Qatar Medical Journal - Current Issue

To the Editor, We have carefully reviewed the insightful case report by Avantifiori et al. entitled “Penile Mondor’s disease after open hernia repair surgery: A case report”, which was published in the Qatar Medical Journal.1 Their detailed exploration of penile Mondor’s disease (PMD) following inguinal hernia repair provides valuable perspectives on this rare condition. In light of their work, we wish to present our fi Read More

Objective: Urinary incontinence (UI) is involuntary urine leakage, mainly due to a feeling of high pressure in the abdominal part, the immediate and urgent need for micturition, or both. Neurotrophins (NTs) are a family of peptides that play a role in the regulation of nerve cells. Their effects on the lower urinary tract organs may provide a perspective to understand the development and diagnosis of UI. This study Read More

Background: Cancer is a significant global health challenge. One of the biggest health issues that cancer patients face is depression and anxiety. This has a significant impact on their quality of life and treatment outcomes. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of depression and anxiety among cancer patients in Qatar. Materials and methods: This study was a cross-sectional desi Read More

Background and objective: The majority of thyroid cancer patients have a good prognosis. Even in advanced disease, the radioactive iodine (RAI) response improves the prognosis. However, RAI refractoriness poses a significant challenge for these patients. The objective of the study was to assess the expression of SCL5A5 as a potential marker for predicting future resistance to radioiodine treatment. Materials a Read More

The post-COVID-19 syndrome may present with a range of neurological symptoms such as headaches, sleep disorders, and dizziness. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine in mitigating the neurological symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome. The study involved 95 patients diagnosed with the neurological form of long COVID-19, who were divided into Read More

Introduction: Postoperative pain management is crucial for recovery from surgery. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with morphine and fentanyl are commonly used, but their comparative efficacy remains uncertain. This study aims to evaluate opioid consumption and pain control in patients receiving PCA morphine versus PCA fentanyl after colorectal surgery. Methodology: A retrospective analysis of a Read More

Background: Mirizzi syndrome (MS) is a rare condition in which the common bile duct or hepatic duct is blocked by impacted gallstones. It can cause symptoms such as cholecystitis, including abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Although diagnosis is challenging, imaging techniques such as ultrasonography and CT scans are helpful. The gold standard for diagnosis is ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancr Read More

Introduction: Reproductive technologies are used more widely today than ever before. This increase in the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) is directly related to sociodemographic conditions that result in delayed childbirth among age groups with lower fertility. Infertility affects 17% of married couples, and in some countries 6% of children are born with in vitro fertilization (IVF). In this conte Read More

Background: The relationship between acne vulgaris and lipid profiles has been the subject of limited research across diverse populations, yielding conflicting results. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are any significant differences in lipid profile and selected apolipoproteins between two groups: adolescents and young adults with acne vulgaris and an age- and sex-matched control group. Read More

Background: Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement treats hydrocephalus by draining excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Despite advances, infections remain a common complication, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Infection rates range from 7.2 to 18%, with common pathogens being Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus. Risk factors include young age, postoperative CSF leakag Read More

Introduction: Pregnant women are considered a high-risk group for COVID-19 infection/pneumonia as they are known to be more vulnerable to viral infections. They require close monitoring and appropriate timely intervention to minimize the impact on both the mother and the fetus. Although the more prevalent Omicron variant led to fewer severe infections and fewer intensive care unit (ICU) admissions globally Read More

Background: When Qatar imposed a nationwide lockdown in accordance with WHO guidelines during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, dental healthcare services were disrupted, limiting services to emergencies and postponing elective procedures due to transmission risks. Teledentistry was introduced to remotely manage dental conditions and reduce hospital admissions. The present study examines p Read More

Background: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency due to alterations in the oxidative metabolism of phagocytic cells. This condition is characterized by serious and recurrent infections caused by pyogenic bacteria, particularly Staphylococcus aureus, and fungal pathogens such as Aspergillus. These infections are associated with granuloma formation and inflammatory ma Read More

Background: Myelomeningocele (MMC) is a severe congenital malformation of the CNS (central nervous system) that often leads to seizures due to factors such as shunt complications and hydrocephalus. This study aims to develop a machine learning model to predict the likelihood of seizures in MMC patients by analyzing various predictors. Methods: This retrospective study involved 103 MMC patients. Factors s Read More

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects 500 million people globally, with mortality over 20 million. In the UK, the financial burden is estimated to be approximately £54 billion. Consequently, Lp(a) has been incorporated as an additional biomarker for cardiovascular risk stratification. It is used as a superior marker over the traditional marker LDL-C. Methods: This was a single-centre retrospective stu Read More

Background: The screening of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression after an injury is essential for improving the patient's quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of PTSD and depression screening and the early referral to the trauma psychology service at a level 1 trauma center. We hypothesized that as the screening process becomes more established as a standard of care Read More

Background: Pertussis, a highly contagious disease, has made a resurgence following the easing of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Infants under three months old are particularly vulnerable due to their immature immune systems and lack of protective vaccination. Methods: This study presents a case series of four infants, aged one to three months, who initially presented with nonspecific respiratory sympto Read More

Background: Language barriers significantly impact healthcare delivery, particularly in emergency medical services (EMS) operating in linguistically diverse environments. The demographic composition of Qatar, with its predominantly expatriate population, presents unique challenges for effective communication in pre-hospital care settings. The aim of this was to assess the opinions of personnel from t Read More

Objective: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the outcomes of cemented collared composite beam (CB) and collarless taper slip (TS) femoral stems in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods: Four databases were searched from inception to August 2023 for original studies that compared the outcomes of cemented CB and TS femoral stems following THA. The primary outcome was a Read More