Use of Cardiovascular Disease Secondary Prevention Medications in Four Middle East Countries in a Community Setting.

Background: Evidence-based International clinical practice guidelines, universally recommend secondary prevention medications for those with previous cardiovascular disease (CVD). There is limited data on the community use of these medications in the Middle East (ME).

Objectives: This study assesses the use and predictors of evidence based secondary prevention medications in individuals with a history of CVD [coronary heart disease (CHD) or stroke].

Knowledge, attitude and practices of insulin therapy among patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of patients with type 2 diabetes on insulin regarding insulin therapy.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting: This study was conducted at the Dubai Diabetes Center from 1 December 2018 to 1 March 2020.

Institutional experience on the impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists (GLP-1) on glycemic control and weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes at the Dubai Diabetes Center, United Arab Emirates.

Aims: To describe the effect of three classes of GLP1 analogues on HbA1c and weight over one year in a homogenous group of patients at the Dubai Diabetes Center in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The specific objectives are to study the extent of change in HbA1c and weight loss on these medications as well as the sustainability of change over one year.

Methods: A retrospective audit of patients diagnosed Type 2 diabetes receiving one of the three following GLP-1 agonists (Exenatide LA 2 mg weekly, liraglutide 1.

Risk and predictors of severity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes and COVID-19 in Dubai.

Background: Globally, patients with diabetes suffer from increased disease severity and mortality due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Old age, high body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, and complications of diabetes are recognized as major risk factors for infection severity and mortality.

Aim: To investigate the risk and predictors of higher severity and mortality among in-hospital patients with COVID-19 and type 2 diabetes (T2D) during the first wave of the pandemic in Dubai (March-September 2020).

Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Dubai.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on glycemic control and accompanying laboratory parameters in patients with type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Methods: This study is a retrospective cohort study that was done on a multicenter level. It was conducted during the lockdown in 341 individuals.

Parental Knowledge of Appropriate Placement of Child Restraint Systems Before and After Educational Intervention in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

Objective: This study aimed to determine caregiver's knowledge of appropriate car restraint systems (CRSs) use and compare this with the actual use among children presenting to the pediatric emergency department (PED), and to determine the efficacy of PED-based intervention on improving knowledge.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, intervention study of children (<8 years old) during a 12-month period in the PED. Based on their height and weight, children were assigned to group 1 (rear facing), group 2 (forward facing), or group 3 (booster).

Impact of vitamin D treatment on 25 hydroxy vitamin D levels and insulin homeostasis in obese African American adolescents in a randomized trial.

Background: Obesity is affecting children in epidemic proportions in the United States with nearly 25% of children being obese. Consequences of obesity including dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are leading to morbidity at younger ages. Parallel to the obesity and diabetes epidemics, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency has reached very high levels and has been associated with insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.

Development and Validation of a Pediatric Endocrine Knowledge Assessment Questionnaire: Impact of ac Pediatric Endocrine Knowledge Assessment Questionnaire Intervention Study.

Objective: While there is general agreement that patient education is essential for compliance, no objective tools exist to assess knowledge in children and parents of children with endocrine disorders. We aimed to design and validate a Pediatric Endocrine Knowledge Assessment Questionnaire (PEKAQ) for congenital hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, isolated growth hormone deficiency, Graves' disease, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. We evaluated baseline knowledge of children and parents of children with these disorders and assessed impact of educational intervention.

Prescription errors before and after introduction of electronic medication alert system in a pediatric emergency department.

Objectives: Prescription errors occur frequently in pediatric emergency departments (PEDs).The effect of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) with electronic medication alert system (EMAS) on these is unknown. The objective was to compare prescription errors rates before and after introduction of CPOE with EMAS in a PED.

What you need to know about statistics, part II: reliability of diagnostic and screening tests.

The foundation for the usefulness of any diagnostic test should be that it is both reliable and accurate in its clinical diagnosis. In this article we present the second of a two-part series on validity and reliability, discussing the assessment of reliability among raters of diagnostic tests and between diagnostics tests themselves. To examine reproducibility (reliability) among raters of diagnostic tests we present the calculation of two statistical procedures: (1) the kappa coefficient statistic when presented with categorical data for the presence or absence of a clinical diagnosis and (2) the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for continuously scaled data among raters.

What you need to know about statistics Part I: validity of diagnostic and screening tests.

The intent of this manuscript is to provide guidance and support to clinicians and investigators for reporting the results of screening and diagnostic tests. This article is the first of two parts addressing statistics in imaging research. In this part validity measures are discussed.

Severe Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Extremely Premature Infants: Are high Carbon Dioxide Pressure or Fluctuations the Culprit?

Objective: This study aims to examine the association between measures of hypercapnia and fluctuation in Pco 2 and severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and to evaluate the prevalence of hypercapnia, hypocapnia, and fluctuations in Pco 2 in the initial 72 hours of life among premature infants.

Study Design: Retrospective study of premature infants with birth weight < 1,250 g, who were receiving some respiratory support. All blood gases obtained in the first 3 days of life were collected.

Safety, Awareness, and Familiarity regarding Epilepsy in Teenage Years (SAFETY): understanding the adolescents' perspective about their disease.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the understanding of adolescent patients regarding epilepsy.

Methods: The SAFETY (Safety, Awareness, and Familiarity regarding Epilepsy in Teenage Years) questionnaire (content validity index: 0.96, Flesch readability score: 66.

Seizure control following palliative resective surgery for intractable epilepsy-a pilot study.

Background: Patients with intractable epilepsy who have bilateral epileptic foci may not qualify for curative epilepsy surgery. In some cases palliative resection may be undertaken with a goal to decrease seizure frequency and improve quality of life. Here we present data on the outcome of palliative epilepsy surgery in children.

Frequency of otitis media based on otoendoscopic evaluation in preterm infants.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the frequency of otitis media in preterm neonates using otoendoscopy and tympanometry.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Wayne State University, Hutzel Women's Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

A comprehensive study of clinical biomarkers, use of inotropic medications and fluid resuscitation in newborns with persistent pulmonary hypertension.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated clinical outcomes in PPHN in relation to echocardiographic (EC) markers, score of neonatal acute physiology, perinatal extension, version II (SNAPPE II) scores, inotropic agent use, and the amount of fluid received as boluses. In this retrospective chart analysis of 98 neonates with PPHN born at >34 weeks' gestation, we compared two cohorts of newborns: those who received inhaled nitric oxide and mechanical ventilation only, and who survived to discharge (Group 1); and those who required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or who died (Group 2).

Peritoneal Drainage Versus Pleural Drainage After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

Background: We aimed to determine whether infants undergoing cardiac surgery would more efficiently attain negative fluid balance postoperatively with passive peritoneal drainage as compared to traditional pleural drainage.

Methods: A prospective, randomized study including children undergoing repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) or atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) was completed between September 2011 and June 2013. Patients were randomized to intraoperative placement of peritoneal catheter or right pleural tube in addition to the requisite mediastinal tube.

Necessity of temporary epicardial pacing wires after surgery for congenital heart disease.

Background: Temporary epicardial pacing wires are commonly placed in patients undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease. Though often helpful, these wires are not without risk. We aimed to identify characteristics that would obviate placement of temporary epicardial pacing wires in this patient population.

Listeria and enterococcal infections in neonates 28 days of age and younger: is empiric parenteral ampicillin still indicated?

Introduction: Empiric parenteral ampicillin has traditionally been used to treat listeria and enterococcal serious bacterial infections (SBI) in neonates 28 days of age or younger. Anecdotal experience suggests that these infections are rare. Existing data suggest an increasing resistance to ampicillin.

Survey on Infant Hearing Loss at Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem-Palestine.

This study describes the epidemiology of infants' hearing loss (IHL) among patients under 3 months of age at Caritas Baby Hospital, the only pediatric hospital in Palestine. It was aimed to demonstrate that IHL is a major health problem in Palestine and to assess the first available data of the newborn hearing screening program conducted between September 25, 2006 and December 31, 2011. Data was uploaded and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS version 21).

Impact of interhospital transport on the physiologic status of very low-birth-weight infants.

Objectives: To evaluate the change in physiologic stability of very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants following transport using TRIPS (transport risk index of physiologic stability) score as a measure of physiologic stability and compare changes in TRIPS score in groups of VLBW infants who underwent shorter versus longer transport.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review.

Results: Our cohort of 106 infants, 44 (41%) of whom were females, had a mean birth weight of 777 g (standard deviation [SD] 159) and median gestational age of 26 weeks (range 23 to 32 weeks).

Cumulative corticosteroid exposure and infection risk after complex pediatric cardiac surgery.

Background: Children undergoing cardiac surgery may receive corticosteroids preoperatively to temper cardiopulmonary bypass-related inflammation, postoperatively for hemodynamic instability, and periextubation to reduce airway edema. Recent data have associated preoperative corticosteroids with infection. We aimed to determine if there is a relationship between cumulative corticosteroid exposure and infection.

Neurodevelopmental outcome of extremely premature infants exposed to incomplete, no or complete antenatal steroids.

Objective: To compare the neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18-22 months' corrected age of extremely premature infants exposed to a complete course, an incomplete course or no dose of antenatal steroids (ANS).

Methods: Retrospective chart review of extremely premature (<28 weeks gestational age) neonates over a 3-year period. Neurodevelopmental assessment at 18-22 months' corrected age included a standardized neurologic examination and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler development II or III.