The insulin resistance syndrome among type II diabetics.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of insulin resistance syndrome among type-II Saudi diabetics.

Methods: The study involved type-II Saudi diabetics followed at the Out-patient Clinic of King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from January 1997 to December 1998. Their age, sex and body mass index was recorded.

Subclinical diabetic neuropathy: a common complication in Saudi diabetics.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of sub clinical diabetic neuropathy in Saudi diabetics and the risk factors associated with symptomatic diabetic neuropathy.

Methods: A prospective study of Saudi diabetics attending King Abdulaziz University Hospital out patient clinic from January 1998 until April 1999. Detailed information of each patients' age, sex, body mass index, type and duration of diabetes mellitus, mode of treatment, degree of blood glucose control, presence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, family history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension were recorded.

Circadian rhythm of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in normal subjects and neutropenic hospitalised patients.

Background: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), one of the haemopoietic growth factors, has rarely been detected in human serum. It has, therefore, been suggested that a paracrine model can explain its behaviour where the substance is produced and acts locally. An alternative explanation might be due to blood sampling time with GM-CSF concentrations undetectable at the nadir of secretion.

Subclinical diabetic neuropathy. A common complication in Saudi diabetics.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of sub clinical diabetic neuropathy in Saudi diabetics and the risk factors associated with symptomatic diabetic neuropathy.

Methods: A prospective study of Saudi diabetics attending King Abdulaziz University Hospital out patient clinic from January 1998 until April 1999. Detailed information of each patients` age, sex, body mass index, type and duration of diabetes mellitus, mode of treatment, degree of blood glucose control, presence of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, family history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension were recorded.

Wet vs. dry chemical analysis of renal stones.

Analysis of renal stones may help in elucidating the pathogenesis of nephro-lithiasis. This study compared the use of 2 methods for the analysis of renal stones. One method is qualitative dry 'spot tests' whereas the other is quantitative 'wet chemistry.

Epidemiology of hepatitis E virus in male blood donors in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

To our knowledge, only a few epidemiological reports on the prevalence of hepatitis E antibodies in Saudi blood donors have been published. Men of several nationalities, donating blood at King Khalid National Guard Hospital (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) were selected (n = 593) for this study examining the seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in the local male donor population and testing the relationship of the antibody to HEV (anti-HEV) to donor characteristics using Odds Ratio (OR) and Chi-square statistic. The prevalence of anti-HEV in the group examined was 16.

The effects of therapy with rifampicin and isoniazid on basic investigations for Cushing's syndrome.

Rifampicin(R) is a potent enzyme inducer which is now widely used to treat many conditions. We have investigated its effect on adrenal function tests in 18 adults with tuberculosis on rifampicin (R) and isoniazid (INH) as in-patients. Midnight cortisol was above 250 nmol/l in 11 patients with a mean +/- (SD) of 340 +/- 193 nmol/l.

Friedreich's ataxia, with retained lower limb tendon reflexes, in a Saudi Arabian family.

Friedreich's ataxia (FA) was studied in a large inbred Arab family living near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in which DNA linkage studies localised the disease gene to 9q13-q21.1. Five siblings (aged 19-35 years), and their 27 year old cousin, had the typical features of FA, however in two patients, tendon reflexes were retained and were indeed brisk in the lower limbs, 13 and 19 years respectively after onset of symptoms: retention of lower limb tendon reflexes is exceptional in FA.

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies among hemodialysis patients in jeddah area, saudi arabia.

The prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus (HCV) in hemodialysis (HD) patients is high and variable. One hundred and thirty nine patients undergoing maintenance HD at three different renal units in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, were studied for prevalence of anti-HCV antibody. The overall prevalence in the group examined was 52.

The value of serum interleukin-6 measurement in the investigation of patients suspected of myocardial infarction.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is one of the cytokine mediators of the acute phase response. The value of IL-6 determination in the investigation of patients suspected of acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina is not fully established. In 26 patients being investigated for AMI and UA, IL-6, Creatine Kinase (CK) and Troponin T (TnT) were elevated with peak values at 12 hours (for IL-6 and CK) and at 0 and 24 hours (for TnT) following admission.

Complications of subclavian catheterization in hemodialysis patients.

Subclavian vein catheterization, the most commonly used temporary vascular access for hemodialysis, is associated with a variety of complications. This retrospective study was done on 96 patients who had 150 percutaneous subclavian vein catheterizations over a one year period using Quinton double lumen polyurethane catheters. A total of 56 complications were seen of which 12 were immediate and 44 delayed.

Seckel syndrome in a Yemeni family in Saudi Arabia.

We studied a 28-year-old Yemeni woman with typical Seckel syndrome. Two deceased sibs, a twin sister and a brother, had also been affected. The father of these individuals was married to his cousin's daughter: the pedigree suggests autosomal recessive inheritance.

Epidemiology of hepatitis C virus: a study of male blood donors in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Few epidemiologic reports on the prevalence of hepatitis C in Saudi blood donors have been published.

Study Design And Methods: Men (of several nationalities) donating blood at the King Khalid National Guard Hospital (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) were randomly selected (n = 744) for this study examining the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the local donor population, the relationship of antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) to the surrogate markers alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), and the effect of the use of these markers on the discard rate.

Results: The prevalence of anti-HCV in the group examined was 3.

Pericardial effusion in normal pregnant women.

Fifty-two normally pregnant women underwent echocardiography to examine their pericardium in the first, second and third trimester. Pericardial effusion was noted in 15.3% of the women (n = 8) in the first trimester, 19.

Level of serum fructosamine in Saudi diabetic patients.

Fructosamine, a compound used to measure serum glycosylated proteins was assayed in 105 Saudi diabetic subjects and 54 healthy non-diabetic Saudi subjects. Fructosamine concentrations in diabetics were significantly higher than in healthy controls (p less than 0.0005).

Altered cortisol levels in relation to Ramadan.

During the month of Muslim fasting (Ramadan) many people alter their sleeping habits and stay awake most of the night. We investigated the effect of this alteration on morning and midnight cortisol levels in 10 healthy adults in their homes. Four of the subjects showed alteration of the cortisol rhythm during the last 2 weeks of fasting with reversal of the morning/midnight ratio in some values.