Migraines affect approximately one billion people globally, making it important to raise awareness about this debilitating condition, promote better understanding, address the misconceptions, and reduce the stigma associated with it. It is also an ideal time to highlight treatment options and coping strategies for individuals dealing with the physical, emotional, and mental trauma the condition brings along with its onset.  

Migraine is a neurological disorder characterised by recurrent episodes of moderate to severe headaches. It is often accompanied by nausea, stiffness in the neck and should, photophobia and phonophobia. Migraine headaches are often described as pulsating or throbbing in nature and typically affect one side of the head, although they can occur on both sides as well. 

Dr. Suhail Alrukn, Consultant Neurology, City Hospital, Mediclinic, UAE says that the condition has affected almost 15 per cent of the region’s general population and significantly impacts not only those directly affected but also their friends, families and social communities. Some of the common trigger factors include stress, anxiety, insufficient sleep, harsh lighting, overexertion, skipping meals, lack of hydration, sensitivity to certain spices, and foul odour. 

Related: Grasping the economic cost of chronic pain

A typical migraine attack could last as low as a couple of hours or could continue for a few days. Hence, it is imperative to recognise the symptoms and approach a neurologist who could assist with the ideal course of treatment for the condition. 

The condition is classified into two main types, says Dr. Walid Alesefir, Consultant Neurologist, Al Habib Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The first is the migraine with aura, in which sensory and other neurological symptoms precede a migraine attack. The second is migraine without aura, the more commonly occurring type affecting atleast 70-75 per cent of the people with the condition.  

Another existing subtype is chronic migraine, also known as episodic migraine, causing a devastating 15 or more days of headache each month, with few days of severe migraine-like symptoms. He stresses the need for a proper diagnosis of the patient to initiate treatment based on the severity of the symptoms. Treatment could include preventive therapy wherein prescribed medications are taken regularly to reduce the intensity of the migraine. Another could be the abortive therapy which refers to treatments aimed at stopping or relieving a migraine attack as soon as possible, ideally at its early stages. 

Often under-diagnosed and under-treated, it is imperative to raise awareness among healthcare providers, family, friends, and co-workers about the consequences of this condition, says Dr. Mohamed Osama Abdelghany, Chairman of the Egyptian Headache Chapter and Professor of Neurology at Ain Shams University, Egypt.  

He adds that there need to be specialised clinics within hospitals dedicated to treatment for migraines. Patient and family-driven advocacy is essential in decreasing the stigma associated with the condition. Self-awareness among those affected is essential to advocate for themselves and others. 

While this month has drawn more attention towards this condition which many silently suffer with, it comes as a reminder for individuals to prioritise their well-being, talk openly about their suffering, and seek medical and personal attention for their comfort.  

Back to Clinical

An erroneous trend that is sometimes observed while planning research in healthcare is starting a research project before ensuring that the data quality management processes are in place, which makes a perfect case of ‘putting the cart before the horse’. 

It tempts one to propose the question — “what is research without data?” Research without data is simply a hypothesis. It is an idea or theory that has not been tested or supported by any evidence. Data provides the foundation for research by providing empirical evidence that can be used to test hypotheses and theories. Through the analysis of data, researchers can identify patterns, relationships, and trends that can help to explain or predict behaviour, outcomes, or phenomena. Therefore, data is a critical component of research. 

Project planning is an essential aspect of any health research project, and there are several key things that researchers should consider before starting a project. However, dedication is often given more to defining the research question, choosing an appropriate study design, identifying potential funding sources, developing a budget, ensuring all necessary ethical approvals are obtained, and developing a data collection plan, including data sources and sampling strategies. Midway the research team may realise that they had not paid much attention to data management or perhaps did not include it in their project strategy to a significant extent.  

Related: Data-driven future of healthcare

If data quality management is not applied before conducting health research, it can lead to inaccurate, inconsistent, or incomplete data. Poor quality data can lead to incorrect conclusions, invalid results, and flawed recommendations. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that data quality management processes are in place before starting any research project. 

So, how can researchers, project companies and project manager ensure to include data quality management to their project strategies to a significant extent? By applying data quality management before conducting health research, researchers can identify potential data quality issues, correct them, strengthen data privacy and ensure that the data is accurate, reliable, consistent, and complete.  

Healthcare companies must realise that there is a valid need to define data quality standards that align with their research goals while planning and strategising on the research project with project managers. Proper documentation of the process for data integration, sharing, security, privacy, and literacy must be implemented. This will help ensure that the data is accurate, secure, complete, and consistent.  

The other step includes conducting regular data quality assessments. Companies should conduct regular data quality assessments to identify and address any issues with data quality. This may involve using statistical techniques to identify outliers and anomalies and comparing data to external sources to verify accuracy. 

Involving stakeholders in data quality management such as data collectors, analysts, and end-users, in data quality management activities to ensure that everyone understands the importance of data quality and their role in ensuring it. 

Companies should also provide training to staff on data quality management, including the importance of data quality, how to ensure data quality and the consequences of poor data quality. 

At the managerial level, project managers need to develop data quality objectives and data management plans, establish quality metrics, include blueprints for data profiling at intervals, implement data quality control, and checkmate the team for compliance.  

If these actions are implemented, companies can avoid the pitfalls of "putting the cart before the horse" and ensure that data quality management is a fundamental part of their health research projects. This can lead to more accurate research results, better-informed decision-making, and ultimately, improved patient outcomes. 

Back to Management

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, a new digital revolution is taking place. Propelled by the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, ChatGPT has captured the attention of industries worldwide, including healthcare where it shows a potential impact on patient communication. 

While chatbots have been employed in the healthcare sector for years, ChatGPT and equivalent technologies offer a leap forward in patient interaction, according to Rania Akkela, Head of Marketing at Medcare Hospitals and Medical Centres. With faster and more accurate information delivery, ChatGPT holds promise for enhancing patient communication.  

“ChatGPT and AI software like BARD can bring significant benefits if used appropriately across all industries, not just healthcare,” said Akkela. 

Although still in its infancy, ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionise healthcare in various domains. “Patient communication is just the tip of the iceberg. This technology can be employed in data analytics, patient record analysis, and even diagnostic support,” she added.  

Related: Unleashing the power of health tech to enhance patient outcomes

However, she cautioned that the early stages of this technology present challenges concerning patient safety and confidentiality. “In clinical and customer-facing settings, ChatGPT’s application is yet to be fully realised,” said Akkela. 

There are currently no concrete examples or use cases within the healthcare industry as of yet. “Educated assumptions can be made based on the technology’s capabilities. One drawback of ChatGPT is the limited access to data, which currently only extends up until 2021. This temporal gap could result in the delivery of inaccurate information to users,” she added. 

Moreover, concerns arise when considering the use of ChatGPT for diagnoses and treatment plans. “Technology is not yet advanced enough to handle such critical tasks. Additionally, data privacy emerges as a significant area of concern. Without established parameters to ensure data protection, healthcare organisations face the challenge of safeguarding patient information, which is of paramount importance,” she said. 

As for the future of ChatGPT in the UAE’s healthcare landscape, the adoption of this technology may vary across organisations, adding that the growing popularity of AI-powered systems among users and the resulting shift in consumer behaviour could mean that healthcare providers need to adapt to meet evolving expectations, or risk falling behind in the competitive market. 

“The integration of ChatGPT in healthcare holds immense potential for improving patient communication and streamlining processes. However, caution must be exercised in its implementation to address issues such as data privacy, technical limitations, and the need for further advancements,” Akkela concluded. 

Back to Technology

As genetic testing becomes increasingly preemptive and predictive, healthcare institutions are advocating for genetic screenings to reduce the prevalence of certain diseases, enable early intervention and devise suitable treatment plans. Particularly in young couples, prior testing helps identify risks of genetic conditions the newborn could possibly inherit. In pregnant women, genetic screening helps detect possibilities of congenital disorders, allowing professionals to formulate the needed healthcare solutions to prevent any complications.

The genomic field in the Middle East is undergoing rapid transformation in terms of research, screening, testing, treatments and medicine. Premarital, prenatal as well as newborn screenings are now conducted in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with local capacities and capabilities constantly being optimised and improved to meet the requirements of its population.

Dr. Fowzan Alkuraya, Chairman of Transnational Genomics at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH & RC) in Saudi Arabia, said that the region has an increased frequency of a subset of genetic diseases known as autosomal recessive disorders that occur when a patient inherits two copies of mutated genes from their parents. The research centre specialising in Genetics at the hospital found that autosomal recessive disorders cause many cases of intellectual disability and developmental delay in children. He further stated that some genomic diseases such as sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia are commonly found in the region, while others are so rare that most doctors may have never heard of them.

The Centre also provides some of the most advanced genetic services including genotyping, expression analysis, bioinformatics, molecular karyotyping, and next-generation sequencing services.

Related: What will healthcare in 2050 look like?

As part of its Vision 2030, the Saudi Genome Program was introduced with the intention of using advanced genomic technologies to provide better diagnosis, therapy and prevention. The programme will include implementation of premarital and newborn screening, cancer screening and targeted therapy, and better management of other multifactorial genetic diseases such as diabetes and loss of vision/hearing.

The UAE also launched the National Genome Strategy, aimed at creating a comprehensive framework of laws and regulations to support the development and implementation of genomic programmes, improving public health priorities and wellbeing in the UAE. Over the next decade, the program will accelerate solutions for personalised, preventive and precision medicine to combat chronic, genetic and rare diseases.

Over 400,000 citizens have already submitted cheek swabs or blood samples for analysis with the aim being to collect one million samples. Automated sequencing machines will provide information about an individual’s genetic makeup based on the samples, allowing doctors to understand the kind of treatment required to be administered.

Related: Genome sequencing drives population genomics and precision medicine

Dr. Alkuraya believes that genomics will continue to play an integral role in the evolution and innovation of healthcare and medicine and that the study of human genomics is not only limited to hereditary diseases, as the human DNA interacts with that of numerous other organisms, including plants and pathogens.

“Genomics is, and will remain, an invaluable interdisciplinary field that can improve the protection of biological ecosystems by enabling cost-effective health strategies that will enhance the well-being of populations through early disease detection, timely intervention, and development of precision and individualised medicine like never before,” he said.

___

Back to Laboratory