New Emirates Medical Journal最新文献

{"title":"Prevalence of Moderate to Severe Depressive Symptoms among Adults in the\u0000UAE: A Cross-sectional Study","authors":"Salman Mohamad Salman, Abdel Rahman Alkhdour, Tala Alsyouti, Mohammad Haddad, Prof. Shatha Al Sharbatti","doi":"10.2174/0102506882253888231207035056","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0102506882253888231207035056","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000The objectives of the study were to assess the prevalence of moderate to severe depressive symptoms among adults aged 18 years or older, assess\u0000the relationship between the severity of depression and selected socio-demographic, psycho-social, lifestyle, and health-related factors, and identify\u0000the determinants of moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms in the adult population of 18 years and older in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the United Arab Emirates that targeted residents above 18 years of age. A research questionnaire was\u0000developed and approved by three specialists in the field, along with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9). The Chi-square test was used to\u0000assess the association between variables, and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to find the predictive risk factors for moderate to severe\u0000depressive symptoms.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The study encompassed a group of 562 participants, achieving a response rate of 97.33%. Initially, a Google Form was distributed electronically to\u0000the entire participant pool; however, 15 individuals declined to participate, resulting in a final sample size of 547 (n). Amongst the variables that\u0000showed significant prevalence of moderate to severe depressive symptoms were age (P <0.001), sex (P <0.001), marital status (P <0.001),\u0000occupation classification (P <0.001), religiosity (P <0.001), education level (P <0.001), job stress (P <0.001), domicile and residence (P <0.001),\u0000responsibility towards family (P <0.001), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (P <0.001), consumption of alcohol (P <0.001), coronavirus\u0000disease pandemic (P <0.001), employment status (P = 0.002), family size (P = 0.001), and smoking (P = 0.004). Amongst the variables, the subgroups\u0000that showed significant predictive factors of moderate to severe depressive symptoms were the ages between 18 and 25 years old (P = 0.01),\u0000the female gender (P <0.001), and low levels of religiosity (P <0.001).\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The prevalence of moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms was 48% (n=260). In our study on the prevalence of depression, we have investigated\u0000several predictive factors, including age, gender, religiosity, and a history of prior depression diagnosis. While numerous factors contribute to\u0000depression, additional research is imperative to identify and validate additional predictive factors.\u0000","PeriodicalId":110816,"journal":{"name":"New Emirates Medical Journal","volume":"13 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138972133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thyroid Function Screening among First- and Second-Degree Healthy\u0000Asymptomatic Relatives of Patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis","authors":"Samih Abed Odhaib, Miaad Jassim Mohammed, Mahmood Thamer Altemimi, Abbas Ali Mansour","doi":"10.2174/0102506882249988231205102133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0102506882249988231205102133","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000Assessment of thyroid dysfunction among relatives of patients diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is controversial due to the lack of evidence.\u0000Screening and prediction of thyroid dysfunction among first- and second-degree relatives (FDRs and SDRs) of patients were diagnosed with\u0000Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Three hundred and forty-six asymptomatic relatives of 97 patients diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis were enrolled in mixed cross-sectional\u0000and prospective assessments for thyroid dysfunction over more than two years (September 2018-December 2020).\u0000Both FDR and SDR were evaluated by thyrotropin (TSH) and thyroid ultrasound at enrollment. Individuals with abnormal TSH were thoroughly\u0000evaluated biochemically and were subsequently classified as euthyroid, subclinical, and overt thyroid dysfunctional. The future reversion of\u0000enrolled individuals with normal and subclinical thyroid function to overt dysfunction was predicted by using the Thyroid Event Amsterdam\u0000(THEA) score.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Three-quarters of the participants were non-smoking married women. Thyroid dysfunction was diagnosed among 43% of the participants (n=150),\u0000of whom two-thirds (74%) were having overt dysfunction (n=111). Neither the demographic elements nor the initial thyroid function could predict\u0000the future thyroid function among those participants. Two out of ten (16%) were having autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) as part of familial\u0000clustering (n=56). Four participants with subclinical hypothyroidism were treated accordingly due to their high THEA score despite the global\u0000lower THEA score (5.00±0.44).\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Screening of asymptomatic relatives of patients diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis could help identify the familial background of thyroid\u0000diseases in 43% of FDRs and SDRs. One-third may have an underlying autoimmune basis.\u0000","PeriodicalId":110816,"journal":{"name":"New Emirates Medical Journal","volume":"11 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139002511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antibiotic Dispensing Practice among Medicine Retailers of Butwal and\u0000Bhairahawa Cities: An Interventional Study","authors":"Anil Kumar Sah, Kadir Alam, D. S. Rathore, Rajesh Kumar Jha, Dharanidhar Baral","doi":"10.2174/0102506882266078231206112507","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0102506882266078231206112507","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000Dispensing practice is the fundamental component of the rational use of drugs. Inappropriate dispensing of drugs can lead to Adverse drug reaction\u0000(ADR), Drug interaction (DI), therapeutic failure, and increased cost of treatment. In case of antibiotic misuse, it can lead to developing an extra\u0000burden of antibiotic resistance.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The objective of this study is to determine the antibiotic dispensing practice and the impact of intervention among medicine retailers of Butwal and\u0000Bhairahawa cities of Nepal.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000An interventional simulated patients survey study was conducted in two cities of Nepal from 2016-2018. A scenario of fictitious cases of common\u0000cold and running nose was simulated by two trained pharmacists in two different sites. Prior to the survey, the researcher visited selected retailers\u0000to obtain consent and demography details. About two weeks after obtaining consent, simulated patients visited the retailers. The information given\u0000by the community pharmacist was memorized and recorded in data collection form after leaving the community pharmacy. The intervention study\u0000was carried out 30 days after the simulated study survey. The educational intervention was given to the test group i.e. the community medicine\u0000retailer of Butwal. The researchers also provided a booklet to the test groups. Post-intervention simulated patient survey was conducted after 3 days\u0000of the training period. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel and SPSS for analysis.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000All together 64 community pharmacies were included in this study involving 32 medicine retailers from each city of Butwal and Bhairahawa. The\u0000total drugs dispensed by medicine retailers were 146 and 127 drugs in Butwal and Bhairahawa, respectively in the before-intervention studies.\u0000Similarly, about 122 and 152 drugs were dispensed by medicine retailers in Butwal and Bhairahawa after intervention studies. The average number\u0000of medicines dispensed by medicine retailers was 4.56±1.66 and 3.96±1.92 before intervention in the Butwal and Bhairahawa study sites. The\u0000average numbers of medicines dispensed by medicine retailers were 3.78±1.06 and 4.78±1.73 after intervention in the study sites of Butwal and\u0000Bhairahawa. None of the medicine retailers talked about either the brand or generic name and strength of antibiotic medicine to the simulated\u0000patient before and after intervention in both study sites. Similarly, medicine retailers informed about the frequency of dosage of antibiotic medicine\u0000to simulated patients before and after interventions in Butwal and Bhairahawa cities. However, there was no statistical significance (P=0.388)\u0000observed in Butwal City, whereas in Bhairahawa City, statistical significance (P=0.006) was observed.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Antibiotic dispensing without a prescription is routine. Insufficient medicine information was given to the simulated patient by the medicine\u0000retailer. Hence, we suggest meaningful implementation of policy and regular inspection to improve the situation.\u0000","PeriodicalId":110816,"journal":{"name":"New Emirates Medical Journal","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139002425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perceived Impact of Plastic Pollution on bio-ecological Environment and Human\u0000Health: A Cross-sectional Survey among Nursing Students in United Arab\u0000Emirates","authors":"R. Ravi, Vimala Edwin, Aleena Mary Jaison, Fatima","doi":"10.2174/0102506882282118231201063806","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0102506882282118231201063806","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000Plastics have become an inevitable part of life. Healthcare workers play an ineluctable role in creating enduring solutions to plastic pollution and\u0000mitigating the impact of plastic pollution on human health and well-being.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The aim of this study was to explore the pattern of plastic consumption and the perception of the bioecological and health impact of plastic\u0000pollution among undergraduate nursing students.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was undertaken among 200 undergraduate nursing students recruited through a convenient sampling\u0000technique. Data were collected using a self-developed structured questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 26. A p-value of less than 0.05\u0000was taken as statistically significant.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The mean age of the students was found to be 20.12± 6 years. Though more than half (65.7%) of them reported using plastic products daily, 63.3%\u0000of the students reported willingness to reduce the use of plastic products. Bottled water (152,72.4%), followed by bags (131,62.4%) were the most\u0000frequent modality of plastic used. Only 47.6% of them were aware of the difference between 100% biodegradable versus recyclable plastics. The\u0000perceived impact of plastic pollution on bio-ecological environments and human health was found to be low among most (66.7% and 43.7%\u0000respectively) of the students\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Awareness regarding the direct and indirect hazards of plastic pollution and available sustainable alternatives to plastic needs to be strengthened\u0000among the study population.\u0000","PeriodicalId":110816,"journal":{"name":"New Emirates Medical Journal","volume":"124 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139011808","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stress and Coping Strategies among Medical Students in Dubai, United Arab\u0000Emirates, in 2020: A Cross-Sectional Study","authors":"Y. K. Boushehri, Lakshmanan Jeyaseelan, M. Sultan","doi":"10.2174/0102506882271181231121105845","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0102506882271181231121105845","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000Studies conducted worldwide have found that medical students have higher levels of stress than students in other fields. Chronic stress can result in\u0000increased rates of fatigue, depression, and impairment in function. Although this phenomenon has been studied globally, there has been limited\u0000attention in our region. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess stress levels in medical students in Dubai and evaluate their coping\u0000strategies to highlight the importance of shedding light on the psychological well-being of this population.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000A cross-sectional design was utilized for this study. The target population consisted of all medical students enrolled at a local university for the\u00002020-2021 academic year. The participants completed a survey that collected information on stress and coping strategies. The Perceived Stress\u0000Scale (PSS-10) and the Brief COPE inventory were utilized to gather the data.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The total of 97 individuals completed the study questionnaire. The rates of high stress levels according to the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) were\u0000higher among medical students in the first to the third year (43.6%), when compared to medical students in the fourth and fifth years (7.7%).\u0000Results of the Brief COPE inventory indicated that the average score for a Problem Focused coping style among medical students fell in the\u0000medium to high range (22 out of 32).\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Levels of stress are elevated among medical students. Coping responses reflect the individual’s psychological adjustment and well-being. Our\u0000study sample revealed a medium to high rate of engagement in healthy coping strategies. Future research that evaluates the psychological impact of\u0000stress in-depth and explores effective strategies to enhance coping is highly warranted.\u0000","PeriodicalId":110816,"journal":{"name":"New Emirates Medical Journal","volume":"95 26","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138599792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Comparative Analysis of Renal Neoplasms with Immunohistochemistry\u0000Study: Bahrain Experience","authors":"Haya Khaled Ali Abdulla Alkhalifa, Khaled Hameed Husain, V. Nagaraj, Ayman Raees, Abdulla Darwish","doi":"10.2174/0102506882270597231124104130","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0102506882270597231124104130","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000The incidence of renal neoplasms has been increasing globally. Immunohistochemistry aids in differentiating the subtypes of Renal Cell\u0000Carcinoma (RCC).\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000This study aimed to describe the demography of renal cancer in the Kingdom of Bahrain, comparing it to other regions worldwide, emphasizing the\u0000most common type of renal cancer, clinical presentation, and immunohistochemistry.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000This retrospective chart review comprises 74 Bahraini patients diagnosed with Renal neoplasms (from 2009-2019) at the Bahrain Defense Force\u0000(BDF) Hospital in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Variables collected include demographics, clinical presentation from patients’ electronic records and\u0000pathology registry, surgical management, immunohistochemistry, pathological staging, grading, and prognosis. IBM SPSS Statistics, version\u000028.0.0.0, was used.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000About 71 patients’ characteristics were analyzed; 63 had malignant neoplasms, and 8 had benign neoplasms. The mean age of patients with a\u0000malignant renal neoplasm was 56.38 (± 12.643). The most common presentation was an incidental finding (60.6% of lesions being right-sided).\u0000Clear Cell RCC was the most common malignant lesion (77.1%), and the most common stage was stage 1 (69.8%). CD10 and vimentin were\u0000100% sensitive for Clear Cell RCC. No significant association was found between diabetes and a higher Fuhrman grade (3 or 4) (P = 0.066).\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000From 2009 to 2019, renal neoplasms incidence increased. The most common malignant neoplasm was clear cell RCC and among benign tumours\u0000was oncocytoma. Immunohistochemistry plays an important role in subtype determination. One recommendation would be to assess the incidence\u0000of renal neoplasms in other hospitals in Bahrain to establish more epidemiological data and compare our results with other Gulf hospitals\u0000","PeriodicalId":110816,"journal":{"name":"New Emirates Medical Journal","volume":"56 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138600594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Differences in the Binding of IgM and IgG Antibodies with Erythrocytes\u0000and Epithelial Cells","authors":"Kravchun Pavlo Grigoryevich, F. Leontyeva, V. Dielievska, Olena Povelichenko","doi":"10.2174/0102506882280860231124113912","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0102506882280860231124113912","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000The studies of agglutinating and adsorbing abilities of IgM and IgG antibodies towards the red blood cells (RBCs) and tissue cells are scarce.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The studies of agglutinating and adsorbing abilities of IgM and IgG antibodies towards the red blood cells (RBCs) and tissue cells are scarce.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The study aimed to estimate the differences in the avidity of blood group-specific IgM and IgG antibodies to RBCs and epithelial cells.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The reaction of hemagglutination, adsorption, mixed agglutination reaction and saliva inhibition test were used. Anti-B 2-54 monoclonal antibody,\u0000polyclonal citrated plasma and the heated plasma were used for investigation of IgM and IgG antibodies.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000IgM antibodies showed high adsorbing ability to RBCs and epithelial cells in an alkaline medium.\u0000On the contrary, the heated plasma containing IgG antibodies showed high adsorbing ability to RBCs and epithelial cells in the acid medium as\u0000compared to the alkaline medium. Complete adsorption of IgG antibodies was observed by epithelial cells as compared to erythrocytes.\u0000A mixed agglutination reaction confirmed the strong binding of anti-B IgG antibodies with group B epithelial cells in an acid medium.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The binding of polyclonal IgM and IgG group-specific antibodies with red blood cells and epithelial cells depends on the opposite values of pH of\u0000the medium. IgG antibodies completely adsorb on epithelial cells contrary to IgM antibodies.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Blood group-specific IgG antibodies showed high avidity to epithelial cells as compared to red blood cells. IgG antibodies demonstrated high\u0000agglutinating ability in alkaline medium and strong adsorbing ability in acid medium contrary to IgM antibodies, demonstrating high adsorption\u0000properties in alkaline medium.\u0000","PeriodicalId":110816,"journal":{"name":"New Emirates Medical Journal","volume":"10 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138598275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Validity of the mean platelet volume and Revised Clinical Risk Index for Babies (CRIB-II) score to assess mortality risk in preterm infants","authors":"A. Alshafei, Entesar Zawam, M. Galal, Anwar Hamidullah Khan, Yaser El saba, Moustafa Hassan","doi":"10.2174/0250688205666230904104508","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0250688205666230904104508","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000This study aimed to investigate the validity of the mean platelet volume (MPV) alone and MPV combined with the revised Clinical Risk Index for Babies (CRIB II) score to predict neonatal mortality in preterm infants.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000This retrospective observational study performed between May 2018 and June 2021 included preterm neonates (gestational age 23–32 weeks) admitted to a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) within 12 hours of birth, who were followed up until death or discharge. MPV was recorded at admission and within 72 hours before death or discharge. The CRIB II score variables were assessed within 12 hours of birth, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated for the MPV and CRIB II scores to predict neonatal mortality.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000We investigated 404 newborns, of whom 28 (6.9%) died. The mean neonatal gestational age was 28.6±2.8 weeks. The MPV was significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors (p=0.001). The AUC for the MPV and the CRIB II score was 0.68 (95% CI: 0.55–0.80) and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.79–0.91), respectively. The AUC for the MPV combined with the CRIB II score was 0.91 (95% CI 0.87–0.95). The difference in MPV at birth between survivors and non-survivors was statistically non-significant.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000MPV was found to be a poorer predictor of neonatal mortality than the CRIB II score; however, MPV combined with the CRIB II score demonstrated significantly improved predictive ability for preterm infant mortality risk.\u0000","PeriodicalId":110816,"journal":{"name":"New Emirates Medical Journal","volume":"4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114946097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring pedagogical dissonance in including acupuncture treatment approach into a western biomedical evidence-based Physiotherapy Curriculum","authors":"Ana Anjos, L. Corten, Nuno Goncalves, Soraya Mart","doi":"10.2174/0250688205666230904104357","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0250688205666230904104357","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000In the past several years, acupuncture has been used more often to manage pain, either in conjunction with other therapies or as a complementary treatment. Evidence also points to a rise in physiotherapists’ interest in acupuncture.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The goal of performing a cross-sectional survey was to identify the characteristics of physiotherapists who use acupuncture in their relevant practice and also to explore what views participants had regarding the inclusion of acupuncture in the physiotherapy curriculum. Methodology: A quantitative cross-sectional survey methodology was used in the investigation. Through pilot studies and expert input, an online survey was developed and validated. The South African Society of Physiotherapy (SASP), the Physiotherapy Association of South Africa (PASA), and the Emirates Physiotherapy Society (EPS) used email and social media to distribute the questionnaire to physiotherapists in order to gather data. These countries were specifically chosen based on language and researcher familiarity with the organizations. One hundred eighty-one physiotherapists who were members of the appropriate professional associations in South Africa and the United Arab Emirates were included in the study as a convenient sample. Active physiotherapists who have treated patients within the previous six months and consented to take the survey were eligible to participate. The study had no exclusion criteria.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The survey had varied results, although most respondents recognized the value of acupuncture in the practice of physiotherapy. However, the majority of participants did not think that physiotherapy alone is ineffective. Overall, the survey results showed that some respondents preferred postgraduate acupuncture education over including acupuncture in undergraduate education. Notably, despite the majority of physiotherapists having bachelor’s degrees, the survey data showed that many of them possessed practical experience in acupuncture.\u0000","PeriodicalId":110816,"journal":{"name":"New Emirates Medical Journal","volume":"38 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133448507","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thyroid Autoimmune Disease Among Emirati Patients:\u0000A Retrospective Analysis of the Patients’ Characteristics","authors":"A. Howeedy, Raya Zreik, Suzan Gharaibeh","doi":"10.2174/0250688205666230904104404","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/0250688205666230904104404","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000\u0000Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is a serious and treatable disease that could be associated with other autoimmune disorders. It is a common cause of hypothyroidism in adult females. The diagnosis is established by detecting serum antithyroid antibodies. The disease slowly progresses, and the treatment includes thyroid hormone replacement in cases of hypothyroidism.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical presentation, laboratory findings, and comorbidity factors involved in autoimmune thyroid disease among Emirati citizens in the UAE.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Medical records from Advanced Cure Diagnostic Centers were reviewed in a retrospective study over the period of four years from 2018 to 2022. The patients population included those who attended the Endocrinology Unit and others seen by the rest of the medical staff. Patients were considered to have AITD if they tested positive for thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb), thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb), or both. The data collected was evaluated using descriptive analysis to provide a basic summary of the patients sample and dataset. Unpaired t-test was used to compare the mean value of elevated autoantibodies in males and females.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000Of the 366 Emirati nationals who were tested for autoimmune thyroiditis, 220 (60%) had an abnormal result for TPOAb and/or TgAb. Among the 220 patients who had an abnormal result for TPOAb and/or TgAb, 188 (85.5%) were females, and 100 patients (45.5%) were in the age group between 31 and 40 years. 42% were in a euthyroid state and 42% presented with hypothyroidism. Only 7% presented with hyperthyroidism, 5% with subclinical hypothyroidism, and 2% with subclinical hyperthyroidism. An analysis of the comorbidity factors revealed that 142 (65%) patients with obesity, 82 (37%) with a family history of thyroid disease, 77 (35%) with hyperlipidemia, 14 (6%) with hypertension, and 11 (5%) with diabetes.\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000This is the first publication intended to address AITD in Emirati citizens. Our findings concur with the international data regarding the prevalence among middle-aged females. Eighty-four percent of the positive patients either presented with no abnormality of their thyroid gland function or with hypothyroidism. With the alarming increase of obesity in the UAE, we found it to be the single most important and preventable comorbidity factor present in 65% of the studied population. This is followed by a family history of first-degree relatives with thyroid disease in 37% of the participants, due to the high rate of consanguineous marriages in the UAE.\u0000","PeriodicalId":110816,"journal":{"name":"New Emirates Medical Journal","volume":"71 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127382844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}