The cardiovascular disease burden attributable to particulate matter pollution in South America: analysis of the 1990-2019 global burden of disease.

OBJECTIVES: Fine particulate matter <2.5 microns (PM2.5) is the most studied air pollutant. Both short- and long-term exposure to PM2.5 have been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Studies evaluating air pollution in South America are scarce. Therefore, the impact of exposure to PM2.5, household air pollution (HAP), and ambient air pollution (AAP) on CVD mortality and CVD disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in South American countries from 1990 to 2019 was explored. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The Global Burden of Disease initiative exposure-response function was used to analyze the total PM2.5, ambient PM2.5, and household PM2.5-related CVD deaths and DALYs rates, per 100,000 individuals, in 12 South American countries between 1990 and 2019. The relative change in burden was also assessed by comparing the 1990-1994 to 2015-2019 periods. RESULTS: In 2019, 70,668 deaths and 1,736,414 DALYs due to CVD were attributed to total PM2.5 exposure in South America. Substantial regional heterogeneity was observed concerning the absolute change in PM2.5 concentration levels comparing 1990 to 2019. All South American countries observed a relative decline in CVD deaths and DALYs comparing the 1990-1994 to 2015-2019 periods. No country was able to reach the current World Health Organization 5 µg/m3 recommended limit in 2019. Predominantly, AAP was the greatest contributor to the CVD burden. CONCLUSION: Air pollution substantially impacted CVD in South America; however, this impact was heterogenous, and the relative reduction of HAP and AAP burden was also not uniform. Recognizing PM2.5 importance is key for developing target population and individual-level interventions, which could ultimately alleviate its burden.

First report of pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation activities in the eastern mediterranean region from 1984 to 2011: on behalf of the pediatric cancer working committee of the eastern mediterranean blood and marrow transplantation group.

To describe the hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) activities for children in the Eastern Mediterranean (EM) region, data on transplants performed for children less than 18 years of age between 1984 and 2011 in eight EM countries (Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia) were collected. A total of 5187 transplants were performed, of which 4513 (87%) were allogeneic and 674 (13%) were autologous. Overall, the indications for transplantation were malignant diseases in 1736 (38.5%) and non-malignant in 2777 (61.5%) patients. A myeloablative conditioning regimen was used in 88% of the allografts. Bone marrow (BM) was the most frequent source of stem cells (56.2%), although an increasing use of PBSC was observed in the last decade. The stem cell source of autologous HSCT has shifted over time from BM to PBSC, and 80.9% of autologous HSCTs were from PBSCs. The donors for allogeneic transplants were matched-related in 94.5% of the cases, and unrelated transplants, mainly cord blood (99%) in 239 (5.5%) cases. This is the first report to describe the pediatric HSCT activities in EM countries. Non-malignant disorders are the main indication for allogeneic transplantation. Frequency of alternate donor transplantation is low.

Mode of delivery and risk of intracranial haemorrhage in newborns with severe haemophilia A: a multicentre study in Gulf region.

INTRODUCTION: The optimum mode of delivery in a known carrier of a haemophilia A is still an issue of debate. AIM: This study was conducted to report a multicentre experience in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on the incidence of intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) in newborns with severe haemophilia A delivered by different modalities. METHODS: We have conducted a retrospective/prospective multicentre cohort study including a total of seven hospitals distributed in four GCC countries between 1998 and Jan 2015. A total of 163 patient with severe haemophilia A (factor VIII <1%) were enrolled in this study, age ranged between 2 weeks to 18 years. RESULTS: Most of the patients were born by spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD) (131, 80.4%), whereas 26 patients (16%) were born by CS and only six patients were born by instrumental delivery (3.7%), five of them by vacuum and one was delivered using forceps. Five out of 163 patients developed ICH during the first 2 weeks of life (3.1%). Two of them were born by SVD (2/131; 1.5%) and two were born by instrumental delivery (2/6; 33.3%). Only one patient among those who were born by caesarean section developed ICH (1/26; 3.8%). Assisted vaginal delivery was associated with a significant risk of ICH, in comparison to SVD and CS (P = 0.0093). CONCLUSION: Normal vaginal delivery is still considered a safe journey through the birth canal for haemophilic newborns particularly in this area of the world. Larger prospective studies might be needed to define an evidence-based optimal mode of delivery for the haemophilia carrier expecting an affected child.

Patient safety culture among nurses.

BACKGROUND: Patient safety is considered to be crucial to healthcare quality and is one of the major parameters monitored by all healthcare organizations around the world. Nurses play a vital role in maintaining and promoting patient safety due to the nature of their work. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate nurses' perceptions about patient safety culture and to identify the factors that need to be emphasized in order to develop and maintain the culture of safety among nurses in Oman. METHODS: A descriptive and cross-sectional design was used. Patient safety culture was assessed by using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture among 414 registered nurses working in four major governmental hospitals in Oman. Descriptive statistics and general linear regression were employed to assess the association between patient safety culture and demographic variables. RESULTS: Nurses who perceived more supervisor or manager expectations, feedback and communications about errors, teamwork across hospital units, and hospital handoffs and transitions had more overall perception of patient safety. Nurses who perceived more teamwork within units and more feedback and communications about errors had more frequency of events reported. Furthermore, nurses who had more years of experience and were working in teaching hospitals had more perception of patient safety culture. CONCLUSION: Learning and continuous improvement, hospital management support, supervisor/manager expectations, feedback and communications about error, teamwork, hospital handoffs and transitions were found to be major patient safety culture predictors. Investing in practices and systems that focus on improving these aspects is likely to enhance the culture of patient safety in Omani hospitals and others like them. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: Strategies to nurture patient safety culture in Omani hospitals should focus upon building leadership capacity that support open communication, blame free, team work and continuous organizational learning.

Hyponatraemia in cancer: association with type of cancer and mortality.

Hyponatraemia is common in patients with cancer. The objectives of this study are to investigate the severity distribution of hyponatraemia and its association with mortality. We retrospectively reviewed medical records for patients admitted to a national centre for cancer care and research in Qatar between 2008 and 2012. A model was built through multivariate analyses to investigate the role of hyponatraemia in mortality. Patients were grouped into those who had moderate-severe hyponatraemia (Na < 130) and those who only had normal-mild hyponatraemia (Na ≥ 130). A total of 2048 patients were included in this study. Prostate (57.1%), pancreatic (50%), liver (49%) and lung (40.2%) cancers showed the highest frequency of moderate-severe hyponatraemia, while breast cancer showed the lowest frequency at 23.5%. In the multivariate analyses, patients with moderate-severe hyponatraemia (Na < 130 mmol/L) were 4.28 times more likely to die than those with normal-mild hyponatraemia (Na ≥ 130) (P < 0.05). The present study shows that hyponatraemia is a common electrolyte disturbance among hospitalised patients with cancer diagnoses. The severity of hyponatraemia was a statistically significant independent factor associated with higher in-hospital mortality. This is in accordance with the reported literature and emphasises the importance of early diagnosis and correction of hyponatraemia.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Oman.

Hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) is an integral part of the management of patients with hematologic disorders. The Sultanate of Oman, with a population of 2.3 million, has an HSCT program based in the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) hospital. Initiated in 1995, this two-bed unit continues to be the only program in the country. Between June 1995 and August 2006, a total of 128 patients underwent HSCT in this center, averaging about 10-12 transplants per year. The median age of these patients was 11 years (2 months to 45 years). Hematologic malignancies (49%) and inherited disorders (42%) constituted the major transplant indications, whereas BM failure accounted for the remaining. The majority of transplants carried out so far have been HLA-matched sibling-donor allogeneic HSCTs. Among the inherited disorders, homozygous beta-thalassemia and primary immunodeficiency are important transplant indications in this center. The approximate cost of an uncomplicated transplant in this center is US$50,000. The success of this program has now led to the initiation of a new and larger HSCT complex to provide the opportunity for more patients to benefit from this treatment modality within the country.

Sickle cell-haemoglobin E (HbSE) compound heterozygosity: a clinical and haematological study.

The paucity of clinical reports in the world literature suggests that, as a disease entity, haemoglobin SE compound heterozygosity is of negligible importance. In view of the significant community prevalence of this haemoglobinopathy in the Sultanate of Oman where it is the second most prevalent sickling disorder, a hospital study of 12 SE compound heterozygotes from six unrelated Arab families was undertaken to determine their clinico-haematological features. Our findings were compared with those reviewed in the literature. Clinical and haematological evaluation was carried out by conventional methods including chromatographic haemoglobin analysis. At least 50% of those studied were asymptomatic throughout the study period but sickling-related complications occurred in the rest and included the acute chest syndrome (1/12), severe vaso-occlusive skeletal pain (2/12), frontal bossing (1/12) possibly indicative of significant chronic haemolysis and recurrent infections of the urinary tract (1/12). Steady-state haemoglobin levels fell within the reference range while MCV and MCH values were, as expected, reduced in most cases; nevertheless, concomitant inheritance of alpha-thalassaemia trait was also likely. Red cell morphology was striking by the absence or rarity of pseudo-sickled cells in the blood films of many patients during the steady state and in crises. Bearing in mind the prevalence of 0.05% of SE compound heterozygosity in Oman, the findings in this single study of the largest number of SE patients and their relatives confirm the predominantly asymptomatic nature of this sickling disorder in individuals in the community at large. HbF levels do not appear to explain the heterogeneous nature of this haemoglobinopathy. Correlation of the variable clinical and haematological features of SE cases with their alpha-globin gene status and beta-cluster haplotypes (linked to the beta(s)- and beta(e)-genes) merits a separate investigation, which is being currently organized.

Orbital involvement in sickle cell disease: a report of five cases and review literature.

PURPOSE: To present five cases of orbital infarction in sickle cell disease and review relevant literature. METHOD: We reviewed the hospital records of 5 patients with sickle cell disease who developed a periorbital swelling during a vaso-occlusive crisis and were managed at our hospital between April 1992 and June 2000. RESULTS: The 5 patients (4 with homozygous sickle cell disease and 1 with sickle cell-beta-thalassaemia disease) were aged 6-15 years with a history of multiple admissions for vaso-occlusive crises. The periorbital swelling spread to the orbit in 4 cases and resulted in proptosis (2 cases), restriction of ocular motility and visual impairment. In all 4 cases, computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging of the orbits showed a mass adjacent to the orbital wall. In 2 cases the mass was identified as a haematoma. Orbital wall infarction was demonstrated in 3 cases by bone/bone marrow scintigraphy. Epidural haematomas were detected by computed tomography in one case. All patients received intravenous fluids, analgesics, broad spectrum antibiotics and steroids, as well as simple or exchange transfusion, and responded well to medical management. CONCLUSIONS: Infarction of orbital bones during vaso-occlusive crises in sickle cell disease presents acutely with a rapidly progressive periorbital swelling. Haematomas frequently complicate the condition and, along with the inflammatory swelling, may lead to orbital compression syndrome. The condition is therefore sight-threatening, and necessitates prompt diagnosis and appropriate management for resolution without adverse sequelae. Imaging techniques are invaluable in the evaluation of patients. The majority of cases resolve with conservative treatment that includes steps to combat the vaso-occlusive crisis and use of systemic steroids under antibiotic cover.