Characteristics and treatment results of patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in a tertiary care centre.

BACKGROUND: Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NET) are rare neoplasms with limited reported data from the Middle East. Our study aims to report the clinicopathological feature, treatment patterns, and survival outcomes of patients with GEP-NET from our part of the world. METHODS: Medical records of patients diagnosed with GEP-NET between January 2011 and December 2016 at a single center in Saudi Arabia were reviewed retrospectively, and complete clinicopathological and treatment data were collected. Patients' survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: A total of 72 patients were identified with a median age of 51 years (range 27-82) and male-to-female ratio of (1.1). The most common tumor location was the pancreas (29.1%), followed by small bowel (25%), stomach (12.5%), rectum (8.3%), colon (8.3%), and appendix (6.9%). Forty-one patients (57%) had well-differentiated grade (G)1, 21 (29%) had G2, and 4 (6%) had G3. In five patients, the pathology was neuroendocrine carcinoma and in one it could not be classified. 54.2% of the patients were metastatic at diagnosis. Forty-two patients underwent surgical resection as primary management while 26 underwent systemic therapy, three patients were put on active surveillance, and one was treated endoscopically with polypectomy. The 5-year overall survival and progression-free survivals were 77.2% and 49%, respectively, for the whole group. Patients with G1 and 2 disease, lower Ki-67 index, and surgically treated as primary management had significantly better survival outcomes. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that the most common tumor locations are similar to western reported data. However, there seems to be a higher incidence of metastatic disease at presentation than in the rest of the world.

Changes in physical activity during COVID-19 pandemic among Saudi Arabians: Results from a cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant change in sedentary behaviors have had immense health, economic, and social implications globally. As governments worldwide imposed lockdowns and curfews, the amount of time spent indoors greatly increased. This lead to a dramatic change in physical activity (PA) levels and profound consequences on daily routines. Our study aimed to investigate patterns of PA during the COVID-19 pandemic among adults residing in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional survey-based study aimed to investigate patterns of PA during the COVID-19 pandemic among adults residing in Saudi Arabia. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was utilized to measure participants' PA levels between April 2021 and May 2021. Participants were then classified into three groups according to their PA level, and their PA levels and sedentary behaviors were analyzed. Results: We surveyed 463 participants, 315 (68%) of which were female and 134 (32%) of which were male with a median age of 23 (interquartile range, 21-35) years. Moderate-to-high PA was reported by 257 (55.7%) of the participants. There was a significant decrease in PA during the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant lockdowns among the participants (p = 0.04), with higher rates of sedentary behavior among males than females (p = 0.14). Conclusions: The decline in PA is a profound challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic that needs to be addressed by health practitioners and policymakers. Our study highlights the decline in PA levels seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of promotional programs and interventions to increase PA among the Saudi Arabian population without compromising the essential health restrictions and social distancing.

Chronic Lymphocytic Inflammation With Pontine Perivascular Enhancement Responsive to Steroids: An Acute Presentation.

Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS) is a rare disease with an unknown etiology which most commonly results in subacute diplopia and ataxia. Diagnosis is achieved through a triad of the following findings: lymphocytic pleocytosis with increased CD4+ T cells on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis; perivascular punctate and curvilinear hemorrhages in the pons, medulla, or cerebellum on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast; and the cessation of symptoms after the initiation of corticosteroids. Here, we report the case of a 23-year-old male who presented with non-specific signs and symptoms, including diffuse weakness in all limbs, ataxia, and slurred speech. The diagnosis was achieved through a contrast MRI of the brain, suggestive of brainstem encephalitis, and a CSF analysis, which revealed elevated glucose and protein levels. Intravenous methylprednisolone was administered for five days and resulted in acute improvement of the patient's clinical status. Repeat CSF analysis and MRI of the brain with contrast two weeks later showed resolution of previous findings. CLIPPERS syndrome is a newly identified disease thought to cause a predominantly inflammatory reaction in the pons, medulla, cerebellum, and supratentorial region. MRI with contrast tends to reveal a "salt and pepper appearance" in a punctate and curvilinear fashion. The hallmark of treatment is corticosteroid therapy, and discontinuation of therapy should be done with caution as relapse of the syndrome with corticosteroid withdrawal has been documented.

Application of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) to modulate inflammation in critical COVID-19 - A theoretical perspective.

COVID-19 is an airway disease that has affected ~125 million people worldwide, caused by a novel coronavirus termed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2), spread through respiratory droplets, direct contact, and aerosol transmission. Although most patients presenting with absent or mild symptoms recover completely, the highest morbidity and mortality rates are seen in the elderly, and patients with comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, immunosuppressive diseases, diabetes, and pre-existing respiratory illnesses. Several therapeutic strategies have been examined, but a wide-ranging therapeutic option for particularly severe cases of COVID-19 remains to be elucidated. Considering the indications presented by COVID-19 patients who present similarly with inflammatory conditions, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) administration has been examined as a possible route to reduce proinflammatory markers such as ESR, CRP and ferritin by reducing inflammation, based on its anti-inflammatory effects as indicated by utilisation of IVIG for numerous other inflammatory conditions. Herein, summarising the recent key clinical evaluations of IVIG administration, we present our hypothesis that administration of IVIG within a specific dosage would be extremely beneficial towards reducing mortality and perhaps even the length of hospitalisation of patients exhibiting severe COVID-19 symptoms.

A Case Report of Renal Tuberculosis With Associated Unusual Pulmonary Findings.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a wide-reaching chronic inflammatory disease predominantly infecting the lungs. When it infects other sites, it is termed extrapulmonary TB. Among the extrapulmonary forms, genitourinary TB (GU-TB) accounts for 30%-40% of cases. We report a case of pulmonary-renal TB with unusual pulmonary findings. Subsequent investigation of a frank haematuria case revealed positive Mycobacterium TB culture and acid-fast bacillus polymerase chain reaction (AFB-PCR) samples of urine, with abdominal imaging findings suggestive of GU-TB. Pulmonary involvement was evident on chest imaging as bilateral innumerable small nodules and tree-in-bud pattern with negative AFB-PCR from bronchoalveolar lavage samples. Clinicians practicing in endemic countries should adopt a high index of suspicion to avoid treatment delays and the development of complications of GU-TB.