Publications by authors named "R I Helou"
The feasibility of antimicrobial lead time as process and quality indicator for hospitals.
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis
March 2025
Purpose: Antimicrobial lead time (ALT) is the time from antimicrobial order to administration, an understudied parameter. This study aims to determine feasibility of retrieving ALT, differences in ALT for different infectious diseases and the association of ALT with length of stay (LoS) in order to establish the value of this parameter as potential new process or quality indicator (QI).
Methods: In a retrospective study in a tertiary care hospital in the Netherlands, adult hospitalized patients treated for an infection were included over a 20-month period.
Objectives: Smartphone applications (apps) for antibiotic prescribing have been studied in observational studies. Here, we assessed whether use of a smartphone app increased appropriateness of antibiotic therapy (AAT) in hospitals.
Methods: An antibiotic stewardship app (Firstline.
Background: Oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) types are linked to anal cancer, with elevated risk among men who have sex with men (MSM), especially men with HIV. Data on HPV-related malignancies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is scarce. This study aims to assess anal HPV strains, dysplasia, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among asymptomatic MSM with HIV in Lebanon.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Monkeypox (mpox), caused by the MPX virus, had a global outbreak in 2022-2023 due to a new variant, clade IIb, primarily affecting men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).
- A study analyzed mpox case reports submitted to the WHO from May 2022 to December 2023, revealing that most cases were adult males, predominantly MSM, with common symptoms including rash and fever.
- Concerns were raised about data completeness, as reported cases might be significantly lower than actual occurrences, affecting regional response strategies; however, collaborative efforts among EMR countries showed promise for future preparedness.
Article Synopsis
- A cross-sectional study in Beirut, Lebanon assessed diet quality and physical activity adherence among cancer survivors in remission, revealing significant gaps in compliance with the American Cancer Society/American Institute Research Fund (ACS/AICR) guidelines.
- Out of 268 participants, many faced food insecurity, low physical activity levels, and high rates of overweight/obesity, with an average adherence score of 9.0 out of 15.
- The study noted that while survivors largely adhered to moderate meat and alcohol guidelines, a staggering 98% did not meet whole grain consumption recommendations, indicating important areas for targeted interventions.