Abstract Not Available Continue Reading

Abstract Not Available Continue Reading

Abstract Not Available Continue Reading

Abstract Not Available Continue Reading

Background: A medical identification tag (MIT) can provide vital information about a person’s existing medical conditions during the emergency situations. In this study, we aimed to explore the Saudi population’s awareness of MITs and their uses as well as factors affecting their knowledge of them. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in five medical cities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 385 participants who met the inclusion criteria were invited to participate in the study. Data were gathered using an electronic questionnaire of 13 items exploring demographics, level of awareness, and uses of MITs. Results: Of 385 participants, 32.2% were aware of MITs. Education level was positively associated with awareness of MITs (p = 0.001). Occupational status and occupation type were significantly associated with awareness of MITs (p = 0.004 and 0.006, respectively). This cohort felt that bracelets (61.3%) and cards (61.3%) were the most effective MITs. Most (87.5%)... Continue Reading

Background: Emergency physicians are exposed daily to many workplace stressors; hence, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety level amongst emergency physicians in comparison to physicians from other departments. Methods: This is a 1-year period cross-sectional study that determined the anxiety level of 140 physicians from different departments at Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) Hospital by using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale. This study was done from (May 2019 until April 2020). Results: Overall, almost half of the participants had minimal level of anxiety and only 5.7% had severe anxiety level. The radiologists showed the highest anxiety level (mean 7.80), while emergency physicians had scored a mean of 5.63. In addition, the anxiety level was seen more prevalent amongst junior physicians with a mean of 6.26 and amongst female residents with a mean of 6.38. Conclusion: This study concluded that the average of anxiety level amongst BDF physicians... Continue Reading

Background: One of the significant causes of death in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is road traffic accidents and sudden cardiac arrest. Basic life support (BLS) is a lifesaving intervention. Appropriate knowledge and awareness of BLS and cardiopulmonary resuscitation are essential for any healthcare students. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitude, and awareness of pharmacy students towards BLS. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online self-administered survey, Pharmacy students from the second to the sixth years in the program (n = 605) were invited to participate in the study. The survey used for this study was based on a previous survey that has been validated and published already. Results: We received 235 responses out of 605 invitations with a response rate of (38.84%). Mean age of the participants was 22.58 ± 1.54, 48.1% were males and 51.9% were females. Out of 235, 136 (57.9%)... Continue Reading

Background: In recent years, multiple reports of an increase in the emergence of community-acquired methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA (CA-MRSA) have arisen. A potential infection risk may be present if a patient were to be transported by an emergency medical services (EMS) unit that previously transported a patient harboring CA-MRSA. We, therefore, sought to investigate whether there is a certain prevalence of CA-MRSA contamination among ambulances operating in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional survey study involving ambulances (types I to IV) in service in Jeddah from September to November of 2018. Five areas were chosen to be swabbed in each ambulance enrolled in our study. Results: A total of 425 samples were collected from 85 ambulances operating in three different health care sectors. Our results showed the overall contamination to be 338 samples (79.5%), with the highest contamination rate found on the stretcher... Continue Reading

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in children. The aim of this study was to report the burden of isolated pediatric TBI at a major trauma center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and assess associations with mechanism of injury. Methods: A retrospective cohort study using chart review, including children aged ≤14 years with isolated TBI over 2 years from 01 Jan 2016 to 31 Dec 2017 was undertaken. Univariable or unadjusted associations of patients presenting after motor vehicle crashes (MVC) and physiological variables were assessed. Intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality at hospital discharge were the primary outcome measures. Results: There were 2,501 pediatric patients that presented to the Emergency Department with head injury and 241 (9.6%) patients were admitted to hospital with isolated TBI, with an in-hospital mortality rate of 9%. MVC was the most common mechanism of injury (n = 142;... Continue Reading

Background: Pain is the most compelling factor that leads people to visit the emergency department (ED). We aimed to assess patient satisfaction with the management of acute pain in the ED of a tertiary academic hospital, where opioid agents are used on a minimal and limited basis. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted over 2 months. A modified questionnaire was administered by telephone to adult patients who had complained of pain and received analgesics in the ED. Multivariate correlational analysis was performed to identify the predictors of patient satisfaction. Results: We included 76 patients (mean age, 40.88 ± 15.47 years) of these, 65 (85%) received non-opioids, while 11 (14%) received an opioid analgesic. Fifty (65%) of total patients thought they had received enough analgesics. Mean initial pain score was 8.11 ± 1.93 while that at discharge was 4.38 ± 3.03. Multivariate regression showed that ED diagnosis [coefficient = −0.23; 95%... Continue Reading

Background: Lumbar punctures (LPs) are known as a safe procedure, but many parents refuse to perform it on their children. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge of parents toward LPs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A pre-tested three-part online questionnaire that focused on knowledge, perception, and attitude was used on 1,276 adult residents of Riyadh, from November to December 2019. The data were analyzed and compared using the Chi-square test. Result: Of 1,276 parents, 79.3% were mothers, whereas 20.7% were fathers. A larger part of the population (65.7%) had a bachelor's degree (secondary education). The analysis of the results revealed that 56.1% had a bad perception and 51.1% had poor knowledge on LP. Hence, 70.4% had a positive attitude. A significant association between educational level and knowledge and perception was found. Conclusion: There is a direct association between a parent's knowledge of LPs and perception... Continue Reading

Background: Makkah, Saudi Arabia, receives about three to four million pilgrims for Hajj annually. Many of these pilgrims are elderly and sick, and many have chronic medical conditions (CMCs) for which they take medication. The emergency department (ED) physicians working in Makkah have previously claimed that many pilgrims present to the ED because they need medications to control their CMCs. We aim to investigate the magnitude of this burden on Saudi Arabian EDs. Methods: We conducted a survey study among Hajj pilgrims during the Hajj season of 2018. Data was collected, which included demographics, CMCs, the medications taken for CMCs, did the pilgrims bring their medication with them from home, and, if not, the source for obtaining replacement medications during Hajj. Results: Of the 2402 subjects surveyed, 1953 were included in our study. Only 436 (22.3%) had a CMCs, and of those only 16% did not bring sufficient medication with... Continue Reading

Background: One of the essential aspects of acquiring favorable patients’ outcomes is to deliver appropriate care to them. In pre-hospital settings, the procedure begins with the dispatch since dispatchers manage the assistance requests. The medical priority dispatch system (MPDS) has been developed to improve the dispatcher’s performance. It follows algorithms and questions which aid in classifying situations based on callers’ answers to specific questions. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of MPDS in enhancing patient outcomes. Methods: We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, and six other electronic databases up to 17 August 2019. A combination of keywords relevant to MPDS was used to search for English published randomized controlled trials, case-control, and cohort studies evaluating MPDS and its impact on patient outcomes. Results: A total of 15 studies out of 755 were selected. All were observational cohort studies involving 1,394,366 participants; seven studies reported response time, four reported mortality rate,... Continue Reading

Background: Hair-thread tourniquet syndrome (HTTS) is a rare condition and it refers to the strangulation of a distal appendage by thread or hair, leading to impairment of blood flow and ischemia which if left untreated becomes a surgical emergency. It is usually misdiagnosed due to its infrequent presentation in a hidden part of the body. Case Presentation: A-3-months-old-female infant presented to a governmental institute with a history of irritability, restlessness, and continuous crying without an obvious cause. The diagnosis of HTTS was made as the third digit of the left foot was swollen and red. A surgical incision was made, and hair tourniquet was removed. The follow-up had satisfactory results. Conclusion: HTTS is a rare condition and it is vital to recognize it and provide immediate treatment. Delay of treating this medical issue can lead to strangulation of a distal appendage which may lead to impairments of blood flow and... Continue Reading