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Biomedical subjects

E B Larbi

Publications and source records attributed to E B Larbi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Haematological, lipid profile and other biochemical parameters in normal and hypertensive subjects among the population of the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the lipid profile complete blood count and other biochemical parameters in normotensive and hypertensive individuals. DESIGN: Cross-sectional population-based epidemiological household survey. SETTING: Population sample of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: Hypertensive individuals had significantly higher mean levels of glucose, Tc, LDL-c, HDL-c, triglycerides and HBAIc, compared to normotensive individuals while there were no significant difference in the mean levels of Apo AI and Apo B. Within the same group there were variations in the levels of certain parameters between male and female. While the mean levels of haemoglobin, WBC and platelets were significantly higher in the hypertensive group compared to normotensive, there were no significant differences between these two groups in the levels of RBC, MCV, HCT, MCH and MCHC. However, the mean levels haemoglobin, RBC count and HCT were significantly higher in male compared to female within the same group with no significant difference in levels of WBC, MCV, MCH and MCHC. Furthermore, the mean concentration of platelets was significantly higher in females compared to male within the same group. Hypertensive individuals had significantly higher serum sodium, chloride and calcium levels but a significantly lower potassium level when compared to normotensive with no siginificant differences between male and female within the same group. CONCLUSION: The lipid and electrolyte profile of hypertensive individuals differ from that of normotensive individuals in this population. This study has contributed towards establishing the normal values for a number of parameters involved in the aetiology of cardiovascular diseases in the population of Eastern province.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Drug induced rhabdomyolysis: case report.

Rhabdomyolysis results from skeletal muscle injury leading to the release of intracellular contents into blood and urine. Its diverse aetiology includes severe exercise, muscle trauma or ischaemia, metabolic disorders, infections and exposure to drugs and toxins. Known risk factors include heredity disorders of glycogen and lipid metabolism as well as a history of substance abuse. A case of rhabdomyolysis associated with exposure to opiates and benzodiazepines is described and the pathogenesis and treatment are reviewed. The rhabdomyolysis was complicated by acute renal failure; the patient fully recovered. It is suggested that rhabdomyolysis should be borne in mind in patients presenting with altered mental status, or fluid and electrolyte abnormalities, in particular, if they also give a history of substance abuse.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1995

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of cisapride in Saudi Arabs with functional dyspepsia.

BACKGROUND: Trials on functional dyspepsia (FD) have been performed mostly in Western populations. We evaluated the effect of cisapride in Saudi Arabs with FD. METHODS: In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial patients were treated with cisapride three times daily or matching placebo and assessed at 2 and 4 weeks. RESULTS: Cisapride (n = 44) was significantly superior to placebo (n = 45) in improving heartburn, postprandial bloating, epigastric pain, early satiety, epigastric burning, and nausea. The global response to treatment was excellent or good in 86.7% and 26.7% of the cisapride and placebo groups, respectively. Treatment was judged more effective than the previous therapy in 86.4% and 33.3% of those receiving cisapride and placebo, respectively. There were no adverse drug effects. CONCLUSIONS: Cisapride is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for FD in Saudi Arabs. Pharmacogenetic factors are unlikely to play any role in its effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

A randomized, double-blind, clinical trial of topical clotrimazole versus miconazole for treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.

The parenteral treatment currently available for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is painful and potentially exposes patients to serious side effects. Thus, effective, topical therapy would be valuable. We assessed the efficacy of topical 1% clotrimazole and 2% miconazole creams in relation to early healing of lesions in CL in a randomized, double-blind clinical trial in 54 patients with 151 lesions treated for 30 consecutive days. Response to treatment was assessed at two weeks and 30 days and classified as fully healed, size reduced, no change, and size increased or worse. Of 89 lesions treated with clotrimazole, 14 (15.7%) healed fully, 42 (47.2%) were reduced in size, 20 (22.5%) showed no change, and 13 (14.6%) got worse. Correspondingly, in the 62 lesions treated with miconazole, none healed fully, 22 (35.5%) were reduced in size, 16 (25.8%) showed no change, and 24 (38.7%) got worse. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.001). No side effects were observed. It is concluded that clotrimazole was the more effective of the two imidazoline compounds and is recommended as initial treatment for simple lesions.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1994

Tuberculous pleural effusion in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.

The incidence and clinical pattern of tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) and the contribution of individual laboratory procedures in the diagnosis of TPE were assessed in a five year prospective study. Two hundred and fifty-three patients presenting in three participating hospitals with pleural effusion (PE) were assessed clinically and had various laboratory investigations. Eighty-nine (35.2%) of them, including 73 (82%) men and 31 (34.8%) Saudis had TPE. Their mean age +/- SD was 33.4 +/- 11.2 years. Main symptoms in rank order were cough (80%), fever (75%), shortness of breath (64%), chest pain (61%), anorexia and weight loss (47%). PPD was positive in 82 (92%) patients. Positive culture or histological evidence of tuberculosis (TB) was observed in pleural biopsy (68.5%), pleural fluid (10%) and sputum (2%). Pleural fluid microscopy was positive in only one patient, chest radiological features of TB in 3 (3.4%). Six months anti-TB therapy resulted in complete recovery in 86 patients. It is concluded that in this community TPE constitutes over a third of all the causes of PE. The relatively young age of patients reflects the age structure of the indigenous population as well as immigrant workers. PPD, histology and culture of pleural biopsy were the most useful diagnostic tools while pleural fluid and sputum microscopy were unhelpful. The 6-months anti-TB therapy was excellent.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Pattern of pleural effusion in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia: a prospective study.

In order to establish the clinical pattern and aetiology of pleural effusion in adults in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia, all patients aged 18 years and above presenting with clinical and radiological evidence of pleural effusion, between 1st December 1987 and 30th November 1991, at three participating hospitals, were prospectively studied. Of the 201 (145 male, and 56 female) patients recruited, 102 (51%) were Saudis; their mean age was 43.4 +/- 17.8 years. Pleural effusion was more common on the right side (56%) than the left (32%). In rank order, the most common diagnoses were tuberculosis (37%), neoplasm (18%), parapneumonia (14%), and congestive cardiac failure (14%). There were a variety of other causes. The aetiology was indeterminate in only 3 (1.5%) patients. Patients with tuberculosis (75 patients) were relatively young (mean age 33.4 years) and 50 (67%) of them were expatriates, mainly from the Indian subcontinent and Yemen. Of the diagnostic procedures, the most useful were histological examination and culture of pleural biopsy. The contribution of culture and cytology of pleural fluid to diagnosis was rather small. It is concluded that the clinical pattern and aetiology of pleural effusion observed in this study are similar to those of the developing countries, although they seem to have been influenced by the large migrant labour force in the country.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Subacute toxicity of pentavalent antimony compounds in rats.

A subacute toxicity study of pentavalent antimony (Sb) compounds, sodium stibogluconate (SSG) and meglumine antimoniate (MA) was carried out in rats. Three groups of 10 rats each were treated with saline (control group), 300 mg Sb kg-1 d-1 or 900 mg Sb kg-1 d-1 of SSG for 30 d. A parallel study of similar type was conducted for MA. Compared with controls, drug-treated rats showed an impairment of feeding habits and retardation of weight gain (P less than 0.01) during the treatment period. In both SSG- and MA-treated rats there was a dose-related reduction in haemoglobin concentration (P less than 0.001), and hematocrit (P less than 0.001). Red cell count was reduced in SSG-treated rats only. Both drugs, however, significantly raised the white cell count (P less than 0.05). These changes were more pronounced with SSG them with MA. There was no change in MCV, MCH and MCHC. SSG, 900 mg Sb kg-1 d-1, significantly raised AST (P less than 0.005), ALT (P less than 0.01) and alkaline phosphatase activity (P less than 0.01). SSG-treated rats also had raised BUN (P less than 0.01) and creatinine (P less than 0.001), but no significant change in bilirubin levels. MA significantly raised AST (P less than 0.01), ALT (P less than 0.01), BUN (P less than 0.001) and serum creatinine levels (P less than 0.001), but had no appreciable effect on bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase levels. Both SSG and MA decreased blood glucose levels (P less than 0.01) and induced proteinuria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1992

Evaluation of topical ketoconazole in cutaneous leishmaniasis.

The efficacy of topical ketoconazole in cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by L. major was assessed in an open trial. Ten patients with twenty two lesions of CL, confirmed by smear/or biopsy, were recruited into the study. Of the twenty two lesions treated, three increased in size and lesion characteristics worsened, ten showed no change but in nine there was some improvement in lesion characteristics. No lesion healed completely. No side effects were reported in nine. Topically applied ketoconazole is safe but does not significantly alter the course of CL. The differences in the results of systematically administered and topically applied ketoconazole may be due to differences in the pharmacokinetics of the drug when it is administered by different routes.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1989

A clinical study of stroke.

The records of 99 Saudis (68 males and 31 females) admitted to the King Fahd Hospital of the University (KFHU) over a two-year period were reviewed. There was a male to female ratio of 2.2:1. Eighty-five (86%) patients were above 44 years old. All the patients under 44 years old were males. The major predisposing factors identified were hypertension (65%), diabetes mellitus (36%), cardiac disease (20%) and cigarette smoking (29%). The combination of hypertension and diabetes mellitus seemed to carry a higher risk especially in women. Motor dysfunction, encountered in 95 (96%) patients was the dominant clinical feature, and presented mainly as hemiparesis (83 out of 95). Impaired level of consciousness at presentation carried a poor prognosis particularly in the elderly.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Plasma potassium in hypertensive Africans on frusemide.

The effects of potassium chloride (as Slow-K 600 mg three times daily) and spironolactone (as Aldactone A 25 mg four times daily) were compared in hypertensive African patients on frusemide. Mean plasma-potassium levels in patients on frusemide plus Slow-K and frusemide plus Aldactone-A rose from 3.6 to 3.8 mOsm/L whilst on frusemide alone mean plasma-potassium fell from 3.7 to 3.6 mOsm/L. The mean blood pressure, both systolic and diastolic, was significantly reduced in the frusemide plus Aldactone-A group when compared with patients on frusemide alone or on frusemide plus Slow-K.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Blood pressure distribution in a rural Ghanaian population.

Hypertension and related complications appear, from clinical impression, to be increasing problems in urban Ghanaians. In early 1973 we conducted a blood pressure survey in 20 rural Ghanaian villages to determine the prevalence of hypertension, in comparison with studies done in Accra residents and black Americans. Rural Ghanaians had mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures which were lower at all ages than the urban groups. 2-5% of the subjects aged 16 to 54 years had diastolic blood pressures of 95 or higher mm Hg. These findings are discussed in view of the proposed hypertension control programme in Accra. We conclude that hypertension is not a significant health problem in rural Ghanaians and that large-scale hypertension case-finding and intervention programmes should be confined to urban populations.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus as a community pathogen.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is an established nosocomial pathogen, with hospital-based outbreaks occurring worldwide. An increase in MRSA infections without risk factors has been recently documented in several reports. A prospective study was conducted over a 36-month period to determine the prevalence and risk factors for community-acquired MRSA infection at King Fahad Hospital of the University Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Patients hospitalized within the previous 12 months or transfers from hospitals or nursing homes were excluded. The number of patients with community-acquired MRSA disease increased from a single patient in 1998 to fifteen patients in the year 2000 and the percentage of community-acquired MRSA/total number of MRSA increased from 5% to 33%. Fifteen (75%) of 20 patients with community-acquired MRSA infection had no discernible characteristics of MRSA infections. Skin and soft tissue infections were the predominant presentation. Most MRSA isolates (95%) were susceptible to multiple antibiotics. Our data suggest that MRSA is an emerging community pathogen. Hospital infection control strategies will have to be redefined and community approaches developed to reduce transmission.

Adolescent↗