Prevalence of Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis, and Atopic Dermatitis and Their Association With Oral Health in Saudi Arabia.

Background  The word "atopy" is frequently used to describe immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated diseases. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma is increasing and disconcerting in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to investigate the association between allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, asthma, and oral health among adults in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study of 726 adults using an electronic questionnaire was adopted. The study was carried out from January to December 2022. The questionnaire included demographic data, patients' diseases in response to inclusion and exclusion criteria, oral health status and symptoms, and dental health-related behaviors. Results Most participants were aged from 18 to <40 years (79.1%). More than half of the participants were females (53.6%); 39.7% of participants had poor oral health. Poor health was significantly higher among obese subjects as well as those with lower levels of physical activity, higher perceived levels of stress, those who received a sealant, and those who brushed their teeth for ≤ one time per day. The results showed that the individual symptoms of oral health did not associate significantly with being diagnosed with allergic rhinitis or asthma in the past 12 months. However, atopic dermatitis was independently associated with a chipped or broken tooth (OR = 1.52) and pain in the tongue or inside the cheeks (OR = 3.57). Conclusion Poor oral health was significantly associated with atopic dermatitis in Saudi adults. Some systemic diseases are considered chronic diseases, and they are multifactorial; thus, we cannot claim that periodontal pathogens are the definite cause of systemic infections. More studies are necessary to find a definitive association.

Dupilumab-Induced Scalp Psoriasis in a Patient With Prurigo Nodularis: A Case Report.

There are few reports of dupilumab-induced psoriasis recently published. Here, we present a case of a 50-year-old female with a three-month history of persistent itchy scalp lesions. She had an unremarkable past medical history except that she was diagnosed with prurigo nodularis (PN) three years ago and was on dupilumab treatment for one year. Skin examination revealed multiple silvery scaly plaques on her scalp. The examination of the nails and mucous membranes was normal; there were no skin lesions. Based on the above clinical findings, the patient was diagnosed with dupilumab-induced scalp psoriasis. Dupilumab was stopped. Anti-psoriasis treatment (0.05% betamethasone dipropionate-calcepitriol gel) was started and the patient showed improvement. She was put under periodic follow-up.

Drug-Induced Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Without Skin Manifestations: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) typically involves a skin rash, mucositis, and conjunctivitis. Previous reports of SJS without skin manifestations affect children and are usually associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. We present a rare case of oral and ocular SJS without skin lesions in a healthy adult after exposure to azithromycin without mycoplasma pneumonia infection.

Effect of the COVID-19 Vaccine on the Menstrual Cycle among Females in Saudi Arabia.

Background: The number of reports of menstrual changes after COVID-19 vaccination in the Saudi population is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 vaccine(Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Moderna) on the menstrual cycle among females in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Saudi Arabia at Umm Al-Qura University (UQU) from August 2021 to February 2022. Data was collected through a previously validated online questionnaire. Results: A total of 2338 participants who received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine participated in this study; 1606 (68.7%) of them received the second dose in addition to the first. The mean age of the study participants was 35.4±9.5 years. No significant associations were found between the type of COVID-19 vaccine and the impact on the menstrual cycle, either for the first or second dose (P-values > 0.05). A significant association was found only between the first dose vaccination day and the impact on the menstrual cycle in the second question of "After receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, your next period was" (P-value ≤ 0.05). Significant associations were found between the second dose vaccination day and the impact on the menstrual cycle in the first and second questions of "After receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, your next period was", and "After receiving the first dose, your next period was," respectively (P-values ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: The study found a potential association between the COVID-19 vaccine and menstrual cycle irregularities, which could impact females' quality of life.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome in the COVID-19 Pandemic.

There have been several reported cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) infection that were associated with an increased incidence of neurological manifestations, including Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). This review aims to present information on the reports of GBS associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Our review is retrospective work examining articles published from the 1 April 2020 to the 8 May 2021 in the English language. We used the diagnostic criteria and classification published by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and Brighton Collaboration. GBS is usually a postinfectious syndrome, but GBS in the COVID-19 pandemic also takes on a para-infectious profile. In the reports, the genetic factor has a role in developing GBS in some patients. In conclusion, the association between COVID-19 and GBS is not very clear. Still, one mechanism is strongly associated with COVID-19 and immune-mediated neurological complications, which is molecular mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 and human autoantigens.