Introduction: Both premature ejaculation(PE) and erectile dysfunction(ED) are prevalent sexual health disorders that have been inadequately investigated in Malaysia, a multiethnic and conservative nation.The objective of the study was to study the relationship between PE and ED, and other common mental health issues, i.e. anxiety and depression in Malaysian urban population.
Methods: The diagnosis for PE was established by clinical diagnosis using DSM-5 and ISSM definition criteria for PE, whereas a diagnosis of ED was established by the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire. Anxiety and depression levels were detected from the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
Results: Based on DSM-V and ISSM clinical diagnosis for PE, the prevalence of PE was found to be 25%. Erectile dysfunction (p = 0.035, OR = 3.315, 95% CI 1.088, 10.103) and severe anxiety (p = 0.020, OR = 7.656, 95% CI 1.383, 42.396) significantly predicted presence of PE.
Conclusion: There was a strong association between PE and ED and between PE and anxiety. Routine examination for PE in male patients should address the issue and the management of both ED and anxiety among PE patients, especially in an urban Malaysian clinical and medical care setting.
Introduction: Cytokines have been gaining great focus due to their role in enhancing osseointegration as well as their potential in bone reconstruction. Osseointegration often faces complications in its compatibility with the implant due to rejection by the recipients own immune system. Therefore, extensive studies are being carried out to enhance osteoblast development to minimize such complication. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different concentrations of Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and Interleukin 17a (IL-17A) in the proliferation and differentiation of murine and human osteoblasts.
Methods: Various concentrations (5, 10, 25 and 50 ng/ml) of rIL-6 and rIL-17A were tested on both murine osteoblast (MC3T3-E1) and human feotal osteoblast (hFOB) cell lines using [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium] (MTS) and alkaline phosphatise (ALP) assays. MTS was carried out at 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours while ALP assay was done on day 1, 3, 7, 10 and 14.
Results: MC3T3-E1 cells showed steadier proliferation and differentiation compared to hFOB. Both cell lines expressed responses in dose-dependent manner. The concentration of 10ng for IL-6 and IL-17A in the case of MC3T3-E1 cell line was found to be the most suitable for further studies.
Conclusion: IL-6 and IL-17A enhance proliferation and ALP activity of both MC3T3-E1 and hFOB cell lines.
We report a child with Proboscis Lateralis with nasal aplasia and complete agenesis of maxillary and
ethmoidal sinuses. This is a rare congenital malformation. Embryological basis has not been proven, and it is often associated with facial malformation. However, no such abnormality was noted in our patient. This condition is diagnosed clinically and confirmed radiologically of which CT scan plays a pivotal role. Reconstructive surgery is planned at the age of fifteen years.
Introduction: Hypertension related morbidities and mortalities around the world show a gradual increase and early detection and prevention are advocated. The Database of Genomic Variants (DGV) has associated variation in DNA sequences called copy number variation (CNV) with susceptibility to common diseases. However, little is known about CNV role in essential hypertension. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the CNV esv27061 among prehypertensive and hypertensive young adults in Malaysia. Materials and method: In this comparative cross-sectional study, 104 subjects living in Kuantan who gave voluntary consent to participate are recruited and divided into three groups; control (43 subjects), prehypertensive (38 subjects) and mild hypertensive (23 subjects). An optimized droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) was used in the determination of CNV esv27061 in this study. Results: All subjects in the control (n=38; 88.4% gain), prehypertensive (n=33; 86.8% gain) and mild hypertensive (n=21; 91.3% gain) groups had CNV gain (copy number > 2) while 11.6% of control, 13.2% of prehypertensive and 8.7% of mild hypertensive subjects exhibited normal copies (copy number = 2). Conclusion: The present preliminary finding was consistent with the Database of Genomic Variants (DGV) which stated that CNV esv27061 showed more gain than loss.
Introduction: Smoking is prevalent among Muslims in this country despite public knowledge regarding smoking as haram (unlawful). This may be due to ignorance of the consensus of the ' mufti ' on the ' fatwa ' on smoking or a result of poor education and understanding of health-related risks of smoking.
Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was carried out among the public who attended the IIUM Faculty of Medicine open day in Kuantan, Pahang on June 12th, 2004. Knowledge of smoking-related illnesses and the religious ' fatwa '(edict) on smoking was assessed.
Results: Seventy four muslims participated in the survey. 46(63%) were smokers (including ex-smokers) and 28(37%) were non–smokers. There was no statistically significant difference between the knowledge of smoking-related illnesses and their knowledge of the religious edict which regards smoking as haram between smokers and non-smokers. Only 6.7% of smokers perceive smoking as haram compared to 48% of non-smokers (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The conviction that smoking is haram among smokers is still poor among smokers. This could be one of the main reasons contributing to the high prevalence of smoking in our society. There was no difference between smokers and non-smokers concerning their knowledge on the religious edict on smoking and the health-related hazards of smoking.
Augmented renal clearance (ARC) is a phenomenon where there is elevated
renal clearance and defined by creatinine clearance more than 130ml/min. ARC results
in changes of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic of antimicrobial therapy being
administered, which may result in its subtherapeutic dose. We evaluated the
prevalence, risk factors and outcome of ARC in critically ill patients with sepsis. (Copied from article).
Liver perfusion has been the standard method to digest and isolate liver
cells including liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC). Poor cannulating skills through
portal vein results in a waste of animal resource. Familiarization of both liver perfusion
technique and adhering strictly to aseptic technique during cell handling ensure high
cell yield, minimum morphology disruption and cell contamination. We aimed to present
a method of liver perfusion procedure followed by the isolation of LSEC. (Copied from article).
Dengue is an arthropod borne disease that has become important worldwide. There is still no specific drug available for treatment and also no protective vaccine that can be used. As such, specific diagnosis is essential to enable good management and prevention of large outbreaks. Diagnosis today in many countries is still based on serology though the detection of NS1 has slowly become incorporated. Diagnosis is critical for early intervention with specific preventive health measures to prevent fatalities and also to curtail spread and reduce economic losses. Serological assays mainly detect IgM which now as a single test is invalid unless a second sample is taken to confirm. As such to effectively diagnose dengue at all stages of infection, assays with two or more markers are required or two samples taken a few days apart. Other commonly used tests include NS1 detection, nucleic acid amplification and IgG detection. However the sensitivities of the current commercial kits vary quite considerably and have to be interpreted with caution. Hence knowledge of this disease is essential when conducting diagnostics for dengue.
Allah (s.w.t) has created innumerable distinct creatures and mentioned to us about their special qualities through His revelation. The Qur’an is the ultimate source of guidance for its followers for all aspects of life including science. If one is to study nature scientifically there are countless observable facts that are parallel to the teachings of Islam. One of these facts is echolocation found in bats and dolphins. These animals generate ultrasonic signals and detect the echoes reflected back to them to map out their environment and catch prey. Modern health sciences have already adopted this phenomenon in the form of ultrasound imaging for diagnosis of certain diseases. However, there is room for improvement in the overall performance of this technique. This article highlights the technological developments directly inspired by nature i.e., crawfish/crayfish and relates echolocation characteristics of bats and dolphins with basic principles of ultrasound imaging. In-depth studies on the echolocation properties of these creatures can lead to further improvement in the current ultrasound imaging technique. Such as; the construction of a transducer which simultaneously generates multi-frequency ultrasound signals and development of new interpreting software. Moreover, reading verses of the Holy Qur’an heartily and enthusiastically will lead to the development of innovative ideas that can be translated into reality and applied for the betterment of humankind.
Spinal epidural angiolipomas are rare benign tumors. The tumors contain both vascular and mature adipose components. Typically, they present with a progressive clinical course. Acute presentation is rare. We present a case of a fifteen-year-old girl who presented with a sudden onset of backpain followed by paraparesis with bladder and bowel incontinence. Neurological examination showed sensory loss below T10 with Grade 2 motor power. Spinal MRI showed long segment extradural lesion at T6-T9 level. Multiple laminectomy and excision of the tumor containing areas of hemorrhage was performed. Histopathology report revealed angiolipoma.
Aim of study: To describe the residents of nursing home for the elderly in relation to their socio-demographic, physical and mental profiles. Method: A cross-sectional study design was carried out. The elderly in two selected nursing homes in Kuantan, Pahang were interviewed. The respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire which included the biodata, social background, and medical illness, presence of cognition, depression and ability to perform basic activities of daily living (ADL). Results: Results are available for 36 respondents out of 41 residents, giving a response rate of 87.8%. Chinese (77.8%), male (63.9%), single or divorced (50%), and low income (69.4%) was consisted the majority. Most respondents (86.1%) suffered from chronic illness, 61.1% were functional dependent (according to Barthel index), 33.3% have cognitive impairment (according ECAQ) and 22.2% have depression (according to GDS-14). The most common functional dependence was mobility on level surface (47.2%), followed by climbing stairs (38.9%).Conclusion: This study had identified chronic illness, cognitive impairment, depression, and functional decline as major health problems of the elderly in nursing homes that require greater attention and intervention.
Introduction: Osteoporosis has frequently been regards as a disease of women only. However, men are also at risk of developing osteoporosis. We aimed to evaluate the knowledge of osteoporosis among men and its associated factors.
Materials and method: A cross-sectional study of 245 male patients aged 50 and above was conducted in the primary care clinic, University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre. The research instrument used in this study was a validated self-administered questionnaire which consists of socio-demographic data and 16 items of knowledge of osteoporosis among men.
Results: The mean score for knowledge was 7.78± 3.32 out of 16 points. Most of the subjects (83 percent) knew the definition of osteoporosis but were not aware that osteoporosis was a silent disease. Only a quarter of subjects (38 percent) recognized family history as a risk factors for osteoporosis. Despite 78 percent of subjects answer correctly regarding importance of calcium intake in their diet however only 7 percent
of them knew the recommended dosage of daily calcium intake. Knowledge of osteoporosis was found to be significantly associated with education and total monthly household income.
Conclusion: Findings indicate limited knowledge of osteoporosis among the subjects. Public education of osteoporosis among men is important to increase their knowledge. Meanwhile, primary care doctors should also emphasize and educate men regarding osteoporosis to enhance their knowledge of the disease.
Squamous cell carcinoma is reported as one of the most common types of cancer with
increasing numbers of occurrence. Luvunga scandens is a plant possessing many bioactivities and
general health effects, yet its anti-proliferative effect is under reported and need to be
scientifically evaluated. (Copied from article).
Introduction: We aim to investigate the effect of vasectomy on the histology of the testis as well as to evaluate DNA fragmentation in testicular tissue of male mice. Methods: Bilateral vasectomy was performed on 20 mature male mice; 10 control mice underwent sham-operation. After 6 weeks, the testes were evaluated for histological changes and DNA fragmentation by single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay). Results: Marked alterations were observed in the testes of vasectomized mice, including degeneration of spermatids, thickened basement membrane, dilatation of the seminiferous tubules, exfoliation of germ cells, reduction in the seminiferous cell population, vacuolated appearance of the epithelium in the tubules and marked interstitial fibrosis. Single cell gel electrophoresis showed a highly significant (P
Introduction: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and the pattern of hypodontia among orthodontic patients in Klinik Pergigian Jalan Sultan Mahmud, Kuala Terengganu.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective of 351 orthodontic patients record review study was conducted; comprised of 104 males and 247 females. The records were reviewed by trained dental officer between October 2016 and June 2017. The Chi-square and Fisher's Exact Tests were carried out for statistical analysis.
Results: The prevalence of hypodontia was 10.8%. Thirty-eight patients were found to have at least single missing tooth. A significant difference was found between males and females of having hypodontia (p = 0.048). No significant difference was found for hypodontia patients by races (p = 0.829). The maxillary lateral incisor was the most frequently missing tooth followed by mandibular second premolars and mandibular lateral incisors. Hypodontia cases observed tended to be more likely occurred in the upper left arch compared to the lower arch. The majority of hypodontia patients had single missing tooth, but rarely more than 3 missing teeth. Hypodontia patients had mainly Class III malocclusion, however no statistically significant was found (p= 0.081).
Conclusion(s): The prevalence of hypodontia of this study was within the range of what is being reported in the literature and showed gender significant. Hypodontia was mainly involved maxillary lateral incisors; more prevalent in the upper arch; and mostly observed in patients with Class III malocclusion in the study sample. Early detection and accurate diagnosis are essential. Therefore, alternative treatment modalities can be well planned under multidisciplinary team approach in restoring the aesthetic and function.
KEYWORDS: hypodontia, orthodontics, prevalence, retrospective
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia, also known as Osler-Weber-Rendu Syndrome is an autosomal
dominant disorder causing systemic abnormalities of the vascular structure. There are multiple arteriovenous malformations present in the skin and mucosal surface of the nail beds, nose, gastrointestinal tract, lungs and brain. Epistaxis is the common presentation symptom, which may require multiple hospital admissions and blood transfusions. It is extremely rare disease in our population. We report 4 cases of HHT who presented to us with moderate to severe epistaxis and how we managed these patients.
The number of people worldwide living with human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS) is more than 40 million, among them 17.7 millions are women (UNAIDS/WHO, 2006) The latest report from the Eastern Mediterranean Region shows that at least one million people are infected with HIV; among them 30% are women. The great majority of reported cases in the Region are men. However, the ratio of men to women cases varies in different countries. It ranges between “9:1 (as for example in Egypt), to 2:1” (as in Morocco and some parts of Yemen). Due to religious, social and cultural values regarding female purity, women and girls living with HIV and AIDS are subjected to greater discrimination than men. WHO reports show that a large percentage of the infected women in Arab countries have contacted the infection from their husbands especially migrants and drug abusers. In Arab countries, studies conducted show that 86% of women choose not to disclose their status of infection for the fear of abandonment, rejection, discrimination, violence, upsetting family members, and accusations of infidelity from their partners, families, and communities. As a result, many women only seek help at the last minute when they are already been terminally ill. Violence against women and girls in its different forms increases women's vulnerability to HIV infection and undermines AIDS control efforts. The fear of violence prevents many women from accessing HIV information, from getting testing and seeking treatment. Stigma and discrimination may also prevent them from carrying out their normal life activities. When women are blamed, this can lead to heightened levels of sexual and domestic violence, abandonment by families and communities, forced abortion or sterilization, dismissal from employment and loss of livelihood opportunities. A study of AIDS-related discrimination in Arab region found that over ten percent of women had lost financial support from family members since being diagnosed as HIV positive. There is a great deal of evidence to establish the significant link between gender-based violence and rising rates of HIV infection among women and girls throughout the world. HIV-positive women must be supported to make their own reproductive choices about whether and/or when to have children. Promote male involvement in sexual and reproductive health programmes. Finally the stigma, discrimination and violations must be stopped.
Introduction: The struggle of Muslim women to comply with Islamic teaching while working in the healthcare sector has been a long-standing issue. Following the case of a Muslim nurse who was allegedly fired for non-adherence to the short-sleeve uniform rule, the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association highlighted the need for a uniform guideline to prevent similar instances. Yet, no guideline has been issued to date. Materials and Methods: This conceptual study employed library research method to gather relevant materials. Library research was able to retrieve guidelines from seven Muslim-minority countries but none from Muslim-majority countries. Document analysis of the materials gathered was undertaken. The different guidelines were compared, with special reference to awrah-related issues. Results: Several major issues that healthcare personnel dress code considers are the safety, health, cleanliness, and comfort for both patients and healthcare personnel. Islamic dressing requirement is not only in line with clinical practice but Islam also highly promotes maintenance of safety, health, cleanliness, and comfort. The widely adopted ‘bare below the elbows (BBE) policy is the only practice that may contradict Islamic rules. However, some healthcare institutions in Muslim-minority countries allow modifications of uniform rules on religious grounds; some of the modifications are not observed in Muslim-majority countries. When providing direct patient care that requires BBE, the use of disposable over-sleeves is a good alternative to adhere to both clinical and Islamic standards. Conclusion: Healthcare personnel dress code policy that is concordant to both clinical and Islamic standards is possible although it may require greater resources.
Introduction: A survey in 2011 reported that the prevalence of diabetes in Malaysia is 20.8% (2.8 million people) and 88% have uncontrolled diabetes. Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is one of the common diabetes complications in Malaysia that leads to other devastated situation including infection, amputation and death. In Pahang, 95% of the patients have uncontrolled diabetes and 50% of them suffered from DFU. Self-wound management is an important element in reducing the risk of further complications of DFU. However, little is known on the patients' understanding of diabetes and their practice of self wound management. This study aimed to understand the knowledge, attitude and practice of self-wound management among patients with diabetic ulcer in Pahang.
Materials and method: A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Pahang involving 100 participants. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling from April 2017 until May 2017. Participants' knowledge, attitude and practice of self-wound management were measured using self-administered questionnaires. Additionally, the data on socio-demographic was gathered. The data was computed into SPSS and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: Out of 100 participants, 95% of them had good knowledge on diabetes and DFU, 84% had a positive attitude towards self-wound management and 56% perceived good practices of self-wound management. However, a chi-square test between knowledge on diabetes and DFU and practice of self-wound management found no significant interaction (p > 0.05). Meanwhile, there was a significant interaction between attitude and practice of self-wound management (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Good knowledge on diabetes and DFU do not determine the patients’ practice of self-wound management. However, positive attitude towards self-wound management would contribute to the practice and willingness of the patients to selfmanage their foot ulcer wound at home.
Introduction: Dengue is one of the commonest infections in Malaysia and it is a notifi able disease. Even
though the diagnosis of classical dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever can be recognized clinically, the diagnosis remains a challenge in areas where it could not be differentiated with other febrile illnesses. The aim of this study was to focus on the specifi c and consistent morphological features observed in blood fi lms of dengue infection. Materials and Methods: In all 400 cases of dengue infection serologically diagnosed in the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) during May to October 2007, only a total of 27 cases had blood fi lms examined, and thus were included in this study. These blood fi lms were re-examined by two pathologists from HTAA. The full blood count parameters were also retrieved and studied. Results: We consistently found typical reactive lymphocytes [n= 23 (85%)] and thrombocytopenia [n=21, (77.8%)] in the cases. However, leucopenia was present only in 9 cases (33%). Conclusion: The presence of typical reactive lymphocyte is a consistent fi nding in dengue fever and thus could have a signifi cant role in supporting the diagnosis of dengue infection.