METHODS: Four electronic full-text databases were systematically searched through September 2017. Data including outcomes of annular closure device/annular repair were extracted. All results were pooled utilising meta-analysis with weighted mean difference and odds ratio as summary statistics.
RESULTS: Four studies met inclusion criteria. Three studies reported the use of Barricaid (ACD) while one study reported the use of Anulex (AR). A total of 24 symptomatic reherniation were reported among 811 discectomies with ACD/AR as compared to 51 out of 645 in the control group (OR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.20,0.56; I2 = 0%; P
METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study of 65 Malay obese class I and class II adults aged 20-62 years (21 male, 44 female) from sub-urban areas of Malaysia. Overnight fasting venous blood samples were obtained to determine the triglyceride level (mmol/L). Subjects were classified into either normal or elevated triglyceride level groups based on the triglyceride level (normal < 1.6 mmol/L, elevated > 1.7 mmol/L). Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, defined as smoking status, hours per day spent on sitting passively and sitting with active motion, and the amount of saturated fat, mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fat from dietary intake, were measured from 24-h dietary intake and physical activity recall. We compare the variables of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors between subjects with normal and elevated triglyceride level using independent samples t-test.
RESULTS: Among 65 obese class I and II adults, 16 subjects (24.6%) were found to have elevated triglyceride levels (mean ± standard deviation of body mass index 31.89 ± 3.29 kg/m2). There are significant differences between subjects having normal and elevated triglyceride level with gender, marital status, the number of children, smoking status, weight and monounsaturated fat intake (all P-values < .05).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study highlighted elevated triglyceride level in obese adults might be influenced by unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. We suggest that lifestyle modification intervention is appropriate to prevent cardiovascular disease among Malay obese class I and II adults.
Methodology: Parents/guardians of girls aged 9-17 years with known intellectual disabilities who attended a scheduled public forum and Paediatrics and Adolescent Gynaecology Clinic (PAC) were recruited in a questionnaire-based study.
Results: A total of 123 parents/guardians with a mean age of 41.83 ± 5.45 years completed the questionnaire. The mean age of girls with intellectual disabilities was 12.28 ± 2.78 years, and the mean menarcheal age was 11.12 ± 1.76 years. Only 53 (43.1%) parents/guardians were aware of availability of menstrual suppression. Parents/guardians with lower family income (OR = 0.00; 95% CI = 0.00-0.20), unable to manage menses (OR = 0.03; 95% CI = 0.00-0.61), and moderate severity of menses (OR = 0.01; 95% CI = 0.00-1.21), were associated with seeking medical help on menstrual suppression. The factors associated with parents/guardians requesting for sterilization were lower family income (OR = 0.02; 95% CI = 0.00-0.36) and concern about sexual abuse (OR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.06-0.39).
Conclusion: Menstrual pattern in girls with intellectual disabilities is similar to those without disabilities. Parents/guardians' knowledge and awareness on menstrual suppression were still lacking.
Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study performed for 162 women to assess the associations between EMT on the human chorionic ganadotropin (hCG) trigger day and pregnancy outcomes in infertile patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and autologous fresh embryo transfer (ET) in controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) cycles under an assisted reproductive technology (ART) shared-care programme between public and private institutions from January 2012 through December 2016.The associations between pregnancy outcomes [Total Pregnancy Rate (TPR), Biochemical Pregnancy Rate (BPR), Clinical Pregnancy Rate (CPR), Ongoing Pregnancy Rate (OPR)/ Live Birth Delivery Rate (LBDR), Miscarriage Rate (MR) and Implantation Rate (IR)] and EMT ( 0.05). All pregnancy outcomes were comparable for ≥14 mm and ≥ 8 to
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done among 349 staff of a public university in Sarawak. Data were collected using questionnaire, blood sampling, and anthropometric and blood pressure measurement. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20.
Results: A total of 349 respondents participated with majority females (66.8%), aged 38.5 ± 7.82 years. Nearly 80% of the respondents were overweight and obese, 87.1% with high and very high body fat, and 46.9% with abnormal visceral fat. For AIP category, 8.9% were found to be in intermediate and 16.4% were at high risk. Elevated lipid profile showed that total cholesterol (TC) is 15.5%, low density lipoprotein (LDL) is 16.1%, and triglyceride (TG) is 10.6%. AIP was significantly correlated with body mass index (r=0.25), visceral fat (r=0.37), TC (r=0.22), LDL (0.24), HDL (r=-0.72), TG (r=0.84), glucose (r=0.32), systolic blood pressure (r=0.22), and diastolic blood pressure (r=0.28).
Conclusion: It indicated that AIP is associated with other CVD risk factors. Modification of lifestyle is strongly recommended.
METHODS: This is a cohort study of T2DM patients in the national diabetes registry, Malaysia. Patients' particulars were derived from the database between 1st January 2009 and 31st December 2009. Their records were matched with the national death record at the end of year 2013 to determine the status after five years. The factors associated with mortality were investigated, and a prognostic model was developed based on logistic regression model.
RESULTS: There were 69,555 records analyzed. The mortality rate was 1.4 persons per 100 person-years. The major cause of death were diseases of the circulatory system (28.4%), infectious and parasitic diseases (19.7%), and respiratory system (16.0%). The risk factors of mortality within five years were age group (p < 0.001), body mass index category (p < 0.001), duration of diabetes (p < 0.001), retinopathy (p = 0.001), ischaemic heart disease (p < 0.001), cerebrovascular (p = 0.007), nephropathy (p = 0.001), and foot problem (p = 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of the proposed model was fairly strong with 70.2% and 61.3%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: The elderly and underweight T2DM patients with complications have higher risk for mortality within five years. The model has moderate accuracy; the prognostic model can be used as a screening tool to classify T2DM patients who are at higher risk for mortality within five years.
AIM OF STUDY: To investigate the potential protective effects of L. flavescens in pancreatic β cells through inhibition of apoptosis and autophagy cell death mechanisms in in vitro and in vivo models.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: L. flavescens leaves were extracted using solvent in increasing polarities: hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water. All extracts were tested for INS-1 β cells viability stimulated by streptozotocin (STZ). The extract which promotes the highest cell protective activity was further evaluated for insulin secretion, apoptosis and autophagy signaling pathways. Then, the acute toxicity of extract was carried out in SD rats according to OECD 423 guideline. The active extract was tested in diabetic rats where the pancreatic β islets were evaluated for insulin, apoptosis and autophagy protein.
RESULTS: The methanolic extract of L. flavescens (MELF) was found to increase INS-1 β cells viability and insulin secretion against STZ. In addition, MELF has been shown to inhibit INS-1 β cells apoptosis and autophagy activity. Notably, there was no toxicity observed in SD rats when administered with MELF. Furthermore, MELF exhibited anti-hyperglycemic activity in diabetic rats where apoptosis and autophagy protein expression was found to be suppressed in pancreatic β islets.
CONCLUSION: MELF was found to protect pancreatic β cells function from STZ-induced apoptosis and autophagy in in vitro and in vivo.