Physical activity pattern and its relationship with overweight and obesity in saudi children.

Background: Overweight and obesity among children and adolescents are emerging public health problems. Modifiable lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity and eating out are responsible for the increased prevalence of obesity and related health risks.

Objective: To examine physical activity level and weight status among Saudi children in relation to age and gender.

Serum progranulin levels in relation to insulin resistance in childhood obesity.

Background: Progranulin is an adipokine that is involved in the inflammatory response, glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and may therefore be involved in chronic subclinical inflammation associated with the pathogenesis of childhood obesity. We aimed to investigate the association of circulating progranulin levels with metabolic parameters in children and to assess the importance of progranulin as a biomarker for metabolic diseases.

Methods: A total of 150 children were consecutively recruited from the Pediatric Nutrition Clinics at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Bronchial asthma and hypovitaminosis D in Saudi children.

Background: Asthma, a common lung disease in children, is caused by excessive immune responses to environmental antigens.

Objective: Given the immuno-modulatory properties of vitamin D, the aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and markers of asthma severity.

Methods: This was investigated in a 70 Saudi children with and without asthma and were recruited from the King Abdul Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, over the period of 11 months (May 2011-April 2012).

Depression and quality of life in children with sickle cell disease: the effect of social support.

Background: The majority of available studies have shown that children with sickle cell disease (SCD) have a higher risk of depressive symptoms than those without. The present study aimed to: assess the prevalence of depression in a sample of children with SCD; evaluate the association between disease severity, social support and depression, and the combined and/or singular effect on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in children with SCD; and show the predictive value of social support and disease severity on depression.

Methods: A total of 120 children were included in the study, 60 (group I) with SCD and 60 matched, healthy control children (group II).

Ruptured giant middle cerebral artery aneurysm in infancy.

Intracranial aneurysms are uncommon in children. Rupture of giant intracranial aneurysms is extremely uncommon in infants even in autopsy studies. In this report, we present an unusual case of ruptured giant middle cerebral artery aneurysm in an 11-month-old female infant who presented acutely with unresponsiveness and seizures.

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency rickets in adolescent school girls in Western region, Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency rickets among female adolescents and assess its relation to calcium intake and sun exposure.

Methods: Four hundred and thirty-three school girls between 12-15 years old were selected randomly from different schools in Jeddah, between October 200--February 2004. We identified symptoms of rickets and determined the dietary habits and sun exposure habits, and laboratory investigations were also carried out.

The impact of some demographic factors on the severity of asthma in children.

Objective: To investigate the association between some demographic factors and the levels of severity among asthmatic children.

Method: One hundred and twenty five asthmatic children aged between 6 months and 15 years were studied in pediatric and asthma clinics at King AbdulAziz University Hospital (KAUH). The assessment of clinical severity was based on the global strategy guidelines for asthma assessment and management.