Objectives: To determine the association between emergency department (ED) visits, glycemic control and the quality of preventive diabetes care among diabetic patients in a Saudi community. Methods: This study was an observational, cross-sectional study that collected data through interview-based surveys between February and April 2017. Data were collected from 530 diabetic patients in the diabetes clinics at King Saud Medical City, the tertiary center of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Results: This study found statistically significant relationships ( p <0.05) between ED visits and patient age, the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and education level. Emergency department visits increased by 43% for each unit of increase in HbA1c (odds ratio [OR]=1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.26-1.62). Graduating from high school decreased the odds of visiting the ED by 43% (OR=0.57, 95% CI=0.34-0.94). Most of the participants were not followed for possible microvascular complications; the majority did not visit nephrology (96.2%), ophthalmology (78.3%) and neurology (97.9%) clinics within the 12 months prior to the interviews. Conclusion: Emergency department visits can indicate poor glycemic control in diabetic patients. Additionally, the current practices of preventive diabetes care in Saudi Arabia are not sufficient, according to the diabetic standards of care recommended by the American Diabetes Association.
Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is serious healthcare concern in Saudi Arabia, with the disease's prevalence in the country being one of the highest worldwide. This study examines various factors which affect outcomes of patients with DM; namely, medication adherence, diabetes knowledge, self-management behaviours, and glycemic control.Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey-based study. Participants were patients with a DM diagnosis at King Saud Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Results: Positive associations were found between medication adherence and diabetes knowledge; self-management behaviours (glucose management and healthcare use) and diabetes knowledge; self-management behaviours (dietary control) and fasting blood glucose levels; and age and blood glucose levels (both fasting and HgA1c). No associations were found between diabetes knowledge and glycemic control; or between self-management behaviours and HgA1c levels. Conclusion:Having good knowledge of diabetes is associated with medication adherence and healthcare self-management. Healthcare practitioners should consider educating DM patients an integral part of the treatment process.
BACKGROUND:Despite the acknowledgment that the services of diabetes educator and dietician affect outcome, the level of utilization of these services in the Saudi Arabian public health-care system is not known. The aims of the study were to establish the percentage of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) followed up by a diabetic educator and a dietician in a tertiary center in Saudi Arabia and associations between follow-up by a diabetic educator and a dietician and glycemic control.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This was a cross-sectional study of 490 diabetic patients who attended the diabetic outpatient clinic consecutively at a public health-care institution in Riyadh. Patients answered interview questions on clinicodemographic variables and diabetic educator or dietitian follow-up during their care. Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C [%, mmol/mol]) and fasting blood glucose (mg/dL, mmol/L) levels were recorded.RESULTS:The majority of patients were male (68.8%), Saudi (71%), married (91.6%), high school or college educated (55.5%), had type 2 DM (85.5%), and were taking oral hypoglycemics (57.3%). 69.0% and 19.8% of the patients had had at least some follow-up with a diabetic educator and dietician, respectively. HbA1C levels were significantly lower in patients who had had a follow-up with a dietitian (9.1 ± 4.5% [76 ± 26 mmol/mol] vs. 7.8 ± 2.2% [62 ± 13 mmol/mol]; unadjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.80, 95% confidence intervals [CIs]: 0.71–0.89, P < 0.0001), including in multivariable analysis (adjusted OR: 0.84, 95% CIs: 0.72–0.99, P = 0.04). Follow-up with a diabetic educator was not associated with glycemic control.CONCLUSIONS:Follow-up with a diabetic dietitian had the greatest impact on glycemic control in type 1 and type 2 DM patients. A review of the national standards of best practice of diabetes education and nutrition in Saudi Arabia is required to optimize the outcomes.
DQB1*06:02 allele frequencies among Saudi patients with narcolepsy were consistent with previously published data.
INTRODUCTION: Obstructive jaundice is a known cause of sinus bradycardia. It is usually attributed to the effect of bile salts on the electrophysiology of the heart and mainly on the SA node. But can Primary biliary cirrhosis cause bradycardia? Here, we are presenting a case of sinus bradycardia with a junctional rhythm that could be secondary to primary biliary cirrhosis. CASE DESCRIPTION/METHODS: A 65-year-old female with a history of primary biliary cirrhosis complicated by esophageal varices and recurrent ascites. The patient presented with a syncopal episode. The patient had a history of episodes of lightheadedness for several days before admission. Upon arrival at the hospital, the patient was bradycardiac with heart rate around 30 and she was hypotensive. She was given several doses of atropine and then she was started on dopamine drip. Initial EKG showed that the patient has a junctional rhythm. After reviewing the patient cardiac history, we found that the patient didn't have any heart issues before and she had a coronary angiogram done one year ago and showed normal coronaries. Medications were reviewed and showed that the patient was on Metoprolol 25 mg twice daily for anxiety and she was on it for more than 10 years and there were no recent changes in the dose. Labs showed that the patient had mild elevation is AST 41 IU/L and ALT 62 IU/L. Total serum bilirubin was 1.7 mg/dl (mildly elevated) and direct bilirubin was 0.7 mg/dl (mildly elevated). After beta-blocker was held, the patient heart rate improved, and dopamine drip was discontinued. DISCUSSION: This is a case of primary biliary cirrhosis who presented with symptomatic bradycardia. This patient was on beta-blockers for a long period of time and she didn't have any heart issues given her last coronary angiogram and echocardiogram were normal. We believe that one of the contributors of the patient bradycardia is the primary biliary cirrhosis itself as it can cause bradycardia which is believed to be secondary to bile salts. In conclusion, primary biliary cirrhosis should be considered as a cause of bradycardia and the use of metoprolol in those patients should be closely monitored as Metoprolol is primarily metabolized by the liver and can intensify the bradycardia.
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