METHODS: A case control study was conducted among 142 newly diagnosed IHD women patients registered in government hospitals in Terengganu, Malaysia and their 1:1 frequency matched population controls. Data on sociodemographic and socioeconomic profile, co-morbidities, lifestyle factors related to physical activities, dietary fat intake, stress, passive smoking history, anthropometric measurements and biochemical markers were obtained.
RESULTS: Middle aged women were recruited with women diagnosed with diabetes (aOR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.11-3.31), having low HDL-C (aOR = 3.30, 95% CI: 1.28-8.27), those with positive family history of IHD (aOR = 1.92, 95% CI:1.13-3.26) and passive smokers (aOR = 2.99, 95% CI:1.81-4.94) were at higher odds of IHD.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings are useful for public health interventions and policy making focusing on specific women population.
METHODS: The PubMed, SAGE, Science Direct, the Cochrane Library and Ovid databases were searched for observational studies before October 2018. Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS).
RESULTS: Nine case-control studies involving 4385 lung cancer cases and 4142 controls were included in the analysis. The random-effects model was used to combine results from individual studies. The pooled odds ratio was 0.39 (95% CI: 0.27-0.56). There was no heterogeneity across studies (χ2=2.49, p=0.96, I2=0%).
CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence from the case-control studies suggests that the CYP2A6 whole-gene deletion polymorphism decreases the risk of lung cancer. Further research is needed to identify any potential confounding factors that may impact this association.
METHODS: The review processes (PROSPERO: CRD42021257851) were conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) review protocol; formulation of review questions; systematic search strategy based on identification, screening, and eligibility using established databases including Scopus, Web of Science, and Medline Complete via EBSCOhost; quality appraisal; and data extraction and analysis. There is identification of full-text journal articles that were published between 2016 and 2021 and written in English.
RESULTS: Of the final 13 articles, there are six identified factors associated with willingness to perform CPR and use an AED, including socio-demographics, training, attitudes, perceived norms, self-efficacy, and legal obligation. Younger age, men, higher level of education, employed, married, having trained in CPR and AED in the previous 5 years, having received CPR education on four or more occasions, having a positive attitude and perception toward CPR and AED, having confidence to perform CPR and to apply an AED, and legal liability protection under emergency medical service law were reasons why one would be more likely to indicate a willingness to perform CPR and use an AED. The most reported barriers were fear of litigation and injuring a victim.
CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to empower all the contributing factors and reduce the barrier by emphasizing the importance of CPR and AEDs. The role played by all stakeholders should be strengthened to ensure the success of intervention programs, and indirectly, that can reduce morbidity and mortality among the community from OHCA.
METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of 314 adolescents aged 16 years from February 2015 to April 2015 in Putrajaya, Malaysia. The accuracy of self-reporting was assessed using a data collection sheet and was validated by the urine cotinine strip test. Three schools were chosen by the simple random method, where all Form 4 students constituted the sample unit. The kappa statistic was used for determining agreement between self-reporting and urine cotinine strip testing.
RESULTS: There was a substantial agreement between self-reporting and the urine cotinine strip test (kappa = 0.757, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.63, 0.88); there was 95.86% overall agreement. The prevalence of self-reported smoking was 8% (95% CI: 7.47, 8.53) and that of urine cotinine strip testing was 10.8% (95% CI: 10.20, 11.41). There was a discrepancy with the results of the urine cotinine strip test in 8% of self-reported smokers and 3.8% of self-reported nonsmokers. Self-reporting had 67.6% sensitivity and 99.3% specificity as compared to those of urine cotinine strip testing and had 92% positive predictive value and 96.2% negative predictive value.
CONCLUSION: Self-reporting can be used to assess smoking status but should be used with care among adolescents. Urine cotinine strip test validation of self-reporting enables the measurement of the true prevalence of smoking among adolescents.
Methods: The systematic review searched through two databases of Medline and Cochrane up to 24th June 2017. The search strategy focused on Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcomes (PICO). We searched the role of trace elements in cancer and focusing on case-control studies in CRC to obtain an insight into the differences in trace element concentrations between those with and without cancer.
Results: The serum concentrations of Ca, Cu, Mg, Mn, Se, Si, and Zn were lower in CRC patients but for Co and S the levels were higher in CRC patients. The concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mg, Mn, Pb, and Zn were increased in patients with metastasis, but not in Se. As for colon tissue specimens, inconsistent levels were reported between studies, notably in Cu, Se, and Zn. No changes were reported for B and Ca levels. Most of the trace elements in the tissue specimens showed higher concentrations of Cr, Fe, K, Mg, P, Rb, S, and Si compared to Br.
Conclusion: With the growing interest to understand the link between trace elements in carcinogenesis and the possible interactions, multi assessment analysis of a larger cohort of samples is necessary.
AIM: To determine the association of the behavior factors in relation to ED and to identify the risk and protective factors.
METHOD: A systematic review search based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis was conducted. The primary databases PubMed, PlosOne, Oxford Academic, SCOPUS, and Ovid were accessed using specific keyword searches. Quality of articles was assessed by using Newcastle-Ottawa Assessment Scale according to the study design.
OUTCOME: Evaluation of the relationship between behavioral factors and ED.
RESULTS: 24 studies were identified from the 5 databases which met the predetermined criteria. Overall, the study population include adult male age between 18 and 80 years. The sample size of the studies ranges from 101 to the largest sample size of 51,329. Smoking, alcohol, and drugs usage are found to be risk factors for ED. Meanwhile, dietary intake, physical activity, and intimacy are the protective factors for ED.
CLINICAL IMPLICATION: The findings from this review may aid clinicians to aim for early detection of ED by screening their risk factors and providing early treatment. This can also be used to promote awareness to the community on the sexual health and factors that can affect their sexual function.
STRENGTH & LIMITATION: This study looks at all types of behavioral factors that may affect ED; however, there was a substantial heterogeneity detected across the selected study factors. Furthermore, the lack of PROSPERO registration is also a limitation in this study.
CONCLUSION: Overall, smoking, dietary intake, alcohol consumption, drugs, and physical activities are modifiable risk factors for ED in men. Therefore, it is crucial to promote healthy lifestyle and empower men to prevent ED and early detection of ED for early treatment. Sivaratnam L, Selimin DS, Abd Ghani SR, et al. Behavior-Related Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Sex Med 2021;18:121-143.
Methods: a total of 53 cases of endometrioid type of EC were selected within a six-year period comprising of 22 cases of grade 1, 25 cases of grade 2 and six cases of grade 3 carcinoma. The selected whole tumour tissue sections were immune-stained with HER2 antibody. The scoring was semi-quantitatively analyzed based on 2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/College of American Pathologists (CAPs) guidelines for the scoring of HER2 in breast cancer.
Results: all cases regardless of grades of endometrioid carcinoma showed negative expression of HER2 (score 0).
Conclusion: there was no significant HER2 expression in endometrioid carcinoma. However, a follow-up study with a larger number of samples from different type of endometrial carcinoma is needed. Testing of several tumour tissue blocks to assess possible tumour heterogeneity, as well as correlation with HER2 gene amplification status by in-situ-hybridisation, are also recommended.
METHODS: Three segments of the whole UC, each 3 cm in length, were identified anatomically as the maternal, middle and fetal segments. The hWJMSCs from the different segments were analyzed via trypan blue exclusion assay to determine the growth kinetics and cell viability, flow cytometry for immunophenotyping and immunofluorescence and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for expression of stromal cell transcriptional factors. Furthermore, the trilineage differentiation potential (osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic) of these cells was also assessed.
RESULTS: hWJMSCs isolated from the maternal and fetal segments displayed greater viability and possessed a significantly higher proliferation rate compared with cells from the middle segment. Immunophenotyping revealed that hWJMSCs derived from all three segments expressed the MSC markers CD105, CD73, CD90, CD44, CD13 and CD29, as well as HLA-ABC and HLA-DR, but were negative for hematopoietic markers CD14, CD34 and CD45. Analysis of the embryonic markers showed that all three segments expressed Nanog and Oct 3/4, but only the maternal and fetal segments expressed SSEA 4 and TRA-160. Cells from all three segments were able to differentiate into chondrogenic, osteogenic and adipogenic lineages with the middle segments showing much lower differentiation potential compared with the other two segments.
CONCLUSIONS: hWJMSCs derived from the maternal and fetal segments of the UC are a good source of MSCs compared with cells from the middle segment because of their higher proliferation rate and viability. Fetal and maternal segments are the preferred cell source for bone regeneration.
METHODS: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was adopted for the review which utilized three main journal databases, namely PubMed, EBSCOhost, and Web of Science. Tobacco addiction and alcohol abuse were excluded in this review. Retrieved citations were screened, and the data were extracted based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria include the article being full text, published from the year 2016 until 2020 and provided via open access resource or subscribed to by the institution. Quality assessment was done using Mixed Methods Appraisal Tools (MMAT) version 2018 to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. Given the heterogeneity of the included studies, a descriptive synthesis of the included studies was undertaken.
RESULTS: Out of 425 articles identified, 22 quantitative articles and one qualitative article were included in the final review. Both the risk and protective factors obtained were categorized into three main domains: individual, family, and community factors. The individual risk factors identified were traits of high impulsivity; rebelliousness; emotional regulation impairment, low religious, pain catastrophic, homework completeness, total screen time and alexithymia; the experience of maltreatment or a negative upbringing; having psychiatric disorders such as conduct problems and major depressive disorder; previous e-cigarette exposure; behavioral addiction; low-perceived risk; high-perceived drug accessibility; and high-attitude to use synthetic drugs. The familial risk factors were prenatal maternal smoking; poor maternal psychological control; low parental education; negligence; poor supervision; uncontrolled pocket money; and the presence of substance-using family members. One community risk factor reported was having peers who abuse drugs. The protective factors determined were individual traits of optimism; a high level of mindfulness; having social phobia; having strong beliefs against substance abuse; the desire to maintain one's health; high paternal awareness of drug abuse; school connectedness; structured activity and having strong religious beliefs.
CONCLUSION: The outcomes of this review suggest a complex interaction between a multitude of factors influencing adolescent drug abuse. Therefore, successful adolescent drug abuse prevention programs will require extensive work at all levels of domains.
METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study involving two hepatobiliary centres from January 1, 2012, to June 30, 2018. Medical records were analysed for sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, laboratory testing, and HCC treatment information. Survival outcomes were examined using the Kaplan-Meier and log-rank test. Prognostic factors were determined using multivariate Cox regression.
RESULTS: A total of 212 patients were included in the study. The median survival time was 22 months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 64.2%, 34.2%, and 18.0%, respectively. Palliative treatment (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 2.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.75-4.52), tumour size ≥ 5 cm (AHR = 2.02, 95%CI: 1.45-2.82), traditional medication (AHR = 1.94, 95%CI: 1.27-2.98), raised alkaline phosphatase (AHR = 1.74, 95%CI: 1.25-2.42), and metformin (AHR = 1.44, 95%CI: 1.03-2.00) were significantly associated with poor prognosis for HCC survival. Antiviral hepatitis treatment (AHR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.34-0.87), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (AHR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.30-0.84), and family history of malignancies (AHR = 0.50, 95%CI: 0.26-0.96) were identified as good prognostic factors for HCC survival.
DISCUSSION: Traditional medication, metformin treatment, advanced stage and raised alkaline phosphatase were the poor prognostic factors, while antiviral hepatitis treatment, NAFLD, and family history of malignancies were the good prognostic factors for our HCC cases comorbid with T2D.
METHODS: A total of 158 related articles were obtained from PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and ProQuest using standardized keywords, of which 17 were included in the final review.
RESULTS: Eleven of the 17 articles showed a significant protective association between maternal folic acid supplementation and childhood cancer. Using a random-effects model, pooled odds ratios (ORs) showed a protective association between maternal folic acid supplementation and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (OR, 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66 to 0.86). However, there was no significant association between maternal folic acid supplementation and acute myeloid leukaemia (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.46 to 1.06) or childhood brain tumours (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.88 to 1.19).
CONCLUSIONS: Maternal folic acid supplementation was found to have a protective effect against childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Thus, healthcare professionals are recommended to provide regular health education and health promotion to the community on the benefits of folic acid supplementation during pregnancy.
Methodology: We conducted a comparative case-control study involving 28 T2DM patients with a history of SH within the last 5 years with no documented ACAD, and matched them with 28 T2DM patients with no history of SH. All subjects underwent coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) with or without coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) to evaluate the severity of ACAD.
Results: A history of SH in T2DM was associated with a higher prevalence of significant ACAD (79% versus 46%, p=0.026). A high CACS (≥100) was seen in a greater number of patients with a history of SH compared to those without (75% versus 43%, p=0.029). Similarly, there was a higher prevalence of obstructive CAD in those with a history of SH compared to those without (72% versus 39%, p=0.036). Median C-reactive protein level was also higher among patients with a history of SH (0.41 mg/dL versus 0.16 mg/dL, p=0.029).
Conclusion: In patients with T2DM, a history of SH is significantly associated with ACAD compared to those without SH. A history of SH warrants screening for ACAD.