METHODS: To understand the genetic factor in a family with GGE, we performed whole exome sequencing (WES) on a trio of a juvenile myoclonic epilepsy/febrile seizure (JME/FS) proband with JME/FS mother and healthy father. Sanger sequencing was carried out for validation of WES results and variant detection in other family members.
RESULTS: Predictably damaging variant found in affected proband and mother but absent in healthy father in SCN1A gene was found to be associated with generalized epilepsy and febrile seizure. The novel non-synonymous substitution (c.5753C>T, p.S1918F) in SCN1A was found in all family members with GGE, of which 4/8 were JME subtypes, and/or febrile seizure, while 3 healthy family member controls did not have the mutation. This mutation was also absent in 41 GGE patients and 414 healthy Malaysian Chinese controls.
CONCLUSION: The mutation is likely to affect interaction between the sodium channel and calmodulin and subsequently interrupt calmodulin-dependent modulation of the channel.
METHODS: Altogether 335 participants were recruited, including 85 patients with CD and 250 unrelated healthy controls, and their informed consent was obtained. Genomic DNA was extracted via a conventional phenol-chloroform extraction method. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ATG16L1 and IRGM genes were genotyped using TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. Associations between SNP and CD were determined using Fisher's exact test, odds ratio, and 95% confidence interval. Statistical power and the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were also calculated.
RESULTS: Two SNPs (rs2241880 and rs6754677) in the ATG16L1 gene were significantly associated with the onset of CD in the Malaysian population. The A allele and homozygous A/A genotype of the rs2241880 A/G polymorphism were protective against CD in the overall Malaysian and Malay population. The G allele and homozygous G/G genotype of the rs6754677 G/A polymorphism were protective in the Indian population, whereas the homozygous A/A genotype showed a risk of developing CD. The homozygous G/G genotype of IRGM rs11747270 was significantly present in the controls. However, this significance was not observed in a race-stratified analysis. All three ATG16L1 SNPs were associated with inflamed terminal ileum. IRGM rs4958847 and rs11747270 increased the risk of developing arthritis in patients with CD.
CONCLUSION: We found a significant association between SNP, which are located in autophagy-related genes, and CD in a Malaysian population.
METHODS: A prospective randomized study was conducted in a single-center adult intensive care unit. In total, 100 patients were randomized into two groups. These patients underwent internal jugular vein central venous catheter cannulation with ultrasound guidance (short-axis scan, out-of-plane needling approach) in which one group adopted conventional method, while the other group was aided with the guided positioning system. Outcomes were measured by procedural efficacy (success rate, number of attempts, time to successful cannulation), complications, level of operators' experience, and their satisfaction.
RESULTS: All patients had successful cannulation on the first attempt except for one case in the conventional group. The median performance time for the guided positioning system method was longer (25.5 vs 15.5 s; p = 0.01). And 86% of the operators had more than 3-year experience in anesthesia. One post-insertion hematoma occurred in the conventional group. Only 88% of the operators using the guided positioning system method were satisfied compared to 100% in the conventional group.
CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided central venous catheter insertion via internal jugular vein was a safe procedure in both conventional and guided positioning system methods. The guided positioning system did not confer additional benefit but was associated with slower performance time and lower satisfaction level among the experienced operators.
METHODS: Blood samples of individuals with periodontitis (PD) (n=72) and periodontally healthy (PH) (n=62) donors were obtained from Malaysian Periodontal Database and Biobanking system (MPDBS). Genomic DNA samples were analyzed for three PTGS2 SNPs (rs5275, rs20417, rs689466,) and one DEFB1 SNP (rs1047031) using Taqman SNP genotyping assays. Notably, rs20417 and rs689466 were located in the promoter region while rs5275 and rs1047031 were located in the 3' untranslated region of the transcript. Association between the SNPs and PD were then analyzed using genotypic association analysis (additive, dominant and recessive models).
RESULTS: The allelic frequency for the rs689466-G was higher in PD group (35.2%) compared that in PH group (29.0%). However, the association of rs689466-G and other SNPs with PD was not statistically significant (at 95% CI). No associations were observed for genotypic associations between the PTGS2 and DEFB1 SNPs with PD susceptibility.
CONCLUSIONS: PTGS2 (rs5275, rs20417, and rs689466) and DEFB1 (rs1047031) polymorphism was not associated with PD in Malays, unlike the Chinese, Taiwanese & European population. This suggests that other causal variants might be involved in the development and progression of PD among Malays.
METHOD: Cross-sectional study of ambulant children with epilepsy on long-term AEDs for >1 year seen in a tertiary hospital in Malaysia from 2014 to 2015. Detailed assessment of anthropometric measurements; environmental lifestyle risk factors; serum vitamin D, calcium and parathyroid hormone levels; genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms of genes in vitamin D and calcium metabolism; and lumbar spine BMD were obtained. Low BMD was defined as BMD Z-score ≤ -2.0 SD.
RESULTS: Eighty-seven children with mean age of 11.9 years (56 males) participated in the study. The prevalence of low lumbar BMD was 21.8% (19 patients). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified polytherapy >2 AEDs (OR: 7.86; 95% CI 1.03-59.96), small frame size with wrist breadth of <15th centile (OR 14.73; 95% CI 2.21-98.40), and body mass index Z-score 2 AEDs, underweight or with small frame size as they are at higher risk of having low BMD.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to determine the efficacy of high-dose versus low-dose tranexamic acid (TXA) in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) corrective surgery.
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Corrective surgery for AIS is associated with significant blood loss. Evidence on the optimum TXA dose to reduce bleeding in pediatric population is scarce.
METHODS: A total of 166 AIS patients aged between 10 and 21 years, of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I and II, preoperative hemoglobin >10 g/dL, platelet count >150,000 cells/L and Cobb angle of >45° scheduled for elective single-stage posterior spinal fusion (PSF) surgery by two attending surgeons were included between March 2017 and November 2018. Patients were randomized into Group A (High Dose, 30 mg/kg TXA loading dose followed by 10 mg/kg/h infusion) and Group B (Low Dose, 10 mg/kg TXA loading dose followed by 1 mg/kg/h infusion). The primary outcome was total surgical blood loss between both groups. Secondary outcomes were transfusion requirement, perioperative changes in hemoglobin and coagulation profiles, adverse events, and factors that influence total blood loss.
RESULTS: The mean total surgical blood loss between the two groups was not significant (Group A: 928.8 ± 406.1 mL [range: 348-1857 mL]; Group B: 918.1 ± 406.2 mL [range: 271-2000 mL], P = 0.865). The median duration of surgery was 120 minutes. One patient in each group received allogenic blood transfusion during the perioperative period. There were no significant changes in hemoglobin and coagulation profile at pre-operation, post-operation 0 hour and 48 hours. Sex, number of vertebral levels fused, and duration of surgery were independently associated with total surgical blood loss. No adverse events were observed perioperatively.
CONCLUSION: Low-dose TXA was as efficacious as high-dose TXA in reducing blood loss and allogenic blood transfusion for AIS patients undergoing PSF surgery.Level of Evidence: 1.
METHODS: Three areas of priority were identified as follows: staff safety, patient movement, and possible clinical scenarios based on simulation principles in health care education. Staff was rostered and rotated through stations for rapid-cycle deliberate practice to learn donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE) and powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR). For difficult airway management, Peyton's 4 steps for skills training and Harden's Three Circle model formed the structure in teaching the core skills. Several clinical scenarios used system probing to elicit inadequacies followed by formal debriefing to facilitate reflection. Finally, evaluation was both immediate and delayed with an online survey after 1 month to examine 4 levels of reaction, learning, behavior, and impact based on the Kirkpatrick Model. Frequency and thematic analysis were then conducted on the quantitative and qualitative data, respectively.
RESULTS: A total of 15 of 16 (93%) consultants, 16 (100%) specialists, and 81 (100%) medical officers in the department completed training within 2 consecutive weeks. Reaction and part of the learning were relayed immediately to trainers during training. In total, 42 (39%) trained staff responded to the survey. All were satisfied and agreed on the relevance of training. A total of 41 respondents (98%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 87-99) answered 16 of 20 questions correctly on identifying aerosol-generating procedures (AGP), indications for PPE, planning and preparation for airway management to achieve adequate learning. About 43% (95% CI, 27-59) and 52% (95% CI, 36-68) recalled donning and doffing steps correctly. A total of 92 responses from 33 respondents were analyzed in the thematic analysis. All respondents reported at least 1 behavioral change in intended outcomes for hand hygiene practice (20%), appropriate use of PPE (27%), and airway management (10%). The emerging outcomes were vigilance, physical distancing, planning, and team communication. Finally, the impact of training led to the establishment of institutional guidelines followed by all personnel.
CONCLUSIONS: Simulation-based training was a useful preparation tool for small institutions with limited time, resources, and manpower in developing nations. These recommendations represent the training experience to address issues of "when" and "how" to initiate urgent "medical education" during an outbreak.
METHODS: Cross-sectional study of Malaysian ambulant CWE on antiseizure medication for >1 year. Sixteen SNPs in 8 genes (GC, VDR, CYP2R1, CYP24A1, CYP27B1, CYP27A1, CYP3A4, NADSYN1/DHCR7) were genotyped. Linear and logistic regression models and co-variates adjusted analyses were used. SNPs with significant associations were further analysed in a group of ethnically-matched healthy Malaysian children.
RESULTS: 239 CWE were recruited (52.7% Malay, 24.3% Chinese and 23.0% Indian) with mean serum 25(OH)D of 58.8 nmol/L (SD 25.7). Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (≤37.5 nmol/L) was 23.0%. Minor allele of GC-rs4588-A was associated with lower serum 25(OH)D in the meta-analysis of both CWE (β -8.11, P = 0.002) and Malaysian healthy children (β -5.08, P < 0.001), while VDR-rs7975232-A was significantly associated with reduced odds of vitamin D deficiency in Malay subgroup of CWE (OR: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.06-0.49; P = 0.001) and this association was not found in the healthy children group.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that GC-rs4588 is associated with lower serum 25(OH)D concentration in both Malaysian CWE and healthy children, while VDR-rs7975232A is associated with lower risk of vitamin D deficiency in Malaysian CWE of Malay ethnicity. Our findings may assist in the genetic risk stratification of low vitamin D status among CWE.