Publications by authors named "BaHammam A"
Article Synopsis
- The study aims to create a flexible yet standardized sleep medicine fellowship curriculum tailored for diverse healthcare settings across Asia, addressing existing training disparities.
- The development process included a thorough gap analysis, literature review, and expert consensus through a structured survey method.
- The resulting curriculum features two training tracks (one-year and two-year), detailed learning outcomes, competency-based content, and comprehensive assessment strategies to enhance sleep medicine education and patient care in the region.
Article Synopsis
- Mendelian randomization (MR) is a valuable method for exploring causal relationships between sleep traits/disorders and health outcomes, offering insights for sleep medicine specialists.
- The article discusses the challenges and key assumptions in conducting MR studies on sleep, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right genetic instruments and interpreting results cautiously.
- It advocates for improved collaboration between MR experts and sleep specialists, transparent reporting of findings, and adherence to best practices to enhance the credibility and impact of MR research in sleep medicine.
Article Synopsis
- Orthosomnia is a growing concern in sleep medicine, and this study aimed to estimate its prevalence among the general population using data from 523 participants.
- Researchers created a four-criteria algorithm to identify orthosomnia cases based on participants' sleep-tracking device usage and self-reported sleep issues, finding that the prevalence ranged from 3.0% to 14.0% based on different estimation methods.
- The study revealed that individuals with orthosomnia reported worse insomnia symptoms compared to those without, but important limitations exist due to the study's cross-sectional design, meaning further research is needed to understand these findings fully.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated the health benefits of Ramadan fasting (RFM) in both obese and non-obese rats, focusing on its effects on longevity and metabolic biomarkers.
- Rats were divided into groups fed standard or high-fat diets over 12 weeks, with some undergoing fasting and exercise, while others were given glucose.
- Results showed that RFM led to lower levels of certain pro-inflammatory and metabolic markers, improved anti-inflammatory and antioxidant levels, and boosted gene expression linked to longevity, indicating that RFM has potential health advantages, especially for those on a high-fat diet.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to create and validate an Arabic version of the Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale (PSAS) to measure mental and physical arousal before sleep among Arabic-speaking individuals.
- In a survey of 438 participants, the Arabic PSAS displayed strong psychometric properties, including high internal consistency and reliability, and maintained the original two-factor structure of cognitive and somatic arousal.
- Results showed significant differences in pre-sleep arousal levels between individuals with insomnia symptoms and those without, indicating that the Arabic PSAS is a useful tool for assessing sleep-related issues in this population.
Article Synopsis
- A study assessed the impact of Ramadan fasting on sleep and physical activity among Nigerian Muslims during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing limited previous research on the subject.
- Out of 770 participants, 39% reported less physical activity during Ramadan, while 56% felt they had good sleep quality, with factors like sex, sleep quality, and obesity influencing these changes.
- The findings suggest that while physical activity decreased, many respondents experienced weight loss and good sleep, indicating potential benefits of intermittent fasting for health and well-being.
Article Synopsis
- - This study focused on translating and validating an Arabic version of the Sleep Preoccupation Scale (SPS) to assess how daytime thoughts about sleep affect sleep quality among Arabic speakers.
- - A total of 523 participants completed various sleep and anxiety questionnaires, and the SPS showed strong reliability and internal consistency in measuring sleep preoccupation.
- - The results indicated that the Arabic SPS correlates well with insomnia severity and anxiety related to sleep, confirming its effectiveness as a valid tool for this population.
Article Synopsis
- * Four studies with a total of 2,506 participants from various countries were reviewed, and the APSQ showed very high internal consistency, with a pooled Cronbach's alpha of 0.93.
- * Despite its reliability, the APSQ's applicability may be limited due to a lack of diverse linguistic and cultural representation in the studies, along with significant variation in results.
Purpose: Several studies have shown that aerobic exercise training improves obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity. However, a dose-response relationship has never been shown. This study aimed to quantify any dose-response relationships between time spent per week in aerobic exercise and key sleep apnea outcomes.
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- - The study aimed to investigate how changing light-dark cycles and consuming soft drinks affect the early development of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice.
- - Female NOD mice were tested from 5 weeks old, and adjustments were made to their light cycles and diets until they either developed diabetes or reached 30 weeks old.
- - Results showed that NOD mice with altered light cycles developed T1DM approximately two weeks earlier than control mice, but this finding wasn't statistically significant, indicating a need for more research with larger groups.
Article Synopsis
- - Self-medication practices surged during the COVID-19 pandemic as people stockpiled medications, with roughly 80% taking action in response to the uncertainty and lack of effective treatments.
- - A study conducted in southwestern Ethiopia surveyed 415 pharmacy clients to identify factors influencing self-medication, utilizing various statistical analyses to explore these associations.
- - Findings indicated that self-medication was more common among females, those with higher education, individuals frustrated with public health facility wait times, and those fearing COVID-19, with analgesics and cold medicines being the most commonly used.
Article Synopsis
- Chronotype refers to an individual's internal clock that affects various aspects of daily life, and understanding its factors is important for research on health.* -
- A study conducted in Saudi Arabia with 1,369 adults aimed to examine the relationship between chronotype and factors like meal frequency and physical activity, finding significant links with demographic variables such as age and employment.* -
- The results revealed that the population was categorized into morning-type (34.1%), neither-type (41.6%), and evening-type (24.3%), and showed associations between chronotype and eating habits as well as levels of physical activity.*
Article Synopsis
- A study conducted by the Asian Society of Sleep Medicine aimed to assess the state of sleep medicine accreditation and training across 29 Asian countries and identified significant gaps in the current system.
- The survey, which had an 86% response rate, revealed that only 36% of the regions recognize sleep medicine as an independent specialty, with disparities in training standards and a lack of formalized guidelines in many areas.
- Recommendations include developing a standardized Asian Sleep Medicine Training Curriculum and accreditation guidelines to improve training and recognition of sleep medicine across Asia.
Article Synopsis
- The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted sleep testing services, with notable declines in utilization for both Home Sleep Apnea Testing (HSAT) and Polysomnography (PSG) across various stages of the pandemic.
- A study of 261,371 veterans revealed PSG usage fell drastically during different pandemic phases, while HSAT saw an initial drop followed by a recovery and increase post-vaccination.
- By analyzing data from the Veterans Health Administration between 2019 and 2023, the study concluded that HSAT became more prominent in sleep testing services, particularly after vaccination efforts began.
Introduction: This multicentered cohort study evaluated the radiographic outcomes of regenerative endodontic procedures (REPs) and apexification treatments (APEX) of immature teeth with endodontic disease.
Materials And Methods: This cohort study included a retrospective record review and prospective data collection of pediatric patients with teeth treated with REPs or APEX between 2005 and 2014. Data including the presence of a periapical lesion, external root resorption, obliteration, apical hard tissue, apical closure, intracanal calcifications, and radiographic root area (RRA) change based on measurements were collected/measured from radiographic images.
Article Synopsis
- The study translated the Glasgow Sleep Effort Scale (GSES) into Arabic to measure sleep effort in Arabic-speaking communities, addressing a gap in existing validated tools.
- A large group of 369 participants was used to test the reliability and validity of the Arabic version, using various statistical methods such as Cronbach's α and confirmatory factor analysis.
- The results showed that the Arabic GSES is reliable (with high coefficient scores) and valid, correlating well with other established scales, confirming that both men and women responded similarly to its items.
Article Synopsis
- Patients with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) show abnormal accumulation of misfolded alpha-synuclein protein, which may help identify this early stage of neurodegenerative diseases.
- A meta-analysis of 15 studies found that testing for phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (p-syn) in skin samples is more accurate (100% specificity) than testing in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which has a slightly lower positivity rate (80% vs 74.8%).
- The results suggest that testing for abnormal alpha-synuclein could effectively distinguish iRBD from other types of rapid eye movement sleep disorders, potentially aiding early diagnosis and treatment.
Article Synopsis
- Understanding post-stroke fatigue (PSF) is important for rehabilitation, and this study examines how excessive daytime sleepiness affects the relationship between sleep and fatigue severity in stroke survivors.
- The research involved 50 subacute stroke survivors who completed various questionnaires related to sleep quality, insomnia, and fatigue levels to assess correlations between these factors.
- Findings indicated that sleep problems were significantly linked to fatigue severity, and a better understanding of this relationship could lead to new treatment targets for managing PSF.
Article Synopsis
- - Insomnia disorder can lead to other psychological issues like anxiety and depression; thus, a tool to assess worries about sleep in Arabic was needed, leading to the validation of the Anxiety and Preoccupation about Sleep Questionnaire (APSQ).
- - A comprehensive study with 523 Arabic-speaking participants utilized psychometric analysis, demonstrating excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.91), strong test-retest reliability (0.93), and good fit indices, confirming the APSQ's effectiveness as a measurement tool.
- - The validated Arabic APSQ reliably measures concerns about sleep, showing significant correlations with established scales for insomnia and anxiety, making it a useful resource for clinical and research settings in Arabic-speaking populations.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates the potential benefits of Ramadan fasting (RFM) for addressing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obese male rats, hypothesizing it could help mitigate the condition.
- - Rats were divided into groups to compare the effects of RFM combined with training or glucose on various health markers after being fed standard or high-fat diets for a total of 12 weeks.
- - Results showed that RFM led to lower body weight, improved lipid profiles, reduced liver enzyme levels, and better liver structure, indicating it positively affects metabolic changes related to NAFLD.