METHODS: We conducted a systematic search in MEDLINE (Ovid), PubMed, EconLit, Embase (Ovid), the Cochrane Library, and the gray literature. Using a predefined checklist, we extracted the key features of economic evaluation and the general characteristics of EEGs. We conducted a comparative analysis, including a summary of similarities and differences across EEGs.

RESULTS: Thirteen EEGs were identified, three pertaining to lower-middle-income countries (Bhutan, Egypt, and Indonesia), nine to upper-middle-income countries (Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Malaysia, Mexico, Russian Federation, South Africa, and Thailand), in addition to Mercosur, and none to low-income countries. The majority (n = 12) considered cost-utility analysis and health-related quality-of-life outcome. Half of the EEGs recommended the societal perspective, whereas the other half recommended the healthcare perspective. Equity considerations were required in ten EEGs. Most EEGs (n = 11) required the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and recommended sensitivity analysis, as well as the presentation of a budget impact analysis (n = 10). Seven of the identified EEGs were mandatory for pharmacoeconomics submission. Methodological gaps, contradictions, and heterogeneity in terminologies used were identified within the guidelines.

METHODS: The MISC is an ongoing two-year prospective cohort study which recruited Arab pregnant women in their third trimester from prenatal clinics in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. Participants will be interviewed six times (once during pregnancy, at delivery, and at 2, 6, 12 and 24months postpartum). Perinatal information is obtained from hospital records. Collected data include socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle, dietary intake and anthropometry; infant feeding practices, cognitive development; along with maternal and infant blood profile and breast milk profile.

RESULTS: The preliminary results reported that 256 completed baseline assessment (mean age: 30.5±6.0 years; 76.6% multiparous; about 60% were either overweight or obese before pregnancy). The prevalence of gestational diabetes was 19.2%. Upon delivery, 208 women-infant pairs were retained (mean gestational age: 38.5±1.5 weeks; 33.3% caesarean section delivery; 5.3% low birthweight; 5.7% macrosomic deliveries). Besides participant retention, the main encountered challenges pertained to cultural complexity, underestimation the necessary start-up time, staff, and costs, and biochemical data collection.

METHODS: We analyzed the clinical, immunologic, and genetic data of IEI patients from 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The data was collected from national registries and diverse databases such as the Asian Pacific Society for Immunodeficiencies (APSID) registry, African Society for Immunodeficiencies (ASID) registry, Jeffrey Modell Foundation (JMF) registry, J Project centers, and International Consortium on Immune Deficiency (ICID) centers.

RESULTS: We identified 17,120 patients with IEI, among which females represented 39.4%. Parental consanguinity was present in 60.5% of cases and 27.3% of the patients were from families with a confirmed previous family history of IEI. The median age of patients at the onset of disease was 36 months and the median delay in diagnosis was 41 months. The rate of registered IEI patients ranges between 0.02 and 7.58 per 100,000 population, and the lowest rates were in countries with the highest rates of disability-adjusted life years (DALY) and death rates for children. Predominantly antibody deficiencies were the most frequent IEI entities diagnosed in 41.2% of the cohort. Among 5871 patients genetically evaluated, the diagnostic yield was 83% with the majority (65.2%) having autosomal recessive defects. The mortality rate was the highest in patients with non-syndromic combined immunodeficiency (51.7%, median age: 3.5 years) and particularly in patients with mutations in specific genes associated with this phenotype (RFXANK, RAG1, and IL2RG).