Pattern of ear, nose, and throat disease seen by otolaryngologists at Qassim University outpatient clinics, Saudi Arabia

Background: Ear, nose, and throat infections are serious public health concerns affecting patients of all ages. They can affect hearing difficulties, speech, phonation, breathing, swallowing, smell, taste, and other respiratory tract infections. This study aimed to determine the pattern of otolaryngological head and neck diseases seen at Qassim University outpatient clinics, Saudi Arabia. Methodology: This descriptive retrospective study was conducted in outpatient clinics at Qassim University, Saudi Arabia. This study involved 2,596 patients treated by otolaryngologists from January 2018 to December 2020. The data were extracted from patients\&amp;apos; digital files, and all analyzed statistically using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21. Results: This study included 2,596 patients (64% male, 36% female) with a mean age of 34.5 years (range: 1-90 years). Nose diseases were most frequently seen (47.7%), followed by ear diseases (38.2%). Allergic rhinitis (AR) was the most commonly treated nose problem (20.1%). In the multivariate regression model, deviated nasal septum was more likely to be seen in men than women. Moreover, the presence of a deviated nasal septum, hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, rhinitis, and laryngitis were more likely to be associated with an older age group (&amp;gt;35 years). Conclusion: The prevalence of ear nose throat diseases was higher in men than in women. The most commonly treated age group was 18-30 years. More studies on AR and other disorders need to be conducted to determine local risk factors. Healthcare managers and medical educators are advised to review these data to provide excellent care and education.</jats:p

The Level of Public Awareness About Clubfoot in The Al-Qassim Region and Importance of Early Childhood Intervention: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Clubfoot is a childhood congenital abnormality that can lead to disabilities, which can last a lifetime if untreated. There are several types of interventions to treat this condition. However, these interventions depend on the age of presentation and result in good outcomes if started early. This study aimed to investigate the level of public awareness about clubfoot in the Al-Qassim region in Saudi Arabia. Method: This observational cross-sectional study was conducted on a population living in the Al-Qassim region in 2020. The study was conducted using a structured, validated questionnaire that was available online. The chi-square test and t-test were used to analyze the data. All the analyses were conducted using SPSS (version 21). Results: This study included 7085 individuals from the Al-Qassim region. The level of public awareness was as follows 15.6% had poor knowledge, 43.8% had fair knowledge, and 40.6% had high knowledge. The most common sources of knowledge were relatives and friends (42.55%) and websites (29.83%). A multivariate analysis showed that several factors affected the levels of knowledge, including gender (P˂0.0001), having an affected child (P˂0.0003), certain sources of information, affected persons (P˂0.005), relatives and friends (P˂0.0001), websites (P˂0.0001), and printed media (P˂0.0001). Conclusion: A moderate level of knowledge was found among the population in the Al-Qassim region. Their knowledge level was affected by several factors, such as the source of information. Therefore, educational interventions, such as campaigns, are needed to improve the awareness level, leading to better outcomes. Keywords: Clubfoot, Awareness, General population, Al-Qassim, Serial casting, misconception, Early Interventions</jats:p

Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Lacunar Stroke: A Hospital-Based Study

Lacunar stroke (LS) is responsible for one-quarter of the overall number of ischemic strokes with long-term complications and carries health and economic issues for patients and health care systems. Therefore, we aimed to investigate lacunar versus non-lacunar strokes in a tertiary academic center. From February 2016 to July 2019, all patients admitted to the stroke unit were retrospectively reviewed. We included LS patients and compared them to other TOAST subtypes. Hemorrhagic stroke and conditions mimicking stroke were excluded. Regression analysis was done to determine LS predictors and outcomes. A 35.5% rate of LS among 989 ischemic stroke patients was found. Most patients (71.9%) were males. Lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores at admission and negative history for cardiac diseases were predictors for LS in our population. At discharge, LS patients had low NIHSS scores and shorter hospitalization periods compared to non-LS patients. In conclusion, LS was prevalent among ischemic stroke patients in our cohort. Future studies are highly needed with long follow-up intervals to identify the stroke recurrence, complications, and outcomes

Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Lacunar Stroke: A Hospital-Based Study

Lacunar stroke (LS) is responsible for one-quarter of the overall number of ischemic strokes with long-term complications and carries health and economic issues for patients and health care systems. Therefore, we aimed to investigate lacunar versus non-lacunar strokes in a tertiary academic center. From February 2016 to July 2019, all patients admitted to the stroke unit were retrospectively reviewed. We included LS patients and compared them to other TOAST subtypes. Hemorrhagic stroke and conditions mimicking stroke were excluded. Regression analysis was done to determine LS predictors and outcomes. A 35.5% rate of LS among 989 ischemic stroke patients was found. Most patients (71.9%) were males. Lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores at admission and negative history for cardiac diseases were predictors for LS in our population. At discharge, LS patients had low NIHSS scores and shorter hospitalization periods compared to non-LS patients. In conclusion, LS was prevalent among ischemic stroke patients in our cohort. Future studies are highly needed with long follow-up intervals to identify the stroke recurrence, complications, and outcomes.</jats:p

Stroke Seasonality and Weather Association in a Middle East Country: A Single Tertiary Center Experience

Background: Stroke is a medical condition that leads to major disability and mortality worldwide. Some evidence suggests that weather and seasonal variations could have an impact on stroke incidence and outcome. However, the current evidence is inconclusive. Therefore, this study examines the seasonal variations and meteorological influences on stroke incidence and outcome in the largest city in Saudi Arabia.Methods: From February 2016 to July 2019, we retrospectively reviewed data from all patients with acute ischemic (AIS) or hemorrhagic stroke (HS) admitted to the stroke unit in a tertiary academic center in Saudi Arabia. The corresponding daily meteorological data were obtained for the same period. We considered the months from November to March as the cold season and April to October as the hot season.Results: The final cohort included 1,271 stroke patients; 60.89% (n = 774) cases occurred in the hot season, while 39.1% (n = 497) in the cold season. Males accounted for 69.6% (n = 884) of the cases. The proportion of ischemic stroke was 83.2% [hot season 83.9% (n = 649) vs. cold season 82.3% (n = 409)]. We found no statistically significant difference between seasons (hot or cold) in stroke incidence, severity [National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)], hospital course (pneumonia, thromboembolism, intensive care stay, or length of stay), or outcome [modified Rankin scale (mRS) on discharge and death].Conclusions: In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, our study found no impact of weather or seasonal variations on stroke incidence, hospital course, or outcomes. However, our findings warrant further research in different country regions.</jats:p