Fahmi Khan

Hamad Medical Corporation | HMC · Department of Medicine (Hamad General Hospital)

Immune thrombocytopenia associated with tuberculosis is a rare clinical entity. We report immune thrombocytopenia associated with pleural tuberculosis in a 22-year-old Ethiopian previously healthy man who presented to the emergency department with one-month history of fever, night sweats and productive cough. Chest x-ray showed right pleural effusi...

1) Background: Qatar does not have any indigenous cases of dengue; however, the influx of immigrants from dengue endemic countries, the environment, and climate suitability for Aedes vector mosquitoes suggest a potential risk for local transmission. In this study, we investigated various demographic factors to determine the epidemiological features...

Introduction Venous thrombosis is a medical condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein. These clots usually develop in the lower leg, thigh, or pelvis but can also occur in the arm. It is essential to know about Venous thrombosis because it can happen to anybody and cause severe illness and disability. Fortunately, if the diagnosis is...

Background The incidence of ESBL infections is exponentially increasing with variable prevalence among geographical areas and treatment settings. Identifying local prevalence rate and patient-related factors will help in earlier recognition and initiation of appropriate antibiotics treatment of patients with ESBL infections. Methods Retrospective...

A novel rapid spreading and changing virus called SARS-CoV-2 appeared in Wuhan city in December 2019. It was announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a pandemic disease in March 2020. It commonly presents with respiratory symptoms; however, it may be asymptomatic. Electrolyte abnormalities are not uncommon features of SARS-CoV-2 infectio...

Background: There is a lack of robust epidemiological information on portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in Qatar. This study aimed to describe the risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes of PVT in patients with and without liver cirrhosis admitted to Hamad General Hospital. Methods: This retrospective observational study wa...

The past decades have witnessed several attempts to establish renowned medical journals in the Republic of Yemen. Some of these initiatives were successful but fell short of the researchers' expectations because they failed to meet international standards of scholarly writing in the medical field. Recently, the civil war has dashed any hope of laun...

Hypertension (HTN) is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD), and it may aggravate CKD progression. The optimal blood pressure (BP) value in CKD patients is not established yet, although systolic BP ≤130 mmHg is acceptable as a target. Continuous BP monitoring is essential to detect the different variants of high BP and monitor the treatment respon...

Background & objectives: Splenic abscess (SA) is a rare clinical entity. There is a lack of information on SA in most Arab and Gulf countries, including Qatar. This study describes the demographics, clinical features, microbiologic etiologies, treatments, and outcomes of patients with SA at the largest tertiary medical center in Qatar over the pre...

Recent studies have shown that genetic factors may play an important role in the pathogenesis of stroke, as known modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors may account for only 50% of the risk of stroke. Evidence for a genetic basis can be elucidated from twin studies, family history studies, and animal models. Qatar is currently leading the strok...

Background and Objectives: Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) have emerged as a major pathogen in nosocomial meningitis. This study was designed to describe the clinical profile, laboratory parameters, treatment, and outcomes of CoNS meningitis in patients admitted to Hamad General Hospital, Qatar. Materials and Methods: This retrospective hos...

Background: Data on the effect of metformin on serum vitamin B12 (VitB12) level in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Qatar are limited; therefore, we aimed to assess the prevalence of VitB12 deficiency and its related factors among patients with T2DM treated with metformin at Hamad General Hospital in Doha, Qatar, from January 1, 201...

Background: Statins are well tolerated but associated with various statin‑associated symptoms, including statin‑associated rhabdomyolysis. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of rhabdomyolysis in patients treated with various statins and to describe their clinical features and outcomes in our local setting. Patients and...

Serum calcium concentration is the main determinant of parathyroid hormone (PTH) release. Defect in the activation of vitamin D in the kidneys due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) leads to hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia, resulting in a compensatory increase in parathyroid gland cellularity and parathyroid hormone production and causing secondary...

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are associated with significant heart structure and function changes such as increased left ventricular muscle mass, arrhythmias, and sudden death. This interplay of pathophysiological phenomena secondary to either acute or chronic kidney disease leading to Chronic heart dysfunction is...

BACKGROUND: Reports on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated with acute pancreatitis continue to emerge. In this series, we present three cases of acute pancreatitis associated with COVID-19 with no obvious etiology. CASE REPORTS: The first case was a 47-year-old man who presented with severe abdominal periumbilical pain, preceded by fever...

We reported an anaphylactic reaction following ingestion of rivaroxaban in a 48-years-old male, who was recently discharged from the hospital as a case of deep vein thrombosis. At home, the patient developed a diffuse itchy skin rash, shortness of breath, and vomiting 30 minutes after rivaroxaban ingestion. Emergency Medical Service found that the...

Background: several studies have been reported piperacillin-tazobactam (TAZ / PIPC)-associated AKI with various frequencies. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of TAZ/PIPC- associated AKI among our patients and to identify the risk factors for this clinical entity. Methods: this retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted...

COVID-19 has surfaced as a multi-organ disease predominantly affecting the respiratory system. Detection of the viral RNA through reverse transcriptase–PCR (RT-PCR) from a nasopharyngeal or throat sample is the preferred method of diagnosis. Recent evidence has suggested that COVID-19 patients can shed the SARS-CoV-2 for several weeks. Herein, we r...

Background & objectives: Enterococcal meningitis/ventriculitis (EMV) is a relatively rare condition that usually affects patients with underlying diseases. This study was designed to describe the clinical profile, laboratory parameters, treatment, and outcomes of EMV in patients admitted to Hamad General Hospital, Qatar. Methods and material: Th...

We report a fatal case of typhoid acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in a 32-year-old man who was hospitalized with fever, cough, and chills lasting 12 days. While waiting for the results of cultures, his condition rapidly deteriorated within 2 days, and he developed ARDS. The patient was transferred to the medical intensive care unit. Subs...

Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 Shedding in Six COVID-19 Patients more than 6 weeks: Case Series and Literature Review

The concomitant occurrence of tuberculous adenitis and Hodgkin lymphoma is rare, posing a diagnostic dilemma since both have similar symptoms, such as lymphadenopathy, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. We reported such a case in a 15-year-old girl who presented with fever and neck swelling and was found to have lymphadenopathy. A biopsy of the...

Objective: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The reported prevalence of DR from different populations in the last decade was 13 - 38.1%. A report from our center 17 years ago showed that DR prevalence was 43.6%. With the all accumulated evidence showing that diabetes control de...

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the role of bronchoscopy-related procedures such as bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), bronchial wash (BW), bronchial brush (B brush), transbronchial biopsy (TBB), and post-bronchoscopy sputum (PBS), alone or in combination, in the rapid diagnosis of negative sputum smear disseminated tuberculosis (TB). Methods: We perf...

Background and Objectives: Streptococcal meningitis is a recognized medical condition that confronts physicians in Qatar. The aim of this study was to describe the demographic, clinical characteristics, underlying conditions, and treatment outcome of streptococcal meningitis. Patients and Methods: This was a secondary post hoc analysis of our previ...

Rivaroxaban is a factor Xa inhibitor, which is commonly used for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) as one of the novel oral anticoagulants found to have a safety and efficacy profile comparable to traditional anticoagulants. However, sporadic reports from some centers have shown a failure of treatment in patients with VTE. In this repor...

Introduction: Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is an opportunistic and life-threatening infection, affecting mainly patients with AIDS. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of CM and describe its clinical profile, laboratory parameters, and outcomes in patients with CM in Qatar. Patients and Methods: This retrospective study was conduct...

Background: The main purpose of this study was to describe the demographic and clinical features of cryptic disseminated TB; it was also aimed to shed light on diagnostic test, procedure results, organ involvement, and outcomes of cryptic disseminated TB in patients with confirmed disseminated TB. Materials and methods: We performed a secondary...

Myocarditis as a result of malaria infection is uncommon. However, we report a case of a Pakistani emigrant who presented with respiratory distress, fever, chills, and nausea at the emergency room. The patient had traveled to visit his relatives in Pakistan without receiving antimalarial chemoprophylaxis. (Travel clinic advises travelers to Pakista...

Background: Qatar is located on the north-eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Qatari natives account for less than 15% of the population while the largest migrant group comprising 60% derives from South Asia. Despite projections that stroke burden in Qatar will increase with population ageing, epidemiological studies focusing on stroke in Qata...

Malaria remains a significant public health challenge and is of global importance. Imported malaria is a growing problem in non-endemic areas throughout the world and also in Qatar due to a massive influx of migrants from endemic countries. Antimalarial drug resistance is an important deterrent in our fight against malaria today. Molecular markers...

Disseminated tuberculosis (TB) is a life-threatening disease resulting from the hematogenous spread of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The diagnosis is challenging owing to its subtle nonspecific clinical presentation, which usually reflects the underlying organ involved. Besides, tools for confirmatory laboratory diagnosis are limited. Therefore, a hi...

Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common condition that manifests classically with megaloblastic anaemia. However, neuropsychiatric disorders can occur as the first manifestation of vitamin B12 deficiency. Herein, we reported two cases with neuropsychiatric disorders as the first manifestation. The first was an Indian man who presented with an unsteady g...

Introduction: Typhoid splenic abscess is a rare clinical entity that can be fatal if left untreated. Herein, we reported a case of typhoid splenic abscess who responded to ultrasound-guided aspiration and antibiotic therapy. Case Presentation: A 25-year-old Nepalese man with no significant medical history presented to the emergency department with...

Objectives: We sought to describe the epidemiological and clinical features of typhoid fever in Qatar. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of adult patients treated for typhoid fever at Hamad General Hospital and Alkhor Hospital between 2005 and 2012. Results: The mean age of the 354 patients enrolled in the study was 28.4±9.3 years; 296 (8...

Background/aims: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is one of the most common gastrointestinal causes of hospital admission in Qatar. The aim of the present study was to investigate the epidemiological features and demographic characteristics of patients with AP and to estimate the annual incidence rates of this disease among adult inhabitants in Qatar. Mat...

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe gender differences in stroke risk factors, clinical presentation, and outcome in Qatar. Subjects and Methods: This is a secondary post hoc analysis of our previous prospective observational hospital-based study with new objective. Results: Among the 270 patients involved in this study, there were 19...

Peritoneal tuberculosis (TB) remains a public health problem especially in the developing countries, even in the developed countries, where the disease had been mostly controlled; it poses a new challenge for health-care facilities as a result of increased immigration from high prevalence area, the use of more potent immunosuppressive therapy and t...

We report a case of Haemophilus parainfluenzae pyogenic liver abscess in a 53-year-old Filipino female who was admitted with a 3-day history of abdominal pain and fever. Clinical examination showed tenderness in right hypochondrium, and the liver edge was just palpable. Abdominal ultrasound revealed heterogeneous lesion in the left liver lobe, cons...

Background and Objective: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is associated with serious morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of patients with CVST, clinical features, and predisposing factors of CVST in a series of 43 patients. Subjects and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study including 43 patients wi...

Imported malaria has been a great challenge for public health in Qatar due to influx of large number of migrant workers. Antimalarial drug resistance has emerged as one of the greatest challenges facing malaria control today. Monitoring parasite haplotypes that predict susceptibility to major antimalarial can guide treatment policies. This study ai...

Plasmodium vivax is the most prevalent parasite worldwide, escalating by spread of drug resistance. Currently, in Qatar, chloroquine (CQ) plus primaquine are recommended for the treatment of P. vivax malaria. The present study examined the prevalence of mutations in dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr), dihydropteroate synthase (dhps) genes and CQ resist...

Helicobacter pylori is a ubiquitous organism that is present in about 50% of the global population. Chronic infection with H. pylori causes atrophic and even metaplastic changes in the stomach, and it represents a key factor in the etiology of various gastrointestinal diseases, ranging from chronic active gastritis without clinical symptoms to pept...

Background and Objectives Bacterial meningitis is a common medical condition in Qatar. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of bacterial meningitis, the frequency of each pathogen, and its sensitivity to antibiotics and risk factors for death. Patients and Methods This retrospective study was conducted at Hamad Genera...

We report a case of acute pneumococcal meningitis complicated by rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure in a 46‑year‑old Indian man who was brought to the emergency department in an unconscious state after a witnessed generalized tonic–clonic seizure that resolved spontaneously. Lumbar puncture was performed, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis...

Editorial Serum procalcitonin (PCT), which is usually produced in thyroid C-cells, is a precursor of calcitonin. In general, PCT is not released into the blood and, therefore, cannot be detected in healthy individuals [1]. However, serum procalcitonin increased significantly in response to stimulation by bacterial infections showing a favorable pha...

We report a case of Pseudomonas putida meningitis in a 26-year-old Nepalese man who was admitted to Hamad General Hospital with epidermoid cyst for drainage. Ommaya reservoir was placed into the cyst for drainage and externalventricular drainage (EVD) was performed. After four days, the patient was transferred to the ward in stable condition. His w...

We report a case of group B streptococcus meningitis in a 72-year-old female patient who was admitted in our hospital with a 21-day history of bilateral lower thigh pain and swelling associated with fever, headache, and vomiting. Her past medical history was remarkable for DM type 2, hypertension, and hypothyroidism. Upon admission, examination sho...

Background: There is limited information about extra pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) in Qatar. The aim of this study is to describe the demographic characteristics of patients with Tuberculosis (TB) in Qatar, and to compare the characteristics of EPTB with those of Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB). Patients and Methods: The study was conducted at Hamad M...

Objective . The purpose of this study is to collect data on epidemiology, microbiology, and outcome of VAP in our ICUs for reevaluation of the therapeutic strategies. Methods . This retrospective study involved all adult patients, 15 years of age or older, diagnosed with VAP in multidisciplinary ICUs at Hamad General Hospital between January 2010 a...

This retrospective study was conducted at Hamad General Hospital, Qatar, to describe the demographic data, clinical features underlying diseases, antimicrobial susceptibility, and outcome of A. baumannii infection. It involved all adult patients 15 years of age or older who were managed at Hamad General Hospital for A. baumannii infection from Janu...

Objectives: To describe the demographic, clinical features, diagnostic and procedure results, organ involvement and outcomes in patients with disseminated tuberculosis (TB). Patients and methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at Hamad general hospital in Qatar. It involved all patients 15 years of age or older who were admitt...

Background Imported malaria has been a great challenge for public health in the State of Qatar due to the large number of immigrant workers come from the Indian subcontinent and Sub-Saharan Africa. Antimalarial drug resistance has emerged as one of the greatest challenges facing malaria control today. Chloroquine (CQ) resistance in Plasmodium falci...

Rhabdomyolysis syndrome has many acquired pathophysiological causes, resulting in a common pathway of muscle tissue degradation and the dispersing of its components onto circulation, causing systemic effects such as electrolyte abnormalities, arrhythmia, kidney injury, compartment syndrome, and DIC. Exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) is the most common...

Aim: The aim is to determine the pattern of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) seen in two tertiary hospitals in Benghazi, Libya. Materials and methods: The cohort includes all patients of CRC who were presented between January 2007 and December 2009 to the Oncology Department, Aljomhoria Hospital and 7th October Hospital, Benghazi. Patient's a...

Clostridium difficile is a Gram-positive, strictly anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium. It is the most common cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in hospitals and other healthcare facilities and is of significant concern because of the increasing morbidity and mortality rates as well as increased health care costs. Spectrum of presentation of Cl...

Objectives To describe the epidemiological and clinical profile, treatment and outcome for hydatid diseases among the patients admitted to Hamad General Hospital. Methods This retrospective study was carried out on patients admitted to Hamad General Hospital between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2013. Descriptive statistics including range an...

Objective: To describe the clinical presentation, underlying diseases, antimicrobial susceptibility, treatment and outcome of Klebsiella pneumoniae meningitis patients. Methods: This retrospective study involved all patients with 15 years of age or older who admitted to Hamad General Hospital with culture proven Klebsiella pneumoniae meningitis...

Objective: To describe the etiology, clinical presentation, management and outcome of liver abscess in adult patients admitted at Hamad general hospital, Qatar. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted to involve all adult patients who sequentially encountered episodes of liver abscess during the period from January 1, 2009, to December 31...

We report a case of ischaemic hepatitis associated with recurrent fast atrial fibrillation (AF) episodes in a 59-year-old male who presented with shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting. The patient had a history of ischaemic cardiomyopathy. An emergency electrocardiogram showed fast AF with a ventricular rate of 190 min−1. The aspartate aminotran...

Rhabdomyolysis, literally meaning the breakdown of muscle tissue, is a common syndrome with many causes, acquired ones such as exertion, trauma, infections, temperature extremes, drugs, toxins, electrolyte and endocrine abnormalities, and congenital ones such as myopathies and connective tissue disorders. All results in a common pathophysiologic pa...

We report four cases of nosocomial E. coli meningitis, in male patients with accidental and neurosurgical trauma. The interval between accidents/neurosurgical procedures and the onset of meningitis was 2-15 days (mean 6.25 days). The most consistent clinical features were fever and deterioration of consciousness level. Emergence of extended spectru...

We report isoniazid (INH)-induced encephalopathy in two male patients on hemodialysis. One of them had tuberculous adenitis, and the other had pulmonary tuberculosis. Both were given rifampicin, INH, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol with pyridoxine 40 mg/day. Two patients developed disturbances in consciousness. After excluding other causes, INH-induce...

The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics, coexisting conditions, causative organisms, and outcomes of all adult patients 15 years of age or older who had definite septic arthritis at Hamad General Hospital, Qatar, from 2006 to 2011. During this period, 56 patients were diagnosed with sept...

To investigate the diagnostic utility of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) in tuberculous pleural effusions by determining the best cutoff levels of these two markers for pleural tuberculosis, in the context of the local epidemiological settings in Qatar. We prospectively studied IFN-γ and ADA levels in the pleural fluid of pat...

A 35-year-old Qatari man presented to our hospital with a 4-month history of mild abdominal pain, weight loss, and jaundice. He was found to have central intra-abdominal mass and a single testis in the scrotum. His investigations showed cholestatic jaundice and very high level of β -HCG (1131379 IU/L). CT scans of the chest and abdomen showed a hug...

We report a case of right-sided hemichorea associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a female patient who presented with involuntary movements of hand and foot, without any other manifestation of SLE. Further workup showed positive tests for antinuclear antibody, anti-Smith antibody, anti-dsDNA, and antiphospholipid antibody (aPL). The...

We report three male patients of younger age group presented with acute vein thrombosis of different sites, right lower limb, cortical venous sinuses thrombosis with cerebral vascular accident and third case is mesenteric vein thrombosis. All patients were Vegetarian, had low level of cobalamin with marked hyper homocysteinemia with normal serum an...