COVID-19 in patients with rheumatological diseases in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

The severity of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its effects remain unpredictable. Certain factors, such as obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus, may increase the severity of the disease. Rheumatology experts suggest that patients with active autoimmune conditions and controlled autoimmune diseases on immunosuppressive therapy may be at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19. In this retrospective observational study, we aimed to examine the patterns of COVID-19 in patients with underlying rheumatological diseases and their association with disease severity and hospital outcomes. A total of 34 patients with underlying rheumatological diseases who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were included between March 2020 and April 2021 at King Fahd Hospital of the University. The study population consisted of 76.47% female and 23.53% male patients, with a mean age ranging from 20 to 40 years. Female gender (p=0.0001) and younger age (p=0.004) were associated with milder disease. The most frequent rheumatological disease was systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (38.24%), which was associated with a milder infection (p=0.045). Patients treated with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) had a milder disease course (p=0.0037). Hypertension was significantly associated with severe COVID-19 disease (p=0.037). There was no significant relationship between SLE and the need for ICU admission. Patients on hydroxychloroquine and MMF tended to develop milder disease, and there was no association between the severity of the infection and the treatment with steroids.

A young female with hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis associated with a rare CNS manifestation

This case report represents a rare case of 14-year-old female who diagnosed with hypocompementemic urticarial vasculitis syndrome that presents with glomerulonephritis, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. The progression of the symptoms explained in the text below in which the final diagnosis was reached after a challenging approach. Patient was managed properly and followed up after treating with rituximab, although she represents no sign of the disease after a total of two cycles.

Emergence of Post COVID-19 Vaccine Autoimmune Diseases: A Single Center Study

Introduction

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) became a major concern since the announcement that it is a pandemic in early 2020. Vaccine trials were started in November 2020, and completed rapidly due to the urgency to get over the infection. Side effects to vaccines started to be reported. There were minor side effects including site of injection pain and heaviness and constitutional symptoms like fever which are considered minor. One of the rare adverse events is post vaccine new onset autoimmune diseases.

Methods

Data were obtained from one center in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia (King Fahd Hospital of University). All patient events reported occurred in the study period March 2021 to February 2022. We identified patients presenting with autoimmune diseases with exclusively new onset presentations.

Results

We identified 31 cases of immune-mediated disease: 18 females (58%); 13 males (42%). Only 4 of them (13%) had an autoimmune background before COVID-19 vaccination. The average time between vaccination and new-onset disease symptoms was 7 days. Among all the cases in our study, 7 patients (22.5%) had new-onset vasculitis, 2 cases had IgA vasculitis and 5 cases had ANCA vasculitis, 6 cases had neurological diseases (19.3%), 4 cases (12.9%) had new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 3 cases (9.6%) presented with new-onset inflammatory arthritis, and one had Sjogren's syndrome (3.2%).

Conclusion

Our study is unique as it is the first study to include the largest number (31 patients) of new onsets of confirmed autoimmune diseases related to Covid-19 vaccines.

Low bone mass due to sickle cell anemia: is it becoming a real issue?

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of sickle cell anemia in Saudi population was reported to be between 0-5.27%.

OBJECTIVE

This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia in patients with sickle cell anemia and to correlate its severity with the hematological parameters.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study which included consecutive adult patients with sickle cell anemia attending the outpatient clinics or were admitted with uncomplicated vaso-occlusive crisis to King Fahd University Hospital, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, between August 2006 and March 2007 was undertaken. After informed verbal consent to participate, patient's age and sex were documented and body mass index (BMI) calculated. Blood was drawn for heamatological and biochemical parameters. Bone mineral density (BMD) measurement was done using dual energy X-ray absorbtiometry (DEXA) at upper femur and lumbar spine. Osteopenia and osteoporosis were diagnosed as per the WHO criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 87 patients were studied. There were 41 male and 46 female patients. The mean age of males was 29.59+/-6.1 years, and females was 32.1+/-7.6 years. Over 65% of the males and 65.2% of the females were either osteopenic or osteoporotic. The prevalence of osteoporosis in both groups was highest at lumbar spine. Other variables like BMI, percentage of sickle hemoglobin and degree of anemia did not affect the bone mass.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports the view that prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis among sickle cell anemia patients is high. Sickle cell anemia is becoming the most common cause of secondary osteoporosis and physician's awareness about this issue is essential for early diagnosis and appropriate management.

Intraperitoneal adhesions in laparoscopic and standard open herniorrhaphy. An experimental study

BACKGROUND

Intra-abdominal complications from transabdominal properitoneal (TAP) laparoscopic herniorrhaphy that would not be expected to occur in an open herniorrhaphy are possible. In a previous study, we reported the incidence of significant intra-abdominal adhesions from TAP herniorrhaphies using polypropylene in pigs.

METHODS

To compare this with an open herniorrhaphy technique, we performed open herniorrhaphies on 31 pigs. Additional animals underwent TAP herniorrhaphy with PTFE. Data were collected on operative and trocar-site adhesions. Graft incorporation was recorded.

RESULTS

No intra-abdominal adhesions were found in the 31 animals undergoing open herniorrhaphy. Fifteen adhesions were found in the 31 pigs that underwent TAP herniorrhaphy. These adhesions were graded and there were a total of nine significant adhesions with the TAP procedure. A total of 124 trocar sites resulted in two adhesions. Laparoscopically placed polypropylene was better incorporated than PTFE. The laparoscopically placed PTFE grafts commonly were poorly incorporated.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that there is a risk of intraabdominal adhesions to either the operative site or the trocar sites in TAP herniorrhaphy that is not present in open techniques. One should, therefore, be circumspect in the choice of TAP herniorrhaphy as a primary repair.

[Adrenal catecholamines and their metabolism in the vitamin A deficient rat]

The adrenal catecholamines (norepinephrine and epinephrine) and their conversion enzymes (PNMT, COMT) were comparatively investigated in: (1) rats fed a diet deprived of vitamin A, inducing a rapid and severe deficiency; (2) rats fed another diet leading to a more progressive deficiency (rats supplemented with retinol served as controls for these two types of diet), and (3) rats fed a whole industrial diet. The first diet induced a strong accumulation of adrenal catecholamines and increased the activity of PNMT and COMT. The second diet only increased the adrenal content of norepinephrine and epinephrine.