Purpose. To investigate the effect of cigarette smoking on the ocular tear film. Methods. Thirty healthy young male cigarette smokers (20–38 years old) and 30 healthy age matched nonsmokers were enrolled in the study. McMonnies questionnaire, slit lamp, and PRT test were used to screen the subjects. Tear samples were collected from the right eyes and tear ferning patterns were observed and graded. Results. The mean MacMonnies scores and TF grades were significantly higher in the smoker subjects (mean ± SD = 9.83 ± 5.22 and 0.96 ± 0.54, resp.) compared to nonsmokers (mean ± SD = 5.96 ± 3.06 and 0.41 ± 0.38, resp.). The mean values obtained from PRT and TBUT tests were 22.23 ± 6.35 mm and 12.17 ± 3.81 s for smokers and 22.16 ± 5.63 mm and 14.13 ± 2.62 s for nonsmokers, respectively. Strong correlations were found between MacMonnies scores and both PRT (r = 0.596) and TF (r = 0.516). There was statistically significant difference in TF grades (p = 0.00), TBUT (p = 0.036) and McMonnies (p = 0.02) between smokers and nonsmokers. Conclusion. Cigarette smoking could have a significant effect on the tear film quality of the eye.

Basidiobolomycosis is an unusual fungal infection known for dermatological manifestations that affect immunocompetent young adult and rarely involves the gastrointestinal tract, during the past decade many cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia with diagnosis of gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis, most of the reported cases were in children and majority came from southern region of Saudi Arabia and all were misdiagnosed initially as either IBD or granulomatous diseases or malignancy. GIB poses diagnostic difficulties due to nonspecific presentations and rarity and has been scarcely reported in medical literatures. GIB might be a life threatening infection. So, a high index of suspicion is warranted in any child or young adult with differential diagnosis of IBD, granulomatous disease and malignancy affecting GI tract especially those patients whom are residents in or came from southern region of Saudi Arabia. In this series which is the largest reported series in adult patient with GIB in this country, we describe 4 cases of GI basidiobolomycosis from southern Region of Saudi Arabia.

Association of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease well known main pathophysiologic basis for Ischemic Heart Diseases and Myocardial Infarction and due to major risk factors such as high plasma level of low density lipoprotein, low plasma level of high density lipoprotein, cigarette smoking, hypertension and diabetes mellitus, infection with few infectious agents such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae that might associated with atherosclerosis consider as another risk factor for ischemic heart diseases. Aim of this study is to investigate the role of this organism and its association to the risk of exposure to Mycoplasma pneumonia infection for ischemic heart diseases in Saudi population. This was a case-control study in which 96 patients studied and they were in two groups: first group (or case group), include 48 units patients who had been admitted in hospital by diagnosis of Ischemic Heart Diseases including Unstable angina and Myocardial Infarction (STEMI, NSTEMI) and second group (or control group), include 48 healthy units patients who had no modifiable risk factors history of Ischemic Heart Disease and they matched by first group, for age index. IgG antibodies to Mycoplasma pneumoniae was assessed by ELISA technique in both groups. In the case group, 15 cases out of 48 and in control group 3 out 48 were positive for antimycoplasma antibody and in both groups. There was significant statistic difference in antimycoplasma antibody level. In the groups (p = 0.004) and the relative risk of mycoplasma infection for Ischemic heart diseases estimated to be 5. It seems that Mycoplasm pneumoniae infection is a risk factor for Ischemic Heart Disease, in Saudi population. This is the first report study of such a disease in Saudi Arabia.Further studies will needed to evalute the risk of coinfection by Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae and also better to evalute the effects of the risk of these infection and conventional risk factors for Ischemic Heart Disease in this country.