Emerging Data from a Newborn Hearing Screening Program in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Objectives: Newborn hearing screening (NHS) plays a critical role in early identification of hearing loss and subsequent early habilitation. Active parental involvement influences the success of NHS, particularly the initial NHS and follow-up. The current study reports the results of an NHS program in a cohort of babies born in a tertiary care hospital in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Knowledge and Attitudes of Parents towards Childhood Hearing Loss and Pediatric Hearing Services in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

The successful implementation of pediatric audiology services depends on parental engagement and support. It is essential to analyze the gaps in knowledge level and attitude of the parents in United Arab Emirates (UAE), towards pediatric hearing loss and pediatric audiology services. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude of parents in Sharjah, UAE.

Burden and genotyping of rotavirus disease in the United Arab Emirates: a multicenter hospital-based surveillance.

Rotavirus (RV) is the most common etiological agent causing acute gastroenteritis (GE) in children aged <5 years. This cross-sectional, hospital-based surveillance study (NCT01201252) was designed to investigate RVGE disease burden. It was conducted from July 2009-July 2010 at 3 referral hospitals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Proteus syndrome and hypothyroidism. An unusual association.

We present a case of a 3½-year-old girl diagnosed as Proteus syndrome with severe cosmetic disfigurement-macrodactyly, hemi-hypertrophy of the face and limbs, megalencephaly, lymph edema of both hands and feet along with severe global developmental delay. She was found to have severe recalcitrant epilepsy and also primary hypothyroidism; the association of which is not mentioned in the previous literature.

Is sildenafil an effective therapy in the management of persistent pulmonary hypertension?

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is a life-threatening neonatal pathology resulting from poor hemodynamic and respiratory transition to extra uterine life. Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is a current, commonly used treatment of PPHN. However, iNO is not available therapy in many developing countries and around 50% of infants with PPHN do not respond to iNO therapy.

Nonoliguric hyperkalemia in neonates: a case-controlled study.

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence, risk factors, and morbidities associated with nonoliguric hyperkalemia (NOHK) in neonates. Infants were eligible for the study if they were born at Al Qassimi Hospital and fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of NOHK (serum potassium [SK] > or = 7 mmol/L during the first 72 hours of life with urinary output > or = 1 mL/kg/h). The next admitted infant with gestational age +/- 1 week and normal SK acted as control.

Salbutamol versus cation-exchange resin (kayexalate) for the treatment of nonoliguric hyperkalemia in preterm infants.

Our objective was to compare the efficacy and safety of rectal cation-exchange resin (Kayexalate) versus salbutamol infusion for the treatment of nonoliguric hyperkalemia (NOHK) in preterm infants. Data of all neonates born with NOHK during the study period of 6 years and 8 months were recorded. Diagnostic criteria of NOHK included serum potassium (SK) concentration > or = 7 mmol/L during the first 72 hours of life with urine output > or = 1 mL/kg/hour.

Does prophylactic phototherapy prevent hyperbilirubinemia in neonates with ABO incompatibility and positive Coombs' test?

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine whether initiation of early phototherapy in positive direct Coombs' test (DCT) with ABO-incompatible newborns would prevent severe jaundice.

Study Design: A prospective controlled study was performed at Al Qassimi Hospital. Infants born at term and weighing >2000 g with ABO incompatibility and a positive DCT were included in the study.

Clinical presentation of hypernatremic dehydration in exclusively breast-fed neonates.

Objective: To identify the clinical presentation of dehydration related to failure of lactation in exclusively breast-fed term infants.

Method: A prospective study was performed between January 2000 and June 2003 in Al Qassimi Hospital in the Emirate of Sharjah. Enrollment criteria included term neonates whose birth weight of > 2000 g with no underlying organic illness causing poor feeding admitted for clinical manifestations of dehydration with weight loss of > 10% during the first 2 weeks of life.

Mesenteric cystic lymphangioma.

Abdominal cystic lymphangioma is a very rare congenital tumor of lymphatic origin. It usually appears in the pediatric age and frequently presents with non-specific symptoms and deceptive signs causing, at times, diagnostic dilemmas. Ultrasonography and computer tomography imaging are considered the diagnostic modalities of choice.

Epidemiology and outcome of "early-onset" vs "late-onset" necrotizing enterocolitis.

Objective: We hypothesized that among neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), important epidemiologic and outcome differences exist between those with early-onset vs. those with late-onset NEC.

Methods: We reviewed all records of neonates cared for in the King Fahad University Hospital during the past ten years who had the diagnosis of NEC.