Studies characterizing Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) are limited in Oman. This study aims to assess the prevalence of NAFLD in obese Omani patients and find its relationship with other obesity-related medical conditions. Fifty-five adult obese patients were evaluated via medical history, clinical examination, and laboratory tests. Patients with any possible risk of liver injury were excluded. Diagnosis of NAFLD relied on ultrasonography criteria. Data were entered and analyzed in SPSS (version 22). The prevalence of NAFLD was calculated using frequency and percentages. Out of the total patient population, 37 (67.3%) have had NAFLD. Most of the patients (81%) were below 50 years of age. Systolic hypertension was present in 45.9%, while diastolic hypertension was present in 43.2%. AST and ALT levels were significantly increased (p<0.001) in most patients; 81.1% and 73%, respectively. Fasting blood sugar (FBS) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were higher in NAFLD patients (p<0.01). Mean levels of LDL, uric acid, and total cholesterol were significantly higher in the NAFLD patients (p<0.01). In conclusion, NAFLD and related metabolic complications are prevalent in obese Omani individuals. Keywords. NAFLD, Obesity, Oman

Background: There is a lack of studies related to the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms in Oman. The presence of the risk factors like consumption of caffeine-containing drinks, energy drinks, bad eating habits that contribute to the development of GERD were reported to be at a higher rate among medical students. This study was conducted to calculate the prevalence of GERD-related symptoms and the risk factors among medical students at the College of Medicine and Health Science, National University, Oman. Materials and methods: A questionnaire was circulated among the students of different study years which was based on the GERD Q-validated questionnaire. Additional questions were included regarding the presence of some of the risk factors of GERD. Results: Around 10.3% of the participants (43 out of 417) have satisfied the criteria of GERD Q with a statistically significant association (p>0.05) between high scoring GERD symptoms and body mass index (BMI), smoking, and the consumption of energy drinks. The most common symptoms reported were abdominal pain (59.7%), nausea (55.4%), burning sensation (47%), and regurgitation (45.6%). Conclusions: Due to the lifestyle of medical students and the high level of risk factors involved in the student's daily life; the possibility of developing GERD symptoms is high. Further confirmation of diagnosis by endoscopy will be needed.

Musculoskeletal diseases are frequently seen in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The link between low back pain and type 2 diabetes mellitus remains unclear. This study aimed to find the prevalence of low back pain among Omani patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and to determine patients’ disability related to low back pain. Methods: Two hundred patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included in this cross sectional study, who attended the diabetic clinic in Suhar polyclinic and Suhar hospital, North Batinah, Oman. Data collection tool was a pretested structured questionnaire, as well as the medical records collection for all the participants. The patients’ related disability to low back pain was assessed using the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire. Results: Of the 200 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, 60% (120) reported low back pain. From those who had low back pain, around half (50.8%) had a minimal disability and more than one third (37.6%) had a moderate disability related to low back pain. The low back pain was mostly present in females (65.9%), those with a family history of low back pain (87.6%) and those using insulin to control diabetes (100%), (P<0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of low back pain is high among Omani patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and significantly high among females, those with a family history of low back pain and those using insulin to control diabetes. A significant percentage of patients had minimal to moderate disabilities related to low back pain which necessitate an implantation of the preventative and educational measures to minimize the burden of the low back pain among diabetic patients.

Class attendance has been proven to be the main determinant of student performance; students with high attendance achieve higher academic performance. This study aimed to evaluate attendance among final-year medical students, assess its relationship with their academic performance, and examine the effect of gender on this relationship. The research methodology employed census sampling and included 248 female and 30 male medical students who had completed their final year end-of-rotation examinations over two academic years. Data about their gender, attendance and academic performance in the end-of-rotation examinations were retrieved manually by authors and registered in an Excel spreadsheet. A comparison between gender groups was performed using an independent-sample t-test. Pearson's correlation was used to study the correlation between attendance and continuous assessment and the theory and clinical scores of students in the end-of-rotation examinations. Findings revealed that attendance was better among females than males; however, the difference was insignificant. Male students performed better than female students in all exam components, with a significant difference in the theory component. The relationship between students' attendance and performance in the end-of-rotation exam revealed a statistically significant increase in student scores with attendance. The results highlight the importance of student attendance for undergraduate medical students’ performance regardless of gender. Therefore, we recommend that undergraduate medical students attend all activities to improve their understanding and academic performance.

Eye health problems are increasingly common among medical students due to prolonged screen exposure, intensive academic demands, and limited preventive practices. Although several global and regional studies have investigated this issue, data on medical students in Oman remain limited. In this cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of visual impairment and its associated risk factors among medical students at the National University of Science and Technology. Data was collected from 607 students using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 28. A total of 607 medical students participated (mean age: 21.24 ± 2.27 years), of whom 89.1% were female. The prevalence of visual impairment was 31.3% (95% CI: 27.6–35.0), with many affected students relying on corrective glasses. High screen exposure was common, with 59.0% of students reporting more than 4 hours of daily screen use for studying and 35.4% for entertainment. Visual impairment was significantly associated with a positive family history, poor sleep quality, and prolonged screen use without regular breaks (p < 0.05). It was also significantly associated with poorer academic performance and reduced class participation (p < 0.001). In conclusion, visual impairment was highly prevalent among medical students (31.3%), yet only about half of affected students used corrective glasses. Significant risk factors included a positive family history, poor sleep quality, and prolonged screen use without regular breaks. These findings highlight the need for targeted visual health promotion and preventive strategies among medical students.

Thyroid storm is an endocrine emergency with high mortality due to severe uncontrolled thyrotoxicosis, often associated with precipitating factors. The chance of survival will increase with early suspicion, prompt diagnosis, and immediate treatment. In this case report, we are presenting a 49-year-old female who came to the emergency department with acute pulmonary edema, agitation, severe tachycardia, high-grade fever with uncontrolled thyrotoxicosis. A diagnosis of thyroid storm was made. The patient presentation was following severe emotional stress after the passing of her mother-in-law. In the literature review, only a few cases reported as emotional stress induced thyroid storm, and we would like to present this life-threatening endocrine emergency.