Objectives: To assess the etiology of status epilepticus )SE( among the pediatric patients of a tertiary center in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia )KSA(. Methods: Data from 88 cases was obtained retrospectively from 2006 to 2017 from King Abdulaziz University Hospital )KAUH(. Patients aged between 28 days and 14 years with the symptoms of SE were selected for this study. Original ArticlesResults: The data show that the proportions of SE etiologies were 30.5% for febrile seizure, 11.9% for electrolytes imbalance, 8.5% for hydrocephalus, 6.8% for CNS infections, and 6.8% for neoplasm. The other etiologies of SE were trauma, fever, intractable epilepsy, cerebrovascular accident, hemorrhagic stroke, etc. There were no clear etiologies in 8 cases. Most of the patients were not of Saudi origin )64.3%(, boys )67.8%(, and had generalized epilepsy types )91.8%(, and 58.6% of the patients complied with epilepsy medications. Conclusion:The most prevalent etiology of convulsive status epilepticus was a febrile seizure, followed by electrolyte imbalance and hydrocephalus. However, a nationwide study in KSA must be conducted to determine the major etiologies of SE for its effective management and prevention. Educating families and patients regarding antiepileptic drugs is necessary.

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Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the patterns and determinants of drug resistance to tuberculosis (TB) in a large population from Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Methods A retrospective, cross-sectional cohort study was conducted on all patients with TB who were referred to the National Tuberculosis Prevention Program in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, between January 2016 and September 2020. For each TB case, demographic data were collected in addition to the results of drug susceptibility testing (DST) for anti-TB drugs. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software for Windows, version 23 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA), was used for the statistical analysis. Results A total of 472 TB-confirmed cases were included in the analysis. The mean ± standard deviation of the age was 38.5 ± 17.7 years. The vast majority of patients were male (62.7%) and had pulmonary TB (91.7%). Only a small proportion of the patients with TB had diabetes mellitus (8.5%). Overall, the prevalence of monodrug-resistant TB ranged from 2.1% to 3.4%. Specifically, the prevalence of monodrug-resistant TB to isoniazid and streptomycin was ranked first and was equal to 3.4%. Pyrazinamide had the lowest prevalence of monodrug-resistant TB (2.1%). The prevalence of polydrug-resistant TB (PDR-TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) was 1.5%. In the univariate analysis, sex (male) was the only sociodemographic factor that significantly correlated with a higher prevalence of MDR-TB. Conclusions This is the second study from Makkah to analyze the prevalence and associated risk factors of MDR-TB among patients from Makkah. Our data demonstrated that the prevalence of monodrug-resistant TB and MDR-TB was low (2.1%-3.4% and 1.5%, respectively). Diabetes mellitus was not a substantial factor correlated with a higher occurrence of MDR-TB. Additional epidemiologic studies are required to validate our results.

Gastric cancer (GC), including gastroesophageal junction cancer (GEJC), continues to be one of the most frequently diagnosed neoplasms globally. Moreover, GC/GEJC is a principal cause of neoplasm-related fatalities. Early-stage GC/GEJC has a favorable five-year overall survival (OS) rate with surgical resection. However, the vast majority of patients present with advanced inoperable or metastatic disease with a very unfavorable five-year OS rate. Such patients are left with very limited therapeutic options, such as systemic chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, all of which can be performed as monotherapy or in various combinations. The molecular profiling of GC has revealed several personalized therapeutic vulnerabilities, one of which is the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (EGFR2, also known as HER2). HER2 overexpression or amplification is present in a fair subset of patients with GC/GEJC and has been shown to correlate with poor clinicopathological prognostic outcomes. Generally, treatment schemes to tackle HER2 in HER2-positive GC/GEJC comprise the use of anti-HER2 monoclonal antibodies or HER2-targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). In this study, we engage in a narrative review of the available phase II and III literature on the efficacy and safety of HER2-targeting TKIs in the management of HER2positive GC/GEJC.

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Background: Migraine is a complex disorder triggered by an interaction of multiple abnormalities involving genes, blood vessels, and brain structures. It is characterized by throbbing headaches, mostly on one side of the head. It is one of the most common causes of disability, as announced by the Global Burden of the Diseases (GBD). Objectives: We aimed at assessing disabilities in Saudi migraine patients and addressing the relation between migraine-associated disabilities and social factors in Saudi Arabia. Methods: We conducted a web-based survey randomly through social media channels to the general population around Saudi Arabia. Basic personal information, along with a confirmation of the migraine diagnosis, were included in the first part of the questionnaire, and the respondent’s eligibility was determined to complete the survey. Specified questions about the sociodemographic characteristics, migraine attacks and medications, and the items of Migraine Disability Assessment score (MIDAS), were included in the next parts of the survey. Results: Of the 480 total responses, 250 (52.1%) eligible participants were included (mean age of 34.84 ± 10.14 years; 83.2% females). Most of the participants were married (59.6%), had three or more kids (50.7%), had a bachelor’s degree (60.8%), and 52.8% were employed. Only 16.4% of the subjects did regular exercise, and 16.8% were current smokers. No significant association was detected between the MIDAS score and most of the social characteristics, including marital status, number of kids, education level, occupation, and smocking. Conclusions: Most of the migraineurs in Saudi Arabia had a severe disability according to the MIDAS score. Gender, regular exercise, the severity of the disease, and frequency of attack had a statistically significant relationship with migraine-related disabilities. Migraine treatment and prophylaxis were incompetent in decreasing migraine severity and related disabilities in our selected participants.

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Objectives: To investigates the knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy in Rabigh province in western Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted from July to September 2020. Survey was distributed through the web to Rabigh province general population. Epilepsy awareness score (EAS) was estimated utilizing a generated questionnaire. Results: The number of participants is 511. Most participants did not know what actions to take for an active seizure other than moving the person away from harm (87%). Participants who agreed that epilepsy was highly stigmatized represented 15%. Participants were refusing (27%) or undecided about their reaction (34%) if their child were to marry an epilepsy person (EP). The majority did not mind if their children socialized with EP. Some parents were anxious about having their children play or associated with EP. There are statistically significant associations between EAS and age ( p =0.03), monthly income ( p =0.03), having children ( p =0.04). Conclusion: The data found in this study was similar to other Saudi and global studies. Further efforts are needed to strengthen community awareness regarding epilepsy. Stigma in society affects those that are afflicted and has consequences on their loved ones as well. Therefore, supplementary educational campaigns are needed to normalize and create acceptance. Also, to increase awareness regarding first aid of epilepsy.