DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis.
SETTING: The Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team (MyHeART) study.
PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen-year-old secondary school children who have given consent and who participated in the MyHeART study in 2014.
PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Muscle strength was measured in relation to dietary intake (energy and macronutrients) and physical activity by using a hand grip dynamometer.
RESULTS: Among the 1012 participants (395 male; 617 female), the hand grip strength of the males was higher than that of the females (27.08 kg vs 18.63 kg; p<0.001). Also, males were more active (2.43vs2.12; p<0.001) and consumed a higher amount of energy (2047 kcal vs 1738 kcal; p<0.001), carbohydrate (280.71 g vs 229.31 g; p<0.001) and protein (1.46 g/kg body weight (BW) vs 1.35 g/kg BW; p<0.168). After controlling for ethnicity, place of residency and body mass index, there was a positive relationship between hand grip strength and the intake of energy (r=0.14; p=0.006), carbohydrate (r=0.153; p=0.002) and fat (r=0.124; p=0.014) and the physical activity score (r=0.170; p=0.001) and a negative relationship between hand grip strength and the intake of protein (r=-0.134; p=0.008), for males. However, this was not observed among females.
CONCLUSIONS: Energy, carbohydrate and fat intakes and physical activity score were positively correlated with hand grip strength while protein intake was negatively correlated with hand grip strength in males but not in females.
Methods: The study analysed 54 decompensated liver cirrhotic patients including 17 females and 37 males between May 2016 and May 2017 at the Haji Adam Malik General Hospital, Medan, Indonesia. Ferritin levels were, then, divided into trichotomous cut-off value (< 200 ng/mL, n = 22; 200-400 ng/mL, n = 5; and > 400 ng/mL, n = 27). Data was analysed using SPSS version 12.0 (continuous variables were assessed by the Kruskal-Wallis test and Chi-square test was used for categorical variables). In addition, Spearman correlation test was used to determine any significant correlation between ferritin levels and CTP score.
Results: Based on data analysis, gender and CTP score were related to higher ferritin levels (P = 0.002 and P = 0.018, respectively). Furthermore, a significant correlation between serum ferritin levels and CTP score was obtained in to moderate degree (P = 0.000; r = 0.487).
Conclusions: There might be a significant role of serum ferritin levels in predicting mortality and prognosis among decompensated liver cirrhosis patients but it still needs further attention.
METHODS/DESIGN: This is a randomized, single-blind, two-arm, controlled trial in patients with rheumatoid arthritis visiting outpatient rheumatology clinics in Karachi, Pakistan. We will enroll patients with established diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis over 3 months. The patients would be randomized through a computer-generated list into the control group, i.e., usual care or into the intervention group, i.e., pharmaceutical care, in a ratio of 1:1, after providing signed written consent. The study will take place in two patient-visits over the course of 3 months. Patients in the intervention group would receive intervention from the pharmacist while those in the control group will receive usual care. Primary outcomes include change in mean score from baseline (week 0) and at follow up (week 12) in disease knowledge, adherence to medications and rehabilitation/physical therapy. The secondary outcomes include change in the mean direct cost of treatment, HRQoL and patient satisfaction with pharmacist counselling.
DISCUSSION: This is a novel study that evaluates the role of the pharmacist in improving treatment outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The results of this trial could set the foundation for future delivery of care for this patient population in Pakistan. The results of this trial would be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03827148 . Registered on February 2019.
METHOD: This is a retrospective survival analysis study of 128 patients treated at University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) from 1997 to 2011.
RESULTS: There were 80 (62.5%) male and 48 (37.5%) female patients with the median age being 15 (5-59). Majority had osteosarcoma of extremities (94.5%). More than 60% patients developed metastasis throughout the course of treatment with 39% presenting with lung metastasis. Osteoblastic osteosarcoma was the commonest subtype (65.6%). Of the 109 patients treated surgically, 84 patients (65.6%) underwent limb salvage surgery while the rest underwent amputation. Seventy-one per cent of patients completed treatment with local recurrence rate of 22.7%. The 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 56.31% (95% CI: 46.20, 65.24) and 22.33% (95% CI: 14.86, 30.76), respectively. The 5-year event-free survival was 52.94% (95% CI: 41.83, 62.87). In multivariate analysis, the independent prognostic factors were presence of metastasis and completion of treatment for both 5-year and 10-year overall survival. Good histological response was only significant for multivariate analysis at 5 years. Patients with metastasis had a hazard ratio of 20.4 at 5 years and 3.26 at 10 years.
CONCLUSION: Overall survival rate for osteosarcoma patients at our centre was comparably higher than other centres in the region. Two independent risk factors for survival are metastatic status and completion of treatment. A standardized chemotherapy regime is essential for long-term survival.
METHODS: A search was done in EBSCOHOST, OVID and SCOPUS database to obtain potentially relevant articles that were published between 1823 and August 2019. This review includes studies that focus on the effect of Nigella sativa and its bioactive compound on the events related to type 2 EMT.
RESULTS: A total of 1393 research articles were found to be potentially related to the effect of Nigella sativa and its bioactive compound, thymoquinone on Type 2 EMT. After screening was done, 22 research articles met inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Majority of the studies, reported better wound healing rate or significant prevention of tissue inflammation and organ fibrosis following Nigella sativa or thymoquinone treatments. In terms of wound healing, studies included reported progression of EMT related pathological changes after treatment with Nigella sativa or thymoquinone. Alternatively, in terms of fibrosis and inflammation, studies included reported reversal of pathological changes related to EMT after treatment with Nigella sativa or thymoquinone.
CONCLUSION: Through this review, Nigella sativa and thymoquinone have been associated with events in Type 2 EMT. They have been shown to promote wound healing, attenuate tissue inflammation, and prevent organ fibrosis via regulation of the EMT process.