Allergic rhinitis is a significant public health concern worldwide, affecting both developed and developing countries, with prevalence rates ranging between 10% and 30% in adults and over 40% in children. However, there are limited studies on allergic rhinitis prevalence in Saudi Arabia. To explore allergic rhinitis among schoolchildren in Saudi Arabia in terms of prevalence, severity, and risk factors. This study was conducted between March and April 2019, covering 20 regions. The study employed a multistage, stratified cluster sampling approach and selected 137 primary and 140 intermediate schools. The research utilized the methodology and questionnaires recommended by the Global Asthma Network (GAN). Data analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 23). The completed questionnaires in the analysis comprised 3614 children aged 6–7 years old and 4068 adolescents aged 13–14 years old. The study found that 5.6% of children and 14.0% of adolescents reported current rhinoconjunctivitis, with 0.5% of children and 1.3% of adolescents experiencing severe symptoms. Several risk factors were significantly associated with rhinoconjunctivitis. In children 6–7 years old, eating cooked vegetables was inversely associated with rhinoconjunctivitis, while prematurity, wheezing in infancy, and a history of pneumonia were positively associated with the condition. In adolescents, vigorous physical activity, current exposure to cats, and frequent use of paracetamol were found to be the main risk factors associated with rhinoconjunctivitis, while high consumption of pulses and eggs was found to have a protective effect. In Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of rhinoconjunctivitis in children is lower than average globally, but among adolescents, it is within the global average range. However, the prevalence of severe rhinoconjunctivitis among adolescents is twice the global average. Further research is required to examine regional differences, track trends over time, and explore risk factors that contribute to allergic rhinitis.

About 2-3 million pilgrims come to Makkah, Saudi Arabia from all countries to perform Hajj. During the Hajj season of 2019 (1440 H), the total number of pilgrims was 2,489,406, of whom 1,855,027 came from foreign countries. This study aims to investigate the prevalence, pattern, and findings of emergency health problems among pilgrims travelling through King Abdul Aziz International Airport Health Care Center (KAIA-HC) at Hajj Terminal in Jeddah during hajj season of 1440-H. A cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of pilgrims coming for treatment at KAIA-HC, before and after Hajj between 1 Dhul Qi’dah to 29 Dhul Hijjah 1440 AH (Corresponding to 4 July to 31 August 2019 AD). The collected data included demographics, medical history, diagnoses of the emergency health problems, infections, and their findings. Data were analyzed using Epi Info 7 and SPSS 25. About 296 (3.87%) of 7,643 pilgrims treated at KAIA-HC were emergency cases. Their average age was 43 years (Standard Deviation (SD) ±7.5); 51.3% were females; the highest (45.3%) was between 30 – 59 years age group, both males and females; the highest two nationalities were Indonesian (14.2%) and Egyptian (12.5%). Diagnoses included hypertension 59(19.9%), bronchial asthma 53 (17.9%), and 23 cases (10.5%) were suffering from hypotension. 16 (5.4%) of patients had a myocardial infarction and 10 (3.4%) had cerebrovascular accidents. In 13 cases (4.4%), a chest infection was reported. Diabetes complications (hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and diabetic ketoacidosis) were reported in 28 (9.4%) of the cases. There were 28 (9.5%) surgical diagnoses, 13 (4.4%) were cut wounds, 11 (3.7%) were bone fracture and dislocation, and 4 (1.4%) were head trauma. With regard to the findings, 82 (27.7%) were referred to hospitals; 10 (3.3%) cases required Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation, seven of whom survived. The most common referral causes were myocardial Infarction amounting 12(4.05%), followed by cerebrovascular accident 10(3.3%) and chest infection in 8 (2.7%). 13 (4.4%) of the total cases died. The most common causes of death were myocardial infarction, asthma, hypertension and hyperglycemia. Our study emphasizes that emergency cases presented at KAIA-HC were few. Cardiovascular diseases represented the main reason for emergency cases, followed by respiratory diseases. 51% of patients were discharged without the need for a higher level of medical care.

This study aimed to assess patient-related factors associated with the LOS among adults admitted to the ICU in Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Health provided a cross-sectional dataset for 2021, which served as the data source for this study. The data included data on adults admitted to different ICUs at various hospitals. The number of days spent in the ICU was the outcome variable of interest. The potential predictors were age, sex, and nationality, as well as clinical data from the time of admission. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis were used to analyse the association between the predictors and the ICU LOS and characterize how they were distributed. We used negative binomial regression to examine the relationship between the study predictors and the ICU LOS. A total of 42,884 individuals were included in this study, of whom 25,520 were men and 17,362 were women. The overall median ICU LOS was three days. This study showed that the ICU LOS was highly influenced by the patient’s age, sex, nationality, source of admission, and clinical history. Several predictors that affect how long adults stay in the ICU in Saudi Arabian hospitals were identified in this study. These factors can be attributed to variances in health care delivery systems, patient demographics, and cultural considerations. To allocate resources efficiently, enhance patient outcomes, and create focused treatments to reduce ICU LOS, it is essential to comprehend these elements.

BACKGROUND: The burden of disability among the older population is increasing as older people grow with significant social and economic negative impacts. AIM: This study examines functional disability and its associated risk factors among older Saudi citizens attending primary health-care centers (PHCCs) in Riyadh city. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 504 older Saudi citizens aged ≥60 years who attended a PHCC in Riyadh city between December 2019 and May 2020. Interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to assessing the disability in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) using the Katz Index and Lawton scale. RESULTS: The prevalence of ADL and IADL disability among participants was 24.6% and 58.5%, respectively. Smoking (p = 0.019), dyslipidemia (p = 0.018), rheumatoid arthritis (p = 0.028), history of falls (p = 0.014), and an emergency visit (p = 0.049) were risk factors associated with ADL disability. Predictors of IADL disability were advanced age (p = 0.004), being female (p = 0.029), and the need for a caregiver (p = 0.000). The need for homecare was positively associated with ADL dependency (p = 0.008) and IADL dependency (p = 0.003). Furthermore, regular physical activity was a protective factor against ADL functional disabilities (p = 0.002) and IADL functional disabilities (p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: This study found a high prevalence of ADL and IADL disability among elderly Saudis. Disability was associated with several sociodemographic and health status factors. The findings of this study highlight the priority of effective and targeted preventive interventions for disability.

Botulism is an uncommon and possibly lethal disease caused by botulinum neurotoxins, produced by Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium butyricum, and Clostridium baratii. Food-borne botulism typically results from consuming homemade canned, preserved, or fermented food. This paper presents the first documented occurrence of a commercially prepared food-borne botulism outbreak in Saudi Arabia. We used information from medical charts to describe the outbreak by time, place and affected persons. Individuals who consumed food from a specific restaurant chain in Riyadh within one week of its closure and experienced symptoms compatible with botulism were included. One hundred and two cases were interviewed. All clinical data, laboratory investigations, and information regarding antitoxin administration were obtained. We reviewed the results of samples collected from food handlers and the environment. The public health actions and the outbreak source investigations were detailed. A total of 50 cases have met the criteria for clinically confirmed botulism. Laboratory testing verified 10 (20 %) of the confirmed cases. Half of the cases were males with a mean age of 25.08 ( ± 6.42) and the other half were females with a mean age of 25.28 ( ± 9.38). Saudi nationals represented 90 % of cases. All cases reported eating from different branches of the same restaurant in Riyadh. The mean incubation period ranged from 4 to 101 h. Prevalent symptoms were dysphagia (80 %), dysarthria (78 %), peripheral muscle weakness (78 %), and diplopia (62 %). 96 % of cases received Antitoxin. Consumed food items included meat burgers (58 %), chicken burgers (22 %), fries (52 %), fries with meat (10 %), and sauces (100 %). BoNT types A and B were detected in one sample from a mayonnaise jar. The study outlined an outbreak of food-borne botulism associated with commercially processed items. The early administration of antitoxins, high index of suspicion, and effective source control considerably reduced morbidity and mortality. It is uncommon for mayonnaise to cause botulism, so further testing is necessary to confirm this relationship. We recommend higher measures of monitoring and improving the food sector's preservation, storage, and quality control.

This study investigated the prevalence of sickle cell disease, β-thalassemia, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) and their demographic associations in Riyadh, KSA. A retrospective cross-sectional design was used for this study. National data were obtained from The Healthy Marriage Program for the Riyadh region. Variables involved in the data collection tool were demographic data, lab results for hematology and serology tests and diagnosis, and the status of the certificate. A single sample K-S test was used to determine the normality of the data. We used the multiple logistic regression model. The odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were reported for both bivariate and multivariable analyses. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The study screened a total of 916,295 participants, comprising 452,474 in 2021 and 463,821 in 2022. The sex distribution was 51.7% male and 48.3% female, with a mean age (± standard deviation) of 43 (±11.8) in 2021 and 41 (±11.9) in 2022. Among the participants, there were 196 sickle cell disease (SCD) cases and 4610 carriers. Additionally, 1069 participants tested positive for infectious diseases. Sex was a notable factor in SCD, HIV, HBV, and HCV cases. Our findings highlight the importance of ongoing surveillance and intervention efforts through programs such as premarital screening and genetic counseling programs. These initiatives are crucial for identifying at-risk individuals and reducing the burden of genetic disorders and infectious diseases with targeted public health strategies. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to monitor trends and assess the long-term impact of preventive measures on disease prevalence and distribution in the region.