Background. High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) is a fatal form of severe high-altitude illness. It is a form of noncardiogenic, noninfectious pulmonary edema secondary to alveolar hypoxia. The exact incidence of HAPE in children is unknown; however, most literature reports an incidence between 0.5-15%. There are three proposed HAPE types including classic HAPE, reentry HAPE, and high-altitude resident pulmonary edema (HARPE). Case. We present three pediatric patients who were diagnosed with re-entry high altitude pulmonary edema and did not have any underlying cardiac abnormalities. All patients reside in areas of high altitude with a history of travelling to places of lower altitude. They had respiratory infections prior to the manifestation of HAPE. Conclusions. These are the first reported cases of children with reentry HAPE in Saudi Arabia. Reentry HAPE can occur in otherwise healthy children. Rapid ascent to high altitude and recent respiratory infections are the most commonly reported triggers. Prognosis is very favorable with a very rapid response to oxygen therapy. Education about HAPE is mandatory for families and health care workers working in high altitude areas.

Introduction: Pregnant and breastfeeding women comprise a high-risk group for the development of severe COVID-19. Therefore, vaccination is highly recommended for perinatal women; however, vaccination levels for this group remain inadequate. This study explores the percentage of COVID-19 vaccination among Saudi pregnant and lactating women, as well as their attitudes toward it. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey on a sample of Saudi pregnant and breastfeeding women. The study included pregnant and lactating women. Results: The percentage of COVID-19 vaccine uptake was 78.2%. A total of 45 (21.8%) out of 206 women did not receive the vaccine. The overall vaccine hesitancy was 21.8%. Breastfeeding women were 2.86 more likely not to receive the vaccine as compared to pregnant women. Being a mother of over five children increased the vaccine uptake among our participating women (n = 20, 90%; p < 0.01). The majority of the subjects had taken the Pfizer vaccine (81.98%, 132/161). The availability of the COVID-19 vaccine was the most common factor for choosing a particular vaccine. Protection from infection (60.2%, 97/161) was reported as the main driver for vaccine uptake. The most common reason perceived for delaying COVID-19 vaccination was being worried about the side effects (176, 85.44%) on one’s own body and the effects on the unborn child (130, 63.1%). Conclusion: We uncovered high levels of hesitancy, primarily induced by concerns about adverse effects and social media-related misinformation. These high levels of vaccine uptake are likely due to the large-scale obligatory vaccination program provided in Saudi Arabia, which was well-structured and far reaching. Our results provide further support for the so-called “protection motivation theory” in boosting vaccine acceptance. Counseling and educating pregnant and breastfeeding women about COVID-19 vaccination is the need of the hour.

Background: Worldwide, CKDs are the 12th cause of death and the 17th cause of disability, respectively. About 10-13% of the general population had one of the chronic kidney diseases counting more than 500 million persons worldwide. Early diagnosis and treatment of CKD will play an important role in delaying CKD progression [12]. Aim: The current study aims to determine the prevalence and awareness of CKD among the general population and its determinants in Southern region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional approach was used targeting all accessible population in Southern Saudi Arabia (including four regions, Aseer region, Albaha region, Najran region, and Jazan region), aged18 years or more and accepting to participate in the study. Data were collected from participants using an online pre-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire covered the following data: participants’ socio-demographic data, participants’ awareness, and participants’ perception towards CKDs, preventive measures and risk. The questionnaire was uploaded online using social media platforms by the researchers and their friends during the period from 20 March 2021 to 20 June 2021. Results: A total of 1317 participants fulfilling the inclusion criteria completed the study questionnaire. Participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 69 years with a mean age of 34.1 12.9 years old. Exactly 255 (19.4%) reported that they had a family member with CKD and 130 (9.9%) of the study respondents had DM, 98 (7.4%) had hypertension, while 20 (1.5%) complained of CKD. Exactly 93% of the study participants had heard about CKDs and 80.8% correctly defined the diseases as a kidney condition that was unable to filter waste, toxins, and fluids from the body. A total of 84.3% reported that chronic kidney disease progresses to kidney failure and 42.9% agreed that chronic kidney disease may not have any symptoms until advanced. The most reported source of knowledge were social media (56%), followed by mass media (22.3%), work (22.1%), books (20.3%), health education campaigns (15.8%), and others (31%). Conclusion: In conclusion, the current study revealed that public awareness in Southern region of Saudi Arabia about CKD and its risk factors is low in contrast to their perception towards the disease and its associated risk. Having information from scientific sources such as books, health education campaigns or study was associated with high awareness level. Key words: Chronic kidney disease, awareness, perception, population, Saudi Arabia, risk factors