Publications by authors named "Al-Ali N"
Article Synopsis
- The WHO and International Consensus Classification 2022 aim to improve diagnosis and treatment decisions for myelodysplastic syndromes, but disparities in their implementation exist.
- A panel of experts used a data-driven method and the Delphi consensus process to align the two classifications, focusing on genomic features to create harmonized labels for distinct clusters.
- Key findings identified nine genomic clusters, with the most significant linked to biallelic TP53 inactivation, and highlighted the inadequacy of traditional morphological assessments in capturing the complexity of these diseases.
Article Synopsis
- Lenalidomide (LEN) can help 60-70% of patients with del(5q) myelodysplastic neoplasm achieve independence from red blood cell transfusions (RBC-TI), but there's a concern about its toxicity and cost.
- The HARMONY Alliance study followed 118 low-intermediate risk MDS patients who discontinued LEN, finding that 50 lost RBC-TI after a median of 49 months.
- Factors like having a low transfusion burden before treatment, completing at least 12 LEN cycles, being younger, and having higher hemoglobin levels at withdrawal were linked to longer RBC-TI duration after discontinuing LEN.
Article Synopsis
- Mutations in the TP53 gene, especially multihit alterations, are linked to worse clinical outcomes in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).
- This study analyzed TP53 abnormalities in 682 patients with MDS who had an isolated deletion of chromosome 5 (MDS-del(5q)), revealing that 24% had multihit mutations, indicating a greater risk for leukemic transformation.
- The study found that the effect of monoallelic mutations varies with the variant allele frequency (VAF); lower VAF (<20%) behaved like wild-type TP53, while higher VAF (≥20%) showed outcomes similar to multihit mutations, highlighting the need for careful consideration of TP53 status in
Clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance (CCUS) represents a distinct disease entity characterized by myeloid-related somatic mutations with a variant allele fraction of ≥2% in individuals with unexplained cytopenia(s) but without a myeloid neoplasm (MN). Notably, CCUS carries a risk of progressing to MN, particularly in cases featuring high-risk mutations. Understanding CCUS requires dedicated studies to elucidate its risk factors and natural history.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Our aim was to describe the clinical outcomes of surgical interventions performed for the management of colonoscopy-related perforations and to compare these outcomes with those of matched colorectal surgeries performed in elective and emergency settings.
Methods: We included patients with endoscopic colonic perforation who underwent surgical intervention from the 2014-2017 National Surgery Quality Improvement Program participant use data colorectal targeted procedure file. The primary outcome in this study was short term surgical morbidity and mortality.
Article Synopsis
- Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation is the only curative option for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes, and the timing of this treatment is crucial for maximizing benefits and minimizing risks.
- A decision support system was developed to identify the optimal timing for HSCT based on clinical and genomic data from a large study of over 7,000 patients, comparing outcomes using the Molecular International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-M) against traditional scoring methods.
- The findings suggest that patients with lower risk can benefit from delaying transplantation, while those at higher risk should undergo it immediately, indicating that the IPSS-M strategy significantly improves life expectancy and supports personalized treatment plans.
Article Synopsis
- New treatment strategies are urgently needed for patients with triple-negative Myelofibrosis (TN-MF), who show poor outcomes and lack mutations in the JAK2 pathway.
- Research reveals that MYC copy number gain and elevated MYC expression are common in TN-MF, driving the disease's development through the activation of S100A9, an inflammation-related protein.
- Targeting the MYC-S100A9 pathway, either through genetic methods or small molecules, effectively improves Myelofibrosis symptoms, presenting a potential new treatment approach for this difficult-to-treat patient group.
Article Synopsis
- Ruxolitinib is effective in reducing spleen size and improving symptoms in myelofibrosis (MF) patients, with potential survival benefits for higher-risk individuals.
- In a study of 590 MF patients, researchers analyzed serum albumin levels to understand their relationship with ruxolitinib treatment and patient outcomes.
- Results indicated that while serum albumin levels generally decrease in MF patients, ruxolitinib treatment stabilizes these levels, and changes in albumin levels during treatment are linked to better overall survival, particularly in patients who haven't received ruxolitinib before.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on the progression patterns of low-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in a cohort of 1,914 patients, categorizing them into four distinct groups based on their disease progression.
- Key risk factors identified for progression include male gender, low blood cell counts, high bone marrow blasts, and certain genetic mutations, with specific mutations such as SRSF2 correlating with a higher risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
- Notably, about 13.1% of patients with stable low-risk MDS died within two years of diagnosis, often due to complications related to cytopenia, highlighting the importance of understanding disease progression to improve treatment strategies.
Article Synopsis
- Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) outcomes are influenced by genetic factors, with NPM1 mutations found in about 30% of cases and linked to a better prognosis.
- This study involving 233 AML patients showed that those with secondary mutations (sMut) had significantly lower overall survival rates compared to those without sMut, even when considering favorable-risk AML.
- Among patients who achieved measurable residual disease negativity, those with sMut still had poorer survival compared to MRD negative patients, highlighting the adverse impact of sMut on prognosis in AML.
Among 210 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) with del(5q), molecular information was available at diagnosis or at least 3 months before leukaemic transformation in 146 cases. Multivariate analysis identified therapy-related setting (p = 0.02; HR 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMyelofibrosis (MF) is commonly diagnosed in older individuals and has not been extensively studied in young patients. Given the infrequent diagnosis in young patients, analyzing this cohort may identify factors that predict for disease development/progression. We retrospectively analyzed clinical/genomic characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients with MF aged 18-50 years (YOUNG) at diagnosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to assess the food frequency and health-related risk behaviors based on gender and major of study (health and non-health majors) in a sample of undergraduate university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 708 undergraduate university students (37.4% males; 62.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed at assessing the extent to which the general Saudi population has embraced digital health medical applications to meet their health-related needs so that the Saudi Ministry of Health and government can appropriately be guided on scaling up digital health across the country. As such, this study was guided by the question of to what extent the Saudi people use digital health mobile-based applications. This was a cross-sectional study utilizing snowballing sampling approach.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The Molecular International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-M) is a new model for assessing risk in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) that incorporates genetic mutation data for better accuracy compared to previous systems like IPSS and IPSS-R.
- A large study involving 2,355 MDS patients confirmed the IPSS-M's effectiveness in predicting overall survival (OS), leukemia-free survival (LFS), and the risk of leukemic transformation.
- The model categorizes patients into six risk groups, showing significant differences in median survival times, which supports the potential of IPSS-M to enhance treatment decisions for MDS patients.
Aims And Objectives: This study aimed to assess the perceived caregiver burden among parents of chronically ill children in Jordan.
Background: Although there are few studies on the accurate prevalence of chronic diseases among Jordanian children, there are a few on the burden of caregiving, which is important because most children with chronic illness rely on their caregivers to perform their daily tasks. In Jordan, little is known about the caregiver burden associated with caring for children with chronic diseases.
Background: Poor medication adherence is a concern among patients with hypertension. However, few studies have assessed the effect of health literacy on medication adherence among refugee patients.
Aim: The aim was to examine the effect of health literacy and associated factors in explaining medication adherence among Syrian refugee patients with hypertension.
Background: We evaluated community health volunteer (CHV) strategies to prevent non-communicable disease (NCD) care disruption and promote coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) detection among Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians, as the pandemic started.
Methods: Alongside medication delivery, CHVs called patients monthly to assess stockouts and adherence, provide self-management and psychosocial support, and screen and refer for complications and COVID-19 testing. Cohort analysis was undertaken of stockouts, adherence, complications and suspected COVID-19.
Background Foreign body ingestion is a prevalent issue among children and presents considerable morbidity and mortality rates. Due to children's increased accessibility to electronic toys and equipment, foreign body ingestion has become a common reason for presenting to pediatric emergency departments worldwide. In this context, this research aims to determine the prevalence of foreign body ingestion among children in AlAhsa, Saudi Arabia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGastric diverticula (GD) are the rarest of the gastrointestinal diverticula and are characterized by protrusions of the stomach wall, that can either be congenital or acquired. Despite the fact that the majority of GD are asymptomatic and are detected inadvertently during endoscopy or gastrointestinal (GI) series studies, they might present with a variety of symptoms, including abdominal pain, vomiting, and weight loss. In mild symptomatic instances, GD is treated conservatively with antacids, but surgical excision is indicated for refractory gastric diverticula with persistent symptoms or complications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF