The growing proportion of individuals suffering from chronic kidney disease has considerable repercussions for both kidney specialists and primary care. Progressive and permanent renal failure is most frequently treated with hemodialysis. The efficiency of hemodialysis treatment relies on the functional status of vascular access. Determining the type of vascular access has prime significance fo...

OBJECTIVE To assess quantitatively sleep medicine services in Saudi Arabia (KSA) and identify obstacles that face specialists and hospitals and preclude the establishment of this service. METHODS A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 53 major governmental and private hospitals in KSA on September 2005. The response rate was 69.8%. Data were coded and analyzed. RESULTS The survey i...

The treatment of COPD has become increasingly effective. Measures that range from behavioral changes, reduction in exposure to risk factors, education about the disease and its course, rehabilitation, oxygen therapy, management of comorbidities, and surgical and pharmacological treatments to end-of-life care allow health professionals to provide a personalized and effective therapy. The pharmac...

Background: The reported incidence of lactational mastitis varies greatly; the single highest reported incidence in the scientific literature is 33%. The purpose of this study was to collect data regarding incidence and experiences of lactational mastitis from women attending a meeting of lactation specialists and to compare findings in a similar population reported in 1990 by Riordan and Nicho...

BACKGROUND The reported incidence of lactational mastitis varies greatly; the single highest reported incidence in the scientific literature is 33%. The purpose of this study was to collect data regarding incidence and experiences of lactational mastitis from women attending a meeting of lactation specialists and to compare findings in a similar population reported in 1990 by Riordan and Nichol...

OBJECTIVE Efforts to promote adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) have focused on primary care physicians, who are now expected to exchange data electronically with other providers, including specialists. However, the variation of EHR adoption among specialists is underexplored. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study to determine the association between physician s...

Dermatology is a specific branch of medicine which includes dermatologic manifestations of systemic underlying diseases as well as primary cutaneous diseases. In this study, specialists' abilities of defining and diagnosing dermatologic diseases were assessed. 381 hospitalized patients who were referred to the Dermatology Clinic were reviewed via electronic medical charts. 121 of the clinicians...

BACKGROUND Guideline oriented treatment strategies of Major depressive disorder (MDD) improve treatment outcomes and reduce risks of chronicity and recurrence. AIMS Description of routine treatment reality and analysis of guideline fidelity in first episode MDD in Germany. Indicators: patients with severe or psychotic depression or severe psychiatric comorbidities' treatment by specialists, a...