2 research outputs found
The Pattern of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in a Single Tertiary Center in Saudi Arabia
Get PDFIntroduction. Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic arthritis in children. Our aim is to describe demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics and treatment of JIA patients followed up in Pediatric Rheumatology clinic in a tertiary center in Saudi Arabia. Methods. Medical records of all patients who are followed up between January 2007 and January 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Data were collected about demographic, clinical, and laboratory features and treatment. Results. Total patients were 82, males were 31 (37.8%), and mean age of JIA onset was 7.1 ± 3.6 yr. Mean follow-up duration was 2.67±1.6 yr. Systemic onset JIA (SoJIA) was the commonest (36.5%), followed by polyarticular in 29.2% and oligoarticular in 28%. Large and small joints are involved in 76 (92%) and 30 (36.6%), respectively. Main extra-articular feature was fever in 34 (41.4%). Uveitis was diagnosed in 7 (8.5%) and in 5 (21.7%) of oligoarticular JIA. Anemia was found in 49 (59.7%), high ESR in 45 (54.8%), and leukocytosis and thrombocytosis in 33 (40.2%). Positive ANA was found in 30 (36.5%) mainly in oligoarticular subtype as 12 (52%) patients (out of 23) had this positive test. 9 patients (10.9%) required NSAIDs only, 6 patients (7.3%) required NSAIDs and intra-articular steroids only, and 19 (23%) required NSAIDs, methotrexate, steroids, and biologics. Conclusion. SoJIA is the most common JIA subtype in our study. A population based rather than a single center study will give more details about JIA characteristics in Saudi Arabi
Assessment of knowledge and awareness of Vitamin D among physicians and students of healthcare
Get PDFBackgroundVitamin D deficiency is now considered to be a widespread epidemic. A poor level of knowledge and an inadequate level of awareness are two of the main risk factors for vitamin D deficiency.AimsThis study aimed to assess the level of awareness and knowledge about vitamin D deficiency and identify factors associated with the level of awareness among healthcare workers and healthcare professional students.MethodsFrom September 2017 to March 2018, a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data among physicians and students of healthcare in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Results Of 529 participants, 320 (60.5 per cent) were students and 209 (39.5 per cent) were healthcare workers. The overall mean knowledge scores (maximum score=35) were 20.0±5.5 (58.8 per cent) among healthcare workers and 15.9±5.5 (46.8 per cent) among students. Most healthcare workers and healthcare professional students stated that vitamin D is used to treat bone disease and rickets (96.2 per cent and 89.4 per cent, respectively), maintain calcium and phosphate levels (95.2 per cent and 87.8 per cent, respectively), and strengthen immunity (68.3 per cent and 60.9 per cent, respectively). Most healthcare workers (94.7 per cent) and students (91.5 per cent) stated that osteoporosis is a result of vitamin D deficiency.Less than half of healthcare workers (38.3 per cent) and less than quarter of healthcare professional stated that vitamin D reduces the risk of diabetes. Only 13.1 of healthcare professional and 11.6 per cent of healthcare professional stated that vitamin D reduces the risk of premature birth. However, less than one-third of workers and one-fifth of students were aware of the correct dose.ConclusionThis study highlighted the lack of knowledge regarding vitamin D deficiency among healthcare professional students and healthcare workers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. There was a significant association between the level of knowledge and position. More continuing medical education programs and campaigns need to be implemented to raise awareness about the condition
