BACKGROUND: Periodontitis affects more than half of patients with diabetes. In resource poor areas in the Philippines, access to routine dental visits may be difficult and thus, a selective approach might be needed to identify those who need dental evaluation and management. An easy-to-administer oral health self-report questionnaire was developed in order to predict serious (moderate to severe) periodontitis.
OBJECTIVE: The study aims to determine the validity of the Oral Health Screening Questionnaire for Persons with Diabetes (OHSQPD) in estimating the prevalence of serious periodontitis.
METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional criterion-referenced study of 175 participants with T2DM were included in the study. They were asked to answer the questionnaire and then made to undergo a full dental examination to identify the presence and severity of periodontitis. The validity of the questionnaire was assessed by determining the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and area under the receiver-operating curve (AUROC) with the dental examination as the gold standard.
RESULTS: Using the questionnaire, the prevalence of serious periodontitis was 61% (106) based on an optimal cut-off score of ?12. At this score, the questionnaire yielded a sensitivity of 80.4% and a specificity of 70.6%, with an AUROC of 0.83.
CONCLUSION: The OHSQPD is a valid tool in detecting serious periodontitis

Human ; Male ; Female ; Aged 80 And Over ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Questionnaires ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Periodontitis ; Oral Health ; Philippines

OBJECTIVES: The study aims to develop and validate a health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire for adult Filipinos with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) that can be used in combination with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 Questionnaire.
METHODOLOGY: The study had 4 phases. Phase I involved generation of HRQoL issues from literature review, focus group discussions with 6 DTC patients and 5 health care professionals (HCP). Subsequent assessment for relevance and importance of the HRQoL issues by 20 patients and HCP panel was done. Phase II was formulation of the HRQoL issues into questionnaire and subsequent translation into Filipino. Phase III was pilot testing of the questionnaire in 15 patients. Phase IV was validation of the pre-final questionnaire in 231 patients.
RESULTS: In Phase I, 28 HRQoL issues were generated. In Phase II, a 28-item Filipino questionnaire was created. In Phase III, 22 items that were not upsetting or confusing to patients and with good range of responses were retained. After Phase IV, a 22-item questionnaire with 5 conceptual scales (perceived fears, psychological distress/anxiety, functionality, voice complaints, neck complaints) was created.
CONCLUSIONS: The developed and validated 22-item questionnaire can be used to assess HRQoL issues in adult Filipinos with DTC.

Human ; Male ; Thyroid Gland ; Neoplasms ; Quality Of Life ; Philippines ; Validation Studies ; Patients ; Anxiety

OBJECTIVES: To assess the validity of the Filipino-translated version of the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument(MNSI) in screening for diabetic neuropathy among Filipino patients with diabetes mellitus using nerve conduction velocity(NCV) as gold standard and to determine the most accurate cut-off score for the diagnosis of neuropathy using MNSI.
METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional analytic study was done among adult diabetic patients. The original MNSI Questionnaire was translated and back-translated to the Filipino language. Each patient answered the Filipino version of MNSI Questionnaire followed by a lower extremity examination done by the investigator. All patients underwent NCV as reference standard. Sensitivity and specificity of MNSI were determined.
RESULTS: We studied a total of 150 subjects. Eighty-seven (58%) were diagnosed to have diabetic neuropathy based on NCV. The sensitivity and specificity of the MNSI Questionnaire improved to 73.6% and 52.4% respectively when the cut off was reduced to ?4, whereas for the MNSI Examination, the sensitivity and specificity improved to 86.2% and 55.6% respectively when the cut off was reduced to ?1. Combining both MNSI Questionnaire and MNSI Examination further improves the sensitivity to 95.4% whereas specificity is at 39.7%.
CONCLUSION: The analyses in 150 subjects confirm that the Filipino-version of MNSI is a valid screening tool for diabetic neuropathy when compared with NCV as gold standard.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Questionnaires ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Philippines ; Patients

OBJECTIVES: An inter-arm difference in systolic blood pressure (IADSBP) of 10 mmHg or more has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and increased mortality in T2DM patients. We aim to study ethnic disparity in IADSBP and its determinants in a multi-ethnic T2DM Asian cohort.
METHODOLOGY: Bilateral blood pressures were collected sequentially in Chinese (n=654), Malays (n=266) and Indians (n=313). IADSBP was analyzed as categories (
RESULTS: Malays (27.4%) and Indians (22.4%) had higher prevalence of IADSBP ?10 mmHg than Chinese (17.4%) (p=0.002). After adjustment for age, gender, duration of diabetes, hemoglobin A1c, body mass index (BMI), heart rate, pulse wave velocity (PWV), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), smoking, hypertension, soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), and usage of hypertension medications, ethnicity remained associated with IADSBP. While Malays were more likely to have IADSBP ?10 mmHg than Chinese (OR=1.648, 95%CI: 1.138-2.400, p=0.009), Indians had comparable odds with the Chinese. BMI (OR=1.054, 95%CI: 1.022-1.087, p=0.001) and hypertension (OR=2.529, 95%CI: 1.811-3.533, p<0.001) were also associated with IADSBP ?10 mmHg.
CONCLUSION: IADSBP in Malays were more likely to be ?10 mmHg than the Chinese which may explain their higher risk for CVD and mortality. Measuring bilateral blood pressures may identify high-risk T2DM individuals for intensive risk factor-management.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Aged 80 And Over ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Mortality ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Body Mass Index ; Hemoglobins ; Heart Rate ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Creatinine ; Smoking ; Hypertension

OBJECTIVES: To determine cut-off levels of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) for overweight/obesity associated with cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) among adult Filipinos in a rural community.
METHODOLOGY: This community-based cross-sectional observational study utilized data from our Phase II of Diabetes Self-Management Education Program in San Juan, Batangas, Philippines. It included 332 Filipino adults with no known illnesses and residing for at least 6 months in the rural communities. Optimal cut-offs were determined by the intersection of sensitivity and specificity curves of having at least 1 or 2 CMDs.
RESULTS: The study population included 332 participants (72.3% females). Mean BMI, WC and WHR were 23.5 kg/m2, 79.5 cm and 0.87 respectively. Twenty eight percent, 11.1%, 78.3% and 85.8% of the participants have hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and at least 1 CMD respectively. The optimal cut-off for overweight/obesity and central obesity in males and females are BMI of 24 and 23 kg/m2, WC of 84 and 77 cm, and WHR 0.91 and 0.85 respectively.
CONCLUSION: Similar to other Asian countries, cut-off levels for overweight, obesity, and central obesity associated with CMDs are lower than the currently recommended cut-offs among Filipino adults in rural communities, particularly for WC in both sexes.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Aged 80 And Over ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Body Mass Index ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Waist Circumference ; Adult ; Hypertension ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dyslipidemias

OBJECTIVES: To compare the rate of diabetes complications in young-onset type 2 diabetes (T2DM) with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) patients and to examine the relationship between diabetes complications with clinical and metabolic parameters.
METHODOLOGY: This is a retrospective,comparative study based on electronic medical records review. Young-onset T2DM patients defined as those with disease onset before the age of 40 and T1DM patients were included. Data was collected on demographic and clinical parameters, cardiovascular risks factors, macrovascular and microvascular complications.
RESULTS: There were 194 young-onset T2DM and 45 T1DM subjects. Despite similar glycemic profile, more subjects in the T2DM group hadunfavourable cardiovascular risk factors and developedmacro- or microvascular complications than the T1DM group (22 vs. 0%, p< 0.001for macrovascular, 68 vs. 40%, p< 0.001 for microvascular). Afteradjustment ofthe confounders, young-onset T2DM remained an independent predictor for both macrovascular and microvascular complications in the overall cohort (HR= 2.635, p= 0.022).
CONCLUSION: Young-onset T2DM appeared to be a more aggressive disease compared to T1DM. An aggressive approach should be adopted in treating young-onset T2DM to optimise the cardiovascular risk factors and glycemic control to prevent premature mortality and morbidity.

Human ; Adult ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Patients ; Mortality ; Morbidity

INTRODUCTION: Physical activity is an important factor in reducing morbidity from type 2 diabetes mellitus and maintaining quality of life. There is no available data on physical activity among Filipino patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
OBJECTIVES: The objectives are to assess the physical activity level of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus at the UP-PGH Diabetes Clinic using Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and to determine the relationship between physical activity, health profiles and socio-demographic characteristics.
METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the physical activity levels of 151 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (46 men and 105 women) using GPAQ. Anthropometric measurements, socio-demographic profiles and HbA1c were also taken.
RESULTS: Majority of subjects had moderate to high physical activity (68.9%) and most of the patients had poor glycemic control based on HbA1c of ?7% (68.2%). Subjects aged 60 years and above (68.1%; p=0.022) and with poor glycemic control (89.4%; p=<0.001) had low physical activity level. There is no significant statistical correlation between physical activity, anthropometric profile and other socio-demographic characteristics.
CONCLUSION: Majority of the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus at the UP-PGH Diabetes Clinic had moderate to high physical activity level. Subjects with poor glycemic control and older age group were associated with low physical activity.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Aged 80 And Over ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Anthropometry ; Cross-sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Exercise ; Hyperglycemia ; Quality Of Life ; Surveys And Questionnaires

A 25-year-old Indian male presented to Endocrine Outpatient Department of PGIMS Rohtak with chief complaints of inability to father a child in spite of 2 years of unprotected sexual intercourse. Patient had a normal male phenotype, however seminal fluid analysis was suggestive of azoospermia. Karyotyping chromosomal analysis showed 46, XX chromosomes. The frequency, etiology and diagnosis of this syndrome are reviewed here.

Human ; Male ; Adult ; Azoospermia ; Chromosomes ; Coitus ; Fathers ; Karyotyping ; Outpatients ; Phenotype ; Semen Analysis ; Male

The association of Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) with Turner syndrome is very rare and only a single case has been reported so far. Both manifest with short stature and lack of secondary sexual characteristics along with other stigmata similar to each other, creating a diagnostic dilemma.
We describe a case of a 15-year-old Asian Indian female who presented with short stature and delayed puberty with overlapping phenotype of PHP and Turner syndrome. The diagnosis of Turner syndrome was made easily on the basis of typical history, clinical features and karyotype but the diagnosis of PHP was suspected only after radiological and biochemical investigations. The association of Turner syndrome with PHP can be easily missed due to similar phenotypes and subtle manifestations.

Human ; Female ; Adolescent ; Dwarfism ; Karyotype ; Karyotyping ; Phenotype ; Pseudohypoparathyroidism ; Puberty ; Puberty, Delayed ; Turner Syndrome ; Brachydactyly

This case report describes the long-term follow-up of a 22-year-old, female patient with type 1 diabetes managed by conservative oral care and glycemic control measures. She is on a twice a day insulin regimen. Tooth numbers 13 and 37 had pockets less than 6 mm while all remaining teeth had greater than 6 mm. Periodontal management consisted of root planing combined with instructions on diabetes self-management skills at home. Nine weeks after the first sextant was treated, pocket depth measurements in 93 (81.6%) out of 114 sites and bleeding on probing (BOP) scores in 11 (57.9%) out of 19 teeth decreased. There was a 50% reduction in the C reactive Protein and a 46.7% decrease in the fructosamine assay levels. Initial glycohemoglobin level of 8.3% decreased substantially to 7.1%. The goal of the dentist is no longer just the improvement of oral health but ultimately the overall health of the patient and the physician's goal is to include oral health in the promotion of overall health.

Human ; Female ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Blood Glucose ; C-reactive Protein ; Clinical Protocols ; Dentists ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fructosamine ; Insulin ; Oral Health ; Self Care ; Tooth Root ; Periodontitis