The estimated prevalence of osteoporosis in Bahrain: a multi-centered-based study

OBJECTIVES

the primary aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and risk factors of low bone mineral density in Bahrain.

METHODS

this was a retrospective study, which targeted a cohort of 4822 Bahraini subjects (mean age 59.36 years: 93% females). Demographic data and results of lumbar and femur DEXA scan for the targeted sample, over the period 2016-2018, were retrieved from four hospitals.

RESULTS

The prevalence of low BMD was 62.3% (46.4% had osteopenia and 15.9% had osteoporosis). The highest rate of osteopenia was detected at the age group younger than 44 years. However, with increasing age, the rate of osteopenia declined, whereas osteoporosis increased (P < 0.001). Females were found to be at higher risk of developing both osteopenia (45.8%) and osteoporosis (18.1%) compared to males (39% and 12.4%, respectively) (P < 0.001). Postmenopausal women exhibited higher rates of low BMD (42.4% osteopenia, 22.3% osteoporosis) compared to elderly men (30.9% osteopenia, 9% osteoporosis).

CONCLUSIONS

We reported high prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in Bahrain. Low BMD was more common in females, especially in postmenopausal women. Highest prevalence of osteopenia happened at young age. Therefore, we advocate screening at younger age than previously recommended.

Detection of the novel allele, A*01:380:01:02, in a Bahraini individual by next generation sequencing

HLA-A*01:380:01:02 is a variant of A*01:01:01:01, differing by five nucleotide substitutions.

Diadochokinetic rate in Saudi and Bahraini Arabic speakers: Dialect and the influence of syllable type

Arabic is spoken by more than 420 million people worldwide and still there are a limited number of studies on dialects of the Gulf Arabic regions where most selected respondents are male speakers. This study aimed to explore and establish normative data for the Diadochokinetic Rate (DDK) for two dialects (Saudi Arabia’s Najdi and Bahrain’s Bahraini) speakers. Furthermore, it aimed to investigate whether there are differences between the two dialects and whether sex differences are evident. In addition, it investigated syllable type differences. The study used the monosyllables /ba, da, ga/ and the multisyllabic sequence /badaga/ to analyse the DDK rates. Acoustic analysis was carried out to obtain DDK rates for the syllables. A mixed model ANOVA was performed to investigate dialect and sex differences, in addition, to syllable type. The study included 40 males and 40 female speakers from each of the two dialects. Results showed that for DDK, Saudi speakers had faster DDK rates for the monosyllables /ba/, /da/, /ga/, than Bahrainis, while, no significant differences were observed for the multisyllabic sequences. However, there were no differences between male and female speakers with regard to the DDK rates. The syllable /ga/ showed the slowest DDK rate among the monosyllables while the multisyllabic sequences displayed the slowest DDK rates. In brief, normative data for DDK rates for clinic were determined for the Arabic Nadji and Bahrain’s Bahraini dialects. DDK rate was shown to be more sensitive to dialect differences for the monosyllable tasks. However, no sex differences were observed for the Arabic dialects in this study across all DDK tasks.

Antifungal Activities of Various Extracts of Indigenous Bahraini Medicinal Plants

The in vitro. antifungal activity of the aqueous, ethanol, chloroform, petroleum ether, and residue extracts from 10 indigenous Bahraini plants used in folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases is reported. Extract efficacy was evaluated using the agar well diffusion assay against four filamentous fungi and two yeasts monitored by standard antifungal disks. The results showed that all but, in particular, ethanol and chloroform of the examined plant extracts reveal variable degree of bioactivity against at least two of the tested microbes. The highest ethanol extract activity was exhibited by Cressa cretica. L. against Penicillium citrinum. Thom (32.2 mm) followed by Candida albicans. (C. P. Robin) Berkhout (25.7 mm). The diffusable metabolites of Heliotropium curassavicum. also demonstrated marked inhibitory effect against the same microorganisms. Chloroform extract of Emex spinosa. Campd. displayed an elevated potency against Alternaria alternata. (Fries) Keissler (27.9 mm) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. (27.5 mm). Zone of inhibition against other fungi varied from 19.9 mm to 25.9 mm, indicating a novel class of metabolite. However, the highest growth inhibition was encountered with Fagonia indica. Burm f. against Penicillium citrinum. (29.3 mm). With the exception of chloroform extracts from cultivated soils, various extracts of plants randomly collected from saline-affected soils exhibited higher fungal radius inhibition than plants from cultivated soils. The significance of these results in relation to ethnobotanical data are discussed.