Acute brucellosis in Saudi families: relationship between brucella serology and clinical symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if screening family members of patients with acute brucellosis will enhance the detection rate of brucellosis and also to determine the relationship between symptoms and brucella serology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Family members from patients with acute brucellosis were interviewed and serologically screened. All seropositive family members were clinically and serologically followed for six months. RESULTS: Twenty-five acute brucellosis patients and their 178 family members were enrolled from January 2001 to February 2002. Of the 178 family members, 40 (23%) manifested various symptoms, 138 (77%) were asymptomatic, with an overall seroprevalence rate of 34 (19%). The rate of seropositivity among the symptomatic family members was 23 (58%) and for the asymptomatic was 11 (8%) (P<0.001). The majority of the symptomatic family members (13 (57%)) had a high Brucella titer in comparison to one (9%) of the asymptomatic group (P<0.001). Acute brucellosis was diagnosed and treated in 18 (78%) of the symptomatic seropositive family members and in four (36%), of the asymptomatic seropositive family members with an acute brucellosis prevalence rate of 22 (12%). All family members with acute infection recovered without sequelae; one patient relapsed (5%). CONCLUSION: Symptomatic family members are more likely to be seropositive with a high titer in comparison to the asymptomatic members.     

Prevalence and incidence of osteoarthritis among people living in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Clinical Rheumatology - Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative disease affecting joints with an increasing prevalence around the world and in the Middle East region. Research about the...     

Blocking of cytokines signalling attenuates evoked and spontaneous neuropathic pain behaviours in the paclitaxel rat model of chemotherapy‐induced neuropathy

Background

Chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neuropathic pain (CIPNP) is a serious dose‐limiting neurotoxic effect of cancer drug treatment. The underlying mechanism(s) of this debilitating condition, which lacks effective drug treatment, is incompletely understood. However, neural–immune interactions, involving increased expression and release of cytokines, are believed to be involved. Here, we examined, in the paclitaxel rat model of CIPNP, whether plasma levels of 24 cytokines/chemokines change after paclitaxel treatment, and whether blocking of signalling of some of those cytokines would reverse/attenuate behavioural signs of CIPNP.

Methods

To achieve these objectives luminex, pharmacological and behavioural experiments were performed on male Wistar rats (250–300 g) 31 days after the last injection of paclitaxel (1 mg/kg, i.p. on four alternate days) as well as on control (vehicle‐treated) rats.

Results

Compared with control rats, plasma levels of IL‐1α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α, INF‐γ and MCP‐1 were significantly upregulated in paclitaxel‐treated rats. Blocking of TNF‐α signalling with etanercept (2 mg/kg, i.p.) or IL‐1β with IL‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1ra; 3 mg/kg, i.p.), significantly attenuated established mechanical and cold hypersensitivity as well as spontaneous pain behaviour (spontaneous foot lifting) 24 and 48 h postdrug treatment. Pharmacological blockade of MCP‐1/CCL2 signalling with a highly selective CCR2 receptor antagonist (S504393, 5 mg/kg, i.p.) also significantly reduced evoked, but not spontaneous, pain behaviours of CIPNP in paclitaxel‐treated rats at the same time points.

Conclusions

The findings support the notion that cytokines/chemokines, particularly TNF‐α, IL‐1 and MCP‐1, are involved in the pathophysiology of CIPNP and suggest that strategies that target their inhibition may be effective in treating CIPNP.

Significance

This study demonstrates that paclitaxel‐treated rats exhibit, in addition to indices of mechanical and cold hypersensitivity, a behavioural sign of spontaneous pain, the principal compliant of patients with neuropathic pain. This was accompanied by upregulation in plasma levels of key cytokines/chemokines (IL‐1α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α, INF‐γ and MCP‐1) 31 days post‐treatment. However, it is noteworthy that cytokine release, rather than nerve injury per se, may be causative of NP in this model of CIPNP. Nevertheless, our findings that pharmacological blockade of TNF‐α, IL‐1β and MCP‐1 attenuated both evoked and spontaneous pain suggest that strategies that target inhibition of these cytokines may be effective in treating CIPNP.     

Behaviour change interventions to improve medication adherence in patients with cardiac disease: Protocol for a mixed methods study including a pilot randomised controlled trial

Background

Suboptimal adherence to medication increases mortality and morbidity; individually tailored supportive interventions can improve patients’ adherence to their medication regimens.

Musculoskeletal pain among male faculty members of the College of Medicine and College of Dentistry

We aimed to establish the local prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among faculty members in Saudi Arabia and describe the patient''s risk factors and preventive measures that may reduce its burden.An observational, quantitative, cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and its risk factors among male faculty members in the College of Medicine and Dentistry, using a designed questionnaire based on the Standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Chi-square testing at a significance level of P < .05, was used for comparative analysis. SPSS version 26 was used for all analyses.Ninety responders participated in the survey analysis. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among faculty members was 77.8%, and the most common site of musculoskeletal pain occurred at two different sites of the three (low back, neck, and shoulder), with a prevalence of 38.9%. As for risk factors of musculoskeletal pain, only age group showed a significant correlation with the site of musculoskeletal pain (P = .024), where patients in the younger age group (25–35 years old) were at higher risk of lower back pain, while participants in the older age group (36 to 44 years old and 45 years or older) were at higher risk of musculoskeletal pain in two different sites.Musculoskeletal pain affects more than two-thirds of faculty members. In particular, low back pain is a common problem among faculty members. Age is a significant risk factor for the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain, with more than one site involvement in older age.     

A Process for Hydrogen Production from the Catalytic Decomposition of Formic Acid over Iridium—Palladium Nanoparticles

The present study investigates a process for the selective production of hydrogen from the catalytic decomposition of formic acid in the presence of iridium and iridium–palladium nanoparticles under various conditions. It was found that a loading of 1 wt.% of 2% palladium in the presence of 1% iridium over activated charcoal led to a 43% conversion of formic acid to hydrogen at room temperature after 4 h. Increasing the temperature to 60 °C led to further decomposition and an improvement in conversion yield to 63%. Dilution of formic acid from 0.5 to 0.2 M improved the decomposition, reaching conversion to 81%. The reported process could potentially be used in commercial applications.     

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Arabic version of the knee outcome survey-activities for daily living scale

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to cross-culturally adapt the Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale into Arabic and to assess its psychometric properties (internal consistency, reliability, validity, and responsiveness) in patients with knee disorders.

Methods: The cross-cultural adaptation process for the Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale into Arabic was performed consistent with the published guidelines. The psychometric properties of this Arabic version were then evaluated. Participants completed this version three times: at baseline, 2–4 days later, and 4?weeks later. Correlations between the Arabic version of Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale and the Arabic version of the Short Form-36 Health Survey, Get Up and Go, and Ascending/Descending stairs tests were evaluated.

Results: Linguistic and cultural issues were addressed. The Arabic version of the Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha?=?0.97) and excellent test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient?=?0.97). Construct validity of the Arabic version of the Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale with the Arabic version of Short Form-36 Health Survey subscales ranged from r?=?0.28 to 0.53, p?r?=??0.47 to ?0.60, p?Conclusions: The Arabic version of the Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale is a reliable, valid and responsive measure for assessing knee-related symptoms and functional limitations

• Implications for rehabilitation

• The Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale-Arabic is a reliable, valid and responsive measure for assessing knee-related functional limitations.

• This Arabic version can be used in clinical practice and for research purposes to assess symptoms and functional limitations in Arabic-speaking patients with knee disorders.

• This scale is responsive to track therapeutic outcome of Arabic-speaking patients with knee disorders.