scholarly journals Amblyopia risk factors among pediatric patients in a hospital-based setting using photoscreening

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254831
Author(s):  
Christiane Al-Haddad ◽  
Zeinab El Moussawi ◽  
Stephanie Hoyeck ◽  
Carl-Joe Mehanna ◽  
Nasrine Anais El Salloukh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
American Association ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Vision Screening ◽  
Limits Of Agreement ◽  
American University ◽  
American University Of Beirut ◽  
Eye Examination ◽  
Vision Screener

Purpose The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of amblyopia risk factors in children visiting the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) using automated vision screening. Methods This was a hospital-based screening of 1102 children aged between 2 and 6 years. Vision screening was performed using PlusoptiX S12 over 2 years (2018–2020). The need for referral to a pediatric ophthalmologist was based on the amblyopia risk factors set forth by the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Referred patients underwent a comprehensive eye examination. Results A total of 1102 children were screened, 63 were referred for amblyopia risk factors (5.7%); 37/63 (59%) underwent comprehensive eye examination and 73% were prescribed glasses. Of the non-referred group of children, 6.35% had astigmatism, 6.25% were hyperopic and 3.27% were myopic. The refractive errors observed among the examined patients were distributed as follows: 41% astigmatism, 51% hyperopia, and 8% myopia; amblyopia was not detected. Refractive amblyopia risk factors were associated with the presence of systemic disorders. Bland-Altman plots showed most of the differences to be within limits of agreement. Conclusion Using an automated vision screener in a hospital-based cohort of children aged 2 to 6 years, the rate of refractive amblyopia risk factors was 5.7%. Hyperopia was the most commonly encountered refractive error and children with systemic disorders were at higher risk.

scholarly journals Early Sialadenitis After Radioactive Iodine Therapy for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: Prevalence and Predictors

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Ruba Riachy ◽  
Nisrine Ghazal ◽  
Mohamad B. Haidar ◽  
Ahmad Elamine ◽  
Mona P. Nasrallah
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Thyroid Cancer ◽  
Radioactive Iodine ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Lymph Node Involvement ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
American University ◽  
American University Of Beirut ◽  
Node Involvement ◽  
To Receive

Introduction. Sialadenitis is a frequent occurrence after radioactive iodine therapy (RAI). However, reports on its predictors and risk factors in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO) are scarce. Aim. This study aimed to identify risk factors for early sialadenitis in patients receiving RAI for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. It also aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of such patients receiving RAI at our institution. Methods. This was a retrospective study conducted at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. Medical charts were reviewed for all patients 18–79 years of age admitted to receive RAI for DTC between 01/01/2012 and 31/12/2015. Sialadenitis was deemed present if there were any records of neck swelling/pain, dry mouth, or difficulty swallowing within 48 hours of RAI administration. Characteristics between patients with sialadenitis and those without were compared to determine predictors. Results. There were 174 patients admitted to receive RAI, predominantly females (71.3%), with papillary thyroid cancer (93.1%). The majority had lymph node involvement (64.5%). Pretreatment thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was greater than 75 mIU/ml in most patients (72.6%). The prevalence of sialadenitis was 20.1% (95% CI (15–27)). Being non-Lebanese and having a positive whole-body scan were associated with sialadenitis and persisted after adjustments (OR = 2.34 and 3.99). Non-Lebanese patients had higher rates of lymph nodes involvement (p value 0.005) and were kept off levothyroxine for longer periods (p value 0.02). Conclusion. The prevalence of sialadenitis at our institution was similar to other reported studies from the world. However, risk factors allude to more iodine exposure in the neck with positive whole-body scan uptake, lymph node involvement, and prolonged period of hypothyroidism.

scholarly journals The Role of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 1 Insertion/Deletion Genetic Polymorphism in the Risk and Severity of COVID-19 Infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Halim Saad ◽  
Karna Jabotian ◽  
Carine Sakr ◽  
Rami Mahfouz ◽  
Imad Bou Akl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Genetic Polymorphism ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
American University ◽  
American University Of Beirut ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Study Population

Background: Individuals infected with the COVID-19 virus present with different symptoms of varying severity. In addition, not all individuals are infected despite exposure. Risk factors such as age, sex, and comorbidities play a major role in this variability; however, genetics may also be important in driving the differences in the incidence and prognosis of the disease. An Insertion/Deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the ACE1 gene (rs1799752) may explain these genetic differences. The aims of this study were to determine the potential role of ACE1 I/D genetic polymorphism in the risk of contracting COVID-19 as well as predicting the severity of COVID-19 infection.Methods: Three-hundred and eighty-seven non-related Lebanese subjects, 155 controls and 232 cases, who presented to the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) for COVID-19 PCR testing were recruited. Clinical data were collected via filling a questionnaire and accessing the medical records. Peripheral blood was withdrawn for DNA isolation, and genotyping performed with standard PCR followed by band visualization on agarose gel.Results: In our study population, previously described risk factors such as gender, age, and comorbidities were associated with increase in disease susceptibility and severity. ACE1 I was the least common allele, and there was a positive association between ACE1 I and the risk of contracting the COVID-19 disease. More specifically, the frequency of II genotype was significantly higher among cases when compared to controls (P = 0.035) with individuals with the II genotype having greater risk for contracting the COVID-19 disease: OR = 2.074, P = 0.048 in the multivariate analysis. As for disease severity, the DD genotype and D allele were associated with increased risk for developing severe symptoms (OR = 2.845, P = 0.026 and OR = 2.359, P = 0.014, respectively), and the DD genotype with necessitating hospitalization (OR = 2.307, P = 0.042). In parallel, D allele carriers showed a significantly increased risk for developing hypoxia: OR = 4.374, P = 0.045.Conclusion: We found a positive association between ACE1 I and the risk of contracting the COVID-19 disease, and between ACE1 D and a worse outcome of the COVID-19 infection. Therefore, genotyping for ACE1 I/D polymorphism could be used to assess risk and predict severity for better prognosis and management of the disease.

Radiology of terror injuries: the American University of Beirut Medical Center experience

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurice C. Haddad ◽  
Nabil J. Khoury ◽  
Mukbil H. Hourani
Keyword(s):  
Medical Center ◽  
American University ◽  
American University Of Beirut

scholarly journals SUMMIT (Serially Unified Multicenter Multiple Sclerosis Investigation): creating a repository of deeply phenotyped contemporary multiple sclerosis cohorts

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (11) ◽  
pp. 1485-1498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riley Bove ◽  
Tanuja Chitnis ◽  
Bruce AC Cree ◽  
Mar Tintoré ◽  
Yvonne Naegelin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Clinically Isolated Syndrome ◽  
American University ◽  
American University Of Beirut ◽  
Longitudinal Investigation ◽  
American Academic

Background: There is a pressing need for robust longitudinal cohort studies in the modern treatment era of multiple sclerosis. Objective: Build a multiple sclerosis (MS) cohort repository to capture the variability of disability accumulation, as well as provide the depth of characterization (clinical, radiologic, genetic, biospecimens) required to adequately model and ultimately predict a patient’s course. Methods: Serially Unified Multicenter Multiple Sclerosis Investigation (SUMMIT) is an international multi-center, prospectively enrolled cohort with over a decade of comprehensive follow-up on more than 1000 patients from two large North American academic MS Centers (Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Comprehensive Longitudinal Investigation of Multiple Sclerosis at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (CLIMB; BWH)) and University of California, San Francisco (Expression/genomics, Proteomics, Imaging, and Clinical (EPIC))). It is bringing online more than 2500 patients from additional international MS Centers (Basel (Universitätsspital Basel (UHB)), VU University Medical Center MS Center Amsterdam (MSCA), Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia-Vall d’Hebron Hospital (Barcelona clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) cohort), and American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC-Multiple Sclerosis Interdisciplinary Research (AMIR)). Results and conclusion: We provide evidence for harmonization of two of the initial cohorts in terms of the characterization of demographics, disease, and treatment-related variables; demonstrate several proof-of-principle analyses examining genetic and radiologic predictors of disease progression; and discuss the steps involved in expanding SUMMIT into a repository accessible to the broader scientific community.

scholarly journals Vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity in non-intensive care unit pediatric patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinhyeung Kwak ◽  
Jeong Yeon Kim ◽  
Heeyeon Cho
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
Trough Level ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Kidney Injury ◽  
Maximum Serum ◽  
Serum Trough ◽  
Youden’S Index

AbstractPrevious data suggested several risk factors for vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity (VIN), including higher daily dose, long-term use, underlying renal disease, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and concomitant use of nephrotoxic medications. We conducted this study to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of VIN and to estimate the cut-off serum trough level for predicting acute kidney injury (AKI) in non-ICU pediatric patients. This was a retrospective, observational, single-center study at Samsung Medical Center tertiary hospital, located in Seoul, South Korea. We reviewed the medical records of non-ICU pediatric patients, under 19 years of age with no evidence of previous renal insufficiency, who received vancomycin for more than 48 h between January 2009 and December 2018. The clinical characteristics were compared between patients with AKI and those without to identify the risk factors associated with VIN, and the cut-off value of serum trough level to predict the occurrence of VIN was calculated by the Youden’s index. Among 476 cases, 22 patients (4.62%) developed AKI. The Youden’s index indicated that a maximum serum trough level of vancomycin above 24.35 μg/mL predicted VIN. In multivariate analysis, longer hospital stay, concomitant use of piperacillin-tazobactam and serum trough level of vancomycin above 24.35 μg/mL were associated independently with VIN. Our findings suggest that concomitant use of nephrotoxic medication and higher serum trough level of vancomycin might be associated with the risk of VIN. This study suggests that measuring serum trough level of vancomycin can help clinicians prevent VIN in pediatric patients.

Brief Report Susceptibility of Filipino Nurses to the Varicella-Zoster Virus

1986 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 71-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabil T. Nassar ◽  
Helen C. Tourna
Keyword(s):  
Varicella Zoster Virus ◽  
Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Young Female ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
American University ◽  
Varicella Zoster ◽  
American University Of Beirut ◽  
Filipino Nurses ◽  
Risk Areas

AbstractFollowing an outbreak of varicella, 18% of a group of 174 young female Filipino nurses ranging in age from 20 to 25 years and working at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUMC) were found susceptible to the varicella-zoster virus; as compared to 3% of a matched group of 133 of their Lebanese colleagues. The level of antibody was determined by the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Those susceptible were assigned duties in low-risk areas to varicella-zoster in the hospital.

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