propensity score matching was used (1:1 ratio) based on the selected criteria. RESULTS: A total of 1033 patients were eligible, and 352 patients were included after propensity score matching. The in-hospital mortality (HR 0.73 [0.56, 0.97], p = 0.03) was lower in patients who received aspirin during stay. Conversely, patients who received aspirin had a higher odds of major bleeding than those in the control group (OR 2.92 [0.91, 9.36], p = 0.07); however, this was not statistically significant. Additionally, subgroup analysis showed a possible mortality benefit for patients who used aspirin therapy prior to hospitalization and continued during ICU stay (HR 0.72 [0.52, 1.01], p = 0.05), but not with the new initiation of aspirin (HR 1.22 [0.68, 2.20], p = 0.50). CONCLUSION: Continuation of aspirin therapy during ICU stay in critically ill patients with COVID-19 who were receiving it prior to ICU admission may have a mortality benefit; nevertheless, it may be associated with an increased risk of significant bleeding. Appropriate evaluation for safety versus benefits of utilizing aspirin therapy during ICU stay in COVID19 critically ill patients is highly recommended.

The Role of Inhaled Corticosteroids (ICS) in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19: A Multicenter, Cohort Study.

Background: Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can boost the systematic inflammatory response in critically ill patients, causing a systemic hyperinflammatory state leading to multiple complications. In COVID-19 patients, the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) is surrounded by controversy regarding their impacts on viral infections. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ICS in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and its clinical outcomes. Method: A multicenter, noninterventional, cohort study for critically ill patients with COVID-19 who received ICS. All patients aged ≥ 18 years old with confirmed COVID-19 and admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 were screened. Eligible patients were classified into two groups based on the use of ICS ± long-acting beta-agonists (LABA) during ICU stay. Propensity score (PS)-matched was used based on patient's Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, systemic corticosteroids use, and acute kidney injury (AKI) within 24 h of ICU admission. We considered a P-value of < 0.05 statistically significant. Results: A total of 954 patients were eligible; 130 patients were included after PS matching (1:1 ratio). The 30-day mortality (hazard ratio [HR] [95% confidence interval [CI]]: 0.53 [0.31, 0.93], P-value = 0.03) was statistically significant lower in patients who received ICS. Conversely, the in-hospital mortality, ventilator-free days (VFDs), ICU length of stay (LOS), and hospital LOS were not statistically significant between the two groups. Conclusion: The use of ICS ± LABA in COVID-19 patients may have survival benefits at 30 days. However, it was not associated with in-hospital mortality benefits nor VFDs.

Clinical and epidemiological aspects of herpes zoster disease in a primary care setting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A retrospective cohort study.

Context: Herpes zoster (HZ), or shingles, is one of the most common infectious diseases. HZ can be associated with other diseases, such as cancer and immunocompromised conditions. Thus, early recognition of the disease characteristics and clinical manifestations is critical to decrease the disease burden and to avoid further complications. Aim: To assess the epidemiology of HZ disease, its clinical manifestations, coexisting and post-existing conditions, complications, and management among patients in a primary care setting. Subjects and Methods: This was a retrospective, single-armed, cohort study. Data of all patients diagnosed with HZ, aged 18 years and older, who visited the Family Medicine Department at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center from January 2014 to August 2021 were reviewed from their medical records. All data analyses were performed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical software, version 20.0. Results: A total of 330 cases were included over the study period. The male-to-female ratio was 1:2, with a higher occurrence of HZ (44.5%) in those aged ≥ 50 years. Only 4.5% of the patients were recipients of zoster vaccines. Thoracic dermatome was the most affected dermatome (38%). The most common coexisting disease was diabetes (21.5%). The most common post-existing disease was cardiovascular disease (3%), and the most common complication was postherpetic neuralgia (15.2%). Suboptimal dosage of acyclovir was the most commonly used treatment for HZ infections (69.7%). Conclusions: Zoster vaccination uptake was low. A national program for adult vaccination, including zoster vaccination, should be developed, and a guideline to direct primary health-care professionals in the management of HZ infections should be implemented.

Cancer cells are highly susceptible to accumulation of templated insertions linked to MMBIR.

Microhomology-mediated break-induced replication (MMBIR) is a DNA repair pathway initiated by polymerase template switching at microhomology, which can produce templated insertions that initiate chromosomal rearrangements leading to neurological and metabolic diseases, and promote complex genomic rearrangements (CGRs) found in cancer. Yet, how often templated insertions accumulate from processes like MMBIR in genomes is poorly understood due to difficulty in directly identifying these events by whole genome sequencing (WGS). Here, by using our newly developed MMBSearch software, we directly detect such templated insertions (MMB-TIs) in human genomes and report substantial differences in frequency and complexity of MMB-TI events between normal and cancer cells. Through analysis of 71 cancer genomes from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we observed that MMB-TIs readily accumulate de novo across several cancer types, with particularly high accumulation in some breast and lung cancers. By contrast, MMB-TIs appear only as germline variants in normal human fibroblast cells, and do not accumulate as de novo somatic mutations. Finally, we performed WGS on a lung adenocarcinoma patient case and confirmed MMB-TI-initiated chromosome fusions that disrupted potential tumor suppressors and induced chromothripsis-like CGRs. Based on our findings we propose that MMB-TIs represent a trigger for widespread genomic instability and tumor evolution.

Assessment of Potential Live Kidney Donors and Computed Tomographic Renal Angiograms at Christchurch Hospital.

Aims. To examine the outcome of potential live kidney donors (PLKD) assessment program at Christchurch Hospital and, also, to review findings of Computed Tomographic (CT) renal angiograms that led to exclusion in the surgical assessment. Methods. Clinical data was obtained from the database of kidney transplants, Proton. Radiological investigations were reviewed using the hospital database, Éclair. The transplant coordinator was interviewed to clarify information about PLKD who did not proceed to surgery, and a consultant radiologist was interviewed to explain unfavorable findings on CT renal angiograms. Results. 162 PLKD were identified during the period January 04-June 08. Of those, 65 (40%) proceeded to have nephrectomy, 15 were accepted and planned to proceed to surgery, 13 were awaiting further assessment, and 69 (42.5%) did not proceed to nephrectomy. Of the 162 PLKD, 142 (88%) were directed donors. The proportion of altruistic PLKD who opted out was significantly higher than that of directed PLKD (45% versus 7%, P = 0.00004). Conclusions. This audit demonstrated a positive experience of live kidney donation at Christchurch Hospital. CT renal angiogram can potentially detect incidental or controversial pathologies in the kidney and the surrounding structures. Altruistic donation remains controversial with higher rates of opting out.

Control of type 2 diabetes in King Abdulaziz Housing City (Iskan) population, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of control and prevalence of type 2 diabetes in King Abdulaziz Housing City (Iskan) population of Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional study conducted in a primary-care setting. All Type 2 diabetics referred to our diabetes center between January 2011 and January 2015 were identified, and their computerized records reviewed. Glycated hemoglobin levels (HbA1c), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), blood pressure (BP), and the albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) were noted and the patients categorized accordingly. Demographic data (age and gender) were also documented. Inactive patients (not seen for more than 2 years) were excluded. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of type 2 diabetes for all age groups in ISKAN population was 3.25%. About 56% of the diabetics were female and 70% were aged between 18 and 59 years. The rate of uncontrolled diabetes was 59.3%. Males were more likely to have uncontrolled diabetes (odds ratio: 1.44, CI: 1.17-1.76, P = 0.0004). Forty percent of the diabetics had an LDL above target (≥2.6 mmol/l) while 25.9% had uncontrolled hypertension (BP ≥ 140/90). Of those who had an ACR test done within the last year (59.3%), the rate of micro- and macro-albuminuria was 8.8% and 2.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence of type 2 diabetes in our community seems lower than the previously reported national figures. An alarming number of diabetics in our population have an uncontrolled disease. More stringent diabetes annual review and recall program is needed to control diabetes and reduce complications.