Prevalence of obesity in people with and without type 1 diabetes across Belgium, Kuwait, and Mexico: an IMI2 SOPHIA study.

Background: Individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are traditionally perceived as lean, but recent evidence suggests an increasing trend of obesity. To provide global estimates, this study explored the prevalence of obesity among adults with and without T1D across three distinct global regions.

Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was performed utilizing data from T1D registries and national health surveys to assess the prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m) and the prevalence of overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m) across Belgium, Kuwait, and Mexico.

The Prevalence of Burnout and Its Associated Factors Among Surgical Specialists in Kuwait Ministry of Health Hospitals.

Background: Workplace burnout is a state of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization of others (DP), and low personal accomplishment (PA) owing to workplace stressors. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of burnout and its associated factors among surgical specialists in Kuwait.

Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of burnout among 489 surgeons in practice at Kuwait Ministry of Health (MOH).

Using a stochastic continuous-time Markov chain model to examine alternative timing and duration of the COVID-19 lockdown in Kuwait: what can be done now?

Background: Kuwait had its first COVID-19 in late February, and until October 6, 2020 it recorded 108,268 cases and 632 deaths. Despite implementing one of the strictest control measures-including a three-week complete lockdown, there was no sign of a declining epidemic curve. The objective of the current analyses is to determine, hypothetically, the optimal timing and duration of a full lockdown in Kuwait that would result in controlling new infections and lead to a substantial reduction in case hospitalizations.

Identification of public health priorities, barriers, and solutions for Kuwait using the modified Delphi method for stakeholder consensus.

The rapid modernization and economic developments in Kuwait, have been accompanied by substantial lifestyle changes such as unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. These modifiable behaviours have contributed to increased rates of non-communicable diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Delphi Consensus Method was implemented in the current study to draw stakeholders from all sectors together to develop a consensus on the major public health priorities, barriers and solutions.

Analysis of intervention effectiveness using early outbreak transmission dynamics to guide future pandemic management and decision-making in Kuwait.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a World Health Organization designated pandemic that can result in severe symptoms and death that disproportionately affects older patients or those with comorbidities. Kuwait reported its first imported cases of COVID-19 on February 24, 2020. Analysis of data from the first three months of community transmission of the COVID-19 outbreak in Kuwait can provide important guidance for decision-making when dealing with future SARS-CoV-2 epidemic wave management.

Modeling the effect of lockdown timing as a COVID-19 control measure in countries with differing social contacts.

The application, timing, and duration of lockdown strategies during a pandemic remain poorly quantified with regards to expected public health outcomes. Previous projection models have reached conflicting conclusions about the effect of complete lockdowns on COVID-19 outcomes. We developed a stochastic continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) model with eight states including the environment (SEAMHQRD-V), and derived a formula for the basic reproduction number, R, for that model.

Prevalence of smoking in the Kuwaiti adult population in 2014: a cross-sectional study.

The study objective was to assess tobacco smoking prevalence in Kuwaiti adults in relation to sociodemographic characteristics. A cross-sectional study survey was conducted in 2014 on 3917 Kuwaiti citizens (18-69 years) following the World Health Organization (WHO) STEPwise Approach to Surveillance (STEPS) methodology. The study assessed prevalence of self-reported ever-smoking or currently smoking tobacco products and exposure to secondhand smoke in relation to demographic and smoking-related characteristics.

SARS-CoV-2 Serosurvey in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In a serosurvey of asymptomatic people from the general population recruited from a clinical laboratory in May 2020 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, three of 99 persons tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG (3.0%, 95% binomial exact confidence interval: 0.6-8.

Glycemic control in Kuwaiti diabetes patients treated with glucose-lowering medication.

Background: Diabetes is prevalent in Kuwait. We aimed to assess the level of glycemic control in Kuwaiti adults with diabetes.

Methods: The World Health Organization's STEPS non-communicable disease risk factor survey was conducted in Kuwait in 2014.

The Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in an Adult Kuwaiti Population in 2014.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, Kuwait is ranked amongst the top countries in the world in obesity prevalence. This study aims to describe the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and various types of adiposity in Kuwaiti adults. This cross-sectional study of 3,915 Kuwaiti adults aged 18-69 years used the STEP-wise approach to surveillance of non-communicable diseases, a WHO Instrument for Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance.

The prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes in the Kuwaiti adult population in 2014.

Background: Kuwait ranks among the top 20 countries worldwide in diabetes prevalence. This study's objectives were to assess the prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes in Kuwaiti adults.

Methods: Kuwaiti citizens aged 18-69 years (n = 3915) were studied using the WHO's STEPwise survey methodology, including its Instrument for Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance.

Hyperuricemia after orthotopic liver transplantation: divergent associations with progression of renal disease, incident end-stage renal disease, and mortality.

Background: Although hyperuricemia is common after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), its relationship to mortality, progressive kidney disease, or the development of end stage renal disease (ESRD) is not well-described.

Methods: Data from 304 patients undergoing OLT between 1996 and 2010 were used to assess the association of mean serum uric acid (UA) level in the 3-months post-OLT with mortality, doubling of creatinine, and ESRD incidence. Post-OLT survival to event outcomes according to UA level and eGFR was assessed using the Kaplan Meier method and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models.

Patterns of Kidney Function Before and After Orthotopic Liver Transplant: Associations With Length of Hospital Stay, Progression to End-Stage Renal Disease, and Mortality.

Background: In the context of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), renal dysfunction is used as a criterion for simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation. Changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) the year before and after OLT have not been well defined.

Methods: In a cohort of 416 OLT patients from 1996 to 2009, estimated GFR (eGFR) was assessed during the 12 months before OLT (period A), at time of OLT (period B), and the 12 months after OLT (period C).

Demography and clinical course of ulcerative colitis in Arabs - a study based on the Montreal classification.

Objective: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is generally considered a disease of the Caucasian populations in developed countries, but its incidence is increasing rapidly in many developing countries, including the Middle East. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical epidemiology of UC in Arabs.

Material And Methods: This cross-sectional medical record-based descriptive study collected sociodemographic and clinical information on 182 Arab patients with UC in Kuwait.

Adherence to ACC/AHA performance measures for myocardial infarction in six Middle-Eastern countries: association with in-hospital mortality and clinical characteristics.

Background/objectives: This study assesses adherence to performance measures for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in six Middle-Eastern countries, and its association with in-hospital mortality. Few studies have previously assessed these performance measures in the Middle East.

Methods: This cohort study followed 5813 patients with suspected AMI upon admission to discharge.

Physical accessibility and utilization of health services in Yemen.

Background: Assessment of physical access to health services is extremely important for planning. Complex methods that incorporate data inputs from road networks and transport systems are used to assess physical access to healthcare in industrialised countries. However, such data inputs hardly exist in many developing countries.

Disease activity and cytokine production in mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To test whether there are differences in the levels and ratios of 6 pro- and 3 anti-inflammatory cytokines produced by mitogen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) subjects compared to controls.

Subjects And Methods: 79 participants (42 seropositive RA patients and 37 healthy controls) were enrolled in this study. The production levels in mitogen-stimulated PBMCs of the 6 proinflammatory cytokines (IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, TNF-beta, IL-8, IL-17, IL-18) and 3 anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, IL-13) were assayed by ELISA using kits obtained from Immunotech SA.

Association of kidney function with serum lipoprotein(a) level: the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1991-1994).

Background: Elevated lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) levels have been observed in patients on dialysis therapy. However, few studies explored the relationship between kidney function and Lp(a) levels in patients with mild to moderate chronic kidney disease.

Methods: We examined the association of estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) with Lp(a) level in 7,675 participants in the second phase of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.