MATERIAL & METHOD: 61 road traffic accidental death cases underwent both PMCT and conventional autopsy. The imaging findings were compared to the conventional autopsy findings.
RESULT: The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for liver injuries in PMCT was 71%, 82%, 68% and 85% while that of splenic injuries was 73%, 80%, 55% and 90% respectively. The accuracy of PMCT scan was 79% for both liver and splenic injuries. There is strong association between lower left ribs fracture and splenic injury (p=0.005) and significant association between positive liver and splenic PMCT finding and intraabdominal fatal injury (p=0.037).
CONCLUSION: In conclusion PMCT has high specificity and NPV for liver and splenic injuries; however the sensitivity and PPV are low. The overall accuracy is not high enough to enable PMCT to be used as a replacement for conventional autopsy; however it is a useful complementary examination and has potential to be used as decision making tool for selective internal autopsy.
METHODS: We studied the health of 636 OA from seven sub-tribes in the Peninsular. Parameters that were assessed included height, weight, BMI and waist circumference whilst blood pressure, cholesterols, fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels were recorded. We then analysed cardio-metabolic risk factor prevalences and performed multiple pair-wise comparisons among different sub-tribes and socio-economic clusters.
RESULTS: Cardio-metabolic risk factors were recorded in the seven sub-tribes.. Prevalence for general and abdominal obesity were highest in the urbanized Orang Seletar (31 · 6 ± 5 · 7%; 66 · 1 ± 5 · 9%). Notably, hunter gatherer Jehai and Batek tribes displayed the highest prevalence for hypertension (43 · 8 ± 9 · 29% and 51 · 2 ± 15 · 3%) despite being the leanest and most remote, while the Mendriq sub-tribe, living in the same jungle area with access to similar resources as the Batek were less hypertensive (16.3 ± 11.0%), but displayed higher prevalence of abdominal obesity (27.30 ± 13.16%).
CONCLUSIONS: We describe the cardio-metabolic risk factors of seven indigenous communities in Malaysia. We report variable prevalence of obesity, cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes in the OA in contrast to the larger ethnic majorities such as Malays, Chinese and Indians in Malaysia These differences are likely to be due to socio-economic effects and lifestyle changes. In some sub-tribes, other factors including genetic predisposition may also play a role. It is expected that the cardio-metabolic risk factors may worsen with further urbanization, increase the health burden of these communities and strain the government's resources.