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Behaviors and conditions known to persist into adulthood and result in morbidity and premature mortality are prevalent among adolescents in Saudi Arabia. Preventive measures and local health policies are urgently needed and can impact adolescents and future adults. Establishing adolescent health surveillance is necessary to monitor trends and impacts of such measures.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are associated with an increased risk of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The cause and the pathogenesis of the pregnancy-induced syndrome, preeclampsia, is still poorly understood. Published evidence of altered biomarkers for the endothelial dysfunction suggests that the initiating event in preeclampsia is the reduced placental perfusion, which leads to widespread dysfunction of the maternal vascular endothelium. This review focuses on the role of free radicals in generating the oxidative stress taking antioxidants into consideration which tend to overcome it as well as the role of placenta in preeclamptic pregnancy.

BackgroundVitamin D deficiency is common in the Middle East and in Saudi Arabia, in particular. While several international recommendations on the management of vitamin D deficiency have been documented and practiced globally, these recommendations should be adapted to the conditions of the Middle Eastern region. To address this challenge, the Prince Mutaib Chair for Biomarkers of Osteoporosis (PMCO) in King Saud University (KSU), Riyadh, KSA, together with local experts and in cooperation with the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO), organized a panel that formulated unified recommendations in the diagnosis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency in the region.MethodsThe selection of local and international experts commenced during the 2nd International Vitamin D Symposium conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last January 20-–21, 2016. Reviews of the most recent literature were done, and face-to-face meetings were conducted for revisions and final recommendations.Results: Vitamin D sufficiency is defined as circulating serum 25(OH)D ≥50 nmol (≥20 ng/ml) for the general population and vitamin D adequacy as serum 25(OH)D >75 nmol/L l (>30 ng/ml) for the frail and osteoporotic elderly. Despite overwhelming prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, universal screening is not recommended. Recommendations for the general population, children, pregnant/lactating women, post-menopausal women, the elderly, and those with subsequent metabolic diseases were provided.ResultsVitamin D sufficiency is defined as circulating serum 25(OH)D ≥50 nmol (≥20 ng/ml) for the general population and vitamin D adequacy as serum 25(OH)D >75 nmol/L l (>30 ng/ml) for the frail and osteoporotic elderly. Despite overwhelming prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, universal screening is not recommended. Recommendations for the general population, children, pregnant/lactating women, post-menopausal women, the elderly, and those with subsequent metabolic diseases were provided.ConclusionVitamin D supplementation/correction is advised in all persons whose serum 25(OH)D falls below 50 nmol/l (20 ng/ml), and achieving a target of 75 nmol/l (30 ng/ml) is particularly suited for frail, osteoporotic, and older patients. Conducting well-designed clinical trials in the region that will address economic implications and investigations on the treatment persistence and compliance to vitamin D treatment in the region are encouraged.

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to investigate vitamin D status among female out-patients in Saudi Arabia during the summer and winter seasons.DesignData were retrospectively collected using medical record abstraction.SettingA multidisciplinary hospital in Riyadh between January and December 2009.SubjectsSaudi females (age ≥19 years;n1556) attending out-patient clinics for various complaints comprised the studied population. The population was subdivided into two groups depending on the date of their visit where blood samples were collected: summer (n659) and winter groups (n897). The summer group was further subdivided into premenopausal (age 19–49 years;n425) and postmenopausal subgroups (age ≥50 years;n234). Similarly, the winter group was subdivided into premenopausal (n543) and postmenopausal subgroups (n354). Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) were measured using HPLC.ResultsThe prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D <50 nmol/l) was high in both premenopausal and postmenopausal groups (80 % and 68 %, respectively) during the summer, as well as during the winter (85 % and 76 %, respectively).ConclusionsA high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among Saudi female out-patients was observed throughout the year despite the routine supplementation with 10–20 μg vitamin D3for postmenopausal women. Clinicians should seriously consider determining the vitamin D status of Saudi females routinely and prescribing them proper supplementation.