Libyan Journal of Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Management of long-COVID-19 patients with sleep disorders: practical advice to general practitioners.","authors":"Fatma Guezguez, Mohamed Romdhani, Amine Boutaleb-Joutei, Karim Chamari, Helmi Ben Saad","doi":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2182704","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2182704","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Given the high prevalence of sleep disorders (e.g. insomnia) among long-COVID-19 patients (LC19Ps), approaches to tackle these disorders should not only depend on sleep specialists, but they should also involve general practitioners (GPs). Indeed, according to the World Health Organization, GPs should be on the front line in the management of LC19Ps. However, in real practice, little data with regard to the management of LC19Ps are available for GPs, which represents an embarrassing situation. Thus, the main aim of this correspondence was to provide GPs with some advice related to the management of sleep disorders in LC19Ps. The pieces advice presented in this correspondence are related to: <i><b>i)</b></i> Early and accurate recognition of sleep disorders, <i><b>ii)</b></i> General recommendations to manage sleep disorders in LC19Ps (e.g. encouraging vaccination against the virus); and <i><b>iii)</b></i> Specific recommendations, such as improving sleep hygiene (patients' behavior and diet), psychological or behavioral therapies (stimulus control therapy, relaxation, sleep restriction), promising tools (heart coherence, neurofeedback), and pharmacological treatment. The authors of this correspondence deeply believe that given the undesirable side effects associated with the use of hypnotics, the pharmacological approach must only be a \"last resort\". The authors believe that an important percentage of pharmacological prescriptions could be avoided if more focus is put on educating GPs to provide LC19Ps with more tools to deal with sleep disorders. The pieces advice presented in this correspondence are indispensable to resume the normal life of LC19Ps and to promote their mental health recovery.</p>","PeriodicalId":49910,"journal":{"name":"Libyan Journal of Medicine","volume":"18 1","pages":"2182704"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/b4/aa/ZLJM_18_2182704.PMC9970199.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9119966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prognostic value of glucose transporter proteins-1 (GLUT1) in breast carcinoma.","authors":"Mehenaz Hanbazazh, Abdulhadi Samman, Saad Samargandy, Jaudah Al-Maghrabi","doi":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2283953","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2283953","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Several studies have reported increased glucose transporters (GLUT) expression in different cancer types, including breast cancer. The primary purpose of this study is to examine GLUT1 immunoexpression in breast cancer patients in Saudi Arabia and to determine its significance. The study examined the association between GLUT1 immunophenotype and the clinicopathological characteristics in breast cancer. GLUT1 expression was analyzed in retrospectively collected tissue samples (n = 578) from breast cancer patients using immunohistochemistry. A total of 311 (54%) of the cases expressed GLUT1 cytoplasmic immunohistochemical staining. In univariate analysis, we found a significant association between GLUT1 expression and high-grade tumors (p < 0.0001). Positive estrogen and progesterone receptor results predicted lower GLUT1 immunoexpression (p < 0.0001 for both). Vascular invasion showed a significant association with GLUT1 immunoexpression (p = 0.045). Our findings support that GLUT1 immunohistochemistry can be used as a marker to determine the grade and hormonal receptor status in breast cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":49910,"journal":{"name":"Libyan Journal of Medicine","volume":"18 1","pages":"2283953"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11018318/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138292269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knowledge and attitudes towards mpox and effect of intervention among College of Applied Medical Sciences students.","authors":"Ateya Megahed Ibrahim, Donia Elsaid Fathi Zaghamir","doi":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2222448","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2222448","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objectives:</b> This research aims to assess the base level of knowledge and attitude of Applied Medical Sciences Students regarding mpox and whether an educational intervention could improve their knowledge and attitude. <b>Methods:</b> A quasi-experimental research was used, involving 960 medical students from Applied Medical Sciences College at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, KSA. They were recruited from the beginning of November 2022 till the mid of January 2023 based on the non-randomized sampling method. A standardized, anonymous, and closed-ended questionnaire was used, compromising three main sections: participants' demographics, knowledge, and attitudes toward the mpox epidemic. <b>Results:</b> Total knowledge scores of the studied sample in the pretest phase were 45.43 ± 6.29 compared to 65.03 ± 2.93 in the post-test phase. Besides, total attitude scores were 48.62 ± 4.78 before program implementation, while after conducting the program reached 70.65 ± 5.13. There was a notable improvement in the total knowledge score of the sample studied after the intervention was implemented, particularly for neurological manifestations. <b>Conclusion:</b> After the program's implementation, there was an obvious improvement in the medical students' total knowledge and attitude scores concerning the mpox epidemic. It is necessary to initiate well-organized training initiatives for all other medical faculties, paramedics, and applied health institutions in Saudi Arabia.</p>","PeriodicalId":49910,"journal":{"name":"Libyan Journal of Medicine","volume":"18 1","pages":"2222448"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/e7/ff/ZLJM_18_2222448.PMC10259327.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9660359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of <i>Opuntia ficus indica</i> L. Cladodes extract.","authors":"Abdelkader Ammam, Hafidh Zemour, M'hamed Kaid, Didier Villemin, Walid Soufan, Fathi Abdellatif Belhouadjeb","doi":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2275417","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2275417","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of the methanolic extract of <i>Opuntia ficus indica</i> L. in small animal (rats and mice model). The current treatment for febrile conditions often involves the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which can have adverse effects, particularly gastrointestinal ulcers. Therefore, there is a growing need to explore natural alternatives with fewer side effects. The study utilized various experimental models to assess the effects of the extract. The results demonstrated a significant analgesic effect of the extract, as evidenced by a reduction in pain induced by acetic acid and hot plate tests. Additionally, the extract exhibited anti-inflammatory effects, as indicated by a decrease in carrageenan-induced paw edema and dextran-induced inflammation. To gain insights into the chemical composition of the extract, HPLC analysis was conducted. The analysis successfully identified and quantified 20 compounds, including luteolin, galangin, catechin, thymol, methylated quercetin, quercetin, rutin, acacetin, hesperidin, apigenin, kaempferol, pinocembrin, chrysin, gallic acid, caffeic acid, ascorbic acid, ferulic acid, m-coumaric acid, rosmarinic acid, and trans-cinnamic acid.The findings suggest that <i>Opuntia ficus indica</i> L. extract holds promise as an effective and reasonably priced natural remedy for pain and inflammation in rats and mice model. The comprehensive chemical composition analysis provided valuable insights into the presence of various bioactive compounds, which may contribute to the observed therapeutic effects. Further research and exploration of the extract's mechanisms of action are warranted to fully understand its potential in small animal healthcare.</p>","PeriodicalId":49910,"journal":{"name":"Libyan Journal of Medicine","volume":"18 1","pages":"2275417"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11018314/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"71415028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temperature management in the intensive care unit: a practical survey from China.","authors":"Lingyang Meng, Chaofan Wang, Xinyan Liu, Yang Bi, Kehan Zhu, Yanru Yue, Chunting Wang, Xuan Song","doi":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2275416","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2275416","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Introduction:</b> Temperature management is an important aspect of the treatment of critically ill patients, but there are differences in the measurement and management of temperature in different Intensive Care Units (ICUs). The objective of this study was to understand the current situation of temperature measurement and management in ICUs in China, and to provide a basis for standardized temperature management in ICUs.<b>Methods:</b> A 20-question survey was used to gather information on temperature management strategies from ICUs across China. Data such as method and frequency of temperature measurement, management goals, cooling measures, and temperature management recommendations were collected.<b>Results:</b> A total of 425 questionnaires from unique ICUs were included in the study, with responses collected from all provinces and autonomous regions in China. Mercury thermometers were the most widely used measurement tool (82.39%) and the axilla was the most common measurement site (96.47%). There was considerable variability in the frequency of temperature measurement, the temperature at which intervention should begin, intervention duration, and temperature management goals. While there was no clearly preferred drug-based cooling method, the most widely used equipment-based cooling method was the ice blanket machine (93.18%). The most frequent recommendations for promoting temperature management were continuous monitoring and targeted management.<b>Conclusion:</b> Our investigation revealed a high level of variability in the methods of temperature measurement and management among ICUs in China. Since fever is a common clinical symptom in critically ill patients and can lead to prolonged ICU stays, we propose that standardized guidelines are urgently needed for the management of body temperature (BT) in these patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":49910,"journal":{"name":"Libyan Journal of Medicine","volume":"18 1","pages":"2275416"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11018322/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"71415029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of workplace bullying on fatigue in school teachers: the moderating roles of gender and spirituality.","authors":"Ghassan M Khairallah, Nisrine N Makarem, Diana V Rahme, Mahmoud A El Jaouni, Dayana Brome","doi":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2266239","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2266239","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Workplace bullying is quite prevalent and has been linked to many health complaints. The relationship between workplace bullying and fatigue was documented in previous studies. However, knowledge on how this relationship develops with the interplaying factors of spirituality and gender was not investigated before especially among schoolteachers. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between workplace bullying and fatigue as moderated by spirituality and gender among schoolteachers in Lebanon. This is a cross-sectional study, where 215 schoolteachers aged 18 till 64 and employed for a minimum of 6 months were recruited through systematic sampling. Six private and six public schools in Beirut participated in the study. Online questionnaires using validated scales were used. Both simple and multiple ordinal logistic regression were performed for the statistical analysis. Results showed that workplace bullying is a predictor of fatigue with an odds ratio of 2.74 and p-value 0.008. Gender was found to be an effect modifier for this relationship, mainly among females (OR 2.66, p-value 0.047) but not among males. Anxiety and depression also predicted higher levels of fatigue (OR 5.75, p-value 0.017). Spirituality did not moderate this relationship.</p>","PeriodicalId":49910,"journal":{"name":"Libyan Journal of Medicine","volume":"18 1","pages":"2266239"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/30/0e/ZLJM_18_2266239.PMC10586066.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49684261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficiency of an intervention study on nursing students' knowledge and practices regarding nutrition and dietary habits.","authors":"Donia Elsaid Fathi Zaghamir, Ateya Megahed Ibrahim","doi":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2281121","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19932820.2023.2281121","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Poor eating habits and hazardous weight-control measures are prevalent among university students. Hence, practical and efficient intervention programs are necessary to enhance nutritional awareness and promote healthy dietary practices encompassing food choices and diet quality. This study aims to evaluate the efficiency of an intervention study on nursing students' knowledge and practices regarding nutrition and dietary habits. A quasi-experimental research design with pre-post phases was used to study 250 nursing students at the College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The sample was non-randomized and taken from March 2023 until the end of May of the same year. The closed-ended questionnaire focused on participant demographics, knowledge, and practices relating to nutrition and eating habits. The survey was divided into three main sections. Technical terms were consistently defined throughout the questionnaire, and the language used was clear and objective. The research adhered to conventional academic structure and formatting, following the guidelines of the relevant style manual. Grammatical correctness and precise word choice were ensured, and filler words were avoided. The participants in the study displayed an increase in knowledge scores from 33.7 ± 4.6 in the pre-test to 52.6 ± 7.2 in the post-test. Moreover, prior to program implementation, their overall nutrition practice scores stood at 64 ± 9.5, but after the program, the score had risen to 107.7 ± 4.22. A significant difference in the total knowledge and practice scores was identified between the pre- and post-test phases, with an a p-value of 0.001. The nursing students' scores for both knowledge and practical application of nutrition and eating habits showed a significant increase following the implementation of the program. Therefore, it is imperative to introduce well-structured training programs on nutrition and promote healthy diet habits for all medical faculties, paramedics, and applied health institutions across Saudi Arabia.</p>","PeriodicalId":49910,"journal":{"name":"Libyan Journal of Medicine","volume":"18 1","pages":"2281121"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11018315/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136400056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tuberculosis epidemiological trend in Sousse, Tunisia during twenty years (2000-2019).","authors":"Sarra Melki,&nbsp;Ghodhbani Mizouni,&nbsp;Dhekra Chebil,&nbsp;Ahmed Ben Abdelaziz","doi":"10.1080/19932820.2021.2003968","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19932820.2021.2003968","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Describe the epidemiology of tuberculosis in the last two decades (2000-2019) in the East region of Tunisia (city of Sousse). This was a descriptive retrospective analysis of notified incident cases of tuberculosis from 2000 to 2019 in Sousse Governorate, Tunisia. The data collection was done via the regional registry of tuberculosis. Stata software was used to characterize the socio-demographic and clinical profile of tuberculosis, to calculate its incidence, mortality and fatality rates and to determine predictive factors of mortality. R software was used to analyze the chronological trend of tuberculosis incidence and mortality. A total of 2606 incident cases of tuberculosis were declared from 2000 to 2019 in Sousse. The mean age was 39 ± 19 years with a sex ratio (male/female) of 1.19. Only one case was HIV positive among the total 2606 incident cases. Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis was the most recorded (1,534 cases, 58.9%). The mean annual case notification and deaths were 130 and four respectively. After adjusting for confounders, individuals with pulmonary tuberculosis were 1.9 significantly more likely to die from tuberculosis compared to those suffering from extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. There was a trend of increasing mortality with increasing age. The association was statistically significant only for those above 60 years' old who had 12.5 times higher odds of dying compared to those below 60 years. After adjusting for age and gender, with every year there was an increase in the total incidence rate (+0.35 per 100,000) with p = 0.005 and in the extra-pulmonary incidence (+0.27 per 100,000), with p = 0.001. This study demonstrated the increasing trend of tuberculosis in Sousse, Tunisia from 2000 to 2019. The national program against tuberculosis should enhance community knowledge and centralize the national and regional epidemiological information for better epidemiological surveillance.</p>","PeriodicalId":49910,"journal":{"name":"Libyan Journal of Medicine","volume":"17 1","pages":"2003968"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/09/f8/ZLJM_17_2003968.PMC8635596.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10324772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Symptoms at disease onset predict prognosis in COVID-19 disease.","authors":"Aiyuan Zhou,&nbsp;Qing Song,&nbsp;Yating Peng,&nbsp;Xin Liao,&nbsp;Peng Huang,&nbsp;Wenlong Liu,&nbsp;Zhi Xiang,&nbsp;Qimi Liu,&nbsp;Mingyan Jiang,&nbsp;Xudong Xiang,&nbsp;Dingding Deng,&nbsp;Ping Chen","doi":"10.1080/19932820.2021.2010338","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19932820.2021.2010338","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The main clinical manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) onset are respiratory symptoms, including cough, sputum, and dyspnea. However, a significant proportion of patients initially manifested non-respiratory symptoms, such as fever, myalgia, and diarrhea. Here, we compared the different characteristics and outcomes between the patients with respiratory symptoms and non-respiratory symptoms at illness onset. The patients admitted to the respiratory departments from eight hospitals in Hunan and Guangxi Province with nucleic acid-positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) were recruited. Epidemiological information, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and radiological characteristics, treatment regimens, and outcomes data were recorded and analyzed. The median age of the recruited 541 subjects was 43 years (IQR, 33-55). Of the 541 subjects, 404 (74.5%) subjects had initial symptom that were respiratory, while 137 (25.5%) subjects had non-respiratory symptoms. Respiratory COVID-19 subjects had more secondary bacterial infections (8.7% vs 0.0%, <i>P</i> < 0.001), needed the intensive care unit more (9.7% vs 2.2%, <i>P</i> = 0.005), non-invasive ventilation more (7.2% vs 1.5%, <i>P</i> = 0.004), developed ARDS more (11.4% vs 2.2%, <i>P</i> = 0.001) and needed longer time to recover (18.5 vs 16.7 days, <i>P</i> = 0.003) compared to predominately non-respiratory COVID-19 subjects. The multivariate model showed that age (OR = 1.04, <i>P</i> = 0.01), dyspnea (OR = 4.91, <i>P</i> < 0.001) and secondary bacterial infection (OR = 19.8, <i>P</i> < 0.001) were independently associated with development of ARDS among COVID-19 patients. We identify COVID-19 subjects with dyspnea at disease onset who have a worse prognosis. We also demonstrate age and secondary bacterial infections to be independently associated with ARDS development in subjects with COVID-19.<b>ABBREVIATIONS</b>: COVID-19: Coronavirus disease 2019; ARDS: acute respiratory distress syndrome; IQR: interquartile range; ICU: intensive care unit; CDC: Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.</p>","PeriodicalId":49910,"journal":{"name":"Libyan Journal of Medicine","volume":"17 1","pages":"2010338"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/fb/92/ZLJM_17_2010338.PMC8725726.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9835282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CPMPARISON between COVID-19 and MERS demographic data in Saudi Arabia: a retrospective study.","authors":"Rania Ali El Hadi Mohamed, Felwa Abdullah Thagfan","doi":"10.1080/19932820.2021.1910195","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19932820.2021.1910195","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The outbreak of corona virus disease (COVID-19) caused by the new severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 began in Wuhan, China, resulting in respiratory disorders. In January of 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic owing to its global spread. Because no studies have investigated COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia, this study investigated similarities and differences between demographic data during the COVID-19 and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreaks in Saudi Arabia. A retrospective trend analysis was performed to assess demographic data of all laboratory-confirmed MERS and COVID-19 cases. Patients' charts were reviewed for data on demographics, mortality, citizenship, sex ratio, and age groups with descriptive and comparative statistics; the data were analyzed using a non-parametric binomial test and chi-square test. Of all COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia,78%were male patients and 22% were female patients. This proportion of male COVID-19 patients was similar to that of male MERS patients, which also affected male patients more frequently than female patients. The number of COVID-19-positive Saudi cases was lower than that of non-Saudi cases, which were in contrast to that of MERS; COVID-19 appeared to be remarkably similar to MERS with respect to recovered cases. However, the numbers of critical and dead COVID-19 patients have been much lower than those of MERS patients. The largest proportion of COVID-19 and MERS cases (44.05% and 40.8%, respectively) were recorded in the Western region. MERS and COVID-19 exhibited similar threats to the lives of adults and the elderly, despite lower mortality rates during the COVID-19 epidemic. Targeted prevention of and interventions against MERS should be allocated populations according to the areas where they inhabit. However, much more information regarding the dynamics and epidemiology of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia is needed.<b>Abbrevation</b> : MERS: Middle East Respiratory syndrome; COVID-19: Corona Virus Disease 2019.</p>","PeriodicalId":49910,"journal":{"name":"Libyan Journal of Medicine","volume":"16 1","pages":"1910195"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2021-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/pmc/oa_pdf/64/6e/ZLJM_16_1910195.PMC8023627.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25543611","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}