MyMedR

Fulltext Prevalence of sleep disordered breathing symptoms among Malay school children in a primary school in Malaysia

Fadzil Abdullah AA, Jamalludin AR, Norrashidah AW, Norzila MZ, Asiah Kassim K, Rus Anida A, et al.

Med J Malaysia, 2012 Apr;67(2):181-5.

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is increasingly being diagnosed in children. However, there is no prevalence study done in Malaysia. The study objective was to evaluate the prevalence of SDB symptoms based on parental reports and associated risk factors among Malay school children aged 6 to 10 years old in a primary school using a translated University Michigan Paediatric Sleep Questionnaire (Malay UM-PSQ). The children whose parents responded to the questionnaire and consented were examined, documenting height, weight, skin fold thickness, neck and abdominal circumference, tonsillar size, nostril examination and presence of micrognathia or retrognathia. There were 550 respondents. The prevalence of parental report of SDB symptoms was 14.9 % (95 % CI 11.9, 17.9). Two hundred and eighty-five (51.8%) school children were males with mean age of 8.5 years (SD 1.1). The associated risk factors for SDB symptoms are male, obesity, large neck and waist circumference, positive history of asthma, history of recurrent tonsillitis, enlarged tonsil (> 4+) and enlarged nasal turbinate. Multivariate analysis showed that male gender is the only significant independent risk factor of SDB symptoms

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Occurrence of Aspergillus spp. and aflatoxin B1 in Malaysian foods used for human consumption

Reddy KR, Farhana NI, Salleh B

J Food Sci, 2011 May;76(4):T99-104.

PMID: 22417376 DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02133.x

Malaysian population widely consumes the cereal-based foods, oilseeds, nuts, and spices in their daily diet. Mycotoxigenic fungi are well known to invade food products under storage conditions and produce mycotoxins that have threat to human and animal health. Therefore, determining toxigenic fungi and aflatoxin B(1) (AFB1) in foods used for human consumption is of prime importance to develop suitable management strategies and to minimize risk. Ninety-five food products marketed in Penang, Malaysia were randomly collected from different supermarkets and were analyzed for presence of Aspergillus spp. by agar plate assay and AFB1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A. flavus was the dominant fungi in all foods followed by A. niger. Fifty-five A. flavus strains were tested for their ability to produce aflatoxins on rice grain substrate. Thirty-six (65.4%) strains out of 55 produced AFB1 ranging from 1700 to 4400 μg/kg and 17 strains (31%) produced AFB2 ranging from 620 to 1670 μg/kg. Natural occurrence of AFB1 could be detected in 72.6% food products ranging from 0.54 to 15.33 μg/kg with a mean of 1.95 μg/kg. Maximum AFB1 levels were detected in peanut products ranging from 1.47 to 15.33 μg/kg. AFB1 levels detected in all food products were below the Malaysian permissible limits (<35 μg/kg). Aspergillus spp. and AFB1 was not detected in any cookies tested. Although this survey was not comprehensive, it provides valuable information on aflatoxin levels in foods marketed in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Stomal recurrence after total laryngectomy: a 10-year review in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center

bte Abdul Rashid NH, Yunus MR, bte Baki MM, bte Ami M, Athar PP

J Pak Med Assoc, 2012 May;62(5):466-9.

PMID: 22755311

To determine the frequency of stomal recurrence in patients following total laryngectomy in our center and to compare the frequency of previously reported risk factors such as preoperative tracheostomy, subglottic invasion and the level of lymph node metastases, with the rest of the world.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

The association between sleep apnea and young adults with hypertension

Asha'ari ZA, Hasmoni MH, Ab Rahman J, Yusof RA, Ahmad RA

Laryngoscope, 2012 Oct;122(10):2337-42.

PMID: 22753136 DOI: 10.1002/lary.23379

To study the association between sleep apnea and hypertension in a younger age group than previously studied, adding upper airway sizes at endoscopy as important compounding variables not often included in the past.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Unmet needs among disabled elderly Malaysians

Momtaz YA, Hamid TA, Ibrahim R

Soc Sci Med, 2012 Sep;75(5):859-63.

PMID: 22632847 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.03.047

Unmet need as a significant factor affecting quality of life in later life has recently received considerable attention in gerontological research. The main aim of this study was to identify the prevalence, predicting factors, and negative consequence of unmet need among older Malaysians. The findings may be useful to reduce unmet need and the burden of its adverse consequence. The sample for this study consists of 400 functionally disabled elderly people aged 60 and over was obtained from a large national survey. Unmet need was operationally defined based on Manton's (1989) criteria. The findings from the present study showed about 18.0% of functionally disabled older Malaysians suffer from unmet need. Logistic regression revealed that gender (being male) and chronic health conditions are statistically associated with increased odds of unmet need after adjusting for other possible risk factors. Further results indicated that unmet need statistically increases odds of fall as a negative consequence of unmet need. The high prevalence rates of unmet need among disabled elderly men and chronically ill older persons suggest that policy makers should pay more attention to this vulnerable group to achieve good quality of life. The implications and limitations of the present study are discussed.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Fulltext A qualitative study of governance of evolving response to non-communicable diseases in low-and middle- income countries: current status, risks and options

Rani M, Nusrat S, Hawken LH

BMC Public Health, 2012;12:877.

PMID: 23067232 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-877

Segmented service delivery with consequent inefficiencies in health systems was one of the main concerns raised during scaling up of disease-specific programs in the last two decades. The organized response to NCD is in infancy in most LMICs with little evidence on how the response is evolving in terms of institutional arrangements and policy development processes.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Influences of multiple genetic polymorphisms on ovarian cancer risk in Malaysia

Velapasamy S, Alex L, Chahil JK, Lye SH, Munretnam K, Hashim NA, et al.

Genet Test Mol Biomarkers, 2013 Jan;17(1):62-8.

PMID: 23113749 DOI: 10.1089/gtmb.2012.0223

The identification of high-risk individuals can help to improve early cancer detection and patient survival. Risk assessment, however, can only be accomplished if the risk factors are known. To date, the genetic risk factors for ovarian cancer, other than mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes, have never been systematically explored in Malaysia. The present study aims to identify from a panel of cancer-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), those associated with ovarian cancer risk in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Fulltext Pre-operative serum alkaline phosphatase as a predictor for hypocalcemia post-parathyroid adenectomy

Loke SC, Tan AW, Dalan R, Leow MK

Int J Med Sci, 2012;9(7):611-6.

PMID: 23028244 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.4861

Post-operative hypocalcemia (POH) may complicate parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism. This study investigates the relationship between POH and pre-operative risk factors to identify a simple method to predict POH risk.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Adverse drug reactions in a population of hospitalized very elderly patients

Tangiisuran B, Davies JG, Wright JE, Rajkumar C

Drugs Aging, 2012 Aug 1;29(8):669-79.

PMID: 22775477 DOI: 10.2165/11632630-000000000-00000

The aims of the study were to determine the rates, types, severity and preventability of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in a hospitalized population of very elderly patients (over 80 years of age) and to identify factors that predispose the very elderly to an ADR.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Fulltext Cholangiocarcinoma: a 10-year experience of a single tertiary centre in the multi ethnicity-Malaysia

Yusoff AR, Siti ZM, Muzammil ARM, Yoong BK, Vijeyasingam R

Med J Malaysia, 2012 Feb;67(1):45-51.

PMID: 22582548 MyJurnal

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare biliary tract epithelial malignancy. We described the clinical features of CCA patients in our institution. A 10-year retrospective study of patients with cholangiocarcinoma in University Malaya Medical Centre was conducted. Clinical data and outcomes in relation to the three anatomical groups of CCA were collected and analysed. Of the 69 patients that were included 55% were male. Mean age was 61 years. Twelve (17%) had intrahepatic, 38 (55%) perihilar and 19 (28%) distal tumour. Mean age (p=0.043), median duration of symptoms (p=0.011), jaundice (p<0.001), total bilirubin level (p=0.003), INR (p=0.005) and mean tumour size (p=0.048) were significantly related to the site of tumour. Only 12 patients had curative resection with seven R0 resections. Cholangiocarcinoma is increasingly diagnosed in our population. Despite that, the diagnosis is still often late. Age, jaundice and tumour size may predict anatomical location of CCA.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Women's cardiovascular health: perspectives from South-East Asia

Rajadurai J, Lopez EA, Rahajoe AU, Goh PP, Uboldejpracharak Y, Zambahari R

Nat Rev Cardiol, 2012 Aug;9(8):464-77.

PMID: 22525668 DOI: 10.1038/nrcardio.2012.59

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an under-recognized major health problem among women in South-East Asia. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, physical inactivity, and being overweight or obese has shown a significantly increasing trend among women in the region, with the exception of Singapore. The problem is compounded by low awareness that CVD is a health problem for women as well as for men, by misconceptions about the disease, and by the lack of suitable, locally available health literature. Efforts have been made by the national heart associations and other organizations to increase heart health awareness and promote healthy lifestyles. Singapore initiated these prevention programs in the early 1990s and has been successful in reducing the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. The governments of the region, in accordance with the Noncommunicable Disease Alliance, have begun implementing appropriate preventive strategies and improving health-delivery systems. However, psychological, social, and cultural barriers to cardiovascular health awareness in women need to be addressed before these programs can be fully and successfully implemented.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Colorectal cancer and its association with the metabolic syndrome: a Malaysian multi-centric case-control study

Ulaganathan V, Kandiah M, Zalilah MS, Faizal JA, Fijeraid H, Normayah K, et al.

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2012;13(8):3873-7.

PMID: 23098486

OBJECTIVE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) are both on the rise in Malaysia. A multi-centric case-control study was conducted from December 2009 to January 2011 to determine any relationship between the two.

METHODS: Patients with confirmed CRC based on colonoscopy findings and cancer free controls from five local hospitals were assessed for MetS according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definition. Each index case was matched for age, gender and ethnicity with two controls (140: 280).

RESULTS: MetS among cases was highly prevalent (70.7%), especially among women (68.7%). MetS as an entity increased CRC risk by almost three fold independently (OR=2.61, 95%CI=1.53-4.47). In men MetS increased the risk of CRC by two fold (OR=2.01, 95%CI, 1.43-4.56), demonstrating an increasing trend in risk with the number of Mets components observed.

CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence for a positive association between the metabolic syndrome and colorectal cancer. A prospective study on the Malaysian population is a high priority to confirm these findings.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Fulltext Incidence and risk factors for breast cancer subtypes in three distinct South-East Asian ethnic groups: Chinese, Malay and natives of Sarawak, Malaysia

Devi CR, Tang TS, Corbex M

Int J Cancer, 2012 Dec 15;131(12):2869-77.

PMID: 22407763 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.27527

We determined the incidences of the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) subtypes among breast cancer cases in Sarawak, Malaysia and their correlation with various risk factors in the three ethnic groups: Chinese, Malay and native. Subtype status was ascertained for 1,034 cases of female breast cancer (93% of all cases diagnosed since 2003), and the age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs) of each subtype were inferred. Case-case comparisons across subtypes were performed for reproductive risk factors. We found 48% luminal A (ER+/PR+/HER2-), 29% triple-negative (ER-/PR-/HER2-), 12% triple-positive (ER+/PR+/HER2+) and 11% HER2-overexpressing (ER-/PR-/HER2+) subtypes, with ASRs of 10.6, 6.0, 2.8 and 2.8 per 100,000, respectively. The proportions of subtypes and ASRs differed significantly by ethnic groups: HER2-positive cases were more frequent in Malays (29%; 95% CI [23;35]) than Chinese (22%; [19;26] and natives (21%; [16;26]); triple-negative cases were less frequent among Chinese (23%; [20;27]) than Malays (33%; [27;39]) and natives (37%; [31;43]). The results of the case-case comparison were in accordance with those observed in western case series. Some uncommon associations, such as between triple-negative subtype and older age at menopause (OR, 1.59; p < 0.05), were found. The triple-negative and HER2+ subtypes predominate in our region, with significant differences among ethnic groups. Our results support the idea that the risk factors for different subtypes vary markedly. Westernized populations are more likely to have factors that increase the risk for the luminal A type, while risk factors for the triple-negative type are more frequent in local populations.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Depression risks in mothers of children with developmental disabilities: a cross-cultural comparison of Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia and Thailand

Osada H, Coelho de Amorim A, Velosa A, Wan WP, Lotrakul P, Hara H

Int J Soc Psychiatry, 2013 Jun;59(4):398-400.

PMID: 22408120 DOI: 10.1177/0020764012438477

Compared with US or European countries, there are fewer mental health services for mothers of children with developmental disabilities in Latin American and/or Southeast Asian countries.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Early detection of pancreatic cancer: a possibility in some cases but not a reality in most

Goh KL, Yoon BK

J Dig Dis, 2012 Aug;13(8):389-92.

PMID: 22788923 DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-2980.2012.00609.x

Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose until a late stage when curative options are no longer available. Owing to its relatively low incidence and the lack of sensitivity of current diagnostic tool, screening of pancreatic cancer in the general population is not recommended. However, in high-risk individuals, especially those with well-described genetic syndromes and a strong family history of pancreatic cancer, screening can be carried out. Detection of a lesion of the diameter

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Infectious diseases following natural disasters: prevention and control measures

Kouadio IK, Aljunid S, Kamigaki T, Hammad K, Oshitani H

Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther, 2012 Jan;10(1):95-104.

PMID: 22149618 DOI: 10.1586/eri.11.155

Natural disasters may lead to infectious disease outbreaks when they result in substantial population displacement and exacerbate synergic risk factors (change in the environment, in human conditions and in the vulnerability to existing pathogens) for disease transmission. We reviewed risk factors and potential infectious diseases resulting from prolonged secondary effects of major natural disasters that occurred from 2000 to 2011. Natural disasters including floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, tropical cyclones (e.g., hurricanes and typhoons) and tornadoes have been secondarily described with the following infectious diseases including diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections, malaria, leptospirosis, measles, dengue fever, viral hepatitis, typhoid fever, meningitis, as well as tetanus and cutaneous mucormycosis. Risk assessment is essential in post-disaster situations and the rapid implementation of control measures through re-establishment and improvement of primary healthcare delivery should be given high priority, especially in the absence of pre-disaster surveillance data.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Fulltext Is there an influence of dietary habits on breast density as seen on digital mammograms?

Voon NS, Chelliah KK

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2011;12(8):1969-72.

PMID: 22292635

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of dietary habit on breast density, which is an important risk factor for breast cancer. This cross-sectional study was performed on 64 Malaysian women of all races between the age of 35 to 70 years. All subjects underwent mammography and the breast density was analyzed from the images using BI-RADS by two independent radiologists. A validated food-frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate the nutrient intake. The data were analyzed using Chi-square test to evaluate the association of dietary habits to breast density. Based on the results, mutton, pork, vegetables, sweets, snacks, soy bean and eggs intake showed associations with increased breast density (p < 0.05) while grains, meat, beverages, oil and fruits, did not show any association (p > 0.05). As a conclusion, this study showed diet may make changes to the breast density as a risk factor for breast cancer.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Victimization experiences of adolescents in Malaysia

Choo WY, Dunne MP, Marret MJ, Fleming M, Wong YL

J Adolesc Health, 2011 Dec;49(6):627-34.

PMID: 22098774 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.04.020

There has been little community-based research regarding multiple-type victimization experiences of young people in Asia, and none in Malaysia. This study aimed to estimate prevalence, explore gender differences, as well as describe typical perpetrators and family and social risk factors among Malaysian adolescents.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Fulltext eComment: Debridement for empyema: an alternative to decortication but in whom and when?

Sachithanandan A, Badmanaban B

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg, 2011 May;12(5):727.

PMID: 21555437 DOI: 10.1510/icvts.2010.247619A

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

Primary aldosteronism: from bench to bedside

Sukor N

Endocrine, 2012 Feb;41(1):31-9.

PMID: 22042487 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-011-9553-3

Primary aldosteronism is now thought to be the commonest potentially curable and specifically treatable form of hypertension. The detection of primary aldosteronism is of utmost importance not only because it provides an opportunity for a targeted treatment, but also because it has been demonstrated that patients with primary aldosteronism are more prone to cardiovascular events and target organ damage than essential hypertensives. Normalization of blood pressure and hypokalemia should not be the only goal of treatment. Normalization of circulating aldosterone or mineralocorticoid blockade is necessary to prevent aldosterone-induced tissue damage that occurs independent of blood pressure. This review will focus on the current understanding and comprehensive management review of primary aldosteronism, highlighting the new evidence that has become recently available.

Matched MeSH terms: Risk Factors

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