An analytic study of the trends in perinatal and neonatal mortality rates in the State of Qatar over a 30-year period (1977 to 2007): a comparative study with regional and developed countries.

Objective: This study was designed to analyze the trends and differences in perinatal and neonatal mortality rates in the State of Qatar over a period of 30 years (1977 to 2007), to examine the causes of neonatal deaths and compare them with some regional Gulf states and developed world countries.

Study Design: This is a retrospective study conducted in the Women's Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, State of Qatar from 1977 to 2007.

Method: The study included all perinatal and neonatal deaths for the period 1977 to 2007, which were monitored through registers of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Women's hospital.

Factors contributing to school failure among school children in very fast developing Arabian Society.

Objectives: Education is one of the main foundations for the child's development and also for national human resource development. Failure at school and grade retention is a serious concern among children, and their parents. The characteristics of school failure in Qatar have not been studied earlier.

Impact of consanguinity on cancer in a highly endogamous population.

Background: Many epidemiological studies have indicated that inbreeding has little or no effect on the incidence of cancer. Due to the high prevalence of consanguinity in Qatar (54%), its influence may nevertheless be of special importance.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine whether parental consanguinity affects the risk of cancer in a local Arab highly inbred population.

Cancer epidemiology and control in the arab world - past, present and future.

The Arab world, stretching from Lebanon and Syria in the north, through to Morocco in the west, Yemen in the south and Iraq in the east, is the home of more than 300 million people. Cancer is already a major problem and the lifestyle changes underlying the markedly increasing rates for diabetes mean that the burden of neoplasia will only become heavier over time, especially with increasing obesity and aging of what are now still youthful populations. The age-distributions of the affected patients in fact might also indicate cohort effects in many cases.

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in childhood: a population-based study in Qatar.

Objective: To find the pattern of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) (acute/chronic) and to describe presenting features and clinical characteristics of the disease in children below 14 years of age in a newly developed Arabian society.

Methods: This retrospective, descriptive study was carried out at the Pediatric Department of the Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar. A total of 50 children below 14 years of age who were diagnosed with ITP during the period 2000-2005 were included.

Is male fertility associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus?

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of infertility in Qatari men with Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and to examine the association between T2DM and infertility.

Design: This is a cross-sectional study.

Setting: The survey was conducted at Primary Health Care Centers during a period from January 2008 to June 2008.

Abdominoplasty in obese and in morbidly obese patients.

This study aims to determine if morbid obesity increases morbidity in abdominoplasty. Upon examining 200 patients, 100 morbidly obese and 100 overweight and obese, it was found that there is no difference in the complication rate between the two categories. It was also found that, when compared to global rates of complication, there is no difference in the rate of complication of dermolipectomy as a whole in non-obese patients.

Do we need to maximize the knowledge and attitude level of physicians and nurses toward organ donation and transplant?

Objectives: We sought to assess the knowledge level, attitudes, and personal views of physicians and nurses toward organ donation and transplant.

Materials And Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey, carried out from November 2007 to June 2008 in the intensive care units and accident and emergency departments of the hospitals of the Hamad Medical Corporation. A representative sample of 685 health care professionals working in the hospitals was approached; 521 agreed to participate in the study (76.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to Adult Treatment Panel III and International Diabetes Federation criteria: a population-based study.

Objective: The objective of the study was to examine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adult Qatari population according to the revised criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), assess which component contributed to the increased risk of the metabolic syndrome, and identify the characteristics of the subjects with metabolic syndrome.

Design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Setting: The survey was carried out in urban and semiurban primary health-care centers.

Prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus and its risk factors in a population-based study of Qatar.

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes, pre-diabetes and to identify the associated risk factors in the sample of adult Qatari population.

Design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Setting: The survey was carried out in urban and semi-urban primary health care centers.

The epidemiology of viral hepatitis in Qatar.

Viral hepatitis is a major public health problem in many countries all over the world and especially in Middle East, Asia, East-Europe, and Africa. The aim of our study was to assess the incidence of viral hepatitis A, B and C in Qatar and compare it with other countries. This is a retrospective cohort study, which was conducted at Hamad General Hospital, State of Qatar from 2002-2006.

High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in young children in a highly sunny humid country: a global health problem.

Aim: Several studies indicate a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among young populations. Information about the vitamin D status in young adult populations from the Middle East is scarce. The vitamin D status can be expected to be influenced by highly different factors between various countries in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Treatment outcome of acne vulgaris with oral isotretinoin.

Objective: To determine the clinical efficacy of oral isotretinoin in the treatment of severe acne and assess its effect on total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and Low-Density Lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol).

Study Design: A cohort, descriptive, hospital-based study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Al-Ain Medical District, Tawam Hospital, United Arab Emirates, from 1994 to 2002.

Incidence and severity of head and neck injuries in victims of road traffic crashes: In an economically developed country.

Background: Head and neck injuries following the road traffic crashes (RTCs) are the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in most developed and developing countries and may also result in temporary or permanent disability.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence pattern of head and neck injuries, investigate its trend and identify the severity of injuries involved with road traffic crashes (RTCs) during the period 2001-2006.

Design: This is a retrospective descriptive hospital based study.

Prevalence and impact of diabetes mellitus in patients with acute myocardial infarction: a 10-year experience.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is associated with a higher incidence of acute myocardial infarction.

Objective: To study the prevalence and outcome of patients with diabetes among patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Methods: Retrospectively, patients who presented with acute myocardial infarction in a 10-year period were identified from the coronary care unit database.

Cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity assay for food antioxidants: vitamins, polyphenolics, and flavonoids in food extracts.

Antioxidants are health beneficial compounds through their combat with reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and free radicals that may cause tissue damage leading to various diseases. This work reports the development of a simple and widely applicable antioxidant capacity index for dietary polyphenols, vitamins C and E, and plasma antioxidants utilizing the copper(II)-neocuproine (Cu(II)-Nc) reagent as the chromogenic oxidizing agent. This novel method based on an electron-transfer mechanism was named by our research group as 'cupric reducing antioxidant capacity', abbreviated as the CUPRAC method.

Impact of lifestyle and dietary habits on hypovitaminosis D in type 1 diabetes mellitus and healthy children from Qatar, a sun-rich country.

Background: There are no population-based studies that have examined the association between vitamin D and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and the role of lifestyle habits and dietary factors in young children in the Arabian Gulf and Middle East region. Little data on the intake of these nutrients in Mediterranean countries exist, and predictors of their suboptimal intake are not well defined.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the association between vitamin D status and T1DM and assess the impact of lifestyle and dietary habits on hypovitaminosis D in the young population of the State of Qatar.

Size at birth in a rapidly developing economy: intrauterine growth pattern of UAE infants.

Background: Despite rapid economic growth and the recognition of intrauterine growth pattern as an important indicator of neonatal morbidity and mortality, the size at birth relative to gestation for UAE (United Arab Emirates) live births has not been investigated.

Aim: The present study evaluated the intrauterine growth pattern of UAE infants and compared the data with the currently used reference standard.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 2497 singleton hospital live births to UAE mothers without pregnancy complications were studied.

Vitamin D deficiency in healthy children in a sunny country: associated factors.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine the factors associated with low concentrations of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (vitamin D deficiency) in healthy children in Qatar.

Design: The survey was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Primary Health Care Clinics over the period from August 2007 to March 2008. Subjects The study was carried out among healthy Qatari nationals, male and female, aged below 16 years.

High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in type 1 diabetes mellitus and healthy children.

Epidemiological studies suggest a link between vitamin D deficiency in early life and the later onset of type 1 diabetes. The aim of this matched case-control study was to find the association between vitamin D and T1DM then to study the difference in the level of vitamin D in T1DM and healthy subjects, and to determine the associated environmental risk factors in young Qatari population. The study was carried out among T1DM children and healthy subjects below 16 years at the pediatric endocrinology outpatient clinics of the Hamad General Hospital and the Primary Health care Clinics (PHCs).

The prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms in schoolchildren in a highly consanguineous community.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to find the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity (ADH) symptoms in a sample of primary schoolchildren in Qatar and investigate the behaviour of the children with and without ADH symptoms in a highly consanguineous community.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 2,500 primary school students, aged 6-12 years, were randomly selected from the government primary schools, and 1,869 students (947 boys and 922 girls) gave consent to participate in this study. An Arabic questionnaire was used to collect the sociodemographic variables and a standardized Arabic version of the Conners' Teacher Rating Scale for ADH symptoms.

Prevalence and determinants of fecal incontinence in premenopausal women in an Arabian community.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, awareness and determinants of fecal incontinence among Qatari women.

Method: In the cross-sectional community-based study in primary health-care centers, using a multistage sampling design, a representative sample of randomly selected 776 Qatari women aged from 40 to 48 years were approached from January to August 2007; only 596 women, with a response rate of 76.8%, gave consent and were included in the analysis.

Duration of breast-feeding and the risk of childhood allergic diseases in a developing country.

Exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) seems to reduce risk of allergies in the western countries, but there are few reports from developing countries. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of EBF on the development of allergic diseases and eczema in a developing country. This is a cross-sectional survey done at the well-baby clinics of 11 primary health centers, Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar.

The Driver Behaviour Questionnaire in Arab Gulf countries: Qatar and United Arab Emirates.

Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) is one of the most widely used instruments for measuring self-reported driving style and investigating the relationship between driving behaviour and accident involvement. In spite of the fact that Arab Gulf countries have a higher road accident fatality rate compared to European countries and USA, the DBQ has not been used in Arab countries so far. The aim of the present study was to investigate the factor structure of the DBQ, then to examine the relationships between the factors of the DBQ and accident involvement, and finally to compare DBQ scores between the two gulf countries: Qatar and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Viral kinetic of HCV genotype-4 during pegylated interferon alpha 2a: ribavirin therapy.

Kinetics of hepatitis C virus (HCV) during pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and early monitoring of viral decline were recently described to predict treatment outcomes and in turn reduce the course of treatment, adverse effects and cost. However, there is limited (if any) information on the viral dynamics of HCV-4. Our aim is to follow the HCV-RNA kinetics during PEG-IFN alpha 2a and ribavirin therapy and the best time for predicting sustained viral response (SVR) in genotype-4 patients.