METHODS: A total of 54 patients (8-79 years) with intracranial haemorrhage who underwent both CT examination and six-vessel cerebral angiography were studied over a 2-year period. Cerebral angiography was repeated within 6 weeks if the first angiogram was negative.
RESULTS: Angiography detected vascular lesions in 50% of cases (aneurysm 38.9% and arteriovenous malformation, AVM, 11.1%). In the aneurysm group, angiographic yield was 34.3% whereas in the AVM group, it was 37.9%. Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) combined with other types of haemorrhage (such as intracerebral haemorrhage, ICH) was not significantly correlated with the likelihood of finding a vascular lesion, both aneurysm and AVM (p = 0.157). Age less than 50 years had significant correlation (p = 0.021) in the AVM group as well as in the aneurysm group (p < 0.001). A history of hypertension was associated with both aneurysm (p = 0.039) and AVM (p = 0.008). No patients with deep intracerebral haematoma had vascular lesions. The presence of an intravascular haemorrhage (IVH) had significant correlation with aneurysm (p = 0.008) but not AVM. There was no significant difference in mean age between patients with and without a vascular lesion (p = 0.134).
CONCLUSION: Cerebral angiography is justified in patients with ICH accompanied by pure SAH (p = 0.001). Other factors associated with finding a vascular lesion were a history of hypertension and the presence of IVH. Diagnostic cerebral angiography is indicated for patients with ICH and SAH and IVH with a history of hypertension, regardless of age.
METHODS: We performed a MEDLINE search via OVID with the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms "Colorectal Neoplasms"[Mesh] and "Malaysia"[Mesh], and PubMed with the key words "colorectal cancer" and "Malaysia" from 1990 to 2015 for studies reporting any clinical, societal, and economical findings associated with colorectal cancer in Malaysia. Incidence and mortality data were retrieved from population-based cancer registries/databases.
RESULTS: In Malaysia, colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in males and the third most common cancer in females. The economic burden of colorectal cancer is substantial and is likely to increase over time in Malaysia owing to the current trend in colorectal cancer incidence. In Malaysia, most patients with colorectal cancer have been diagnosed at a late stage, with the 5-year relative survival by stage being lower than that in developed Asian countries. Public awareness of the rising incidence of colorectal cancer and the participation rates for colorectal cancer screening are low.
CONCLUSION: The efficiency of different screening approaches must be assessed, and an organized national screening program should be developed in a phased manner. It is essential to maintain a balanced investment in awareness programs targeting general population and primary care providers, focused on increasing the knowledge on symptoms and risk factors of colorectal cancer, awareness on benefits of screening, and promotion of healthy life styles to prevent this important disease.