Ramadan intermittent fasting is associated with improved anticoagulant activity among healthy people: a case-control study.

Data on the pathophysiological mechanisms of hemostatic alterations in the thrombotic events that occur during Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF), particularly in the natural coagulation inhibitors, are very limited. Thus, our objective was to evaluate the effect of RIF on the natural anticoagulants level, antithrombin, protein C, and total and free protein S (PS) in healthy participants. Participants were divided into two groups.

Camel platelet aggregation responses and the antiplatelet effect of camel urine: comparison between black and white camels.

Human black and white-skinned races exhibited differences in platelet aggregation. However, no similar differences were described on white and black camels. This study aims to find out whether black and white camel skin color is associated with differences in camel platelet aggregation responses or the platelet inhibitory activity of their urine Platelet aggregometry was undertaken in black and white camels, in response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), Arachidonic acid (AA), Epinephrine (EPN), collagen, and Ristocetin.

The future of voluntary blood donation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Replacement blood donations are a major source of blood in KSA. This presentation highlights "the peace time and war experiences," where the voluntary donor potential was tested. THE "PEACETIME EXPERIENCE"-KING SAUD UNIVERSITY STUDENT DONOR DRIVE: This donor drive commenced in 1983 with 13 donors in its first and the annual collection reached 4500 blood units in the academic session 1995-1996, when the student enrollment was around 30,000.

Long-term audit of the use of fresh frozen plasma in a university hospital.

Objectives: There is universal concern about the inappropriate use of fresh frozen plasma (FFP). This study aimed to determine the extent of the inappropriate use of FFP at a university hospital in KSA.

Methods: Medical records on the annual use of FFP were analysed from 1986 to 2007.

A 23 years audit of packed red blood cell consumption in a university hospital in a developing country.

Background: There is paucity of information on the blood transfusion practice in developing countries. The current audit aims to find out the long term trend in the consumption of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) in a large Saudi teaching hospital in Riyadh

Materials And Methods: We analyzed the annual consumption of PRBCs from 1985 to 2007 in seven major hospital divisions (Medicine, General Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cardiac Surgery, Accident and Emergency and Renal Dialysis Unit) at the 850-bed King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH), Riyadh.

Results: Grand total consumption of PRBCs was 345,642 units.

Characterization of the aggregation responses of camel platelets.

Background: Despite evidence of active hemostasis, camel platelets barely respond to common aggregating agents at standard doses used for human platelet aggregation.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to find out whether camel platelets can be activated by high doses or combinations of aggregation agonists, and to characterize the receptor that mediates the aggregation response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), the most potent agonist for camel platelets known so far.

Methods: Aggregation studies were performed with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in response to multiple doses or combinations of ADP, epinephrine (EPN), collagen, and arachidonic acid (AA).

Haemostatic changes in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a comparison between upper and lower limb measurements.

Background: The use of pnuemoperitonium to create the working environment for laproscopic cholecystectomy results in an increase in intraabdominal pressure, which exceeds the pressure of the venous-return from the legs. The resulting venous stasis may increase the risk of thrombosis formation and deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs. However, there is no information as to whether the venous stasis will also exacerbate the coagulabililty of blood flowing out of the lower limbs.

Natural anticoagulants can be useful predictors of severity in chronic liver disease.

Protein S (PS), protein C (PC), and antithrombin (AT) are produced by the liver, and their levels were previously shown to be reduced in chronic as well as acute liver disease. The aim of this study was to determine whether measurement of PS, PC, and AT levels in patients would be as good as the commonly used clinical and histological parameters of liver disease in discriminating early and advanced hepatocyte dysfunction. A total of 154 patients were recruited and categorized into five groups: hepatitis B inactive carriers in group 1 (n = 29), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis patients in group 2 (n = 30), chronic hepatitis B patients with elevated liver enzymes in group 3 (n = 29), chronic hepatitis C patients with elevated liver enzymes in group 4 (n = 30), liver cirrhosis patients in group 5 (n = 36).

Transfusion medicine in a developing country - alloantibodies to red blood cells in multi-transfused patients in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Multiple transfusions are frequently complicated by alloimmunization. This retrospective study aims to determine whether alloimmunization could be accounted for by racial differences between donors and recipients.

Materials And Methods: The development of alloantibodies were determined in 68 multi-transfused patients (thalassaemia, n=38) and (sickle cell anemia, n=30).

Natural anticoagulants and fibrinolytic activity following interferon therapy in chronic viral hepatitis.

Chronic liver disease is accompanied by derangement of hepatocyte function including the synthesis of haemostastic factors. It is, however, not known whether the improvement in liver functions as a result of interferon (IFN)-alpha therapy would be reflected in the plasma levels of these factors. To evaluate the effect of IFN-alpha therapy on the plasma levels of natural anticoagulants and on the fibrinolytic parameters, in patients with chronic viral hepatitis.

Effects of heat on camel platelet structure and function-a comparative study with humans.

Camels and many other desert animals are uniquely adapted to conserve water and other fluids in order to survive intense heat for long periods. Earlier studies have suggested that human platelets may be the trigger for the coagulopathy involved in heat prostration and stroke. The present study has compared the resistance of camel and human platelets to heat in order to see if they might help to protect camels from the effects of high body temperature for prolonged periods.

Haemostatic abnormalities in liver disease: could some haemostatic tests be useful as liver function tests?

The liver plays a central role in haemostasis, being the site of synthesis of most of the clotting factors, coagulation inhibitors and fibrinolytic parameters, in addition to its clearance of activated clotting and fibrinolytic factors. Nonetheless, no haemostatic test(s) is included among the routine liver function tests and this study aims to probe this possibility. The liver disease group (n=258) included acute hepatitis (n=25), chronic viral hepatitis (n=128), hepatitis B (HB) carriers (n=25), liver cirrhosis (n=67), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (n=13).

The liver and the haemeostatic system.

The liver plays a central role in the control of haemostasis being the site of synthesis of most of the coagulation factors and natural anticoagulants, as well as fibrinolytic factors except the main activators of the fibrinolytic system (t-PA and u-PA). The liver also clears many of the activated clotting and fibrinolytic factors, as well as haemostatic activation complexes (TAT and PAP) and end product of fibrin degradation, FDP. Therefore, liver disease results in a complex and multifactorial pattern of defects in haemostatic function in the form of: (i) decreased synthesis of coagulation factors (ii) Abnormal protein synthesis e.