Browse publications by year: 1995

1. Adult dengue haemorrhagic fever at Kuala Lumpur Hospital: retrospective study of 102 cases

   Ibrahim NM, Cheong I

   Br J Clin Pract, 1995 Jul-Aug;49(4):189-91.

   PMID: 7547159

   Abstract

   A retrospective study involving 102 adults with dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) was conducted to investigate the demographic aspect, clinical presenting features, laboratory investigations, complications, and mortality associated with the disease. The clinical diagnosis of DHF was in accordance with WHO recommendations. Epistaxis, gingivitis, haematemesis and gastritis were among the common complications. Platelet levels tended to decline from a higher value on admission (mean 67,000/mm3) to lower levels on subsequent days, with the lowest (mean 61,000/mm3) being on day 6 of the fever. Hyponatraemia (46.8%) was commonly observed. Morbidity of DHF was significant (29.4%) but the case fatality rate remained low (2.0%) in our adults, suggesting that adults are less likely than children to suffer from shock syndrome.

   MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Child; Dengue/complications; Dengue/epidemiology*; Dengue/pathology; Female; Humans; Length of Stay; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Thrombocytopenia/epidemiology; Thrombocytopenia/therapy; Blood Component Transfusion
2. Typhoid fever and other salmonellosis: a continuing challenge

   Pang T, Bhutta ZA, Finlay BB, Altwegg M

   Trends Microbiol, 1995 Jul;3(7):253-5.

   PMID: 7551636

   MeSH terms: Drug Resistance, Microbial; Humans; Population Surveillance; Typhoid-Paratyphoid Vaccines; Drug Resistance, Multiple
3. Linkage disequilibrium between two loci (5' untranslated exon 1 and intron 5-DdeI) of the antithrombin III gene in three ethnic groups in Singapore

   Liu Y, Saha N, Low PS, Tay JS

   Hum Hered, 1995 Jul-Aug;45(4):192-8.

   PMID: 7558050

   Abstract

   The distribution of two common DNA polymorphisms (5' untranslated exon 1 and intron 5-DdeI) of the antithrombin III (ATIII) gene was studied in three ethnic groups in Singapore: 251 Chinese, 221 Dravidian Indians and 102 Malays. The polymorphisms were identified by the polymerase chain reaction and size fractionation in agarose gels. The 5' untranslated to exon 1 polymorphism is a length polymorphism while the intron 5 polymorphism is a restriction site (DdeI) polymorphism. The frequency of the short fragment (S) of the 5' to exon 1 length polymorphism of the ATIII gene was found to be 0.37 in the Chinese, 0.54 in the Malays and 0.65 in the Dravidian Indians. For the Chinese, this was significantly lower compared to the Caucasians and Indians (p < 0.0001) and the Malays (p < 0.01). On the other hand, the frequencies of DdeI+ did not vary significantly among these three populations (p > 0.05). The distribution of different genotypes at these two loci of the ATIII gene was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in all three ethnic groups. A strong linkage disequilibrium between these two polymorphisms was observed in all the ethnic groups and the estimated correlation coefficient (delta) was 0.42 in the Chinese (p < 0.001), 0.61 in the Dravidian Indians (p < 0.001) and 0.43 in the Malays (p < 0.001). The frequencies of haplotype S+, L+ and L- were, respectively, 0.37, 0.40 and 0.23 in the Chinese, 0.65, 0.18 and 0.16 in the Dravidian Indians and 0.54, 0.37 and 0.09 in the Malays.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

   MeSH terms: Antithrombin III/genetics*; Base Sequence; China/ethnology; Ethnic Groups/genetics*; Exons/genetics; Female; Gene Frequency; Genetic Markers; Humans; India/ethnology; Introns/genetics; Malaysia/ethnology; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Polymorphism, Genetic*; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length*; Singapore; Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; Linkage Disequilibrium*; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/genetics*
4. How I do it: an improved temporal bone holder

   Gendeh BS, Gibb AG, Khalid BA

   J Laryngol Otol, 1995 Jul;109(7):644-5.

   PMID: 7561473

   Abstract

   Although some form of temporal bone holder is in use in virtually all ENT postgraduate teaching departments, a paucity of information in the literature may cause problems in selecting the most appropriate model to those responsible for equipping temporal bone laboratories. The bone holder which we describe is based on existing designs but incorporates a built-in irrigation system which offers considerable advantages to the unassisted operator.

   MeSH terms: Humans; Therapeutic Irrigation/instrumentation*; Otolaryngology/instrumentation*; Temporal Bone*
5. Assessment of the association between three pfmdr1 point mutations and chloroquine resistance in vitro of Malaysian Plasmodium falciparum isolates

   Cox-Singh J, Singh B, Alias A, Abdullah MS

   Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 1995 7 1;89(4):436-7.

   PMID: 7570891

   MeSH terms: Animals; Antimalarials*; Base Sequence; Chloroquine*; Drug Resistance; Malaysia; Molecular Sequence Data; Plasmodium falciparum/drug effects*; Plasmodium falciparum/genetics*; Genes, Protozoan/genetics*; Point Mutation*
6. The effect of enalapril on tyramine induced changes in renal function in man

   Rahman AR, Lang CC, Struthers AD

   Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther, 1995 Jul;33(7):404-9.

   PMID: 7582398

   Abstract

   Increasing animal evidence support an important facilitatory interaction between angiotensin II and norepinephrine within the kidney. This angiotensin II/norepinephrine interaction was investigated in man by examining the effect of enalapril pretreatment (5 mg for 5 days) on the renal response to a low non-pressor dose of intravenous tyramine 4 micrograms/kg/min for 120 min in 8 healthy subjects undergoing water diuresis. Tyramine is an indirect sympathomimetic agent which causes neuronal release of norepinephrine. Enalapril and tyramine, alone and in combination, had no effect on glomerular filtration, effective renal plasma flow or sodium excretion. Tyramine caused a significant increase in urinary flow rate (p < 0.05) but this was not influenced by enalapril pretreatment. The lack of effect of enalapril on the renal response to tyramine contrasts with a previous study which examined the effect of enalapril on the renal response to circulating norepinephrine. This may suggest that enalapril affect renal function only when there is renal vasoconstriction (as with norepinephrine) and not when renal blood flow is unchanged (as with tyramine).

   MeSH terms: Adult; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology*; Enalapril/pharmacology*; Hemodynamics/drug effects; Hormones/blood; Humans; Kidney/drug effects*; Kidney Function Tests; Lithium/pharmacokinetics; Male; Norepinephrine/blood; Renal Circulation/drug effects; Sodium/metabolism; Sympathomimetics/pharmacology*; Tyramine/pharmacology*; Urodynamics/drug effects; Water-Electrolyte Balance/drug effects
7. Child sexual abuse: psychosocial aspects of 101 cases seen in an urban Malaysian setting

   Kassim K, Kasim MS

   Child Abuse Negl, 1995 Jul;19(7):793-9.

   PMID: 7583735

   Abstract

   This paper describes a case note and interview study of a cross sectional sample comprised of all children seen and confirmed as being sexually abused between June 1985 and December 1990 by the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Team of Kuala Lumpur General Hospital. A total of 101 cases, which represented 18.2% of all child abuse cases, were seen together with their accompanying adults. Information about ethnicity, socioeconomic status, family constellation relationship of perpetrator to the child, and reported psychosocial factors that could have contributed towards the abuse were recorded. The Indian ethnicity group was found to be overrepresented. The mean age of children was 6-8 years, SD 4.1, with age ranging 1.5-16 years. Forty-one and one-half percent were in the age range 5-9 years. Among the important associated psychosocial factors found were the absence of another adult at home, unemployment, and history of drug abuse among the perpetrators.

   MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child Abuse, Sexual/ethnology*; Child Abuse, Sexual/prevention & control; Child Abuse, Sexual/psychology; Child Welfare; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cross-Cultural Comparison*; Developing Countries*; Family Characteristics; Female; Humans; Infant; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Parent-Child Relations; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Urban Population/statistics & numerical data*
8. Childhood deaths from physical abuse

   Kasim MS, Cheah I, Shafie HM

   Child Abuse Negl, 1995 Jul;19(7):847-54.

   PMID: 7583742

   Abstract

   This paper gives a detailed account of 30 cases of childhood deaths caused by physical abuse, detected by the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) team, General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. They consisted of 12 Malays, 6 Chinese, 9 Indian, and 1 Indonesian child. Three cases could not be ascertained as to their ethnic origin. There were 13 male and 17 female children. The average age of the abused children was 2 years 5 months. The most frequent causes of death were intracranial hemorrhage and intraabdominal trauma. Of the 17 cases of intracranial hemorrhage, only four had X-ray evidence of skull fracture. This suggests the possibility of whiplash injuries with/without the abuser suspecting that he/she had injured the child. Of the 22 abusers who could be identified, there was no sex differentiation. Fathers formed the largest group of perpetrators, followed by mothers and childminders. Fifteen of the natural parents of the abused children were married, four were divorced and four were never married. Five of the abusers had aggressive personalities and three were drug addicts. Only one abuser was found to be an alcoholic even though a few were also under suspicion. For most cases, trigger factors could not be identified.

   MeSH terms: Battered Child Syndrome/ethnology; Battered Child Syndrome/mortality*; Battered Child Syndrome/prevention & control; Cause of Death*; Child; Child Abuse/mortality*; Child Abuse/prevention & control; Child Abuse, Sexual/ethnology; Child Abuse, Sexual/prevention & control; Child Abuse, Sexual/statistics & numerical data; Child, Preschool; Developing Countries*; Family Characteristics; Female; Hematoma, Subdural/ethnology; Hematoma, Subdural/mortality; Hematoma, Subdural/prevention & control; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Whiplash Injuries/ethnology; Whiplash Injuries/mortality; Whiplash Injuries/prevention & control; Child of Impaired Parents/psychology
9. Effectiveness of a dot-blot immunoassay of anti-Rickettsia tsutsugamushi antibodies for serologic analysis of scrub typhus

   Weddle JR, Chan TC, Thompson K, Paxton H, Kelly DJ, Dasch G, et al.

   Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1995 Jul;53(1):43-6.

   PMID: 7625532

   Abstract

   We compared a commercially available dot-blot immunoassay system with the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) in tests of known negative and known positive sera from scrub typhus cases. Using a panel of 100 sera from patients with various rickettsial and nonrickettsial infections, we observed that the IFA was 99% specific and the dipstick assay was 98% specific. In tests of 91 sera (30 negative and 61 positive for scrub typhus antibodies) from a study of febrile patients in Malaysia, using the standard of an IFA titer < 1:64 as negative, an IFA titer > 1:128 as positive, and an IFA titer = 1:64 as either positive or negative (supported by clinical records), dipsticks were 83% specific and 90% sensitive. The quantitative correlation of the dipsticks to IFA titers was confirmed by significant differences in geometric means of inverse IFA titers corresponding to the number of positive dipstick spots (no dots = 8.5, one dot = 43.3, two dots = 206.7, and three dots = 676.9). The assay would enable physicians and public health workers who deal with patients to quickly diagnose and appropriately treat most cases of the disease, especially in areas of high prevalence where the proportion of false-positive results to true-positive results would be low.

   MeSH terms: Antibodies, Bacterial/analysis*; False Positive Reactions; Fluorescent Antibody Technique*; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Retrospective Studies; Orientia tsutsugamushi/immunology*; Scrub Typhus/diagnosis; Scrub Typhus/immunology*; Scrub Typhus/epidemiology; Sensitivity and Specificity; Immunoblotting/methods*; Reproducibility of Results; Prevalence
10. An outbreak of acute hepatic encephalopathy due to severe aflatoxicosis in Malaysia

    Lye MS, Ghazali AA, Mohan J, Alwin N, Nair RC

    Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1995 Jul;53(1):68-72.

    PMID: 7625536

    Abstract

    In October 1988, 13 Chinese children died of acute hepatic encephalopathy in the northwestern state of Perak in peninsular Malaysia. The acuteness of the illness differed from previously reported outbreaks described in Kenya, India, and Thailand. Epidemiologic investigations determined that the children had eaten a Chinese noodle, loh see fun, hours before they died. The attack rates among those who had eaten the noodles were significantly higher than those who had not (P < 0.0001). The cases were geographically scattered in six towns in two districts along the route of distribution of the noodle supplied by one factory in Kampar town. Aflatoxins were confirmed in postmortem samples from patients. This outbreak has important public health implications for many developing countries.

    MeSH terms: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Aflatoxins/poisoning*; Cause of Death; Child; Child, Preschool; Disease Outbreaks*; Female; Food Contamination; Hepatic Encephalopathy/etiology; Hepatic Encephalopathy/epidemiology*; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Mycotoxicosis/complications; Mycotoxicosis/epidemiology*
11. [Investigation on the parasites of alien laborers in Kaohsiung]

    Yen CM, Tsen LT, Leu SN, Chung LY, Hsieh HC, Chen ER

    Gaoxiong Yi Xue Ke Xue Za Zhi, 1995 Jul;11(7):390-7.

    PMID: 7650778

    Abstract

    In the past year, stool specimens of 1,732 alien laborers were examined for intestinal parasites. There was no significant difference in the positive rate between males and females. All alien laborers were examined in 3 hospitals and the positive rates were 24.8% (191/769), 13.6% (109/804) and 12.6% (20/159). Broken down by nationality, the positive rates in laborers from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia were 23.9% (192/803), 20.3% (62/305), 12.1% (60/498) and 4.8% (6/126) respectively. Of all alien laborers, 17.2% (297/1,732) had single infections of parasites and 1.3% (23/1,732) had multiple infections. Opisthorchis viverrinii was the most prevalent parasite found in infected alien laborers. 91.5% of alien laborers were aged from 21 to 40-years-old and had positive rates of parasites reaching 91.0%. The time of arrival in Taiwan had an effect in all alien laborers examined for parasites. The positive rate in laborers arriving during April to June was 22.7% which was significantly higher than the 16.3% for laborers arriving in other months.

    MeSH terms: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Female; Humans; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/epidemiology*; Male; Middle Aged; Sex Factors; Taiwan/epidemiology
12. Analysis of Salmonella typhi isolates from Southeast Asia by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

    Thong KL, Puthucheary S, Yassin RM, Sudarmono P, Padmidewi M, Soewandojo E, et al.

    J Clin Microbiol, 1995 Jul;33(7):1938-41.

    PMID: 7665677

    Abstract

    Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) revealed that multiple genetic variants of Salmonella typhi are simultaneously present in Southeast Asia and are associated with sporadic cases of typhoid fever and occasional outbreaks. Comparative analysis of PFGE patterns also suggested that considerable genetic diversity exists among S. typhi strains and that some PFGE patterns are shared between isolates obtained from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, implying movement of these strains within these regions of Southeast Asia, where they are endemic.

    MeSH terms: Asia, Southeastern/epidemiology; DNA Restriction Enzymes; DNA, Bacterial/genetics; DNA, Bacterial/isolation & purification; Humans; Salmonella typhi/genetics*; Salmonella typhi/isolation & purification*; Typhoid Fever/microbiology; Typhoid Fever/epidemiology; Genetic Variation; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field/methods*; Molecular Epidemiology
13. Another RSNA Malaysian journey

    Cobb RJ

    Radiology, 1995 Jul;196(1):47A-49A.

    PMID: 7784587

    Abstract

    The RSNA International Visiting Professor program gave us an opportunity to live in a different and exciting country for 6 months. We had adequate travel opportunities to visit in Southeast Asia. Most of all, the feeling of appreciation and accomplishment we received from the master students as exemplified by their concern for us made our adventure extremely rewarding. For example, on the day of departure about half the class came to the airport to bid us farewell. This gesture, as well as several farewell parties in our honor, was certainly very gratifying. I enthusiastically recommend the opportunity afforded by the RSNA Visiting Professor program, and, specifically, I am enthusiastic about the program at Universiti Malaya.

    MeSH terms: Education, Medical; Humans; Malaysia
14. De novo formation of adhesions in endometriosis: the role of iron and free radical reactions

    Arumugam K, Yip YC

    Fertil Steril, 1995 Jul;64(1):62-4.

    PMID: 7789581

    Abstract

    OBJECTIVE: To show that raised iron levels in the peritoneal fluid (PF) of patients with endometriosis catalyze free radical reactions that results in the tissue destruction and fibrosis seen in these patients.

    DESIGN: A case-controlled study of the iron levels (microgram/mL) in the pelvic PF of 12 patients with moderate-to-severe disease, 15 patients with minimal-to-mild disease and in 17 women with normal pelvises were compared. As an index of free radical reactions through lipid peroxidation, the levels of malondialdehyde levels (ng/mL) were assessed simultaneously in the same specimens.

    RESULTS: Controlling for the phase of the menstrual cycle, significantly higher levels of iron were seen in patients with endometriosis, the levels being correlated with the severity of the disease. However no such corresponding relationship was seen in the malondialdehyde levels in the PF.

    CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that raised iron levels in the PF do not play a role in catalyzing free radical reactions as judged by the degree of lipid peroxidation.

    MeSH terms: Tissue Adhesions/etiology*; Ascitic Fluid/metabolism*; Endometriosis/complications*; Endometriosis/metabolism*; Female; Free Radicals; Humans; Iron/metabolism*; Malondialdehyde/metabolism*; Reference Values; Case-Control Studies
15. Effects of nicardipine on lipid peroxidation in rabbits given 2% cholesterol diet

    Ismail NM, Jaarin K, Vasudevan SK, Hashim S

    Pharmacol. Toxicol., 1995 Jul;77(1):10-5.

    PMID: 8532606

    Abstract

    Nicardipine has been shown to have an anti-atherogenic effect in rabbits given a 2% cholesterol diet. Current evidence suggests that lipid peroxidation plays an important role in atherogenesis. This study examines the effect of nicardipine on lipid peroxidation in rabbits given a 2% cholesterol diet, 8 of these rabbits given nicardipine 0.5 mg/kg twice daily intramuscularly for ten weeks while the remaining untreated 6 were controls. After ten weeks, serum malondialdehyde in the control group was significantly higher compared to their baseline levels (P < 0.05). However, there was no increase in serum malondialdehyde in the nicardipine group after 10 weeks. The area of Sudan IV positive intimal lesions (atherosclerotic plaques) were significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in the treated group compared to the control group. The aortic tissue content of cholesterol and diene conjugates were also decreased in the nicardipine group (P < 0.01). These findings suggest a possible link between nicardipine and lipid peroxidation in mediating its antiatherogenic effects.

    MeSH terms: Animals; Aorta, Thoracic/drug effects; Aorta, Thoracic/chemistry; Blood Pressure/drug effects; Body Weight/drug effects; Cholesterol/blood; Cholesterol, Dietary/administration & dosage*; Injections, Intramuscular; Lipoproteins, LDL/blood; Male; Malondialdehyde/blood; Nicardipine/administration & dosage; Nicardipine/pharmacology*; Rabbits; Lipid Peroxidation/drug effects*
16. Personality and performance of preclinical medical students

    Peng R, Khaw HH, Edariah AB

    Med Educ, 1995 Jul;29(4):283-8.

    PMID: 8594392

    Abstract

    This study deals with personality variables of medical students in relation to their academic success in the preclinical stage. One hundred and one students completed the 16PF Questionnaire at the beginning of their medical course and the scores were analysed in relation to their marks obtained at the end of the 2-year preclinical stage. This study shows that the 16PF Questionnaire can be a useful instrument for identifying personality variables in candidates who are likely to have academic problems and those who are likely to do well in the preclinical stage of a medical course. Students of urban origin and the eldest in the family performed better in their preclinical years. Performance was not related to sex, ethnic group, family size of entrance qualification into medicine. Personality variables of being enthusiastic, venturesome, self-opinionated, imaginative, experimenting, resourceful and driven correlate positively with performance, whereas being self-assured has negative correlation. Problem students were more reserved, emotionally less stable and more apprehensive than non-problem students.

    MeSH terms: Adult; Education, Medical, Undergraduate*; Educational Status; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Personality*; Surveys and Questionnaires; Students, Medical/psychology*
17. An epidemiological survey of oral mucosal lesions among elderly Malaysians

    Taiyeb Ali TB, Razak IA, Raja Latifah RJ, Zain RB

    Gerodontology, 1995 Jul;12(1):37-40.

    PMID: 8626179

    Abstract

    A house to house random survey on elderly subjects was undertaken in the District of Klang in Malaysia. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions (OML) among the elderly in this area. The primary units in the sampling frame were the Enumeration Blocks (EBs) as defined under the population census. All households of the selected EBs were considered as sampling units and members aged 60 and above were considered as respondents. There was a slight preponderance of females, with the Malays comprising the majority of the subjects. Of the 486 respondents, mean aged 69.1 +/- 7.3 yr, 111 had at least one oral mucosal lesion, a prevalence of 22.8%. A total of 145 lesions were detected. The prevalence of OML was highest among Indians and least among the Chinese. The most common finding was tongue lesions, recording a prevalence of 10.7%, followed by oral pigmentation (4.9%) and white lesions (4.3%). Denture related lesions were comparatively low at 2.5%. Two cases of oral cancer if representative would give a relatively high prevalence of 0.4%.

    MeSH terms: Aged; Ethnic Groups; Female; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Diseases/epidemiology*; Mouth Mucosa/pathology*; Geriatric Assessment; Prevalence; Chi-Square Distribution
18. Interaction between oxytocin and 'sidaverin' on the gravid and non-gravid rat uterus

    Lutterodt GD

    Pharmacol Res, 1995 Jul-Aug;32(1-2):89-94.

    PMID: 8668653 DOI: 10.1016/S1043-6618(95)80014-X

    Abstract

    Sidaverin, a crystalline compound extracted from a polar fraction of Sida veronicaefolia (Lam), elicited oxytocin-like contractions in the non-gravid rat isolated uterus preparation with a concentration-response relationship. Equipotent concentrations of oxytocin and sidaverin, using matched responses, were approximately 0.16 U and 0.4 micrograms ml-1, respectively. Sidaverin-induced contractile response was atropine reversible. The concentration-response curves for sidaverin and oxytocin were parallel, and both responses were inhibited by the specific oxytocin antagonist, Atosiban, indicating possible involvement of oxytocin receptors in the action of sidaverin. There were potentiation of action of one drug to that of the other, irrespective of the order of administration and even after washing off the first before introducing the second drug. In the gravid uterus, sidaverin produced contractions in preparations from day 1 to day 6 or 7, caused relaxation in days 7-11, and elicited contractions in day 11 through term, the sensitivity of the preparations increasing exponentially toward term with strong sustained contractions. With the exception of days 7-11, when sidaverin antagonized oxytocin action, it potentiated action of oxytocin on the gravid uterus.

    MeSH terms: Acetylcholine/pharmacology; Animals; Atropine/pharmacology; Drug Interactions; Female; Oxytocin/antagonists & inhibitors; Oxytocin/pharmacology*; Plant Extracts/pharmacology*; Pregnancy; Uterus/drug effects*; Vasotocin/analogs & derivatives; Vasotocin/pharmacology; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Muscarinic Antagonists/pharmacology; Rats
19. Oral pyogenic granuloma (excluding pregnancy tumour)--a clinical analysis of 304 cases

    Zain RB, Khoo SP, Yeo JF

    Singapore Dent J, 1995 Jul;20(1):8-10.

    PMID: 9582682

    Abstract

    A clinical analysis of 304 cases of pyogenic granuloma (excluding pregnancy tumour) were obtained from the clinical evaluations submitted by clinicians while sending specimens for biopsy. The average age of the patients with pyogenic granuloma was 28.9 years with a peak age incidence in the second decade. More female patients were affected and the lesions present mainly in the Chinese. The majority of the lesions were ulcerated and pedunculated. The lesions had a mean diameter of 10.8 mm with a mean lesion duration of 6.0 months. The gingiva was the prevalent site for these lesions with a greater number being located in the maxilla. The recurrence rate was found to be 14.1%.

    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Diseases/epidemiology*; Mouth Diseases/pathology; Prevalence; Age Distribution; Sex Distribution; Granuloma, Pyogenic/epidemiology*; Granuloma, Pyogenic/pathology
20. Cross-infection control in Malaysian dental practice

    Razak IA, Lind OP

    Singapore Dent J, 1995 Jul;20(1):11-5.

    PMID: 9582683

    Abstract

    A questionnaire survey on cross-infection control was conducted among 1371 professionally trained dentists whose names appeared in the Malaysian Government Gazette of 1990. A 73.1 percent response rate was obtained. About 13 percent of the dentists routinely did not wear gloves during treatment of patients as opposed to 54 percent who routinely did. About 83 percent and 52 percent of dentists wore a mask and eyewear or glasses respectively when carrying out dental procedures. About 93 percent of dentists would use a new sterile needle for each patient and about 40 percent would wipe working surfaces with disinfectant after each patient. The practice of sterilizing handpieces was found to be uncommon as opposed to the sterilization of hand instruments. Variations were observed in some of the infection control measures by gender, seniority in service and employment status. More than one-third of the respondents had experienced puncture wounds during the last month prior to the survey.

    MeSH terms: Cross Infection/prevention & control*; Dentists/statistics & numerical data; Disinfection/methods; Disinfection/statistics & numerical data; Female; Humans; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Surveys and Questionnaires; Sterilization/methods; Sterilization/statistics & numerical data; Incidence; Needlestick Injuries/epidemiology; Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control