Qatar Medical Journal - Volume 2014, Issue 2

Gossypiboma, a retained surgical sponge, is a rare complication following any surgical procedure and is primarily a result of human error. Such patients often have vague clinical presentations and the diagnosis often comes as a surprise. We present the case of a 40-year-old woman who had a long-standing history of lower abdominal discomfort. She was diagnosed with a gossypiboma fifteen years after a cesarean section. All general physicians, surgeons and radiologists must be aware of this rare but clinically significant entity.

Background: Type II diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the leading chronic diseases in Qatar as well as worldwide. However, the risk factors for DM in Qatar and their prevalence are not well understood. We conducted a case-control study with the specific aim of estimating, based on data from outpatients with DM in Qatar (cases) and outpatient/inpatient controls, the association between demographic/lifestyle factors and DM. Methods: A total of 459 patients with DM from Hamad General Hospital (HGH) outpatient adult diabetes clinics, and 342 control patients from various outpatient clinics and inpatient departments within Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) (years 2006–2008), were recruited. The association between risk factors and DM was evaluated using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses. In addition to odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), we estimated the population attributable risk fractions for the DM demographic/lifestyle risk factors. Results: Qatari nationality was the strongest risk factor for DM (adjusted OR = 5.5; 95% CI = 3.5–8.6; p < 0.0001), followed by higher monthly income (defined as ≥ 3000 Qatari Riyals, adjusted OR = 5.1; 95% CI = 3.0–8.7; p < 0.0001), age >65 years (adjusted OR = 3.3; 95% CI = 0.9–11.4; p = 0.06), male gender (adjusted OR = 2.9; 95% CI = 1.8-4.8; p < 0.0001), obesity (BMI ≥ 30, adjusted OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.5-3.2; p < 0.0001), no college education (adjusted OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.2–2.6; p = 0.009), and no daily vigorous/moderate activity (adjusted OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 0.9–2.3; p = 0.12). Among Qatari nationals, obesity was found to be the main risk factor for DM (unadjusted OR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.6–5.6; p < 0.0001), followed by no college education (unadjusted OR = 2.7; 95% CI = 1.5–5.1; p = 0.001), while consanguinity did not appear to play a major role in predicting DM (unadjusted OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 0.8–2.8; p = 0.21). Our findings further suggested that eliminating obesity and improving access to education may reduce DM cases by up to one third for the population at large (31.7% and 26.8%, respectively) and up to half (46.9% and 49.3%, respectively) for Qatari nationals. Promoting physical activity may reduce the burden of DM by up to 9.4% for the population at large and up to 17.3% for Qatari nationals. Conclusions: Demographic/lifestyle factors appear to be the main risk factors for the high DM levels observed in Qatar, with a contribution that outweighs that of genetic risk factors. While further evaluation of DM risk factors among the Qatari population (as opposed to the resident population) is important and of interest, these findings highlight the need to focus short-term DM interventions on addressing demographic/lifestyle risk factors to achieve substantial and timely declines in DM levels.

Background: Adverse childhood experiences are associated with significant functional impairments and loss of life in adolescence and adulthood. Literature documents the conversion of traumatic emotional experiences in childhood into psychological disorders later in life. The family is one of the most critical risks and resilient factors for mental health in adolescence and emerging adulthood. Objective: To estimate the effect of childhood experiences on self-esteem during adulthood in a sample from Baghdad city. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Baghdad city during the period from January 2013 through to January 2014. Multistage sampling techniques were used to choose 13 primary healthcare centers and eight colleges from three universities in Baghdad. Childhood experiences were measured by applying a modified standardized Adverse Childhood Experiences International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) form. Results: A total of 1040 subjects were surveyed and 1000 responded giving a response rate of 96.2%. The results revealed that 82.7% of the participants were confident within themselves, 14.9% (149) reported to feel a failure, while 28.3% of subjects expressed feeling useless at times. The score for family bonding is expected to significantly increase the score for self-esteem by a mean of 21.48. University, diploma and higher education are expected to significantly decrease the self-esteem score by a mean of − 6.31 compared to those with less than secondary school education. Parents education show statistically insignificant association with the mean score for self-esteem. Conclusion: The findings of this study give an insight into the essential role of childhood experiences in building self-esteem and adaptation later in their life. National health programs are suggested for intervention targeting early adverse childhood experiences and their consequences.

Introduction: ACE inhibitors accounts for 8% of all cases of angioneurotic edema and the overall incidence is 0.1 to 0.7% of patients on ACE inhibitors. It is a leading cause (20-40%) of emergency room visits in the US with angioedema. We report a case of angioedema caused by ACE inhibitors confined to the upper airway after four years on treatment with Lisinopril which persisted for three weeks and required endotracheal intubation and subsequent tracheostomy due to delayed resolution. This case is one of the rare cases presented as upper airway edema which persisted for a long time. Presentation: A 60-year-old Sudanese male patient with osteoarthritis in both knees underwent bilateral total knee replacement under single-shot epidural anesthesia. He had significant past medical history of type II diabetes, bipolar affective disorder and hypertension managed with Lisinopril for the past four years. Postoperatively after 10 hours the patient desaturated and developed airway obstruction requiring intubation. Laryngoscopy revealed an edematous tongue and upper airway and vocal cords were not visualized. In view of this clinical picture a provisional diagnosis of angioedema secondary to Lisinopril was made and it was discontinued. CT scan of the neck and soft tissues revealed severe airway edema with snugly fitting endotracheal tube with no peritubal air. A repeat CT neck on the tenth postoperative day showed no signs of resolution and an elective tracheostomy was performed on the eleventh postoperative day. C1 inhibitor protein and C4 levels were assayed to exclude hereditary angioedema and were found to be within normal range. Decannulation of tracheostomy was done after airway edema resolved on the twenty-fourth postoperative day as confirmed by CT scan. Subsequently he was transferred to the ward and discharged home. Conclusion: ACEI induced angioedema is a well-recognized condition. Early diagnosis based on a high index of suspicion, immediate withdrawal of the offending drug followed by supportive therapy is the cornerstone of management.

Background: The use of emergency department (ED) services for non-urgent conditions is well-studied in many Western countries but much less so in the Middle East and Gulf region. While the consequences are universal—a drain on ED resources and poor patient outcomes—the causes and solutions are likely to be region and country specific. Unique social and economic circumstances also create gender-specific motivations for patient attendance. Alleviating demand on ED services requires understanding these circumstances, as past studies have shown. We undertook this study to understand why female patients with low-acuity conditions choose the emergency department in Qatar over other healthcare options. Setting and design: Prospective study at Hamad General Hospital's (HGH) emergency department female “see-and-treat” unit that treats low-acuity cases. One hundred female patients were purposively recruited to participate in the study. Three trained physicians conducted semi-structured interviews with patients over a three-month period after they had been treated and given informed consent. Results: The study found that motivations for ED attendance were systematically influenced by employment status as an expatriate worker. Forty percent of the sample had been directed to the ED by their employers, and the vast majority (89%) of this group cited employer preference as the primary reason for choosing the ED. The interviews revealed that a major obstacle to workers using alternative facilities was the lack of a government-issued health card, which is available to all citizens and residents at a nominal rate. Conclusion: Reducing the number of low-acuity cases in the emergency department at HGH will require interventions aimed at encouraging patients with non-urgent conditions to use alternative healthcare facilities. Potential interventions include policy changes that require employers to either provide workers with a health card or compel employees to acquire one for themselves.

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Qatar and the Middle East is one of the highest in the world. It is estimated that about one quarter of the individuals with T2D are undiagnosed. Elevated HbA1c levels are an indicator of T2D or a pre-diabetic state. In this study we set out to examine which factors, such as anthropometric and socio-demographic risk factors, are associated with elevated HbA1c levels in a population without T2D. Methods: We examined 191 subjects with no record of T2D. Anthropometrics and HbA1c were measured. Socio-demographic (age, gender, ethnicity and educational level) and health information were assessed through questionnaires. Elevated HbA1c levels were defined as >6.0% (>42 mmol/mol). Individual risk factors were examined in relationship to having elevated HbA1c levels using logistic regression. Results: Thirty-eight (20%) study participants had elevated HbA1c levels. Participants from South Asian and Filipino descent were more likely to present with elevated HbA1c levels than Arab participants (adjusted odds ratios (OR): 13.30 (95% confidence interval (CI): 4.24, 41.79), p < 0.001 for South Asian and 4.54 (95% CI: 1.04, 19.83), p = 0.04 for Filipinos). A body mass index of above 30 kg/m² was associated with elevated HbA1c levels (adjusted OR: 2.90 (95% CI: 1.29, 6.51), p = 0.01). Neither gender nor educational level was associated with elevated HbA1c levels. Conclusions: Elevated HbA1c levels in individuals not diagnosed with diabetes were most frequently found in the South Asian and Filipino immigrant population. Special attention should therefore be given to the early identification of T2D in these subjects.

Oculo-ectodermal syndrome (OES - OMIM 600628), also known as Toriello Lacassie Droste syndrome, is a very rare condition, first described by Toriello et al., in 1993. OES has been proposed to be a mild variant of encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis (ECCL). It is characterized by aplasia cutis congenita (ACC), epibulbar dermoids, coarctation of the aorta, arachnoid cysts in the brain, seizure disorder, hyperpigmented nevi, non-ossifying fibromas and a predisposition to develop giant cell tumors of the jaw. There are few reported cases of OES worldwide but with no definite diagnostic criteria yet. We present a case in a child with unilateral hyperpigmented nevi and ACC on the scalp, ocular lesions (lipodermoid cysts and coloboma), temporal arachnoid cyst, spinal lipomatosis and aortic coarctation with the aim of enhancing the foundation to establish diagnostic criteria for this condition. It additionally serves as a teaching point to emphasize the importance of pursuing a definite diagnosis when faced with such a multisystem illness, to counsel patients and their parents regarding long term morbidity and overall prognosis.

Objectives: There is increasing interest in the use of quantitative PCR (q-PCR) for diagnosis of H. pylori infection. However, the assay remains largely unstandardized, making comparison between studies unreliable. The objective of this study was to assess accuracy of a normalized q-PCR assay for diagnosis of the infection. Subjects and methods: Seventy-six fresh gastric biopsy specimens were collected from patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy and examined by rapid urease test (RUT), culture, and a commercial TaqMan q-PCR assay targeting the ureA gene. Counts obtained from the latter assay were normalized to the human ACTB gene. A subject was considered to be infected if two or more assays were positive. Results: The detection rates were 42.1%, 52.6%, and 78.9% by culture, RUT and q-PCR, respectively. Bacterial density ranged 0.005 to 4800 bacteria per 100 human cells. Because q-PCR showed low initial specificity (45.7%), the cutoff value for the assay was recalculated as 1 bacterium per 100 human cells, using ROC curve analysis. Accordingly, the sensitivities and specificities were 79.5% and 97.3%, respectively, for culture; 94.9% and 91.9%, respectively, for RUT; and 94.9% and 94.6%, respectively, for q-PCR. By gold standard, 39 of the dyspeptic patients (51.3%) were found to be infected. Conclusions: With the identified cutoff value, the q-PCR assay diagnosed H. pylori infection with an accuracy slightly superior to that of RUT. However, the possibility that low counts detected only by q-PCR represent true infections warrants further investigation. Normalization of bacterial counts for standardization of q-PCR H. pylori assays is recommended.

Background: Research on sleep health is lacking in developing countries, particularly among the Sudanese population. This contributes to a number of social and safety risks such as workplace injury, daytime sleepiness, automobile accidents, and more. The current study aims to validate three Arabic questionnaires related to sleep health, namely the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). Methods: A random sample of 83 Sudanese participants was surveyed for the purpose of testing the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the ESS, ISI, and RLS. The present study used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of item scores to examine a potential single-factor structure of the ESS, ISI, and RLS. Reliability and validity of the instruments were assessed by internal consistency and construct validity, respectively. Results: The internal consistency within the ESS, ISI, and RLS subscales was high, with Cronbach's alpha of 0.84, 0.87, and 0.94, respectively. EFA results showed the RLS and ISI scales were dominated by a single-factor structure that explained at least 84.2% and 65.70% respectively of the total variance. The ESS required a two-factor solution that explained 64.5% of the total variance, so the single-factor structure does not appear to be a good measure of the Arabic version of the ESS. Conclusion: The Arabic versions of the ESS, ISI, and RLS are valid and reliable tools. The RLS and ISI seem to have better psychometric properties than the ESS.