Onabotulinumtoxin A Improves Psychological Aspects in Chronic Migraine Patients

Background: Chronic migraine (CM) affects 5.4% of the Kuwaiti population. It is associated with significant headache-related disability, psychiatric comorbidity and reduced quality of life. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of Onabotulinumtoxin A on psychological aspects of chronic migraine patients.Methods: This prospective study over 36 months included chronic migraine patients in a tertiary headache center. Eligible patients met International Classification of Headache Disorders disorders-third edition, beta version (ICHD-III) revision criteria for chronic migraine. Patients with history of psychiatric or medical problems other than migraine disorders were excluded. Patients who received less than 4 injections cycles of Onabotulinumtoxin A were excluded. Identified patients received 155 units of Onabotulinumtoxin A quarterly according to the Phase III Research Evaluating Migraine Prophylaxis Therapy Trail (PREEMPT) protocol. Quality of life, the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scores, the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were collected before injection and at the end of the study. Mean comparison tests were performed using the independent sample t-test to assess the effects of Onabotulinumtoxin A on quality of life and comorbid symptoms of anxiety, depression, and quality of sleep.Results: The study identified 131 chronic migraine patients with a mean age of 44.92 years, mean disease duration of 12.20 years and a mean treatment sessions of 7.58. In their last visit, most of our sample showed improvement in quality of life (81%), GAD-7 (81%), PHQ9 (79%), and PSQ1 (76%). The mean score of patient satisfaction was 7.21. Onabotulinumtoxin A treatment for CM improved quality of life significantly (72.92 vs. 103.62; P < 0.0001). It was also associated with significant reduction in anxiety [GAD-7 (12.00 vs. 6.61; P < 0.0001)] and depression [PHQ-9 (17.91 vs. 12.52; P < 0.0001)] scores, as well as reduced difficulty in sleeping [PSQI (12.60 vs. 6.66; P < 0.0001)] at the last visit.Conclusion: Prophylactic Onabotulinumtoxin A treatment for CM was associated with significant improvement of quality of life, reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as improved symptoms of poor sleep.

Population genetics and forensic utility of 23 autosomal PowerPlex Fusion 6C STR loci in the Kuwaiti population

This study evaluates the forensic utility of 23 autosomal short tandem repeat markers in 400 samples from the Kuwaiti population, of which four markers (D10S1248, D22S1045, D2S441 and SE33) are reported for the first time for Kuwait. All the markers were shown to exhibit no deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, nor any linkage disequilibrium between and within loci, indicating that these loci are inherited independently, and their allele frequencies can be used to estimate match probabilities in the Kuwaiti population. The low combined match probability of 7.37 × 10–30 and the high paternity indices generated by these loci demonstrate the usefulness of the PowerPlex Fusion 6C kit for human identification in this population, as well as to strengthen the power of paternity testing. Off-ladder alleles were seen at several loci, and these were identified by examining their underlying nucleotide sequences. Principal component analysis (PCA) and STRUCTURE showed no genetic structure within the Kuwaiti population. However, PCA revealed a correlation between geographic and genetic distance. Finally, phylogenetic trees demonstrated a close relationship between Kuwaitis and Middle Easterners at a global level, and a recent common ancestry for Kuwait with its northern neighbours of Iraq and Iran, at a regional level.

Energy Drinks Consumption Patterns Among Young Kuwaiti Adults

Energy drinks are a group of beverages that have become increasingly popular with the Kuwaiti youth consumers to provide extra energy, promote wakefulness, maintain alertness, and provide cognitive and mood enhancement. The purpose of this study is to assist in establishing whether energy drinks constitute a health risk on young Kuwaiti population. A questionnaire was distributed to assess the situation in which they use energy drinks, the most common energy drinks they used, frequency pattern per month and the side effects. Based on the response of (570) participants, a random selection group from teenagers and adult participants were given a can of their favorite energy drink to measure the parameters of this study: blood sugar level, blood pressure and heartbeats. The results showed that prevalence of energy drink consumption is 58.3% of those who consume one or more energy drink per month. Most common reason for this high prevalence is enjoying energy drink’s taste and increasing energy in general. With regards to the adverse effects, numerous volunteers reported several symptoms including increased heart rate, restlessness, heart palpitations, high blood pressure and a high chance of addiction. Additionally, energy drinks with high sugar content are a serious threat to the consumer’s health, as it may lead to obesity and severe health complications.

Fine-scale population structure reveals high genetic heterogeneity of the Kuwaiti population in the Arabian Peninsula

Recent studies have showed the diverse genetic architecture of the highly consanguineous populations inhabiting the Arabian Peninsula. Consanguinity coupled with heterogeneity is complex and makes it difficult to understand the bases of population-specific genetic diseases in the region. Therefore, comprehensive genetic characterization of the populations at the finest scale is warranted. Here, we revisit the genetic structure of the Kuwait population by analyzing genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms data from 583 Kuwaiti individuals sorted into three subgroups. We envisage a diverse demographic genetic history among the three subgroups based on drift and allelic sharing with modern and ancient individuals. Furthermore, our comprehensive haplotype-based analyses disclose a high genetic heterogeneity among the Kuwaiti populations. We infer the major sources of ancestry within the newly defined groups; one with an obvious predominance of sub-Saharan/Western Africa mostly comprising Kuwait-B individuals, and other with West Eurasia including Kuwait-P and Kuwait-S individuals. Overall, our results recapitulate the historical population movements and reaffirm the genetic imprints of the legacy of continental trading in the region. Such deciphering of fine-scale population structure and their regional genetic heterogeneity would provide clues to the uncharted areas of disease-gene discovery and related associations in populations inhabiting the Arabian Peninsula.

Alpha Thalassemia Genotypes in Kuwait

Background: The frequency of the alpha thalassemia trait is approximately 40% in the Kuwaiti population, but there has been no comprehensive study of the prevalent alleles. This is a report of patients who were referred for molecular diagnosis over a 20-year period.Methods: This is a retrospective study of the a-globin genotypes obtained in the Hemoglobin Research Laboratory of the Department of Pediatrics, Kuwait University from 1994 to 2015. Genotyping was performed by a combination of PCR, allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and reverse dot blot hybridization (Vienna Lab Strip Assay).Results: Four hundred samples were characterized and analyzed from individuals aged <1 month to 80 years, with a median of 6 years from 283 unrelated families. Most (90.8%) were Kuwaiti nationals. The commonest genotype was homozygosity for the polyadenylation-1 mutation (αPA-1α/α PA-1α) in 33.3% of the samples, followed by heterozygosity (αα/α PA-1α) for the same mutation in 32.3%. PA-1 was therefore the most frequent allele (0.59). The frequency of the α0 (--MED) allele was 0.017. Rare alleles that were found in very low frequencies included α0 (--FIL) in a Filipino child, Hb Constant Spring, Hb Adana, and Hb Icaria.Conclusion: There is a wide variety of alpha thalassemia alleles among Kuwaitis, but nondeletional PA-1 is by far the most common cause of the moderate to severe HbH (β4 tetramer) disease phenotype. The α0 (–MED) allele is also encountered, which has implications for premarital counseling, especially for the possibility of having babies with alpha thalassemia major (Barts hydrops fetalis).

Alpha Thalassemia Genotypes in Kuwait

Background: The frequency of alpha thalassemia trait is about 40% in the Kuwaiti population, but there has been no comprehensive study of the prevalent alleles. This is a report of the patients who were referred for molecular diagnosis over a 20-year period. Methods: This is a retrospective study of the a-globin genotypes obtained in the Hemoglobin Research Laboratory of the Department of Pediatrics, Kuwait University from 1994 to 2015. Genotyping was by a combination of PCR, allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and reverse dot-blot hybridization (Vienna Lab Strip Assay). Results: Four hundred samples were characterized and analyzed from individuals aged <1 month to 80 years, with a median of 6 years from 283 unrelated families.. Most (90.8%) were Kuwaiti nationals. The common genotype was homozygosity for the polyadenylation-1 mutation (α PA-1 α/α PA-1 α) in 33.3%, followed by heterozygosity (αα/α PA-1 α) for the same mutation in 32.3%. The PA-1 was therefore the most frequent allele (0.59). The frequency of the α 0 , – MED was 0.017. Rare alleles that were found in very low frequencies included the α 0 (-- FIL ) in a Filipino child, Hb Constant Spring, Hb Adana, and Hb Icaria. Conclusion : There is a wide variety of alpha thalassemia alleles among Kuwaitis, but the nondeletional PA-1 is by far the most common cause of moderate to severe HbH (β4 tetramer), disease phenotype. The α 0 (– MED ) allele is also encountered, which has implications for pre-marital counselling especially the possibility of having babies with alpha thalassemia major (Barts hydrops fetalis).

Alpha Thalassemia Genotypes in Kuwait

Background: The frequency of alpha thalassemia trait is about 40% in the Kuwaiti population, but there has been no comprehensive study of the prevalent alleles. This is a report of the patients who were referred for molecular diagnosis over a 20-year period.Methods: This is a retrospective study of the a-globin genotypes obtained in the Hemoglobin Research Laboratory of the Department of Pediatrics, Kuwait University from 1994 to 2015. Genotyping was by a combination of PCR, allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and reverse dot-blot hybridization (Vienna Lab Strip Assay).Results: Four hundred samples were characterized and analyzed from individuals aged <1 month to 80 years, with a median of 6 years from 283 unrelated families.. Most (90.8%) were Kuwaiti nationals. The common genotype was homozygosity for the polyadenylation-1 mutation (αPA-1α/α PA-1α) in 33.3%, followed by heterozygosity (αα/α PA-1α) for the same mutation in 32.3%. The PA-1 was therefore the most frequent allele (0.59). The frequency of the α0, –MED was 0.017. Rare alleles that were found in very low frequencies included the α0 (--FIL) in a Filipino child, Hb Constant Spring, Hb Adana, and Hb Icaria.Conclusion: There is a wide variety of alpha thalassemia alleles among Kuwaitis, but the nondeletional PA-1 is by far the most common cause of moderate to severe HbH (β4 tetramer), disease phenotype. The α0 (–MED) allele is also encountered, which has implications for pre-marital counselling especially the possibility of having babies with alpha thalassemia major (Barts hydrops fetalis).

Spectrum of Alpha Thalassemia Alleles in Kuwait

Background: The frequency of alpha thalassemia trait is about 40% in the Kuwaiti population, but there has been no comprehensive study of the prevalent alleles. This is a report of the patients who were referred for molecular diagnosis over a 20-year period. Methods: Blood samples from suspected cases were sent to the Hemoglobin Research Laboratory of the Department of Pediatrics, Kuwait University. A retrospective study of the molecular characterization of samples from 1994 to 2015 was carried out. The alpha globin genotypes were determined by a combination of PCR, allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and reverse dot-blot hybridization (Vienna Lab Strip Assay). Results: 400 samples were characterized and analyzed from individuals aged <1 month to 80 years, with a median of 6 years (~60% children and adolescents). Most (90.8%) were Kuwaiti nationals. The common genotype was homozygosity for the polyadenylation-1 mutation (αPA-1α/α PA-1α) in 33.3%, followed by heterozygosity (αα/α PA-1α) for the same mutation in 32.3%. The PA-1 was therefore the most frequent allele (0.733). The frequency of the α0, –MED was 0.19. Rare alleles that were found in very low frequencies included the α0 (--FIL) in a Filipino child, Hb Constant Spring, Hb Adana,and Hb Icaria. Conclusion: There is a wide variety of alpha thalassemia alleles among Kuwaitis, but the nondeletional PA-1 is by far the most common cause of moderate to severe HbH disease phenotype. The α0 (–MED) allele is also encountered, which has implications for pre-marital counselling especially the possibility of having babies with alpha thalassemia major (Barts hydrops fetalis).