Sickle cell disease in Middle East Arab countries.

The sickle cell (HbS) gene occurs at a variable frequency in the Middle Eastern Arab countries, with characteristic distribution patterns and representing an overall picture of blood genetic disorders in the region. The origin of the gene has been debated, but studies using β-globin gene haplotypes have ascertained that there were multiple origins for HbS. In some regions the HbS gene is common and exhibits polymorphism, while the reverse is true in others.

Ethical issues on preventions and management of blood genetics disorders--Islamic views.

Ethical issues are of concern to all members of the health team and the community at large, particularly in relation to chronic and genetic diseases. The fear from the negative social impact, including stigmatization of the carriers of a genetic disease and the affected individual is of a particular concern to the individual and his family. Members of the health team should protect the individual autonomy, observe the ethical principles including beneficence, nonmaleficent, justice, and confidentiality, and maintain high level of professional competence.

The prevalence of obesity and overweight in 1-18-year-old Saudi children.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to review the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Saudi children with ages ranging up to 18 years.

Subjects And Methods: The study was a cross-sectional national epidemiological household survey, and the study group included 12071 children (boys 6281; girls 6420), with ages ranging from 1-18 years. Their height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated.

Pre-marital examination as a method of prevention from blood genetic disorders. Community views.

The Saudi Royal Cabinet issued the Saudi Royal Decree No. 3 dated 11-7-1424, establishing the pre-marital examination as a health preventive measure for all Saudis, and requesting the 2 prospective partners (male and female) to carry out a pre-marital examination and present a certificate of pre-marital examination before the wedding. However, the prospective husband and wife are not obliged to abide by the laboratory results if they so wish.

The natural history and the national pre-marital screening program in Saudi Arabia.

The genetic disorders are chronic in nature and, therefore, require continuous support and health care. Consequently, the genetic diseases cause formidable economic and psychosocial burdens on the family with negative reflection on the community at large. The genetic diseases are a heterogeneous group that result in varieties of chronic health ailment as a result of defects in the genetic material.

Ethics of genetic counseling--basic concepts and relevance to Islamic communities.

Scientific advances and technical developments in the field of laboratory diagnosis and their practical applications have raised ethical issues linked to religion, beliefs, lifestyle and traditions prevailing in different communities. Some of these are pertinent to genetic screening at various stages of life, prenatal diagnosis and the right of the genetically affected fetus to live--all aspects relevant to inbreeding marriages. Of relevance are medical and ethical principles based on professional responsibility.

Hematological risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed and developing countries. Several underlying genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in its etiology. Some of the hematological risk factors implicated in the development of coronary heart disease include antithrombin III deficiency, protein C and protein S deficiency, factor V Leiden mutation, prothrombin gene (20210A) mutation hyperhomocystinaemia, elevated factor VIII levels, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 and dysfibrinogenaemia.

A comparative study of prevalence of overweight and obesity in children in different provinces of Saudi Arabia.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Saudi children from different provinces of the country and in different age groups. A total of 12,701 children (6,281 boys and 6,420 girls) with ages ranging from 1 to 18 years were enrolled during a household screening programme in different provinces of Saudi Arabia and height and weight were recorded. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated and applying age and sex specific cut-off points for BMI the children were grouped into overweight and obese.

Sickle cell gene as a multifaceted problem in Saudi Arabia.

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Blood groups in Saudi obstetrics patients.

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Prevalence of hypertension in adult Saudi population.

Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version.

Piracetam for the treatment of sickle cell disease in children- a double blind test.

Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version.