BackgroundUnhealthy lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity, inactivity and type 2 diabetes are endemic in the Middle East. The public health consequences might be detrimental; however, local studies on risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) are scarce.MethodsPatients referred for coronary angiography at a tertiary hospital in Amman, Jordan, between January and December 2015, were included in this study. Risk factors for CAD were assessed in a multivariate logistic regression model, and presented as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsAmong 557 participants, 356 (63.9%) had CAD and 201 (36.1%) had a normal cardiogram. The majority (n = 395, 70.9%) were male, and median age was 55 years (interquartile range 47–64). Two-hundred-and-fifteen (38.6%) individuals reported previous diabetes, and 287 (51.5%) were current or previous smokers. In multivariate analysis, male gender (OR 3.7, 95% CI 2.3–6.0), age (45–54 years: OR 4.8, 95% CI 2.7–8.5; 55–64 years: OR 6.0, 95% CI 3.2–11.4; ≥65 years: OR 15.7, 95% CI 7.8–31.3), previous diabetes (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.7–4.1) and current/previous smoking (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3–3.4) were significant predictors of CAD.ConclusionsAge, gender, diabetes and smoking were strong and significant risk factors for CAD in Jordan. Public health interventions to reduce the prevalence of smoking and diabetes are urgently needed.

Background. The Middle East is the home to the most obese population in the world, and type 2 diabetes mellitus is endemic in the region. However, little is known about risk factors for diabetes in the younger age groups. Methods. The Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) is a simple, validated tool to identify persons at risk of diabetes. We investigated students at Hashemite University in Jordan with FINDRISC and measured fasting plasma glucose in those who were categorized in the high-risk group. Results. Overall, 1821 students (881 [48.4%] female) were included in the study. Risk factors for diabetes were common: 422 (23.2%) were overweight or obese and 497 (27.3%) had central obesity. Using the FINDRISC score, 94 (5.2%) students were at moderate risk and 32 (1.8%) at high risk of diabetes. The mean FINDRISC score was significantly higher in men than women (5.9 versus 5.4; p = 0.002). Twenty-eight students in the high-risk group had a subsequent plasma glucose measurement, and 8 (29%) of them fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for diabetes. Conclusions. Risk factors for diabetes were common in a young student population in Jordan, suggesting that preventive measures should be initiated early in adulthood to turn the diabetes epidemic in the region.

Sex, age, diabetes mellitus, and smoking predicted CAD in all patients. Waist circumference only predicted CAD in persons without obesity, suggesting that normal-weight central obesity might be an important risk factor in this setting.

Background: Following the remarkable spread of coronavirus disease 2019 , worldwide, it quickly became apparent that many public health systems worldwide were not prepared to manage such a pandemic. We aimed to assess the perceptions of primary care physicians (PCPs) in Jordan towards their role during COVID-19. Methods:A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was performed. The study participants included PCPs from the Ministry of Health, academic institutions, and the private sector in Jordan. Results: A total of 221 PCPs participated in the study. Most participants reported not having received any training on infection control (59.7%) or COVID-19 (81%). More than half PCPs (53.4%) felt positive about the way patients received and/or complied with their instructions. More than half PCPs (55.7%) educated their patients on protective measures against COVID-19 infection and considered this as part of their role and responsibility. Over 80% of the participants would apply social distancing, hand sanitation, facial masks, and patient education, but only half (51.1%) reported planning to order COVID-19 test kits. Conclusions: PCPs had a positive attitude towards controlling COVID-19 infection and showed a willingness to educate patients on how to protect themselves. However, PCPs should be provided special training on COVID-19.

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the commonest diagnosed gastrointestinal disorders (GI) in primary care and gastroenterology practices. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of IBS, and identify associated factors, among university students in Jordan. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among students at the Hashemite University in Jordan. A validated, confidential, self-administered data collection questionnaire was used for the collection of personal and sociodemographic data, and the Rome III criteria were used to define IBS. Logistic regression analysis was done to identify factors associated with IBS. Results A total of 198 students participated in the study, of whom 163 had complete data and could be assessed by the Rome III criteria. The age range of the students was 18 to 35 years, and 91 (55.8%) were women. Overall, 26 (16.0%) of the respondents were diagnosed with IBS. Poor sleep (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 3.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-10.4; p<0.01), being married (AOR 7.6; 95% CI 2.0-28.8; p<0.01) and a family history of IBS (AOR 2.9; 95% CI 1.1-7.7; p=0.03) were independently associated with IBS in multivariable analysis. Conclusion IBS was common among otherwise healthy university student in Jordan. Lifestyle factors such as poor sleep appeared to be associated with IBS symptoms.