Qatar Medical Journal - Volume 1997, Issue 1

Medical genetics is an exponentially progressing field. In less than a decade, the increase in our understanding of genetics, particularly Molecular genetics has exceeded that achieved over the previous 4 decades marked by Watson and Crick's specification of the double helix structure of DNA in 1953. Since then the genetic code has been deciphered, the nature of the gene was clarified and many of the intricacies of its function beca Read More

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common medical complication that can have a profound impact on the mother and infant. It is defined as Carbohydrate intolerance of variable severity with onset or first recognition during the present pregnancy. The definition applies irrespective of whether or not insulin is used for treatment or the condition persists after pregnancy. It does not exclude the possibility that unrecognized glucose into Read More

Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) is a new approach that allows selected coronary stenoses to be bypassed through a much smaller incision, either a lateral thoracotomy or a mini-sternotomy, without the aid of cardiopulmonary bypass. Generally, the internal mammary artery is used as the bypass graft, although the gastroepiploic artery or saphenous vein may also be used. The minimally invasive approach eliminat Read More

The present study describes the indications and results of 636 Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) procedures that were carried out in 596 patients. Of these, 366 (61.4 %) patients had Single Vessel Disease (SVD), 183 (30.7%) had Two Vessel Disease (2VD) and 47 (7.8%) had all Three Vessels Diseased (3VD). Dilatation of a single lesion was carried out in 564 (93.5%) patients. In another 41 (6.5%) patients, more than one ves Read More

In a 3-year retrospective study in Qatar (1992-1994) eleven patients, eight boys and three girls were diagnosed as having infantile spasm. The incidence was 0.36/1000 live births. Two patients had idiopathic infantile spasm and nine patients (82%) were symptomatic. A positive family history of epilepsy was found in 27% of the patients and Parental consanguinity was found in 45% of the patients. Two patients had cerebral malformation and a Read More

200 Platelet Concentrate (PC) bags were tested for bacterial growth on day 1 (3-5 hrs after blood collection) using segments from tubings. The same bags were retested on their expiry date (5th day) by culturing a specimen drawn from the bag by syringe. The frequency ofpositive cultures on day 1 was not statistically significantly higher than on day 5 (p = 0.07). This interesting finding is explained and its relation to febrile transfusion rea Read More

Submucous resection (SMR) of the nasal septum is a simple procedure, which was used in a study on sixty patients, forty four (73%) males and sixteen (26.7%) females. This study was carried out over four years from September 1988 in King Hussein Medical Centre and Prince Hashem Ben Al Hussein Hospital. Ml the patients had a headache for 2-13 years as the maJor symptom. Some of them had additional symptoms SUch as nasal obstru Read More

This is a retrospective study of the effect of air pollution on Pediatric asthmatic patients in Qatar following the second Gulf war in 1991. A comparison study of four months of the same period in 1990 before the war; 1991 through the presence of air pollution and 1992 following the end of air pollution showed a significant increase of asthmatic visits to the emergency center in 1991, almost double the number of the previous year, The numb Read More

Immunization therapy, for treatment of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), has been developed since the mid-1980's. The effect of this kind of therapy is still controversial The purpose of this retrospective, case-control study, was to evaluate the beneficial effect of immunotherapy for the treatment of patients with RPL and negative antipaternal cytotoxic antibodies. During a 3-year period (1992 to 1994), we were able to collect 25 such patie Read More

Records of 57 patients with Delusional Disorder were examined retrospectively between 1990-1996 to identify patients who metDSM-III-R criteria for Delusional Disorder. Six patients were excluded from the study because they did not fulfill the diagnostic criteria. Of the remaining 51 patients, 31 patients were followed prospectively for a minimum of four clinical interviews extending over a period of 18 months. Comparisons were mad Read More

A 38-year-old female patient, known to have widespread adenocarcinoma of an unknown primary, presented with galactorrhoea and amenorrhoea for a few months. The serum prolactin level was markedly elevated (more than 20-fold the upper normal limit). A pituitary C.T. Scan was normal. Other causes of marked hyperprolactinaemia were excluded. Ectopic Prolactin production is an interesting phenomenon, only four cases having be Read More

A case of orf affecting the ear and cheek is presented. Although this is a common viral infection in the farming community, the otolaryngologist's encounter with orf is rare. However, being a worldwide self-limiting infection, awareness of orf is important to avoid unnecessary or extensive Surgical intervention.

A case report of an 80 year old woman with squamous cell carcinoma of the bronchus presenting with the rare Paraneoplastic cutaneous sign of acquired hypertrichosis lanuginosa, and a review of the literature on acquired hypertrichosis associated with malignancy by searching the database Medline (since 1966) and hand searching the Index Medicus (1903-1965). Fifty three case reports of hypertrichosis associated with malignanc Read More

A discharging reno-cutaneous fistula was the first manifestation of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis in a 33 year old man. Because of the rarity of this complication of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (less than 20 cases worldwide have been reported in the literature) its clinical and diagnostic aspects are discussed. The correct Preoperative diagnosis was made by computed tomography, gallium scintigraphy, ultrasonography and w Read More

Aspirin was prescribed for 20 non-insulin dependent diabetic patients receiving one of the sulfonylureas (Glibenclamide, Gliclazide and Glipizide) with or without Metformin. The majority of the patients were on Glibenclamide and Metformin. Aspirin slows the progression of nephropathy and retinopathy. Fasting blood sugar levels improvedfollowing the addition of aspirin to oral hypoglycemic agents (OHA) (p = 0.0057). The mean fall in F.B.S. w Read More

A 32-year old female patient was referred to our hospital for evaluation of headache. A preliminary diagnosis of possible temporal arteritits in young patient was made in the referral letter. She had been complaining of episodes of left sided headache for the last 2 years. The headache occurred mainly in the horning; it is mild to moderate in severity, associated with feeing of fullness in the left temple. The episodes were coming at no regular Read More