Background and aims The Middle East (ME) has a high prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), driven by obesity and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Studies in Saudi Arabia (KSA) and United Arab Emirates (UAE) predict an escalating impact of NAFLD/NASH, particularly advanced fibrosis due to NASH (AF-NASH), increasing cases of cirrhosis, liver cancer and death. The scale of this burden in other ME countries is unknown with no reports of NAFLD/NASH healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) or costs. We estimated the clinical and economic burden of NAFLD/NASH in KSA, UAE and Kuwait. Methods Markov models populated with country-specific obesity and T2DM prevalence data estimated numbers and progression of NAFLD/NASH patients from 2018 to 2030. Model inputs, assumptions and outputs were collected from literature, national statistics, and expert consensus. Results Over 13 years, the KSA model estimated cases increasing as follows: patients with fibrosis F0–3 doubled to 2.5 m, compensated and decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma trebled to 212,000; liver failure or transplant patients increased four-fold to 4,086 and liver-related death escalated from < 10,000 to > 200,000. Similar trends occurred in UAE and Kuwait. Discounted lifetime costs of NASH standard-care increased totaling USD40.41 bn, 1.59 bn and 6.36 bn in KSA, UAE (Emiratis only) and Kuwait, respectively. NASH-related costs in 2019 comprised, respectively, 5.83%, 5.80% and 7.66% of national healthcare spending. Conclusions NASH, especially AF-NASH, should be considered a higher priority in ME Public Health policy. Our analyses should inform health policy makers to mitigate the enormity of this escalating regional burden.
Context:Wound management can often be a challenging experience, especially in the presence of diabetes mellitus, vascular or immunological compromise. While no single technique can be considered by itself to be ideal, vacuum-assisted healing, which is a recent innovation, is fast becoming a necessary addition as adjuvant therapy to hasten wound healing.Aims:To determine the efficacy of vacuum-assisted healing.Settings and Design:Plastic surgery centre. Ministry of Health Hospital, Kuwait.Materials and Methods:Patients from Kuwait in a wide variety of clinical situations were chosen for study: Patients (n=50) were classified by diagnosis: Group 1: pressure sore- sacral (n= 3), trochanteric (n=6), ischial (n= 2); Group 2: ulcers (n= 11); Group 3: traumatic soft tissue wounds (n =15); Group 4: extensive tissue loss from the abdominal wall perineum, thigh and axilla (n =5); Group 5: sternal dehiscence wounds (n =4) and Group 6: wounds from flap necrosis (n =4). All wounds were subjected to vacuum by wall unit or portable unit, using pressure of 100-125 mm - continuous or intermittent. Closure of wounds, significant reduction in size and refusal by patient for continuation of vacuum-assisted closure therapy were end points of vacuum application.Results:Sixteen per cent of patients showed complete healing of the wound. Seventy per cent of patients showed 20-78% reduction in wound size. In 14% of patients treatment had to be discontinued. All patients showed improvement in granulation tissue and reduction in bacterial isolates and tissue oedema.Conclusions:The application of subatmospheric pressure or negative pressure promotes healing in a wide range of clinical settings and is an advanced wound healing therapy that can optimize patient care, promote rapid wound healing and help manage costs. It may be used in most instances in both hospital and community settings.
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