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Fulltext Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction for the detection of Alzheimer's disease-related single nucleotide polymorphisms

Darawi MN, Ai-Vyrn C, Ramasamy K, Hua PP, Pin TM, Kamaruzzaman SB, et al.

BMC Med Genet, 2013;14:27.
PMID: 23419238 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2350-14-27

The incidence of Alzheimer's disease, particularly in developing countries, is expected to increase exponentially as the population ages. Continuing research in this area is essential in order to better understand this disease and develop strategies for treatment and prevention. Genome-wide association studies have identified several loci as genetic risk factors of AD aside from apolipoprotein E such as bridging integrator (BIN1), clusterin (CLU), ATP-binding cassette sub-family A member 7 (ABCA7), complement receptor 1 (CR1) and phosphatidylinositol binding clathrin assembly protein (PICALM). However genetic research in developing countries is often limited by lack of funding and expertise. This study therefore developed and validated a simple, cost effective polymerase chain reaction based technique to determine these single nucleotide polymorphisms.
Metabolomic-guided discovery of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers from body fluid

Enche Ady CNA, Lim SM, Teh LK, Salleh MZ, Chin AV, Tan MP, et al.

J Neurosci Res, 2017 Oct;95(10):2005-2024.
PMID: 28301062 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24048

The rapid increase in the older population has made age-related diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD) a global concern. Given that there is still no cure for this neurodegenerative disease, the drastic growth in the number of susceptible individuals represents a major emerging threat to public health. The poor understanding of the mechanisms underlying AD is deemed the greatest stumbling block against progress in definitive diagnosis and management of this disease. There is a dire need for biomarkers that can facilitate early diagnosis, classification, prognosis, and treatment response. Efforts have been directed toward discovery of reliable and distinctive AD biomarkers but with very little success. With the recent emergence of high-throughput technology that is able to collect and catalogue vast datasets of small metabolites, metabolomics offers hope for a better understanding of AD and subsequent identification of biomarkers. This review article highlights the potential of using multiple metabolomics platforms as useful means in uncovering AD biomarkers from body fluids. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Response to Linguistic and psychometric validation of the Malaysian version of Diabetes Quality of Life-Brief Clinical Inventory (DQoL-BCI): Methodological issues to avoid misinterpretation

Neoh CF, Samah S, Wong YY, Hassali MA, Shafie AA, Lim SM, et al.

Res Social Adm Pharm, 2017 02 12;13(4):884.
PMID: 28259586 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2017.02.004
Linguistic and psychometric validation of the Malaysian version of Diabetes Quality of Life-Brief Clinical Inventory (DQoL-BCI)

Samah S, Neoh CF, Wong YY, Hassali MA, Shafie AA, Lim SM, et al.

Res Social Adm Pharm, 2017 11;13(6):1135-1141.
PMID: 27825607 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2016.10.017

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QoL) assessment provides valuable outcome to support clinical decision-making, particularly for patients with chronic diseases that are incurable. A brief, 15-item diabetes-specific tool [i.e. Diabetes Quality of Life-Brief Clinical Inventory (DQoL-BCI)] is known to be developed in English and validated for use in clinical practice. This simplified tool, however, is not readily available for use in the Malaysian setting.
OBJECTIVE: To translate the DQoL-BCI into a Malaysian version and to assess its construct validity (factorial validity, convergent validity and discriminant validity), reliability (internal consistency) and floor and ceiling effects among the Malaysian diabetic population.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A forward-backward translation, involving professional translators and experts with vast experience in translation of patient reported outcome measures, was conducted. A total of 202 patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were invited to complete the translated DQoL-BCI. Data were analysed using SPSS for exploratory factor analysis (EFA), convergent and discriminant validity, reliability and test-retest, and AMOS software for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).
RESULTS: Findings from EFA indicated that the 4-factor structure of the Malaysian version of DQoL-BCI was optimal and explained 50.9% of the variance; CFA confirmed the 4-factor model fit. There was negative, moderate correlation between the scores of DQoL-BCI (Malaysian version) and EQ-5D-3L utility score (r = -0.329, p = 0.003). Patients with higher glycated haemoglobin levels (p = 0.008), diabetes macrovascular (p = 0.017) and microvascular (p = 0.013) complications reported poorer QoL. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and intraclass coefficient correlations (range) obtained were 0.703 and 0.86 (0.734-0.934), indicating good reliability and stability of the translated DQoL-BCI.
CONCLUSION: This study had validated the linguistic and psychometric properties of DQoL-BCI (Malaysian version), thus providing a valid and reliable brief tool for assessing the QoL of Malaysian T2DM patients.
Fulltext Knowledge and Perception of Facial Candling for Allergic Rhinitis among University Staff and Students

Hamdan NKA, Lean QY, Neoh CF, Abdullah AH, Lim SM, Ramasamy K, et al.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2020;2020:5713134.
PMID: 32831870 DOI: 10.1155/2020/5713134

Introduction: Facial candling is a traditional method used for relieving symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR). This study aims to investigate the knowledge and perception of facial candling in a sample of staff and students in a public university in Malaysia.
Methods: An online questionnaire survey method was used. Based on sample size calculation, a total of 1,508 UiTM staff and students from ten selected campuses of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) were invited to participate in this survey. An up-to-date e-mail list of staff in the selected campuses was used as the sampling frame for the study, whereas the students were recruited from the official university student Facebook portal.
Results: A total of 788 respondents participated in this survey, 72.2% of them knew about facial candling, though only 35.4% had tried the treatment. Approximately one-fifth of respondents agreed that facial candling might treat AR. It was found that a higher number of users than nonusers agreed that facial candling was a traditional medicine (78.9% vs 55.0%); could be used on the face and ears (83.5% vs 45.4%); and could be self-administered at home (83.5 vs 45.4%). Interestingly, more than half of them were uncertain about its long-term effects and adverse reactions.
Conclusion: This study confirms the facial candling use among patients with AR although the percentage is low. The patients and general public need to be better informed about the use of facial candling in AR and its associated risks.
Fulltext Multidomain Intervention for Reversal of Cognitive Frailty, Towards a Personalized Approach (AGELESS Trial): Study Design

Ponvel P, Shahar S, Singh DKA, Ludin AFM, Rajikan R, Rajab NF, et al.

J Alzheimers Dis, 2021;82(2):673-687.
PMID: 34092633 DOI: 10.3233/JAD-201607

BACKGROUND: Cognitive frailty (CF) is identified as one of the main precursors of dementia. Multidomain intervention has been found to delay or prevent the onset of CF.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of our present study is to determine the effectiveness of a comprehensive, multidomain intervention on CF; to evaluate its cost effectiveness and the factors influencing adherence toward this intensive intervention.
METHODS: A total of 1,000 community dwelling older adults, aged 60 years and above will be screened for CF. This randomized controlled trial involves recruitment of 330 older adults with CF from urban, semi-urban, and rural areas in Malaysia. Multidomain intervention comprised of physical, nutritional, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects will be provided to participants in the experimental group (n = 165). The control group (n = 165) will continue their usual care with their physician. Primary outcomes include CF status, physical function, psychosocial and nutritional status as well as cognitive performance. Vascular health and gut microbiome will be assessed using blood and stool samples. A 24-month intensive intervention will be prescribed to the participants and its sustainability will be assessed for the following 12 months. The effective intervention strategies will be integrated as a personalized telerehabilitation package for the reversal of CF for future use.
RESULTS: The multidomain intervention developed from this trial is expected to be cost effective compared to usual care as well as able is to reverse CF.
CONCLUSION: This project will be part of the World-Wide FINGERS (Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability) Network, of which common identifiable data will be shared and harmonized among the consortia.