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The exposure of concrete to elevated temperatures is known to cause diverse severe damages in concrete composites. Hence, measures to improve the performance of concrete during exposure to fire are continually proposed. The present study investigated the postfire residual strength and morphology of concrete incorporating natural rubber latex exposed to elevated temperature. Four different concrete mixes were considered for the investigation, namely, a control sample made without natural rubber latex, the second sample containing 1% natural rubber latex, the third sample containing 1.5% natural rubber latex, and the fourth sample containing 3% of natural rubber latex. The concrete samples (150 mm cubes and 100 × 200 mm cylinders) were exposed to varying temperatures 300°C, 800°C, and 1000°C, after the curing process. Nondestructive tests using Schmidt rebound hammer and ultrasonic pulse tester were carried out on samples. The compressive strength and split-tensile strength of concrete cubes and cylinders, respectively, were determined. Micrographs and elemental distribution in the sample were studied using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX) apparatus. It could be seen from the results that the concrete strength properties reduced as the exposure temperature increased. The results also showed that NRL could be sparingly utilized as a concrete admixture, at 1% content. The performance of concrete was not stable at over 300°C when NRL addition was above 1%.

This study focused on identifying the most appropriate structural system for multi-story buildings and analyzing its response to lateral loads. The study analyzed and compared the different structural systems to determine the most suitable option. The study aims to utilize three lateral framing systems (moment, braced, and diagrid) in order to investigate which system needs the least amount of steel to meet the design requirements. Thus, in order to determine the estimated steel savings of this system as compared to the moment and braced frames, the four-story and eight-story buildings that are 96′ × 96′ in the plane and utilize moment frames, braced frame, and diagrid framing structural systems are presented. Based on the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 7–10, load combinations are considered for the designs, and the RAM structural analysis is used for the modeling and analysis of the structural systems. The findings of this study’s illustrations were the optimum for the analysis of wind of 176 kips and seismic loads of 122 kips, the building’s lateral displacements, which were the lowest at 0.045 inches, the story drift, the story stiffness, and the story shear for each structural system. In addition, the diagrid system also had the least amount of shear for all the stories, suggesting that it is better able to manage the lateral forces. These results indicate that the diagrid system is a more efficient structural system and can be recommended for use in multi-story buildings.

The World Health Organization (WHO) MPOWER measures are a set of highly effective tobacco control measures drawn from the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), designed to help countries reduce the prevalence of tobacco use. The WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic is published biennially to monitor global implementation of these measures.This review aimed to critically assess the status of MPOWER implementation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.Data were collected for WHO Reports on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, focusing on the most recent 2019 edition. Regional population coverage figures were calculated using this data and population figures for the countries of the Region.Between 2007 and 2018, for any MPOWER measure, there were 29 cases of countries progressing to the highest level of achievement; 23 cases of countries progressing to the intermediate levels from the lowest level; 12 cases of countries falling from the highest level; and 18 cases of countries falling to the lowest level. 57.7% of people are covered at the highest level for the monitoring measure; 63.7% for the smoke-free policies measure; 6.7% for the cessation measure; 60.7% for the health warnings measure; 37.4% for the mass media measure; 29.4% for the advertising bans measure; and 16.1% for the taxation measure.Countries must work comprehensively to improve tobacco control. Regional priorities should include lifting more people out of lowest level coverage for the health warnings and mass media measures, increasing taxation on tobacco products and improving access to cessation services.وضع مكافحة التبغ في إقليم شرق المتوسط: تقدم في تطبيق التدابير الستة (MPOWER).فاطمة العوا، دوجلاس بيتشير، جواد اللواتي، رءوف الابشيهي، هبة جودة، تشارلز فريزر.تدابير منظمة الصحة العالمية الستة هي مجموعة من التدابير ذات الكفاءة العالية لمكافحة التبغ، وهي مبنية على اتفاقية منظمة الصحة العالمية الإطارية بشأن مكافحة التبغ، وتهدف إلى مساعدة البلدان على تقليص معدل انتشار تعاطي التبغ. ويُنشَ تقرير منظمة الصحة العالمية بشأن وباء التبغ العالمي كل عامين بغرض رصد تطبيق هذه التدابير على مستوى العالم.هدف هذا الاستعراض إلى إجراء تقييم نقدي لحالة تطبيق التدابير الستة في إقليم شرق المتوسط.جُعت البيانات نحو إعداد تقارير منظمة الصحة العالمية بشأن وباء التبغ العالمي، مع التركيز على أحدث نسخة لعام 2019. وحُسبت أرقام التغطية السكانية الإقليمية باستخدام هذه البيانات وأرقام تعداد السكان لبلدان الإقليم.كانت هناك 29 حالة لبلدان تتقدم نحو أعلى مستويات الإنجاز، و23 حالة لبلدان تتقدم من أدنى المستويات نحو مستويات متوسطة، و12 حالة لبلدان تهبط من أعلى المستويات، و18 حالة لبلدان تهبط إلى أدنى المستويات، وذلك بين عامي 2007 و2018 وفيما يخص أي تدبير من مجموعة التدابير الستة. وشملت أعلى مستويات تدبير الرصد 57.7٪ من الأشخاص، و63.7٪ في تدبير السياسات الخاصة بالأماكن الخالية من التدخين، و6.7٪ في تدبير الإقلاع عن التدخين، و60.7٪ في تدبير التحذيرات الصحية، و37.4٪ في تدبير وسائل الإعلام، و29.4٪ في تدبير حجب الدعاية للتبغ، و16.1٪ في تدبير فرض الضرائب.يتعين على البلدان العمل بشمولية من أجل تحسين مكافحة التبغ. وينبغي أن تتضمن الأولويات الإقليمية رفع المزيد من الأشخاص من أدنى مستويات التغطية في تدابير التحذيرات الصحية ووسائل الإعلام، وزيادة الضرائب على منتجات التبغ، وتحسين الوصول إلى خدمات الإقلاع عن التدخين.Situation de la lutte antitabac dans la Région de la Méditerranée orientale : progrès dans la mise en œuvre des mesures MPOWER.Les mesures MPOWER mises en place par l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS) constituent un ensemble de recommandations très efficaces en matière de lutte antitabac issues de la Convention-cadre de l’OMS pour la lutte antitabac, destinée à aider les pays à réduire la prévalence de la consommation de tabac. Le rapport de l’OMS sur l’épidémie mondiale de tabagisme est publié tous les deux ans afin de suivre la mise en œuvre au niveau mondial de ces mesures.La présente étude avait pour objectif d’évaluer de manière critique la situation concernant la mise en œuvre des mesures MPOWER dans la Région de la Méditerranée orientale.Les données ont été collectées en vue de la rédaction des rapports de l’OMS sur l’épidémie mondiale de tabagisme, en privilégiant l’édition 2019 qui est la plus récente. Les chiffres concernant la couverture de la population régionale ont été calculés à l’aide de ces données et des chiffres de la population des pays de la Région.Entre 2007 et 2018, pour toute mesure MPOWER, on a observé 29 cas de pays ayant progressé au plus haut degré d’exécution ; 23 cas de pays étant passé du niveau le plus faible au niveau intermédiaire ; 12 cas de pays ayant régressé par rapport au plus haut niveau ; et 18 cas de pays ayant régressé au degré le plus bas. Cinquante-sept pour cent de la population est couverte au plus haut niveau d’exécution en ce qui concerne la mesure de suivi ; 63,7 % concernant la mesure relative aux politiques sur les environnements sans fumée ; 6,7 % pour la mesure relative au sevrage ; 60,7 % concernant la mesure relative aux mises en garde sanitaires ; 37,4 % concernant la mesure relative aux médias ; 29,4 % concernant la mesure relative à l’interdiction de la publicité et 16,1 % concernant la mesure relative à la taxation.Les pays doivent travailler de manière globale afin de renforcer la lutte antitabac. Les priorités régionales devraient inclure le passage du niveau de couverture le plus bas à un niveau supérieur pour un plus grand nombre de personnes en ce qui concerne les mesures relatives aux mises en garde sanitaires et aux médias, l’augmentation de la taxation sur les produits du tabac et l’amélioration de l’accès aux services de sevrage.

Objective: To evaluate the association of dual versus single antiplatelet therapy with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the Arabian Gulf. Subjects and Methods: Data were analyzed from 3,559 patients with a diagnosis of ACS admitted to 29 hospitals in 4 Arabian Gulf countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and United Arab Emirates) from January 2012 to January 2013. Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), consisting of aspirin and clopidogrel, was compared to aspirin alone. MACE included 12-months cumulative stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), myocardial infarction (MI), all-cause mortality, and readmissions for cardiac reasons, post discharge. Analyses were performed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: A total of 74% (n = 2,634) of the patients were on DAPT. At 12-month follow-up, patients on DAPT were significantly less likely to experience MACE events (adjusted OR [aOR] 0.73; 95% CI: 0.61–0.86; p < 0.001). Lower cardiovascular (CV) event rates were also consistent across the following MACE components; MI (aOR 0.66; 95% CI: 0.49–0.88; p = 0.005), all-cause mortality (aOR 0.69; 95% CI: 0.51–0.94; p = 0.018), and readmissions for cardiac reasons (aOR 0.79; 95% CI: 0.66–0.95; p = 0.011). Conversely, DAPT was adversely associated with increased risk of stroke/TIA (aOR 1.68; 95% CI: 1.05–2.69; p = 0.030). Conclusions: DAPT, compared to aspirin therapy alone, was generally associated with better CV outcomes after an ACS event. However, DAPT was adversely associated with increased risk of stroke/TIA in ACS patients in the Arabian Gulf.

Objectives: We sought to investigate the epidemiology of lung cancer and its trends in Oman over 20 years. Methods: We analyzed all cases of primary lung cancer reported to the Oman National Cancer Registry between 1996 and 2015. The World Standard Population was used to obtain age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) of lung cancer per 100 000. Analyses were conducted using univariate statistics. Results: A total of 956 cases of primary lung cancer cases were registered in Oman between 1996 and 2015, with a male to female ratio of 3:1. In men, the ASR was 8.2 per 100 000, while in females it was 2.6 per 100 000 over the entire study period. There were no statistically significant differences in the ASR among men or women when the data was divided over three calendar periods (1996–2005, 2006–2015, and 1996–2015) (p= 0.332 and p=0.577, respectively). There was also no increasing trend in the incidence of lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer onset commenced in the 30–34 year age group and the mean age at diagnosis was 60.0 years for men and 61.0 years for women. Adenocarcinoma was the most common type of lung cancer among Omanis with a higher proportion in females compared to males. Conclusions: Oman has one of the lowest incidence rates of lung cancer in the world with no evidence of an increasing trend of this cancer type. This could be attributed to low uptake of tobacco smoking among both sexes. National authorities should capitalize on this finding to avoid any future lung cancer epidemics especially those driven by tobacco use.

The Sultanate of Oman has experienced rapid development over the last thirty years and has constructed environmentally friendly and sustainable infrastructure while it continues to find economical alternative resources to achieve the goals of the Oman 2040 vision. The primary concerns are preserving natural resources and reducing the impact of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions on the environment. This review aims to encourage the sustainable use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) materials in pavement construction and focuses primarily on employing RAP materials in new pavement projects. Currently, new construction projects utilise a significant percentage of demolished asphalt pavement to save costs and natural resources. The key issue that arises when mixing RAP into new asphalt mixtures is the effects on the mixtures’ resistance to permanent disfigurements, such as fatigue cracks, that influence asphalt mixture performance. Numerous studies have assessed the impact of using RAP in asphalt mixtures and found that RAP increases the stiffness of asphalt mixtures, and thus improves rutting resistance at high temperatures. Nevertheless, the findings for thermal and fatigue cracking were found to be contradictory. This review will address the primary concerns regarding the use of RAP in asphalt pavements, and aims to encourage highway agencies and academic researchers in the Gulf countries to develop frameworks for the practical usage of RAP in the construction of sustainable pavement systems.

Aims/Introduction To investigate and forecast type 2 diabetes mellitus epidemic, its related risk factors and cost in Oman by 2050. Materials and Methods An age‐structured mathematical model was used to characterize type 2 diabetes mellitus epidemiology and trends in Oman between 1990 and 2050. The model was parametrized using current and quality data, including six nationally representative population‐based epidemiological surveys for type 2 diabetes mellitus and its key risk factors. Results The projected type 2 diabetes mellitus prevalence increased from 15.2% in 2020 to 23.8% in 2050. The prevalence increased from 16.8 and 13.8% in 2020 among women and men to 26.3 and 21.4% in 2050, respectively. In 2020, 190,489 Omanis were living with type 2 diabetes mellitus compared with 570,227 in 2050. The incidence rate per 1,000 person‐years changed from 8.3 in 2020 to 12.1 in 2050. Type 2 diabetes mellitus’ share of Oman’s national health expenditure grew by 36% between 2020 and 2050 (from 21.2 to 28.8%). Obesity explained 56.7% of type 2 diabetes mellitus cases in 2020 and 71.4% in 2050, physical inactivity explained 4.3% in 2020 and 2.7% in 2050, whereas smoking accounted for, The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Oman was projected to grow by 57% by 2050, whereas the incidence was projected to grow by 200% by 2050. By 2050, type 2 diabetes mellitus will consume 30% of Oman’s health expenditure. The type 2 diabetes mellitus epidemic in Oman is driven by the high obesity level.

Objectives: We sought to develop and validate a diabetic risk score model as a non-invasive and self-administered screening tool to be used in the general Omani population. Methods: The 2008 World Health Survey (WHS) data from Oman (n = 2720) was used to develop the risk score model. Multivariable logistic regression with the backward stepwise method was implemented to obtain risk factors regression coefficients for sex, age, educational attainment, marital status, place of residence, hypertension, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, tobacco use, daily fruit and vegetable intake, and weekly physical activity. The model coefficients were multiplied by a factor of five to allocate each variable category a risk score. The total score was calculated as the sum of these individual scores. The score was validated using another Omani cohort (Sur Survey 2006 dataset, n = 1355) by calculating the area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), and optimal score sensitivity and specificity were determined. Results: A robust diabetes risk score model was produced composed of eight variables (age, sex, education level, marital status, place of residence, hypertension, smoking status, and BMI) with an optimal cutoff point of ≥ 15 to classify persons with possible prevalent type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). At this cutoff point, the model had a sensitivity of 71.1%, specificity of 74.4%, and AUC of 0.80 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.78–0.82), when internally validated (in the WHS 2008 cohort). When the model was externally validated (using the Sur 2006 cohort), the optimal cutoff point for the score was ≥ 13, with a lower sensitivity (54.0%), higher specificity (79.0%), and an AUC of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.70–0.78). In contrast, the test of the old Omani, Kuwaiti, Saudi, and Finnish diabetes risk scores in our study populations showed poor performance of these models among Omanis with poor sensitivity (29% to 63.5%) and reasonable specificity (70% to 80%). Conclusions: The developed diabetes risk score for screening prevalent T2DM, provides an easy-to-use self-administered tool to identify most individuals at risk of this condition in Oman. The score incorporates eight diabetes-associated risk factors that can also act as a tool to increase people’s awareness about the importance of diabetes-related risk factors and provide information for policymakers to establish diabetes prevention programs.

AIMS To evaluate the impact of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEIs)/ Angiotensin Receptors Blockers (ARBs) on in-hospital, 3- and 12-month all-cause mortality in Acute Heart Failure (AHF) patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction in 7 countries of the Middle East. METHODS AND RESULTS Data was analysed from 2,683 consecutive patients admitted with AHF and Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) (

Tobacco use is the world’s leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality. Although Oman remains a country with the lowest tobacco use in the Arab Gulf States, the prevalence of tobacco use is projected to increase to 33.3% by 2025. In 2005, Oman acceded to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, an international treaty with numerous obligations aiming to reduce the global burden of tobacco use. This paper documents, for the first time, Oman’s experience in tobacco control by providing a descriptive analysis of the evolution of tobacco control policies in relation to the country’s international obligations. In order to curb tobacco use and maintain current low prevalence levels, the paper concludes that Oman needs to accelerate action in adopting the highest attainable policies recommended by the World Health Organization’s MPOWER package.

We investigated the role of systolic blood pressure (SBP) in relation to in-hospital and postdischarge mortality in patients admitted with acute heart failure (AHF). The SBP of 4848 patients aged ≥18 years admitted with AHF was categorized into 5 groups: ≤90, 91 to 119, 120 to 139, 140 to 161, and >161 mm Hg. After adjusting for several confounders, multivariate logistic regression models showed that admission SBP was a significant predictor of mortality among both patients with preserved left ventricular function (defined as left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] ≥40%) and patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVEF 161 mm Hg), respectively. We conclude that low admission SBP is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with AHF. The higher the admission SBP, the better the prognosis, regardless of age or LVEF.

WHO MPOWER aims to help countries prioritize tobacco control measures in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.This paper assessed the progress and challenges in implementing the 6 priority policies of MPOWER in countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region since 2011.A checklist was developed and scores assigned based on the MPOWER indicators (maximum score 37). MPOWER data for the Region in the 2015 and 2017 tobacco control reports were extracted and scored. Data from similar analyses for 2011 and 2013 were also included. Countries were ranked by scores for each indicator for 2015 and 2017 and for overall scores for 2011 to 2017.The Islamic Republic of Iran, Egypt and Pakistan had the highest scores in 2015 (33, 29 and 27 respectively) and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pakistan and Yemen had the highest scores in 2017 (34, 31 and 27 respectively). The indicators with the highest and lowest combined score for all countries were for advertising bans and compliance with smoke-free policies: 67 and 18 respectively in 2015, and 73 and 15 respectively in 2017. Most countries (15/22) had higher total scores in 2017 than 2015: Afghanistan, Bahrain and Syrian Arab Republic had the greatest increases. The total score for the Region increased from 416 out of a maximum score of 814 in 2011 to 471 in 2017.Although notable achievements have been made in the Region, many challenges to policy implementation remain and require urgent action by governments of the countries of the Region.مبادرة التحرّر من التبغ، الاحتياجات والتحديات: الاتجاهات السائدة في تنفيذ اتفاقية منظمة الصحة العالمية الإطارية بشأن مكافحة التبغ في إقليم شرق المتوسط.غلام رضا حيدري، غازي زعتري، جواد بن أحمد اللواتي، فاطمة العوا، هبة فؤاد.تهدف مبادرة منظمة الصحة العالمية للتحرّر من التبغ إلى تحديد الأولويات المتعلقة بتدابير مكافحة التبغ تمشياً مع اتفاقية منظمة الصحة العالمية الإطارية بشأن مكافحة التبغ. ولقد قامت هذه الدراسة بتقييم التقدم المحرز والتحديات المُصادفة في تنفيذ السياسات الست ذات الأولوية لمبادرة التحرر من التبغ في بلدان إقليم شرق المتوسط منذ عام 2011.تم تصميم قائمة مرجعية وإسناد درجات على أساس مؤشرات مبادرة التحرر من التبغ (بحد أقصى 37 درجة). واشتُقّت بيانات المبادرة المتعلقة بالإقليم في عامي 2015 و 2017 والواردة في تقارير مكافحة التبغ وأسندت إليها درجات. كما أُدرجت بيانات مشتقة من تحليلات مماثلة لعامي 2011 و 2013. وصُنفت البلدان حسب الدرجات المسندة لكل مؤشر لعامي 2015 و 2017 وحسب المجموع الكلي للدرجات في الفترة من 2011 إلى 2017.سجّلت جمهورية إيران الإسلامية ومصر وباكستان أعلى الدرجات في عام 2015 (33 و 29 و 27 درجة على التوالي)، في حين سجّلت جمهورية إيران الإسلامية وباكستان واليمن أعلى الدرجات في عام 2017 (34 و 31 و 27 درجة على التوالي). وسجّل مؤشراً حظر الإعلان عن التبغ والامتثال لسياسات حظر التدخين أعلى وأدني درجة مجمّعة لجميع البلدان (67 و 18 على التوالي) في عام 2015 و (73 و 15 على التوالي) في عام 2017. وحقق معظم البلدان (15/22) مجموع درجات أعلى في عام 2017 منه في عام 2015 : حيث سجلت الجمهورية العربية السورية وأفغانستان والبحرين أعلى الزيادات. وارتفع مجموع درجات الإقليم من 416 درجة، من أصل 814 وهي الدرجة القصوى في عام 2011 ، إلى 471 درجة في عام 2017.على الرغم من الإنجازات المهمة التي تحقّقت في الإقليم، لا يزال هناك الكثير من التحديات القائمة على مستوى تنفيذ السياسات، وهو ما يتطلب اتخاذ إجراءات عاجلة من جانب حكومات دول الإقليم.Programme MPOWER – besoins et défis : tendances dans la mise en oeuvre de la Convention-cadre de l’OMS pour la lutte antitabac dans la Région de la Méditerranée orientale.Le programme MPOWER de l’OMS vise à aider les pays à accorder la priorité aux mesures de lutte antitabac, conformément à la Convention-cadre de l’OMS pour la lutte antitabac.La présente étude a évalué les progrès et les défis de la mise en oeuvre des six politiques prioritaires du programme MPOWER dans les pays de la Région OMS de la Méditerranée orientale depuis 2011.Une liste de contrôle a été mise au point et des scores ont été assignés sur la base des indicateurs MPOWER (score maximum de 37). Des données sur le programme MPOWER dans la Région en 2015 et en 2017 publiées dans des rapports sur la lutte antitabac ont été extraites et se sont vues attribuer une note. Des données issues d’analyses similaires pour les années 2011 et 2013 ont également été incluses. Les pays ont été classés selon les notes attribuées pour chaque indicateur pour 2015 et 2017, et pour l’ensemble des scores pour 2011 et 2017.La République islamique d’Iran, l’Égypte et le Pakistan ont obtenu les scores les plus élevés pour 2015 (33, 29 et 27 respectivement), et la République islamique d’Iran, le Pakistan et le Yémen ont obtenu les scores les plus élevés pour 2017 (34, 31 et 27 respectivement). Les indicateurs comportant les scores combinés les plus élevés et les plus bas pour l’ensemble des pays concernaient les interdictions de publicité et la conformité avec les politiques non-fumeur en 2015 (67 et 18 respectivement) et en 2017 (73 et 15 respectivement). La plupart des pays (15/22) ont obtenu des scores totaux plus élevés en 2017 qu’en 2015 : l’Afghanistan, Bahreïn et la République arabe syrienne, affichaient les augmentations les plus importantes. Le score total pour la Région a connu une augmentation, passant de 416 pour un score maximum de 814 en 2011, à 471 en 2017.Bien que des réalisations considérables soient à noter dans la Région, de nombreux défis entravant la mise en oeuvre des politiques demeurent et requièrent une intervention de toute urgence au niveau des gouvernements des pays de la Région.

Hypertension (HTN) is a major independent risk factor for the development of stroke, coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral arterial disease (PAD), heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). HTN is a growing public health problem in Oman, almost certainly the most prevalent modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The risk of CVD in patients with HTN can be greatly reduced with lifestyle modifications and effective antihypertensive therapy. Randomized trials have shown that blood pressure (BP) lowering produces rapid reductions in CV risk. Several studies have shown that the majority of the hypertensive patients remain uncontrolled. It is well established that the observed poor control of the disease is not only related to poor adherence to medications, but also to limited awareness and adherence to evidence-based management of hypertension among physicians. Several guidelines for the management of patients with hypertension have been published. However, the aim of this document is to provide the busy physicians in Oman with more concise and direct approach towards implementing these guidelines into clinical practice.

We compared baseline characteristics, clinical presentation, and in-hospital outcomes between Middle Eastern Arabs and Indian subcontinent patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Of the 7930 patients enrolled in Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events II (RACE II), 23% (n = 1669) were from the Indian subcontinent. The Indian subcontinent patients, in comparison with the Middle Eastern Arabs, were younger (49 vs 60 years; P < .001), more were males (96% vs 80%; P < .001), had lower proportion of higher Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score (8% vs 27%; P < .001), and less likely to be associated with diabetes (34% vs 42%; P < .001), hypertension (36% vs 51%; P < .001), and hyperlipidemia (29% vs 39%; P < .001) but more likely to be smokers (55% vs 29%; P < .001). After multivariable adjustment, the Middle Eastern Arabs were less likely to be associated with in-hospital congestive heart failure (odds ratio [OR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50-0.86; P = .003) but more likely to be associated with recurrent ischemia (OR 1.33; 95% CI: 1.03-1.71; P = .026) when compared to the Indian subcontinent patients. Despite the baseline differences, there were largely no significant differences in in-hospital outcomes between the Indians and the Middle Eastern Arabs.

Elderly patients have more cardiovascular risk factors and a greater burden of ischemic disease than younger patients.To examine the impact of age on clinical presentation and outcomes in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Collected data from the 2nd Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events (Gulf RACE-2), which is a prospective multicenter study from six adjacent Arab Middle Eastern Gulf countries. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to their age: ≤50 years, 51-70 years and70 years and their clinical characteristics and outcomes were analyzed. Mortality was assessed at one and 12 months.One-way ANOVA test for continuous variables, Pearson chi-square (X (2)) test for categorical variables and multivariate logistic regression analysis for predictors were performed.Among 7930 consecutive ACS patients; 2755 (35%) were ≤50 years, 4110 (52%) were 51-70 years and 1065 (13%)70 years old. The proportion of women increased with increasing age (13% among patients ≤50 years to 31% among patients 70 years). The risk factor pattern varied with age; younger patients were more often obese, smokers and had a positive family history of CAD, whereas older patients more likely to have diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Advancing age was associated with under-treatment evidence-based therapies. Multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting for relevant covariates showed that old age was independent predictors for re-ischemia (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.03-1.60), heart failure (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.17-3.52) and major bleeding (OR 4.02; 95% CI 1.37-11.77) and in-hospital mortality (age 51-70: OR 2.67; 95% CI 1.86-3.85, and age70: OR 4.71; 95% CI 3.11-7.14).Despite being higher risk group, elderly are less likely to receive evidence-based therapies and had worse outcomes. Guidelines adherence is highly recommended in elderly.

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology and coronary risk factors of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Oman. Methods Data were collected through a prospective, multinational, multicentre survey of consecutive patients, hospitalised over a 5-month period in 2007 with a diagnosis of ACS, in Yemen and five Arabian Gulf countries (Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates). Here we present data of Omani patients aged ≥20 years who received a provisional diagnosis of ACS and were consequently admitted to 14 different hospitals. Results There where 1,340 confirmed ACS episodes in 748 men and 592 women (median age 61 years). The overall crude incidence rate of ACS was 338.9 per 100,000 person-years (P-Y). The age-standardised rate (ASR) of ACS was 779 and 674 per 100,000 P-Y for men and women, respectively. The ASR male-to-female rate ratio was highest in the ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) group (2.26, 95% confidence interval ([CI], 1.63 to 3.15) followed by the non-STEMI (NSTEMI) group (1.68, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.21) and unstable angina (0.79, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.99). Unstable angina accounted for 55%, STEMI for 26% and NSTEMI for 19% of ACS cases. Among the coronary risk factors, there was a high prevalence of hypertension (68%), diabetes mellitus (DM) (36%), hyperlipidaemia (63%), and overweight/obesity (65%), with a relatively low rate of current tobacco use (11%). Conclusion Our study confirms a high incidence of ACS in Omanis and supports the notion that the cardiovascular disease epidemic is also sweeping developing countries.

Objectives: To investigate whether younger patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have higher glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels compared to older patients, and to determine the factors associated with higher HbA1c levels. Methods: Data from 1,266 patients from all over Oman were used to obtain the mean HbA1c level, odds ratios (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) from multiple logistic regression models with age groups, sex, duration of diabetes, diabetes treatment, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), tobacco use, and healthcare index as predictors of good (HbA1c

Background: Despite the high burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Oman, there are scarce data from a nationally representative sample on the level of glycaemia and other cardiovascular (CVD) risk factor control. Objective: To estimate the proportion of patients with T2DM at goal for glycaemia and CVD risk factors using the National Diabetes Guidelines (NDG) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) clinical care guidelines; and to assess the quality of selected services provided to patients with T2DM. Methods: A sample of 2,551 patients (47% men) aged ≥20 years with T2DM treated at primary health care centers was selected. Patient characteristics, medical history and treatment were collected from case notes, Diabetes Registers and computer frameworks including the use of the last 3 laboratory investigations results and blood pressure (BP) readings recorded in 2007. Results: The overall mean age of the cohort was 54±13 years with an average median duration of diabetes of 4 (range 2 to 6) years. Over 80% of patients were overweight or obese (body mass index (BMI) of ≥25 Kg/m2). Sixty-nine percent were on oral anti-diabetic medication, 52% on anti-hypertensives and 40% on lipid lowering drugs. Thirty percent of patients were at goal for glycosylated haemoglobin level (1 mmol/l for men, >1.3 mmol/l for women), and 61% for triglycerides ( Conclusion: Control of hyperglycaemia and other CVD risk factor appears to be suboptimal in Omani patients with T2DM and need to be addressed in the triad of patient, physician and health system.

We used prospective cohort data of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) to compare their management on weekdays/mornings with weekends/nights, and the possible impact of this on 1-month and 1-year mortality. Analyses were evaluated using univariate and multivariate statistics. Of the 4,616 patients admitted to hospitals with ACS, 76% were on weekdays. There were no significant differences in 1-month (odds ratio (OR), 0.88; 95% CI: 0.68-1.14) and 1-year mortality (OR, 0.88; 95% CI: 0.70-1.10), respectively, between weekday and weekend admissions. Similarly, there were no significant differences in 1-month (OR, 0.92; 95% CI: 0.73-1.15) and 1-year mortality (OR, 0.98; 95% CI: 0.80-1.20), respectively, between nights and day admissions. In conclusion, apart from lower utilization of angiography (P < .001) at weekends, there were largely no significant discrepancies in the management and care of patients admitted with ACS on weekdays and during morning hours compared with patients admitted on weekends and night hours, and the overall 30-day and 1-year mortality was similar between both the cohorts.

We estimated the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and its clinical implications among 1 110 Omani patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) using 2 different CVD risk tools: the general Framingham risk profile (GFRP) and the joint World Health Organization/International Society of Hypertension (WHO/ISH) risk prediction charts. The GFRP tool identified higher proportion of patients compared with joint WHO/ISH tool at 10-year CVD risk 10% to

Although antiplatelet therapy effectively reduces ischemic events, the cardiovascular (CV) outcome in some cases is still unpredictable. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of prior single or dual antiplatelet (PAP) use in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Data were collected from the 2nd Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events between October 2008 and June 2009. Patients were grouped according to whether they were PAP users or not (NAP). Patients’ characteristics and outcomes were analyzed and compared. Mortality was assessed at 1 and 12 months. Among 7827 consecutive ACS patients, 41% were PAP users (70% aspirin, 1% clopidogrel, and 29% dual antiplatelet agents). In comparison with NAP use, PAP use was associated with a higher rate of comorbidities, atypical presentation, severe left ventricular dysfunction, three-vessel disease, and a high GRACE risk score. After adjustment for relevant covariates, PAP use was an independent predictor for recurrent ischemia in unstable angina (odds ratio [OR] 1.7; 95% CI 1.17, 2.57) and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) [OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.38, 2.65] and for heart failure in NSTEMI (OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.11, 2.15) and STEMI (OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.08, 1.93). Although PAP use was associated with high mortality in STEMI and NSTEMI, it was not an independent predictor for mortality. Among PAP patients, percutaneous coronary intervention independently reduced the risk of hospital (adjusted OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.20, 0.32), 1-month (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.26, 0.37), and 12-month mortality (OR 0.28; 95% CI 0.24, 0.33). PAP use identified a high-risk population across the ACS spectrum. Early coronary revascularization may improve CV outcomes in these patients.

Background: Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) can occur in patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). In the Gulf Registry of acute coronary events (Gulf RACE), we identified the clinical characteristics and in- hospital outcomes of these patients. Methods: Clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes for 461 ACS patients with prior CABG are compared to 7715 ACS patients without prior CABG enrolled from 64 hospitals in 6 Gulf countries over a 6-month period. Results: The overall incidence of ACS with prior CABG was 5.6% out of 8176 patients. The ACS with prior CABG were older (63 vs 55 years, P

We describe the baseline characteristics, management, and outcomes of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients of age ≤40 in the Gulf region of the Middle East. We studied 8176 hospitalized patients (≤40 years) with ACS. Ten percent (805) of the recruited patients were ≤40 years. The mean age was 37 years and 89% were males. The prevalence of smoking and diabetes in the young patients was high (58% and 21%, respectively). The most common ACS was ST elevation myocardial infarction. Younger patients were more aggressively treated with more frequent use of glycoprotein inhibitors, thrombolytics, and primary percutaneous coronary intervention. They had less in-hospital heart failure, left ventricular dysfunction, shock, stroke, and low rate of in-hospital mortality (1%). Measures to combat the rising prevalence of diabetes and smoking are needed.

The aim was to report the prevalence and significance of hypertension (HTN) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Over a 6-month period in 2007, 8171 consecutive patients (49.4% hypertensive and 50.6% non-hypertensive) presenting with ACS were enrolled in a prospective, multicenter study from six Middle Eastern adjacent countries. Patients with HTN were older (59.2 vs 53.1 years, p0.001), and more likely to be female (34% vs 14.4%, p0.001) when compared with patients without HTN. Patients with HTN were also more likely to have diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, cerebrovascular disease, prior history of coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease but less likely to be cigarette smokers. At admission, HTN patients had higher Killip class, heart rate and GRACE risk scoring. In-hospital mortality was higher in hypertensive patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) but not in patients with non-STEMI or unstable angina. The incidence of heart failure complications was significantly higher among patients with HTN in overall ACS type (OR = 1.2, 95% CI 1.001-1.338, p= 0.04).In this large cohort of patients with ACS, HTN was an independent predictor of heart failure and was associated with an increased rate of in-hospital mortality in STEMI only.

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and effect of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) on patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in six Middle Eastern countries using the new definition of MetS. Analysis of the Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events (Gulf RACE), which included 8716 consecutive patients hospitalized with ACS, was conducted and patients were divided into two groups: patients with and patients without the MetS. Overall, 46% of patients had MetS. Patients with MetS were more likely to be female and less likely to be smokers. In‐hospital mortality and cardiogenic shock were comparable between the two groups, although MetS patients were more likely to have congestive heart failure and recurrent ischemia. In ST‐elevation myocardial infarction, MetS was also associated with increased risk of recurrent myocardial infarction and stroke. Using the recent MetS definition, MetS is highly prevalent among Middle Eastern patients presenting with ACS. MetS is associated with higher‐risk profile characteristics and increased risk for development of heart failure and recurrent myocardial ischemia without an increase in hospital mortality. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2010;12:890–899.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the gender differences in baseline characteristics, therapy, and outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndromes in 6 Middle Eastern countries. Over a 6-month period in 2007, 8,169 consecutive patients (74% men, 24% women) presenting with acute coronary syndromes were enrolled in a prospective, multicenter study from 6 adjacent Middle Eastern countries. Women were 9 years older than men and more likely to have diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Women were more likely to present with unstable angina and more often had atypical presentations of ST elevation myocardial infarction. Compared to men, women were significantly less treated with beta blockers and antiplatelet therapy, whereas reperfusion therapy was nonsignificantly less used in women. In all patients with acute coronary syndromes, women not only ranked higher on Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score but also had increased in-hospital mortality, 1.75 times that of men. This mortality difference persisted after adjusting for all confounders (odds ratios 1.76, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 2.8, p0.01). In conclusion, in addition to presentation with higher risk factors, female gender also independently predicted poorer outcomes in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction.

We describe the patterns of cancer incidence for common cancers in Gulf Cooperation Council countries during 1998-2001. A total of 32,291 cases of cancer were diagnosed (16,342 in males; 15,949 in females). Male preponderance was observed only in Saudi Arabia and Oman. The age-standardized incidence of all malignancies per 100,000 in both sexes was highest in Qatar followed by Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, UAE and Saudi Arabia. Paediatric cancer ranged from 9.5% of total cancers in Saudi Arabia and UAE to 4.0% in Bahrain. In all countries, the mean age at diagnosis was higher in males than females; cancer of the lung and prostate were commonest among males, and cancer of breast and thyroid among females. Lung cancer ranked second among Bahraini women.

We aimed to determine the gender-specific optimal cut-points for body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) associated with risk of cardiovascular disease, using Framingham risk score and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, among Omani Arabs. Nine percent of men, compared to 3% of women, had a 10-year total coronary heart disease (CHD) risk ≥ 20%. In both genders, WHR was a better predictor of CHD (area under the ROC curve 0.771 for men and 0.802 for women), followed by WC (0.710 and 0.727) and BMI (0.601 and 0.639), respectively. For a 10-year CHD risk of ≥ 20%, the optimal cut-points to assess adiposity in Omani men and women were > 22.6 and 22.9 kg/m2for BMI, > 78.5 and 84.5 cm for WC, and > 0.96 and > 0.98 for WHR, respectively. To identify obesity among Omani Arabs, different cut-points for BMI, WC and WHR than the currently recommended ones are needed.

Access to glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) assays in clinical practice remains limited. We investigated the relationship of fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c to determine optimal glucose levels for predicting HbA1c.We retrospectively analyzed data on 2888 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus agedor=20 years using a linear regression of HbA1c against fasting plasma glucose. A receiver-operating characteristic analysis was used to determine optimal cut-points for fasting glucose in relation to HbA1c, area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each cut-point.The mean (standard deviation) for the age of patients was 52+/-11.6 years. The average HbA1c was 8.9+/-2.46% and mean fasting plasma glucose was 10.1+/-3.62 mmol/L. The prevalence of HbA1cor=7.0% and6.5% was 76% and 82%, respectively. Overall, fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c were linearly correlated (r=0.62, P=0.001). A fasting plasma glucose of9.0 mmol/L predicted HbA1cor=7.0% with an area under the curve = 0.807 (95% CI, 0. 0.794 to 0.821), while fasting plasma glucose8.2 mmol/L predicted HbA1c6.5%, with an area under the curve = 0.805 (95% CI, 0.791 to 0.818). The sensitivity of both cut-points was 64.5% and 70.7%, the specificity was 82.7% and 76.4%, the positive likelihood ratio was 3.73 and 2.99, and the positive predictive value was 92.2% and 93.2%, respectively.When HbA1c determination is not available, fasting plasma glucose levels may be used to identify patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes and initiate timely intensification of therapy to avoid long- term complications of diabetes.

We used two cross-sectional surveys involving 6356 Omanis aged >or= 20 years to estimate the effect of the 1997 American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria on the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Oman and develop a validated optimal fasting plasma glucose (FPG) cut-point which best predicts diabetes diagnosed 2-h post oral glucose tolerance test. Applying the 1997 ADA criteria to Oman would underestimate diabetes by 18%. The sensitivity of the ADA criteria was 68.3% (95% CI 64.0-72.4%) and specificity was 98.6% (95% CI 98.2-98.9%). Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve depicted FPG>5.9 mmol/l to best predict 2-h post-load glucose >or=11.1 mmol/l. The area under the ROC curve was 0.95 (95% CI 0.94-0.95%) with no significant difference between obese and non-obese individuals. This cut-point had a sensitivity of 87.5% (95% CI 84.3-90.3%), specificity of 90.8% (95% CI 89.9-91.7%) and likelihood ratio of 9.5. On validation in an independent population, the sensitivity and specificity of the depicted cut-point remained high 84.2% (95% CI 77.0-89.8%) and 80.2% (95% CI 78.0-82.4%) compared to the ADA values 60.4% and 96.6%, respectively. Our study identified a lower cut-point to diagnose diabetes than that suggested by the 1997 ADA criteria.

Hypertension is a significant predictor for cardiovascular diseases and is the most important preventable or modifiable cause of morbidity and mortality from these diseases. Undiagnosed cases of hypertension and poor control are important factors in controlling hypertension worldwide, including Oman.The aim of this study was to identify the important risk factors and predictors of the state of unawareness of the presence of hypertension, as well as the risk factors for poor control of blood pressure, among hypertensive patients.Data from Oman World Health Survey (OWHS), 2008, were used in this study. The OWHS adopted a multistage stratified cluster sampling to select study participants. An interview questionnaire was used to collect data related to risk factors. Other parameters included blood pressure, anthropometric and biochemical measurements.The prevalence of hypertension in Oman was estimated to be 41.5%. Of those who were hypertensive, three-quarters of them (75.7%) were unaware of being hypertensive and 65.5% of them had inadequately controlled hypertension. Male sex, higher wealth, and paying fewer visits to health facilities were found associated with high proportions of unawareness and high proportion of uncontrolled hypertension.The study highlights high levels of unawareness of being hypertensive and high proportion of uncontrolled hypertension in Oman that need to be considered when developing health policies and strategies. Intersectorial collaborative and innovative strategies that focus on improving awareness, detection, and control of hypertension should be considered, especially with attention to young adults and men.

There is an increasing burden of obesity and obesity-related noncommunicable diseases in Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Oman. This descriptive, epidemiological study assessed physical activity among 2977 Omani adults using a population-based household survey in 2008. Overall, 54.2% of men and 41.6% of women were physically active; the rate was higher in younger cohorts and varied significantly by region of residence. Physical activity related to the transportation (walking and cycling) domain was higher than in the leisure or work domains. Unmarried men aged 30-39 years were twice as likely to be physically active (OR 2.25) and unmarried women aged 40+ years were half as likely to be active (OR 0.58) than their married counterparts. Young women not working were less active (OR 0.18) than working women. Higher education was significantly associated with leisure activity for men aged 30+ years and women aged 40+ years. Further research to understand regional variations and to identify culturally appropriate strategies to promote physical activity is required.الوبائيات الوصفية للنشاط البدني لدى البالغين العمانيين: المسح الصحي العالمي لعُمان في عام 2008.روث مابري، مجدي مرسي، جواد أحمد اللواتي، نيفيل أُوين.هناك تزايد في عبء السمنة والأمراض غر السارية المرتبطة بالسمنة في بلدان مجلس التعاون الخليجي؛ با فيها سلطنة عان. وقد قيَّمت هذه الدراسة الوبائية الوصفية النشاط البدني لدى 2977 بالغاً عمانياً باستخدام مسح أسَي سكاني في عام 2008. فكان - بالإجمال - %54.2 من الرجال و %41.6 من النساء نشيطين بدنياً، وكان المعدل أعى لدى الفئات الأصغر سناً، وشديد التباين باختاف منطقة الإقامة. وكان النشاط البدني المرتبط بمجال المواصات (المي وركوب الدراجات) أعى من النشاط الذي يبذل في مجالات الترفيه أو العمل. وكان النشاط البدني لدى الرجال غر المتزوجن ممن هم بأعار 39-30 عاماً ضعف نشاط نظرائهم المتزوجن (OR=2.25) ، ولدى النساء غر المتزوجات اللواتي تجاوزن ال 40 سنة نصف نشاط نظيراتهن المتزوجات (OR=0.58). وكانت الشابات اللواتي لا يعملن أقل نشاطاً (OR=0.18) من النساء العامات. وكان هناك ارتباط كبر بن التعليم العالي وبن النشاط الترفيهي لدى الرجال الذين تزيد أعمارهم عن 30 سنة والنساء اللواتي تجاوزن ال 40 سنة. هناك حاجة إلى مزيد من البحوث لفهم التباينات الإقليمية ولتحديد اسراتيجيات ملائمة ثقافياً لتعزيز النشاط البدني.Épidémiologie descriptive de l’activité physique chez des adultes omanais : enquête de 2008 à Oman dans le cadre de l'enquête sur la santé dans le monde.Le fardeau de l’obésité et des maladies non transmissibles liées à l’obésité est en augmentation dans les pays du Conseil de Coopération du Golfe, notamment à Oman. La présente étude épidémiologique descriptive a évalué l’activité physique de 2977 adultes omanais à l’aide d’une enquête de population auprès des ménages en 2008. Globalement, 54,2 % des hommes et 41,6 % des femmes avaient une activité physique ; le taux était supérieur dans les cohortes plus jeunes et variait significativement en fonction de la région de résidence. L’activité physique liée aux déplacements (marche et vélo) était plus fréquente que l’activité physique professionnelle ou de loisir. Les hommes célibataires entre 30 et 39 ans étaient deux fois plus susceptibles d’être physiquement actifs (OR 2,25) alors que les femmes célibataires âgées de plus de 40 ans étaient deux fois moins actives (OR 0,58) que les femmes mariées. Les femmes jeunes sans emploi étaient moins actives physiquement (OR 0,18) que les femmes occupant un emploi. Un niveau d’études supérieur était nettement associé à une activité physique de loisir chez les hommes de plus de 30 ans et les femmes de plus de 40 ans. Des recherches plus approfondies pour comprendre les variations régionales et identifier des stratégies culturellement appropriées visant à promouvoir l’activité physique sont nécessaires.

Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world, with an estimated number of 1.3 million new cases as of 2002. This is the first report from the countries that comprise the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).All the primary lung cancer cases registered in the Gulf Center for Cancer Registration during 1998 to 2001 were used to calculate the age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) per 100,000 person-years by the direct standardization method.Overall, there were 1607 (1261 males, 346 females) primary lung cancer cases registered during this period with the male to female ratio of 3.6:1. The highest ASR was in Bahrain (34.3 for males, 12.1 for females) followed by Qatar (18.5 for males, 5.5 for females) and Kuwait (13.8 for males, 4.0 for females); the lowest rate was in Saudi Arabia (4.8 for males, 1.3 for females). The mean age at diagnosis for males ranged from 68.7 years in Bahrain to 59.2 years in Oman. For females it ranged from 68.2 years in Bahrain to 58.0 years in Oman. Squamous cell carcinoma in males (except in Qatar) and adenocarcinoma in females were the predominant histological type.Cancer of the lung is one of the common cancers among males in all the GCC countries and ranks second among Bahraini females. Adenocarcinomas were more common in women than men.

Aims To determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and impairedfasting glucose by age, gender, and by region and compare resultswith the 1991 survey; and estimate previously undiagnosed diabetesmellitus in the Omani population. Methods Cross-sectional survey containing a probability random sample of5838 Omani adults aged ≥ 20 years. Diabetesand impaired fasting glucose (IFG) were assessed by fasting venous plasmaglucose using 1999 World Health Organization's diagnosticcriteria (normoglycaemia 25 kg/m2. Conclusions The prevalence of diabetes is high in Oman and has increasedover the past decade. The high rate of abnormal fasting glucosetogether with high rates of overweight and obesity in the population makeit likely that diabetes will continue to be a major health problem inOman. Primary prevention programmes are urgently needed to counteract majorrisk factors that promote the development of diabetes. Diabet. Med. 19, 954–957 (2002)

Background: Recent reports have suggested that there are gender differences in the presentation of young adults with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). How these differences may affect ACS outcomes remains unclear, however. The aim of the current study was to examine the prognostic impact of gender in young adults with ACS in a multicenter multinational ACS registry from the Middle East. Methods: For a period of 9 months in 2008 to 2009, 7,930 consecutive patients with ACS were enrolled from 65 hospitals in 6 Middle East countries. A cohort of 3933 patients in the age group 55 years and younger were selected of whom 552 were women (14%). Gender differences in presentation and clinical features were examined. Multivariate analysis of in-hospital and one year mortality was also performed. Results: The mean age for women was 46 years and for men 48 years. Women had significantly higher rates of diabetes mellitus (50.4% vs. 30.7%), hypertension (57.4% vs. 34.5%), obesity (32% vs. 17%), dyslipidemia (37.5% vs. 26%) and renal impairment (4.1% vs. 1.2%) whereas men were more likely to be smokers (72.4% vs. 14%) [all P Conclusions: Our study shows that female gender independently and significantly increases the risk of immediate and long term mortality in young patients with ACS.

OBJECTIVES: It is well recognized that cardiac autonomic neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) can cause silent myocardial ischemia, however there is limited research examining how the cardiac symptoms reported by patients with DM presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) can affect the immediate and long term outcomes. The aim of the current study was to examine the prognostic impact of lack of chest pain symptoms in DM patients presenting with ACS and enrolled in a multicenter multinational ACS registry from the Middle East. METHODS: For a period of 9 months in 2008 to 2009, 7,930 consecutive patients with ACS were enrolled from 65 hospitals in 6 Middle East countries. A cohort of 3135 patients with DM were selected of whom 2686 (85.7%) presented with chest pain while 449 patients (14.3%) had no chest pain. Clinical features and outcomes were examined and compared among the two groups. RESULTS: Diabetic patients without chest pain were 5 years older and had significantly higher rates of hypertension (76.1% vs. 63.2%), prior myocardial infarction (35.9% vs. 24.3%), chronic kidney disease (CKD) (17.1% vs. 5.9%) and had significantly higher GRACE risk scores (55.3% vs. 21.4%) at presentation compared to patients with chest pain [All P CONCLUSIONS: DM patients with ACS presenting without chest pain are at an increased risk of immediate and long term mortality. Understanding the factors associated with atypical presentations of ACS in patients with DM may help in the earlier detection and more appropriate management of these high risk patients.

The Oman Renal Transplantation Program was established in 1988 as a joint venture between Sultan Qaboos University and the Ministry of Health. It began with both living related donor (LRD) and deceased donor (DD) transplants. Over the next nine years, while the LRD programme progressed relatively well, there were only thirteen DD transplants. Two of the DD kidneys were obtained from overseas via an active collaboration with the Euro-transplant organisation, and one DD kidney was obtained from Saudi Arabia within the Gulf Cooperative Council exchange programme. The rest of the DD kidneys were obtained in Oman. The Omani DD programme, although it was a pioneering effort in the Gulf region at the time, was not entirely sustainable. In this paper we focus on the challenges we encountered. Among the major challenges was the absence of resources to establish a dedicated DD programme and particularly the failure to develop a cadre of dedicated transplant coordinators. Background

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate trends in the estimated 10-year risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) among adults with diagnosed diabetes in Oman. In addition, the effect of hypothetical risk reductions in this population was examined. Methods: Data from 1,077 Omani adults aged ≥40 years with diagnosed diabetes were collected and analysed from three national surveys conducted in 1991, 2000 and 2008 across all regions of Oman. The estimated 10-year CVD risk and hypothetical risk reductions were calculated using risk prediction algorithms from the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE), Diabetes Epidemiology Collaborative Analysis of Diagnostic Criteria in Europe (DECODE) and World Health Organization/International Society of Hypertension (WHO/ISH) risk tools. Results: Between 1991 and 2008, the estimated 10-year risk of CVD increased significantly in the total sample and among both genders, regardless of the risk prediction algorithm that was used. Hypothetical risk reduction models for three scenarios (eliminating smoking, controlling systolic blood pressure and reducing total cholesterol) identified that reducing systolic blood pressure to ≤130 mmHg would lead to the largest reduction in the 10-year risk of CVD in subjects with diabetes. Conclusion: The estimated 10-year risk for CVD among adults with diabetes increased significantly between 1991 and 2008 in Oman. Focused public health initiatives, involving recognised interventions to address behavioural and biological risks, should be a national priority. Improvements in the quality of care for diabetic patients, both at the individual and the healthcare system level, are required.

Background Stroke is a potential complication of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence, risk factors predisposing to stroke, in-hospital and 1-year mortality among patients presenting with ACS in the Middle East. Methods For a period of 9 months in 2008 to 2009, 7,930 consecutive ACS patients were enrolled from 65 hospitals in 6 Middle East countries. Results The prevalence of in-hospital stroke following ACS was 0.70%. Most cases were ST segment elevation MI-related (STEMI) and ischemic stroke in nature. Patients with in-hospital stroke were 5 years older than patients without stroke and were more likely to have hypertension (66% vs. 47.6%, P = 0.001). There were no differences between the two groups in regards to gender, other cardiovascular risk factors, or prior cardiovascular disease. Patients with stroke were more likely to present with atypical symptoms, advanced Killip class and less likely to be treated with evidence-based therapies. Independent predictors of stroke were hypertension, advanced killip class, ACS type –STEMI and cardiogenic shock. Stroke was associated with increased risk of in-hospital (39.3% vs. 4.3%) and one-year mortality (52% vs. 12.3%). Conclusion There is low incidence of in-hospital stroke in Middle-Eastern patients presenting with ACS but with very high in-hospital and one-year mortality rates. Stroke patients were less likely to be appropriately treated with evidence-based therapy. Future work should be focused on reducing the risk and improving the outcome of this devastating complication.

We appreciate the insightful comments in the 3 accompanying letters regarding our recent article.1 The letters highlight important issues with regard to khat and acute cardiac events. In the first letter, we thank Drs Aleryani and Al-akwa for suggesting potentially additional mechanisms whereby khat chewing has cardiovascular effects in addition to those already described in our article, which are coronary artery vasoconstriction, elevation in blood pressure, and possibly hypercoagulable state. The authors suggest khat-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis as well as pesticide exposure of khat before it is “freshly” chewed as possibly contributing to these detrimental effects. Although to date there is lack of definitive data linking pesticides exposure to acute coronary syndrome risk, we concur with the authors that further studies evaluating the various aspects of khat use and its cardiovascular effects are urgently needed. We also concur with the authors that although Cathinone, the main active substance in khat, is very similar to amphetamine; however, it is not identical to it. The term “herbal or natural amphetamine” we used for khat was first introduced in the literature by Kalix et al2 in 1991, to highlight its similarity to amphetamine. In the second letter, we appreciate Dr Burrilo-Putze's description of the clinical impact of khat use in Europe. Indeed, cardiovascular complications of khat use have been reported in Europe and more recently in Australia,3; …

Aim The authors evaluated the prevalence and effect of the various tobacco use modalities among patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and compared them with non-tobacco and ex-tobacco users. Methods An analysis of the 2nd Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events conducted between October 2008 and June 2009 and which included 7930 consecutive patients hospitalised with ACS was made. Patients initially were divided into non-tobacco users, ex-tobacco users and current tobacco users. Subanalysis according to the tobacco modality used was subsequently made: cigarette, waterpipe or smokeless tobacco users. Results Overall, 2834 (36%) patients were current tobacco users, 306 (3.9%) patients were waterpipe smokers and 240 patients (3%) were oral tobacco users. When compared with non-tobacco and ex-tobacco users, overall current tobacco users were younger, more likely to be male subjects and less likely to have diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidaemia. Mortality rate (p=0.001) and overall cardiovascular events (p=0.001) were lower among current tobacco users when compared with the other two groups. After adjustment for baseline variables, tobacco use was not an independent predictor of adverse events. Subset analysis demonstrates oral tobacco users and waterpipe smokers were older and more likely to be women when compared with cigarette smokers. Among the various tobacco groups, inhospital mortality rates were significantly higher among the waterpipe smokers when compared with the other two groups. Conclusions Clinical characteristics and outcomes of ACS patients depend on the tobacco modality used. Further studies are required to evaluate the impact of emerging tobacco use modalities on patients with coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of evidence-based cardiac medications (EBMs) on 1-month and 1-year mortality among discharged acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients in the Middle East. METHODS: Data were analyzed from 7,567 consecutive ACS patients admitted to 66 hospitals in 6 Middle Eastern countries enrolled in the Gulf RACE II in October 2008 to June 2009. Individual EBMs or concurrent use of the EBM combination consists of an anti-platelet therapy, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) (or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB)), β-blocker, and a statin at discharge, were evaluated. Analyses were performed using univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 56 +/- 12 years with 79% being males. 65% of the patients received the concurrent EBM combination at discharge. Aspirin, clopidogrel, statins, b-blockers and ACEIs/ARBs use was 96%, 71%, 95%, 82% and 81%, respectively. 70% of the patients were prescribed both aspirin and clopidogrel concurrently at discharge. Adjusting for demographic, clinical, revascularization, and country characteristics, the multivariable logistic regression models demonstrated no differences in mortality at both 1-month (3.0 vs. 3.6%; p = 0.828) and 1-year (3.5 vs. 3.5%; p = 0.976) between the concurrent EBM combination users and non-users. CONCLUSION: The majority of the ACS patients in the Middle East were prescribed the guideline recommended EBM combination at discharge. However, potential still remains for further optimization of management. Further studies are required to examine the long term effect of concurrent use of the EBM combination on mortality in the region.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of admission anemia on in-hospital, one-month, and one-year mortality in patients from the Middle East with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Data were analyzed from 7922 consecutive patients admitted to hospitals throughout six Middle-Eastern countries with the final diagnosis of ACS, as part of Gulf RACE II (Registry of Acute Coronary Events II). Anemia at admission was defined according to the World Health Organization definition (13 g/dL in men and12 g/dL in women). Analyses were conducted using univariate and multivariate statistical techniques.The median age of the cohort was 56 (48-65) years, with the majority being male (79%). Anemia at admission was present in 2241 patients (28%). Patients with anemia were more likely to have in-hospital complications including heart failure, recurrent ischemia, re-infarction, cardiogenic shock, stroke, and major bleed. Even after adjustment, anemia was still associated with mortality at in-hospital (odds ratio [OR]=1.71, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-2.17; P0.001), at one-month (OR=1.34, 95% CI, 1.06-1.71; P=0.016), and at one-year (OR=1.22, 95% CI, 1.01-1.49; P=0.049) post-admission with ACS.Admission anemia in patients with ACS from six Middle-Eastern countries was strongly associated with mortality at in-hospital, one-month, and at one-year. Hence, admission anemia must be considered in the initial risk assessment of ACS patients along with other risk scores.

Background & hypothesis: Data on the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) according to their marital status is not clear. Methods: A total of 5334 patients presenting with ACS in 65 hospitals in 6 Middle East countries in the 2nd Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events (Gulf RACE-2) were studied according to their marital status (5024 married, 100 single, and 210 widowed patients). Result: When compared to married patients, widowed patients were older and more likely to be female. Widowed patients were more likely to have diabetes mellitus, hypertension, history of heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease and were less likely to be tobacco users when compared to the other groups. Widowed patients were also more likely to present with atypical symptoms and have advanced Killip class. Widowed patients were more likely to present with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) when compared to the other 2 groups. Widowed patients were more likely to have heart failure (P = 0.001), cardiogenic shock (P = 0.001), and major bleeding (P = 0.002) when compared to the other groups. No statistically significant difference was observed in regard to duration of hospital stay, door to needle time in STEMI patients, or cardiac arrhythmias between the various groups. Widowed patients had higher in-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year mortality rates (P = 0.001). Marital status was an independent predictor for in-hospital mortality. Conclusion: Widowed marital status was associated with worse cardiovascular risk profile, and worse in-hospital and 1-year outcome. Future work should be focused on whether the provision of psychosocial support will result in improved outcomes among this high-risk group. Clin. Cardiol. 2011 DOI: 10.1002/clc.22034 Gulf RACE is a Gulf Heart Association (GHA) project and was financially supported by the GHA, Sanofi Aventis, and the College of Medicine Research Center at King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The authors have no other funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.

Background— The khat plant is a stimulant similar to amphetamine and is thought to induce coronary artery spasm. Khat is widely chewed by individuals originating from the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcome of khat chewers presenting with acute coronary syndrome. Methods and Results— From October 1, 2008, through June, 30, 2009, 7399 consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome were enrolled in the Second Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events (Gulf RACE-2). Nineteen percent of patients were khat chewers; 81% were not. Khat chewers were older, more often male, and less likely to have cardiovascular risk factors. Khat chewers were less likely to have a history of coronary artery disease and more likely to present late and to have higher heart rate and advanced Killip class on admission. Khat chewers were more likely to present with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. Overall, khat chewers had higher risk of death, recurrent myocardial ischemia, cardiogenic shock, ventricular arrhythmia, and stroke compared with non–khat chewers. After adjustment for baseline variability, khat chewing was found to be an independent risk factor of death and for recurrent ischemia, heart failure, and stroke. Conclusions— Our data confirm earlier observations of worse in-hospital outcome among acute coronary syndrome patients who chew khat. This worse outcome persists up to 1 year from the index event. This observational report underscores the importance of improving education concerning the cardiovascular risks of khat chewing.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Limited data are available on patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and their long-term outcomes in the Arabian Gulf countries. We evaluated the clinical features, management, in-hospital, and long-term outcomes in such a population. DESIGN AND SETTING: A 9-month prospective, multicenter study conducted in 65 hospitals from 6 countries that also included 30 day and 1-year mortality follow-up. PATIENTS AND METHODS: ACS patients included those with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS), including non-STEMI and unstable angina. The registry collected the data prospectively. RESULTS: Between October 2008 and June 2009, 7930 patients were enrolled. The mean age [standard deviation (SD)], 56 (17) years; 78.8% men; 71.2% Gulf citizens; 50.1% with central obesity; and 45.6% with STEMI. A history of diabetes mellitus was present in 39.5%, hypertension in 47.2%, and hyperlipidemia in 32.7%, and 35.7% were current smokers. The median time from symptom onset to hospital arrival for STEMI patients was 178 minutes (interquartile range, 210 minutes); 22.3% had primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and 65.7% thrombolytic therapy, with 34% receiving therapy within 30 minutes of arrival. Evidence-based medication rates upon hospital discharge were 68% to 95%. The in-hospital PCI was done in 21% and the coronary artery bypass graft surgery in 2.9%. The in-hospital mortality was 4.6%, at 30 days the mortality was 7.2%, and at 1 year after hospital discharge the mortality was 9.4%; 1-year mortality was higher in STEMI (11.5%) than in NSTEACS patients (7.7%; P

Background : Many patients with diabetes do not present for eye examinations, foregoing the recommended management for diabetic eye care. Proactive steps are being taken in Oman to retrieve defaulters (patients who do not present or no-show) with Sight Threatening Diabetic Retinopathy (STDR). We present the outcomes of the defaulter retrieval system in five regions of Oman in 2009. Materials and Methods : Ophthalmologists examine eyes periodically, family physicians focus on primary prevention of Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) and medical retina specialists manage DR in Oman. A person with proliferative stage of DR (PDR) and/or Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) in either eye is considered as STDR and is registered at regional hospitals. The eye care staff identify the defaulters and the hospital staff help them retrieve the defaulters. The reminder of reappointment is sent using the text messages on telephone. The glycemic control of STDR cases was also noted in Nizwa Hospital. Results : We registered 654 STDR cases, of which 494 (75%) were defaulters. Lack of awareness, transport, absence of a decision maker, and fear of laser treatment were the main causes for defaulting. We successfully retrieved 328 (66.4%) defaulters. The retrieval rates among male and female patients were 51.2% and 82%, respectively. The retrieval varied by region. In Nizwa hospital, 114 of 131 STDR cases (85%) had poor glycemic control. Conclusion : Defaulter retrieval system could help healthcare providers to identify and motivate patients with STDR towards better compliance. Primary prevention measures among STDR cases were poor and need further focus.

We assessed the prevalence, predictors, and in-hospital and long-term outcomes of conservative medical management for patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS) compared with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). This prospective study conducted from October 2008 to June 2009 in 65 hospitals from 6 Arabian Gulf countries included 30-day and 1-year mortality follow-up for 3661 patients. Compared with conservative management group (2859 patients; 78.1%), the PCI group (638; 17.4%) had significantly better unadjusted and adjusted in-hospital (odds ratio [OR]: 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.17-0.97), 30-day (OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.24-0.76) and 1-year (OR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.40-0.87) mortality rates. Comparison with the CABG group (164; 4.5%) yielded similar results with inclusion of patients scheduled for CABG after hospital discharge. Independent predictors of conservative medical management were mainly country of residence and history of prior CABG.