This study aimed to identify areas of deficient knowledge among hospital nurses regarding diabetes management; the ultimate goal was to improve the quality of care for people with diabetes who are admitted to hospital for other medical reasons. Diabetes-related knowledge was assessed in 116 nurses using a 66-item questionnaire; the mean total score was 48.5±15.1. Knowledge was highest for nurses working in paediatrics (62.0±5.5; P
Hawa Juma El-Shareif(7-2013)

OBJECTIVE: The increasing prevalence of suspected cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presenting to emergency departments (EDs) requires a rapid and reliable triaging tool. The diagnostic performance of chest computed tomography (CT) has yet to be validated for triaging cases in the ED. We aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of chest CT compared to GeneXpert Xpress Xpert severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test in rapidly diagnosing COVID-19 among patients with respiratory symptoms presenting to the ED. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, single-center study at Tripoli University Hospital including cases with respiratory symptoms who underwent chest CT as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for suspected COVID-19 between May 18 and August 18, 2020. RESULTS: A total of 1240 cases were included, among whom 570 had radiologically evident COVID-19 on chest CT (46%). Five hundred and sixty-five cases had positive PCR results (45.6%), of whom 557 had radiologically evident COVID-19 on chest CT (97.7%). The calculated accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 98%, 98.5%, 98%, 97.7%, and 98.8%, respectively, in relation to the PCR results. CONCLUSION: During the current pandemic, chest CT is a quick and reliable diagnostic tool for COVID-19 in the ED.
Nader Shalaka(11-2021)

In Libya, little is known about HIV-related hospitalizations and in-hospital mortality. This was a retrospective analysis of HIV-related hospitalizations at Tripoli Medical Centre in 2013. Of 227 cases analysed, 82.4% were males who were significantly older (40.0 versus 36.5 years), reported injection drug use (58.3% versus 0%) and were hepatitis C virus co-infected (65.8% versus 0%) compared with females. Severe immunosuppression was prevalent (median CD4 count = 42 cell/μL). Candidiasis was the most common diagnosis (26.0%); Pneumocystis pneumonia was the most common respiratory disease (8.8%), while cerebral toxoplasmosis was diagnosed in 8.4% of patients. Current HAART use was independently associated with low risk of in-hospital mortality (OR 0.33), while central nervous system symptoms (OR 4.12), sepsis (OR 6.98) and low total lymphocyte counts (OR 3.60) were associated with increased risk. In this study, late presentation with severe immunosuppression was common, and was associated with significant in-hospital mortality. 24
Nader S Shalaka(10-2015)