Impaired Awareness of Hypoglycemia and its Risk Factors among Diabetic Patients in Jazan, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Impaired awareness of hypoglycemia (IAH) is related to a three- to sixfold increase in the risk of severe hypoglycemia in adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of IAH and its risk factors and determine the frequency of hypoglycemic symptoms. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of IAH and its risk factors and determine the frequency of hypoglycemic symptoms. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted among T1D patients attending Jazan Endocrine and Diabetes Center in Jazan province, Saudi Arabia. A total of 151 patients participated, using the interview-based Clarke questionnaire, a validated eight-item questionnaire to evaluate IAH. Scoring four or more answers as reduced awareness categorizes the participant as having IAH. RESULTS: The prevalence of IAH was 25.2% among the T1D patients. IAH was significantly associated with body mass index (BMI; p = 0.034), occupation (p = 0.014), and blood glucose monitoring methods (p = 0.027). Shaking and sweating were the most commonly reported symptoms of hypoglycemia. A BMI of <25 kg/m2 was higher linked to hunger and speech difficulty compared to a BMI of ≥25 kg/m2 (p < 0.05). Changing the insulin injection site was associated with confusion, odd behavior, and speech difficulty (p < 0.05). Monitoring blood glucose four times daily was associated with sweating, odd behavior, and incoordination (p = 0.024) compared to monitoring less than four times daily (p < 0.05). A hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) reading of ≥7 was linked to odd behavior compared to an HbA1c reading of <7 (p = 0.032). Patients committed to insulin injections were more likely to experience palpitations than non-committed patients (p = 0.038). Each one-unit increase in age, monitoring blood glucose, and income was associated with a decrease in the odds of IAH (OR of Age = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.83-0.95) (OR of income = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.01-0.55). Moreover, individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than or equal to 25 (OR = 2.99, 95% CI: 1.13-8.25), employed individuals (OR = 18.2, 95% CI: 3.75-105), and diabetes duration of more than ten years (OR = 3.96, 95% CI: 1.31- 13.2) exhibited an increase in the higher risk of IAH. CONCLUSION: IAH was prevalent among T1D patients attending Jazan Endocrine and Diabetes Center. The main associated factors included BMI, blood glucose monitoring method, and occupation. Future research should investigate the underlying causes of the observed associations and explore strategies to enhance the awareness of hypoglycemia.

Effect of silicone-based sealers on fiber post retention: An in vitro study.

PURPOSE: The effect of a silicone-based sealer on fiber post retention has not been the subject of research and remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the impact of a silicone-based sealer and an epoxy resin sealer on fiber post retention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty extracted human mandibular premolars that were caries-free, single-rooted, and possessed straight single canals were the specimens of the present study. Teeth were randomly divided into two groups (n = 20 each). All specimens were prepared using gutta-percha. The sealer used in the first group was Guttaflow 2, while AH26 was used in the second group. Post spaces were prepared immediately after obturation for each specimen. Prefabricated fiber posts were luted in both groups using a self-adhesive resin cement (RelyX-U200). Each specimen was vertically secured using a universal testing machine (Instron Corp.) and a constant pull-out force at a loading rate of 0.5 mm/min was applied until the point of dislodgement. Data were analyzed using t-tests. RESULTS: A significant difference was found between the mean of maximum loads of the silicone-based sealer and epoxy resin sealer groups (p = 0.0001). The mean maximum load for the epoxy resin sealer group was 194.62 N, while that for the silicone-based sealer group was 111.64 N. CONCLUSION: Fiber post retention in teeth obturated using silicone-based sealer was inferior to that in teeth obturated with epoxy resin sealer. Therefore, the sealer used during obturation can significantly affect fiber post retention.

Adherence to Physical Activity Recommendations in the Adult Population of Jazan Region.

Background Physical activity (PA) is an important determinant of health because of its role in preventing multiple chronic diseases. A better understanding of the relationship between PA and factors that promote or hinder PA is necessary for adherence to PA recommendations. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of adults of the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia adhering to PA recommendations and to examine the effects of socio-economic factors on meeting these recommendations. Method The official short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to assess PA. Participants aged 17-74 years (n = 709) were categorized into active or inactive categories. Independent associations between PA categories and socio-economic factors were explored using binary logistic regression. Results The proportion of the adults of the Jazan region who were inactive, i.e., not adhering to the PA recommendations, was 58.3%. Those with body mass index >30 kg /m2 (OR = 0.51; 95%CI: 0.32-0.84) were less likely to be more active than those with normal weight. Participants who rated their health as very good (OR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.49-0.96) and good (OR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.22-0.70) were less likely to be more active than those who rated their health as excellent.  Conclusions More than half of the adult population of the Jazan region did not adhere to the PA levels necessary to promote health and prevent chronic diseases. Such a high prevalence of low PA is a major health problem. Thus, efforts are warranted to promote PA in the Jazan region, particularly among obese female adults. High self-perceived health was an important correlate of PA among the adult population of Jazan. Because of the wide range of physical activity levels among population subgroups, a social-ecological approach for physical activity promotion may be warranted.