METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study done at Dermatology Outpatient Clinic, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and two health clinics in Kota Kinabalu between 1st April 2019 and 30th November 2019. A standardised case report form was formulated to collect the demographic data and disease profile of the leprosy patients. The quality of life (QoL) was assessed using Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire.
RESULTS: A total of 54 patients were included with a male to female ratio of 2.4:1 (38 males and 16 females). The mean DLQI score was 8.31±6.15. The difference between the mean DLQI scores among the leprosy subtypes was not significant. The most affected domain was symptoms and feeling followed by daily activities and leisure. Twenty-one patients (38.9%) had facial deformity and they were found to have significantly higher DLQI score. WHO grade 1 and 2 disability were observed in 37 patients (68.5%) with higher DLQI score compared to those without any disability. More than half of patients with MB leprosy (52.2%) developed lepra reactions but the difference of mean DLQI scores were not significant.
CONCLUSIONS: Leprosy-related disabilities may predispose patients to develop psychosocial problems which may have negative impact on QoL. Thus, periodic assessment of QoL should be incorporated into the management of leprosy patients.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving patients aged ≥ 13 years with AD who fulfilled the Hanifin and Rajka diagnostic criteria. These patients were recruited from Hospital Queen Elizabeth, Kota Kinabalu and Hospital Kuala Lumpur between January 2020 to March 2021. Assessment instruments used were Scoring for Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
RESULTS: Of the 217 participants, 75 (34.6%) had mild eczema, 116 (53.5%) moderate eczema and 26 (12.0%) severe eczema with a mean SCORAD score of 30.4 (standard deviation [SD] = 4.70). Twenty-six (12.0%) and 17 (7.8%) had anxiety and depression, respectively. Patients with moderate to severe disease reported higher HADS-A (HADS-anxiety component), HADS-D (HADS-depression component), POEM, DLQI, itch, sleep loss and skin pain scores (p < 0.001 for all). Severe sleep loss (adjusted odd ratio [AOR] 12.41, p < 0.001) and hospitalisation in the past year (AOR 6.44, p = 0.004) were significant predictors for anxiety whereas those aged 41 to 60 (AOR 10.83, p = 0.020), having severe skin pain (AOR 6.12, p = 0.028), DLQI ≥ 10 (AOR 5.27, p = 0.002) and history of hospitalisation in the past year (AOR 12.73, p = 0.002) had increased risk for depression.
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of anxiety was 12.0% while depression was 7.8% in our cohort. AD renders a significant burden on mental health and QOL with a higher impact on those with more severe disease. The use of screening tools such as HADS and DLQI for assessment of mental health and QOL should be considered to address the multidimensional burden of AD.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study consists of two parts. First, a cross-sectional study on the knowledge of and attitude towards leprosy using an online quesitonnaire was conducted among doctors working in the primary care clinics and hospitals in Sabah and Labuan. Subsequently, the participants were asked to watched an online prerecorded video lecture on leprosy and to answered the same questionnaire.
RESULTS: Of the 310 participants, one fifth (20.6%) had good knowledge and 36.5% had positive attitude towards leprosy. Being a specialist (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.17-9.57, p < 0.001), managed ≥ 5 leprosy cases (aOR 3.37, 95% CI 1.52-7.47, p = 0.003), and involved in educational activities related to leprosy within last year (aOR 4.7, 95% CI 1.69-13.04, p < 0.001) were the significant predictors of good knowledge. Working in tertiary care was significantly associated with good attitude towards leprosy (OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.22-3.94, p = 0.025). There was a significant improvement in participants' knowledge post-intervention (87.0% participants post-lecture vs 20.6% participants pre-lecture with good knowledge, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: The proportion of doctors in Sabah and Labuan with good knowledge and attitude towards leprosy was low. Knowledge of leprosy improved significantly postintervention. This highlights the need for educational and training programmes to improve doctors' knowledge of leprosy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We did a retrospective medical record review of all patients with SS from July 2014 to July 2018 at Hospital Queen Elizabeth and Hospital Pulau Pinang, both tertiary hospitals in Malaysia.
RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were included. Approximately half of the patients (15) were females with a mean age of onset of 50.93 (± 11.52) years. The most common subtype was classic (62.0%) followed by malignancy-associated (31.0%) and drug-induced (6.9%). Among the patients with the classic subtype, infective-related causes (50.0%) were the most common. Among the patients with malignancy, eight had haematological malignancy and one had a solid tumour. Two-third of the malignancies were diagnosed within a year after the diagnosis of SS. Eight of our patients in Sabah had mycobacterial infections with three having concomitant haematological malignancies. Patients with malignancy-associated SS had lower mean haemoglobin (p=0.018) and mean platelet count (p=0.031). Itch was associated with the presence of pustules (p=0.038). Histopathological examination of all skin lesions showed dermal neutrophilic infiltrates and 25 (86.2%) of them had papillary dermal oedema. The study was limited by its retrospective design. The sample size was small likely due to the uncommon occurrence of this condition.
CONCLUSION: SS is an uncommon dermatosis with distinctive clinical and histopathological features. Screening for underlying malignancy is essential especially for those who present with anaemia, thrombocytopenia, and pathergy phenomenon. Mycobacterial infection should be considered in this region due to high tuberculosis burden.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty patients who fulfilled the UK Working Party's Diagnostic Criteria for Atopic Dermatitis were included in the cross-sectional study. A standardized case report form was formulated to collect the demographic data and disease profile of the participants. AD severity was evaluated using the EASI and SCORAD score. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmological evaluation.
RESULTS: The prevalence of ocular manifestations among the patients with AD was 48.8%. Fifty-four (67.5%) patients had facial dermatitis and 37 (46.2%) showed periorbital signs. The mean AD disease duration was 10.99 ± 11.20 years. Majority of the patients had mild to moderate AD. The most frequent ocular manifestation was allergic conjunctivitis (18.75%) followed by cataract (8.75%) and ocular hypertension (8.75%). Among the patients with ocular manifestations, 27 (69.2%) patients regularly applied topical corticosteroids on the face. The use of systemic corticosteroids was seen in 19 (42.2%) patients. Prolonged AD duration was significantly associated with the development of ocular manifestations.
CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of the patients with AD were complicated with ocular disease regardless of the AD severity, facial dermatitis and presence of periorbital signs. Long disease duration is associated with ocular manifestations, especially steroid related complications.
METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study uses data from the Malaysian Psoriasis Registry (MPR) from January 2007 to December 2018.
RESULTS: Of 21 735 psoriasis patients, 34 (0.16%) had coexistent LE. The male to female ratio among psoriasis patients with coexistent LE was 1:5.8 versus 1.3:1 in patients with psoriasis but without LE. Nearly 70% presented with LE preceding psoriasis. Psoriasis patients with LE had an earlier age of psoriasis onset (27.56 ± 11.51 versus 33.31 ± 16.94 years, P = 0.006), a higher rate of psoriatic arthropathy (26.5% versus 13.0%, P = 0.02), and a significantly greater impairment of quality of life (Dermatology Quality of Life Index >10; 57.6% versus 40.3%, P = 0.04) compared with psoriasis patients without LE. The majority (87.5%) had systemic LE. The incidences of lupus nephritis (72.7% versus 40%) and hematological abnormalities (50% versus 20%) were higher among patients with LE preceding psoriasis compared with those with psoriasis preceding LE. Antinuclear antibody and double-stranded DNA were positive in 59.4% and 28.1% of psoriasis patients with LE, respectively. Hydroxychloroquine triggered the onset of psoriasis in 7 (24.1%) patients. Patients with LE were more likely to receive systemic treatment for psoriasis compared with those without LE (30.3% versus 14.2%, P = 0.008).
CONCLUSIONS: Psoriasis patients with coexistent LE were uncommon, displayed a female preponderance, were more likely to have joint involvement, and had greater quality of life impairment than those without LE. LE preceded psoriasis in most of these patients, and systemic LE was the most common subtype.