Saudi patients outcomes after surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: In order to improve post-operative patient's quality-of-life, attention must be paid to the identification of factors that play a role in patient's satisfaction with surgical treatment. Patient satisfaction with the outcomes of scoliosis surgery has not been addressed so comprehensively in Saudi literature, as well as the effect of patient satisfaction on the different domains of the SRS-22 questionnaire and radiographic parameters is yet to be reported locally. The aim of this study is to explore such findings especially in our population. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at two of the largest centers of spine surgery in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A total of 316 eligible patients were selected via consecutive sampling technique. Data were collected from eligible patients who fit our inclusion criteria, which includes patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis aged from 10 to 21 years. Student t test, Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficients statistical tests were used. RESULTS: There were 283 (89.6%) females and 33 (10.4%) male patients with a mean age of 15.09 (± 2.27 SD) years. All the domains of SRS-22 showed significantly higher scores 2-year postoperatively, when compared with preoperative values (P < 0.001). The change in all SRS-22 domains correlated positively and significantly with the 2-year postoperative satisfaction using Pearson's correlation coefficient (P < 0.05); the total score showed the highest correlation followed by the self-image domain. The major Cobb angle correction percentage correlated significantly (P < 0.05) solely with the change in pain domain. CONCLUSION: Self-image correlated highly and significantly with patient satisfaction postoperatively. It also had the biggest influence SRS-22 scores postoperatively in conjunction with satisfaction scores. That is an indication of the role it plays in patient satisfaction and quality-of-life postoperatively, which may influence the surgical decision making.

Hematologic reference intervals for healthy adult Saudis in Riyadh.

BACKGROUND: Laboratory hematological tests are widely used in clinical practice to assess health and disease conditions. Reference ranges provided by laboratory reports are considered the most authoritative medical tools to assist in the decision-making phase. International standards institutes recommend that reference ranges be established for each region. OBJECTIVES: Provide reference values of routine hematological parameters in Saudi adults according to age and gender. DESIGN: Cross-sectional SETTING: Central province of Saudi Arabia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Apparently healthy Saudi adults were subjected to laboratory testing of routine hematological parameters (full blood count, hemostatic profile, and serum hematinics), after completing a detailed health medical questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hematological reference values based on the local population. SAMPLE SIZE AND CHARACTERISTICS: 637 after screening 827 potentially healthy Saudi adults with ages ranging from 15 to 65 years. RESULTS: The reference values of routine hematological parameters for the full population and by gender are presented with 90% CI as the lower and upper limits. Reference ranges mostly differed from universal established ranges shown in textbooks. CONCLUSION: The reference ranges of routine hematologic parameters for accurate assessment and appropriate management will help improve the routine clinical care of the adult Saudi population. LIMITATIONS: Difficulty in assessing health status of participants, who could have subclinical illnesses not reflected in the evaluated blood measurement. Lack of ability to eliminate individuals who might be carriers for haemoglobinopathies. Studies with larger sample sizes from different areas of the country are required to achieve a more accurate representation of the whole Saudi population. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

Asthma changes at a pediatric intensive care unit after 10 years: Observational study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the change in the management, and outcome of children with acute severe asthma (ASA) admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at tertiary institute, as compared to previously published report in 2003. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study. All consecutive pediatric ASA patients who were admitted to PICU during the study period were included. The data were extracted from PICU database and medical records. The Cohort in this study (2013 Cohort) was compared with the Cohort of ASA, which was published in 2003 from the same institution (2003 Cohort). RESULTS: In comparison to previous 2003 Cohort, current Cohort (2013) revealed higher mean age (5.5 vs. 3.6 years; P ≤ 0.001), higher rate of PICU admission (20.3% vs. 3.6%; P ≤ 0.007), less patients who received maintenance inhaled steroids (43.3% vs. 62.4%; P ≤ 0.03), less patients with pH <7.3 (17.9% vs. 42.9%; P ≤ 0.001). There were more patients in 2013 Cohort who received: Inhaled Ipratropium bromide (97% vs. 68%; P ≤ 0.001), intravenous magnesium sulfate (68.2% vs. none), intravenous salbutamol (13.6% vs. 3.6%; P ≤ 0.015), and noninvasive ventilation (NIV) (35.8% vs. none) while no patients were treated with theophylline (none vs. 62.5%). The median length of stay (LOS) was 2 days while mean LOS was half a day longer in the 2013 Cohort. None of our patients required intubation, and there was no mortality. CONCLUSION: We observed slight shift toward older age, considerably increased the rate of PICU admission, increased utilization of Ipratropium bromide, magnesium sulfate, and NIV as important modalities of treatment.