Risk of Non-melanoma Skin Cancer in Kidney Transplantation Recipient: An Evidence-based Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Renal transplantation is the most common organ transplantation procedure in Indonesia. Renal transplant recipients (RTRs) were found to carry 3-to-5-time higher risk of cancer compared to the normal population. Around 40% of cancers in RTR patients were non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). It was found to be correlated with several risk factors. The study aimed to determine the prognostic factors for NMSC in RTRs with Indonesian skin colors. METHODS: The article search was conducted on three different journal databases, which were Cochrane, PubMed, and Embase. Relevant articles were appraised using critical appraisal guidelines from The Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM), University of Oxford. RESULTS: Four articles were selected for appraisal. Incidence of NMSC on RTRs in these studies were 25,2% (CI 24,67%-32,47%), 6,67% (CI 2,87%-10,47%), 23,67% (CI 19,38%-27,96%) and 28,57% (CI 24,67%-32,47%). Prognostic factors correlated with the incidence of NMSC on RTRs were age, sun exposure, history of sunburn, existing chronic actinic lesion, lentigo solaris, precancerous lesion including actinic keratoses, and consumption of cyclosporine and tacrolimus during maintenance therapy. CONCLUSION: Combination of age, environmental factors, sun exposure-related skin lesion, and immunosuppressant therapy are the main prognostic factors of NMSC on RTRs.

Validity and reliability of the Indonesian version of the Chronic Urticaria Quality of Life Questionnaire (CU-Q2oL).

BACKGROUND: Assessment of quality of life is needed to assess therapeutic response. There is currently no instrument available for assessing the quality of life of chronic urticaria patients in Indonesia. CU-Q2oL is a specific questionnaire for chronic urticaria that was first developed in Italian. Validity and reliability tests are important to ensure that the language or term used are appropriate to the local culture and there is no change in the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to develop an Indonesian version of CU-Q2oL. METHODS: The Italian version CU-Q2oL was translated into Indonesian and underwent cross-cultural adaptation. The translated questionnaire was completed online by 40 chronic urticaria patients of the Dermatovenereology Outpatient Clinic of the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia. RESULTS: Validity test resulted in correlation coefficient values for all questions of 0.467 to 0.856. Reliability test showed a Cronbach's α coefficient of all questions of 0.923 and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for all questions was 0.913. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the Indonesian CU-Q2oL questionnaire is valid, reliable, and suitable to assess the quality of life of chronic urticaria patients in Indonesia.

Antimicrobial resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Jakarta, Indonesia: a cross-sectional study.

Background Neisseria gonorrhoeae has developed resistance to various antimicrobials. At least 10 countries have reported treatment failures with extended-spectrum cephalosporins. Periodic surveillance is essential to determine local treatment guidelines. This study was conducted to determine the resistance of N. gonorrhoeae to penicillin, tetracycline, levofloxacin, cefixime and ceftriaxone among the high-risk population for acquiring STIs in Jakarta and to identify factors associated with resistance. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jakarta, Indonesia, from September to November 2018. In all, 98 high-risk males and females who fulfilled the study criteria were included. Specimens were collected from urethral or endocervical swabs, put into Amies transport medium and then transported to the Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Universitas Indonesia for culture and identification. Proven gonococcal isolates were examined for susceptibility to various antimicrobials using the disk diffusion method according to Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute guidelines. RESULTS: Of the 98 specimens, 35 were confirmed to be N. gonorrhoeae. The proportion of N. gonorrhoeae specimens resistant to penicillin, tetracycline, levofloxacin, cefixime and ceftriaxone among the high-risk population was 97.1%, 97.1%, 34.3%, 0% and 0% respectively. The possible factors associated with resistance could only be analysed for levofloxacin. Age, sexual orientation and a history of orogenital sexual activity during the past month were not associated with N. gonorrhoeae resistance to levofloxacin. CONCLUSION: This study detected no resistance of N. gonorrhoeae to cefixime and ceftriaxone. Further studies with larger samples are needed to obtain more representative results of N. gonorrhoeae resistance and the possible factors associated with resistance.

Soil-transmitted helminth infections and leprosy: a cross-sectional study of the association between two major neglected tropical diseases in Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: The clinical spectrum of leprosy is dependent on the host immune response against Mycobacterium leprae or the newly discovered Mycobacterium lepromatosis antigen. Helminth infections have been shown to affect the development of several diseases through immune regulation and thus may play a role in the clinical manifestations of leprosy and leprosy reactions. The purpose of this study is to determine the proportion of helminth infections in leprosy and its association with the type of leprosy and type 2 leprosy reaction (T2R). METHODS: History or episode of T2R was obtained and direct smear, formalin-ether sedimentation technique, and Kato-Katz smear were performed on 20 paucibacillary (PB) and 61 multibacillary (MB) leprosy participants. RESULTS: There are more helminth-positive participants in MB leprosy compared to PB (11/61 versus 0/20, p = 0.034) and in T2R participants compared to non-T2R (8/31 versus 3/50, p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that soil-transmitted helminth infections may have a role in the progression to a more severe type of leprosy, as well as the occurrence of T2R. These findings could serve as a fundamental base for clinicians to perform parasitological feces examination in patients who have MB leprosy and severe recurrent reactions to rule out the possibility of helminth infection. Further secondary confirmation of findings are needed to support these conclusions.

The prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and their association with knowledge, attitudes, and practice in male street children in Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: Street children's level of knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) regarding sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV-related diseases remains a challenge since it is difficult to reach all key populations. This study aims to provide an overview of the findings of STI cases and their association with the KAP of street children in Jakarta and Banten. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 259 male street children (aged 10 -21 years old). We collected the data through questionnaire interviews, history taking, physical examination, and specimen collection for STI and HIV testing. RESULTS: 5.8% (n = 15) STI cases were discovered, consisting of Hepatitis B (n = 6), Hepatitis C (n = 1), HIV (n = 2), Chlamydia (n = 3), Syphilis (n = 1), and Gonorrhea (n = 1). Buskers (44.4%) and other occupations like helping parents sell their wares, parking lot attendants, shoe shiners, or gathering (44.8%) dominated the sociodemographic characteristics. Condomless sex predominated risky sexual behavior, despite some subjects already having good knowledge. CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic characteristics and the KAP of street children in Indonesia are varied. The association between the KAP level and STI cases in street children is challenging to describe. Further studies covering more areas in Indonesia are required.

Scoliocorrector Fatma-UI for correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: Development, effectivity, safety and functional outcome.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis remains a major problem due to its high incidence, high risk, and high cost. One of the aims of the management in scoliosis is to correct the deformity. Many techniques are available to correct scoliosis deformity; however, they are all far from ideal to achieve three-dimensional correction in scoliosis. AIM: To develop a set of tools named Scoliocorrector Fatma-UI (SCFUI) to aid three-dimensional correction and to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and functional outcome. METHODS: This study consists of two stages. In the first stage, we developed the SCFUI and tested it in finite element and biomechanical tests. The second stage was a single-blinded randomized clinical trial to evaluate the SCFUI compared to direct vertebral rotation (DVR). Forty-four subjects with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were randomly allocated into the DVR group (n = 23) and SCFUI group (n = 21). Radiological, neurological, and functional outcome was compared between the groups. RESULTS: Finite element revealed the maximum stress of the SCFUI components to be between 31.2 - 252 MPa. Biomechanical analysis revealed the modulus elasticity of SCFUI was 9561324 ± 633277 MPa. Both groups showed improvement in Cobb angle and sagittal profile, however the rotation angle was lower in the SCFUI group (11.59 ± 7.46 vs 18.23 ± 6.39, P = 0.001). Neurological and functional outcome were comparable in both groups. CONCLUSION: We concluded that SCFUI developed in this study resulted in similar coronal and sagittal but better rotational correction compared to DVR. The safety and functional outcomes were also similar to DVR.

Correlation Between Reduced IL-1ß Levels in Acne Lesions and the Decrease in Acne Inflammatory Lesions Following Topical Vitamin D Administration: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: The inflammatory process in acne vulgaris (AV) is characterized by the upregulation of specific pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and IL-8, within sebocytes and keratinocytes. Sebocytes have been identified as target cells for bioactive vitamin D. Experimental studies on animal models have demonstrated the potent comedolytic effects of topical vitamin D. However, further research is required to specifically evaluate the impact of vitamin D on inflammatory lesions in acne vulgaris (AV). Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of topical vitamin D in treating acne vulgaris (AV) lesions by investigating its anti-inflammatory effects on pro-inflammatory cytokine modulation, specifically assessing the correlation between IL-1ß levels in acne lesions and the reduction in AV severity. Materials and Methods: This study is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial with a 2-arm design over an 8-week intervention period. Participants were randomly assigned to either the topical vitamin D group (cholecalciferol 50 mcg) or the topical placebo group, with each group comprising 32 subjects. All participants received concomitant treatment with topical adapalene 0.1%. Cytokine levels within acne lesions were assessed using Luminex Polystyrene Screening Assays to detect and quantify IL-1ß levels. The effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated by monitoring the reduction in the number of inflammatory lesions, while the safety of topical vitamin D was assessed by documenting and analyzing any reported side effects. Results: The study found a significant correlation between the reduction in IL-1ß levels within acne lesions and the decrease in moderate and severe inflammatory lesions in acne vulgaris (p = 0.028). The topical application of vitamin D led to a significant reduction in inflammatory AV lesions (p = 0.045). No significant topical side effects were observed in either the vitamin D or placebo groups. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the topical administration of vitamin D in acne vulgaris (AV) lesions is effective in reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine levels within acne lesions and in decreasing the severity of AV. Trial Registration: NCT05758259. September 5, 2022.

Analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate approach to develop a pelvic floor muscle training guidebook to treat stress urinary incontinence in women.

OBJECTIVE: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common problem that affects the quality of life of women worldwide. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is an effective conservative first-line treatment for SUI. However, low compliance with PFMT is one of the main reasons for therapeutic failure. Indirect supervision using a guidebook may improve PFMT outcomes. To develop a PFMT guidebook using the analyze, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) method. METHODS: A guidebook was developed from July 2020 to April 2021 using the ADDIE method. This prospective study used mixed methods, namely qualitative analysis, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews, and involved various experts from urogynecology, urology, medical rehabilitation, and physiotherapy departments. A pilot study was conducted on patients with SUI to evaluate the effectiveness of the guidebook. RESULTS: The ADDIE method was successfully implemented to develop the PFMT guidebook. The formative evaluation of the ADDIE steps mainly focused on the PFMT technique, content clarity, illustration, design, and color choice of the book. After the pilot study, the guidebook significantly improved Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, Short Form, 1-hour pad test, and perineometer scores. However, the pilot study showed no significant improvement in Urogenital Distress Inventory, Short Form scores. CONCLUSION: The PFMT guidebook developed using the ADDIE method improved outcomes in patients with SUI.

Feeding intolerance scoring system in very preterm and very low birth weight infants using clinical and ultrasound findings.

Very preterm infants are at a high risk of developing feeding intolerance; however, there are no widely accepted definitions of feeding intolerance. This study aimed to develop a scoring system for feeding intolerance in very preterm infants by combining clinical symptoms and ultrasonography (US) findings. This prospective cohort study included very preterm and/or very low birth weight infants. We defined feeding intolerance as the inability to achieve full feeding (150 ml/kg/day) by 14 days of life. The clinical findings included vomiting, abdominal distention, and gastric fluid color. US findings included intestinal peristaltic frequency, gastric residual volume, peak systolic velocity, and the resistive index of the superior mesenteric artery. We conducted multivariate analyses to evaluate the potential predictors and developed a scoring system to predict feeding intolerance. A total of 156 infants fulfilled the eligibility criteria; however, 16 dropped out due to death. The proportion of patients with feeding intolerance was 60 (42.8%). Based on the predictive ability, predictors of feeding intolerance were determined using data from the US at 5-7 days of age. According to multivariate analysis, the final model consisted of 5 predictors: abdominal distention (score 1), hemorrhagic gastric fluid (score 2), intestinal peristaltic movement ≤18x/2 min (score 2), gastric fluid residue >25% (score 2), and resistive index >0.785 (score 2). A score equal to or above 5 indicated an increased risk of feeding intolerance with a positive predictive value of 84.4% (95% confidence interval:73.9-95.0) and a negative predictive value of 76.8% (95% confidence interval:68.4-85.3). The scoring system had good discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve:0.90) and calibration (p = 0.530) abilities. This study developed an objective, accurate, easy, and safe scoring system for predicting feeding intolerance based on clinical findings, 2D US, and color Doppler US.

Effect of adipose derived stromal vascular fraction on leprosy neuropathy: A Preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: Adipose derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) contains a heterogeneous population of mononuclear cells, progenitor cells and about 1-10% are mesenchymal stromal cells. These cells are an ideal candidate for regenerative medicine for peripheral neuropathy. Leprosy is a disabling disorder with neuropathy, usually with consequences of permanent disability of the extremities. We conducted a preliminary study to evaluate the cell yield, its characteristics and clinical outcomes after SVF injections in four leprosy patients. METHODS: Four post leprosy patients were recruited and evaluated for sensory testing (warm detection, cold detection, vibration, pain and sensation) on the ulnar area of the hand. Liposuction was done and adipose tissue was processed into SVF with a closed system and injected to the ulnar area of the hand at the dorsal and palmar side. Evaluation of sensory testing was done after 3 days, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months following SVF injection. SVF was also characterized using flow cytometry, cell counting, sterility and presence of mycobacteria. RESULTS: The results showed that leprosy patients had a low count of mesenchymal cells and a high amount of CD34/CD45 positive cells. One patient was positive for mycobacteria from his adipose tissue and SVF. Sensory examination after SVF injection showed an improvement in temperature and pain sensation in the palmar and superficial branch. Meanwhile, touch sensation improved on the dorsal branch, and there was no improvement for vibration in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that SVF had a potential to improve sensory loss in leprosy patients.

Needs assessment of basic gastrointestinal endoscopy training: A qualitative study in Indonesia.

Background and Aim: Gastointestinal endoscopy is a complex practical skill, and training and experience are required to ensure the accuracy and safety of the procedures. Therefore, proper endoscopy training is needed to provide highly skilled endoscopists. This study explores the learning experience and assesses the need for endoscopy training in Indonesia from an endoscopy trainee's point of view. Limitations from the current training model and the trainees' suggestions hopefully will become a foundation for the future endoscopy training model in Indonesia. Methods: A total of 132 current endoscopy trainees and graduates of endoscopy training from various centers in Indonesia completed an online qualitative survey regarding their endoscopy training experience, their satisfaction with the current training method, barriers to achieving competency, and their suggestions for future training. Data were subjected to descriptive and qualitative analysis using content analysis. Results: We found variations in the trainee's learning experience regarding the training supervision, feedback, and assessment methods. The most common endoscopy training methods were observation and direct practice with supervision. There was only a low proportion of simulator use (25%). The most found concept in barriers to achieving competency was "insufficient number of patients." Meanwhile, the most found concept in suggestions for future training methods was "increasing the variety of cases and procedures." Conclusion: Our findings suggest that there are still variations in endoscopy training methods in Indonesia. Therefore, we propose to design a standardized endoscopy training program to ensure the competence of endoscopy trainees and better care for endoscopic patients. Simulators might be used to increase the trainees' competence in settings with low numbers of patients or cases.

Effectiveness of an online mental health strengthening module to build resilience and overcome stress for transitional aged medical students.

Introduction: Transitional-aged youths (17-to-24-years-old) are prone to mental-health problems. Students in higher education, especially medical students, are more exposed to stressors and thus need training to increase resilience. However, there have been limited mental-health strengthening modules specifically developed for medical students of transitional age, and none in Indonesia. This study intends to test the effectiveness of an online mental-health strengthening module in altering resilience. Methods: A pragmatic randomized trial with repeated measurements was employed to evaluate biopsychosocial outcomes of resilience. The intervention module was delivered in 4 weeks to 105 eligible students. Participants were divided into intervention group (n = 52) and control group (n = 53). Outcomes were measured in the 4th, 8th, and 12th weeks. Primary outcome was resilience level as measured by Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) were utilized to measure stress, depression and anxiety. Knowledge and attitude toward mental-health were also measured through validated questionnaires. Stress levels of participants were measured biologically by measuring salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase levels at the baseline and 12th-week. Results: Compared to the control group, there were no significant difference in resilience score of the intervention group compared to control group [F(1, 103) = 2.243, P = .137]; however, there was a significant main effect of time [F(3, 309) = 18.191, P < .001] and interaction effect between intervention and time in resilience score [F(3, 309) = 5.056, P = .002]. Additionally, compared to the control group, there were significant increases in knowledge [F(1, 103) = 66.805, P < .001], attitudes and behavior towards mental-health [F(1, 103) = 5.191, P = .025], and a significant decrease in stress perception score [F(1, 103) = 27.567, P < .001]. The mean salivary delta cortisol during pre-test and post-test at week 12 in the intervention group showed significant difference (P < .001). However, there was no significant difference in the mean delta salivary alpha-amylase between pre-test and post-test at week 12, both in the intervention and control groups. Conclusion: The mental-health strengthening module was accepted and applicable to first-year medical students and was found to be effective in increasing resilience from various biopsychosocial aspects. It is also advisable to have similar modules throughout the medical school to maintain sustainability.

Translation, adaptation, validity and reliability of Multidimensional Emotion Questionnaire for Indonesian forensic psychiatry context.

Objective: Emotion is essential in psychiatrists' clinical decision-making in conducting forensic psychiatric evaluations. However, psychiatrists may not be aware of their own emotions and thus prone to the risk of bias in their evaluations. An English version questionnaire was previously developed to assess emotional response and regulation. This study aims to assess the validity and reliability of the translated and adapted Indonesian version of The Multidimensional Emotion Questionnaire (MEQ) among Indonesian general psychiatrists in forensic psychiatry settings. Method: This is a cross-sectional study that translated and adapted The Multidimensional Emotion Questionnaire (MEQ) designed by Klonsky et al. This study was conducted between August 2020 and February 2021, involving 32 general psychiatrists across the country who represented general psychiatrists from different educational backgrounds, clinical experiences, and workplace settings. The translation process was done by a certified independent translator and tested for validity by Item-Level Content Validity Index (I-CVI), Scale-Level Level Content Validity Index (S-CVI), and corrected item-total correlation. Cronbach's alpha values measured reliability aspects. Results: The MEQ was valid and reliable, with an I-CVI score of 0.97-1, an S-CVI score of 0.99, and Cronbach's alpha values of 0.85-0.98 for each emotion. The majority of items had a corrected item-total correlation of higher than 0.30. Conclusion: A proper and available tool to measure general psychiatrists' emotions in evaluating forensic psychiatric cases is essential in enhancing evaluators' awareness of their own emotions to eventually mitigate bias. The Multidimensional Emotion Questionnaire (MEQ) was valid and reliable for Indonesian forensic psychiatry contexts.

Defining the tasks of clinical reasoning in forensic psychiatric evaluation: Psychomedicolegal analysis competency.

Objective: Inconsistency in the quality of forensic psychiatry report has been criticized for several years. Yet, there are limited guidelines to provide minimally satisfactory forensic psychiatry evaluation conducted by psychiatrists. In addition to the impact towards the forensic psychiatry service, this lack of standardized guidelines may impact the relevant competency development and its various teaching methods of forensic psychiatry among general psychiatrists. Therefore, this study aims to identify components of psychomedicolegal analysis competency as a form of clinical reasoning in forensic psychiatry. Methods: A comprehensive literature review and expert panel discussions were conducted simultaneously to formulate an initial list of psychomedicolegal analysis competency. A total of fourteen experts were chosen based on their expertise in different disciplines that have intersections with forensic psychiatry and the general psychiatry curriculum (e.g. general psychiatrist, forensic psychiatrists and psychologist, law practitioner, and medical education director). The expert panel were instructed to score and provide feedbacks on the items of the initial list. Four-point Likert scale were used in order for the experts to express the relevancy of the core competence to forensic psychiatry practice until it reached the consensus. Results: The final 60 items of psychomedicolegal analysis competency were developed after three rounds of Delphi technique and reached a consensus (>70% and medians score of at least 3,25). These competency then categorized into four steps 1) preparing the case (Item 1-11), 2) conducting the evaluation (Item 12-41), 3) writing the report (42-51), and 4) giving expert opinion in court (Item 52-60). Conclusion: We developed 60 items of psychomedicolegal analysis competency that can be used as a standardized guide for psychiatrists to conduct forensic psychiatry evaluation, write the report and provide expert opinion in court. Implementation of this guideline can be used to shape further forensic psychiatry education for general psychiatrist and psychiatry residency.

Herpes vegetans, an atypical herpes lesion in HIV patient: A case report.

Herpes vegetans is a rare form of Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in immunocompromised patients that clinically presents as a verrucous and hypertrophic lesion. In this case, we present a 36-year-old man with exophytic verrucous masses in the genital area that was initially suspected as a malignancy. Difficulty to properly diagnose the patient resulted in a few failed attempts at treating the lesion. After excluding other differential diagnoses, the atypical lesion proved to be caused by vegetative herpes infection due to a good response to HSV therapy. Reevaluation of biopsy also showed signs of HSV etiology. Atypical presentation of herpes simplex in immunocompromised patients still proves to be a challenge to diagnose and treat. Proper clinical identification and workup are needed to diagnose and to choose proper regiments.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with Early Dry Skin Disorder: A Comparison Study Between Primary and Tertiary Care in Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in Indonesia has continued to increase over the years. Management of T2DM is challenging across clinical settings, including primary and tertiary care. Uncontrolled T2DM puts patients at risk of the development of T2DM complications, especially early-stage dry skin that is neglected by most of the patients. This study aimed to investigate the comparison between the T2DM management profile and dry skin clinical profile of T2DM patients in primary care and tertiary care settings. METHODS: The study was conducted as a cross-sectional epidemiological study by comparing T2DM patient profiles in primary and tertiary care. The data collected included sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory data that were correlated with T2DM and early dry skin related-T2DM. This study included early dry skin within the SRRC score of 3-11 and excluded infection, ulcer, and severe erythema. RESULTS: The patients in primary and tertiary care presented poorly controlled T2DM with median HbA1c levels of 7.8% and 7.6%. The patients in primary care also presented with high triglyceride, 179 mg/dl. Furthermore, several significant differences were found in the duration of T2DM, duration of dry skin, and DM treatment (OAD and insulin). CONCLUSION: Significant differences in the duration of T2DM, duration of dry skin, and DM treatment (OAD and insulin) might be affected by the parameter of T2DM glycemic control (Blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), HbA1c, random blood glucose (RBG), and triglyceride).

Effectiveness of Cimetidine as Adjuvant Therapy in the Treatment of Acute-Extrinsic Atopic Dermatitis: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Acute extrinsic atopic dermatitis (AD) requires long-term treatment. Cimetidine could be used as an adjuvant therapy for acute-extrinsic AD due to immunomodulatory effects. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of cimetidine as an adjuvant to standard treatment in acute extrinsic AD. METHODS: This is a double-blind randomized controlled trial involving 26 AD patients aged 12-60 years from 2017 to 2020. Effectiveness of cimetidine was assessed by comparing SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) and objective SCORAD changes in both groups at week 2, 4, 6, and 8. Serum levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-12, and IL-4 were also documented. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in SCORAD changes at week 2, 4, 6, and 8 (p = 0.004; p = 0.001; p < 0.001; and p < 0.001 respectively), objective SCORAD changes at week 2, 4, 6, and 8 (p = 0.004, p = 0.001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001 respectively), and IgE level changes at week 8 (p = 0.002) between the two groups. However, there were no significant changes in IFN-γ, IL-12, and IL-4 levels between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Cimetidine is a safe and effective adjuvant therapy for acute-extrinsic AD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04018131.

Radiological Outcomes of Reduction Surgery for Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis Using Long Arm Pedicle Screws.

Objective: Until now, the spondylolisthesis reduction technique has relied on posterior instrumentation using long arm pedicle screws. In this way, the segments will be brought into alignment with the other vertebrae with the pedicle mats being tightened. The aim of this study is to acknowledge whether reduction surgery for degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS) using long arm pedicle screws is able to correct the listhesis and spinopelvic parameters. Methods: We carried out a retrospective study of patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis who went through reduction surgery using long arm pedicle screws in our institutions from January 2019 to March 2022. Preoperative and postoperative radiological outcomes consisting of listhesis and spinopelvic parameters were assessed. Results: We found a statistical difference between the magnitude of listhesis immediately after surgery and preoperatively (p<0.001), with a successful correction of 85.85%. There was significant decrease in the value of pelvic tilt (p=0.044) and increase in the value of sacral slope (p=0.008) after surgery. Conclusion: Reduction surgery using long arm pedicle screws for DLS was able to reduce the listhesis effectively up to 85.5%, and also to restore the parts of spinopelvic parameters, the pelvic tilt and sacral slope, approaching normal values.

Detection of A2058G and A2059G on the 23S rRNA Gene by Multiplex Nested PCR to Identify Treponema pallidum Resistance to Azithromycin in Indonesia.

Azithromycin is an antibiotic used to treat syphilis, especially in the context of penicillin allergy. Although resistance to azithromycin has been widely reported to be associated with one- and/or two-point mutations on the 23S rRNA gene, it has yet to be described in Indonesia. Specimens were collected from 220 patients diagnosed with secondary syphilis. A multiplex nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing system using the 23S rRNA target gene of Treponema pallidum was designed using three primer pairs. The first step involved the use of PCR primer pairs to detect T. pallidum. In the second step, two PCR primer pairs were constructed to identify azithromycin-resistant T. pallidum based on A2058G and A2059G point mutations. T. pallidum detected in samples from Jakarta or Bandung were not resistant to azithromycin. However, azithromycin-resistant T. pallidum were found in samples from Makassar, Medan, and Bali. Specimens from heterosexual males and patients with HIV accounted for the majority of azithromycin resistance noted in the study. This study demonstrated that the azithromycin-resistant T. pallidum detected in Indonesia appear to be a novel variant of resistance, containing both the A2058G and A2059G mutations found in Medan and Makassar.

Translation, validity and reliability of decision style scale in forensic psychiatric setting in Indonesia.

Objective: Clinical reasoning as an essential skill for psychiatrists, especially in forensic psychiatry, relies on their thinking and decision-making skills. However, not all psychiatrists are aware of their decision-making styles. This study examines the validity and reliability of the Indonesian translation of the Decision Style Scale (DSS) instrument among general psychiatrists in the Indonesian forensic psychiatry setting. Method: This is a cross-sectional study involving 32 general psychiatrists from all nine psychiatric residency training centers in Indonesia. The study was conducted between August 2020 and February 2021. The translation process involved certified independent translators. The validity was tested using Item-Level Content Validity Index (I-CVI), Scale-Level Level Content Validity Index (S-CVI), and item-total correlation. Internal consistency reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha. Results: After translation, the instrument was sent back and received feedback from the original authors of DSS. The final version of DSS was valid with an I-CVI score of 0.84-1 and an S-CVI score of 0.99. All but one item had a corrected item-total correlation of more than 0.30. The reliability test of DSS also showed acceptable results with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.43-0.83, and an overall internal consistency score of 0.83 and 0.62 for intuitive and rational scales, respectively. Conclusion: DSS serves as a valid, reliable, and readily-available tool to measure psychiatrists' decision-making styles in forensic psychiatry settings. Enhancing psychiatrists' awareness of their decision-making styles may help in mitigating the risk of bias in forensic psychiatry evaluations.