RESUMO
This study determines the validity and reliability of the Malay version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) assessment instrument in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. A cross-sectional study on 157 patients with HIV seen at the Infectious Disease Unit, Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Kota Bharu, Kelantan was conducted. Factor analysis identified five major domains: physical needs, spirituality, social relationship, psychological, and environment. Significant correlation was found between each domain scores and the general health questions. The instrument was able to discriminate between asymptomatic and symptomatic HIV positive patients for all domain scores except for the spirituality domain. The internal consistency of the five domains ranged from 0.70 to 0.83. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) ranged from 0.60 to 0.87 across all domains. In conclusion, the Malay version of WHOQOL-HIV BREF is a valid and reliable instrument in assessing quality of life in HIV positive patients.
Assuntos
Infecções por HIV/psicologia , Qualidade de Vida , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Feminino , Humanos , Malásia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Espiritualidade , Inquéritos e Questionários/normas , Organização Mundial da Saúde , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Strongyloidiasis is an infection caused by the intestinal nematode Strongyloides stercoralis. Infected healthy individuals are usually asymptomatic, however it is potentially fatal in immunocompromised hosts due to its capacity to cause an overwhelming hyperinfection. Strongyloidiasis could be missed during routine screening because of low and intermittent larval output in stool and variable manifestations of the symptoms. We present two cases of strongyloidiasis occurring in children with solid organ malignancies suspected to have the infection based on their clinical conditions and treatment history for cancer. Both patients were diagnosed by molecular and serological tests and were successfully treated. Thus, strongyloidiasis in patients undergoing intensive treatment for malignancies should be suspected, properly investigated and treated accordingly.
Assuntos
Diarreia/diagnóstico , Infecções Oportunistas/diagnóstico , Strongyloides stercoralis/isolamento & purificação , Estrongiloidíase/diagnóstico , Albendazol/uso terapêutico , Animais , Anti-Helmínticos/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias Encefálicas/complicações , Neoplasias Encefálicas/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias Encefálicas/cirurgia , Pré-Escolar , Diarreia/tratamento farmacológico , Diarreia/parasitologia , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Fezes/parasitologia , Hepatoblastoma/complicações , Hepatoblastoma/diagnóstico por imagem , Hepatoblastoma/cirurgia , Humanos , Hospedeiro Imunocomprometido , Larva , Neoplasias Hepáticas/complicações , Neoplasias Hepáticas/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias Hepáticas/cirurgia , Masculino , Infecções Oportunistas/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções Oportunistas/parasitologia , Radiografia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real , Tumor Rabdoide/complicações , Tumor Rabdoide/diagnóstico por imagem , Tumor Rabdoide/cirurgia , Strongyloides stercoralis/genética , Strongyloides stercoralis/imunologia , Estrongiloidíase/tratamento farmacológico , Estrongiloidíase/parasitologia , Teratoma/complicações , Teratoma/diagnóstico por imagem , Teratoma/cirurgiaRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Beta-thalassaemia major is an autosomal recessive disorder that results in severe microcytic, hypochromic, haemolytic anaemia among affected patients. Beta-thalassaemia has emerged as one of the most common public health problems in Malaysia, particularly among Malaysian Chinese and Malays. This study aimed to observe the spectrum of mutations found in Kelantan Malay beta-thalassaemia major patients who attended the Paediatrics Daycare Unit, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia, the data of which was being used in establishing the prenatal diagnosis in this Human Genome Centre. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted with 35 Kelantan Malay beta-thalassaemia major patients. DNA was extracted from the blood collected from the patients and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. Six restriction enzymes were used to digest the PCR products for the detection of mutations. RESULTS: Five out of the six beta-globin gene defects were detected, namely, IVS-1 nt5 (G>C), IVS-1 nt1 (G>T), codon 26 (G>A), codon 41-42 (4 bp del) and codon 19 (A>G). The mutation which was not observed in this study was in codon 15 (G>A). The two most common mutations observed were codon 26 (G>A) and IVS-1 nt5 (G>C), which was detected in 26 and 17 patients, respectively. Two patients did not show any of the six mutations. CONCLUSION: Our results added to the existing data on the common beta-globin gene defects in Kelantan Malay beta-thalassaemia patients.