Lukman Thalib

Griffith University and Istanbul Aydin University

Aim: This study aims to perform an external validation of a recently developed prognostic model for early prediction of the risk of progression to severe COVID-19. Patients & methods/materials: Patients were recruited at their initial diagnosis at two facilities within Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar. 356 adults were included for analysis. Predi...

Surgical wound dehiscence (SWD) is a serious complication-with a 40% estimated mortality rate-that occurs after surgical intervention. Since the implementation of advanced recovery protocols, the current global incidence of SWD is unknown. This systematic review and meta-analysis estimated the worldwide incidence of SWD and explored its associated...

Head of bed elevation is used to manage some medical and surgical conditions however this may increase a patient's risk of sacral pressure injuries. Novel point-of-care technologies that measure subepidermal moisture can identify changes in localised subepidermal oedema and potential pressure injury risk. This prospective exploratory study investig...

Background: There is growing evidence regarding the potential of closed incision negative pressure wound therapy (ci-NPWT) to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs) in healing wounds by primary closure following a caesarean section (CS). Aim: To assess the cost-effectiveness of ci-NPWT compared to standard dressings for prevention of SSI in obe...

Objective To describe the extent to which older patients participate in discharge medication communication, and identify factors that predict patient participation in discharge medication communication. Design Observational study. Setting An Australian metropolitan tertiary hospital. Participants 173 older patients were observed undertaking one...

Background: There is some evidence to suggest that discharge education may reduce the risk of postoperative complications, however, a critical evaluation of the body of evidence is needed. Objective: To assess the effect of discharge education interventions versus standard education given to general surgery patients prior to, or up to 30-days of...

Background Prophylactic dressings are increasingly used to prevent pressure injuries in hospitalised patients. However, evidence regarding the effectiveness of these dressings is still emerging. This trial aims to determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a prophylactic silicone foam border dressing in preventing sacral pressure injuries in...

Background: Subepidermal moisture (SEM) changes may detect early tissue injury and enhance pressure injury risk assessments. However, little is known how modifiable factors, like head of bed elevation (HOBE), affect SEM. Aim: This study investigated the influence of HOBE on sacral and heel SEM, using the Provizio ® SEM Scanner. Method: A 2 × 2...

(Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2022;62:234–240. doi: 10.1111/ajo.13428) Risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) following cesarean delivery (CD) are numerous and include maternal obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). The interaction of high BMI with other risk factors for SSI (advanced maternal age, smoking, diabetes, emergency procedures, nontransverse in...

Background Subepidermal moisture (SEM) scanning is a novel technology that measures changes in localised oedema. Accumulation of subepidermal oedema is associated with early tissue damage that may lead to a pressure injury. Aim The primary study objective was to observe the variations in sacral subepidermal oedema levels over a continuous period o...

Background Prophylactic dressings are increasingly used to prevent pressure injuries in hospitalised patients. However, evidence regarding the effectiveness of these dressings is still emerging. This trial aims to determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a prophylactic silicone foam border dressing in preventing sacral pressure injuries in...

Background: Reports on the risk and prognosis of breast cancer in relation to the sex of a child have been conflicting. Since medical sciences play an important role in informing sociocultural understandings of health and illness, evidence-based studies have the potential to foster or counter stigma and shape social attitudes toward a newborn's se...

Background Medically unjustifiable caesarean section (CS) deliveries have been rising rapidly in many developed countries over the last three decades. While many developing countries show rates beyond optimal levels, few poorer countries appear to have sub-optimal obstetric care in relation to essential surgeries. The objective of this study is to...

Background : Surgical wound complications are common and range between 3 -12 % of obese women after caesarean section. An understanding of the risk factors for wound complications may inform potential areas for clinical care improvement. Objective : To identify the incidence and predictors of surgical wound complications in obese women after caesa...

(BMJ. 2021;373:n893) Cesarean deliveries (CD) lead to increased risk for adverse maternal outcomes, especially for obese women. Obesity during pregnancy is common and increases the risk of postoperative complications such as surgical site infection (SSI), hematoma and seroma, and wound dehiscence. Use of closed incision negative pressure wound ther...

Background The burden of Japanese encephalitis (JE) is substantial and is arguably one of the most serious viral encephalitic diseases with high case fatality and no specific treatment. JE vaccines are the only available mean to prevent the disease; however, the long-term persistence of antibodies, boostability, and interchangeability between diffe...

Background Oedema measurement, also termed sub-epidermal moisture measurement is recommended as an adjunct pressure injury prevention intervention in international guidelines because it indicates early tissue damage. Objective To determine the prognostic value of oedema measurement in predicting future pressure injury in adults in any care setting...

Background: Obesity is associated with increased surgical site infection (SSI) following caesarean section (CS). Objective: To summarise the evidence on the effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for preventing SSI and other wound complications in obese women after CS. Search strategy: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL...

Background Prophylactic foam border dressings are recommended for high-risk patients in addition to standard pressure injury prevention protocols despite limited high-quality evidence regarding their effectiveness. This protocol describes the process evaluation that will be undertaken alongside a multisite randomised controlled trial investigating...

Background: Diet quality plays an important role in the prevention of diabetes-related complications in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, evidence is scarce on how diet quality typically changes over time after diagnosis. The present study aimed to describe how the diet quality of individuals newly diagnosed with T2DM changes o...

Background Establishing worldwide incidence of general surgical site infections (SSI) is imperative to understand the extent of the condition to assist decision-makers to improve the planning and delivery of surgical care. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the worldwide incidence of SSI and identify associated factors in ad...

BJOG Exchange

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) after a caesarean section is of concern (CS) is of concern to both clinicians and women themselves. Aims: The aim of this study is to identify the cumulative incidence and predictors of SSI in women who are obese and give birth by elective CS. Materials and methods: The method used was planned secondar...

Objectives: In a recent paper we suggest that the relative risk (RR) be replaced with the odds ratio (OR) as the effect measure of choice in clinical epidemiology. In response, Chu and colleagues raise several points that argue for the status quo. In this paper, we respond to their response. Study designs and settings: We use the same examples g...

Objective To synthesize findings from systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the efficacy and safety of chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) with or without Azithromycin for treating COVID-19, and to update the evidence using a meta-analysis. Methods A comprehensive search was carried out in electronic databases for systematic reviews, m...

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of closed incision negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) compared with standard dressings in preventing surgical site infection (SSI) in obese women undergoing caesarean section. Design: Multicentre, pragmatic, randomised, controlled, parallel group, superiority trial. Setting: Four Australian tertiar...

Background A pressure injury is an area of localised damage to the skin and underlying tissues. Patient repositioning is an important prevention strategy, as those with limited mobility are at increased risk of developing pressure injury. Objectives To assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness of repositioning schedules on the prevention of press...

Context The comparative efficacy of gestational diabetes (GDM) treatments lack conclusive evidence for choice of first-line treatment. Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of metformin and glibenclamide to insulin using a core outcome set (COS) to unify outcomes across trials investigating the treatment of gestational diabe...

Context: The comparative efficacy of gestational diabetes (GDM) treatments lack conclusive evidence for choice of first-line treatment. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of metformin and glibenclamide to insulin using a core outcome set (COS) to unify outcomes across trials investigating the treatment of gestational dia...

AIMS With the rising number of outcomes being reported following gestational diabetes (GDM), the outcomes in existing studies vary widely making it challenging to compare and contrast the effectiveness of different interventions for GDM. The purpose of this study was to develop a core outcome and measurement set (COS) for GDM treatment trials. MAT...

Background: Findings about the effect of prophylactic antibiotics in preventing genital tract infection (GTI) associated with surgical procedures used for incomplete abortions are conflicting. Some reported a decrease in infection associated with the use of antibiotic prophylaxis, while others found no significant reduction in GTI. Objective: To...

Objectives: In a recent paper we suggest that the relative risk (RR) be replaced with the odds ratio (OR) as the effect measure of choice in clinical epidemiology. In response, Chu and colleagues raise several points that argue for the status quo. In this paper, we respond to their response. Study designs and settings: We use the same examples giv...

Objective In clinical trials, the relative risk or risk ratio (RR) is a mainstay of reporting of the effect magnitude for an intervention. The RR is the ratio of the probability of an outcome in an intervention group to its probability in a control group. Thus the RR provides a measure of change in the likelihood of an event linked to a given inter...

Background: Antibiotics are antimicrobial drugs used in the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections. They played a pivotal role in achieving major advances in medicine and surgery (1). Yet, due to increased and inappropriate use of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance (AR) has become a growing public health problem. Information on antibiotic...

Background: Decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) increases the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis. It is common in older women, as the BMD tends to decrease with age, particularly after menopause. While age and hormonal changes are well-established risk factors, other factors have been investigated for possible links to increase the risk of oste...

Objective: To synthesize the findings presented in systematic reviews and meta-analyses as well as to update the evidence using a meta-analysis in evaluating the efficacy and safety of CQ and HCQ with or without Azithromycin for the treatment of COVID-19 infection. Methods: The design of this meta-review followed the preferred reporting items for o...

Background To systematically review the literature about the association between systemic corticosteroid therapy (CST) and outcomes of COVID-19 patients. Methods We searched Medline, Embase, EBM Reviews, Scopus, Web of Science, and preprints up to July 20, 2020. We included observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCT) that assessed...

Aim: The heart function assessment registry trial in Saudi Arabia (HEARTS) is a national multicenter project that compared de novo versus acute-on-chronic heart failure (ACHF). Methods and Results: This is a prospective registry in 18 hospitals in Saudi Arabia between October 2009 and December 2010. The study enrolled 2610 patients: 940 (36%) de no...

Background: To systematically review the literature about the effect of systemic corticosteroid therapy (CST) on outcomes of COVID-19 patients. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, EBM Reviews, Scopus, Web of Science, and preprints up to July 20, 2020. We included observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCT) that assessed COVID-19...

Aims The effectiveness of physical activity (PA) programs for prevention of gestational diabetes (GDM) lacks conclusive evidence. The aim of this study was to generate clear evidence regarding the effectiveness of physical activity programs in GDM prevention to guide clinical practice. Methods PubMed/Medline, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE...

Objective To synthesize findings from systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the efficacy and safety of chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) with or without Azithromycin for treating COVID-19, and to update the evidence using a meta-analysis. Methods A comprehensive search was carried out in electronic databases for systematic reviews, m...

Background: Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), yet the global incidence of NEC has not been systematically evaluated. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies reporting the incidence of NEC in infants with Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW)....

Dietary intake impacts glycaemic control through its effect on weight and glucose-insulin homeostasis. Early glycaemic control is associated with improved outcomes and reduced mortality for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). To date, the diet quality of people with T2D has only been studied cross-sectionally. The objective of this paper is to quant...

Background: A pressure injury (PI), also referred to as a 'pressure ulcer', or 'bedsore', is an area of localised tissue damage caused by unrelieved pressure, friction, or shearing on any part of the body. Immobility is a major risk factor and manual repositioning a common prevention strategy. This is an update of a review first published in 2014....

Background: Paracetamol and ibuprofen are the most commonly used medications for fever and pain management in children. While the efficacy appears similar with both drugs, there are contradictory findings related to adverse events. In particular, incidence of wheezing and asthma among children taking paracetamol compared to ibuprofen, remain unset...

Background: Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), yet the global incidence of NEC has not been systematically evaluated. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies reporting the incidence of NEC in infants with Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW). M...

Background: Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is a major source of morbidity and mortality in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), yet the global incidence is not systematically evaluated. We conducted a systematic review and Meta-Analysis of cohort studies reporting the incidence of NEC in infants with Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW). Methods: The...

Objective: To investigate the effect of number of studies in a meta-analysis on the detection of publication bias using p-value driven methods. Methods: The proportion of meta-analyses detected by Egger’s, Harbord’s, Peters’, and Begg’s tests to have asymmetry suggestive of publication bias were examined in 5014 meta-analyses from Cochrane reviews...

Background: Pressure injuries are frequently occurred adverse events in hospitals, affecting the well-being of patients and causing considerable financial burden to healthcare systems. However, the estimates of prevalence, incidence and hospital-acquired rate of pressure injury in hospitalised patients vary considerably in relevant published studi...

Background Reports on the risk and prognosis of breast cancer in relation to the sex of a child have been conflicting. This study uses meta-analytical techniques to pool all available evidence to provide the best estimate on the effect of sex of the first child on the risk and prognosis of breast cancer. Methods A comprehensive search that included...

Background: Paracetamol and ibuprofen are the most commonly used medications for fever and pain management in children. While the efficacy appears similar with both drugs, there are contradictory findings related to adverse events. In particular, incidence of asthma among children taking paracetamol compared to ibuprofen, remain unsettled. Methods:...

Objectives: The goal of this meta-analysis was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy as measured by sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET in the diagnosis of primary bone and soft tissue sarcomas. . Subjects and methods: Several databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library and Web of Science were searched. In addition to sensitivity and s...

Background: Paracetamol and ibuprofen are the most commonly used medications for fever and pain management in children. While the efficacy appears similar with both drugs, there are contradictory findings related to adverse events. In particular, incidence of asthma among children taking paracetamol compared to ibuprofen, remain unsettled. Methods:...

Background: Paracetamol and ibuprofen are the most commonly used medications for fever and pain management in children. While the efficacy appears similar with both drugs, there are contradictory findings related to adverse events. In particular, incidence of asthma among children taking paracetamol compared to ibuprofen, remain unsettled. Methods:...

Previous randomized and observational studies on the efficacy of metformin in pregnancy to reduce incident gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women at high risk (obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome [PCOS], or pregestational insulin resistance) have been conflicting and several groups are planning further randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to an...

Aims and objective: To describe the prevalence and predictors of pressure injuries among older adults with limited mobility, within the first 36-hours of their hospital admission in Australia. Background: Pressure injuries are significant health, safety and quality of care issues for patients and healthcare organisations. The early implementatio...

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the Arabian Gulf. In this study, the in‐hospital mortality amongst patients admitted with ACS to Arabian Gulf hospitals is predicted using a comprehensive modelling framework that combines powerful machine‐learning methods such as support‐vector machine (SVM), Naïve Baye...

Background To systematically assess the prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations in women with Hereditary Breast and/or Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) in Arab countries and to describe the variability in the BRCA gene mutations in different regions of the Arab world. Methods Observational studies reporting prevalence of BRCA mutations from 22 Arab coun...

Background: Hajj is the largest human gathering with over 2 million people. We evaluated the effect of bundle care intervention on mortality. Methods: A population-based, before and after study compared the effect of an intervention on mortality. The intervention included recruitment of cardiac team, introducing 24/7 catheterization service, car...

Background Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic disease that may lead to death if not immediately recognized and treated. Triggers of anaphylaxis including food, drugs, and insect stings can vary widely. The incidence of anaphylaxis seems to be affected by age, sex, atopy, and geographic location. This study aims to examine the common triggers of anap...

Objectives: Pressure injuries (PIs) are one of the most common types of complex wounds and impose a huge economic burden on the healthcare system and the patients. A plethora of topical treatments is widely available for PI treatment, yet there is a paucity of evidence with regard to the most effective treatment. The objective of this study was to...

Objectives: To systematically assess the incidence and prevalence of pressure injuries in adult ICU patients and the most frequently occurring pressure injury sites. Data sources: MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. Study selection: Observational studies reporting incidence rates...

Introduction: Although hepatitis E virus (HEV) is mainly transmitted via the faecal-oral route, the rate of HEV transmission via blood donation is on the rise. However, the seroprevalence of HEV among blood donors is not well established and is thought to be affected by the type of diagnostic assay used. We aimed to evaluate performance and correl...

Background: Pressure injuries are localised areas of injury to the skin and/or underlying tissues. Objectives: To assess foam dressings compared to other dressings in healing pressure injuries. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis DATA SOURCES: The review team searched: the Cochrane Wounds Specialised Register; the Cochrane Central Regi...

Background: Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic disease that may lead to death if not immediately recognized and treated. Triggers of anaphylaxis including food, drugs, and insect stings can vary widely. The incidence of anaphylaxis seem to be affected by sex, socioeconomic factors, atopy, and geographic location. Although the incidence of anaphylaxi...

Objectives The robotic seal, PARO, has been used as an alternative to animal-assisted therapies with residents with dementia in long-term care, yet understanding of its efficacy is limited by a paucity of research. We explored the effects of PARO on motor activity and sleep patterns, as measured by a wearable triaxial accelerometer. Study design C...

Objectives: To explore whether severity of cognitive impairment and agitation of older people with dementia predict outcomes in engagement, mood states, and agitation after a 10-week intervention with the robotic seal, PARO. Design: Data from the PARO intervention-arm of a cluster-randomized controlled trial was used, which involved individual,...

Objectives: To examine the within-trial costs and cost-effectiveness of using PARO, compared with a plush toy and usual care, for reducing agitation and medication use in people with dementia in long-term care. Design: An economic evaluation, nested within a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Setting: Twenty-eight facilities in South-East Qu...

Objectives: Pilon fractures are challenging to treat and associated with complications such as skin necrosis and superficial and deep infections that can potentially lead to amputation. This meta‑analysis aimed to compare the postoperative outcomes following open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) versus external fixation for pilon fractures. M...