Electronic Cigarette Prevalence and Knowledge Among Medical Students in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain: A Cross-National Study.

Background Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes and vapour devices) are the most commonly used form of alternative tobacco products (ATPs). The use of these vapour devices has been dramatically increasing worldwide, especially among current and former traditional cigarette smokers. A strong influence that will affect patients' health attitudes and play a crucial role in tobacco control and smoking cessation are medical students, as they are future physicians. Therefore, in our study, we aimed to determine the prevalence rate of e-cigarettes and the level of knowledge among medical students in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Methods  We conducted a cross-sectional study of medical students in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain using an online survey. This was distributed through social media platforms such as Twitter, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Facebook. Medical students of all years were included. The questionnaire was adapted from two previous studies. Results  The study enrolled 1730 medical students. The majority of the participants did not recommend the use of e-cigarettes as a method for smoking cessation or believed that these types of ATPs lower the risk of cancer in comparison with traditional cigarettes. The data showed a strong association between gender and e-cigarette smoking, with the majority of current smokers being men (n = 184) and experimental smokers being women (n = 800). Moreover, an educational gap was discovered, as few of the students had received an education in their medical school's curriculum on the use of e-cigarettes. There was a significant association between receiving an education at a medical school and having adequate knowledge of e-cigarettes. Conclusion  The increasing number of e-cigarette users among medical students is concerning. Our study showed that students are not receiving a decent education on the use of ATPs during medical school, which urges further adjustment of the curriculum. This will play a huge role in their behaviour and the provision of future treatment plans to patients as physicians.

Preferred Mode of Therapy Among Patients in Rheumatoid Arthritis Saudi Database: A Cross-Sectional Study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Current knowledge of patients' preferences for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment is limited. Our goal was to determine the most favorable mode of therapy and the reasons behind choosing each route among RA patients in the Rheumatoid Arthritis Saudi Database (RASD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional, nationwide, qualitative study, we conducted interviews with 308 RA patients to assess their preferred mode of therapy (oral, subcutaneous (SC) injection, or intravenous (IV) infusion) and to determine the reasons behind their choice. The determining factors behind patients' preferred mode of therapy were evaluated using a 10-point allocation system (1 = least important, 10 = most important). RESULTS: We interviewed 308 RA patients (83.4% females, mean age, 48 years). Among all administration modes, the oral route was identified as the most preferred mode among our patients, with a percentage of 73.3%, followed by SC injection and IV infusion at 19.5% and 7.3%, respectively. Ease of drug administration was the most reported reason for patients who chose the oral route over the injection route (63.2%). Difficulty remembering to take the drug and finding it hard to swallow the pills were the highest-scored reasons for avoiding the oral route (24.9%). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates and emphasizes the importance of shared decision-making between patients and their physicians. The oral route of therapy is, by far, the most preferred mode among our cohort of RA patients.

Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunctions Following COVID-19 Infection: Factors That Affect Their Duration in Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION:  Many people infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have developed post-COVID-19 symptoms, which are defined as symptoms and signs (e.g., anosmia and ageusia) that persist for more than 12 weeks after getting infected with COVID-19. These symptoms may appear after or during the infection and cannot be explained by any alternative disease. In this study, we aim to investigate the factors that affect the duration of anosmia and ageusia in Saudi Arabia. METHODS:  We conducted a nationwide, cross-sectional study using an online survey in Saudi Arabia from 14 February 2022 to 23 July 2022. The electronic survey was distributed using social media platforms, such as Twitter, WhatsApp, and Telegram. RESULT:  The study enrolled 2497 individuals who were infected with COVID-19. A total of 60.1% of the participants showed symptoms of anosmia, ageusia, or both after getting infected with COVID-19. According to our data, we found that being a female and not having a repeated COVID-19 infection were risk factors (independent predictors) of the long duration of anosmia after COVID-19 recovery (p = <0.05). While being a male patient, a smoker, and being admitted to the ICU were risk factors (independent predictors) of long duration of ageusia after COVID-19 recovery (p = <0.05). CONCLUSION:  In conclusion, the prevalence of chemosensory dysfunction symptoms, both olfactory and gustatory, after COVID-19 infection among the Saudi population was high. However, several factors can influence their duration, including gender, smoking, and severity of the 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.

Determinants of Post-COVID-19 Conditions among SARS-CoV-2-Infected Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Large numbers of people infected with COVID-19 developed acute symptoms. Post-COVID-19 conditions have been reported after recovery or discharge from the hospital. However, little is known about the prevalence and possible risk factors of post-COVID-19 conditions in the Saudi community. Here, we describe the incidence of post-COVID-19 conditions among the general population of Saudi Arabia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, nationwide study using an online survey in Saudi Arabia from 1 September 2021 to 28 February 2022. The survey was distributed using social media platforms, such as Twitter, WhatsApp, and Facebook. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were included in the questionnaire adapted from published studies. Result: The study enrolled 7520 individuals who were previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. Most patients in our study were symptomatic and their acute symptoms may persist for more than six days. On the other hand, long-term complications may develop and continue for an extended period (post-COVID-19 conditions). Most of these complications are respiratory, neurological, psychological, or skin related. The proportion of long-term complications reported in this study is 36% among SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals. In addition, being female, old age, number of chronic complications, long-term medication, length of stay in hospital and intensive care unit, and duration of acute symptoms may be significant predictors of post-COVID-19 symptoms. Conclusion: In conclusion, the incidence of post-COVID-19 conditions among the Saudi population was high, which urges further investigation into the risk factors associated with post-COVID-19 symptoms.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Medical Education: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia.

Background: As the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has made a tremendous impact on medical education and healthcare institutions, we aimed to measure effects of online classes on medical students' comprehension in comparison with attending campus classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional survey has been conducted between September 2020 and June 2021 in the western region of Saudi Arabia. The Convenience sampling technique was conducted to collect the data from medical students in their basic and clinical years, using a questionnaire that involved 45 multiple-choice and multiple-answer questions. Results: Out of 3700 questionnaires, 922 completed the questionnaires from 11 different medical schools. Umm AL-Qura University had the highest response rate with 232 responses (25.2%), followed by King Abdulaziz University with 186 responses (20.2%). The majority of institutions preferred Blackboard and Zoom as platforms for e-learning. A total of 355 (38.5%) believed that it resulted in higher academic achievement, whereas 555 (60.2%) of students believed the limitation of clinical access was one of the biggest disadvantages of e-learning. Overall, 518 (56.2%) of students did not want to continue using e-learning on its own in the future. Whereas 668 (72.5%) wished to keep using e-learning in combination with traditional learning. Conclusion: According to our findings, advantages of e-learning vary among students. Most of the students thought e-learning to be an interactive system that provides a learning opportunity. In contrast, many of the students believed that there were many disadvantages regarding online teaching methods.

Punctate Palmoplantar Keratoderma: A Case Report of Type 1 (Buschke-Fischer-Brauer Disease).

Punctate palmoplantar keratoderma is a rare hereditary palmoplantar keratoderma. Herein we report a 59-year-old male, otherwise healthy, who presented with a 25-year history of asymptomatic persistent slowly progressing skin lesions on both hands. The parents are non-consanguineous and none of his family members had similar lesions. Skin examination revealed multiple tiny keratotic pits on both palms. Punch skin biopsy from the palmar lesion revealed epidermal depression with an overlying column of compact orthokeratosis. Based on the above clinicopathological findings, a diagnosis of punctate palmoplantar keratoderma type 1 was made. The patient was started on 40% urea and 20% salicylic acid ointment for months but with little improvement.