Drug eruptions from indeginous medicine is often difficult to diagnosis and confirm. It is known that a number of these now supplied by bomohs and Chinese sinsehs contain known drugs and are dispensed as tablets and capsules. We report 3 cases of adverse drug eruption to "Jamu", a Malay herb. A particular brand, "Jamu Indonesia, Toko Air Pancur", from Johor Bahru, Malaysia, is especially recommended for "sakit pinggang" or backache. The cases occurred between January and February 1985, and all had taken brown kidney shaped tablets. The adverse reactions were moderately severe. Two had erythroderma with hepatitis, and one, Steven Johnson Syndrome. Analysis of this jamu for analgesics led to the discovery of adulteration with phenylbutazone and diazepam. Records from local cases from 1974-1984 showed that 8 other patients, all Chinese had adverse cutaneous eruptions from phenylbutazone, oxybutazone and propyphenazone. The skin manifestations were erythroderma (2 cases), vasculitis (2 cases) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (4 cases). Those with toxic epidermal necrolysis had 100% mortality.
This is a retrospective study of 525 posterior chamber implants in diabetics performed by A S M Lim and B C Ang of Singapore. The patients were reviewed by visiting ophthalmologists--J E Kennedy (Sydney), M Ngui (East Malaysia) and P M Hart (Belfast). This study did not show any significant difference in the complication of post-operative visual acuity between diabetics and non-diabetics. 95% obtained 6/12 vision or better when pre-existing disease was excluded. It also showed that posterior chamber implants can be inserted in eyes with maculopathy or proliferative retinopathy if laser treatment was effectively done before or after surgery.
One hundred patients with carcinoma of the cervix stages 1B to 4A were treated with intracavitary high dose rate radiation using a linear cobalt source. All cases have received external beam pelvic irradiation to 4500cGy mid plane in twenty fractions over four weeks. The results in terms of patient compliance and convenience were good while acute and late morbidities were comparable to standard Manchester technique of low dose rate intracavitary therapy as practised in the Institute of Radiotherapy and Oncology General Hospital Kuala Lumpur. The four year actuarial survival rate is 76% for stage II and 48% for stage III. All three stage IV patients died within 1 year. Four out of seven stage I patients are alive (minimum follow-up 18 months, longest 43 months). One died of systemic spread at 33 months while one is lost to follow up.
This trial was carried out in Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Fifty-two patients who were scheduled to receive their first or subsequent courses of cancer chemotherapy with single dose cisplatinum containing chemotherapy regimens were evaluated. Thirty-four patients were given ondansetron in one group while 18 in the other group received metoclopramide with dexamethasone. The response to treatment was categorised as complete (0 emetic episode), major (1 or 2 emetic episodes), minor (3 to 5 emetic episodes) or failure (> 5 emetic episodes or rescue medication). Among the 52 patients, a complete or major control (0 to 2 emetic episodes) was achieved in 23/34 patients (68%) from the ondansetron group and in 3/18 patients (17%) from the metoclopramide with dexamethasone group (p < 0.002) on day 1. Similarly, the control of nausea was greater in the ondansetron group compared with the metoclopramide with dexamethasone group (p < 0.0009) on day 1. Two patients were excluded (dropped out) after day one from each of the two study groups due to excessive vomiting subsequent to cisplatinum therapy. From days 2 to 6, there was a trend in favour of ondansetron. Both treatments were well tolerated. The results of this trial show that in the prophylaxis of nausea and vomiting induced by cisplatinum containing chemotherapy, the efficacy of ondansetron is superior to that of a standard anti-emetic combination, metoclopramide with dexamethasone.
This study aims to evaluate the practice of adjuvant chemotherapy in colorectal cancer at the Institute of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur. A retrospective analysis of 320 patients' records from 1986 to 1994 was carried out. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given to 98 patients. Cancers of the rectum and sigmoid colon constituted over 60% of the patients. All the regimes used were 5-fluorouracil-based. The oral route was the most commonly used (55.1%). Toxicity was seldom the reason for stopping treatment (2%). The adjuvant treatment employed has been tolerable while the survival was comparable with other centres.
Between 1987 to 1995, a total of 334 patients infected with HIV were treated at the Hospital Kuala Lumpur. There were 159 Malays, 108 Chinese, 64 Indians, and 3 from other ethnic groups. Three hundred and twenty-one (96.1%) of these individuals were males and 262 (65.9%) were between the ages of 26-45 years. Intravenous drug users made up 77% (256) of the attributable risk behaviour from the group although many of them also had added risk behaviours like heterosexual activity with multiple partners (50 patients), tattoos (7 patients), homosexual practice (4 patients) and previous transfusions (3 patients). The others acquired their infection through heterosexual promiscuity (59 patients), homo/bisexual activity (7 patients), previous transfusion (5 patients) and tattoos (1 patient). Sixty-six patients (all males) had since progressed to full blown AIDS and 10 have died. The two commonest AIDS-defining events were tuberculosis infection and Pneumocystic carinii pneumonia occurring in 37 (56%) and 15 (22.7%) of patients respectively. Forty-one patients with AIDS presented for the first time with their AIDS-defining infections. The mean CD4 count of the patients when they progressed to AIDS was 130/mm3. The mean time for progression from "known" seropositivity to AIDS was 2.42 years. These results suggest that Malaysians infected with HIV are not coming forward for treatment until they are in the advanced stage of the disease.
A pilot study of Formestane or 4-Hydroxyandrostenedione (Lentaron), a new endocrine agent, was conducted on 18 postmenopausal patients with locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer. 16 patients were evaluable for response and objective responses were seen in 4 patients (25%). Stabilisation of disease was seen in 5 patients (32%). Out of 17 patients evaluable for toxicity, 3 (18%) reported adverse effects including hot flushes, lethargy and myalgia. Adverse effects were mild, transient and no patient required discontinuation of drug. Our study confirms that Formestane is a well tolerated endocrine agent with low toxicity and reasonable efficacy in postmenopausal patients with locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer.
In this paper we report results of skin prick tests (SPT) using pollen extracts on 200 patients with clinical symptoms of asthma, and results of a parallel study in which pollen was collected and classified over a period of 18 months. The patients were outpatients from the University Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, while the pollen grains were collected with a spore trap placed in the campus of the University of Malaya, approximately one kilometer from the University Hospital. Pollen extracts of 3 grasses (Bahia, Bermuda, rough pigweed) and 2 flowering trees, Acacia and Melaleuca, were used in the SPT. Of the 29.5% asthmatics with positive SPT reactions, 21.5% were to one or more of the grass pollens, 21.5% to Acacia and 7.5% to Melaleuca pollen. Acacia and Bermuda grass extracts were the most allergenic, which agreed with results of the pollen collection which showed grass and Acacia pollen grains to be the two most commonly found pollens.
Study site: University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC)
The displaced supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children (Gartland type 3) is a most challenging injury to treat. There is controversy regarding the initial treatment either closed manipulation and splint immobilization or open reduction and internal fixation. This is a retrospective study comparing two groups of patients with displaced supracondylar fracture of the humerus (Gattland 3) treated in the Orthopaedic Unit, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. The first group, 13 patients treated with closed reduction and splint immobilization and a second group, 15 patients treated with open reduction and internal fixation as initial definitive treatment. The results showed a high failure rate of closed reduction and splint immobilization. This was due to difficulty in reduction, loss of reduction post operatively or during follow-up. Open reduction and internal fixation was more advantages with reduced hospitalization time, fewer complications, more stable fixation and better anatomical reduction with minimal complications for type 3 supracondylar fracture of humerus. We would recommend that all Gartland 3 supracondylar fracture of the humerus be treated with open reduction and two K-wire fixation.
This is a prospective study to look at the outcome of unilateral proximal third femoral shaft fractures in children treated with a bilateral Thomas splint in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia between the period of January 1996 and June 1998. Eighteen children aged between 2 years and 12 years old with unilateral proximal third fractures of the femoral shaft were treated using a bilateral Thomas splint. Angular deformities were measured using a goniometer metric scale before and after Thomas splints. The percentage of varus tilt corrected ranged from 17% to 72% with an average correction of 29% from the initial deformity and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The percentage of posterior tilt corrected ranged from 19% to 60% with the average correction of 20% from the initial deformity. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). From this study, we conclude that bilateral Thomas splints can give a better correction of angular deformity for proximal third femoral shaft fractures in children below twelve years of age.
Ambulatory or day care surgery is still in its infancy in this part of the world. Our newly built university affiliated hospital started its Day Surgery Centre in February 1998. It is the first multidisciplinary ambulatory surgery centre in a teaching hospital in the country. It caters for Orthopaedic surgery, Urology, Plastic surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, General surgery, Paediatric surgery and Ophthalmology. We have done 2,604 cases and our unanticipated admission rate is less than 2%. There has been no major morbidity or mortality. The problems of setting up a multidisciplinary ambulatory centre in a teaching hospital are discussed.
Brown-Sequard syndrome (BSS) is a unilateral cord injury characterised by an ipsilateral motor deficit with contralateral pain and temperature hypoaesthesia. Although there are a variety of causes, the majority of cases are generally of neoplastic origin or are traumatic in origin. We describe a rare cause of Brown-Sequard syndrome as a result of post-traumatic arachnoiditis. Magnetic resonance imaging with the use of thin-slice high-resolution constructive interference in steady state (CISS) and T2-weighted spin-echo sequence were used to demonstrate the cause and appearance of the lesion in the spinal canal and was useful in the assessment and management of the patient. This case illustrates the usefulness of the CISS sequence in MRI for elucidating arachnoiditis.
To examine the relationships between blood CD4 natural regulatory T (Treg) cells, plasma HIV RNA level, CD4 T-cell count and immune activation in untreated HIV-infected patients and immunodeficient patients beginning antiretroviral therapy (ART), using a novel phenotype to define Treg cells (CD25CD127CD4). Data were compared with established Treg cell markers (FoxP3, CTLA-4 and GITR).
A proportion of HIV patients beginning antiretroviral therapy (ART) develop immune restoration disease (IRD). Immunological characteristics of IRD were investigated in a cohort of HIV patients beginning therapy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
To report a case of methylene blue related endophthalmitis. Observational case report. Review of clinical record, photographs. A 60 year old man developed endophthalmitis after methylene blue was accidentally used to stain the anterior capsule during phacoemulsification of cataract. His left visual acuity deteriorated from 6/12 to 6/36 two weeks after the operation. Despite intensive treatment with topical and intravitreal antibiotics, his condition deteriorated. A vitrectomy and silicone oil injection eventually managed to control the progression of the disease and salvage the eye. However the visual outcome remained poor due to corneal decompensation and retinal ischemia. Both vitreous tap and vitreous biopsy were negative for any organism. Methylene blue is extremely toxic to ocular structures and should not be used intraocularly.
Malaysia is confronted with an increasing incidence of HIV and AIDS among adolescents and young adults. The effectiveness of various programs offered to school going teenagers is unknown. The objective of this study is to measure the effectiveness of two hours talk on sex education offered by a non governmental organization (NGO) in improving youngsters' knowledge and perception towards HIV and AIDS. A cross sectional study was conducted among the adolescent students from a secondary school in Ipoh, Perak, a province of Malaysia. A total of 182 students participated in the study. A standard questionnaire consisting of demographic data, knowledge and perception towards HIV/ADIS were distributed before (pre-test) and after the intervention (post-test). Performance of participants was compared to establish the effectiveness of the intervention. Our findings suggests that there was a significant increase in participants' knowledge and perception after the intervention (p = 0.000). Knowledge improvement was found in both genders however, improvement in perception was higher among female students. Interestingly, 80% of participants disagree that sexual education will encourage sex among youngsters. NGOs are playing a supplementary role in providing sex education programs in schools. This program although of short duration but it is effective in enhancing adolescence awareness about HIV/AIDS.
In Malaysia, it is a common belief among health care workers that females and Indians have lower pain threshold. This experience, although based on anecdotal experience in the healthcare setting, does not allow differentiation between pain tolerance, and pain expression. To determine whether there is a difference in the tolerance to pain between the three main ethnic groups, namely the Malays, Chinese and Indians as well as between males and females. This was a prospective study, using a laboratory pain model (ischaemic pain tolerance) to determine the pain tolerance of 152 IMU medical students. The mean age of the students was 21.8 years (range 18-29 years). All of them were unmarried. The median of ischaemic pain tolerance for Malays, Chinese and Indians were 639s, 695s and 613s respectively (p = 0.779). However, statistically significant difference in ischaemic pain tolerance for males and females Indian students were observed. Possible ethnic difference in pain tolerance in casual observation is not verified by this laboratory pain model. Difference in pain tolerance between genders is shown only for Indians.
Nasopharnygeal carcinoma is known to be the commonest tumour of the nasopharynx. However, the incidence of nasopharngeal carcinosarcoma is extremely rare. Carcinosarcoma has been reported to be aggressive in nature and therefore early diagnosis and prompt treatment is important. We report a young lady who was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinosarcoma in our centre. She presented with only 2 weeks history of nose block and was noted to have a mass occupying the nasopharynx with neck metastasis. She underwent panendoscope and biopsy with radical radiotherapy.