The overall 5-year survival rate following treatment for oral squamous cell carcinoma is around 50% in most published series. The major prognostic factors are stage at the time of diagnosis, unexpected close margins at resection, depth and pattern of tissue invasion by carcinoma and extracapsular spread. Grading by gross histological differentiation does not influence prognosis, unless deeply invasive margins are evaluated by the pathologist. Because stage at diagnosis is the most important factor affecting outcome, early detection results in better prognosis in most cases.

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Introduction: Students evaluating teaching effectiveness (SETE) is highly topical world-wide, including Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The literature review highlighted the focus of this study, namely, students' and instructors' perception of the SETE process, not SETE data as such. Setting: Medical colleges in seven Governmental universities in KSA. A group of randomly drawn final year students and a group of their teaching faculties were studied. Materials and Methods: A researcher-constructed 26 items questionnaire on 5-point Likert- type scale was used to generate data. Proportion test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to compare the differences between the perceptions of the two groups. Results: A total of 600 completed questionnaires were retrieved and analyzed. There were statistically significant differences between instructors' and students' perception of SETE. Whereas, students registered disapproval in three of the four areas studied, the pattern of instructors' response was a mirror image of the students'. It showed disapproval in one of four areas. Conclusion: Sample size was satisfactorily fair as compared with other articles with similar research focus. Evidence of objectivity and data authenticity was demonstrated. The differences and similarities between the opinions in the two groups, as well as in the literature, were identified. It can be safely concluded that the findings in this study agreed broadly with others. Future research was also signposted.

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The superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is a rare cause of proximal intestinal obstruction in which the third part of the duodenum is compressed between SMA and the aorta due to narrowing in aortomesenteric angle. High index of suspicion, in the presence of known risk factors, is the key to early diagnosis. We describe a case of SMA syndrome in a 17-year-old boy who admitted with a long history of abdominal pain and intermittent vomiting. The computed tomography (CT) features were diagnostic of SMA syndrome. The CT also showed partial compression of the left renal vein by SMA with more proximal dilatation (nutcracker phenomenon). He received conservative medical treatment, with a favorable outcome. Our case is unique in that two rare syndromes which rarely coexist found together in our patient.

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Pulmonary sequestration is a known congenital pulmonary malformation. It has been classified into intralobar and extralobar types. We report a case of a symptomatic adult intralobar pulmonary sequestration which was managed in a rather unconventional approach. Such an approach, arterial embolization, has clearly shown to be safe with good outcome in infants and pediatric population. The patient made a full recovery with good outcome. Such case reports show feasibility and safety of embolization as a less invasive management option for adult pulmonary sequestration.

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Lipohypertrophy has been a recognized complication of insulin therapy. Despite improvements in insulin purity and the introduction of recombinant human insulin, its prevalence has remained high particularly in those with a poor glycemic control. Injection of insulin into a site of lipohypertrophy, although painless, may lead to erratic absorption of insulin, with the potential for poor glycemic control and unpredictable hypoglycemia. Rotation of injection sites can reduce the frequency of the problem but does not abolish it. The importance of this complication is not only cosmetic but also in its impact on insulin absorption, and hence glycemic control. Lipohypertrophy is characterized by a benign "tumor-like" swelling of fatty tissue secondary to subcutaneous insulin injections. A strong association of lipoatrophy and lipohypertrophy with insulin antibodies might suggest that autoimmune phenomena with insulin play a role in the development of both. Presented here is a young type 1 diabetic on human insulin with poor glycemic control who developed lipohypertrophy at the injection sites around the umbilicus.

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Objectives: Transforming growth factor-betas (TGFβs) are multifunctional growth factors with a broad range of biological activities in various cell types in many different tissues. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment of intrabony defects with anorganic bovine bone mineral matrix combined with TGFβ-1 with the use of anorganic bovine bone alone. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two sites from sixteen patients were selected using a split-mouth study design for each patient, determined randomly through a biased coin randomization. One site received a mucoperiosteal flap, and the osseous defect was filled with the combined therapy (Group 1). The other site treated was with anorganic bovine bone alone and served as a control (Group 2). All the treated sites were covered with a bioabsorbable collagen membrane. The clinical parameters and radiographic follow-up examinations were recorded after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Results: Clinically, there was a statistically significant gain in the clinical attachment level (+5.03 ΁ 0.14 mm) and a statistically significant reduction of pocket probing depth (−5.16 mm ΁ 0.13) for Group 1 sites compared to sites in Group 2 (P ≤ 0.01). In addition, there were significant differences in bone density and a significant decrease of marginal bone loss after the combined therapy compared with the use of anorganic bovine bone alone (P ≤ 0.01). Conclusion: The use of anorganic bovine bone mineral matrix combined with TGFβ-1 seemed to be effective in the treatment of intrabony defects. This showed an improvement in the clinical outcome of periodontal therapy superior to the use of anorganic bovine bone on its own.

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Background and Objective: Fractures and dislocations are a significant public health and economic burden for any country, but current knowledge on the basic epidemiology of fractures in Saudi Arabia is very limited. This retrospective analysis was performed to determine the patterns of incidence of traumatic fractures and dislocations in the urban population of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods : Data were collected on all fractures and dislocations admitted to the orthopaedic wards between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2009. The inclusion criteria were all patients admitted after trauma. The data collected included was the type of accident, fracture and dislocations sustained, surgery undertaken either emergency or elective, implants used, associated injuries, complications, status of the union of the fracture at the time of the final review and complications. Results: There were 1428 patients with 2056 fractures and dislocations. Five-hundred and eighty-four (40.89%) of the injuries were sustained in road traffic and motorcycle accidents. Lower extremity fractures were 830, upper extremity fractures were 555 and spinal fractures were 323. Of these, 202 (14.4%) patients had dislocations, a majority of which were hip joint dislocations. The overall complication rate was 166 (11.69%) and infections formed the majority. Delayed union occurred in 32, nonunion in 24 and malunion requiring surgery occurred in 17. Twenty-seven (1.31%) of fractures were missed. Conclusions: This analysis shows that road traffic accidents are still a major cause of trauma in an urban population and lower extremities form the common site of fractures. Fractures and dislocations due to trauma are steadily increasing and the young are the most affected. We believe that injury prevention programs should be made mandatory to limit muskuloskeletal injuries resulting from trauma. In the coming years, the number of these injuries will rise considerably with the increase in population.

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Background: Paracetamol overdose is common and has such serious consequences as hepatic toxicity. The aim of this study was to characterize patients in a sample from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) with paracetamol overdose. Materials and Methods: Retrospective chart review (July 1997 to December 2012) for all patients above the age of 18 years with the diagnosis of paracetamol overdose at a university hospital. Results: A total of 86 patients with paracetamol overdose were analyzed, about 70% of these patients were young females. 80% were attempts at suicide. 56% of the patients received N-acetylcysteine. Two patients developed hepatic toxicity. There were no mortalities and the average hospital stay was 4.8 ± 4.9 days. Conclusion: Paracetamol overdose is frequently seen in young females attempting suicide. In KSA, it tends to have a low rate of hepatic toxicity.

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Objective: The aim of the study was to measure job satisfaction and stress levels among pharmacists in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to explore the main causes of dissatisfaction and stress-related factors. Materials and Methods: A self-administered survey was hand-distributed using a cluster area sampling technique. Data were entered into a statistical analysis system database with a significance level of P < 0.05, using Chi-square, descriptive statistics, and regression analysis. Results: The setting of a pharmacy was found to significantly affect the job satisfaction of pharmacists. 48% of independent community pharmacists were satisfied with their job compared with 62% of dispensary pharmacists and 74% of chain community pharmacists. Marital status and years of experience significantly affected job satisfaction, and married pharmacists had lower levels of satisfaction than their unmarried counterparts. Pharmacists who dispensed a higher number of prescriptions had higher levels of satisfaction. Furthermore, job-related stress factors, such as the setting of the pharmacy and years of experience, had a significant effect on the stress level related to the responsibility of patient care. Participants also reported other job stressors: Long working hours, difficulty in obtaining casual or sick leave, and low salaries. Conclusion: Independent community pharmacists in Riyadh had lower levels of job satisfaction than their counterparts in dispensaries and chain pharmacies. Primarily, efforts should be made to raise the levels of job satisfaction for pharmacists in order to improve their motivation and competence. Failure to reduce stress among workers puts both pharmacists and patients at risk.

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Background: Blood transfusion-dependent beta Thalassemia Major (BTM) patients are at risk of hemosiderosis. Hemosiderosis of pancreas results in impaired glucose homeostasis tolerance and diabetes mellitus (DM). Since glycosylated hemoglobin has limited role in patients with hemoglobinopathies, this study was conducted as a first attempt worldwide to understand glucose homeostasis and evaluate efficacy of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) system as a diagnostic tool of abnormal glucose homeostasis in these patients. Materials and Methods: A case series study of six non-diabetic, transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia patients aged 9-13-year-old. Clinical and laboratory data were collected on admission for their monthly transfusion. Patients were connected to CGM systems for one day. Findings: Using CGM and based on American Diabetes Association guidelines, three patients were found to have abnormal glucose levels of diabetic range. The other three showed impaired glucose tolerance. Among all patients, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) readings have an inverse relationship to CGM and calibration readings. Conclusion: CGM could be a promising tool for evaluating BTM patients. Larger studies are recommended.

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Introduction: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the β₂ -adrenergic receptor (β₂ -AR) gene have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. This study evaluated two β₂ -AR SNPs in association with myocardial infarction (MI), namely arginine-glycine (G16R) substitution at codon 16 and glutamine-glutamic (Q27E) substitution at condon 27. Objectives: Therefore, our main objective was to determine the association of these two SNPs among patients with MI with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D). Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from 201 MI patients with and without diabetes and from 115 controls and the β₂ -AR gene polymorphisms at codon 16 and codon 27 were assessed by restriction fragment length polymorphism. The χ² test was used to compare differences between groups. Results: The SNPs did not deviate significantly from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the control population. The allele and genotype frequencies of the β₂ -AR gene polymorphism at codon 16 (G16R) was significantly different between MI cases and controls (χ² = 10.495, P < 0.05 and χ² = 8.849, P < 0.05, respectively). No significant difference in genotype and allele frequencies at codon 27 was shown between these two groups (χ² = 2.661, P ≥ 0.05 and χ² = 1.587, P ≥ 0.05, respectively). When the MI patients with and without T2D were pooled together, genotype distribution was different between cases and controls at codon 16 (χ² = 4.631, P = 0.099) and codon 27 (χ² = 7.247, P = 0.027). However, no significant differences were found in allele frequencies for codon 16 and codon 27 between the two groups (χ² = 0.628, P = 0.428; χ² = 0.33, P = 0.565, respectively). Conclusion: Our findings indicate a moderate association of the β₂ -AR G16R gene polymorphism with MI suggesting that this gene plays a universal role in the development of MI across ethnicities. However, there was no association of β₂ -AR G16R gene polymorphism with diabetic patients with MI.

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Objectives: The objective of the following study is to find out the effects of two different pushing techniques in the second stage of labor on postpartum maternal fatigue and APGAR score of neonates in Saudi females, as very few such studies are available in these patients. Hence this study was carried out in this population to see the results and to do a comparison with other studies in literature as well as to find out how we can make labor awareness in our females. Design: Quasi experimental study. Settings: It was carried out in two hospitals in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia from 1 January, 2011 up to 31 December, 2011. One hundred Saudi women who fulfilled criterion were included in the study. They were randomized and the results seen. Results: There was a significant difference in postpartum fatigue within 60 min and 24 h in two groups as P = 0.001, P < 0.001 respectively. There was a significant difference of APGAR score of newborn in both groups, i.e., P < 0.001. Conclusion: It is concluded that physiological pushing technique has a better outcome with regard to postpartum maternal fatigue and neonatal APGAR score when compared to directed pushing during the second stage of labor.

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Aim: To evaluate electrical conductivity of the medium provided with ModuPRO endodontic modules, and compare it with those of alginate and vinyl polysiloxane impression materials over varying time intervals. Materials and Methods: A 24 Real Endo-t teeth were mounted in the ModuPRO Endo™ modules using three different mounting media [Groups A (Apex Putty), B (alginate), C (extra-light body vinyl polysiloxane)]. The working lengths were predetermined by microscopy, and the root canals were prepared with ProFile rotary instruments before mounting. Working lengths were checked with an electronic apex locator at 24 and 48 hours; 1, 4, and 6 weeks; and 6 months. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), the Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison tests, and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Sum test, with significance set at P < 0.05. Results: Group C showed higher measurements and significant differences from groups A and B for up to 6 weeks (P < 0.05). There was no difference between groups A and B (P > 0.05). After 6 months, all groups showed significantly higher working lengths from those predetermined, but no statistically significant differences were observed among them (P > 0.05). For all groups, differences from predetermined working lengths were lowest at the 1-week interval. Conclusions: Both alginate and the Apex Putty can be used for determining the working lengths using an apex locator over a longer time period. Our study has shown that ModuPRO Endo™ modules, along with the Apex Putty, are effective tools for teaching working length determination with apex locators in preclinical endodontic training.

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Myalgic encephalomyelits/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) has been both a medical mystery and a source of controversy in Western medicine for over 50 years. This article reviews the major historical developments over this period, describes the clinical pattern and spectrum of severity, and then explores the current major controversies surrounding the subject.

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Pharmaceutical care can be given in all settings: The community, hospitals, long-term care, and the clinic. However, published literature indicates that there is a substantial barrier to implementing pharmaceutical care programs in community pharmacies. This review was conducted to discover gaps and limitations in pharmaceutical care services in community pharmacies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). We searched PubMed and other available scientific website databases using the following key words to retrieve the relevant articles: Community Pharmacy, Healthcare System, Pharmaceutical Care, KSA. Two authors independently screened the titles and abstracts of promising articles. They discarded irrelevant studies and retained studies, and reviews that held the promise of relevant data or information. The review revealed that only one out of the four studies conducted in KSA retrieved by the authors reported pharmaceutical care service other than dispensing. The same results were reported in other studies conducted in some developing countries. All pharmaceutical care services were reported in studies conducted in Europe. The authors came to the conclusion that in KSA, dispensing of medicines is the dominant service provided by community pharmacists and that there was very limited if not a total absence of other pharmaceutical care services.

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The prevalence of dental caries is increasing across different nations around the globe. A review of the literature shows that dental caries is adversely affecting the oral health of children, adolescents, adults and elderly populations in Saudi Arabia. The objective of this review is to report the prevalence, severity, and progression of dental caries in different age groups of Saudi communities. Digital databases such as PubMed, Medline, Google scholar, and the Saudi Dental and Medical Journals were searched to retrieve the published articles and reports on dental caries in Saudi Arabia. Search strategy included key words such as "dental caries," dental decay, decayed missing filled teeth (dmft/DMFT), and oral health. Cross-sectional, retrospective and cohort studies (from 1982 to 2012) reporting the prevalence, incidence and severity of caries among children, adults and older individuals were included in the review. In children with primary dentition ages 3-7 years, the highest caries prevalence was almost 95% and maximum estimate of dmft was 7.34 during the last decade. Approximately, 91% was the highest caries prevalence and greatest DMFT value was 7.35 among the children/adolescents ages 12-19 years. The adults with a mean age between 30 and 45 years had maximum caries prevalence of 98% and DMFT of 14.53 while older individuals had greatest DMFT score of 24.3. Children, adults, and elderly populations demonstrate a higher prevalence and greater severity of caries, and secular trends also show a striking increase in dmft/DMFT and caries prevalence rates over the past few decades in Saudi Arabia.

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