CAPSULE: The monitoring of spatial variation and source of heavy metals pollution at the northern and southern regions of the Straits of Malacca, Malaysia, using chemometric analysis.
OBJECTIVES: To assess UAE community pharmacists' knowledge, toward women's issues in epilepsy.
METHODS: a cross-sectional research method was employed. A team of seven pharmacy students in their final year visited a randomly selected sample of community pharmacies in the UAE and face-to-face interviews were conducted with the pharmacists using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire includes two parts; Eight questions designed to elicit data about the demographics of the study participants and 12 questions eliciting insights into the participants' knowledge of women's issues in epilepsy.
RESULTS: A total of 412 community pharmacist were recruited in the study. The overall level of knowledge about women's issues in epilepsy was good and the average knowledge score was 81% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) [79.1, 82.7%]. The results of multivariate analysis showed higher knowledge scores in chain pharmacies (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.12-1.67), Chief pharmacists (OR 1.44; 95% CI 1.01-2.06), Pharmacists in charge (OR 3.46; 95% CI 2.7-4.45), pharmacists with 1-5 Years of experience (OR 2.87; 95% CI 1.71-4.82), pharmacists with 6-10 Years (OR 2.63; 95% CI 1.58-4.38), pharmacists with >10 years (OR 3.13; 95% CI 2.03-4.83), graduation form regional universities (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.12-1.67), graduation form international universities (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.36-2.20) and receiving a training on epilepsy (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.12-1.67).
CONCLUSION: While the findings reveal an overall promising level of knowledge among community pharmacists regarding the issues faced by women with epilepsy, pinpointing which clinical and demographic factors have the most significant impact on this knowledge would permit the implementation of tailored educational interventions. Workshops and modules targeting the issues faced by women with epilepsy would further raise the knowledge and competence among community pharmacists in this area, ensuring better pharmaceutical care for this population.
METHODS: Incidence of malignancy after cohort enrollment was evaluated. Factors associated with development of hematological and nonhematological malignancy were analyzed using competing risk regression and survival time using Kaplan-Meier.
RESULTS: Of 7455 patients, 107 patients (1%) developed a malignancy: 34 (0.5%) hematological [0.08 per 100 person-years (/100PY)] and 73 (1%) nonhematological (0.17/100PY). Of the hematological malignancies, non-Hodgkin lymphoma was predominant (n = 26, 76%): immunoblastic (n = 6, 18%), Burkitt (n = 5, 15%), diffuse large B-cell (n = 5, 15%), and unspecified (n = 10, 30%). Others include central nervous system lymphoma (n = 7, 21%) and myelodysplastic syndrome (n = 1, 3%). Nonhematological malignancies were mostly Kaposi sarcoma (n = 12, 16%) and cervical cancer (n = 10, 14%). Risk factors for hematological malignancy included age >50 vs. ≤30 years [subhazard ratio (SHR) = 6.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.79 to 23.43] and being from a high-income vs. a lower-middle-income country (SHR = 3.97, 95% CI: 1.45 to 10.84). Risk was reduced with CD4 351-500 cells/µL (SHR = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.74) and CD4 >500 cells/µL (SHR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.78), compared to CD4 ≤200 cells/µL. Similar risk factors were seen for nonhematological malignancy, with prior AIDS diagnosis showing a weak association. Patients diagnosed with a hematological malignancy had shorter survival time compared to patients diagnosed with a nonhematological malignancy.
CONCLUSIONS: Nonhematological malignancies were common but non-Hodgkin lymphoma was more predominant in our cohort. PLHIV from high-income countries were more likely to be diagnosed, indicating a potential underdiagnosis of cancer in low-income settings.
METHODS: The Asia Internet MSM Sex Survey, an online cross-sectional survey of 10,861 men who have sex with men (MSM), was conducted in 2010. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, HIV testing behaviors, and sexual behaviors were collected. Five hundred and seventy-four HIV-negative/unknown respondents reported receiving payment for sex with men at least once in the past 6 months and were included in this analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify independent correlates of HIV testing in the past year.
RESULTS: About half (48.6%) of the participants had been tested for HIV at least once within the past year, and 30.5% had never been tested. We also found that MSMSW participants who engaged in risky behaviors were less likely to be tested.
CONCLUSION: While one might expect a high HIV testing rate among MSMSW due to the risks associated with engaging in sex work, we found that HIV testing uptake is suboptimal among MSMSW in Asia. These results suggest that targeted HIV prevention and testing promotion among MSMSW are needed.
METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted in three districts in Selangor, from 11th June to 30th December 2012. The sampling frame was obtained from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOS) in May 2012, using the National Population and Housing Census 2010. Adults aged 18 years and above, living in the selected living quarters were approached to participate in the study and requested to complete a set of questionnaires.
RESULTS: A total of 1,556 out of 2,152 participants participated in this study, giving an overall study response rate of 61.90%. Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) was used to determine the presence of depression. The prevalence of depression was 10.3%, based on the PHQ-9 cut off point of 10 and above. Based on multiple logistic regression analysis, the predictors of depression were presence of anxiety, serious problems at work, unhappy relationship with children, high perceived stress, domestic violence, unhappy relationship with spouse, low self-esteem, unhappy relationship with family, serious financial constraint and presence of chronic diseases. When reanalyzed after removing anxiety, high perceived stress and low self-esteem, additional predictors of depression were found to be serious marital problems and religiosity.
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depression in this study is similar to that found in other studies. Findings from this study are being used as baseline data to develop an effective program to assist in the management of common mental health disorders in the community, in particular depression. The identification of predictors of depression in the community is important to identify the target population for the program.
Methods: A quasi-experimental study with 328 obese and overweight low socio- economic status housewives aged 18-59 years old who met the screening criteria participated in the study. They were recruited into an intervention group (N = 169) or control group (N = 159). The intervention group received a lifestyle intervention consisting of a diet, physical activity and self-monitoring behavior package. The control group (delayed intervention group) received a women's health seminar package. Both groups were followed up for six months. Weight, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure were evaluated both pre- and post-intervention.
Results: A total of 124 participants from the intervention group and 93 participants from the control group completed the study. Mean weight loss was 1.13 ± 2.70 kg (P < 0.05) in the intervention group and 0.97 ± 2.60 kg (P < 0.05) in the control group. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) reductions in the intervention group were 5.84 ± 18.10 mmHg (P < 0.05). The control group showed reduction in SBP 6.04 ± 14.52 mmHg (P < 0.05). Both group had non-significant DBP reduction. Multivariate analysis via General Linear Model Repeated Measures observed no significant differences in terms of parameter changes with time in both groups for all parameters.
Conclusions: The results indicate that the lifestyle interventions in this study resulted in modest weight loss and thus decreased BMI and blood pressure (SBP) within six months of intervention.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a single-centre, prospective cohort study. A total of 96 patients receiving LEC (52 with and 42 without granisetron) were randomly selected from the full patient list generated using the e-Hospital Information System (e-His). The rates of complete control (no CINV from days 1 to 5) and complete response (no nausea or vomiting in both acute and delayed phases) were identified through patient diaries which were adapted from the MASCC Antiemesis Tool (MAT). Selected covariates including gender, age, active alcohol consumption, morning sickness and previous chemotherapy history were controlled using the multiple logistic regression analyses.
RESULTS: Both groups showed significant difference with LEC regimens (p<0.001). No differences were found in age, gender, ethnic group and other baseline characteristics. The granisetron group indicated a higher complete response rate in acute emesis (adjusted OR: 0.1; 95%CI 0.02-0.85; p=0.034) than did the non-granisetron group. Both groups showed similar complete control and complete response rates for acute nausea, delayed nausea and delayed emesis.
CONCLUSIONS: Granisetron injection used as the primary prophylaxis in LEC demonstrated limited roles in CINV control. Optimization of the guideline-recommended antiemetic regimens may serve as a less costly alternative to protect patients from uncontrolled acute emesis.
METHODS: Sixty-six women who underwent HIFU treatment were divided into groups A (NPVr ≥90%; n = 26) and B (NPVr <90%, n = 40). Multivariate logistic regression analyses of MRI features were conducted to identify the potential predictors of an NPVr ≥90%.
RESULTS: Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis was used to model the prediction of an NPVr ≥90% with four significant predictors from multivariate analyses: the thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer, adenomyosis volume, T2 signal intensity (SI) ratio of adenomyosis to myometrium, and the Ktrans ratio of adenomyosis to myometrium. Clinical efficacy was significantly greater in group A than in group B. The findings showed no serious AEs and no significant differences between AMH concentrations before and 6 months after treatment.
CONCLUSIONS: The present retrospective study demonstrated that achievement of NPVr ≥90% as a measure of clinical treatment success in MRI-guided HIFU treatment of adenomyosis using multivariate analyses and a prediction model is clinically possible without compromising the safety of patients.