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1.
J Investig Med ; : 10815589241248076, 2024 May 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38594224

ABSTRACT

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in patients with diabetes; limited data suggested that statins may reduce the risk of NAFLD progression. This study aimed to examine the association between statins and the development or progression of NAFLD in veterans with diabetes. In a new-user negative control design, we conducted a retrospective propensity score (PS)-matched cohort study of patients with diabetes between 2003 and 2015. After excluding patients with other causes of liver disease, we formed PS using 85 characteristics. The primary outcome was a composite NAFLD progression outcome. Primary analysis examined odds of outcome in PS-matched cohort. Post-hoc analysis included a PS-matched cohort of statin users with intensive lowering of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) vs low-intensity lowering. We matched 34,102 pairs from 300,739 statin users and 38,038 non-users. The composite outcome occurred in 8.8% of statin users and 8.6% of non-users (odds ratio (OR) 1.02, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.97-1.08). In the post-hoc analysis, intensive lowering of LDL-C compared to low-intensity showed increased NAFLD progression (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.13-1.30). This study showed that statin use in patients with diabetes was not associated with decreased or increased risk of NAFLD progression. Intensive LDL-C lowering, compared to low-intensity LDL-C lowering, was associated with an increased risk of NAFLD progression.

2.
Med J Malaysia ; 79(Suppl 1): 34-39, 2024 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38555883

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Parkia speciosa Hassk., commonly known as bitter bean or twisted cluster bean, is a tropical leguminous plant species native to Southeast Asia. The plant's edible pods have been traditionally used in various cuisines, particularly in Malaysian, Thai, and Indonesian cooking. Apart from being used as a food ingredient, the pods of P. speciosa also have a range of potential applications in other fields, including medicine, agriculture, and industry. The pods are said to have several phytochemicals that hold great therapeutic values such as reducing inflammation, improving digestion, and lowering blood sugar levels. However, there is limited information on the specific phytochemical contents of the pods in the literature. Thus, the aim of this study is to quantify the total phenolic and flavonoid compounds and to determine the concentrations of four selected phytochemical compounds in the P. speciosa pod extract (PSPE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantification of the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid contents (TFC) in PSPE were done via colourimetric methods; and the determination of the concentrations of four specific phytochemicals (gallic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, and quercetin) were done via High- Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: Colourimetric determination of PSPE showed TPC and TFC values of 84.53±9.40 mg GAE/g and 11.96±4.51 mg QE/g, respectively. Additional analysis of the phytochemicals using HPLC revealed that there were 6.45±3.36 g/kg, 5.91±1.07 g/kg, 0.39±0.84 g/kg, and 0.19±0.47 g/kg of caffeic acid, gallic acid, rutin, and quercetin, respectively. CONCLUSION: The findings show that PSPE contains substantial amounts of caffeic acid, gallic acid, rutin, and quercetin, which may indicate its potential as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-lipid, and antiviral medicines.


Subject(s)
Antioxidants , Quercetin , Humans , Quercetin/analysis , Antioxidants/analysis , Antioxidants/chemistry , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Flavonoids/analysis , Gallic Acid/analysis , Phenols/analysis , Phenols/chemistry , Rutin/analysis , Phytochemicals/analysis , Plant Extracts
3.
Med J Malaysia ; 79(Suppl 1): 104-109, 2024 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38555893

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Indoor air quality is an important concern for kindergartener because young children are more vulnerable to the effects of poor air quality. Poor indoor air quality can cause respiratory problems and other health issues, which can negatively affect a child's ability to learn and grow. Aim of this study is to determine the trend and status of indoor air pollutants in study areas by using descriptive statistics and cluster analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Air temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), air movement (AM), carbon dioxide (CO2), formaldehyde (HCHO), and particulate matter (PM) are the monitored parameters. Monitoring was carried out in the kindergarten for three consecutive days starting from 8.00am to 12.00pm. RESULTS: Indoor carbon dioxide readings were higher at 0800 when parents drove to kindergarten to drop off their children without turning off the engine. In addition to this, the PM10 reading at 1000 was high but still within the standard range according to ICOP-IAQ 2010. CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the importance of indoor air quality improvement measures for kindergarten buildings which can be used to improve indoor air quality in kindergarten environments.


Subject(s)
Air Pollutants , Air Pollution, Indoor , Child , Humans , Child, Preschool , Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis , Carbon Dioxide/analysis , Malaysia , Air Pollutants/analysis , Particulate Matter/analysis
4.
Med J Malaysia ; 78(7): 890-892, 2023 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38159923

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been proposed as the first line of neuroimaging for acute ischaemic stroke. The reliability of DWI in detecting intracranial haemorrhage, however, is still unproven, compared with susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) and CT scan which being considered the gold standard. This study seeks to establish the reliability of DWI as a first-line imaging modality to detect the intracranial haemorrhage in the patients present within the thrombolysis window. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was performed on patients who presented to our institution from April 2020 until July 2021 for acute stroke and had MRI brain as first-line neuroimaging. A total of 31 subjects were included in this study. Two radiologists assessed the signal patterns in DWI sequence and compared them with SWI and CT Brain, whenever available, as the gold standard for observing the presence of intracranial haemorrhage. RESULTS: The majority of patients with hyperacute bleed proven to be revealed on SWI or CT, thus showed characteristics of central hyperintensity and peripheral hypointense rim, on DWI. Slightly more than half (51.6%) presented with mild to moderate NIHSS scores (1-15). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of DWI in detecting intracranial intra-axial haemorrhages were exceptionally high. There is strong interobserver level of agreement in identifying central haemorrhagic signal intensity [kappa = 0.94 (0.06), p < 0.05]. CONCLUSION: This study supported the DWI sequence as a reliable sequence in MRI, to detect intracranial haemorrhage in hyperacute stroke.


Subject(s)
Brain Ischemia , Hemorrhagic Stroke , Stroke , Humans , Stroke/diagnostic imaging , Stroke/drug therapy , Retrospective Studies , Reproducibility of Results , Cross-Sectional Studies , Sensitivity and Specificity , Intracranial Hemorrhages/diagnostic imaging , Thrombolytic Therapy
5.
Drug Saf ; 46(11): 1105-1116, 2023 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37782373

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Whereas some guidelines recommend statin use to achieve low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal < 70 mg/dL for primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in patients at higher risk, others recommend against a target LDL-C level. Achieving a target level < 70 mg/dL commonly requires the use of high intensity statins, which has been associated with higher risk of diabetes progression. The objective of this study is to assess the association of strict (≤ 70 mg/dL) versus lenient (> 70 to100 mg/dL) LDL-C lowering on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), diabetes progression, diabetes microvascular complications, and total mortality in patients with diabetes. METHODS: This was a retrospective propensity score (PS)-matched study from a national cohort of, predominantly male, veterans diagnosed with diabetes without prior cardiovascular disease (from fiscal years 2003-2015), who were initiated on a statin. We created PS to match strict (mean LDL-C during follow-up ≤ 70 mg/dL) versus lenient (mean LDL-C during follow up > 70-100 mg/dL) using 65 baseline characteristics including comorbidities, risk scores, medication classes usage, vital signs, and laboratory data. Outcomes included MACE, diabetes progression, microvascular diabetes complications, and total mortality. RESULTS: From 80,110 eligible patients, we PS-matched 21,294 pairs of statin initiators with strict or lenient LDL-C lowering. The mean (SD) age was 64 (9.5) years and mean (SD) duration of follow-up was 6 (3) years. MACE was similar in the PS-matched groups [6.1% in strict versus 5.8% in lenient; odds ratio (OR): 1.06; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.98-1.15, P = 0.17]. Diabetes progression was higher among the strict vs lenient group (66.7% in strict versus 64.1% in lenient; OR 1.12; 95% CI 1.08-1.17, P < 0.001). There was no difference in microvascular diabetes complications (22.3% in strict versus 21.9% in lenient; OR 1.02; 95% CI 0.98-1.07, P = 0.31) and no difference in total mortality (14.6% in strict versus 15% in lenient; OR 0.97; 95% CI 0.92-1.02, P = 0.20). CONCLUSION: Strict compared with lenient lowering of LDL-C with statins in men with diabetes without preexisting ASCVD did not decrease the risk of MACE but was associated with an increased diabetes progression. Clinicians should monitor their patients for diabetes progression upon escalating statins to achieve LDL-C levels ≤ 70 mg/dL.


Subject(s)
Cardiovascular Diseases , Diabetes Complications , Diabetes Mellitus , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Female , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/adverse effects , Cholesterol, LDL , Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control , Retrospective Studies , Cholesterol , Diabetes Mellitus/drug therapy , Diabetes Mellitus/chemically induced , Diabetes Complications/drug therapy , Diabetes Complications/chemically induced
6.
Am J Cardiol ; 203: 274-284, 2023 09 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37516035

ABSTRACT

Statins have been associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) progression but their cardiovascular benefit in patients with DM outweigh the harm. However, the effects of concurrent use of other medications that similarly increase blood glucose level, such as thiazide diuretics, are not well studied. This study aimed to evaluate the association of concurrent use of thiazide diuretics and statins on DM progression, cardiovascular and renal outcomes, and death in patients with DM. This is a retrospective cohort study of Veterans with DM who initiated statins between 2003 and 2015. The cohort comprised thiazide users (concomitantly used thiazides and statins for ≥6 months) and active comparators (concomitantly used calciun channel blockers [CCB] but not thiazides and statins for ≥6 months). We excluded patients who were <18 years old, with chronic kidney disease stage 4 or worse, or used loop diuretics. We propensity-score-matched comparison groups on 99 baseline characteristics including demographics, healthcare utilization, co-morbidities, cardiovascular and co-morbidity scores, vital signs, laboratory data, and medication class usage. Outcomes were: (1) DM progression (new insulin initiation, increase in the number of glucose-lowering medication classes, and hyperglycemic episodes); (2) kidney disease progression (doubling of serum creatinine, incidence of chronic kidney disease stage 5, initiation of renal replacement therapy, and incidence of diabetic nephropathy); (3) cardiovascular outcomes (acute myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiac arrest); and (4) total mortality. From 297,967 statin users (228,509 Thiazide-statin users and 69,458 active comparators), we successfully matched 67,614 pairs. In comparison to active comparators, thiazide-statin users had increased risk of DM progression (65.6% in CCB group vs 68.1% in thiazide group; odds ratio [OR]: 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09 to 1.15), decreased risk of kidney progression (16.9% in CCB group vs 16.5 in thiazide group; OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94 to 0.99), decreased risk of cardiovascular outcomes (15.7% in CCB group vs 14.6% in thiazide group; OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.89 to 0.95), and similar risk of total mortality (19.7% in each group; OR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.98 to 1.03). This study attempted to answer an important clinical question whether thiazide diuretics should be discontinued or substituted upon statin initiation. Our results showed that concurrent use of statin and thiazides in patients with DM was associated with DM progression but with less kidney progression and cardiovascular outcomes and no difference in mortality. Clinicians should closely monitor DM control when thiazides and statins are used concurrently.


Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus , Diabetic Nephropathies , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors , Renal Insufficiency, Chronic , Humans , Adolescent , Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Retrospective Studies , Thiazides/adverse effects , Kidney , Disease Progression , Diuretics/therapeutic use , Diabetes Mellitus/drug therapy
7.
BMJ ; 382: 1723, 2023 07 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37495236
9.
Water Sci Technol ; 86(9): 2233-2247, 2022 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36378177

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the promising method of synchronizing the Six Sigma and reliability analyses at 15 sewage treatment plants (STPs) operating in Melaka, Malaysia. Five different suspended growth treatment technologies in various capacities were investigated. The sequential batch reactor (SBR) and extended aeration activated sludge (EAAS) processes, conventional activated sludge (CAS), aerated lagoon (AL), and oxidation pond (OP) were compared using innovative Niku's treatment reliability and Six Sigma process capability method for biological oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), oil and grease (O&G), and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) effluent parameters and justified the importance of understanding the lognormal behavior of the effluent parameters in interpreting the performance monitoring results and discharge compliance. The results showed that the SBR and EAAS systems relatively fulfilled the highest performance (>95%) compared to conventional systems to ensure the high quality of effluent discharge. Although the whole system is incapable of removing nutrients efficiently, ranging between 42.31% and 90.48%, may lead to eutrophication issues. Process modification and treatment control should become a critical priority in order to reduce variability, improve stability, and increase the efficiency of nutrient removal. These initiatives promote global sustainable development goals (SDGs) 2030 and the domestic water sector transformation (WST) 2040 by treatment cost reduction, improving environmental sustainability and guaranteeing social and health benefits.


Subject(s)
Sewage , Waste Disposal, Fluid , Sewage/analysis , Waste Disposal, Fluid/methods , Bioreactors , Malaysia , Reproducibility of Results , Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis , Nitrogen/analysis
10.
PLoS One ; 17(7): e0269982, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35862466

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Statins increase insulin resistance, which may increase risk of diabetic microvascular complications. Little is known about the impact of statins on renal, ophthalmologic, and neurologic complications of diabetes in practice. The objective of this study was to examine the association of statins with renal disease progression, ophthalmic manifestations, and neurological manifestations in diabetes. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study, new-user active comparator design, that included a national Veterans Health Administration (VA) patients with diabetes from 2003 to 2015. Patients were age 30 years or older and were regular users of the VA with data encompassing clinical encounters, demographics, vital signs, laboratory tests, and medications. Patients were divided into statin users or nonusers (active comparators). Statin users initiated statins and nonusers initiated H2-blockers or proton pump-inhibitors (H2-PPI) as an active comparator. Study outcomes were: 1) Composite renal disease progression outcome; 2) Incident diabetes with ophthalmic manifestations; and 3) Incident diabetes with neurological manifestations. RESULTS: Out of 705,774 eligible patients, we propensity score matched 81,146 pairs of statin users and active comparators. Over a mean (standard deviation) of follow up duration of 4.8 (3) years, renal disease progression occurred in 9.5% of statin users vs 8.3% of nonusers (odds ratio [OR]: 1.16; 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 1.12-1.20), incident ophthalmic manifestations in 2.7% of statin users vs 2.0% of nonusers (OR: 1.35, 95%CI:1.27-1.44), and incident neurological manifestations in 6.7% of statin users vs 5.7% of nonusers (OR: 1.19, 95%CI:1.15-1.25). Secondary, sensitivity, and post-hoc analyses were consistent and demonstrated highest risks among the healthier subgroup and those with intensive lowering of LDL-cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: Statin use in patients with diabetes was associated with modestly higher risk of renal disease progression, incident ophthalmic, and neurological manifestations. More research is needed to assess the overall harm/benefit balance for statins in the lower risk populations with diabetes and those who receive intensive statin therapy.


Subject(s)
Diabetes Complications , Diabetes Mellitus , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors , Kidney Diseases , Veterans , Adult , Diabetes Complications/drug therapy , Diabetes Mellitus/chemically induced , Diabetes Mellitus/drug therapy , Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology , Disease Progression , Humans , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/adverse effects , Kidney Diseases/drug therapy , Propensity Score , Retrospective Studies
13.
JAMA Intern Med ; 181(12): 1562-1574, 2021 12 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34605849

ABSTRACT

Importance: Statin therapy has been associated with increased insulin resistance; however, its clinical implications for diabetes control among patients with diabetes is unknown. Objective: To assess diabetes progression after initiation of statin use in patients with diabetes. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a retrospective matched-cohort study using new-user and active-comparator designs to assess associations between statin initiation and diabetes progression in a national cohort of patients covered by the US Department of Veterans Affairs from fiscal years 2003-2015. Patients included were 30 years or older; had been diagnosed with diabetes during the study period; and were regular users of the Veterans Affairs health system, with records of demographic information, clinical encounters, vital signs, laboratory data, and medication usage. Interventions: Treatment initiation with statins (statin users) or with H2-blockers or proton pump inhibitors (active comparators). Main Outcomes and Measures: Diabetes progression composite outcome comprised the following: new insulin initiation, increase in the number of glucose-lowering medication classes, incidence of 5 or more measurements of blood glucose of 200 mg/dL or greater, or a new diagnosis of ketoacidosis or uncontrolled diabetes. Results: From the 705 774 eligible patients, we matched 83 022 pairs of statin users and active comparators; the matched cohort had a mean (SD) age of 60.1 (11.6) years; 78 712 (94.9%) were men; 1715 (2.1%) were American Indian/Pacific Islander/Alaska Native, 570 (0.8%) were Asian, 17 890 (21.5%) were Black, and 56 633 (68.2 %) were White individuals. Diabetes progression outcome occurred in 55.9% of statin users vs 48.0% of active comparators (odds ratio, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.35-1.40; P < .001). Each individual component of the composite outcome was significantly higher among statin users. Secondary analysis demonstrated a dose-response relationship with a higher intensity of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol lowering associated with greater diabetes progression. Conclusions and Relevance: This retrospective matched-cohort study found that statin use was associated with diabetes progression, including greater likelihood of insulin treatment initiation, significant hyperglycemia, acute glycemic complications, and an increased number of prescriptions for glucose-lowering medication classes. The risk-benefit ratio of statin use in patients with diabetes should take into consideration its metabolic effects.


Subject(s)
Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control , Diabetes Mellitus/drug therapy , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Veterans , Blood Glucose/metabolism , Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology , Diabetes Mellitus/blood , Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology , Disease Progression , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , United States/epidemiology
14.
Int J Dent Hyg ; 19(2): 215-222, 2021 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33513278

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Representing the largest proportion of healthcare workers, nurses play a significant role in oral health (OH) maintenance as part of a larger effort to promote holistic patient care. The study aims to determine nursing students' perceptions of OH education and practice in Malaysian and Australian nursing schools. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire (content- and face-validated) survey was undertaken, classroom style, amongst final-year nursing students from selected Malaysian (n = 122, Response rate=97.6%) and Australian (n = 299, Response rate=54.7%) institutions. Quantitative data were analysed via Statistical Package for Social Science software (Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, p ≤ 0.01). RESULTS: Significantly more Malaysian nursing students, compared to those in Australia, reported having encountered patients with OH issues (98.4% vs. 82.9%), namely halitosis (87.7% vs. 62.2%), oral ulcers (63.1% vs. 41.1%), oral/dental trauma (36.9% vs. 21.1%) and caries in children (28.7% vs. 7.7%). Less than half of Malaysian and Australian nursing students reported that they received adequate OH training (48.4% vs. 36.6%, p ≤ 0.01), especially in detecting oral cancer (18.0.0% vs. 22.6%, p ≤ 0.01) and preventing oral diseases (46.7% vs. 41.7%, p ≤ 0.01). Students in both countries demonstrated positive attitudes and believed in their role in OH care. Most students agreed that they should receive training in OH, especially in smoking cessation and providing OH care for patients with special needs. They also opined that a standardized evidence-based oral hygiene protocol is needed. CONCLUSION: Support for education and practice in this area of patient care suggested positive implications for further development of nurses' roles in OH promotion and management.


Subject(s)
Students, Nursing , Australia , Child , Health Education, Dental , Humans , Malaysia , Oral Health , Perception , Surveys and Questionnaires
15.
Plast Reconstr Surg ; 147(1): 42e-49e, 2021 01 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33002981

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Given the rising media attention regarding various adverse conditions attributed to breast implants, the authors examined the association between breast implantation and the risk of being diagnosed with connective tissue diseases, allergic reactions, and nonspecific constitutional complaints in a cohort study with longitudinal follow-up. METHODS: Women enrolled in a regional military health care system between 2003 and 2012 were evaluated in this retrospective cohort study. A propensity score was generated to match women who underwent breast implantation with women who did not undergo breast implantation. The propensity score included age, social history, health care use, comorbidities, and medication use. Outcomes assessed included International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, diagnoses codes for (1) nonspecific constitutional symptoms, (2) nonspecific cardiac conditions, (3) rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, (4) other connective tissue diseases, and (5) allergic reactions. RESULTS: Of 22,063 women included in the study (513 breast implants and 21,550 controls), we propensity score-matched 452 breast implant recipients with 452 nonrecipients. Odds ratios and 95 percent confidence intervals in breast implant recipients compared to nonrecipients were similar, including nonspecific constitutional symptoms (OR, 0.77; 95 percent CI, 0.53 to 1.13), nonspecific cardiac conditions (OR, 0.97; 95 percent CI, 0.69 to 1.37), rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (OR, 0.66; 95 percent CI, 0.33 to 1.31), other connective tissue diseases (OR, 1.02; 95 percent CI, 0.78 to 1.32), and allergic reactions (OR, 1.18; 95 percent CI, 0.84 to 1.66). CONCLUSIONS: Women with breast implants did not have an increased likelihood of being diagnosed with nonspecific constitutional symptoms, connective tissue disorders, and/or allergic reaction conditions. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.


Subject(s)
Breast Implantation/adverse effects , Breast Implants/adverse effects , Connective Tissue Diseases/epidemiology , Hypersensitivity/epidemiology , Adult , Breast Implantation/instrumentation , Case-Control Studies , Connective Tissue Diseases/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Hypersensitivity/diagnosis , Middle Aged , Odds Ratio , Propensity Score , Retrospective Studies , Risk Assessment/statistics & numerical data , Silicones/adverse effects , Young Adult
16.
Eur J Dent Educ ; 25(2): 350-359, 2021 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33021010

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: A high degree of training is necessary to prepare student nurses for their roles as oral healthcare partners that can promote a holistic approach to health in the community. This study aims to determine the extent of oral health education in Australian and Malaysian nursing institutions, as well as investigate educators' perceptions of education and practice in this area of care. METHODOLOGY: An audio-recorded, semi-structured qualitative phone interview was conducted with the heads of 42 nursing schools across Australia (n = 35) and Malaysia (n = 7) during the 2015 academic year. Qualitative data were analysed via thematic analysis. Quantitative data, wherever appropriate, were measured for frequencies. RESULTS: The response rate was 34.2% (n = 12) and 71.4% (n = 5) for the Australian and Malaysian subjects, respectively. Findings revealed that although all the nursing schools measured provided didactic and clinical training in oral health, curriculum content, expected learning outcomes, amount of clinical exposure and assessment approach lacked consistency. Most nursing educators across both countries perceived an overloaded curriculum as a barrier to providing oral health education. Whilst educators demonstrated their support for training in this area of care, they expressed the need for an established national guideline that highlights the educational requirement for future nurses in oral health maintenance and their scope of practice. CONCLUSION: This study provides valuable information for further developing oral health education for nurses, to improve their competency and ultimately the health of the communities that they will serve.


Subject(s)
Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate , Students, Nursing , Australia , Curriculum , Education, Dental , Humans , Malaysia
17.
Eur J Case Rep Intern Med ; 7(12): 001884, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33312998

ABSTRACT

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are most commonly triggered by infections, but up to 25% of those that require hospitalization are thought to be triggered by acute pulmonary embolism. We present the case of a 71-year-old patient with a history of unprovoked pulmonary embolisms on anticoagulation therapy hospitalized for a COPD exacerbation. The exacerbation was triggered by an acute pulmonary embolism, representing anticoagulation failure. LEARNING POINTS: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is an important trigger of COPD exacerbations and should be considered, especially when there is an unexplained abrupt or recurrent increase in the frequency or severity of exacerbations.Therapeutic anticoagulation does not preclude the presence of PE.Clinical risk stratification is a crucial component of medical decision-making.

18.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 22(36): 20507-20514, 2020 Sep 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32966421

ABSTRACT

In the field of additive manufacturing DLP vat technologies are promising 3D printing techniques. The need of highly efficient photoiniating systems drives us to the development of photocyclic 3-component initiators. In order to improve the 3D printing sensitivity, we present in this paper the use of synthesized clay to tune up the photochemistry underlying the initiating radical production. Therefore, a three-component initiating system, based on a cationic dye, two coinitiators and with a clay filler suitable for DLP 3D printing of acrylate resins leading to high quality of parts and low printing time, is developed.

19.
Brain Inj ; 34(10): 1367-1374, 2020 08 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32790503

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Several in-vitro and animal studies suggest that statins may have beneficial effects on clinical outcomes of traumatic brain injury (TBI), however, clinical data are scarce. OBJECTIVES: To examine the association of statin use with TBI clinical outcomes among patients with TBI. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of Tricare beneficiaries who had a TBI diagnosis, as defined by the Barbell injury diagnosis matrix. Outcomes were defined using ICD-9 codes and included: post-concussion syndrome, neurological disorders, substance dependence or abuse, and psychiatric disorders. Statin-users and non-users were propensity score (PS)-matched using 103 baseline characteristics. RESULTS: Out of 1187 adult patients with a TBI diagnosis (172 statin-users and 1015 nonusers), we PS-matched 70 statin-users to 70 non-users. There were no statistically significant differences in the PS-matched cohort of statin-users in comparison to nonusers for post-concussion syndrome (odds ratio [OR]: 0.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03-2.20), neurological disorders (OR: 0.60, CI: 0.31-1.16); substance dependence or abuse (OR: 0.80, CI: 0.40-1.60), or psychiatric disorders (OR 0.80, CI: 0.41-1.55). CONCLUSION: This study did not show benefit or harm for statins among survivors of TBI. Our findings do not support the evidence from some animal studies and small randomized controlled trials. Further studies utilizing larger sample sizes are warranted.


Subject(s)
Brain Injuries, Traumatic , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors , Adult , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/complications , Brain Injuries, Traumatic/drug therapy , Humans , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Propensity Score , Retrospective Studies , Survivors
20.
Malays Fam Physician ; 15(1): 47-49, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32284805

ABSTRACT

Dengue is known to cause high morbidity and mortality worldwide. In recent years, there have been increasing cases of dengue fever associated with a rare complication: hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS), which is a dangerous disorder that carries high mortality. It is associated with infections, autoimmune disorders, and malignancies. Prolonged duration of fever and cytopenia together with multi-organ dysfunction out of proportion to the plasma leakage phase should alert clinicians to consider this condition. In this case study, we highlight a 45-year-old woman with underlying diabetes who was admitted due to dengue fever with warning signs. Her conditions deteriorated quickly: she had spontaneous bleeding, evidence of plasma leakage, severe hepatitis, and coagulopathy on the 11th day of illness. With the support of other blood results, such as raised serum ferritin and lactate dehydrogenase, she was diagnosed with severe dengue with hemophagocytosis syndrome. She responded well to intravenous dexamethasone and recovered on the 19th day of illness.

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