Olfactory dysfunction among patients with COVID-19.

Objectives: To assess the frequency of olfactory dysfunction (OD) among individuals afflicted with coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was carried out across several bibliographical databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science) to extract publications in the English language between January 2020 and December 2021 to report the incidence of OD alone or together with gustatory dysfunction (GD) among COVID-19 patients.

Results: Based on eligibility criteria, 84 articles were included from 27 countries, comprising 36,903 patients, of whom 58.

Workplace Harassment and Health: A Long Term Follow up.

Objective: We examine relationships between workplace harassment (WH) and onset of health conditions over a 23-year period.

Methods: Participants were surveyed at seven points between 1997-2006 and again in 2020. Regression analyses (n = 921) assessed effects of chronic WH exposure on onset or recent health conditions by 2020.

The Utility of the Paramedian Forehead Flap in Lower Eyelid Reconstruction.

Background: Malignant cutaneous eyelid tumors account for approximately 10% of all cutaneous cancers. Like other cancerous skin lesions, treatment commonly involves excision with wide margins, requiring tissue reconstruction. The use of the paramedian forehead flap (PMFF) has been described for reconstruction of the medial and upper eyelid, but literature is lacking for its use in lower eyelid anterior lamella reconstruction.

The role of MicroRNA as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for cerebral aneurysms.

Objectives: To identify the dysregulated functional miRNAs, miRNA-16, miRNA-143, and miRNA-200 as potential biomarkers of cerebral aneurysms(CAs) to aid in diagnosis and prognosis.

Methods: This is a prospective case-control study conducted among patients with CA. All patients' computed tomography angiography (CTA) and interventional angiogram were assessed and studied.

Physical activity assessment among patients with multiple sclerosis in Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: To measure and assess the physical activity (PA) of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and its association with the quality of life (QoL).

Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients with MS in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from August, 2022 to November, 2022. Data were collected via social media platforms using a questionnaire that included 3 sections: sociodemographic data, International PA Questionnaire (IPAQ), and the Health Status Questionnaire Short Form-36 (SF-36).

Selective anterior annuloplasty during inguinal herniotomy in boys: an approach to further reduce hernia recurrence.

Background: Hernia recurrence is one of the most common complications after inguinal herniotomy (IH) in children. We describe a novel approach that involves adding anterior annuloplasty (AAP) during IH for selective high recurrence-risk children.

Objectives: Evaluate the initial safety and effectiveness of selective AAP during IH in boys.

Improved Confidence and Clinical Application: The Effects of a Longitudinal Suture Curriculum for Medical Students.

Objective: The ability to competently suture is an expected skill for graduating medical students, but many graduates report feeling unprepared to perform this skill. This study aimed to improve student confidence and clinical readiness for third-year clerkships by implementing a novel, mandatory 7.5-hour longitudinal suturing skills curriculum across the first 3 years of medical school.

Identification of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR) variants: A retrospective study on the western and southern regions of Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: To investigate the geographic distribution of common cystic fibrosis (CF) variants in the western and southern regions of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 69 patients diagnosed with CF at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Jeddah. Patient data were collected retrospectively between June 2000 and November 2021.

Association between body mass index and hemoglobin A1c with serum prostate-specific antigen level: A retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: To assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) with serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from January 2016 to December 2021. Data were collected from the medical records of patients who visited the family medicine clinics, including demographics, smoking status, BMI value, index PSA level, testosterone level, digital rectal exam findings, prostate biopsy status, fasting blood glucose (FBG), HbA1c, diabetes duration, chronic comorbidities (namely, hypertension, dyslipidemia, or chronic kidney disease), and medication history.

The Obesity Paradox: A Nonlinear Relationship Between 30-Day Postoperative Complications and Body Mass Index After Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

Background: An inverse relationship coined the "obesity paradox" has been propositioned, in which body mass index (BMI) may be contradictorily protective in patients undergoing surgery or treatment of chronic disease. This study sought to investigate the BMI associated with the lowest rate of medical complications after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA).

Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database was queried to identify adults who underwent elective primary TSA between January 2012 and December 2020.

Epidemiology of pediatric trauma in Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: An observational cohort study.

Objectives: To explore the epidemiology and patterns of pediatric trauma in addition to length of hospital stay and outcome.

Methods: A single-center retrospective study of 605 patients aged 14 years and younger was carried out from January to December 2022. The study included all patients who experienced intentional or unintentional trauma aged 14 years or below in 2022 and excluded trauma that did not prompt an emergency room visit.

Prevalence of secondary infections and association with mortality rates of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Background: ICU and other patients hospitalized with corona-virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are more susceptible to secondary infections. Undetected secondary infections tend to have a severe clinical impact, associated with prolonged hospitalization and higher rates of inpatient mortality.

Objectives: Estimate the prevalence of secondary infections, determine the frequency of microbial species detected at different body sites, and measure the association between secondary infections and outcomes among hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Clinical Reasoning: A Young Woman With Rapidly Progressive Weakness and Paresthesia.

A 24-year-old Middle Eastern woman presented with a 2-month history of rapidly progressive asymmetric weakness and paresthesia that began in her left lower extremity and progressed to involve both legs and arms. It was associated with overflow urinary incontinence and significant weight loss. In addition, she complained of a constant occipital headache that worsened in the supine position and was associated with photophobia, tinnitus, nausea, vomiting, and horizontal binocular diplopia.

Botanical Briefs: Handling the Heat From Capsicum Peppers.

Capsicum peppers-including chili peppers, paprika, and red peppers-are native to the Americas but used worldwide in spicy dishes. Capsaicin, the active ingredient of Capsicum peppers, is used topically to treat musculoskeletal pain, neuropathy, and other conditions. Capsaicin binds the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), releasing substance P and desensitizing nerves with long-term use.

Associations between COVID-19 Death Exposure and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Vaccine Uptake.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the relation between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) death exposure and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and vaccine uptake among Arkansans, controlling for sociodemographic factors.

Methods: Data were collected from a telephone survey administered in Arkansas between July 12 and July 30, 2021 (N = 1500) via random digit dialing of telephone landlines and cellular telephones. Weighted data were used to estimate regressions.

Complications of endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: To aimed to determine the incidence of complications of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and to investigate the factors associated with the occurrence of complications.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records of all patients who had undergone ESS at King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC) between January 2015 and March 2022. Patients who underwent ESS for complicated acute sinusitis, sinonasal malignancy, and cerebrospinal fluid leak repair, and those who underwent extended ESS for indications other than chronic rhinosinusitis were excluded.

The impact of low self-esteem on academic achievement and the behaviors related to it among medical students in Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: To measure the prevalence of low self-esteem among medical students in Saudi Arabia and determine its impact on their behaviors and academic achievement.

Methods: We hypothesized that the level of self-esteem reflected on the student's academic performance and linked to some of their behaviors. A cross-sectional study was carried out among students of the medical colleges in Saudi Arabia.

The Utility of Smartphone-Based Thermal Imaging in the Management and Monitoring of Microvascular Flap Procedures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Smartphone-based thermal imaging (SBTI) has been reported in the literature to be an easy-to-use, contactless, cost-friendly alternative to standard imaging modalities in identifying flap perforators, monitoring flap perfusion, and detecting flap failure. Our systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate SBTI's accuracy in perforator identification and secondarily evaluate SBTI's utility in flap perfusion monitoring as well as ability to predict flap compromise, failure, and survival.

Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, a systematic review was performed using PubMed from inception to 2021.

Same Day Discharge After Mastectomy and Immediate Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction: A Retrospective Cohort Comparison Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database.

Introduction: Currently, overnight admission after immediate implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR) is the standard of care. Our study aims to analyze the safety, feasibility, and outcomes of immediate IBR with same-day discharge as compared with the standard overnight stay.

Methods: The 2015-2020 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was reviewed to identify all patients undergoing mastectomy with immediate IBR for malignant breast disease.

Prevalence of bacterial bloodstream infections and association between neutropenia and 30-day mortality among oncology inpatients at a university hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Cancer patients are highly prone to develop bacterial bloodstream infections (BSI) and are also at risk of neutropenia. Knowledge of the prevalence of these infections and whether neutropenia is associated with a change in mortality is important to more effective management and reducing mortality and morbidity.

Objectives: Estimate the prevalence of bacterial BSI among oncology inpatients and assess the associations of 30-day mortality with Gram stain results and neutropenia.

Demographic, clinical and genetic factors associated with COVID-19 disease susceptibility and mortality in a Kurdish population.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a devastating pandemic that causes disease with a variability in susceptibility and mortality based on variants of various clinical and demographic factors, including particular genes among populations.

Objectives: Determine associations of demographic, clinical, laboratory, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the -α, and -γ genes to the incidence of infection and mortality in COVID-19 patients.

Design: Prospective cohort study SETTINGS: Various cities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.