Shuruq Abdullah M. Mbbch Alqahtani

Background: Migraine is a prevalent neurological disorder associated with significant morbidity and social burden. Although various triggers for migraine have been identified, the relationship between smoking and migraine remains unclear. This study aimed to compare migraine characteristics between people with and without smoking in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study using an online survey tool had been conducted in Saudi Arabia. The survey assessed migraine characteristics, smoking behaviour, demographics, and comorbidities. Statistical analyzes were performed to investigate the occurrence of migraine, smoking behaviour, and demographic factors. Descriptive statistics summarized the data, with various statistical tests employed to compare variables between groups. Results: A total of 229 participants were included in the study, with a majority being young adults (48.47%), predominantly females (66.81%), and holding a bachelor’s degree (63.32%). The study found that 19.2% of individuals with migraine were current smokers, with an average smoking duration of 9.7 years. While some reported relief from migraine pain, others experienced increased pain intensity or frequency. No significant differences were found in migraine characteristics between smokers and non-smokers, but younger individuals and males with migraine were more likely to smoke. The study highlights the complex relationship between smoking and migraine, with varying effects on individuals. Conclusions: The study underscores the lack of significant differences in migraine characteristics between smokers and non-smokers, suggesting that smoking does not play a pivotal role in the clinical presentation of migraines. This insight prompts a shift in research focus towards other potential contributors to migraines, such as genetic predispositions, environmental factors, and comorbidities. Understanding these associations can inform public health strategies aimed at alleviating migraine-related burdens.

This research aims to explore the prevalence and perspectives on e-cigarette use at King Khalid University in Saudi Arabia. This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted during April and May 2023, recruiting students from the College of Medicine at King Khalid University, from Aseer region, Saudi Arabia. We included 534 participants, of those 19.3% had used electronic-cigarettes (e-cigarettes). The most reported reason for using e-cigarettes were reduce/quit conventional smoking because it is not a healthy habit (23%). A significantly lesser proportion of E. users rather than the users, think that e-cigarettes are a source of secondhand smoking, causing various diseases, burning tobacco as a source of power and harmful to pregnant women. Furthermore, the prevalence of the 2 groups was comparable when they were asked if e-cigarette is a nicotine delivery system and it contains addictive flavor. Female sex is inversely associated with e-cigarette smoking (odds ratio: 0.25 (0.15–0.42), P < .001). However, age, grade point average, and MBBS year were not associated with E. smoking. One fifth of the medical students at King Khaled University are E. users with a large proportion of males. The health care authorities in conjunction with the educational authorities should raise the awareness level towards e-cigarettes use in particular the reasons for usage as well as it is harmful hazards.

The overall risk of developing cancer before the age of 75 years in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is 9.9%. We aimed to explore the pattern of skin cancer, specifically among the Saudi population residing in the Aseer region. We obtained data from the medical records of Aseer Central Hospital regional histopathological laboratory considering surgical pathology reports from 2011 to 2021. The 61–80-year-old age group represented most of the cases (41.4%), followed by the 41–60-year-old group at 24.1%. Men made up the majority of the cases (59.4%). Furthermore, the dataset predominantly consisted of Saudi nationals (94.3% of the sample). The percentage of cases diagnosed each year relative to the cumulative number of skin cancer cases varied each year, ranging from 1.6% in 2011 to 11.6% in 2017. The most common diagnoses were squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with 230 cases (41.1%) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) with 147 cases (26.3%). The majority of cases occurred in the head and neck region (55.4%), followed by the lower limb (16.6%), trunk (13.6%), upper limb (8.2%), and pelvis (2.3%). There was a significant variation in the type of skin cancer across the age groups (p < 0.001) and across different body parts (p < 0.001). The incidence of skin cancer exhibited variability throughout the study period. The predominant diagnoses observed were SSC and BCC. Among the affected areas, the head and neck region displayed the highest prevalence, followed by the lower limb, trunk, upper limb, and pelvis.