METHODS: In this study, a time series analysis was used to determine the variation of variables over time. All series were seasonally adjusted and Poisson regression analysis was performed. In the analysis of meteorological data and emotional distress due to religious mourning events, the best results were obtained by autoregressive moving average (ARMA) (5,5) model.
RESULTS: It was determined that average temperature, sunshine, and rain variables had a significant effect on death. A total of 2375 AMI's were enrolled. Average temperate (°C) and sunshine hours a day (h/day) had a statistically significant relationship with the number of AMI's (β = 0.011, P = 0.014). For every extra degree of temperature increase, the risk of AMI rose [OR = 1.011 (95%CI 1.00, 1.02)]. For every extra hour of sunshine, a day a statistically significant increase [OR = 1.02 (95% CI 1.01, 1.04)] in AMI risk occurred (β = 0.025, P = 0.001). Religious mourning events increase the risk of AMI 1.05 times more. The other independent variables have no significant effects on AMI's (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Results demonstrate that sunshine hours and the average temperature had a significant effect on the risk of AMI. Moreover, emotional distress due to religious morning events increases AMI. More specific research on this topic is recommended.
METHODS: We conducted 35 in-depth interviews to examine the acceptability of a microfinance-based HIV prevention intervention, focusing on: (1) participants' readiness to engage in other occupations and the types of jobs in which they were interested in; (2) their level of interest in the components of the potential intervention, including training on financial literacy and vocational education; and (3) possible barriers and facilitators to the successful completion of the intervention. Using grounded theory as a framework of analysis, transcripts were analysed through Nvivo 11.
RESULTS: Participants were on average 41 years old, slightly less than half (48%) were married, and more than half (52%) identified as Muslim. Participants express high motivation to seek employment in other professions as they perceived sex work as not a "proper job" with opportunities for career growth but rather as a short-term option offering an unstable form of income. Participants wanted to develop their own small enterprise. Most participants expressed a high level of interest in microfinance intervention and training to enable them to enter a new profession. Possible barriers to intervention participation included time, stigma, and a lack of resources.
CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that a microfinance intervention is acceptable and desirable for CWSWs and TWSWs in urban Malaysian contexts as participants reported that they were ready to engage in alternative forms of income generation.
Results: Prior to total hip arthroplasty, 20% of all patients met the chronic renal dysfunction criterion of glomerular filtration rates <60ml/min/1.73m2 (glomerular filtration rate categories G3a-G5). Incidence rates of acute kidney injury and acute deterioration of kidney function after total hip arthroplasty were 0.49% and 6.9%, respectively. Multivariate regression analysis showed that diabetes mellitus and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs before total hip arthroplasty were significant risk factors for acute deterioration of kidney function. Advanced age, preoperative renal dysfunction, antihypertensive, diuretics, or statin use, operation time, total blood loss, type of anesthetic, and body mass index were not significant risk factors.
Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were controllable risks, and multidisciplinary approaches are a reasonable means of minimising peri-operative acute kidney injury or acute deterioration of kidney function.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study extracted de-identified data from the Malaysian Registry of Intensive Care in four Malaysian tertiary ICUs between January 2010 and December 2014. The study was registered under the NMRR and approved by the ethics committee. AKI was defined as twice the baseline creatinine or urine output <0.5 ml/kg/h for 12 h.
Results: Of 26,663 patients, 24.2% had AKI within 24 h of admission. Patients with AKI were older and had higher severity of illness compared to those without AKI. AKI patients had a longer duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU, and hospital stay. Age, Simplified Acute Physiological II Score, and the presence of sepsis and preexisting hypertension, chronic cardiovascular disease independently associated with AKI. About 32.3% had sepsis. Patients with both AKI and sepsis had the highest risk of mortality (relative risk 3.43 [3.34-3.53]).
Conclusions: AKI is common in our ICU, with higher morbidity and mortality. Independent risk factors of AKI include age, the severity of illness, sepsis and preexisting hypertension, and chronic cardiovascular disease. AKI independently contributes to mortality. The presence of AKI and sepsis increased the risk of mortality by three times.