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Infectious Diseases
Pseudomonas aeruginosa in hospitalized patients – A Saudi Arabian study on resistance patterns and virulence factors
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is categorized by global health authorities as a “critical” pathogen due to its increasing propensity for antibiotic resistance. It is a significant cause of severe healthcare-associated infections, including ventilator-associated pneumonia and bloodstream infections, especially in critically ill patients. A recent retrospective observational study conducted at King Khalid Hospital in Saudi Arabia and published in Nature Scientific Reports analyzed…
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Non-Communicable Diseases
Lipoprotein(a) Knowledge, Awareness, and Clinical Practice Among Physicians in the Arabian Gulf Region
A study of 1069 physicians across the Arabian Gulf region (Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain) revealed a general limited knowledge and awareness of Lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]). Lp(a) is a promising biomarker with the potential to improve atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk assessment. The overall mean knowledge score was modest (M = 9.0 ±3.5) out of a possible…
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Cancers
Advancing CAR T-Cell Therapy in Solid Tumours
Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has achieved transformative success in treating blood cancers, with certain B-cell malignancies showing complete remission rates exceeding 80%. However, applying this potent immunotherapy to solid tumors remains a formidable challenge. The primary hurdles stem from the hostile tumor microenvironment (TME), which features heterogeneous antigen expression, physical barriers to T-cell infiltration, and an immunosuppressive nature…
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Public Health
Value-based healthcare in the GCC: achieving sustainable access to specialty pharmaceuticals
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations are at a critical juncture in healthcare, facing a dual challenge: a rising burden of complex, high-cost medical conditions—including cancer, neurological disorders, and rare diseases—and the escalating expense of specialty pharmaceuticals. Traditional volume-based healthcare models are proving inadequate to ensure sustainable and equitable patient access to these life-changing therapies. To navigate this, the GCC…
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Mental Health
Mental Health Conditions and Self Stigma Among Saudi Male Adults
A recent cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of common mental health conditions—depression, anxiety, and stress—and the extent of self-stigma among 612 Saudi males aged 18 and above, highlighting significant public health challenges in the region. The findings reveal notably high levels of common mental health conditions, with results from the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) indicating that: Depression was…
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Infectious Diseases
Epidemiology and seasonality of respiratory syncytial virus in the UAE. A five-year (2018-2022) study at Tawam Hospital
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) remains a chief cause of severe lower respiratory tract infections and subsequent hospital admissions among infants and young children worldwide. Understanding its local transmission patterns is vital for implementing timely and effective preventative measures, such as monoclonal antibody prophylaxis. Historically, RSV exhibits a predictable seasonal pattern, but the COVID-19 pandemic and associated non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs)—like physical…
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Cancers
Post-cytotoxic myeloid neoplasms: a MENA region study of clinicopathologic, genetic profile, latency determinants and prognostic predictors
Post-cytotoxic myeloid neoplasms (MN-PCT), also known as therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MN), represent a heterogeneous group of hematologic malignancies that develop after a patient receives cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiotherapy for an unrelated condition. These disorders, which include therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome (t-MDS), acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML), and myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms (t-MDS/MPN) are notorious for their aggressive nature, universally poor survival, and a lack…
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Non-Communicable Diseases
Coronary Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Metabolomic Signatures in the Middle East
This recently published research explores the metabolomic profiles of Type 2 Diabetes, both with and without Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), specifically within the largely underrepresented Middle Eastern population, using data from Qatari adults. The study leverages the power of metabolomics to identify potential biomarkers for Type 2 Diabetes and its common complication, CHD. The cross-sectional study analyzed 641 metabolites from…
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Public Health
Symptomatic Dry Eye Disease Among Contact Lens Wearers in Jordan
Dry Eye disease (DED) is a common and often debilitating condition for contact lens wearers, frequently leading to discomfort and discontinuation of lens use. To better understand this issue, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 301 contact lens wearers in Jordan. The research aimed to quantify the proportion of symptomatic DED and identify associated modifiable risk factors, particularly in the…
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Cancers
Findings from the Saudi National Breast Cancer Screening Program
Breast cancer represents the most prevalent cancer among women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). To enhance early detection efforts, a detailed analysis was conducted on the data collected from the Saudi National Breast Cancer Early Detection Program The research focused on characterizing the participants and identifying predictors of positive mammography findings. A total of 8,348 Saudi women aged…
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