Foot care knowledge and self-care practices among diabetic patients in Penang: A primary care study.

INTRODUCTION: In Malaysia, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus has been increasing annually, currently affecting 18.3% of the population. Diabetic foot ulcer, a common complication of diabetes, is associated with high morbidity and mortality, consequently increasing health care expenditure. A previous study showed that foot care knowledge and foot self-care practices help to reduce the development of ulcers.1,2 This study aims to identify the level of foot care knowledge and self-care practices among diabetic patients in the primary care setting. OBJECTIVE: This study was to determine the level of foot care knowledge and foot self-care practices among diabetic patients in the primary care setting in Penang Island and its determinants and the correlation between level of foot care knowledge and self-care practices among diabetic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was performed on 311 diabetic patients who were registered to two government health clinics in Penang. Information regarding respondents' demographic status, foot care knowledge, and foot self-care practices were gathered using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 22. The Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test were applied to the analysis. Multiple linear regression was performed to identify the determinants. Correlation between knowledge and self-care practice was determined using the linear regression model. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-five (53.1%) respondents achieved good knowledge scores and 196 respondents (63%) achieved good self-care practice scores. The median age of respondents was 61 years, who were mostly females (56.6%), Malays (41.2%), and unemployed (48.6%). Median HbA1c level was 7.5%, and 42.8% of respondents had diabetes for 5 to 10 years. Lowest scores for knowledge and self-care practices were observed in foot skin care questions. Formal foot care education was found to be a significant predictor of foot care knowledge (p<0.05, 95% CI -1.102, -0.098). Foot care knowledge was significantly and positively correlated with foot self-care practices (p<0.001, 95% CI 0.548, 0.727). CONCLUSION: Foot care knowledge has significant positive correlation with foot self-care practices. Empowering diabetic patients with foot care knowledge may lead to significantly better foot self-care practices.

Collaboration between a tertiary pain centre and community teams during the pandemic.

People with chronic pain faced potential treatment disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, as the focus of healthcare shifted. A model of rapid integration of a pain centre with community healthcare teams was implemented to care for vulnerable older patients with chronic pain and multiple comorbidities. Telemedicine and home visits by community nurses were used, with risk-mitigation measures, ensuring comprehensive assessment and treatment compliance. Medications from pain physicians were delivered at home through a hospital pharmacy. A secure national electronic health records system used by all teams ensured seamless access and documentation. Potential emergency department visits, admissions and delayed discharges were thus avoided. Integration of community teams with chronic pain management services can be recommended to ensure pandemic preparedness.

Incidence and predictors of new-onset constipation during acute hospitalisation after stroke.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated new-onset constipation in patients with stroke compared with orthopaedic conditions and explored the predictors associated with constipation during acute hospitalisation. METHODS: This was a prospective matched cohort study of 110 patients comparing stroke patients (n = 55) with orthopaedic patients (n = 55) admitted to a large tertiary acute hospital. Both cohorts were matched by age and sex. The incidence of new-onset constipation which occurred during a patient's acute hospitalisation was determined. Demographics, comorbidity, clinical factors, laboratory parameters and medications were evaluated as possible predictors of constipation. RESULTS: The incidence of new-onset constipation was high for both stroke (33%) and orthopaedic patients (27%; p = 0.66). Seven stroke patients (39%) and four orthopaedic patients (27%) developed their first onset of constipation on day 2 of admission. Mobility gains (RR 0.741, p < 0.001) and the use of prophylactic laxatives (RR 0.331, p < 0.01) had a protective effect against constipation. Bedpan use (RR 2.058, p < 0.05) and longer length of stay (RR 1.032, p < 0.05) increased the risk of developing new-onset constipation. CONCLUSIONS: New-onset constipation is common among patients admitted for stroke and orthopaedic conditions during acute hospitalisation. The early occurrence, on day 2 of admission, calls for prompt preventive intervention for constipation.

Nitrogen management is essential to prevent tropical oil palm plantations from causing ground-level ozone pollution.

More than half the world's rainforest has been lost to agriculture since the Industrial Revolution. Among the most widespread tropical crops is oil palm (Elaeis guineensis): global production now exceeds 35 million tonnes per year. In Malaysia, for example, 13% of land area is now oil palm plantation, compared with 1% in 1974. There are enormous pressures to increase palm oil production for food, domestic products, and, especially, biofuels. Greater use of palm oil for biofuel production is predicated on the assumption that palm oil is an "environmentally friendly" fuel feedstock. Here we show, using measurements and models, that oil palm plantations in Malaysia directly emit more oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds than rainforest. These compounds lead to the production of ground-level ozone (O(3)), an air pollutant that damages human health, plants, and materials, reduces crop productivity, and has effects on the Earth's climate. Our measurements show that, at present, O(3) concentrations do not differ significantly over rainforest and adjacent oil palm plantation landscapes. However, our model calculations predict that if concentrations of oxides of nitrogen in Borneo are allowed to reach those currently seen over rural North America and Europe, ground-level O(3) concentrations will reach 100 parts per billion (10(9)) volume (ppbv) and exceed levels known to be harmful to human health. Our study provides an early warning of the urgent need to develop policies that manage nitrogen emissions if the detrimental effects of palm oil production on air quality and climate are to be avoided.

Multifactorial effects of hyperglycaemia, hyperinsulinemia and inflammation on bone remodelling in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Bones undergo continuous cycles of bone remodelling that rely on the balance between bone formation and resorption. This balance allows the bone to adapt to changes in mechanical loads and repair microdamages. However, this balance is susceptible to upset in various conditions, leading to impaired bone remodelling and abnormal bones. This is usually indicated by abnormal bone mineral density (BMD), an indicator of bone strength. Despite this, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) exhibit normal to high BMD, yet still suffer from an increased risk of fractures. The activity of the bone cells is also altered as indicated by the reduced levels of bone turnover markers in T2DM observed in the circulation. The underlying mechanisms behind these skeletal outcomes in patients with T2DM remain unclear. This review summarises recent findings regarding inflammatory cytokine factors associated with T2DM to understand the mechanisms involved and considers potential therapeutic interventions.

Molecular detection of Anaplasma platys and Babesia gibsoni in dogs in Malaysia.

This study reports for the first time molecular detection of Anaplasma platys infection in 4 (13.3%) of 30 Malaysian dogs investigated. A low occurrence (3.3%) of Babesia gibsoni was also noted, being detected in one of the 30 dogs. Rickettsia, Bartonella, Orientia tsutsugamushi, and Ehrlichia DNA were not detected in the dog blood samples. The role of A. platys as an agent of canine anaplasmosis and its transmission through Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks merits further investigation.

Overlapping functions of microRNAs in control of apoptosis during Drosophila embryogenesis.

Regulation of apoptosis is crucial for tissue homeostasis under normal development and environmental stress. In Drosophila, cell death occurs in different developmental processes including embryogenesis. Here, we report that two members of the miR-2 seed family of microRNAs, miR-6 and miR-11, function together to limit the level of apoptosis during Drosophila embryonic development. Mutants lacking both miR-6 and miR-11 show embryonic lethality and defects in the central nervous system (CNS). We provide evidence that miR-6/11 functions through regulation of the proapoptotic genes, reaper (rpr), head involution defective (hid), grim and sickle (skl). Upregulation of these proapoptotic genes is responsible for the elevated apoptosis and the CNS defects in the mutants. These findings demonstrate that the activity of the proapoptotic genes is kept in check by miR-6/11 to ensure normal development.

High-molecular-mass alkaline phosphatase in amniotic fluid: properties and relationship with lamellar body phospholipid.

We have confirmed that most of third trimester amniotic fluid alkaline phosphatase is macromolecular. This is not, however, as has been previously suggested, due to complexing with lamellar body phospholipid. Amniotic fluid high-Mr ALP and serum high-Mr ALP are similar with regard to p-nitrophenylphosphate hydrolysis, thermostability, and activation energy but experiments with uncompetitive inhibitors indicate differences in isoenzyme composition.