Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and thyroid disorders are common endocrine disorders. This case–control study aims to determine the prevalence and predictors of thyroid disorders in T2DM patients. Methods: A total of 998 T2DM patients attending a tertiary hospital were included and underwent investigations for thyroid function: thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and free triiodothyronine (FT3); and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). They were compared with 343 non-diabetic subjects as controls. Results: A total of 1341 participants were included in the study. The mean age ± SD was 60.14 ± 12.21, and 47.9% were females. Among T2DM patients, 140 (14%) were known to have thyroid disorders; and as a direct result of screening, 126 (12.6%) new cases of thyroid disorder were diagnosed. Thus, the overall prevalence of thyroid disorders was found to be 26.7% in T2DM patients which significantly higher than the controls (13.7%), (p˂0.001). Subclinical hypothyroidism was the most common one. Using logistic regression, after adjusting for age, gender, obesity, smoking, anemia, presence of goiter, disease duration, and poorly controlled, the risk factors for thyroid dysfunction among T2DM patients were an age of ≥ 50 years with an adjusted OR of 3.895 (95% CI 2.151– 7.052, p< 0.001); female gender (OR 1.757, 95% CI 1.123– 2.747, p=0.013); goiter (OR 2.904, 95% CI 1.118– 7.547, p=0.029), and HbA1c> 7% (OR 2.553, 95% CI 1.472– 4.429, p=0.001). However, there were no significant associations between thyroid disorders and complications or duration of diabetes (p> 0.050). Conclusion: A high prevalence of thyroid disorders was reported in T2DM patients. Therefore, we suggest that diabetic patients should be routinely screened for thyroid dysfunction. Old age, female gender, goiter, and poorly controlled diabetes found to be risk factors for thyroid dysfunction among T2DM patients. Consequently, appropriate management and control of diabetes may lower the risk of thyroid dysfunction and vice versa.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) constitutes a major portion of Jordan’s disease burden, and incidence rates are rising at a rapid rate. Due to variability in the drug’s response between ethnic groups, it is imperative that the pharmacogenetics of metformin be investigated in the Jordanian population. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between twenty-one single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SLC22A1, SLC22A2, and SLC22A3 genes and their effects on metformin pharmacogenetics in Jordanian patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Blood samples were collected from 212 Jordanian diabetics who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, which were then used in SNP genotyping and determination of HbA1c levels. The rs12194182 SNP in the SLC22A3 gene was found to have a significant association (p < 0.05) with lower mean HbA1c levels, and this association more pronounced in patients with the CC genotype (i.e., p-value was significant before correcting for multiple testing). Moreover, the multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that SNP genotypes within the SLC22A1, SLC22A2, and SLC22A3 genes, body mass index (BMI) and age of diagnosis were significantly associated with glycemic control (p < 0.05). The results of this study can be used to predict response to metformin and other classes of T2DM drugs, making treatment more individualized and resulting in better clinical outcomes.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrinopathy among women of a reproductive age. Although not included in the diagnostic criteria, insulin resistance (IR) is a major characteristic of PCOS and may contribute to its development. The exact cause of IR remains unknown but appears to be multifactorial. Changes in the levels of leptin, adiponectin, branched‑chain amino acids (BCAAs) and/or homocysteine have been reported in women with PCOS. However, the relative contribution of the aforementioned metabolites to PCOS has not been tested in Jordan. In the present study, 154 women diagnosed with PCOS and 151 normally menstruating women matched by age and body mass index (BMI) were recruited. The levels of leptin, adiponectin, BCAAs, homocysteine and 5‑methyltetrahydrofolate (5‑MTHF) were measured in the serum of the recruited participants. It was revealed that homocysteine levels were significantly elevated in women with PCOS compared with normally menstruating women (P<0.0001), while 5‑MTHF (P=0.024), leptin (P=0.027) and adiponectin (P=0.010) levels were significantly lower. In multivariate analysis, serum homocysteine had the strongest association with PCOS and significantly increased its risk [P<0.0001; odds ratio 1.217; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.157‑1.280]. With an area under the curve of 0.855 (95% CI 0.811‑0.898) in receiver operating characteristic analysis, serum homocysteine was determined to be a good predictor for PCOS diagnosis based on Rotterdam guidelines. It was concluded that serum levels of homocysteine are elevated in women with PCOS in Jordan independent of age, BMI, or leptin, adiponectin and BCAAs levels.

Aim: Obesity is currently one of the main health problems and represents a challenge for health education programs. Experts point out that obesity is becoming a global epidemic as the number of children suffering from obesity has increased at alarming rates in developing and developed countries. The main objective of this scoping review was identifying the risk factors for overweight and obesity in school children aged 6 to 18 years. Methods: Included articles were published between January 1993 and June 2022, written in English, and focused on school children aged 6 to 18 years. The search was performed using PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase databases. In total, 153 articles were included in the final qualitative analysis of the study findings. Results: The findings of this scoping review showed that the risk factors for overweight and obesity are mainly categorized into socioeconomic and household factors, environmental factors, behavioral factors, and biological factors. In addition, the interaction between these factors was found to be a significant risk factor for overweight and obesity among school children aged 6 to 18 years. Conclusion: The study underscores the need for targeted, school-based interventions to address the risk factors contributing to overweight and obesity among school children aged 6 to 18 years. These interventions should include curriculum-embedded education about healthy eating and physical activity, fostering an environment that promotes healthy food choices and regular exercise, and incorporating behavioral modification strategies.

BACKGROUND:Myxomas are rare benign tumors of the heart. These tumors are commonly located in the left atrium, but rarely can affect the right side of the heart. Although it is a relatively rare tumor, it is the most common primary cardiac tumor, accounting for 75-80% of them. Secondary or metastatic cardiac tumors are much more common than primary tumors, accounting for more than 95% of cardiac tumors. CASE REPORT:A 38-year-old woman presented with shortness of breath and syncope. Upon investigation, she was found to have a right atrioventricular myxoma. It was associated with tricuspid regurgitation, right-sided heart failure, and pulmonary hypertension.The syncopal attacks and shortness of breath resolved completely after tumor resection. Tricuspid regurgitation (grade 1) and mild pulmonary hypertension (right ventricular systolic pressure 35 mmHg) remained as sequelae of delayed presentation. These may be due to recurrent embolization of tumor fragments to segments of the pulmonary artery. CONCLUSIONS:Cardiac myxomas should be considered in patients presenting with unexplained shortness of breath and syncope. Early diagnosis and tumor resection may prevent serious complications such as pulmonary hypertension and right-sided heart failure.

Purpose: This study aimed to characterize adult patients admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in northern Jordan. Methods: The study examined medical records of patients diagnosed with DKA from January 2015 to April 2018. Variables analyzed included diabetes type, precipitating illness, admission month, hospital length of stay, and biochemical markers. Results: Out of 232 admissions with DKA, 70% were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and 56% were females. 12% of admissions had a new diagnosis of diabetes, of which 51% had type 2 diabetes. Sepsis (48%), Non-adherence (26%), and diabetic foot infections (18%) were the most encountered precipitating factors for DKA in T1DM. As for T2DM, sepsis (52%), acute coronary syndrome (12%), and pancreatitis (8%) were the most precipitating factors for DKA. High urea levels, high creatinine levels, low phosphorous levels, low hemoglobin levels, and high platelet counts were associated with a longer hospital stay for type 1 diabetes. For type 2 diabetes, low pH on admission, old age, and high Hb A1c within 6 months of admission were factors associated with a prolonged hospital stay. The study found a significant peak of admissions for DKA in both type 1 and type 2 patients in the winter and spring months (Pearson P-value= 0.0013). Conclusion: The results of the present study highlight the seasonal variation in the frequency of DKA hospitalizations. It also highlights sepsis as the most frequent precipitating factor of DKA in both type 1 and type 2 DM patients.