Incidence of obesity,overweight and hypertension in children and adolescents in Ahvaz southwest of IRAN: Five-years study

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of obesity, overweight and hypertension in children and adolescents aged 10–15 in Ahvaz.MethodsThis is a epidemiologic study performed on 176 people aged 10–15 in Ahvaz. In 2009, 300 people underwent weight, height and blood pressure measurements. Five years later, the same people were reassessed for obesity, overweight and hypertension, of whom a total of 176 people agreed to repeat the procedure.ResultsThe study included 100 (57%) males and 76 (43%) females. Mean BMI was 22.1 ± 4.3 kg / m2 in year 2014, without any significant difference between the two sexes (P = 0.518). In the same year, the prevalence of obesity and overweight was 26 (14.8%) and 13 (7.4%), respectively. After 5years, BMI increased significantly (P < 0.001). Of the 150 norma participants with normal BMI in 2009, 15 (10%) and 6 (4%) became overweight and obese in 2014 respectively. The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures increased significantly over 5 years P = 0.042 and P < 0.001.ConclusionsThis study shows an increase in mean BMI and mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures after 5 years among people aged 10–15 in Ahvaz.     

The transactional model of stress and coping as guidance for understanding adolescent patients' experience with thalassemia: Case report

Purpose : This case report investigated the transactional model of stress and coping as guidance for nursing care of an adolescent patient with thalassemia. Sources Used : A case study of a 15‐year‐old female patient with β‐thalassemia major. Data were collected using patient medical records, an interview with the patient and physical examination. Results : Four issues related to coping were isolated: Worsening physical symptoms; psychosocial consequences, coping process, and building supportive networks. These issues and the patient's adaption are explored via the transactional model. Conclusions : Having thalassemia was cognitively appraised by the patient as a stressful and taxing situation with detrimental consequences, such as changes in physical appearance, stigmatization, and depression. Nurses should evaluate each patient's physical and psychosocial needs, utilizing appropriate theoretical models for designing a suitable care plan. As the case study demonstrates, the transactional model was an effective guide for nurses in planning care of an adolescent patient with thalassemia.     

Involvement of foot in patients with spondyloarthritis: Prevalence and clinical features

Background

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the foot involvement in a group of patients with spondyloarthritis in regard to symptoms, type and frequency of deformities, location and radiological changes.

Correction to: RNA as a Source of Biomarkers for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Metabolic Brain Disease -     

Family Medicine in Egypt From Medical Students' Perspective: A Nationwide Survey

Phenomenon: Attitudes of medical students toward family medicine as a specialty choice can provide information on the future supply of family physicians. Due to the current worldwide shortage of family physicians, these attitudes, with their subsequent effects on the state and dynamics of the healthcare system, are important to investigate. Approach: A web-based questionnaire was sent to 600 medical students, selected by a systematic random sampling technique, in 7 Egyptian medical schools. Participants were surveyed to assess their perception of the family medicine specialty as a future career and explore the impact of different factors, including undergraduate family medicine clerkships, on their attitudes toward family medicine. Findings: We had a response rate of 75.2% (n = 451). Although 90.7% of students believed in the vital role that family medicine can play in Egypt's healthcare system, only 4.7% showed an intention to choose it as a future career. Students choosing family medicine as a first-career choice were more likely to have a prior contact with family physicians as consumers. Exposure to an undergraduate family medicine curriculum was associated with increased knowledge about family medicine but not the intentions to pursue it as a career. Insights: Medical students in Egypt have a positive perception of family medicine as an important specialty but low interest in its choice as a future career.     

Factors that facilitate reporting of adverse drug reactions by pharmacists in Saudi Arabia

Objectives: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a pervasive global problem, and its management is integral to patient safety and healthcare quality. Pharmacists play a pivotal role in monitoring and reporting ADRs, which has a direct impact on patient care. The aim of this study was to identify potential factors that facilitate pharmacists in community and hospital settings to report ADRs.

Methods: A cross-sectional, online survey using a validated questionnaire was administered to pharmacists working in community and hospital pharmacies in Saudi Arabia.

Results: 1,717 community and 153 hospital pharmacists participated in this study. Only 10.2% and 26.8% of community and hospital pharmacists, respectively, admitted ever reporting an ADR. The most reported factors that may facilitate ADRs reporting have included ongoing improvements in therapeutic knowledge about ADRs, attending educational programs with continuous medical education credits, the seriousness of the experienced ADRs and accessibility to patients’ medical profile. The impact of peers by seeing colleagues reporting ADRs and ADRs due to herbal or traditional medicine were the least important factors reported by pharmacists.

Conclusion: The study identified factors that can effectively address the under-reporting of ADRs by pharmacists. A multi-stakeholder, multi-pronged approach of ADR reporting is needed to develop greater awareness of this issue among pharmacists.     

Incremental Value of Live/Real Time Three‐Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiography over Two‐Dimensional Echocardiography in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy with Mid‐Ventricular Obstruction and Apical Aneurysm

We describe a case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with mid‐left ventricular obstruction and apical aneurysm containing thrombi where live/real time three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography provided incremental value over two‐dimensional echocardiography in assessing the findings.