Breast Cancer Awareness Among Women in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent cancer worldwide, and second most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Early detection of BC significantly improves prognosis; thus, awareness is an important aspect of BC morbidity and survival as well as the economic burden. This systematic review aimed to explore awareness of BC among women in Saudi Arabia. Patients and Methods: A systematic search was performed using Medline, Scopus, the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and Google Scholar for all cross-sectional studies conducted in Saudi Arabia, published after the year 2000 and in English. The quality assessment of the included studies was performed using the AXIS tool. Results: The total number of included articles after full-text assessment was 13 articles that were conducted between 2005 and 2022. The sample size of all the articles was 7,562 women. All the studies categorized BC awareness into low, moderate, and high groups. The level of low awareness among women reached 66.3% (n=2808), 13.5% (n=570) had moderate awareness levels, and 20.2% (n=858) had high awareness levels. Furthermore, 59.4% (n=1446) of the participants did not perform breast self-examination (BSE) regularly. Conclusion: The level of awareness and knowledge regarding BC and BSE was significantly low among women in Saudi Arabia, as all included studies except one have indicated. We highly recommend and urge the implementation of effective special programs and campaigns to raise awareness regarding BC and integrating BSE into school health programs dedicated to women living in Saudi Arabia.

Monophasic versus biphasic hyaluronic acid filler for correcting nasolabial folds: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers are the most popular dermal fillers for wrinkle correction and facial rejuvenation. Recently, there has been an interest toward classifying HA fillers based on the cross-linking properties into monophasic (MHA) and biphasic (BHA) fillers. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety outcomes between MHA and BHA fillers for the correction of nasolabial folds (NLFs). METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, and CENTRAL for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared MHA filler to BHA filler for individuals with moderate-to-severe bilateral NLFs. We sought to evaluate the following outcomes: Wrinkle severity rating scale (WSRS), pain on visual analog scale (VAS), global aesthetic improvement scale (GAIS), and adverse events. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to represent continuous outcomes while risk ratio (RR) was used to represent dichotomous outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 11 RCTs that enrolled 935 participants deemed eligible. MHA filler revealed a significant improvement in the overall WSRS score and GAIS score compared to BHA filler (SMD = -0.38, 95% CI -0.49 to -0.27 and SMD = 0.34, 95% CI 0.24-0.45, respectively). No significant difference was noted between MHA and BHA fillers in terms of pain score or adverse events (SMD = -0.39, 95% CI -0.81-0.03 and RR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.89-1.12, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: MHA filler showed discernable cosmetic results and comparable effective and tolerability to BHA filler.

Patient-Reported Outcomes after Fibula Free Flap Harvest: A Pilot Study.

SUMMARY: Patient-reported outcomes regarding donor-site morbidity and quality of life for the fibula free flap in head and neck reconstruction patients have not been studied. The authors reviewed and identified patients who had undergone head and neck reconstruction using a fibula free flap (2011 to 2016). Patients were assessed via physical examination and two patient-reported outcomes questionnaires: the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (score range, 0 to 100) and the Pain Disability Questionnaire (score range, 0 to 100). Quantitative data were analyzed with appropriate statistical tests. Semistructured interviews exploring donor-site challenges were performed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Seventeen patients agreed to participate. Their mean age was 62 years (range, 41 to 81 years). Mean follow-up was 38 months (range, 12 to 65 years). Mean perceived level of function compared to baseline was 67 percent. Mean scores for the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score subscales were 84.6 (pain), 80.5 (symptoms), 86.7 (activities of daily living), 67.7 (sport), and 65.6 (quality of life). The mean Pain Disability Questionnaire score was 26.3 (mild/moderate perceived disability). Higher perceived level of function was associated with higher Foot and Ankle Outcome Score values (pain, symptoms, and activities of daily living, p < 0.05). Donor limbs had decreased range of motion and manual muscle testing scores compared with their contralateral limbs (p < 0.05). Lack of ankle support and balance, resulting in limitations and aversions to daily and sporting activities, were the most common themes regarding donor-site challenges. In conclusion, patients who have undergone fibula free flap harvest struggle with ankle support and balance and face functional difficulties that have an impact on their quality of life. Multidisciplinary approaches for targeted rehabilitation after fibula free flap harvest should be explored to determine the impact on patients' quality of life.

The Effect of Isolated Finger Stiffness on Adjacent Digit Function.

BACKGROUND: Isolated stiffness in a single finger can affect the function of adjacent digits and decrease overall hand function due to the quadriga phenomenon. This study objectively quantifies the dysfunctional impact of each individual stiff finger upon the remaining digits. METHODS: Twenty-five individuals (10 men and 15 women) with a mean age of 31 years (range, 18-58 years) without any upper limb pathology, neuropathy, or systemic illness were recruited. Volar-based finger splints were used to hold individual digits of the dominant hand (24 right and 1 left) sequentially in full extension at the metacarpophalangeal (MCP), proximal interphalangeal (PIP), and distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints. Motion of the remaining 3 nonsplinted digits was assessed using a finger goniometer and linear scale to measure the total active range of motion (TAM) and fingertip-to-distal palmar crease (DPC) distance. TAM before and after splinting for each digit was compared using 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: Splinting of any individual finger resulted in a significant reduction in the TAM of all adjacent fingers, regardless of which finger was splinted ( P < .001). Digits immediately adjacent to the splinted finger were more heavily impacted compared with nonadjacent digits. Splinting of the ring finger produced the greatest detriment, with a 26% to 47% reduction in the TAM and a DPC distance greater than 40 mm in a third of participants. The index finger caused the least disturbance to remaining digital motion. CONCLUSIONS: Isolated finger stiffness causes a variable degree of dysfunction on adjacent normal digits. This emphasizes the need for a focused and proactive approach to restore full active motion following isolated finger injuries to prevent persistent functional sequelae of the hand.