MyMedR

Fulltext Anakinra for the prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in patients with COVID-19

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Inflammopharmacology, 2023 Aug;31(4):2077-2078.

PMID: 37036557 DOI: 10.1007/s10787-023-01203-2

COVID-19 Vaccination: Safeguarding Against Post-COVID Cardiovascular Complications

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS, Thiruchelvam K

Clin Infect Dis, 2023 Dec 06.

PMID: 38059531 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad732

Fulltext Can COVID-19 vaccines improve cardiovascular outcomes?

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Travel Med Infect Dis, 2022;48:102350.

PMID: 35500844 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2022.102350

Thus far, the investigations on the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines in randomized trials [8,9] have been centered around reducing the risk of severe infection and mortality. We opine investigations on the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines to reduce the risk of cardiovascular outcomes should be performed to understand if COVID-19 vaccination has cardiovascular benefits. Such investigations could also develop more confidence toward the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines by the public, especially when some of the COVID-19 vaccines (particularly the mRNA vaccines such as BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 vaccines) have been associated with the rare occurrence of cardiovascular complications, including myocarditis and pericarditis [10,11]. While the infrequency and the mild nature of the myocarditis and pericarditis cases after vaccination greatly exceed the small increased risk, specious reports on social media are still fueling the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Therefore, we urge the performance of prospective investigations to establish the relationship between COVID-19 vaccines and cardiovascular outcomes.

Fulltext Can Renin-Angiotensin System Inhibitors Protect Against Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With COVID-19?

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Crit Care Med, 2022 Nov 01;50(11):e796-e797.

PMID: 36227048 DOI: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000005618

Fulltext Clinical outcomes of hypertensive patients with COVID-19 receiving calcium channel blockers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Hypertens Res, 2022 02;45(2):360-363.

PMID: 34754084 DOI: 10.1038/s41440-021-00786-z

We aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the overall effect of the preadmission/prediagnosis use of calcium channel blockers (CCBs) on the clinical outcomes in hypertensive patients with COVID-19. A systematic literature search with no language restriction was conducted in electronic databases in July 2021 to identify eligible studies. A random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled summary measure for outcomes of interest with the preadmission/prediagnosis use of CCBs relative to the nonuse of CCBs at 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The meta-analysis revealed a significant reduction in the odds of all-cause mortality with the preadmission/prediagnosis use of CCBs relative to the nonuse of CCBs (pooled OR = 0.65; 95% CI 0.49-0.86) and a significant reduction in the odds of severe illness with preadmission/prediagnosis use of CCBs relative to the nonuse of CCBs (pooled OR = 0.61; 95% CI 0.44-0.84), and is associated with adequate evidence to reject the model hypothesis of 'no significant difference' at the current sample size. The potential protective effects offered by CCBs in hypertensive patients with COVID-19 merit large-scale prospective investigations.

Fulltext Coenzyme Q10 therapy in patients with post COVID-19 condition

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Lancet Reg Health Eur, 2023 Feb;25:100567.

PMID: 36691396 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2022.100567

Fulltext Colchicine for COVID-19: Hype or hope?

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Eur J Intern Med, 2021 Nov 13.

PMID: 34810043 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2021.11.011

Comment on 'The dangers of non-randomized, observational studies. Experience from the COVID-19 epidemic'. Aspirin therapy in COVID-19: too soon to dismiss its benefits?

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

J Antimicrob Chemother, 2023 Apr 03;78(4):1134-1135.

PMID: 36857507 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkad040

Comment on: "Comparison of Clinical Outcomes Between Ticagrelor and Clopidogrel in East-Asian Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: Large Cohort Study"

Kow CS, Zaihan AF, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Am J Cardiovasc Drugs, 2024 Mar;24(2):325-326.

PMID: 38270840 DOI: 10.1007/s40256-023-00626-0

Comment on: "Polypharmacy and Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities: the GeroCovid Study"

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS, Thiruchelvam K

Drugs Aging, 2024 Feb 28.

PMID: 38416396 DOI: 10.1007/s40266-024-01106-z

Fulltext Development and validation of a knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) questionnaire for skin cancer in the general public: KAP-SC-Q

Mohammed AH, Ying LH, Boon Hong ML, Sze Nee AW, Ying LS, Ramachandram DS, et al.

Res Social Adm Pharm, 2024 Feb;20(2):124-136.

PMID: 37914555 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2023.10.009

BACKGROUND: Skin cancer has emerged as a significant worldwide public health issue, with the global reporting of approximately 1.4 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer and 287,723 cases of melanoma in 2020. Early detection and prevention are pivotal in battling this disease. However, there is an absence of standardized tools designed to comprehensively gauge these elements.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to formulate and examine the validity and reliability of the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Skin Cancer Questionnaire (KAP-SC-Q).

METHODS: The research was conducted in two phases. Phase I included the generation and construction of items, content validity, and pilot testing. In Phase II, the questionnaire was distributed to 370 non-health background public adults in Malaysia. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were ascertained using Item Response Theory (IRT) for the knowledge domain, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) for the attitude and practice segments, and Cronbach's alpha.

RESULTS: The definitive version of the KAP-SC-Q had 108 items, divided into 17 social demographic, 30 knowledge, 32 attitude, and 29 practice items. Knowledge items had an acceptable range of 0.4-2.0 in the IRT. The EFA revealed that attitude and practice sections contributed to 34.25% and 52.94% of the total observed variance, respectively. The Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.85, signifying good internal consistency.

CONCLUSION: The study validated that KAP-SC-Q exhibits commendable psychometric attributes, marking it as a trustworthy instrument to assess the public's knowledge, attitude, and practices concerning skin cancer.

Fulltext Direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) for patients with atrial fibrillation during the COVID-19 pandemic

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Med Clin (Engl Ed), 2022 Nov 11;159(9):e61.

PMID: 36345468 DOI: 10.1016/j.medcle.2022.05.022

Fulltext Direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) for patients with atrial fibrillation during the COVID-19 pandemic

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Med Clin (Barc), 2022 Nov 11;159(9):e61.

PMID: 35933189 DOI: 10.1016/j.medcli.2022.05.016

Early Oxygen Therapy may be Beneficial to Patients with COVID-19 and Underlying Pulmonary Diseases

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

J Asthma, 2023 Feb;60(2):422-423.

PMID: 35315746 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2022.2056701

Fulltext Effects of Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers on the Risk of Mortality in Patients with COVID-19: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Trials

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Am J Hypertens, 2022 Aug 01;35(8):763-764.

PMID: 35657802 DOI: 10.1093/ajh/hpac070

Embracing Imatinib: a novel approach to safeguarding the endothelial barrier in patients with COVID-19

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Angiogenesis, 2023 Nov;26(4):481-483.

PMID: 37530975 DOI: 10.1007/s10456-023-09889-2

Imatinib, an ABL tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, shows promise in restoring endothelial barrier function in patients with COVID-19, thus, preventing cytokine leakage from the alveolar compartment to the systemic compartment. COVID-19 is characterized by an alveolar cytokine storm, and imatinib has been shown to strengthen the endothelial barrier and mitigate alveolar inflammatory responses by modulating NF-κB signaling. Incorporating imatinib into COVID-19 treatment strategies offers a novel approach to safeguard the endothelial barrier and address the complex pathophysiology of the disease, including its potential implications in long COVID. Given that endothelial dysfunction plays a central role in COVID-19 progression and long COVID development, protecting the endothelial barrier during acute infection is crucial in preventing the persistent endothelial dysfunction associated with long COVID.

Fulltext Famotidine: A potential mitigator of mast cell activation in post-COVID-19 cognitive impairment

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

J Psychosom Res, 2023 Sep;172:111425.

PMID: 37399740 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2023.111425

Fulltext Favipiravir and hyperuricemia in patients with COVID-19-suggestions for future studies

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Lancet Reg Health Southeast Asia, 2023 Sep;16:100267.

PMID: 37662055 DOI: 10.1016/j.lansea.2023.100267

Fulltext Future of antivirals in COVID-19: The case of favipiravir

Kow CS, Ramachandram DS, Hasan SS

Int Immunopharmacol, 2022 Feb;103:108455.

PMID: 34959188 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.108455