Serum ferritin and haemoglobin estimates were carried out on 78 first time blood donors with a view to determining iron store status. Of these 30 were Malays, 20 were Chinese and 28 were Indians. The ferritin level in Malay donors ranged from 16-160 mg/ml (mean 83 +/- 49.4 mg/ml in chinese donors is ranged from 36-500 mg/ml (mean 242.8 +/- 132 mg/ml), and in the Indian donors it ranged from 5 - 270 mg/ml (mean 94.6 +/- 67.9 mg/ml). The haemoglobin concentration for the whole group was 14.9 +/- 1.49 g/dl. There was no correlation of haemoglobin concentration with serum ferritin levels.
A postal questionnaire survey was carried out among military doctors during June to August 1979 on habits and attitudes to smoking. An 87% response rate was obtained. Smoking prevalence was found to be 50%. 45% of medical officers are heavy smokers. Age at starting influence the amount smoked. Service life had no influence on smoking habits. Attitudes to smoking vary between the different categories of doctors. The habits and attitudes indicate a mental revolution on the part of doctors is required prior to any anti-smoking programme as they have to be sufficiently motivated to lead the fight.
MeSH terms: Adult; Attitude to Health*; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Malaysia; Middle Aged; Military Personnel; Physicians; Smoking*; Prevalence
A pilot study on the epidemiology of hypertension was carried out in 3 out of the 8 districts in the state of Selangor, namely Klang, Sabak Bernam and UIu Langat. stratified random sampling, 435 households were selected for the study. Eventually 312 (72%) households were surveyed: 963 (94%) out of the 1,030 persons aged 15 years and above living in the selected households were interviewed, and 957 of them were examined. The mean age of the respondents was 33 years. Taking a systolic pressure of more than 140 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure of more than 90 mmHg as hypertension, 1 in every 7 of those equal and mor.e than 15 years of age had hypertension, i.e. 140/0. 5.40/0 had a systolic pressure of equal and more than 160 mmHg, and 4.7% had a diastolic pressure of equal and more than 95 mmHg. The study showed that there was a significant rise in the prevalence rates with age in both sexes. There was no significant difference in the prevalence rates among. the sexes, ethnic groups (Malays, Chinese and Indians) and urban and rural areas. The mean systolic pressure ranged from 112-147 mmHg and diastolic from 69 - 73 mmHg. Hypertension was significantly more common among smokers (18.1%) than nonsmokers. There was no significant relationship between hypertension and tea, coffee and alcohol consumption. Hypertension was significantly more common among those with no physical activity (34.8%) as compared with those with physical activity (13.5%). 67% of the hypertensives were aware of their illness but only 36.1% of them were under treatment.
This is a report of migraine from Malaysia. 17 migraineurs are studied with respect to age, sex, ethnic group, occupation, age of onset, length of disease,' precipitating factors, relieving factors and family history. Similarities and differences between Malaysians and Caucasians are discussed.
Study site: Neurology clinic, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Food expenses accounted for 66% 54% of the total income in the two plantations. The nutritional value of foods purchased and consumed and the adequacy of nutrient intakes in two plantations was studied. The diets were found to be inadequate in calories, protein, calcium, iron and riboflavin. Carbohydrates provided the bulk of the calories. The significance of the findings are discussed.
Following the opening of the University Hospital of the University of Malaya in 1967, over 126,000 patients (excluding obstetric patients) have been admitted. A retrospective review, run concurrently with a prospective study, of over 200 patients thought to have suffered from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) revealed that, up until the 31st December 1975, 175 patients fulfilled the criteria for the diagnosis of SLE. There was a highly significant increase in the diagnosis of SLE over this period among Chinese patients compared to all other races, and no significant differencein the diagnosis of SLE among Indian and Malay patients. A review of the literature revealed that SLE appears to be a worldwide disease, reported frequently from Chinese communities but infrequently from tropical Africa. It is concluded that SLE is more common in the Chinese from Peninsular Malaysia than the other races, and that a careful study of geographical and racial factors in SLE may contribute to further understanding of its pathogenesis.
288 notifications of syphilis in military personnel for 1974 to 1978 are analysed. 56 cases are primary and 232 are latent syphilis in service personnel and 13 in women and children. Antenatal screening detected 56 cases (0.9%) of syphilis. Only 24 cases among soldiers had confirmatory tests done. Treatment varied and some were inadequately treated, others overtreated and many with incorrect schedules. Intramuscular penicillin was the treatment of choice in 85% of cases. Follow-up of cases was inadequate. In all, it indicated a poor control programme for STD. A good programme is possible within the armed forces set-up and a number of measures are suggested.
Previous studies in Malaysia and in Singapore report a higher schizophrenic admission rate for males than for females and this is in contrast to findings in Western societies. Characteristics by age, sex and race of 5% and 619 first schizophrenic admissions during 1977 and 1978 respectively to the Psychiatric Department, General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur were examined. It was found that the male to female sex ratio for Malay schizophrenic admissions was significantly higher than male to female sex ratio for Malays to other departments of the hospital. A similar trend for the Chinese did not reach significance. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed.
The concept of specific reading retardation was discussed, and compared with other terms used as synonymous with it viz. dyslexia and minimal brain dysfunction. It was suggested that specific reading retardation may be a more suitable term to use. The feature's of specific reading retardation, the evaluation of reading disability and management in terms of supportive psychotherapy, environmental manipulation and remedial education was described, using a case-report. of a 13-year old boy with such a disorder as an example.
Study site: Psychiatric clinic, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
A forty-four year old wife of an alcoholic husband with irregular employment sought repeated medical care for her headache, bodyache, chest pain and alleged falls at home. The family backgrounds of the battered wife and the violent husband, his alcoholism and their financial problems all contributed to the violence in marriage. Their six children had lived in fear and two of them had behaviour problems. Awareness of the multiple problems associated with a battered wife should prompt cooperation between medical, social and other workers involved in the management.
Study site: medical outpatients clinic of
T.H. Woon
M.B., B.S., M.D., M.R.A.N.Z.C.P.
Associate Professor and Head
Department of Psychological Medicine
Faculty of Medicine
University of Malaya
Kuala Lumpur, 22-11
and
Shirley George
M.B., B.S., M.P.M.
Psychiatrist
Psychiatric Unit
General Hospital, Seremban.
Running Title:
Battered wife - psychodynamics and social background of a
Malaysian family - alcoholic husband - medical symptoms -
multidisciplinary management.
University Hospital to the psychiatric Walk- inClinic
Radioisotope detection and localisation of myocardial infarction is discussed. Its clinical value and pitfalls are also discussed. The clinical application of this safe, simple, sensitive, repeatable, reproducible and non-invasive method in Malaysian patients performed during the period October 1978 to April 1979 at the University Hospital is reviewed. The main value of 99mTc labelled phosphate scan is in the demonstration and localisation of recent myocardial infarctions in patients where the electrocardiogram or serum enzymes changes are unhelpful.
The tremendous research advances in recent decades in the three widely used methods of fertility regulation (family planning), namely hormonal steroidal contraception, sterilisation and legal abortion, have been presented and discussed. The considerable health benefits accruing to the woman, in particular, and to the society, in general, from the practice of these fertility regulation methods. especially in the context of developing countries, have been reviewed. Recent research advances in the area of fertility augmentation (infertility management) have been presented and discussed. The manner in which some of the future trends in fertility regulation are likely to develop has been briefly stated.
The total and differential leucocyte counts were estimated in 100 consecutive cases operated for acute appendicitis. Leucocytosis was seen in 52% of cases. 480/0 of patients had a leucocyte count below 10000 per c. mm. A study of the differential count was also made to see if this parameter could be used as a specific diagnostic aid. Though the neutrophil count was high in 74% of the cases, the comparative count among the below 10000 per c.mm. group was not significant. It is concluded that the total and differential counts are of limited value in the assessment of these patients. It is suggested that such estimation be used as a supportive aid only. In those doubtful cases with normal or low counts, frequent clinical reviews should be done and reliance placed on clinical assessment rather than laboratory information.
Despite the high prevalence of oral ulcers little is known about what causes them and how best they can be treated. Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a' chronic inflammatory disease characterized by painful recurring ulcerations of the oral mucosa. RAS can be clinically subdivided into four varieties viz - minor aphthous ulcer, major aphthous ulcer, herpetiform ulcers and Behcet's syndrome. A report on 134 patients with RAS is reported. Minor aphthous ulcer (63%) followed by major aphthous ulcer (29%) were the most frequent. A review of current research on RAS is summarized.
Study site: Department of Stomatology, Institute for Medical Research, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Summary Brass's procedure for estimating mortality from census or survey data on numbers of children born to women by age group and numbers of children surviving is generalized to allow the estimation of mortality trends. The new procedure is applied to data for Costa Rica and peninsular Malaysia. The resulting infant mortality rate estimates are compared with rates calculated from vital registration figures. The comparisons suggest, surprisingly, that the estimates derived from statistics for women aged 30-50 are not noticeably inferior to those derived from those for women aged 20-30. This suggests that the common practice of disregarding statistics for women aged over 30 or 35 years may be a mistake. Figures are presented which suggest that estimates based on women aged less than 20 are likely to be very seriously biased because of differential infant mortality by age of mother at birth.
257 cases of acute hepatitis B were reported between January 1977 and June 1979. This constituted about one-third of all reported acute viral hepatitis cases in Singapore. The mean annual morbidity and mortality rates per 100,000 was 4.4 and 0.12 respectively. The case-fatality rate was 2.7%. The age-specific morbidity rates were high in the 15-24 and 25-34 years age groups, while the ethnic specific morbidity rate was highest in Indians. The male to female ratio was 4.6: 1. Cases were concentrated in urban and suburban areas with high population density. Three outbreaks, one traced to contaminated needles and syringes, one to contaminated tattoo neeedles, and amongst close contacts, were described. Although parenteral procedures were associated with hepatitis B infection (p < 0.005), non-parenteral or inapparent parenteral mode of transmission probably contributes to a significant extent in the transmission of hepatitis B in Singapore. Studies to determine the role of perinatal transmission, and of vectors, in maintaining the endemicity of the disease, were suggested.