Publications (3)5.46 Total impact
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Article: Correlates of quality of life in an Arab schizophrenia sample.
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ABSTRACT: We focused on the subjective quality of life (QOL) indicators of the Lancashire quality of life profile, European version (LQoLP-EU) in a Kuwaiti schizophrenia sample. The objectives were: First, to assess the reliability and validity of the questionnaire. Second, to highlight the patients' QOL profile, in comparison with the results of the European five-nation study. Third, to examine the association of perceived needs for care, caregiver burden, service satisfaction, self-esteem and psychopathology, with three indices of global QOL: total life satisfaction or perceived QOL (PQOL) score; general wellbeing (GW) and Cantril's ladder (CL). Consecutive outpatients in stable condition and their family caregivers were interviewed with the LQoLP, and measures of needs for care, service satisfaction, caregiver burden and psychopathology. There were 130 patients (66.1%m, mean age 36.8). Majority of the patients (56%) felt satisfied with the nine domains of life investigated, and 44.6% felt "averagely" happy. Their clinical severity was moderate (BPRS-18 = 44.4). In exploratory factor analysis (FA), the original domains were mostly replicated. Reliability indices were significant (>0.7). In stepwise regression analyses, the associations of PQOL were more in number and mostly different from those of GW and CL. The correlates of PQOL included, social unmet need (8.1% of variance), staff perception of unmet need (10.3%), general satisfaction with services (11.3%), burden of caregiver supervision (3.7%), self-esteem (2.9%) and positive symptoms (2.6%). Of the nine life domains, health was the most important correlate of GW and CL, indicating the centrality of health status in judgments of subjective QOL. In secondary FA, GW and CL loaded together, but separately from life domains, implying that these are separable parts of the subjective wellbeing construct. The profile of QOL scores was mostly similar to European data. The significant multivariate association with patients/staff perceptions of unmet need for care and service satisfaction indicate the usefulness of staff professional development and service improvement in outcome; and imply that promotion of QOL should be an institutional objective. Our finding about the relationship between the three global measures of QOL has added support to the emerging QOL theory.Social Psychiatry 09/2009; 45(9):875-87. · 2.05 Impact Factor -
Article: Morphological responses of the rabbit testis to ischemic/reperfusion injury due to torsion.
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ABSTRACT: To investigate the morphological effects of free radical injury on spermatogenic cells in both testes of the rabbit experimental model of testicular torsion. The left testes of 8 peripubertal NZW rabbits (3-6 months) were subjected to 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 min of ischemia by applying a clamp to the spermatic cord, followed by reperfusion. Another set of 8 rabbits was subjected to 60 min of ischemia and administered antioxidants (acetylsalicylic acid, ascorbic acid, allopurinol, quercetin, superoxide dismutase) before reperfusion. Both testes of 4 animals per group were harvested at 24 h and the remaining 4 at 3 months. Johnsen scores for spermatogenic activity and other changes were assessed histologically and these were compared with testicular malondialdehyde (MDA), a measure of free radical damage, assayed on testicular homogenates using the thiobarbiturate method. In the 24-hour reperfusion group, apoptotic bodies and giant cells were more prominent in the seminiferous tubules of the left testes compared to the right, and were maximal after 90 min. In the 3-month reperfusion group, giant cells were absent, and apoptotic bodies were reduced in both testes. Testicular MDA showed an increase only in the left testes in the 24-hour reperfusion group, while the 3-month group showed increased MDA levels in both testes, but more on the left. The Johnsen score fell only to 8.0 in the left testes in the 24-hour reperfusion group, but dropped to 2.3 in the 3-month reperfusion group. Only in the 3-month reperfusion group, did antioxidant-treated animals show a fall in Johnsen scores in the left testes, regardless of the type of antioxidant. These findings confirm a role for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in damage to spermatogenic cells in both the ipsilateral and contralateral testes following torsion, with longer term effects in the torted testis. Currently available antioxidants do not provide any significant long-term protection against morphological damage to the testis by ROS generated in testicular torsion.Urologia Internationalis 02/2005; 75(3):258-63. · 0.99 Impact Factor -
Article: Putative role of serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels in the development of prostate cancer in Arab men.
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ABSTRACT: The incidence of clinical prostate cancer in the Arab population is among the lowest in the world. High serum IGF-1 level has been implicated as a possible risk factor for the development of prostate cancer in Caucasians. The purpose of this study was to determine serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels in healthy Arab men and in Arab men with newly diagnosed benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer, and to compare these values with values reported in Caucasians. Subjects were recruited in two groups: (a) indigenous, healthy Arab men aged 15-90 y (n = 383); (b) Arab men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer (n = 30) or BPH (n = 40). Blood was obtained from fasting patients and volunteers, between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. The serum concentrations of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were determined using Immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) kits. As in Caucasians, serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels declined with age in Arab men. The mean +/- s.d. of serum IGF-1 levels in healthy Arab men in the age group 15-20, 51-60, 61-70 y were lower (376.2 +/- 153.2, 134.9 +/- 105.7 and 89.6 +/- 48.4 ng/ml, respectively), compared to values reported for similarly aged Caucasians. Arab men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer had significantly higher serum IGF-1 level (P < 0.01) and lower IGFBP-3 levels (P < 0.01) compared to age-matched Arabs without the disease. Arab men have lower serum IGF-1 levels compared to Caucasians and this may be an important factor in the explanation of the low incidence of prostate cancer in the Arab population.Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases 01/2005; 8(1):84-90. · 2.42 Impact Factor
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2005–2009
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Kuwait University
Kuwait, Muhafazat al `Asimah, Kuwait
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