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Biomedical subjects

M Khogali

Publications and source records attributed to M Khogali.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Traffic air pollution in Kuwait: preliminary results for nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide.

At 21 locations within the city of Kuwait, continuous weekly measurements were made of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and of carbon monoxide (CO): analyses were made using a chemiluminescent NOx analyser and a gas filter correlation ambient CO analyser. At 90% of the locations, the daily mean NOx concentrations exceeded 50 ppb, and in peak traffic hours the levels often reached 500 ppb. Similarly, the daily mean concentration of CO at 88% of the locations was greater than or equal to 8 ppm, and at three locations the CO concentrations were greater than 20 ppm. Throughout the week, daily differences were noted, with the lowest concentrations of pollutants recorded at the weekends. The influence of meteorological parameters was examined. The results showed that traffic was a major source of pollution in the city of Kuwait.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed1990

Epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in Arabs in Kuwait: a comparative study between Kuwaitis and Palestinians.

On December 31, 1988 there were 201 registered multiple sclerosis patients in Kuwait, an overall prevalence rate (PR) of 10.2 per 100,000; among them were 186 Arabs, of whom 72 were Palestinians and 51 Kuwaitis. Comparison of these two subgroups, who had a similar age distribution revealed that the disease was 2 1/2 times more frequent among Palestinians (PR 23.8/100,000) than among Kuwaitis (PR 9.5/100,000). Palestinians also showed significant differences from Kuwaitis in eye color, blood group distribution and HLA-DR and HLA-DQW epitopes frequency. This suggests that genetic rather than environmental factors might be the underlying cause for the high susceptibility to develop MS among Arabs originating from the Eastern Mediterranean basin.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Brucellosis in Kuwait: a clinico-epidemiological study.

The 160,000 population in Adan area, Kuwait, is served by Adan Regional Hospital. During the 6 months period mid-December, 1983 to mid-June, 1984, 68 cases of brucellosis were admitted to the hospital, an annual incidence of 85/100,000 population. Of these, 84% were Kuwaitis and Bedouins. The mean age was 32 years, range 12-70 years. The male female ratio was 1.4:1. 55 patients gave histories of consuming raw milk and 4 had close contact with animals. The highest incidence of the disease coincided with the animal delivery season and the desert camping period of Kuwaiti families. It appears that air transmission of contaminated soil is one of the main routes of Brucella infections in Kuwait.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Circulatory changes associated with heat stroke: observations in an experimental animal model.

1. Although heat stroke is a frequent cause of death in both humans and animals as a result of climatic or exercise-imposed stress, underlying mechanisms are understood poorly. In order to develop more effective strategies for prevention and treatment of this cause of death and suffering, controlled experiments were conducted on a small number of sheep to examine cardiovascular involvement in the thermoregulatory failure of heat stroke. 2. Sheep were studied in a hot environment at rest and then during exercise until collapse. 3. With exercise, mean arterial pressure (MAP) increased slightly, cardiac output (CO) increased markedly and total peripheral resistance (TPR) decreased slightly. As collapse was imminent, MAP increased but CO and TPR did not change significantly. On collapse, MAP and TPR increased markedly and CO decreased markedly. 4. Radioactive microsphere measurements demonstrated during exercise a redistribution of blood flow (BF) away from abdominal viscera and torso skin, to muscles involved in exercise, respiratory muscles, myocardium, fat, limb skin and nasobuccal tissues. With progressively increasing heat stress and exercise, BF increased in exercise muscles and decreased in limb skin and fat. As collapse was imminent, there were sharp increases in BF in exercise muscles, brain and spinal cord. On collapse, BF decreased markedly in exercise and respiratory muscles and fat. 5. It is concluded that collapse and ultimately heat stroke are not due primarily to cardiovascular 'failure' but, rather, to consequences of high body temperatures resulting from thermoregulatory failure attributable to demands for blood pressure regulation dominating requirements for body temperature regulation.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Optimization of night and shiftwork plans among policemen in Kuwait: a field experiment.

A pilot survey was designed to define incidence, rotation period, rotation direction and cycle of shiftwork plans in the production and service units in Kuwait. Preliminary results from the Ministry of Interior showed that four different shift plans are widely used. Forty policemen, ten from each shift plan, volunteered to fill in a diary for a period of two or more cycles. The diary was comprised of a set of questions planned to reveal disturbances in sleep duration, sleep quality, food intake and appetite. The daily questionnaire also covered psychosomatic complaints and subjective judgement of recovery. A control group, on permanent day work, volunteered to fill in the diary for the same period. The results indicated that one of the four shift plans was quite satisfactory and least harmful to the policemen. Two plans were associated with excessive strain during working days, but the number of free days was sufficient to achieve complete recovery. The fourth plan was associated with excessive strain during working days and recovery was not achieved after 24 h of rest at the end of the shift cycle.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in heat stroke.

Blood coagulation and fibrinolysis were assessed in 55 cases of heat stroke who presented with or without bleeding tendencies during the Makkah pilgrimage of 1983. 17 patients were identified to have evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Bleeders with DIC had a higher incidence of shock and a higher mortality when compared to non-bleeders. Thrombocytopenia and liver cell damage were not limited to cases with DIC. Coagulation factors and serum enzyme studies suggested non-specific tissue damage as the trigger mechanism for DIC possibly proceeding through the extrinsic system of blood clotting. We conclude that the breakdown of haemostasis in heat stroke is multifactorial: thrombocytopenia, liver cell damage and DIC.

Blood Coagulation↗
PubMed1979

Heatstroke.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Air↗
PubMed1979

Tuberculosis among immigrants in the United Kingdom: the role of occupational health services.

Immigrant workers in the United Kingdom account for 7.8% of the working population. Their health problems fall into three groups--imported diseases, occupational accidents, and acquired diseases. In the latter group, tuberculosis is still a major problem. A retrospective study tracing notifiable cases of tuberculosis to points of entry at Heathrow Airport indicates that the majority of immigrants acquire the disease after entry. The occupational health services have a great role to play in detecting the new cases very early and in providing appropriate screening and follow-up. Proper co-ordination between occupational and community health services will give the best results and lead to a rapid decline of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Assessment of the M.Sc. course in Occupational Medicine at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 1969--74.

The M.Sc. course in Occupational Medicine started in September 1969 at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Between 1969--74, ninety-eight doctors attended this 9 month full-time course. Thirty-four were British and sixty-four from overseas. A questionnaire was mailed to all of them. Eighty-four replied, i.e. a response rate of 86%. Thirty-one of the U.K. doctors and fifty-three of the overseas replied. The difference between the UK and overseas doctors working full-time in occupational medicine was very marked before and after the course. 100% of the U.K. doctors and 89% of the overseas thought their objectives of attending the course were fulfilled. 97% of the U.K. doctors said the course covered the problems of their country as compared with 77% of the overseas. 100% of the U.K. doctors found the knowledge gained of practical value to their work. Suggestions were also made on topics taught and on the practical instruction of the course. It appears that the M.Sc. course is successful and that the objectives outlined when starting the M.Sc. were to a great extent fulfilled. The new changes introduced this year 1976 in the organization and the content of the course are also discussed, and their advantages emphasized.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1976

Byssinosis: a follow-up study of cotton ginnery workers in the Sudan.

A follow-up study of lung function tests and dust measurements was undertaken in ginnery workers employed in five ginning factories. Respiratory symptoms and respiratory function tests (FEV1 and FVC) were first recorded in 1967 on a total of 382 workers (323 permanently employed ginnery workers, 35 seasonal farfara workers, and 24 fire brigade men as controls). In 1969 after a six-month break from ginning before the start of the season, a follow-up study of lung function tests was undertaken on 96% of the same workers (306 ginnery workers, 35 farfara, and 24 fire brigade men). Because of the lapse of two years a new adjustment for age and height was made so as to compare the FEV1 measured in the follow-up study. The fire brigade men showed an expected fall in FEV1 during the two-year period, whereas the ginnery workers showed a rise presumably because they had had no dust exposure during the previous six months. The differences between the degree of change in these groups were statistically significant. In 1967 only the fine dust (less than 7 mum) was measured, while in 1969 the concentration of fine and medium dust, that is, less fly was measured. The factories were divided into three groups according to dust concentration. Comparison between the three factory groups and farfara shows a positive association between the level of dust concentration less fly and the prevalence of cough and phlegm. Since age did not appear to be a significant factor in the prevalence of byssinosis, comparisons between permanent workers in these three groups of factories and farfara workers taken separately were made without age standardization. The overall differences were statistically significant. There was a marked trend showing a positive association between prevalence of byssinosis and level of cotton dust concentration in the factories. The correlation between dust levels and the prevalence of byssinosis was nearly perfect when the time factor was included.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of hyperthermia on brain auditory evoked potentials in the conscious sheep.

To assess the effect of hyperthermia on brain function of conscious sheep, auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) were studied. Auditory brain-stem potentials (BAEPs) and mid-latency potentials (MLPs) to monaural rarefaction click stimuli were recorded as the potential difference between midline skull screws and mastoid electrodes. Hyperthermia was induced by a combined passive heat and work stress in a climatic chamber. Brain temperature was monitored with a thermistor in the parietal lobe. Hyperthermia resulted in a progressive decrease in the absolute latencies of the BAEPs up to the time of heat-induced collapse. There was a similar decrease in the latencies of MLPs up to a brain temperature of 42.0 degrees C +/- 0.3 degrees C (mean +/- S.D.), while there was prolongation of latencies at higher brain temperatures. The wave form of the BAEPs (I-V) persisted up to the time of heat-induced collapse. In contrast those of MLPs showed reproducible changes in the form of flattening or splitting of the Pa wave at a brain temperature of 41.8 degrees C +/- 0.7 degrees C, reversible with cooling. That temperature was also associated with behavioural changes reversible with cooling. A complete loss of the MLP waves occurred at a brain temperature of 42.9 degrees C +/- 0.6 degrees C which was not reversed with whole body cooling and immediately preceded the heat-induced collapse. This study demonstrates that hyperthermia in the conscious sheep produces potentially damaging effects on the central nervous system once a critical brain temperature (41.8 degrees C +/- 7.0 degrees C) is exceeded and that the MLPs are more sensitive indicators of this damage than BAEPs.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Height and lung function in preadolescent children of Kuwaitis and European origin: a pilot survey on health effects of gas cooking in the Middle East.

Spirometric testing, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in .5 s (FEV0.5), FEF25-75%, and peak expiratory flow resistance (PEFR), was conducted among 130 10-y-old children (67 Kuwaitis, 63 Europeans) who lived with their parents in the same area in Kuwait city. Lung function of children who lived in houses with gas stoves were compared with those who lived in homes supplied with electric cookers. The FEV0.5 for children who lived in households with gas stoves was significantly lower (average difference, 94 ml; p = .05; corrected to height and sex). Other lung function indices, i.e., FVC, FEF25-75%, and PEFR, were also lower but, after accounting for confounders, were not statistically significant. Children from households that were equipped with gas cookers were approximately 3 cm shorter than children who lived in homes with electric cookers. These findings suggest that children who live in a very hot and dry climate--even with efficient air conditioning systems--are susceptible to the same environmental hazards to which children from other climatic zones are exposed. This susceptibility may be more pronounced before or at the onset of puberty.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The nature of human brucellosis in Kuwait: study of 379 cases.

Three hundred seventy-nine Kuwaiti patients with brucellosis were admitted to Adan General Hospital, Kuwait, during the period 1984-1985. Of these 231 were males and 148 were females. Diagnosis was based on symptoms and signs compatible with the disease and on the detection of significantly elevated antibody titer and/or positive blood culture. The primary means of exposure were the consumption of raw milk and contact with goats, sheep, or camels. Patients most frequently presented with fever (91%), chills (40%), sweats (39%), gastrointestinal symptoms (30%), headache (23%), respiratory symptoms (23%), and musculoskeletal symptoms (22%). The major signs were osteoarticular involvement (37%), hepatosplenomegaly (27%), and lymphadenopathy (9%). Different regimens of treatment were used, but the highest rate of cure was achieved with triple therapy--tetracycline, streptomycin, and rifampin.

Adolescent↗