In this issueREVIEW ARTICLEORIGINAL ARTICLESCASE REPORT
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# REVIEW ARTICLE {#article-title-2}

**The battle against Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. *Public health perspective***

Al-Otaibi investigates Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The outbreak initially began in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). on March 2, 2020 and it was declared a public health emergency of concern. As of May 30, 2020, the confirmed deaths from COVID-19 was 441 in KSA alone. The public health measures introduced by the government of KSA brought the prevalence rate of COVID-19 to <1%. However, these measures were eased by May 30, 2020 in KSA.

![Figure1](http://smj.org.sa/https://smj.org.sa/content/smj/41/12/1283/F1.medium.gif)

[Figure1](http://smj.org.sa/content/41/12/1283/F1)

Distribution of Coronavirus disease -19 across Saudi Arabia

***see page 1285***

# ORIGINAL ARTICLES {#article-title-3}

**Assessing the cognitive status of older adults attending primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia using the Mini-Mental State Examination**

Alshammari et al assess the cognitive status of older adults in Saudi Arabia between January 2015 and April 2017 by sing a structured questionnaire, which incorporated questions regarding demographic and anthropometric variables, the Arabic version of Mini-Mental State Examination, the Mini-Nutritional Assessment tool, and the Modified Katz Index of Independence in activities of daily living. Of the 1299 participants, 70.4% were male, with a mean age of 66.2 ± 5.9 years. Cognitive impairment affected around 21% of the participants. The reduced cognitive function was associated with increased age, female gender, low education level, unmarried, low income, dependency on others, functional impairment, and malnutrition.

***see page 1315***

**Clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcome of medical staff infected with COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. *A retrospective single-center study***

Abohamr et al conclude that the incidence of COVID-19 infection among medical staff is quite high, but the occurrence of extreme illness and death is significantly low compared with the general community. Mean age of medical staff patients was 44.05±13.9 years, most of whom were women (63.9%). The infected medical staff members consisted of nurses, physicians, technicians, and pharmacists. A total of 108 COVID-19-positive medical staff patients were included in the study from March 23, 2020 to June 15, 2020. Patients were analyzed for demographic data, clinical presentations, and in-hospital outcomes and compared against 661 COVID-19- infected patients of non-medical personnel.

![Figure2](http://smj.org.sa/https://smj.org.sa/content/smj/41/12/1283/F2.medium.gif)

[Figure2](http://smj.org.sa/content/41/12/1283/F2)

The flowchart of analysis procedure. ICU: intensive care unit

***see page 1336***

# CASE REPORT {#article-title-4}

**A loxoscelism case received therapeutic apheresis and hyperbaric oxygen therapy**

Cetinkaya et al present a case of a 24-year-old man presenting with a loxosceles spider bite, dermonecrotic lesion, vomiting, diarrhea, acute renal injury, and rhabdomyolysis, who was successfully treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, therapeutic apheresis, hemodialysis, wound debridement, and cutaneous autografting. Early diagnosis and multidisciplinary approach can be life-saving in spider bites that can cause systemic involvement. Loxoscelism should be considered in patients with skin necrosis, acute renal injury, and rhabdomyolysis.

![Figure3](http://smj.org.sa/https://smj.org.sa/content/smj/41/12/1283/F3.medium.gif)

[Figure3](http://smj.org.sa/content/41/12/1283/F3)

The lesion image after skin debridement

*   Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal

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