Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 36 in total

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  1. Ng CWK, Hanizasurana H, Nor Azita AT, Nor Fariza N, Zabri K
    Medicine & Health, 2016;11(2):313-318.
    MyJurnal
    Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis occurs predominantly in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) -infected patients. It was also reported in HIV-seronegative patients with systemic autoimmune disorder requiring systemic immunosuppression, organ or bone marrow transplantation, haematological or breast malignancy receiving chemotherapy, ocular diseases following intraocular or periocular corticosteroid injection, diabetes mellitus and Good syndrome. However, CMV retinitis in patients with concurrent dermatomyositis and malignancy has not been previously reported. It has not been reported in cancer other than haematological or breast malignancy, or in cancer patient prior to chemotherapy. We report a case of 40-year-old HIV-seronegative woman with underlying dermatomyositis and lung malignancy who developed right CMV retinitis which relapsed after recommencement of immunosuppressant. Both episodes of CMV retinitis were successfully treated after taken her immunocompromised state into consideration.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  2. Md Noh UK, Zahidin AZ, Yong TK
    Clin Pract, 2012 Mar 30;2(2):e54.
    PMID: 24765453 DOI: 10.4081/cp.2012.e54
    A 26-year-old woman with a recent flare-up of systemic lupus erythematosus presented with peripheral retinal hemorrhages at a routine check-up. She is on a tapering dose of immunosuppressive agents. Her visual acuity was good. Fluorescein angiogram revealed vasculitic changes with capillary non-perfusion areas. A few weeks later, she developed cerebral lupus with advanced lupus nephritis. Immunosuppressive therapy was restarted and panretinal photocoagulation was delivered. Her visual acuity remained stable, despite development of a cataract from prednisolone therapy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  3. Yadav, M.
    MyJurnal
    Human Herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) infections are ubiquitous in human populations with an antibody prevalence of 30-85 percent in normal adults. The virus in vivo infects T-lympho-cytes, at various stages of differentiation and is cytopathic to host cell during productive infection. In culture the virus is pleiotropic for several established cell lines including T and B lymphocytes, macrophages and neural cells. Primary viral infection occurs mostly in early childhood. The saliva is the primary source of infection. The infection remains clinically silent in majority but it establishes a lifelong latent presence. However, in about 30 percent of infants, probably a varient HHV-6, causes exanthem subitum (roseola infantum). If the primary infection of HHV-6 is delayed until adolescence it is accompanied by clinical manifestation of an Epstein-Barr virus like infectious mononucleosis in some individuals. Depressed host immune functions may reactivate the latent HHV-6 infection and further aggravation of the primary disease. Since the virus is cytopathic to the host cell the presence of HHV-6 in AIDS patients and other lympholiferative disorders may increase the severity and pathogenicity of the primary disease. Antibodies to the HHV-6 are enhanced in autoimmune disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, progressive lymphoroliferative disorders and organ transplant patients on immunosuppressive drugs therapy. While considerable basic immunovirological information has been obtained in the last 4 years, large gaps in knowledge still exist on the biologic interaction of HHV-6 with the host.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  4. Letchumanan P, Ng HJ, Lee LH, Thumboo J
    Rheumatology (Oxford), 2009 Apr;48(4):399-403.
    PMID: 19202160 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/ken510
    To compare the clinical presentation, response to therapy and outcome of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in an inception cohort of patients with and without SLE.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  5. Chang, S.H., Tan, S.Y.
    JUMMEC, 2006;9(1):2-6.
    MyJurnal
    Steroids remain an important component of maintenance immunosuppression after renal transplantation. Their anti-inflammatory action is partly due to the sequestration of CD4+ lymphocytes in the reticuloendothelial system. Steroids bind to intracellular receptors and the resulting steroid-receptor complex alters the transcription of cytokines by binding to glucocorticoid response elements on DNA. Transcription factors whose actions are altered by glucocorticoids include activating protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor-B (NF-B). The main cytokines whose production by antigen-presenting cells is inhibited by steroids are interleukin-1 (IL-1), required for helper T-cell activation, and IL-6, required for B-cell activation. Other pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interferon gamma and tumour necrosis factor are also inhibited. This multiplicity of immunosuppressive actions is not fully replicated by other immunosuppressants. However, there are concerns about the long-term side effects of steroids. This review will examine the attempts at steroid withdrawal or steroid avoidance in renal transplant patients.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  6. Shaariah W, Morad Z, Suleiman AB
    Transplant Proc, 1992 Oct;24(5):1898-9.
    PMID: 1412904
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression/adverse effects*; Immunosuppression/methods
  7. Nadeem, S.R., Rina, K., Hamimah, H., Savithri, D.P.
    JUMMEC, 2006;9(1):14-19.
    MyJurnal
    A cross-sectional study of 109 patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia from the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) in the years 2000 and 2001 was conducted to describe epidemiological features, underlying diseases, possible source of infection, early mortality among patients as well as the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of patients' isolates. Further analysis of the 87 patient records that were available revealed that the mean age was 48.5 years (SD ± 25.1). Fifty-two per cent of cases were male and 48% female. Seventy-nine per cent of infections were nosocomially acquired, 33% of bacteremias were polymicrobial, 47% of patients had a continuous bladder drainage catheter (CBD) in situ, 33% had a central venous catheter (CVL) present at the time of bacteremia and 30% were ventilated. Sixty-eight per cent of patients had an underlying immunosuppressed state and 26% had undergone surgery involving general anesthesia in the week prior to isolating P. aeruginosa. Among the 23 patients with early mortality, 61% were on inappropriate antimicrobials. Most of the patients' isolates were sensitive to imipenem (86%), ciprofloxacin (81%), ceftazidime (79%), gentamicin (78%) and cefoperazone (77%). Among the community acquired strains, however, there was 100% sensitivity to imipenem, ceftazidime, cefoperazone and ciprofloxacin.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  8. Byrne SN, Sarchio SN
    Oncoimmunology, 2014 Jan 01;3(1):e27562.
    PMID: 24744978
    Sunlight causes skin cancer by directly damaging DNA as well as by suppressing antitumor immune responses. A major mechanism whereby sunlight exerts immunosuppressive effects is by modulating the migration of chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4 (CXCR4)-expressing dermal mast cells into and away from the skin. We have demonstrated the importance of this by showing that the systemic administration of the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100 prevents sunlight-induced immunosuppression as well as the consequent carcinogenic response. Our results highlight the therapeutic potential of antagonizing CXCR4 signaling, especially in individuals who are at high risk of developing skin cancer.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  9. Putra WE, Rifa'i M
    Trop Life Sci Res, 2020 Jul;31(2):175-185.
    PMID: 32922674 DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2020.31.2.9
    Aplastic anemia, life-threatened disease, is a hematologic disorder characterised by bone marrow hypoplasia. Multiple modalities such as bone marrow transplantation and immunosuppression treatment have been proposed to ameliorate this entity, however it remains ineffective. Sambucus, a group of herb plants, possesses a broad spectrum of medicinal properties such as antioxidant, insulin-like activity, anticancer and antiviral. However, the study about its activity toward aplastic anemia incidence is based on limited data. Thus, the research aim of this study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory activities of Sambucus javanica in chloramphenicol-induced anemia aplastic mouse model. In this present study, BALB/c mice were administrated with chloramphenicol (CMP) to induce aplastic anemia then followed by S. javanica extracts treatment. Additionally, cellular and molecular aspects were evaluated by flow cytometry and Hematoxylin-Eosin staining. Further analysis showed that S. javanica extracts could promote the population number of regulatory T-cells and naive cytotoxic T-cells. Moreover, those extract also reduced the inflammation and necrotic incidence in CMP-induced mouse aplastic anemia model. Together, these results suggest that S. javanica has therapeutically effect to aplastic anemia by altering the immune system as an immunomodulatory agent.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  10. Rajesh Ramasamy
    MyJurnal
    Immunomodulation is essential for controlling the immune system to maintain efficient immune surveillance and inflammation. Both arms of immunomodulation, namely immunostimulation and immunosuppression, are equally crucial in setting the optimal balance of immune response. However, diseases or conditions such as autoimmune diseases, tissue rejection due to transplantation and chronic inflammation require downregulation of overwhelming immune reactions. The conventional immunosuppressive drugs prevent the activation of immune cells, yet create an unsafe condition with toxic adverse effects. In such predicament, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) emerged as one of the safe immunosuppressive regiments and widely tested in clinical trials for numerous chronic inflammatory dis-eases. Mesenchymal stem cells are the origin of the stromal/mesenchymal cells in almost all solid organs, including the pulp of the tooth. In addition to providing structural support to the organ, MSCs participate in the tissue repair and regeneration by ameliorating an overly activated immune response locally and systemically. Regardless of the source, MSCs profoundly suppress the proliferation and effector functions of both innate and adaptive immune cells. The mechanism of inhibition primarily took place in the early phase of cell cycle and mediated via suppression of mainstream signalling pathways that involve cyclins and other cell cycle proteins. The antiproliferative activity of MSCs is not only limited to the healthy immune cells but extends to the various tumour cells of the immune system. Similarly, an array of cell signalling pathways that executed by cell cycle proteins found downregulated in the pres-ence of MSCs. The immunosuppressive activity exerted by MSCs is not specific to particular immune cells where it impairs a group of the common cell signalling pathways or putative cell cycle proteins which are vital elements for the proliferation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  11. Poynard T
    Med J Malaysia, 2005 Jul;60 Suppl B:77-9.
    PMID: 16108180
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  12. Yong KW, Wan Safwani WK, Xu F, Wan Abas WA, Choi JR, Pingguan-Murphy B
    Biopreserv Biobank, 2015 Aug;13(4):231-9.
    PMID: 26280501 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2014.0104
    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) hold many advantages over embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and other somatic cells in clinical applications. MSCs are multipotent cells with strong immunosuppressive properties. They can be harvested from various locations in the human body (e.g., bone marrow and adipose tissues). Cryopreservation represents an efficient method for the preservation and pooling of MSCs, to obtain the cell counts required for clinical applications, such as cell-based therapies and regenerative medicine. Upon cryopreservation, it is important to preserve MSCs functional properties including immunomodulatory properties and multilineage differentiation ability. Further, a biosafety evaluation of cryopreserved MSCs is essential prior to their clinical applications. However, the existing cryopreservation methods for MSCs are associated with notable limitations, leading to a need for new or improved methods to be established for a more efficient application of cryopreserved MSCs in stem cell-based therapies. We review the important parameters for cryopreservation of MSCs and the existing cryopreservation methods for MSCs. Further, we also discuss the challenges to be addressed in order to preserve MSCs effectively for clinical applications.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  13. Liaw YF, Kao JH, Piratvisuth T, Chan HL, Chien RN, Liu CJ, et al.
    Hepatol Int, 2012 Jun;6(3):531-61.
    PMID: 26201469 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-012-9365-4
    Large volume of new data on the natural history and treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have become available since 2008. These include further studies in asymptomatic subjects with chronic HBV infection and community-based cohorts, the role of HBV genotype/naturally occurring HBV mutations, the application of non-invasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis and quantitation of HBV surface antigen and new drug or new strategies towards more effective therapy. To update HBV management guidelines, relevant new data were reviewed and assessed by experts from the region, and the significance of the reported findings was discussed and debated. The earlier "Asian-Pacific consensus statement on the management of chronic hepatitis B" was revised accordingly. The key terms used in the statement were also defined. The new guidelines include general management, indications for fibrosis assessment, time to start or stop drug therapy, choice of drug to initiate therapy, when and how to monitor the patients during and after stopping drug therapy. Recommendations on the therapy of patients in special circumstances, including women in childbearing age, patients with antiviral drug resistance, concurrent viral infection, hepatic decompensation, patients receiving immune suppression or chemotherapy and patients in the setting of liver transplantation and hepatocellular carcinoma, are also included.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  14. Ahmad S, Azid NA, Boer JC, Lim J, Chen X, Plebanski M, et al.
    Front Immunol, 2018;9:2572.
    PMID: 30473698 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02572
    Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) is a pleiotropic cytokine, which is thought to play a major role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, including allergy. TNF is produced at the early stage of allergen sensitization, and then continues to promote the inflammation cascade in the effector phase of allergic reactions. Consequently, anti-TNF treatment has been proposed as a potential therapeutic option. However, recent studies reveal anti-intuitive effects of TNF in the activation and proliferative expansion of immunosuppressive Tregs, tolerogenic DCs and MDSCs. This immunosuppressive effect of TNF is mediated by TNFR2, which is preferentially expressed by immunosuppressive cells. These findings redefine the role of TNF in allergic reaction, and suggest that targeting TNF-TNFR2 interaction itself may represent a novel strategy in the treatment of allergy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression/methods
  15. Dissanaike AS, Mak JW
    J Helminthol, 1980 Jun;54(2):117-22.
    PMID: 6997363
    Adult worms of the rural strain of Wuchereria bancrofti in Peninsular Malaysia obtained from a successful experimental transmission in an immunosuppressed Macaca fascicularis are described for the first time. Although the worms, especially females, were slightly smaller, they were similar in morphology to those of the periodic and non-periodic W. bancrofti previously described.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  16. AlOtaibi TM, Gheith OA, Abuelmagd MM, Adel M, Alqallaf AK, Elserwy NA, et al.
    Clin Transplant, 2021 Jun;35(6):e14297.
    PMID: 33768630 DOI: 10.1111/ctr.14297
    INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 is an ongoing pandemic with high morbidity and mortality and with a reported high risk of severe disease in kidney transplant recipients (KTR).

    AIM: We aimed to report the largest number of COVID-19-positive cases in KTR in a single center and to discuss their demographics, management, and evolution.

    METHODS: We enrolled all the two thousand KTR followed up in our center in Kuwait and collected the data of all COVID-19-positive KTR (104) from the start of the outbreak till the end of July 2020 and have reported the clinical features, management details, and both patient and graft outcomes.

    RESULTS: Out of the one hundred and four cases reported, most of them were males aged 49.3 ± 14.7 years. Eighty-two of them needed hospitalization, of which thirty-one were managed in the intensive care unit (ICU). Main comorbidities among these patients were hypertension in 64.4%, diabetes in 51%, and ischemic heart disease in 20.2%. Management strategies included anticoagulation in 56.7%, withdrawal of antimetabolites in 54.8%, calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) withdrawal in 33.7%, the addition of antibiotics in 57.7%, Tocilizumab in 8.7%, and antivirals in 16.3%. During a follow-up of 30 days, the reported number of acute kidney injury (AKI) was 28.7%, respiratory failure requiring oxygen therapy 46.2%, and overall mortality rate was 10.6% with hospital mortality of 13.4% including an ICU mortality rate of 35.5%.

    CONCLUSION: Better outcome of COVID-19-positive KTR in our cohort during this unremitting stage could be due to the younger age of patients and early optimized management of anticoagulation, modification of immunosuppression, and prompt treatment of secondary bacterial infections. Mild cases can successfully be managed at home without any change in immunosuppression.

    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  17. Cheo, Seng Wee, Tan, Yee Ann, Low, Qin Jian
    MyJurnal
    Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal nematode which is endemic in tropical and subtropical countries. The global prevalence of Strongyloides is unknown. Strongyloidiasis is found more frequently in the socioeconomically disadvantaged, in institutionalized populations, and in rural areas. The spectrum of disease varies. It may cause asymptomatic infection, mild eosinophilia or hyperinfection syndrome in the most severe form. Here we reported a case of Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome in an immunosuppressed patient. This patient is a 54-year-old man with myasthenia gravis on long term azathioprine and prednisolone. He presented with fever associated with diarrhoea and was in septic shock. His blood culture was positive forKlebsiella pneumoniae.Strongyloides stercoralis larvae were detected in his sputum and stool sample. He was diagnosed to have Strongyloides hyperinfection and was treated with subcutaneous ivermectin. He recovered well. Our case demonstrated the association of Strongyloideshyperinfection with superimposed gram-negative sepsis as a consequence of prolonged immunosuppression. A high index of suspicion is needed in approaching patient with risk factors of hyperinfection syndrome.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  18. Jalalonmuhali M, Ng KP, Ong CS, Lee YW, Wan Md Adnan WAH, Lim SK
    Transplant Proc, 2020 05 21;52(6):1709-1714.
    PMID: 32448669 DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2020.02.139
    The aim of induction therapy in the management of kidney transplant is to reduce the incidence of acute rejection and delayed graft function after kidney transplant. The agent for induction therapy differs depending on the recipient risks. The regimen can be either polyclonal (rabbit antithymocyte globulin [rATG]) or monoclonal antibody (basiliximab). Basiliximab is commonly used in patients with low immunologic risk. However, to date we know that the use of rATG on T cell depletion is dose dependent and more potent antirejection therapy. Therefore, we would like to look at 1-year graft function of very low-dose rATG in low immunologic risk recipients. All low immunologic risk patients who received low-dose rATG (0.5 mg/kg of body weight daily) during transplant (day 0) and on days 1 and 2 were recruited. Their renal function, HLA donor-specific antibodies, lymphocyte counts, protocol biopsy results, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) polymerase chain reaction were monitored as per clinical practice. All 10 patients had immediate graft function. Low-dose rATG caused lymphocyte counts to deplete immediately on day 0, and the effect lasted about 1 month post-transplant. All the patients had stable graft function without any significance episode of rejection. Only one patient had de novo HLA-DQ antibody. It is good to know that without prophylaxis antiviral in CMV+ donor to CMV+ recipient, the incidence of CMV viremia is considerably low in our cohort. Very low-dose rATG is an effective induction immunosuppression in low immunologic risk patients with acceptable infection risk.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression/methods*
  19. Esteban Chin, Lim Han Hua
    MyJurnal
    Introduction: Strongyloidiasis is endemic in the tropical and subtropical regions. Clinical manifestations of the dis-ease can range from asymptomatic eosinophilia in an immunocompetent host to a wide range of presentations in immunocompromised patients. Failure to consider the diagnosis of strongyloides infection, especially Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome, is a major contributor of high mortality rate in such cases. Case Description: We report a case of 60 years old gentleman who was admitted to Sarawak General Hospital for a left subtrochanteric femur pathological fracture and the diagnosis of multiple myeloma was made in the same setting. He was started on treat-ment for multiple myeloma which includes high dose steroids. During his course of admission, he was diagnosed with hospital-acquired pneumonia was subsequently initiated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Despite being exten-sively treated with multiple courses of broad-spectrum antibiotics, he deteriorated clinically, with eventual respirato-ry failure requiring ventilator support and ICU admission. A diagnosis of strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome was made after an incidental discovery of larvae in his sputum, which was later confirmed with stool sample. He was given a one-week course of albendazole 400mg twice daily and clinical improvement was observed. A repeated stool sample also demonstrated clearance of the parasites. Conclusion: This case highlights the need for clinical sus-picion of strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome in cases of unresolved pneumonia, especially for patients with risk factors of underlying immune-deficiency state. Preventive steps such early detection and eradication of strongyloides infection should be undertaken prior to initiation of immuno-suppressive therapy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
  20. Liau LL, Ruszymah BHI, Ng MH, Law JX
    Curr Res Transl Med, 2020 01;68(1):5-16.
    PMID: 31543433 DOI: 10.1016/j.retram.2019.09.001
    Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are widely used in the clinic because they involve fewer ethical issues and safety concerns compared to other stem cells such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). MSCs derived from umbilical cord Wharton's jelly (WJ-MSCs) have excellent proliferative potential and a faster growth rate and can retain their multipotency for more passages in vitro compared to adult MSCs from bone marrow or adipose tissue. WJ-MSCs are used clinically for repairing tissue injuries of the spinal cord, liver and heart with the aim of regenerating tissue. On the other hand, WJ-MSCs are also used clinically to ameliorate immune-mediated diseases based on their ability to modulate immune responses. In the field of tissue engineering, WJ-MSCs capable of differentiating into multiple cell lineages have been used to produce a variety of engineered tissues in vitro that can then be transplanted in vivo. This review discusses the characteristics of WJ-MSCs, the differences between WJ-MSCs and adult MSCs, clinical studies involving WJ-MSCs and future perspectives of WJ-MSC research and clinical applications. To summarize, WJ-MSCs have shown promise in treating a variety of diseases clinically. However, most clinical trials/studies reported thus far are relatively smaller in scale. The collected evidence is insufficient to support the routine use of WJ-MSC therapy in the clinic. Thus, rigorous clinical trials are needed in the future to obtain more information on WJ-MSC therapy safety and efficacy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Immunosuppression
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