Transient abnormal myelopoiesis (TAM) occurs in approximately 10% of neonates with Down syndrome. In most cases it resolves spontaneously. Life threatening complications such as cardiopulmonary and liver diseases have been described. We present here two cases which suggest that management of TAM in selected cases will have to be more aggressive.
Introduction: Gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) is relatively rare. The clinical behaviour of GIST ranges
from benign to frank sarcoma. The diagnosis is established through histopathological examination and
immunohistochemistry profile. In Malaysia, the number of publications related to GIST is relatively rare. This
study was therefore conducted to examine the demographic, histopathological and immunohistochemical
features of GIST cases diagnosed in the Department of Pathology, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan,
Pahang from 2009 until 2014. Methods: Past histopathological records were reviewed. Demographic and
histopathological and immunohistochemical data of patients diagnosed were collected. Results: There were
28 cases (14 males and 14 females) diagnosed as GIST. Mean age was 56.4 years, and the majority were
above 40 years of age (85.7%). Stomach was the most common location (42.9%), followed by small intestine
(28.6%). In 23 cases (82%), the tumours exhibited spindle cell morphology, while epithelioid cell and mixed
cell types were seen in 3 cases (11%) and 2 cases (7%), respectively. Five cases were categorised as very low
risk to low risk behaviour, while 18 cases were intermediate to high. None of the histological parameters
analysed which include tumour morphology, necrosis, haemorrhage, nuclear atypia and mean number of
mitoses showed significance difference between the different risk behaviour groups. Positivity with KIT
(CD117), considered to be the defining immunohistochemistry feature, was negative in 2 cases. Conclusion:
Although this study is a retrospective study, the findings contribute to the knowledge on GISTS in Malaysia.
Future research related to GISTs in Malaysia should focus on molecular analyses for KIT and PDGFRA
mutations for diagnostic confirmation especially in KIT-negative cases and also for the purpose of
therapeutic response correlations.
Introduction: Dengue is one of the commonest infections in Malaysia and it is a notifi able disease. Even
though the diagnosis of classical dengue fever and dengue haemorrhagic fever can be recognized clinically, the diagnosis remains a challenge in areas where it could not be differentiated with other febrile illnesses. The aim of this study was to focus on the specifi c and consistent morphological features observed in blood fi lms of dengue infection. Materials and Methods: In all 400 cases of dengue infection serologically diagnosed in the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA) during May to October 2007, only a total of 27 cases had blood fi lms examined, and thus were included in this study. These blood fi lms were re-examined by two pathologists from HTAA. The full blood count parameters were also retrieved and studied. Results: We consistently found typical reactive lymphocytes [n= 23 (85%)] and thrombocytopenia [n=21, (77.8%)] in the cases. However, leucopenia was present only in 9 cases (33%). Conclusion: The presence of typical reactive lymphocyte is a consistent fi nding in dengue fever and thus could have a signifi cant role in supporting the diagnosis of dengue infection.
Hypertension is the most prevalent risk factor of cardiovascular diseases in Malaysia. 17.3% of hypertension cases in Malaysia is attributed to adults aged 18 to 39 years. Psychosocial distress is a possible risk factor for elevated blood pressure in young adults, and cortisol could be the mediating factor. The aim of this study is to evaluate the mediating role of cortisol in hypertension and psychosocial distress in young adults. Methods and materials:A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in 240 young adults aged 18 to 45 years. The body mass index, waist circumference and blood pressure parameters were recorded. Serum cortisol, creatinine, fasting blood glucose and lipid profile were measured following acute mental stress test. Psychosocial distress was assessed using the DASS-21 questionnaire. Results:Mean (standard deviation) values for SBP, DBP, MAP were 126.0(16.3), 84.1(12.2) and 98.1(13.1) mmHg respectively. Anxiety was significantly associated with systolic blood pressure (β=0.644), diastolic blood pressure (β=0.454) and mean arterial pressure (β=0.516) after adjusting for sex, age and cortisol. However, it was not mediated by cortisol. Depression and stress were not found to have any effect on blood pressure of the young adults studied. Conclusion:The data suggest that there is no elevated risk for psychosocial distress and hypertension that cortisol poses in young adults.
Introduction: Thalassaemia is an inherited blood disorder and is a significant public health alarm in Malaysia with many not knowing they are carriers of this haemoglobin disorders. Materials and methods: This study conducted a one off collection of blood samples from 72 Malays students of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) in Kuantan. Blood samples were subjected to conventional haemoglobin analyses that include full blood count and picture, HPLC, Haemoglobin electrophoresis and H-inclusion test. All samples were also genotyped for alpha thalassaemia–1 of Southeast Asia (a-Thal1SEA). Result: There were 17(23.6%) students who were diagnosed as thalassaemia carriers. Out of this, four (5.5 %) and six (8.3 %) students were presumptive β-thalassaemia trait and Haemoglobin-E trait as determined by the HPLC assay respectively. Nine (12.5%) students were genotyped a-Thal1SEA among whom two were also β-thalassaemia carriers. All thalassaemia cases had MCH of < 27pg. Nonetheless, two out of six Haemoglobin-E trait and three out of nine a-Thal1SEA carrier had MCV value of >80fL. Two out of four (50%) presumptive β -thalassaemia trait and one out of six (17%) students of presumptive Haemoglobin-E trait had family history of thalassaemia respectively. Conclusion: The high occurrence of the three common types of thalassaemia carrier (β, Hb-E and a-Thal1SEA thalassaemia) in our small group of subjects could be due to better participation of students who had family history of thalassaemia. The study reaffirmed the importance of molecular study for detection of alpha-thalassaemia and the use of MCH value of