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Background: Massive vaccination campaigns have been undertaken globally to combat the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). While most COVID-19 vaccines have shown excellent efficacy and safety profiles in clinical studies, real-world monitoring of vaccine safety is still important. In this study, we aimed to investigate the early side effects of Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) mRNA vaccine in children between 12–18 years old in Saudi Arabia. Method: To investigate the side effects in children in this age range following the administration of either one or two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) mRNA vaccine, we conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study using a self-administered online survey. General and demographic data were collected, and vaccine-associated side effects following vaccination were evaluated. Results: The study recruited a total of 965 eligible participants. Overall, 571 (60%) of the study participants reported at least one side effect following Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) mRNA vaccination. The most frequently reported side effects were pain or redness at the site of injection (90%), fatigue (67%), fever (59%), headache (55%), nausea or vomiting (21%), and chest pain and shortness of breath (20%). Joint or bone pain were reported less frequently among our participants (2%). Our data showed that more female participants reported side effects compared to male participants, with 52% and 48%, respectively. Side effects were more common after the second dose compared to the first dose in our study cohort. Conclusions: While 60% of the children (12–18 years old) who received Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) mRNA vaccine reported side effects, our data showed that these side effects were not different from those that were reported in the clinical trials which lasted only for a few days. Side effects were more common after the second dose. Larger epidemiological and molecular studies are needed to evaluate the safety and the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine in protection of children against SARS-CoV-2 reinfections.

Background: Saudi Arabia is one of the countries that initiated early vaccination programs despite the global challenges concerning the availability of COVID-19 vaccines. Massive vaccination campaigns have been undertaken in the country; however, negative perception and hesitancy toward vaccines may exist which could reduce public response to vaccination. Further, studies evaluating the current perception and attitude toward COVID-19 vaccines are scarce. Thus, this study aims to assess the community attitudes and perceptions toward COVID-19 vaccines in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional, retrospective study using an online questionnaire was conducted among the public in Jazan, the southern region of Saudi Arabia. General and demographic data were collected, and perception and attitude toward COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated. Results: Most participants in this study were female (67%) with a median age of 23 years. The majority held a bachelor’s degree, and they trusted the Saudi healthcare system. Our survey showed that 67% of the study participants had positive perceptions toward COVID-19 vaccines, a finding that is significantly associated with receiving the influenza vaccine in the past, the existence of trust on the current healthcare system and holding positive beliefs toward the effectiveness of the current COVID-19 vaccines in reducing the risk of infection, complication, and mortality. Conclusions: The proportion of the public in Jazan who believed in the COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness is not inferior from similar international reports. Thus, national awareness programs toward the effectiveness of the vaccine could be enhanced to accelerate vaccination coverage. Further, nationwide surveys are warranted to include larger populations from different communities to assess the overall perception toward COVID-19 vaccines in the whole country.

Background Overall, stoma-related morbidity affects a reported 20–38% of pediatric patients. However, determining the true incidence of major stoma-related morbidity is challenging due to limited cohort sizes in existing studies. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate colostomy related morbidity among children both after stoma formation and stoma closure. Methodology This is a retrospective cohort hospital-based study, conducted in an Abha maternity and children hospital, between August 1, 2018, and August 1, 2023, among 126 pediatric patients (aged 0–12 years) who underwent colostomy formation and subsequent closure during the study period. Data were collected from medical records. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) v.26. Results This study included a total of 126 children who underwent colostomy. ( N  = 37, 29.4%) of cases included in this study were emergency cases, while ( N  = 89, 70.6%) were elective. A variety of antibiotics were used for surgical prophylaxis, metronidazole (77%) and cefuroxime (62.7%) were the most prevalent. Oral feeding was started after 5–6 days in more than one third of cases (39.7%). Wound infection ( N  = 15, 11.9%) was the most reported post-operative complication, followed with bowel obstruction ( N  = 6, 4.8%). Emergency cases had a longer duration of hospital stay than elective cases; this difference was statistically significant ( P  = .04). Conclusions Majority of patients reported no stoma related complications, while among those who reported complications, wound infection was the most reported complication, followed by bowel obstruction.

Background and aim Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a disabling joint disease that results in degeneration of the joint cartilage. Many studies demonstrate the risk factors and complications of knee osteoarthritis, but how physical activity impacts the osteoarthritis severity needs to be studied. The study aimed to assess the impact and association of physical activity level with the severity of knee osteoarthritis among patients attending a single center in the Aseer region, southwest Saudi Arabia. Methods An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted targeting all patients clinically diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis in the Aseer region from June 2021 to September 2021. Data was collected using a pre-structured online questionnaire. The questionnaire included patients' socio-demographic data and clinical data on knee osteoarthritis. The level of physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The severity of knee osteoarthritis was assessed using the index of severity for osteoarthritis of the knee. Results Out of 473 patients clinically diagnosed with knee OA, only 145 patients met our inclusion criteria. Patients' ages ranged from 35 years to 71 years, with a mean age of 44.3 (±12.9) years. A total of 122 (84.1%) patients were females. Sixty-five (44.8%) patients complained of knee OA for less than two years, 46 (31.7%) for two to five years, and 34 (23.4%) were diagnosed for more than five years. A total of 96 (66.2%) had a low level of physical activity, 32 (22.1%) had a moderate level of physical activity, while 17 (11.7%) had a high level of physical activity. Thirty-eight (26.2%) cases complained of extremely severe knee OA, 37 (25.5%) had very severe knee OA, 28 (19.3%) complained of severe knee OA, 36 (24.9%) had mild to moderate knee OA, while six (4.1%) had minimal knee OA. There was a significant beneficial effect of physical activity on the severity of knee OA. Conclusion The study revealed that physical activity, especially at high levels, was associated with lower knee OA severity which means a beneficial effect. Most of the patients included in the study had severe to extremely severe knee OA with low physical activity levels.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a broad spectrum of manifestations. Neurological complications are not uncommon in patients with COVID-19. We report the case of a middle-aged man who presented with a cough and fever. He had a decreased oxygen saturation and required supplementary oxygen therapy. During his stay, he developed an unexplained seizure. Computed tomography of the brain revealed vasogenic edema located posteriorly. Subsequently, magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated subcortical white-matter hyperdensities, in keeping with the diagnosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, an exceedingly rare manifestation in COVID-19. This condition should be kept in mind when encountering unexplained neurological manifestations that developed in patients with COVID-19.

Sickle cell diseases (SCD) are a group of inherited disorders that lead to abnormal beta subunits of hemoglobin (Hb) and are characterized by several complications which can be life-threatening. The prevalence of this disease is high in Jazan province, Saudi Arabia. The current protocol for the treatment of SCD is mainly based on alleviating signs and symptoms to avoid severe complications. Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is considered a definitive therapy for SCD. However, there is a long patient waiting list for HSCT in Saudi Arabia. A lack of community awareness and incorrect information about the importance of HSCT in SCD treatment is believed to be contributing to the shortage in HSCT. Thus, this study aims to assess community awareness and attitudes toward HSCT as a cure for SCD in Jazan province, Saudi Arabia. An observational cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted in Jazan province. General and demographic data were collected and pretested survey including questions about public knowledge and attitude toward HSCT for SCD were answered. Both t-test and chi-square tests were used for analysis. 1167 participants were included in this study with a mean age of 26 (SD: 8). About 50% of the study participants believed that SCD can be treated and 78% of the study participants already have heard about HSCT. About 57% of the participants defined HSCT correctly and 42% were willing to donate. Better knowledge and positive attitude toward HSCT were significantly reported among patients with SCD or their relatives as well as among people with higher education and healthcare workers (HCW). About 57% of the study participants were able to define HSCT and most related questions were answered correctly. A positive correlation was found between the knowledge about HSCT and people with higher education or those who were diagnosed with SCD or their relatives and friends. Further, only 42% of our study participants were willing to donate, a percent that is positively associated with better knowledge about HSCT. National education programs are needed to enhance the overall awareness of Jazan communities toward HSCT which could contribute to reducing the number of patients waiting for HSCT.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.18426.].