Displaying publications 41 - 60 of 1064 in total

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  1. Sundrasegaran P, Engkasan JP
    Malays J Med Sci, 2023 Dec;30(6):79-90.
    PMID: 38239256 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2023.30.6.9
    BACKGROUND: Persons with tetraplegia rank improved upper extremity (UE) function as the most important rehabilitation outcome because it allows them greater independence in activities of daily living (ADL). The aim of this study was to describe UE status in patients with tetraplegia using the International Spinal Cord Injury Upper Extremity Basic Data Set version 1.1 (ISCI-UE 1.1) and to determine differences in UE status between tetraplegic individuals with traumatic and non-traumatic SCIs.

    METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with tetraplegia who attended the SCI rehabilitation clinic of a tertiary hospital from September 2021 to August 2022. Both upper limbs were assessed using ISCI-UE 1.1.

    RESULTS: One hundred patients were included in this study, of whom 80 were men. The mean (SD) age of the patients was 54.30 (16.95) years old. In these patients, most SCIs (62%) were of traumatic origin. Two hundred UEs were evaluated, of which 109 showed good hand function (level 5) and 10 had the poorest hand function (level 1). Meanwhile, 130 UEs showed good shoulder function (level D) and 10 had the poorest shoulder function (level A). A statistically significant association with UE status (reach-and-grasp ability and shoulder function) was found in both the non-traumatic and traumatic SCI groups, with better hand and shoulder functions in the non-traumatic SCI group (right-hand, P = 0.004 and left hand, P = 0.001; right shoulder, P < 0.001 and left shoulder, P = 0.002).

    CONCLUSION: ISCI-UE 1.1 is a feasible tool for documenting UE function in patients with tetraplegia. Compared with the individuals with traumatic SCI in this study, those with non-traumatic SCI demonstrated better upper extremity functionality.

  2. Chidambaram R, Sivakumar I
    Malays J Med Sci, 2023 Dec;30(6):167-171.
    PMID: 38239260 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2023.30.6.16
    COVID-19 has created panic waves wherein the world is under test and Malaysia is no exception. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is one among the exhaustive list and seen rise in cases especially after the lockdown where families must spend more time with each other. Good news that the movement restrictions are lifted, meanwhile it is likely that family physicians can expect more admissions of IPV. Reports from the Ministry of Health Malaysia state the last year cases have noticed a spike of 42%. Thereby the present communication aims to keep the family physician informed on the rising IPV related injuries. Our prime concern is about the reluctant victims that remain undetected. In reality, situations become tougher especially when victim is accompanied by her perpetrator. Being the first person to contact victim, the family physician should utilise this post-pandemic as a potential strategy to identify the voiceless victims in perpetrators presence.
  3. Nour Azimah Z, Abdullah JM
    Malays J Med Sci, 2023 Dec;30(6):1-4.
    PMID: 38239255 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2023.30.6.1
    This is an annual performance report of Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences (MJMS) for the year 2022. This report presents data pertaining manuscript submissions to MJMS and its performances are presented in various form of views.
  4. Cheesman MJ, Shivashekaregowda NKH, Cock IE
    Malays J Med Sci, 2023 Apr;30(2):42-54.
    PMID: 37102050 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2023.30.2.4
    Acute diarrhoea is becoming a major public health problem in Malaysia, with more than 13.5 million cases reported annually. Foodborne bacterial pathogens are a predominant cause of diarrhoea, with infections causing prolonged illness durations and higher patient mortality rates, placing a tremendous burden on the Malaysian economy. Due to increasing incidences of diarrhoea in Malaysia caused by foodborne pathogens and the increasing levels of resistance towards antibiotics from many different classes, new drugs and/or therapies are urgently required. The evidence for plants as new sources of antibiotics has increased dramatically in recent years and there has been a substantial increase in interest in traditional and herbal medicines. Several Terminalia spp. are native to Malaysia, with previous research demonstrating that Terminalia spp. are rich in therapeutic phytochemicals and possess antibacterial properties. However, limited research has been conducted on the native Malaysian Terminalia spp. for their potential as new antibacterial therapies. The current review discusses the types of bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains, that cause food poisoning in Malaysia, and reports the phytochemical content and antibacterial properties of eight of these useful plant species. Future directions pertaining to drug discovery pathways are also suggested.
  5. Gima E, Teh CSL, Nik Hassan NFH, Yaacob NM, Md Shukri N
    Malays J Med Sci, 2023 Dec;30(6):156-166.
    PMID: 38239243 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2023.30.6.15
    BACKGROUND: Olfactory disorders (OD) are an umbrella term for a diverse group of smell problems. Numerous tests and questionnaires have been formulated to identify and test the severity of smell impairment, which is not readily available or translated for the Malaysian population. This study aimed to translate the Questionnaire for Olfactory Disorders (QOD) and validate and test the reliability of the Malay Questionnaire for Olfactory Disorders (mQOD).

    METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in two tertiary centres. A forward and backward translation was conducted for the QOD. The translated questionnaire was distributed to subjects with self-reported smell disorders on days 1 and 7. Internal consistency was analysed using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability was tested with an intraclass correlation coefficient. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test construct validity.

    RESULTS: A total of 375 participants were recruited, 52 dropped out and 323 completed the questionnaire a second time. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.537 for parosmia (P), 0.892 for life quality (LQ), 0.637 for sincerity (S) and 0.865 for visual analogue score (VAS). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for domain scores was > 0.9, while the ICC for all items was good to excellent. A three-factor model for mQOD showed an acceptable fit with indices chi-square value (CMIN)/degree of freedom (DF) = 3.332, Tucker-Lewis fit index (TLI) = 0.923, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.939, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.079 and standardised root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.0574.

    CONCLUSION: The mQOD is a valid and reliable tool for assessing OD in patients.

  6. Tan XL, Omar R, Knight VF
    Malays J Med Sci, 2023 Dec;30(6):147-155.
    PMID: 38239245 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2023.30.6.14
    BACKGROUND: Certified training must be provided for lay vision screeners prior to their conduct of a vision screening programme. However, the effectiveness of trained lay screeners does deteriorate over time. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a recertification vision screening training module using the KieVision™ Preschool Vision Screening Kit for preschool teachers in Malaysia.

    METHODS: This was a randomised control trial. Fifty-nine preschool teachers previously enrolled in a Knowledge Transfer Programme were divided into a Study Group (n = 31) to receive recertification training and a Control Group (n = 28) to attend briefing sessions. Subjects was then asked to perform vision screening on 15 preschool children aged 4 years old-6 years old at their respective premises, then verified by optometrists after 2 weeks from the initial screening on the same children.

    RESULTS: A total of 894 children were screened, with the Study Group and Control Group screened 49.7% and 50.3%, respectively. There was higher validity in vision screening findings from the Study Group (sensitivity = 66.7%, positive predictive value (PPV) = 61.5%) compared to the Control Group (sensitivity = 36.0 %, PPV = 40.9%).

    CONCLUSION: Teachers who received recertification training were more competent in detecting children's vision impairment using KieVision™ Preschool Vision Screening Kit. Thus, timely recertification training should be emphasised to ensure sustainable consistency and reliability of vision screening programmes conducted by lay vision screeners.

  7. Murshad SW, Khan AA, Rani S, Kamran M
    Malays J Med Sci, 2023 Dec;30(6):22-28.
    PMID: 38239244 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2023.30.6.3
    Nosocomial infections are common in intensive care units (ICUs) and often cause increased morbidity and mortality rates in ICU patients. With the emergence of the highly infectious COVID-19, the high prevalence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in ICU has caused much more concern because patients admitted to the ICU have a more severe and prolonged form of the disease. These patients are more likely to develop HAIs than non-ICU patients. Medical communities adopted several measures to make ICU management safer during the pandemic all over the world. In this study, we re-examined the challenges faced and the changes made in ICU management during the pandemic to speculate how these changes will be relevant post-pandemic and can be permanently incorporated into the ICU to improve safety, management, and critical care and make critical care better equipped for future disease breakouts.
  8. Walter G, Pridmore S
    Malays J Med Sci, 2012 Oct;19(4):50-6.
    PMID: 23613648
    BACKGROUND: Current clinical wisdom is that the vast majority of those who complete suicide suffer from a mental disorder. Uncritical adherence to this belief may limit our understanding and restrict the full range of prevention activities. We aimed to examine the public record for accounts of suicide by men who had been, or were about to be, investigated or apprehended for "sex only" child sex offences, with a view to presenting a collection of case histories, and identifying examples of suicide in the apparent absence of mental disorder other than pedophilia.

    METHODS: The public record (hard and electronic copy) was examined.

    RESULTS: Twenty case histories were identified of men with no apparent mental disorder (other than pedophilia) who completed suicide shortly after exposure or threatened public exposure and/or early or potential legal punishment.

    CONCLUSION: This evidence strongly suggests that exposure or threatened public exposure of pedophilia and/or early or potential legal punishment creates a predicament, which may lead to completed suicide.

  9. Ezejiofor AN, Okorie A, Orisakwe OE
    Malays J Med Sci, 2013 Oct;20(5):31-9.
    PMID: 24643349
    BACKGROUND: The tissue-protective potential of Persea americana necessitated a look into the histopathological effects of the plant extract on the pancreas, liver, and kidneys. This study was conceived and designed based on the gaps in the research that has been performed and what is known about the plant. The hypoglycaemic and tissue-protective effects of hot aqueous Persea americana (avocado pear) seed extracts on alloxan-induced albino rats were investigated.

    METHODS: Persea americana seeds were extracted using hot water, and different concentrations of the extract were prepared. The effects of different concentrations (20, 30, 40 g/L) of the hot aqueous P. americana seed extract on alloxan-induced Wistar albino rats were compared with those of a reference drug, glibenclamide. The glucose level of the rats was measured daily, and the weight of the animal was monitored on a weekly basis for 21 days. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes, and the histopathologies of the liver, kidneys, and pancreas were investigated. Phytochemical analysis of P. americana seed extracts indicated the presence of glycosides, tannins, saponins, carbohydrates, flavonoids, and alkaloids.

    RESULTS: The results showed that the extract possessed a significant hypoglycaemic (P < 0.05) effect and reversed the histopathological damage that occurred in alloxan-induced diabetic rats, comparable to the effects glibenclamide. The seeds of P. americana also had anti-diabetic and protective effects on some rat tissues such as the pancreas, kidneys, and liver.

    CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the present study provides a pharmacological basis for the folkloric use of the hot-water extract of P. americana seeds in the management of diabetes mellitus.

  10. Bhattarai T, Bhattacharya K, Chaudhuri P, Sengupta P
    Malays J Med Sci, 2014 Jan;21(1):58-61.
    PMID: 24639613
    The quality of life for women after menopause is one of the key health issues today, and osteoporosis is a silently progressing metabolic bone disease widely prevalent in post-menopausal women in India. Rapid bone loss occurs in post-menopausal women due to hormonal factors that lead to an increased risk of fractures. Thus, the present study was undertaken to observe the serum calcium and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels in post-menopausal women as these substances are biochemical markers of bone metabolism. In this small-scale cross-sectional study, 100 samples were taken. Of these, 50 were taken from post-menopausal women (experimental group) and 50 were taken from pre-menopausal women (control group). Serum calcium and serum ALP were measured in the blood samples of both groups. The findings demonstrated that the serum calcium level was significantly lower in the post-menopausal group than in the pre-menopausal group, while the ALP level was slightly higher. Therefore, an increase in bone turnover accelerates bone mass reduction in post-menopausal women, whereas a decrease in bone turnover is associated with the preservation of bone mass.
  11. Ayaz A, Saeed S, Farooq MU, Ahmad I, Ali Bahoo ML, Saeed M
    Malays J Med Sci, 2009 Jan;16(1):34-8.
    PMID: 22589646
    The efficacy and safety of oral versus vaginal misoprostol for elective induction of labor in post date multigravida with an unfavourable cervix was compared over a period of one year in the Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Eightyeight multigravida post date women were divided into two groups and given 50 mg misoprostol orally and 50 mg intravaginally, respectively. The induction to onset of significant uterine contractions and delivery intervals were lower in the first group (7.8 h vs. 8.9 h) when compared to (10.4 h vs. 12 h). The first group had a higher rate of Caesarean section (7% vs. 4%; p>0.05), uterine hyperstimulation (9% vs. 5%; p>0.05), uterine tachysystole (23% vs. 14%; p>0.05) and neonatal admissions to intensive care unit (12% vs. 4%; p>0.05) when compared to second group. Fifty mg oral misoprostol has the potential to induce labor as safely and effectively as the intravaginal route.
  12. Pedro A VS
    Malays J Med Sci, 2012 Jan;19(1):1-3.
    PMID: 22977368
    Brain disorders account for more than 34% of the global burden of disease, crippling nations by decreasing their "mental capital"-with greater effect in developing countries. Early detection is the key to their management, but establishing such programmes seems nearly impossible due to the high prevalence of the dysfunctions as compared with the high cost of neuroimaging devices. Thus, at first sight, the research of the Decade of the Brain and the international Human Brain Mapping Project might seem to be condemned to benefit only a small elite. Cuba has shown that is not so by using neurotechnology for the last 3 decades to implement stratified active screening programmes for brain disorders at the population level. This experience has shown that, by the transformation of health indicators, an appropriate use of technology can be integrated with attention to the population at the primary levels of both health care and education. An essential component of neurotechnology is neuroinformatics, which-like its counterpart bioinformatics-combines databases, analysis tools, and theoretical models to craft tools for early disease diagnosis and management. Much work remains to be done and will depend critically on south-south cooperation to solve problems for countries with similar situations.
  13. Ashraf M, Abdullah J, Ariff A, Biswal BM, Mokhtar I, Othman N
    Malays J Med Sci, 2003 Jan;10(1):95-9.
    PMID: 23365508
    Solitary plasmacytoma of the head and neck is a rare disease entity. Its description in the literature consist of some case reports. Solitary plasmacytoma presenting with exophthalmos are rare. We report a case of intracranial solitary plasmacytoma in an elderly lady with involvement of the right orbitocranial region presenting with severe exophthalmos. The tumour was debulked and radiotherapy was given.
  14. Brighton H, Gigerenzer G
    Malays J Med Sci, 2012 Oct;19(4):6-16.
    PMID: 23613644
    Heuristics are efficient cognitive processes that ignore information. In contrast to the widely held view that less processing reduces accuracy, the study of heuristics shows that less information, computation, and time can in fact improve accuracy. We discuss some of the major progress made so far, focusing on the discovery of less-is-more effects and the study of the ecological rationality of heuristics which examines in which environments a given strategy succeeds or fails, and why. Homo heuristicus has a biased mind and ignores part of the available information, yet a biased mind can handle uncertainty more efficiently and robustly than an unbiased mind relying on more resource-intensive and general-purpose processing strategies.
  15. Guzman MG, Vázquez S, Kouri G
    Malays J Med Sci, 2009 Jul;16(3):4-11.
    PMID: 22589659
    Dengue is considered the main arthropod-borne viral disease of humans. In the last few years, an increasing number of reports of mild and severe cases have been reported. The growing dengue incidence observed in recent years has been accompanied by reports of new observations, findings and global initiatives with an improvement in our understanding of this phenomenon. The epidemiology and new clinical classification of dengue, advances in the diagnostic and pathogenesis knowledge, and vaccine development as well as control methods including new global initiatives are summarised here.
  16. Wan Nur Aimi WMZ, Noorazliyana S, Tuan Salwani TI, Adlin Zafrulan Z, Najib Majdi Y, Noor Azlin Azraini CS
    Malays J Med Sci, 2021 Oct;28(5):64-71.
    PMID: 35115888 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2021.28.5.6
    Background: In end-stage renal disease (ESRD), troponin T concentrations can be elevated even without cardiac ischaemia, which hampers the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The objectives of our study were to determine the proportion of dialysisdependent ESRD patients without acute coronary syndrome (ACS) but with highly sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) levels above the 99th percentile upper reference limit and to evaluate the range of hs-cTnT among this population.

    Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the haemodialysis (HD) unit of a tertiary hospital in Malaysia from January 2018 to February 2019. Dialysis-dependent ESRD patients were included and those with a recent history of ACS (within 30 days) were excluded. Pre-dialysed serum hs-cTnT levels were measured using Cobas e411. The upper limit of the 99th percentile value for troponin T was 14 ng/L.

    Results: A total of 150 patients were recruited as study participants. The majority were female (62%) and of Malay ethnicity (94%), and the mean (SD) age was 45.19 (16.36) years old. The hs-cTnT range (min, max) was 11.39-738.30 ng/L and the median (interquartile range [IQR]) of hs-cTnT was 59.20 (83.41) ng/L. Elevated hs-cTnT levels were observed in 149/150 (99%) of the study participants (54/55 [98.2%] of the patients were on HD, and 95/95 [100.0%] of the patients were on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis).

    Conclusion: This study supports prior research showing that even without ACS, most ESRD patients have elevated concentrations of cardiac troponin. Furthermore, our study illustrates the need to revisit the use of absolute troponin values when making a diagnosis of ACS in ESRD patients.

  17. Elnaim ALK, Musa S, Wong MP, Sagap I
    Malays J Med Sci, 2021 Oct;28(5):102-107.
    PMID: 35115892 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2021.28.5.10
    Objective: This study was designed as a prospective and interventional study that evaluated LigaSure™ haemorrhoidectomies with regional anaesthesia as a daycare procedure.

    Methods: Patients with third- and fourth-degree haemorrhoids were recruited from the clinic from January 2018 to December 2019. The procedure was performed as a day case under regional anaesthesia. Using a LigaSureTM device, excisional haemorrhoidectomies (Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy) were performed without sutures or an anal sponge. We evaluated wound bleeding, pain and urinary retention per daycare protocols.

    Results: A total of 264 patients were enrolled. There were 153 males (57.9%) with a median age of 30 years old (range 16 years old-80 years old). A total of 142 patients (54%) had third-degree haemorrhoids, while the rest had fourth-degree haemorrhoids. The median operating time was 8 min (range 4 min-17 min) and minimal blood loss was observed. During follow-up, the complications were one case (0.3%) had anal stenosis, one case (0.3%) had minimal bleeding and one case (0.3%) had urine retention. Upon discharge, four patients (1.5%) required additional analgesia and another four (1.5%) developed post-spinal headaches. No incontinence was encountered.

    Conclusion: LigaSure™ excisional haemorrhoidectomy is a safe and effective daycare procedure with acceptable re-admission and complication rates.

  18. Sukiman H, Mohamad AM, Raduan MFN, Yasim MNAM, Lazim MIM
    Malays J Med Sci, 2021 Oct;28(5):130-136.
    PMID: 35115895 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2021.28.5.13
    Background: Appendicitis is common and delayed presentation results in complicated appendicitis with increased morbidity. This study investigates the effect of the Movement Control Order (MCO) during the COVID-19 pandemic on the presentation and severity of appendicitis.

    Methods: A cross-sectional study including 193 patients diagnosed with appendicitis was conducted at four hospitals in Pahang, Malaysia. Those who presented between 1 February 2020 and 17 March 2020 were included in the pre-MCO group and those between 18 March 2020 and 30 April 2020 in the MCO group. The definitions of simple and complicated appendicitis were based on the Sunshine Appendicitis Grading Score. The primary outcome was the incidence of complicated appendicitis, and the secondary outcomes were length of stay, a composite of surgical morbidities and a composite of organ failure.

    Results: A total of 105 patients in the pre-MCO group and 88 in the MCO group were analysed. The incidence of complicated appendicitis was 33% and it was higher in the MCO than in the pre-MCO group (44% versus 23%, P = 0.002). The MCO period was independently associated with complicated appendicitis in the logistic regression (P = 0.001). It was also associated with prolonged length of stay (3.5 days versus 2.4 days, P < 0.001) and higher overall surgical morbidity (19% versus 5%, P = 0.002).

    Conclusion: The MCO imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a higher incidence of complicated appendicitis and surgical morbidity.

  19. Mustika R, Yo EC, Faruqi M, Zhuhra RT
    Malays J Med Sci, 2021 Oct;28(5):108-117.
    PMID: 35115893 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2021.28.5.11
    Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been found to negatively affect medical students' wellbeing. This finding may be related to how medical education is being conducted at present, with online learning replacing face-to-face teaching in many countries. This cross-sectional study aims to assess how the online learning environment is connected to medical students' wellbeing.

    Methods: A self-administered online questionnaire was distributed to undergraduate medical students at Universitas Indonesia. The study was conducted from September 2020 to February 2021. The questionnaire included a modified version of the Online Learning Environment Scale (OLES) and the Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment (PERMA) profiler. The OLES was used to evaluate students' perceptions of the online learning environment, whereas the PERMA Profiler was used to evaluate students' wellbeing. We validated the questionnaire before distribution. The content validity index was 1.0, with internal consistency coefficients of 0.87 and 0.89, respectively. Regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between OLES and PERMA scores.

    Results: The questionnaire was completed by 274 undergraduate medical students. Students reported moderate to high degrees of positive perception towards online learning, high levels of positive emotions and moderate levels of negative emotions. Statistically significant differences were found across groups based on students' gender, year of study and academic programme. Almost all aspects of the online learning environment were significantly predictive of students' wellbeing, with personal relevance and evaluation and assessment being the two most important predictors (R 2 = 0.201; P < 0.001).

    Conclusion: Medical students generally enjoyed online learning, although some challenges were presented. The online learning environment was positively associated with students' wellbeing; however, some students expressed negative emotions including loneliness, anxiety, anger and sadness.

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