Nurse-led care for the management of rheumatoid arthritis: a review of the global literature and proposed strategies for implementation in Africa and the Middle East.

Globally, increasing demand for rheumatology services has led to a greater reliance on non-physician healthcare professionals (HCPs), such as rheumatology nurse specialists, to deliver care as part of a multidisciplinary team. Across Africa and the Middle East (AfME), there remains a shortage of rheumatology HCPs, including rheumatology nurses, which presents a major challenge to the delivery of rheumatology services, and subsequently the treatment and management of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To further explore the importance of nurse-led care (NLC) for patients with RA and create a set of proposed strategies for the implementation of NLC in the AfME region, we used a modified Delphi technique.

Vitamin D Levels Correlate with Metabolic Syndrome Criteria in Algerian Patients: The Ex-vivo Immunomodulatory Effect of α, 25 Dihydroxyvitamin D3.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a combination of metabolic disorders with increased risks for several diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. It is associated with the presence of various inflammatory molecules. Vitamin D plays an important role in the regulation of metabolism homeostasis.

Determination of Chlorpromazine, Haloperidol, Levomepromazine, Olanzapine, Risperidone, and Sulpiride in Human Plasma by Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Background And Objective: In this study, turbo-ion spray as an interface of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was performed for sensitive and accurate quantification of chlorpromazine, haloperidol, levomepromazine, olanzapine, risperidone, and sulpiride in plasma samples.

Methods: Separation was performed by gradient reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography using a mobile phase containing ammonium formiate 2 mM, pH 2.7, and acetonitrile flowing through a Restek PFP Propyl C18 analytical column (50 mm×2.

Antipsychotic-induced disorders: Reported cases and prospective study on muscle biomarkers after high exposure to haloperidol.

Antipsychotic drugs are known to induce neuromuscular effects. In this study, we review 13 years (2002-2014) of antipsychotic intoxications reported by the anti-poisoning center of Algiers (APCA). The most recorded symptoms were neuromuscular/muscular disorders, of which haloperidol was the most inducer among all antipsychotics.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pediatricians on infantile colic in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Background: Regional evidence-based guidelines for the prophylaxis and management of infantile colic are not available for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The Allied Against Infantile Functional GI Disorders (ACT) Working Group was created in January, 2015 to determine the knowledge gaps and the current management practices of infantile colic by physicians in the MENA region. The ACT group determined the need for a survey to address these questions.

RESISTANCE TO THYROID HORMONES: A NOVEL MUTATION OF THE THYROID HORMONE RECEPTOR β GENE IN AN ALGERIAN FAMILY.

Resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) is an inherited disease transmitted in an autosomal dominant manner. The diagnosis is suspected when peripheral thyroid hormones are increased contrasting with normal or increased levels of thyroid stimulating hormone. Usually, people harboring the rare syndrome have few or no symptoms.

Management of prolactinomas: a survey of physicians from the Middle East and North Africa.

Background: Prolactinomas are the commonest functional tumors of the pituitary gland. There are still controversies regarding medical therapy in specific clinical situations. Patients may be managed by different specialists in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and no data exist on patterns of clinical management.

Challenges of diagnosis and management of axial spondyloarthritis in North Africa and the Middle East: An expert consensus.

Axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a spectrum of inflammatory disease with stages characterized by both nonradiographic and radiographic sacroiliitis. Nonradiographic axial SpA is associated with health-related quality-of-life impairment and may progress to ankylosing spondylitis. Axial SpA has a low prevalence in some countries in North Africa and the Middle East, and pooling of data and resources is needed to increase understanding of the regional picture.

Diabetic retinopathy in acromegaly.

Introduction: Although growth hormone (GH) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR), DR is deemed to be rare in patients with GH excess. Our aim was to study its prevalence in subjects with acromegaly suffering from diabetes mellitus (DM), to analyze its characteristics, and to look for predictive factors such as age at diagnosis, GH concentration and duration, DM duration, DM control, and family background.

Materials And Methods: Forty patients with acromegaly and DM (21 males, 19 females), median age = 50 years, underwent a systematic ophthalmological examination with dilated funduscopy to seek diabetic retinopathy.

General seizures revealing macro-adenomas secreting prolactin or prolactin and growth hormone in men.

Background: Epilepsy is a heterogeneous condition with numerous etiologies. Pituitary tumors are rarely responsible for generalized convulsions except when they are very large. Apart from anecdotic cases, only one study concerning epilepsy frequency in male macroprolactinomas is available in Medline.

Diabetes mellitus and Ramadan in Algeria.

Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a holy month in Algeria where diabetes mellitus (DM) is more frequent in urban areas with a frequency which varies from 8 to 16%. DM complications are broadly as frequent as in developed countries, except for neuropathy which seems more frequent. Despite contraindications which are regularly explained to our patients and despite the flexible side of Islam toward chronic diseases, most Algerian people with DM insist on fasting.

Suppurative meningitis: A life-threatening complication in male macroprolactinomas.

Background: Suppurative meningitis (SM) or bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening condition, which is exceptionally due to pituitary tumors (PT). Our aim was to analyze its frequency among male macroprolactinomas (MPRL) deemed to be aggressive, to report the cases we observed in our practice and describe the circumstances under which SM appeared.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 82 male MPRL in order to look for a history of well proved SM and the circumstances under which SM appeared.

Volume increase in craniopharyngiomas under growth hormone and/or sex hormones substitution: Role of tumors receptors or mere coincidence?

Craniopharyngiomas are rare embryonic tumors with low grade of malignancy that arise in supra-or intra-sellar areas with severe ophthalmological, neurological, and endocrine damages. Among pituitary deficits, somatotroph and gonadotroph deficiencies are the most challenging because of potential increased risk of tumor growth and recurrence. While data exist to suggest that growth hormone (GH) treatment is safe, very little is known about sex hormones replacement on tumor growth.