Features and diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology of thyroid nodules: retrospective study from Oman.

BACKGROUND: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the thyroid has been a reliable and cost-effective method for diagnosing thyroid disorders. Since FNAC results are usually operator dependent, there is a compelling need to explore FNAC accuracy among Omanis. OBJECTIVE: Describe cytological features of FNAC and assess FNAC accuracy compared to the postsurgical histopathology report. DESIGN: Retrospective diagnostic accuracy study SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our study included adult Omani adult patients with thyroid nodules who underwent FNAC from 2014 to 2017 and had final pathology results for patients who underwent thyroid surgery. The results were classified according to the UK Royal college of Pathologists 'Thy' categories. Accuracy of FNAC was calculated by determining false and true positive and negative results based on histopathology findings. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: FNAC accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) compared to the postsurgical histopathology. SAMPLE SIZE: 867 patients with 1359 ultrasound guided FNACs of thyroid nodule; 137 underwent surgery. RESULTS: The mean age of the 867 patients was 43.7 (13.3) years, with a median of 42 years, and 87.8% were females. Out of 1359 FNACs, 1001 (73.7%) were benign (Thy2), 119 (8.8%) were atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance (Thy3a), 31 (2.3%) were follicular neoplasm or suspicious for a follicular neoplasm (Thy3f), 52 (3.8%) were suspicious for malignancy (Thy4), 55 (4%) were malignant (Thy5), 101 (7.4%) as Unsatisfactory (Thy1). Only 137 patients underwent thyroid surgery, and the FNAC reports were compared with their final histopathology reports. The sensitivity, specificity and total accuracy of FNAC were 80.2%, 98.9% and 89.9%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values of FNAC were 98.6% and 84.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study findings confirmed that FNAC of the thyroid is a sensitive, specific, and accurate initial tool for the diagnosis of thyroid lesions. Most of the FNACs were benign with a very low malignancy rate. Due to the minimal chance of false negative results and the slow-growing nature of thyroid malignancy, it is important that patients with benign FNAC should have periodic clinical and radiological follow-up. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design and single-center study, and thyroid nodule size unavailable. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

Outcomes of Infants Undergoing Modified Blalock-Taussig Shunt Procedures in Oman: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: A modified Blalock-Taussig (mBT) shunt procedure is a common palliative surgery used to treat infants and children with cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD). This study aimed to report the outcomes of infants and children undergoing mBT shunt procedures in Oman. In addition, risk factors associated with early mortality, inter-stage mortality and reintervention were assessed. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted from January 2016 to December 2018 at the National Heart Centre, Muscat, Oman. All paediatric patients with CCHD undergoing mBT shunt procedures as a primary palliative procedure during this period were included. Data were retrieved from electronic hospital records. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to describe overall survival. RESULTS: A total of 50 infants and children were included in this study. The in-hospital mortality and interstage mortality rates were 10% and 6.7%, respectively. Preoperative mechanical ventilation (odds ratio [OR] = 3.00, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.98-4.76; P = 0.007) and cardiopulmonary bypass (OR = 4.09, 95% CI: 2.44-6.85; P = 0.002) were significant risk factors for early mortality. In-hospital and interval surgical reintervention rates were 12% and 13.3%, respectively. Following the primary shunt procedure, the median time to second-stage surgery was 15.5 months (range: 5.0-34.0 months). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study support those reported in international research regarding the risks associated with mBT shunt surgeries. In particular, preoperative mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary bypass were significant risk factors for early mortality.

Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Risk Factor Patterns among Omanis with Type 2 Diabetes: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Its incidence and risk factor patterns vary widely across different diabetic populations. This study aims to assess the incidence and risk factor patterns of CVD events among Omanis with T2DM. METHODS: A sample of 2 039 patients with T2DM from a primary care setting, who were free of CVD at beseline (2009-2010) were involved in a retrospective cohort study. Socio-demographic data and traditional risk factor assessments at the baseline were retrieved from medical records, after which the first CVD outcomes (coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease) were traced from the baseline to December 2015, with a median follow-up period of 5.6 years. RESULTS: The overall cumulative incidence of CVD was 9.4% with an incidence density of 17.6 per 1000 person-years. Prevalence of poor glycemic control, hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, albuminuria, and current smoking were 40.0%, 56.3%, 39.0%, 77.3%, 18.7%, and 7.8%, respectively. The univariate survival analysis showed a significant association between CVD and the following factors: age, diabetes duration, body mass index, glycemic control, hypertension, total serum cholesterol, and albuminuria. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed high incidence of CVD and high prevalence of its traditional risk factors among Omanis with T2DM. In addition, compared to global studies, important differences in the prevalence of some risk factors and their patterns in the univariate association with the cardiovascular outcome have been observed.