METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected group of 450 parents using a self-administered questionnaire. Optimum utilization of the book was defined as respondents reading all sections and recording comments in the book. Independent variables studied were sociodemographic characteristics; antenatal and breastfeeding history; child health and immunization status; perceptions and level of knowledge on the book and child health; and healthcare providers' performance. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the associated factors of optimum utilization.
RESULTS: Out of 450 study participants, 415 completed the questionnaire and 150 (36.1%) were found to optimally utilized the book. Participants who read all sections totalled 245 (59.0%), and 242 (58.3%) respondents reported to record some comments in the book. Optimum utilization of the book was associated with older parents' age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.11) and higher education attainment (AOR: 2.21, 95% CI 1.24-3.91), with a good level of knowledge on child health record books and general child health (AOR: 3.87, 95% CI 2.27-6.61; AOR: 2.05, 95% CI 1.25-3.36) and among parents who delivered their children in government hospitals (AOR: 2.93, 95% CI 1.11-7.73).
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of child health record book utilization was low at 36.1% but difficult to compare with other studies. Based on the findings, improving the parents' knowledge of the book and general child health, particularly among younger parents with lower educational levels, and delivering the book to institutions outside government hospitals might be useful to increase the utilization.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 30 students and staff of a public university in Terengganu, Malaysia using convenience sampling. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS 23.0.
RESULTS: Among the respondents (age = 26.17 ± 8.23 years; female = 66.7%; students = 63.3%), 40.0% were overweight and 60.0% were obese. Results indicated excellent feasibility as determined by participants' satisfaction towards the clarity of hypnotherapist's voice (93.3%), the suitability of content (86.7%) and time spent for the session (90.0%). Good overall acceptability (>60.0%) was also reported regarding hypnotherapist professionalism, the environment and perceived usefulness of hypnotherapy. Obese individuals were significantly more satisfied towards the hypnotherapist environment than overweight respondents (p=0.015). Additionally, no adverse effects were reported after the intervention.
CONCLUSIONS: This evidence signalled that hypnotherapy is a promising alternative tool in assisting overweight and obese individuals to lose weight. Extensive research is needed to substantiate its role in weight management programs for its full benefits.
METHODS: FT and FS examinations were performed on patients with chronic liver disease by two operators, a doctor and a nurse, twice on each patient, at two different time points, independent of each other.
RESULTS: The data for 163 patients with 1304 examinations was analyzed. There was strong correlation between FT and FS for attenuation parameter (Spearman's rho 0.76, p<0.001) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) (Spearman's rho 0.70, p<0.001). However, FT produced higher value at lower attenuation parameter and LSM, and lower value at higher attenuation parameter and LSM. There was substantial agreement when using 15kPa LSM cut-off, but only moderate agreement when using 10kPa and 20kPa LSM cut-offs and 248dB/m, 268dB/m and 280dB/m attenuation parameter cut-offs. The IQR for attenuation parameter and IQR/median for LSM were significantly lower for FT compared with FS (4dB/m vs 27dB/m, p<0.001, and 10 vs 12, p<0.001, respectively). The intra- and inter-observer reliability of attenuation parameter and LSM using FT and FS were good to excellent with intraclass correlation coefficients 0.89-0.99. FT had shorter examination time (33s vs 47s, p<0.001) and less invalid measurements (0 vs 2, p<0.001).
CONCLUSION: Measurements obtained with FT and FS strongly correlated, but significant differences in their absolute values, consistency, examination time and number of invalid measurements were observed. Either device can be used by healthcare personnel of different backgrounds when sufficiently trained.
METHODS: 322 participants with JME and 126 age and gender-matched controls completed the Barratt's Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-brief) alongside information on seizure history and AED use. We compared group BIS-brief scores and assessed associations of JME BIS-brief scores with seizure characteristics and AED adverse effects.
RESULTS: The mean BIS-brief score in JME was 18.1 ± 4.4 compared with 16.2 ± 4.1 in controls (P = 0.0007). Elevated impulsivity was associated with male gender (P = 0.027), frequent absence seizures (P = 0.0004) and lack of morning predominance of myoclonus (P = 0.008). High impulsivity significantly increased the odds of a psychiatric adverse event on levetiracetam (P = 0.036), but not any other psychiatric or somatic adverse effects.
INTERPRETATION: Trait impulsivity is elevated in JME and comparable to scores in personality and neurotic disorders. Increased seizure frequency and absence of circadian seizure pattern moderate BIS score, suggesting disruption of both cortico-striatal and thalamocortical networks as a shared mechanism between seizures and impulsivity in JME. These findings warrant consideration of impulsivity as a distinct target of intervention, and as a stratifying factor for AED treatment in JME, and perhaps other types of epilepsy. The role of impulsivity in treatment adherence and psychosocial outcome requires further investigation.
METHODS: A total of 607 Malay pupils, comprising 240 (39.5%) boys and 367 (60.5%) girls aged between 10 and 11, were recruited from 10 schools to answer the questionnaire, which measured their views on 24 items through a five-point Likert scale. The AEQ-PE was translated into Malay language (AEQ-PE-M) using forwarding to backward translation techniques. Certain phrases were adopted in accordance with the local culture and vocabulary appropriate for primary school pupils. CFA was performed using the Mplus 8.0 software, and the final model demonstrated high reliability in terms of the composite reliability and Cronbach's alpha.
RESULTS: Analysis of the CFA showed an acceptable fit indices in CFI (0.936), TLI (0.926), RMSEA = 0.039 (90% CI, 0.034, 0.045) and SRMR (0.049) of the AEQ-PE measurement model. All of the items in the original AEQ-PE version were retained and deemed suitable for Malay primary school pupils.
CONCLUSION: The AEQ-PE-M with 24 items was a suitable tool for measuring the level of school children's involvement in determining achievement emotions and their motivation towards physical education.
METHODS: We designed a questionnaire, including 50 questions related to debulking surgery for advanced ovarian cancer. The questionnaire was sent to Gynecologic Oncologic Groups in Asia from December 2016 to February 2017.
RESULTS: A total of 253 gynecologic oncologists from Japan (58.9%), the Republic of Korea (19%), Taiwan (12.6%), and the other counties including China (7.5%), Malaysia (0.8%), Indonesia (0.8%), and Thailand (0.4%) participated in this E-survey. The median number of debulking surgeries per year was 20, and 46.8% of the respondents preferred <1 cm as the criterion for optimal debulking surgery (ODS). The most common barrier and surgical finding precluding ODS were performance status (74.3%) and disease involving the porta hepatis (71.5%). Moreover, 63.2% had a fellowship program, and only 15% or less had opportunities to receive additional training courses in general, thoracic, or urologic surgery. The median percentage of patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) was 30%, and the achieved rate of ODS in primary debulking surgery (PDS) and interval debulking surgery (IDS) was 65% and 80%, respectively. Most of the respondents required three to 6 h for PDS (48.6%) and IDS (58.9%). Moreover, more than 50% depended on ultra-radical surgery conducted by specialists.
CONCLUSIONS: The ODS criteria are relatively lenient with a preference for NAC in 30% of the respondents in Asia. This trend might be associated with the dependence on aggressive surgery performed by specialists.
METHODS: The clinical data and scintigraphic findings of consecutive patients referred to the Department of Nuclear Medicine, HKL for GES from July 2020 to December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed.
RESULTS: Thirteen patients underwent the study (6 males and 7 females) with a mean age of 47.9 years (age range of 25 to 72 years). The majority of patients (n=11) were diagnosed with either type I or type II diabetes mellitus. Ten patients reported abnormal scan findings with only 3 patients had normal GES findings. Scintigraphic findings from our patients, association of symptoms with abnormal GES as well as the challenges in implementing GES in Malaysia is discussed.
CONCLUSION: GES provides valuable information to the referring physician in the diagnosis and management of patients with gastric motility disorders. However, its use is limited because of limited availability, cost restriction, lack of familiarity among clinicians, and lack of understanding of the test. Further effort is thus needed to enhance the availability and usage of GES in Malaysia.
CASE PRESENTATION: Herein, we report a case of macrophage activation syndrome in a 33-year-old Egyptian female as an unusual complication of a systemic lupus erythematosus flare in adult patients. Our patient was initially treated with a combination of intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, which was followed by a course of oral prednisolone and oral cyclosporine with little response. Switching from oral prednisone to intravenous dexamethasone sodium phosphate showed a more favorable clinical and biochemical response.
CONCLUSION: Macrophage activation syndrome is less commonly detected in adult patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Our case demonstrates that dexamethasone sodium phosphate can be a successful alternative treatment for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus complicated by macrophage activation syndrome in whom the response to pulse methylprednisolone was inadequate to manage their illness, proving to be remarkably effective in a relatively short time frame.
METHODS: An anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted between 4 January and 5 March 2021 in 17 countries worldwide. Proportions and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and vaccine characteristics influencing vaccination acceptance were generated and compared across countries and regions. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.
RESULTS: Of the 19,714 responses received, 90.4% (95% CI 81.8-95.3) reported likely or extremely likely to receive COVID-19 vaccine. A high proportion of likely or extremely likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was reported in Australia (96.4%), China (95.3%) and Norway (95.3%), while a high proportion reported being unlikely or extremely unlikely to receive the vaccine in Japan (34.6%), the U.S. (29.4%) and Iran (27.9%). Males, those with a lower educational level and those of older age expressed a higher level of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Less than two-thirds (59.7%; 95% CI 58.4-61.0) reported only being willing to accept a vaccine with an effectiveness of more than 90%, and 74.5% (95% CI 73.4-75.5) said they would accept a COVID-19 vaccine with minor adverse reactions. A total of 21.0% (95% CI 20.0-22.0) reported not accepting an mRNA vaccine and 51.8% (95% CI 50.3-53.1) reported that they would only accept a COVID-19 vaccine from a specific country-of-origin. Countries from the Southeast Asia region reported the highest proportion of not accepting mRNA technology. The highest proportion from Europe and the Americas would only accept a vaccine produced by certain countries. The foremost important vaccine characteristic influencing vaccine choice is adverse reactions (40.6%; 95% CI 39.3-41.9) of a vaccine and effectiveness threshold (35.1%; 95% CI 33.9-36.4).
CONCLUSIONS: The inter-regional and individual country disparities in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy highlight the importance of designing an efficient plan for the delivery of interventions dynamically tailored to the local population.