Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 38 in total

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  1. Adam BA
    Int J Dermatol, 1992 Jan;31(1):42-5.
    PMID: 1737688
    The characteristics of three primary bullous diseases, pemphigus, pemphigoid, and dermatitis herpetiformis, seen in this country, probably reflecting this region, are discussed and compared to those reported in the literature in the West. One hundred and forty-eight patients with bullous diseases were seen over a period of 15 years. The criteria for confirmation of clinical diagnosis were the findings of the direct immunofluorescent test. Pemphigus vulgaris was the commonest bullous disease. The incidence of bullous pemphigoid was highest in the Indians of Malaysian origin, and they are also more likely to develop pemphigus vulgaris than any other ethnic group. Linear IgA type formed the entire group of dermatitis herpetiformis. The granular type was not seen at all. The patients were treated with prednisolone alone or together with methotrexate or azathioprine. Dapsone alone controlled the dermatitis herpetiformis. The known association between pemphigus and other diseases with immunologic disturbances was not found in this study. The natural history of the bullous disease as seen in the follow-up patients is described. Deaths in pemphigus and pemphigoid were more due to either complications of steroid therapy or unassociated diseases than the primary disease itself. Introduction of immunofluorescence as a diagnostic tool in pemphigus and extension of this facility to other bullous diseases has led to detailed characterization of these diseases as seen in the West; however, publications in English dealing with epidemiologic aspects of bullous diseases in this region are rare.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
  2. Ting HC, Adam BA
    Int J Dermatol, 1985 Nov;24(9):587-91.
    PMID: 4066102
    Stevens-Johnson syndrome is relatively rare. The authors report a retrospective study of 34 patients seen at the University Hospital in Malaysia over 16 years and discuss the epidemiology, clinical features, complications, investigations, etiologic association, mortality, sequelae, course of the disease, and the use of steroid.
  3. Lee CK, Chang CC, Johor A, Othman P, Baba R
    Int J Dermatol, 2015 Jul;54(7):765-70.
    PMID: 25427962 DOI: 10.1111/ijd.12451
    Hand dermatitis associated fingerprint changes is a significant problem and affects fingerprint verification processes. This study was done to develop a clinically useful prediction model for fingerprint verification in patients with hand dermatitis.
  4. Tang MM, Tang JJ, Gill P, Chang CC, Baba R
    Int J Dermatol, 2012 Jun;51(6):702-8.
    PMID: 22607289 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2011.05229.x
    Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous fungal infection caused by a thermally dimorphic aerobic fungus, Sporothrix schenckii. It results from traumatic inoculation or contact with animals. Most cases were reported mainly in the tropics and subtropics.
  5. Wong SM, Baba R
    Int J Dermatol, 2012 Feb;51(2):158-61.
    PMID: 22250623 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2011.04932.x
    Vitiligo is a chronic disease and can have significant impairment on patients' quality of life (QoL). Studies have shown that limitations in QoL are similar in magnitude to patients with other chronic skin diseases like psoriasis. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of life (QoL) of patients with vitiligo attending the dermatology clinic of a tertiary hospital in Malaysia.
    Study site: Dermatology clinic, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  6. Chow KW, Ting HC, Yap YP, Yee KC, Purushotaman A, Subramanian S, et al.
    Int J Dermatol, 1998 Jun;37(6):446-8.
    PMID: 9646134
  7. Syed Nong Chek SR, Robinson S, Mohd Affandi A, Baharum N
    Int J Dermatol, 2016 Oct;55(10):1092-5.
    PMID: 27061170 DOI: 10.1111/ijd.13307
    BACKGROUND: Psoriasis involving the face is visible and can cause considerable emotional distress to patients. Its presence may also confer a poorer prognosis for the patient. This study sought to evaluate the characteristics of facial psoriasis in Malaysia.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted using data from the Malaysian Psoriasis Registry from 2007 to 2011. Specific risk factors, i.e., age, age of onset, gender, duration of disease, obesity group, body surface area, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), family history of psoriasis, nail involvement, psoriatic arthritis, phototherapy, systemic therapy, clinic visit, days of work/school, and hospital admission due to psoriasis in the last 6 months were analyzed.

    RESULTS: A total of 48.4% of patients had facial psoriasis. Variables significantly associated with facial psoriasis are younger age, younger age of onset of psoriasis of ≤ 40 years, male, severity of psoriasis involving >10% of the body surface area, higher DLQI of >10, nail involvement, and history of hospitalization due to psoriasis.

    CONCLUSION: This study found that facial psoriasis is not as rare as previously thought. Ambient ultraviolet light, sebum, and contact with chemicals from facial products may reduce the severity of facial psoriasis, but these factors do not reduce the prevalence of facial psoriasis. The association with younger age, younger age of onset, higher percentage of body surface area involvement, higher DLQI of > 10, nail involvement, and hospitalization due to psoriasis support the notion that facial psoriasis is a marker of severe disease.

  8. Loo CH, Tan WC, Tang JJ, Khor YH, Manikam MT, Low DE, et al.
    Int J Dermatol, 2018 Dec;57(12):1454-1463.
    PMID: 30182482 DOI: 10.1111/ijd.14210
    BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, recurrent, inflammatory disorder of follicular occlusion, resulting in abscesses with tunnel formation and severe scarring. Our objectives were to identify the clinical patterns and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among our HS patients and to determine the role of ultrasonography in the clinical assessment of HS.

    METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study carried out from September 2016 to August 2017 at three tertiary hospitals in Northern Peninsular Malaysia.

    RESULTS: A total of 62 patients were recruited, 83.9% of whom were male. The mean age was 29.2 with the median age of onset at 18 years old. The median duration of delay in diagnosis was 3 years. A quarter of them had positive family history. Nearly three-quarters were overweight and obese. About 12/62 (19.4%) had MetS, and it was comparable to healthy controls (15/62, 24.2%). HS patients had a significant higher risk of low-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and obesity. Based on Hurley staging, 15/62 (24.2%) were in stage I, 38/62 (61.3%) and 9/62 (14.5%) in stages II and III, respectively. However, sonographic scoring showed 50% had severe stage of disease, and 56.9% of the patients had subclinical lesions. There was only a fair agreement between ultrasonography and Hurley staging of disease severity (k = 0.25; P = 0.004).

    CONCLUSION: There was a male preponderance among HS patients in Northern Peninsular Malaysia with early age of onset and more severe disease. Only one-fifth had MetS, but they had significantly higher risks of obesity and low HDL. Ultrasonography examination was useful to detect subclinical lesions and providing a better understanding on disease severity.

  9. Jalalonmuhali M, Lee YY, Lee CK, Ismail R, Chandran PA
    Int J Dermatol, 2014 Feb;53(2):234-7.
    PMID: 22913324 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2012.05463.x
  10. Choon SE, Lai NM, Mohammad NA, Nanu NM, Tey KE, Chew SF
    Int J Dermatol, 2014 Jun;53(6):676-84.
    PMID: 23967807 DOI: 10.1111/ijd.12070
    BACKGROUND: Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a severe but rare variant of psoriasis. Our objective is to review the clinical profile, comorbidities, and outcome of patients with GPP.
    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective note review of all patients with adult-onset GPP.
    RESULTS: A total of 102 patients with adult-onset GPP were diagnosed between 1989 and November 2011, with a female to male ratio of 2 : 1. The mean age at onset of GPP was 40.9 years (range: 21-81 years). Acute GPP was the most common variant seen (95 cases), followed by four localized variants of GPP and three with annular pustular psoriasis. Fever and painful skin were present in 89% of patients, arthritis in 34.7%, and leukocytosis in 78.4%. Common triggers were systemic steroids (45 cases), pregnancy (17 cases), and upper respiratory tract infections (16 cases). A positive family history of psoriasis and GPP was present in 29% and 11%, respectively. Comorbidities included obesity (42.9%), hypertension (25.7%), hyperlipidemia (25.7%), and diabetes mellitus (23.7%). The mean duration of admission and pustular flare for acute GPP was 10.3 days (range: 3-44 days) and 16 days (range: 7-60 days), respectively. Fifty-four patients responded to systemic retinoid, 21 to methotrexate, eight to cyclosporine, and one to adalimumab, but recurrences were common.
    CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms the poor response of GPP to currently available anti-psoriatic agents, with frequent flare-ups. There is a need for a more effective targeted therapy for this condition.
  11. Ding WY, Lee CK, Choon SE
    Int J Dermatol, 2010 Jul;49(7):834-41.
    PMID: 20618508 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2010.04481.x
    BACKGROUND: Adverse drug reactions are most commonly cutaneous in nature. Patterns of cutaneous adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and their causative drugs vary among the different populations previously studied.
    OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to determine the clinical pattern of drug eruptions and the common drugs implicated, particularly in severe cutaneous ADRs in our population.
    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was done by analyzing the database established for all adverse cutaneous drug reactions seen from January 2001 until December 2008.
    RESULTS: A total of 281 cutaneous ADRs were seen in 280 patients. The most common reaction pattern was maculopapular eruption (111 cases, 39.5%) followed by Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS: 79 cases, 28.1%), drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS: 19 cases, 6.8%), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN: 16 cases, 5.7 %), urticaria/angioedema (15 cases, 5.3%) and fixed drug eruptions (15 cases, 5.3%). Antibiotics (38.8%) and anticonvulsants (23.8%) accounted for 62.6% of the 281 cutaneous ADRs seen. Allopurinol was implicated in 39 (13.9%), carbamazepine in 29 (10.3%), phenytoin in 27 (9.6%) and cotrimoxazole in 26 (9.3%) cases. Carbamazepine, allopurinol and cotrimoxazole were the three main causative drugs of SJS/TEN accounting for 24.0%, 18.8% and 12.5% respectively of the 96 cases seen whereas DRESS was mainly caused by allopurinol (10 cases, 52.6%) and phenytoin (3 cases, 15.8%).
    DISCUSSION: The reaction patterns and drugs causing cutaneous ADRs in our population are similar to those seen in other countries although we have a much higher proportion of severe cutaneous ADRs probably due to referral bias, different prescribing habit and a higher prevalence of HLA-B*1502 and HLA-B*5801 which are genetic markers for carbamazepine-induced SJS/TEN and allopurinol-induced SJS/TEN/DRESS respectively.
    CONCLUSION: The most common reaction pattern seen in our study population was maculopapular eruptions. Antibiotics, anticonvulsants and NSAIDs were the most frequently implicated drug groups. Carbamazepine and allopurinol were the two main causative drugs of severe ADRs in our population.
  12. Lau BW, Lim DZ, Capon F, Barker JN, Choon SE
    Int J Dermatol, 2017 Apr;56(4):392-399.
    PMID: 28194751 DOI: 10.1111/ijd.13489
    BACKGROUND: Limited information exists regarding juvenile generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP). We aim to determine the clinical profile and outcome of Malaysians with juvenile GPP.

    METHODS: Review of hospital case notes on patients with juvenile GPP.

    RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients with juvenile GPP were identified. Female to male ratio was 1.4:1. The median age at onset of GPP was 6.5 years. Ten patients had prior psoriasis with a median pre-pustular duration of 2.7 years. Onset of GPP was earlier in patients without prior psoriasis (5.1 years vs. 12.0 years, P = 0.002). Precipitating factors identified included stress, upper respiratory tract infection, systemic steroid use, vaccination, and pregnancy. A positive family history of psoriasis and GPP was present in six and one patient(s), respectively. Twenty-one patients had acute, five annular, and one localized variant of GPP. Arthritis was present in 22.2%. Fever, leukocytosis, and transaminitis were mainly seen in patients with acute GPP at 80.9, 72.2, and 11.1%, respectively. Among 20 patients screened, eight carry IL36RN variants and one has CARD14 mutation. IL36RN-positive patients have more severe disease characterized by early onset, low prevalence of prior plaque psoriasis, high prevalence of systemic inflammation, and need for continuous long-term systemic therapy. Acitretin and cyclosporine were effective in aborting acute GPP in 100% of 16 and 66.7% of six patients treated, respectively. However, relapses were common. Only three of the 17 patients whose initial acute GPP was controlled with systemic agents were successfully weaned off treatment.

    CONCLUSIONS: Juvenile GPP is a chronic recalcitrant disease. IL36RN-positive patients have more severe disease.

  13. Kamil MAA, Chandran NS, Sulistyaningrum SK, Rajagopalan M, Tahiliani S, Hsiao J, et al.
    Int J Dermatol, 2020 Aug;59(8):e289-e290.
    PMID: 32436230 DOI: 10.1111/ijd.14960
  14. Veraldi S, Persico MC, Francia C, Nazzaro G, Gianotti R
    Int J Dermatol, 2013 Mar;52(3):327-30.
    PMID: 23414157 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2012.05723.x
    Hookworm-related cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) is characterized clinically by erythematous and slightly raised tracks, located especially on the feet. These tracks may be single or multiple, linear or serpiginous, more or less ramified and intertwined. The length is variable (up to many cm); the width ranges from 1 mm to 4 mm. Tracks are often accompanied by severe pruritus.
  15. Tang MM, Chang CC, Chan LC, Heng A
    Int J Dermatol, 2013 Mar;52(3):314-22.
    PMID: 23414155 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2011.05340.x
    BACKGROUND:Psoriasis is an immune-mediated, chronic, inflammatory skin disease which affects approximately 2% of the world's population. It has a major impact on the patient's quality of life (QoL), influencing career, social activities, family relationships, and all other aspects of life. Many studies have described the various ways in which psoriasis can affect a patient's life. Very little is known, however, about the impact of psoriasis on the QoL of patients treated in Malaysia and the cost of illness in this region.
    OBJECTIVES: This study aims to describe the extent to which psoriasis affects the QoL of patients treated in government-run dermatology clinics in Malaysia and to estimate the cost of illness.
    METHODS: A total of 250 psoriasis patients treated at eight dermatology clinics in government-run hospitals in Malaysia were studied. The severity of psoriasis was assessed by dermatologists. Quality of life was evaluated using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Version 2 of the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12v2). Scores on the SF-12v2 of healthy subjects and of patients with other medical conditions, such as depression, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease, were also assessed for comparison. The costs of dermatology outpatient consultant fees, medications, investigations, procedures, transportation, over-the-counter medications, and hospitalization were retrospectively estimated using questionnaires.
    RESULTS: The cohort studied had a median Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score of 9.9 and a median DLQI score of 10.0. The average SF-12v2 scores were 43.68 (standard deviation [SD] 9.23) and 42.25 (SD 10.7) on the Physical Health Summary and Mental Health Summary, respectively. The impact of disease on QoL was found to be greater in those with more extensive psoriatic lesion involvement, in younger patients, and in those with psoriatic arthropathy. Psoriasis was found to affect QoL in both genders equally. Body mass index had no effect on the severity of psoriasis or QoL. Patients with psoriasis had a significantly lower SF-12v2 score than healthy subjects. Comparisons with data for patients with other chronic medical conditions demonstrated that psoriasis has a negative effect on health-related QoL similar to the impact of other chronic conditions. The estimated cost of illness for psoriasis in the current cohort was ringgit Malaysia (RM) 1307.47 per person per year excluding costs of hospitalization. Patients were noted to spend a large amount of money on over-the-counter products obtained without doctors' prescriptions.
    CONCLUSIONS: The QoL of patients with psoriasis was significantly impaired compared with that of healthy subjects and was comparable with that of patients with other chronic medical illnesses. The estimated cost of illness of psoriasis in the current study was lower than in other countries, mainly because healthcare costs in public hospitals are heavily subsidized by government and because usage of newer but more expensive treatment options is low in Malaysia.
  16. Chang CC, Too CL, Murad S, Hussein SH
    Int J Dermatol, 2011 Feb;50(2):221-4.
    PMID: 21244392 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2010.04745.x
    BACKGROUND: Carbamazepine (CBZ), a frequently used anticonvulsant drug, is one of the most common causes of life-threatening cutaneous adverse drug reactions such as toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS). Recent studies have revealed a strong association between HLA-B*1502 and CBZ-induced TEN/SJS in the Taiwan Han Chinese population.
    OBJECTIVES: This study is aimed to investigate the association between human leucocyte antigens (HLA) and CBZ-induced TEN/SJS in the multi-ethnic Malaysian population.
    METHODS: A sample of 21 unrelated patients with CBZ-induced TEN/SJS and 300 race-matched, healthy controls were genotyped for HLA-A, -B and -DR using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Allele frequencies were compared.
    RESULTS: HLA-B*1502 was present in 75.0% (12/16) of Malay patients with CBZ-induced TEN/SJS but in only 15.7% (47/300) of normal controls (odds ratio 16.15, 95% confidence interval 4.57-62.4; corrected P-value  = 7.87 × 10(-6) ), which suggests a strong association between HLA and CBZ-induced TEN/SJS. Additionally, HLA-B*1502 was found in all three Chinese and two Indian patients. Existing data show that frequencies of the HLA-B*1502 allele are generally much higher in Asian populations than in White European populations, which explains the higher incidences of SJS and TEN in Asian countries.
    CONCLUSIONS: HLA-B*1502 is strongly associated with CBZ-induced TEN/SJS in the Malay population in Malaysia, as has been seen in Han Chinese in Taiwan. This indicates that the genetic association apparent in the incidence of CBZ-induced TEN/SJS is linked with the presence of HLA-B*1502, irrespective of racial origin. Screening of patients for this genetic marker can help to prevent the occurrence of TEN/SJS.
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