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The occurrence of oral-mucosal lesions among employees of a steelmill--a preliminary study

Zain RB, Koh LS

Dent J Malays, 1988 Nov;10(2):37-40.
PMID: 3271126

A study has been conducted on 198 employees of a steel-mill industry. These participants were examined for mucosal lesions in the oral cavity and including the commissures and vermillion borders of the lips. The prevalences of 16 types of lesions are reported.
Mercury, lead, and other heavy metals in Chinese medicines

Wong MK, Koh LL

Biol Trace Elem Res, 1986 Aug;10(2):91-7.
PMID: 24254355 DOI: 10.1007/BF02795561

Ninety-nine samples of common Chinese medicines were purchased from Chinese medical shops in Singapore and Malaysia and analyzed for mercury, lead, copper, cadmium, cobalt, iron, and nickel. The majority of these medicines were manufactured in China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. A few of them were of Singapore and Taiwan origin. Atomic absorption method (both flame and flameless) was used for the analyses. Mercury was found to be present in high concentrations in several of the medicines that were for oral consumption.
Ecology of marine fouling organisms at Eastern Johore Strait

Low KL, Khoo HW, Koh LL

Environ Monit Assess, 1991 Oct;19(1-3):319-33.
PMID: 24233949 DOI: 10.1007/BF00401321

Marine biofouling causes problems to marine structure and obstructs condenser tubes in cooling systems which use sea water as the coolant. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the seasonal ecology of biofouling organisms such as the green mussel, Perna viridis, the dominant fouling species in the Eastern Johore Straits at the Senoko Power Station. The spawning time and its relationship with environmental conditions were studied. The physical, chemical and biological conditions of the sea at Senoko were monitored for a year. Settling slides were used to study the fouling succession in different monsoon seasons. The study showed that there were two main spawning peaks for the green mussel and that these peaks occurred during the intermonsoon months of November and April. These peaks were also correlated with the bimodal patterns for salinity, dissolved oxyen, bivalve veliger larval density and total plankton biomass of the Eastern Johore Strait water. Succession patterns were similar during the two monsoon seasons, however, the rate of fouling was probably greater during the southwest monsoon months. It is therefore advisable that the control or reduction of biofouling in Eastern Johore Strait should take into account the seasonal fluctuations and spawning of the fouling organisms.
Fulltext The use of electroconvulsive therapy in the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur--a study of 31 patients

Lai ALP, Ooi ST, Yong BH, Koh L

Med J Malaysia, 1983 Jun;38(2):145-9.
PMID: 6621445

Thirty-one (31) patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) over a three-week period in October 1982 in the Psychiatric Unit, University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, were studied. The main indications for ECT in these patients were poor response to drug therapy, depression with suicidal ideation, and aggression, which together accounted for 87 percent of all patients started on ECT during this period. The majority of patients (86 percent) showed some improvement, and 73 percent improved by the third ECT. The most common side-effects experienced by patients were memory disturbance (45 percent) and post ECT headache (45 percent). No serious side-effects were encountered.
Impact of a rapid molecular test for positive blood cultures from neonatal intensive care patients on clinical management: a retrospective audit

Koh LL, O'Rourke S, Brennan M, Clooney L, Cafferkey M, McCallion N, et al.

Ir J Med Sci, 2018 May;187(2):423-427.
PMID: 28689228 DOI: 10.1007/s11845-017-1649-1

BACKGROUND: Both Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative Staphylococci are common causes of late-onset neonatal sepsis in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), usually relating to intravascular access device infections.
AIMS: This project aimed to review the impact on antimicrobial treatment and clinical outcome in the NICU setting, of the introduction of the Xpert MRSA/SA BC test (Cepheid, USA) for the identification of staphylococci in blood cultures.
METHODS: A retrospective audit was carried out of the pre- and post-intervention periods; the intervention was the introduction of the Xpert MRSA/SA BC test.
RESULTS: In total, 88 neonates had positive blood cultures with Staphylococcus spp., comprising 42 neonates in the pre-intervention and 46 in the post-intervention groups. The pre-intervention group had a higher birth weight (1.541 kg vs. 1.219 kg, p = 0.05) and higher platelet count (288 vs. 224 × 109/L, p = 0.05). There was a trend towards a shorter duration of antimicrobial therapy in term infants and in the length of admission; however, this was not statistically significant (p = 0.2). All of the nine infants post-intervention with significant bacteraemia (S. aureus =3, CoNS =6) were changed to the optimal antimicrobial at the time the result was available.
CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the introduction of the Xpert MRSA/SA BC test can lead to a reduction in the length of admission and duration of antimicrobials in term infants; however, the difference was not statistically significant. All nine infants with clinically significant bacteraemia were treated with the appropriate antimicrobial when the Xpert MRSA/SA BC test result was available.
Hip fracture incidence rates in Singapore 1991-1998

Koh LK, Saw SM, Lee JJ, Leong KH, Lee J, National Working Committee on Osteoporosis

Osteoporos Int, 2001;12(4):311-8.
PMID: 11420781

In this population-based study, we determined the incidence rates of hip fracture among Singapore residents aged 50 years and above. Information was obtained from a centralized database system which captured admissions with the primary diagnosis of a closed hip fracture (ICD-9 codes 820, 820.0, 820.2 and 820.8, n = 12,927) from all health care establishments in the country from 1991 to 1998 inclusive. After removing duplicates, hospital transfers, readmissions and non-acute care admissions, the total number of hip fractures was 9406. Based on the national population census 1990 (n = 464,100) and yearly population estimates, the age-adjusted hip fracture rates for 1991-1998 (per 100,000) were 152 in men and 402 in women. This was 1.5 and over 5 times higher than corresponding rates in the 1960s. From 1991 to 1998, these hip fracture rates tended to increase by 0.7% annually in men and by 1.2% annually in women. Among the three major racial groups, in men, the Chinese had significantly higher age-adjusted hip fracture rates (per 100,000): 168 (95% confidence interval (CI) 158-178) compared with 128 (95% CI 105-152) for Indians and 71 (95% CI 54-88) for Malays. A similar pattern occurred in women: 410 (95% CI 395-425), for Chinese compared with 361 (95% CI 290-432) for Indians and 264 (95% CI 225-303) for Malays. Since the 1960s, the main increases in hip fracture rates have been seen in the Chinese and Malays, with the rates in Indians appearing to decrease. Hip fracture incidence rates in Singapore have risen rapidly over the past 30-40 years, particularly in women, and are now among the highest in Asia. Significant racial differences in hip fracture rates occur within the same community. Time trends in hip fracture rates differed between races.
Fulltext Factors influencing diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis after a fragility fracture among postmenopausal women in Asian countries: a retrospective study

Kung AW, Fan T, Xu L, Xia WB, Park IH, Kim HS, et al.

BMC Womens Health, 2013;13:7.
PMID: 23410131 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6874-13-7

BACKGROUND: A vast amount of literature describes the incidence of fracture as a risk for recurrent osteoporotic fractures in western and Asian countries. Osteoporosis evaluation and treatment after a low-trauma fracture, however, has not been well characterized in postmenopausal women in Asia. The purpose of this study was to characterize patient and health system characteristics associated with the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis among postmenopausal women hospitalized with a fragility fracture in Asia.
METHODS: Patient surveys and medical charts of postmenopausal women (N=1,122) discharged after a fragility hip fracture from treatment centers in mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007 were reviewed for bone mineral density (BMD) measurement, osteoporosis diagnosis, and osteoporosis treatment.
RESULTS: The mean (SD) age was 72.9 (11.5) years. A BMD measurement was reported by 28.2% of patients, 51.5% were informed that they had osteoporosis, and 33.0% received prescription medications for osteoporosis in the 6 months after discharge. Using multivariate logistic regression analyses, prior history of fracture decreased the odds of a BMD measurement (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.45-0.88). Having a BMD measurement increased the odds of osteoporosis diagnosis (OR 10.1, 95% CI 6.36-16.0), as did having health insurance (OR 4.95, 95% CI 1.51-16.21 for private insurance with partial self-payment relative to 100% self-payment). A history of fracture was not independently associated with an osteoporosis diagnosis (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.56-1.15). Younger age reduced the odds of receiving medication for osteoporosis (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.36-0.96 relative to age ≥65), while having a BMD measurement increased the odds (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.23-2.61).
CONCLUSIONS: Osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment in Asian countries were driven by BMD measurement but not by fracture history. Future efforts should emphasize education of general practitioners and patients about the importance of fracture.