Saudi Healthcare Providers' Perspectives and Clinical Practice of Anti-Obesity Medications: A National Survey.

Background: The rising prevalence of obesity is associated with significant health risks, underscoring the need for effective prevention and treatment. The use of anti-obesity medications (AOMs) remains limited due to several barriers.

Objectives: To physicians' perspectives and clinical practices regarding AOMs in Saudi Arabia.

Haplo-stem cell transplant post liver transplantation to cure sickle cell disease with related liver dysfunction: a case series.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is debilitating, with age-dependent complications such as stroke and liver disease, leading to significant morbidity and early mortality in young adults. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is curative treatment for SCD, but transplantation-related risks often deter its use, especially in patients with severe comorbidities. A subset of severe SCD patients with significant end-organ dysfunction may benefit from a combined approach of HCT and solid organ transplantation (SOT).

Cancer care for adolescents and young adults under the age of 50 in Saudi Arabia: policy review, research gaps, and future directions.

Unlabelled: The increasing cancer incidence rates among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are emerging as a critical public health challenge globally, including in Saudi Arabia. This review evaluates and highlights the current progress and challenges in providing patient-centred care to AYAs under 50 years of age in the Kingdom, with ten practical recommendations for policy and research initiatives. Although cancer rates among Saudi AYAs are approximately half of those in developed countries, data on their clinical and psychosocial needs remain scarce, limiting a holistic understanding of their challenges.

Guideline-directed medical strategies for the co-management of heart failure and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

There is a high and rising global prevalence of people with both metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and heart failure, which has a severe impact, highlighting the need to address these conditions. However, the relationship between MASLD and heart failure remains underexplored. This comprehensive narrative review explores the shared pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnostic evaluations, and current medical and surgical recommendations for heart failure therapy in the context of co-existing MASLD.

"Weekend Warrior" Exercise Pattern Protects Against MASLD and Mortality Comparable to Regular Exercise: National Cohort Study.

Background And Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) guidelines recommend > 150 min per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). It is unclear if concentrating MVPA into 1-2 days per week ["weekend warrior" (WW) pattern] offers similar benefits to spreading activity throughout the week. We aimed to assess the association of WW activity pattern with MASLD prevalence, mortality, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk among individuals with MASLD.

Exploring oral hygiene practices, nutritional habits and caries risk among children, adolescents and young adults: a multiregional perspective in the post-COVID-19 era.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged in late December 2019, has significantly altered the dietary and oral health-related habits and lifestyles of nearly every age group within the global population.

Aim: The purpose of this research is to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dietary behaviors, daily oral hygiene practices and caries risk among children, adolescents, and young adults from diverse regions within Saudi Arabia.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study spanning multiple regions of Saudi Arabia was carried out to assess the effects of COVID-19 on dietary habits, oral hygiene practices, and caries risk across various age groups within the Saudi population.

Prioritising viral hepatitis elimination to prevent hepatocellular carcinoma: A public health approach for effective preventive hepatology.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer, accounting for about 70-80% of cases globally. The hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV) account for approximately 70% of all HCC cases worldwide, with variation across geographic regions. While progress has been made in achieving some of the World Health Organization's viral hepatitis elimination targets set for 2030, considerable action is still needed to achieve global viral hepatitis elimination.

Steatotic liver disease is the dominant indication for liver transplantation in both Europe and the United States: Trends and outcomes in the past 2 decades.

Regional differences in liver transplantation (LT) may exist. We described liver transplant populations in the US and European transplant centers over 2 decades. Data from 2 large LT registries: the US Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) and the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR), years 2000-2022, were compared.

Transarterial Chemoembolization Outperforms Radioembolization in Early- and Intermediate-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) with Yttrium-90 microspheres is an established therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its clinical efficacy compared to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) remains unclear. We retrospectively reviewed 279 consecutive patients undergoing TARE (n = 104) or TACE (n = 175) at four tertiary centers.

Tracking gas migration using reservoir PVT data as reality check for migration models.

Tracking gas migration geochemically is more challenging than tracking oil migration due to the deficiency in biomarkers and migration tracers, traditionally restricting gas tracking to isotope fingerprinting. This highlights the need for developing new fluid interpretation workflows that maximize the value of reservoir fluid data to constrain gas migration models. Systematic analysis of reservoir PVT fluid properties from 49 wells in a complex carbonate-evaporite sequence across four adjacent Paleozoic gas fields on the eastern part of the Arabian Plate, supported by multivariate statistical analysis, enabled the tracking of gas migration.

Proton pump inhibitors and all-cause mortality in colorectal cancer.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly prescribed medications, but their relationship to mortality in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains poorly understood. This study aims to evaluate the association between PPI use and all-cause mortality IN newly diagnosed CRC. This retrospective cohort study utilized electronic medical records from a network comprising over 80 million patients across 57 healthcare organizations in the USA.

Bridging borders for resilience in cancer control in the Middle East: a strategic alliance of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan.

Cancer is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan are home to more than 45 million people, and all three countries have had an upward trend in cancer incidence over the past three decades. In this Series paper, we analysed evidence from three publications in the Lancet Oncology on the current cancer burden, advancements in care, and remaining challenges.

Towards a comprehensive cancer control policy in Saudi Arabia.

Cancer is emerging as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Saudi Arabia, with the incidence projected to double in the next 20 years. The health-care system in the country has witnessed considerable reforms over the past four decades, resulting in better control of communicable and non-communicable diseases and, subsequently, longer life expectancies. The Health Sector Transformation Program, a part of the Saudi Vision 2030, aims to strengthen the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases including cancer, improve access to care, deliver high-quality care services, improve patients' quality of life, and increase support for research and innovation.

Macrovascular outcomes and mortality after bariatric surgery in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, and Type 2 diabetes.

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease globally, with a significant association between MASLD and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), obesity, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). While bariatric surgery (BS) has showed efficacy in improving MASLD markers and reducing CVD incidence, its impact on macrovascular events and all-cause mortality in patients with obesity, MASLD, and T2DM remains understudied.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized the TriNetX.

Alternative splicing: hallmark and therapeutic opportunity in metabolic liver disease.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has become the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, with fibrosis recognized as the main prognostic factor and therapeutic target. While early-stage fibrosis is reversible, advanced fibrosis poses a significant clinical challenge due to limited treatment options, highlighting the need for innovative management strategies. Recent studies have shown that alternative pre-mRNA splicing, a critical mechanism regulating gene expression and protein diversity, plays a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of MAFLD and associated fibrosis.

Toothbrushing Frequency in Saudi Arabia: Associations with Sociodemographics, Oral Health Access, General Health, and Diet.

This study explores the toothbrushing frequency and its association with sociodemographic factors, health status, and dietary habits in Saudi Arabia. Using data from the 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey by the Ministry of Health, we analyzed responses from 44,779 individuals aged five and older. Statistical analysis using SPSS and multinomial regression revealed that 57.

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in the MENA Region: Setting a Research and Action Priority Agenda.

Background & Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a growing health challenge, particularly in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries. This study aimed to establish a consensus-driven research and action agenda to address MASLD within the MENA region.

Methods: Following a global MASLD research and action agenda setting study, over two Delphi rounds (Rs), MENA region experts (R1 n = 112, R2 n = 104) indicated their level of agreement with and provided feedback on MASLD research and action priorities via Qualtrics XM.

Cost-effectiveness of physical activity-oriented interventions for improving mental health: a systematic review.

Question: Are physical activity-oriented interventions for improving mental health conditions cost-effective? This study systematically identified and summarized published evidence on the cost-effectiveness of physical activity-oriented interventions for improving mental health conditions.

Study Selection And Analysis: We searched four databases (PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, PsychArticles, PsychINFO) for published studies (from any time and region) that (1) assessed physical activity-oriented interventions in mental health disorders, (2) undertook a full economic evaluation (and specifically cost-effectiveness analysis or cost-utility analysis), and (3) were in English. Data were extracted from included studies using a predetermined 32-item matrix using the Covidence software platform.

Clinical studies on anti-obesity medications in Arab countries.

Objectives: To identify and summarize studies carried out in Arab countries on anti-obesity medications (AOMs), with a focus on the types of medications investigated, study designs, and the efficacy/effectiveness and safety metrics reported.

Methods: We carried out a comprehensive scoping review of primary studies examining the use of AOMs in adult Arab populations. Five databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Index Medicus for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and e-Marefa) were searched for English-language publications up to October 2024.

Adverse Liver and Renal Outcomes After Initiating SGLT-2i and GLP-1RA Therapy Among Patients With Diabetes and MASLD.

Context: The management of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) presents a significant clinical challenge, with a focus on preventing progression to liver and renal complications.

Objective: To evaluate the liver and renal outcomes among new users of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) versus glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4i) and other anti-diabetic medications in patients with MASLD and T2DM.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Frailty in Pediatric Liver Disease May Be Associated With an Increased Incidence of Readmissions After Pediatric Liver Transplantation.

Background: Frailty is a phenotype of cumulative decline leading to decreased physiologic reserve and vulnerability to stressors. Frailty is associated with adverse outcomes after liver transplantation (LT) in adults, but similar data are not available in children. A prospective multicenter study previously determined that frailty is present in 46% of children with end-stage liver disease (ESLD).

Global Consensus Recommendations for Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease and Steatohepatitis.

Background & Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and steatohepatitis (MASH) are associated with adverse clinical outcomes, impaired health-related quality of life, and significant economic burden. The growing burden of MASLD and MASH has led to the publication of a large number of MASLD/MASH guidelines by national and international societies. However, important differences among the recommendations have created confusion, contributing to a low implementation rate and suboptimal management of MASLD and MASH.

Stakeholder perspectives on surveillance of physical activity and monitoring and evaluation of interventions in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Promoting physical activity (PA) has been one of the key strategic priorities in Saudi Arabia. At the population level, policies targeting PA can potentially enhance health and well-being. One of the objectives of the Quality-of-Life Program within the Saudi Vision 2030 is to increase public participation in sports and PA.

Underrepresentation of Arabs in Functional Genetics Studies: Opportunities and Obstacles for Advancing Biology and Human Health.

A significant challenge to the transnational application of genetics and functional genomic studies is the underrepresentation of certain populations. In this work, we emphasise that while there are over 500 million Arabs living across 22 countries, they are largely underrepresented in genetic studies. Remarkably, only 0.