Search

Purpose: Ocular trauma is a major cause of visual impairment; however, little is known about its burden in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the epidemiological characteristics of ocular trauma in pediatric patients in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Patients and methods: Medical records of pediatric patients diagnosed with eye injuries between January 2016 and December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic and injury characteristics were collected, and ocular trauma injuries were classified according to the Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology. Results: A total of 855 injured patients were included in the study, of whom 525 (61.4%) were boys. Patient age ranged from one month to 18 years. Most ocular injuries occurred in children aged 5–9 years. The injuries were more prevalent in boys than in girls. Closed globe injuries accounted for 70% of cases, open globe injuries for 21%, and other injuries for 9%. Most ocular injuries occurred at home (n = 87, 42%), followed by school (n = 61, 30%). Conclusions: These results may inform the implementation and targeting of interventions to reduce or prevent eye injuries in children. Further, they highlight the importance of well-planned prevention programs to prevent eye injuries from occurring in children's daily lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Marwh. Aldriwesh, Raghad. Alaqeel, Aisha. Mashraqi, Mutaib. Mashraqi, Bayan. Albdah, Azzah. Alharbi BACKGROUND: Little attention has been given to the development of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in patients [...]

This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cochlear implantation (CI) recipients in Saudi Arabia. The impact was measured using the results of an online survey that investigated challenges related to access to re/habilitation and programming services, increased dependence on virtual interaction, and emotional impact. The cross-sectional online survey reached 353 pediatric and adult CI recipients between April 21st and May 3rd 2020, during the first weeks of implementing the lockdown strategy and the transitioning to virtual settings. It was revealed that overall access to aural re/habilitation was considerably affected during the pandemic, and that the impact of this disruption was significantly greater for pediatric recipients than for adults. On the other hand, overall access to programming services was not affected. Results also revealed that CI recipients' performance at school or work was negatively impacted by the transition to a virtual communication. In addition, participants noticed a decline in their auditory performance, language skills, and speech understanding. They also registered feelings of anxiety, social isolation, and fear related to sudden changes in their CI function. Finally, the study revealed a gap between CI clinical/non-clinical support provided during the pandemic and the expectations of CI recipients. Collectively, outcomes from this study highlight the importance of shifting towards a more patient -centered model that offers empowerment and self-advocacy. In addition, the outcomes also emphasize the importance of developing and adapting emergency protocols. This will ensure continuation of services provided to CI recipients during scenario disasters like a pandemic. Pediatric aural re/habilitation was subjected to a significantly greater interruption, compared to adult aural re/habilitation, duringthe COVID-19 shutdown. Cochlear Implant (CI) recipients expressed feelings of anxiety, social isolation, and fear. These feelings were related to sudden changes in their CI functioning, caused by interruption of support services during the pandemic. Patient -centered model can offer emergency protocols that ensure a smooth continuation of cochlear implant-related re/habilitation and services during disaster scenarios such as the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of prophylactic antibiotics in the pre‐engraftment period to minimize the risk of bacteremia is debatable given concerns of Clostridioides difficile (C. diff), antibiotics resistance, and disruption of gut microbiota. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the rate and characteristics of bacteremia and C. diff infections within the first 100 days post‐HSCT in all pediatric patients who received routine antibacterial prophylaxis during HSCT from 2015 to 2018. C. diff infection was defined by the presence of three or more unformed stools in 24 h and positive stool test for C. diff or its toxins. Results: One hundred and thirty‐five (100 allogeneic and 35 autologous) transplants in 123 patients were eligible for analysis. Median age at transplant was 7.1 (range 0.2–13.7), 67 (55%) were women, and diagnosis was malignant condition in 68 patients. Median time to neutrophil engraftment was 18 days (13–23). Cefepime or piperacillin‐tazobactam prophylaxis was used in 105 (78%) and 28 (21%) of patients, respectively. Only five (3%) patients had bacteremia during the pre‐engraftment period, and 13 (11%) patients developed bacteremia postengraftment. Septic shock was present in only one patient pre‐engraftment and was due to gram‐negative bacteria. All patients who developed bacteremia received MAC. Thirteen patients (10%) of patients fulfilled C. diff infection definition. There was no mortality related to bacterial infections among our patients. Conclusions: The use of antibiotic prophylaxis was associated with low rate of bacteremia in the pre‐engraftment period and a 10% risk of C. diff infections. More studies are needed to better evaluate the efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis in HSCT patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]