MyMedR

A new species of Leptolalax (Amphibia, Anura, Megophryidae) from Peninsular Malaysia

Matsui M, Belabut DM, Ahmad N, Yong HS

Zoolog Sci, 2009 Mar;26(3):243-7.

PMID: 19341347 DOI: 10.2108/zsj.26.243

A new megophryid species, Leptolalax kecil, is described from the Cameron Highlands of Peninsular Malaysia on the basis of acoustic and morphological characteristics. It has an advertisement call dissimilar to that of other, congeneric species, and is the smallest of the known Leptolalax. It is similar to L. pluvialis from Vietnam in small body size, but differs from it in ventral color, and in the size and color of the pectoral gland. The distributional pattern of the new species Is discussed.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

A new monogenean genus from an ephippid fish off Peninsular Malaysia

Lim LH, Gibson DI

Syst Parasitol, 2009 May;73(1):13-25.

PMID: 19337856 DOI: 10.1007/s11230-008-9167-1

Sundatrema langkawiense n. g., n. sp. (Monogenea: Ancyrocephalidae) is described from the gills of the orbfish Ephippus orbis (Bloch) (Ephippidae) off the Island of Langkawi, Malaysia, in the Andaman Sea. This new genus has the ancyrocephalid characteristics of four anchors, 14 marginal hooks and two bars, but differs from other four-anchored monogenean genera, and notably from Parancylodiscoides Caballero & Bravo Hollis, 1961 (found on the ephippids Chaetodipterus spp. off Central and South America), by having a unique combination of features. These include a muscular genital sucker and a vas deferens and vagina on the same (sinistral) side of the body. It is similar to Parancylodiscoides in having four haptoral reservoirs opening at the anchoral apertures, four anchors, similar connecting bars and small marginal hooks. The new species is characterised by the above generic features and by possessing a small, short copulatory organ lacking an accessory piece. Diplectanum longiphallus MacCallum, 1915 (previously attributed to Ancyrocephalus Creplin, 1839, Tetrancistrum Goto & Kikuchi, 1917 and Pseudohaliotrema Yamaguti, 1953) is transferred to Parancylodiscoides as P. longiphallus (MacCallum, 1915) n. comb.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

A study on nurses' perception on the medication error at one of the hospitals in East Malaysia

Hassan H, Das S, Se H, Damika K, Letchimi S, Mat S, et al.

Clin Ter, 2009;160(6):477-9.

PMID: 20198291

Medication error is defined as any preventable event that might cause or lead to an inappropriate use or harming of the patient. Such events could be due to compounding, dispensing, distribution, administration and monitoring. The aim of the present study was to determine the nurses' perception on medication error that were related directly or indirectly to the process of administration of drugs. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This was a descriptive cross sectional study conducted on 92 staff nurses working in the selected wards in one of the hospitals in East Malaysia. Data was obtained through structured questionnaires. RESULTS. Analysis of data was done through SPSS program for descriptive inferential statistics. Out of a total of 92 subjects, sixty-eight (73.9%) indicated medication error occurred because the nurses were tired and exhausted. Seventy nine subjects (85.9%) believed that any medication error should be reported to the doctors; another 74 (80.2%) knew that their colleagues committed medication error and 52 (56.5%) did not report the case. Forty eight (52.17%) subjects committed medication error at least once throughout their life. Of the 48 committed medication, 45 (93.75%) nurses believed that the error committed was not serious; while 39 (81.25%) believed the error occurred during the 1st 5 years of their working experience.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext Rising caesarean section rates in public hospitals in Malaysia 2006

Ravindran J

Med J Malaysia, 2008 Dec;63(5):434-5.

PMID: 19803313 MyJurnal

The caesarean section rate in Malaysian public hospitals has increased to 15.7% from 10.5% in the year 2000. There are inter-state variations in the rate ranging from a high of 25.4% in Melaka to 10.9% in Sabah. The West Coast states generally had a higher caesarean section rate than the East Coast states as well as East Malaysia. It would be prudent for Malaysia to implement stringent caesarean audits to ensure that rising caesarean section rates are kept in check.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext Ethnomedical survey of plants used by the Orang Asli in Kampung Bawong, Perak, West Malaysia

Samuel AJ, Kalusalingam A, Chellappan DK, Gopinath R, Radhamani S, Husain HA, et al.

J Ethnobiol Ethnomed, 2010;6:5.

PMID: 20137098 DOI: 10.1186/1746-4269-6-5

A qualitative ethnomedical survey was carried out among a local Orang Asli tribe to gather information on the use of medicinal plants in the region of Kampung Bawong, Perak of West Malaysia in order to evaluate the potential medicinal uses of local plants used in curing different diseases and illnesses.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

A new species of Meristogenys (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae) from Sabah, Borneo

Matsui M, Shimada T, Sudin A

Zoolog Sci, 2010 Jan;27(1):61-6.

PMID: 20064010 DOI: 10.2108/zsj.27.61

We describe a new species of torrent-dwelling ranid frog of the genus Meristogenys from the Crocker Range, western Sabah, northern Borneo. The new species, Meristogenys maryatiae, differs from congeners by the combination of: small body, males 31-37 mm and females 65-66 mm in snout-vent length; head narrower than long; eyes moderate, diameter subequal to snout; iris unicolored; legs long; ventral surface of tibia without heavy pigmentation; rear of thigh blotched dark brown and cream; toes fully webbed; outer metatarsal tubercle present; larval dental formula 7(4-7)/6(1).

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext Prescribing of antihypertensive agents in public primary care clinics - is it in accordance with current evidence?

Ramli AS, Miskan M, Ng K, Ambigga D, Nafiza M, Mazapuspavina M, et al.

Malays Fam Physician, 2010;5(1):36-40.

PMID: 25606184

Large population surveys in Malaysia have consistently shown minimal improvement of blood pressure control rates over the last 10 years. Poor adherence to antihypertensive medication has been recognized as a major reason for poor control of hypertension. This study aimed to describe the prescribing pattern of antihypertensive agents in 2 public primary care clinics and assess its appropriateness in relation to current evidence and guidelines.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext Drug reaction with herbal supplement: a possible case of drug induced lupus erythematosus

Muthupalaniappen L, Jamani N, Muhammad M, Adawiyah J, Aziz N

Malays Fam Physician, 2010;5(2):99-100.

PMID: 25606196 MyJurnal

A 24-year-old lady presented with four days history of fever, non-pruritic rash, ankle pain and swelling. She had consumed herbal supplement five days before the onset of symptoms. Examinations revealed erythematous maculo-papular lesions of varying sizes on sun exposed areas. Patient was suspected to have Drug Induced Lupus Erythematosus (DILE) and subsequently symptoms subsided rapidly on withholding the herbal medication.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext Self reported hearing loss among elderly malaysians

Rosdina AK, Leelavathi M, Zaitun A, Lee VKM, Noor Azimah M, Majmin SH, et al.

Malays Fam Physician, 2010;5(2):91-4.

PMID: 25606194 MyJurnal

A cross-sectional study was conducted on patients attending a primary care facility to determine the prevalence of self reported hearing loss using a single question, "Do you have hearing loss?" Pure tone audiometry was performed to compare the accuracy of the self report. A total of 111 patients were recruited. The prevalence of self reported hearing loss using a single question and pure tone audiometry was 24.3% and 36.9% respectively. By using pure tone audiometry at a cut-off-level of 25 dBHL (decibels Hearing level), the single question yielded a sensitivity of 41.4% and specificity of 85.0%.The single question performed better at 40 dBHL pure tone audiometry with sensitivity of 55.0% and specificity of 82.0%. In conclusion, the prevalence of hearing loss in elderly was high and the single question self reported hearing loss performed satisfactorily with moderate hearing loss.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Correlation between urinary nicotine, cotinine and self-reported smoking status among educated young adults

Man CN, Fathelrahman AI, Harn GL, Lajis R, Samin AS, Omar M, et al.

Environ Toxicol Pharmacol, 2009 Jul;28(1):92-6.

PMID: 21783987 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2009.03.003

The objective of this study was to correlate, differentiate and validate the self-reported smoking status of educated young adults with urinary biomarkers (i.e. nicotine and cotinine). Freshmen students were recruited on voluntary basis. They filled-up self-administered questionnaire and their urine samples were collected for analysis. The urinary nicotine (UN) and cotinine (UC) were measured by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry. Smokers, non-smokers and ex-smokers were found to be both significantly correlated and different in their UN and UC levels. UC level of 25ng/ml was the optimal cut-off to differentiate smokers from non-smokers. Using this cut-off value, the prevalence of smoking among the students was found to be higher (15.4%) than the self-reported data (14.3%). UC is useful in validating individual recent smoking history and the cut-off could serve as a marker for assessing the clinical impact of smoking and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure on human health.
Study site: university health centre, Universiti SainsMalaysia (USM), Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext The effect of "group detailing" on drug prescribing in primary care

Mastura I, Teng CL

Med J Malaysia, 2008 Oct;63(4):315-8.

PMID: 19385492

The quality of physician prescribing is suboptimal. Patients are at risk of potentially adverse reaction because of inappropriate or writing error in the drug prescriptions. We assess the effect of "group academic detailing" to reduce writing drug name using brand name and short form in the drug prescriptions in a controlled study at two primary health care clinics in Negeri Sembilan. Five medical officers in Ampangan Health Clinic received an educational intervention consisting of group academic detailing from the resident Family Medicine Specialist, as well as a drug summary list using generic names. The academic detailing focused on appropriate prescribing habit and emphasized on using the full generic drug name when writing the drug prescription. Analyses were based on 3371 prescriptions that were taken from two clinics. The other health clinic was for comparison. The prescribing rates were assessed by reviewing the prescriptions (two months each for pre- and post-intervention phase). Statistically significant reduction in writing prescription using brand name and using short form were observed after the educational intervention. Writing prescription using brand name for pre- and postintervention phase were 33.9% and 19.0% (postintervention vs pre-intervention RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.66) in the intervention clinic. Prescription writing using any short form for pre- and post-intervention phase were 49.2% and 29.2% (post-intervention vs pre-intervention RR 0.59, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.67). This low cost educational intervention focusing on prescribing habit produced an important reduction in writing prescription using brand name and short form. Group detailing appears to be feasible in the public health care system in Malaysia and possibly can be used for other prescribing issues in primary care.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext Awareness on ex-gratia compensation scheme among medical department staff in a tertiary government hospital in Kuala Lumpur

Su T, Hoe VC

Med J Malaysia, 2008 Oct;63(4):302-5.

PMID: 19385489 MyJurnal

The Ex-Gratia Compensation Scheme was introduced by the Government of Malaysia in 1994 to provide compensation, which is not covered by any prior legislation, for all its workers suffering from injuries and illnesses due to work. Despite more than ten years of implementation, the submission for claims is still minimal and there is an impression that awareness on the provision of Ex-Gratia benefit among government employees, especially health care staff, is poor. A cross sectional survey was conducted at a medical department of a government hospital in Kuala Lumpur to assess the knowledge and awareness level on Ex-Gratia among a representative group of front line health care workers. The results show that the respondents' knowledge on Ex-Gratia is generally poor as compared to knowledge on the Social Security (SOCSO) Schemes. Majority of the respondents are unsure whether they will be compensated in case of occupational illness and injuries. They also do not know what kind of compensation scheme they are currently eligible. There is an urgent need for the Treasury and health care managers to expand the knowledge and awareness on Ex-Gratia among health care workers.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext Medicines information in medical journal advertising in Australia, Malaysia and the United States: A comparative cross-sectional study

Othman N, Vitry AI, Roughead EE

South Med Rev, 2010 Feb;3(1):11-8.

PMID: 23093878

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the provision of medicines information in medical journal advertising in Australia, Malaysia and the United States.
METHODS: A consecutive sample of 85 unique advertisements from each country was selected from the advertisements published between January 2004 to December 2006 in three widely circulated medical journals and one prescribing reference manual. The availability of brand name and generic name, indication, contraindications, dosage, side-effects, warnings, interactions and precautions was compared between the three countries.
RESULTS: We examined 255 distinct advertisements for 136 pharmaceutical products. Journal advertising in Australia, Malaysia and the US usually provided brand names and generic names (range 96 -100%). Information on dosage was significantly less likely to be mentioned (32%) in the US than in Australia (92%) and Malaysia (48%) (P < 0.001). Warning information was significantly less likely to be provided in Australia (5%) than in the US (81%) and Malaysia (9%) (P < 0.001). Apart from information on brand name, generic name, warnings and dosage, other product information significantly less likely to be provided in journal advertising in Malaysia than in Australia and the US (P < 0.001). Similar trends in the provision of product information for the same medicines published in these countries were noted. Brand name and generic name were always provided in the three countries (100%). However, information on the negative effects of medicines was less frequently provided in Malaysia than in Australia and the US.
CONCLUSIONS: Journal advertising in Australia, Malaysia and the US failed to provide complete product information. Low quality of information provided in Malaysia indicates the need for effective regulation of provision of medicines information in journal advertising. Different standards of medicines information provided in these three countries suggest that pharmaceutical promotion needs to be better controlled at the international level.
KEYWORDS: Australia; Malaysia; Pharmaceutical advertisements; promotion; regulation

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext Tuberculous prostatic abscess in an immunocompromised patient

Lee PY, Ong TA, Dayangku Norlida AO

Malays Fam Physician, 2010;5(3):145-7.

PMID: 25606207 MyJurnal

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext Chronic cough with multiple causes

Chew BH

Malays Fam Physician, 2010;5(2):101-4.

PMID: 25606197 MyJurnal

This case reports a 57-year-old lady presented with cough of two months duration despite repeated treatments from multiple general practitioners. It took her another two months to know her diagnoses and a further couple of months to be relieved of her cough and became asymptomatic. Chronic cough management in primary care often needs an empiric integrative approach and requires good doctor-patient rapport with informed follow ups and continuity of care to be successful.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext Use of drug information resources by the community pharmacist in Penang, Malaysia

Hassali MA, Khan TM, Shafie AA

Inform Prim Care, 2010;18(3):213-6.

PMID: 21396245

This study aimed to identify the types of drug information resources used by community pharmacists in daily practice in Penang, Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Two varieties of honey that are available in Malaysia gave intermediate glycemic index values when tested among healthy individuals

Robert SD, Ismail AA

Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub, 2009 Jun;153(2):145-7.

PMID: 19771140

AIM: To determine the glycemic index (GI) of Malaysian wild honey and Australian honey.

METHODS: Eight healthy volunteers (5 men and 3 women, aged 24-44 y, with normal BMI) were served 50 g carbohydrate portions of two varieties of honey or the reference food (glucose, tested 3 times), on separate occasions. Capillary blood glucose was measured fasting and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min after the start of the test meals. The GI was calculated by expressing each subject's incremental area under the blood glucose curve (AUC) after honey as a percentage of his or her mean AUC after glucose.

RESULTS: The results showed that the mean AUC of the Malaysian and Australian honeys, 174+/-19 and 158+/-16 mmolxmin/l, respectively, did not differ from each other but were significantly less than that after glucose, 259+/-15 mmolxmin/l (P<0.001). The mean GI of Malaysian wild honey, 65+/-7, did not differ from that of Australian honey, 59+/-5, but both were significantly less than the GI of glucose, 100 (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that both Malaysian wild honey (GI=65+/-7) and Australian honey (GI=59+/-5) are intermediate GI foods.

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext Suboptimal treatment in chronic diseases--time to go back to basics

Abdul Rashid AR

Med J Malaysia, 2008 Aug;63(3):185-7.

PMID: 19248686

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia

Fulltext Patient registries in Malaysia and the role of the Clinical Research Centre of the Ministry of Health

Pillay MS, Noor Hisham A, Zaki Morad MZ, Lim TO, Jamaiyah H, Jaya Purany SP

Med J Malaysia, 2008 Sep;63 Suppl C:1-4.

PMID: 19227669

Matched MeSH terms: Malaysia