The effect of various washing methods on pesticide residues, toxic and essential elements removal in rice.

This study examined the effects of various treatments on removing pesticide residues and toxic elements in rice. In parallel, nutritional elements, magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and phosphorous (P), were measured to investigate the effect of these washing treatments on the nutritional value of rice. A naturally contaminated rice sample containing five widespread used pesticides (azoxystrobin, buprofezin, carbendazim, and propiconazole) and toxic elements, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and essential elements, was washed using several washing agents, including boiling water, 5% sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), 5% acetic acid (vinegar), 5% citric acid, and 5% sodium chloride (salt). The washing method was chosen based on its availability and widespread usage; soaking for 10 min was assumed to be reasonable. Our results showed that using 5% acetic acid significantly reduced azoxystrobin by 63%, buprofezin by 70%, carbendazim by 75%, and propiconazole by 61%. However, As and Cd were significantly reduced in sodium chloride by 57% and 32%, respectively. Furthermore, a significant reduction in essential nutrient elements was found in Mg (42%), K (37%), and P (23%) when rice was treated with 5% citric acid. Overall, washing agents reduced analytes in the following manners pesticides, toxic elements, and essential elements when using acetic acid, sodium chloride, and citric acid separately.

Treatment response among asthmatic patients with and without reversible airflow limitations.

OBJECTIVES: Asthma is a chronic airway disorder associated with variable airflow limitations, which are triggered by different stimuli. The reversibility of airflow limitations reflects patients' responses to the therapy with bronchodilators and improvements in airflow. This study aims to determine the treatment outcomes (improvements in forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and the number of asthma exacerbations) associated with the presence of airflow reversibility. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 154 adults (>18 years) who were diagnosed with asthma and had pulmonary function testing (PFT) at a tertiary care centre in KSA between January 1st, 2014 and May 31st, 2019. Smokers and patients with comorbidities or medications that could affect PFT were excluded from the analysis. Patients were classified as having a reversible airflow limitation when they exhibited a post-bronchodilator FEV1 increase of 12% and 200 mL. Exacerbations were defined as the need to use oral corticosteroids. Chi-square tests were used for comparative analyses. RESULTS: From our cohort, 42 patients exhibited reversibility. In contrast, 112 patients did not show any sign of reversibility. Asthmatics with baseline reversible airflow limitations experienced significant worsening of FEV1 during the follow-up period compared with those with no reversibility, showing a mean difference of 19.96 mL (p = 0.0206). There was no significant association between asthma reversibility and exacerbations (p = 0.23). CONCLUSION: In our study, during the follow-up of patients with asthma, we found that the reversibility of airflow was associated with significantly worse FEV1, although this did not have a significant effect on exacerbations. Therefore, we recommend regular spirometry follow-ups, particularly for patients with significant airway reversibility.

Ophthalmic Manifestations in Acute Leukemia Patients and Their Relation With Hematological Parameters in a Tertiary Care Center.

BACKGROUND:  Leukemia is a neoplastic disorder that affects blood and bone marrow and is characterized by white blood cells' abnormal proliferation. Leukemia patients may present with different ophthalmic manifestations. This study aims to provide an updated data about the prevalence and types of ocular manifestations in acute leukemia patients and their relation with the hematological parameters. METHODS:  This retrospective cross-sectional study included all acute leukemia patients diagnosed from 2015 to 2020 and underwent an ophthalmic examination during this period at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Jeddah. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and had ophthalmic examinations. Forty-three (53.1%) patients were males, and 38 (46.9%) patients were females. Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) was diagnosed in 55 (67.9%) patients, while acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) was diagnosed only in 26 (32.1%). Ophthalmic manifestations were observed in 23 patients with a prevalence of 28.4%. AML patients had more manifestations with a rate of 38.5%. ALL had a rate of 23.6% (p=0.1). Retinal hemorrhage was the most commonly seen manifestation in six patients. CONCLUSION:  Ophthalmic manifestations are not uncommon in acute leukemia patients. Low hemoglobin and RBC could give an idea about the type of ophthalmic manifestation, not the presence or absence. It is highly recommended to examine acute leukemia patients routinely prior, during, and after the treatment to prevent serious ocular damage and monitor the course of the disease.

Association Between Vitamin D and Zinc Levels With Alopecia Areata Phenotypes at a Tertiary Care Center.

Objectives Alopecia areata (AA) is a common immune-mediated hair disorder that presents in different clinical patterns. This study aims to find the association between vitamin D and zinc levels with AA phenotypes, to determine the common comorbidities in AA patients, and to assess the influence of age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) on AA phenotypes. Methods This is a cross-sectional study conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through retrospective chart review of the electronic medical record system (BestCare) and by utilizing a structured data collection sheet. Results A total of 177 patients were clinically diagnosed with AA with a mean age of 28.37 ± 12.68 years. The mean vitamin D level was 49.14 ± 29.09 nmol/L. Zinc levels were reported in only 22 patients, among which, only one patient had deficient levels. The mean zinc level was 9.8 ± 1.5 µmol/L. Patchy alopecia areata (60.45%) was the most common phenotype followed by universalis (9%) and totalis (7%). Hypothyroidism (11.8%) was the most prevalent comorbidity followed by atopic diseases (10.7%), then both diabetes and mood disorders (6.2%). Conclusion Deficient serum vitamin D levels were present in 62.7% of patients with AA. Nevertheless, no statistically significant relation was detected between vitamin D status and patterns of alopecia areata (P=0.108). A limited number of our sample had records of zinc levels with a mean serum of 9.8 ± 1.5 µmol/L and only one patient was found to be deficient.

Patterns of Comorbidities in Psoriasis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory, and immune-mediated dermatological disease of unknown etiology with predominant involvement of the skin, nails, and joints. This study aimed to assess comorbidities patterns in psoriasis patients. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through a retrospective chart review of the electronic medical record system (Bestcare, Ezcaretech, Seoul, Korea) and by utilizing a structured data collection sheet. RESULTS: A total of 128 confirmed psoriasis cases were included with a mean age of 44.2 ± 17.3. The sample had 45.7% females and 54.3% males. Nearly half the patients (46.1%) had no comorbidities, followed by those who had at least one comorbidity (24.2%) and those who had two or more comorbidities (29.7%). Most patients were classified as plaque psoriasis (57.0%), followed by those who had psoriatic arthritis (13.3%). There was no statistical significance between gender, body mass index (BMI), and smoking with the number of comorbidities (P= 0.422, P=0.361, P=0.772); 41.2% of psoriatic arthritis patients and all erythrodermic arthritis patients had two or more comorbidities, which is statistically significant at p-value <0.018. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the prevalence of different comorbidities associated with psoriasis patients; 41.2% of psoriatic arthritis patients and all erythrodermic arthritis patients had two or more comorbidities, which was statistically significant. This necessitates closer monitoring of different comorbidities a psoriasis patient might present with. Especially those who are diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and erythrodermic arthritis.

Cutaneous Manifestations and Hormonal Changes Among Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Patients at a Tertiary Care Center.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a highly prevalent endocrine disorder affecting 5%-10% of women worldwide. PCOS patients usually present with cutaneous manifestations of hyperandrogenism, such as acne, hirsutism, and androgenic alopecia. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of dermatological manifestations and their association with hormonal changes in PCOS patients. In addition, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of comorbidities associated with PCOS and to demonstrate the referral pattern among Dermatology, Gynecology, and Primary Health Care (PHC). METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. All PCOS patients who attended KAMC from 2016 to 2021 were included. Data were collected through a retrospective chart review of the electronic medical record system (BestCare) and by utilizing a structured data collection sheet. RESULTS: A total of 447 female patients were diagnosed with PCOS with a median age of 29 years and a median BMI of 28.76 kg/m2.The prevalence of cutaneous manifestations among patients was 68%. Hirsutism (47.3%), acne vulgaris (40.6%), and androgenic alopecia (20.3%) were the most common manifestations. The most common hormonal abnormalities were raised luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in 220 (49.1%) patients and raised LH/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) ratio in 159 (35.5%) patients. FSH, LH/FSH ratio, and age were significant predictors for acne vulgaris (P-value=0.01, 0.04, and 0.01, respectively). Obesity (44.20%), infertility (25.70%), and dyslipidemia (17%) were the most common comorbidities in our sample. Most patients' first visits and follow-ups were in PHC.  Conclusion: The prevalence of cutaneous manifestations among PCOS patients is relatively high and plays a significant role in making the diagnosis. Therefore, physicians across multiple specialties need to be more aware of the full spectrum of PCOS presentations to alleviate it from its under-diagnosed status.

Quality of Life among Surgical Residents at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Surgical residency program is considered one of the toughest residency programs, which affects quality of life of the residents during training years. To date, no study has evaluated quality of life among residents, especially surgical residents here in Saudi Arabia. AIM: The objective of this study is to evaluate quality of life among surgical residents. METHODS: The study is a cross-sectional study conducted during September 2018 in King Khalid Hospital at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The study utilized the Work-Related Quality of Life, WRQoL, scale which measures perceived quality of life covering six domains: General Well-Being (GWB), Home-Work Interface (HWI), Job and Career Satisfaction (JCS), Control at Work (CAW), Working Conditions (WCS) and Stress at Work (SAW), in addition to demographic questions, asking about (age, gender, marital status, resident level, specialty, BMI, smoking, number of days of exercise per week, hours of sleep per day, on-calls per month, clinics per week, operations per week). RESULTS: Of the 99 surgical residents training at KAMC, 73 residents returned the survey with a response rate of 72.8%. The mean age of the residents was 28 ± 2.1 years with the mean BMI of 25 kg/m2. 54.8% were married, and 42.5% were smokers. Half of the residents (50.7%) working in King Abdulaziz Medical City have low work-related quality of life. In comparison between male and female residents' overall Quality of life, there was no significant difference between them (p = 0.363). CONCLUSIONS: Our main study finding is that half of the residents (50.7%) working at KAMC has low work-related quality of life, and there is no significant difference between male and female residents. Further studies are needed to determine the causes and improve the work-related quality of life among surgical residents.