Background: AI platforms are equipped with advanced ‎algorithms that have the potential to offer a wide range of ‎applications in healthcare services. However, information about the accuracy of AI chatbots against ‎conventional drug-drug interaction tools is limited‎. This study aimed to assess the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4, Bing AI, and Bard in predicting drug-drug interactions. Methods: AI-based chatbots (ie, ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4, Microsoft Bing AI, and Google Bard) were compared for their abilities to detect clinically relevant DDIs for 255 drug pairs. Descriptive statistics, such as specificity, sensitivity, accuracy, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV), were calculated for each tool. Results: When a subscription tool was used as a reference, the specificity ranged from a low of 0.372 (ChatGPT-3.5) to a high of 0.769 (Microsoft Bing AI). Also, Microsoft Bing AI had the highest performance with an accuracy score of 0.788, with ChatGPT-3.5 having the lowest accuracy rate of 0.469. There was an overall improvement in performance for all the programs when the reference tool switched to a free DDI source, but still, ChatGPT-3.5 had the lowest specificity (0.392) and accuracy (0.525), and Microsoft Bing AI demonstrated the highest specificity (0.892) and accuracy (0.890). When assessing the consistency of accuracy across two different drug classes, ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4 showed the highest ‎variability in accuracy. In addition, ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4, and Bard exhibited the highest ‎fluctuations in specificity when analyzing two medications belonging to the same drug class. Conclusion: Bing AI had the highest accuracy and specificity, outperforming Google’s Bard, ChatGPT-3.5, and ChatGPT-4. The findings highlight the significant potential these AI tools hold in transforming patient care. While the current AI platforms evaluated are not without limitations, their ability to quickly analyze potentially significant interactions with good sensitivity suggests a promising step towards improved patient safety.

Background: The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) represents a difficult challenge and could have devastating consequences for the healthcare system and healthcare workers in war-torn countries with poor healthcare facilities such as Yemen. Our study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, preparedness, counselling practices of healthcare workers regarding COVID-19, and the perceived barriers to adequately prevent and control COVID-19 in Yemen. Methods: Healthcare workers (HCWs) from major healthcare facilities participated in this cross-sectional study. A self-administered questionnaire comprising of five main domains (demographics, knowledge, self-preparedness, counselling practice, perceived barriers) was distributed among HCWs after obtaining informed consent. A convenient sampling technique was used. Descriptive and inferential analyses were applied using SPSS software. Results: A total of 1000 participants were initially targeted to participate in the study with 514 (51.4%) responding, of which 55.3% were female. Physicians and nurses constituted the largest proportion of participants, with 39.5% and 33.3%, respectively. The median scores for knowledge, self-preparedness, and counselling practice were 8 (out of 9), 9 (out of 15), and 25 (out of 30), respectively. The physician group showed a statistically significant association with better knowledge compared to the nurse group only, P<0.001. Males had higher preparedness scores than females, p<0.001. Also, the intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency departments presented a statistically significant difference by which the participants from these departments were more prepared compared to the others (e.g. outpatients, paediatrics and surgery) with P < 0.0001. The lack of awareness among the general population about COVID-19 preventive measures was perceived as the most common barrier for the adequate prevention and control of COVID-19 in Yemen (89.1%). Conclusion: The major highlight of this study is that HCWs have, overall, good knowledge, suboptimal preparedness, and adequate counselling practices prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Yemen, despite the high number of perceived barriers. However, urgent action and interventions are needed to improve the preparedness of HCWs to manage COVID-19. The perceived barriers also need to be fully addressed by the local healthcare authorities and international organisations working in Yemen for adequate prevention and control measures to be in place in managing COVID-19.

Predicting stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) is crucial for intensifying preventive measures and decreasing morbidity and mortality. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the association between base...

Background: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, many pharmaceutical companies have been racing to develop a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. Simultaneously, rumors and misinformation about COVID-19 are still widely spreading. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of COVID-19 misinformation among the Yemeni population and its association with vaccine acceptance and perceptions. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in four major cities in Yemen. The constructed questionnaire consisted of four main sections (sociodemographic data, misinformation, perceptions (perceived susceptibility, severity, and worry), and vaccination acceptance evaluation). Subject recruitment and data collection were conducted online utilizing social websites and using the snowball sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using SPSS version 27. Results: The total number of respondents was 484. Over 60% of them were males and had a university education. More than half had less than 100$ monthly income and were khat chewers, while only 18% were smokers. Misinformation prevalence ranged from 8.9% to 38.9%, depending on the statement being asked. Men, university education, higher income, employment, and living in urban areas were associated with a lower misinformation level (p <0.05). Statistically significant association (p <0.05) between university education, living in urban areas, and being employed with perceived susceptibility were observed. The acceptance rate was 61.2% for free vaccines, but it decreased to 43% if they had to purchase it. Females, respondents with lower monthly income, and those who believed that pharmaceutical companies made the virus for financial gains were more likely to reject the vaccination (p <0.05). Conclusion: The study revealed that the acceptance rate to take a vaccine was suboptimal and significantly affected by gender, misinformation, cost, and income. Furthermore, being female, non-university educated, low-income, and living in rural areas were associated with higher susceptibility to misinformation about COVID-19. These findings show a clear link between misinformation susceptibility and willingness to vaccinate. Focused awareness campaigns to decrease misinformation and emphasize the vaccination’s safety and efficacy might be fundamental before initiating any mass vaccination in Yemen.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) affects up to 30% of the global population, yet effective pharmacological treatments remain limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of GLP-1 receptor agonists and dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonists in managing MAFLD. We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Scopus, through July 2025. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing GLP-1 receptor agonists or dual GLP-1/GIP GIP receptor Agonists in managing MAFLD patients were included. Primary outcomes included liver fat content, liver enzymes, and glycemic parameters. Meta-analyses were performed with subgroup analyses by receptor target, treatment duration, control type, and age. In addition, implementing a formal GRADE evaluation framework. Twenty-six trials involving 3,453 participants were included. GLP-1 receptor agonists significantly reduced liver fat content (MD: -3.37%, 95% CI: -4.98 to -1.76, p < 0.001), ALT levels (SMD: -0.47, 95% CI: -0.73 to -0.22, p < 0.001), and AST levels (SMD: -0.29, 95% CI: -0.53 to -0.05, p < 0.05). Significant improvements were observed in HbA1c (SMD: -0.67, 95% CI: -0.99 to -0.34, p < 0.001), fasting glucose (MD: -0.60 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.92 to -0.27, p < 0.001), HOMA-IR (SMD: -0.34, 95% CI: -0.66 to -0.02, p < 0.05), and total cholesterol (MD: -0.23 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.30 to -0.15, p < 0.001). Liver stiffness showed no significant improvement (MD: -0.12 kPa, 95% CI: -0.75 to 0.50, p = 0.70). Dual GLP-1/GIP agonists demonstrated superior efficacy compared to mono GLP-1 agonists for reducing liver fat (MD: -7.15, 95% CI: -10.23 to -4.07, p < 0.001 versus MD: -2.44, 95% CI: -4.18 to -0.71, p < 0.01), representing a 2.9-fold greater effect. Long-term treatment (lasting over 48 weeks) demonstrated enhanced benefits across all outcomes. Overall, changes in body weight were not significant (MD: -1.51 kg, 95% CI: -4.07 to 1.06, p = 0.25). This meta-analysis provides evidence for the effectiveness of GLP-1 receptor agonists in managing MAFLD, with dual GLP-1/GIP agonists demonstrating superior hepatic benefits. Long-term therapy (lasting more than 48 weeks) is necessary for optimal outcomes. These findings support clinical implementation, particularly for patients with concurrent diabetes or obesity, positioning dual agonists as promising advancements in treatment.

The link between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and osteoporosis is unclear and yet to be understood. The study goals were to detect the prevalence of osteoporosis and investigate its predictors among COPD patients. This is a longitudinal study conducted in a tertiary care setting. During the study, patients' bone mineral density was checked, pulmonary parameters were recorded, and a risk assessment tool was validated. Based on T-score, more than 50% of subjects were osteoporotic. Spirometric parameters were significantly lower among osteoporotic patients. For the risk assessment tool, a cutoff point of 34 made the optimum balance between sensitivity and specificity (0.867 and 0.087, respectively) with a generated area under the curve of 0.934. Severe COPD patients were four times at higher risk of getting osteoporosis, forced expiratory volume (FEV) % predicted, and FEV/forced vital capacity was inversely related to the risk of osteoporosis. Patients with severe dyspnea had twice the risk of getting osteoporosis. Osteoporosis was prevalent among COPD patients, and severe COPD patients were at higher risk of getting osteoporosis.