Acute Disease ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Pancreatitis ; diagnosis ; pathology

We report a case of Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis in a patient presenting with fever and rare cutaneous manifestations of Osler Nodes and Janeway Lesions. There had not been any distinct risk factors. His echocardiography subsequently revealed vegetation at the anterior mitral valve leaflet. As Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis is of utmost significance in morbidity and mortality, a sharp clinical acumen and follow up investigations is required alongside a prolonged course of antibiotics. Our patient was then started on intravenous cloxacillin for 28 days and gentamicin for 5 days to which he made good progress and recovery.

Academic Medical Centers ; COVID-19/prevention & control* ; Cross Infection/prevention & control* ; Disinfection ; Hospitals, Isolation ; Humans ; Infection Control/methods* ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional/prevention & control* ; Radiology ; Radiology Department, Hospital/organization & administration* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Singapore

Angina Pectoris ; complications ; Cardiomyopathies ; complications ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged

Today, increasingly more people worldwide are aware about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, their actual knowledge about ASD is yet unknown. The lack of knowledge about ASD is especially apparent among the lay people in the community. In this study, the lay knowledge of ASD was investigated using a brief survey involving a community sample in Malaysia. The survey findings revealed that the vast majority of the respondents could relate to ASD as a type of learning disability. However, they were less familiar with the diagnostic features and remedial needs of ASD. They also reported limited knowledge about the social communication and language deficits of ASD. Another noteworthy finding was that the respondents reported different sources of obtaining ASD knowledge according to their demographic profiles (namely age, gender, education and occupation), which correspondingly led to variability in the type of knowledge they obtained. Together, the findings implied that content-specific ASD awareness programs through the right channels are warranted for optimizing efficacy in knowledge transfer and minimizing redundancy in existing ASD awareness campaigns. Increased lay knowledge on ASD will provide a public guardian ground for children with ASD to ensure that the challenges faced by them can be identified at an early age for optimizing the remedial outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about multiple losses to various groups, namely patients, families and healthcare professionals. Grief, which is the reaction to these losses, could cause strain on these individuals' physical and mental health if not identified and managed early. This scoping review analysed loss, grief and how they were managed among these groups during the pandemic. METHOD: This scoping review utilised the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and the Joanna Briggs Institute framework for scoping reviews. Only qualitative studies relating to loss and grief and their management were included. Of 166 studies screened, 69 were included in the study. Qualitative analysis and data coding of each record were conducted through qualitative data analysis software. RESULTS: Losses included the death of family members, patients, colleagues and others. They also included the loss of usual routines, lifestyles and physical health. The grief experienced was multidimensional, affecting mainly the emotional, physical, social and existential realms. Anger, guilt and fear resulted from unsatisfactory farewells, issues with funerals, social isolation, financial strain and stigmatisation. Management strategies could be categorised into 5 themes: communication, finance, counselling, education and spiritual care. CONCLUSION Loss and grief identification and management among patients, family members and healthcare professionals are critically important during this COVID-19 pandemic. Current operating guidelines have proven insufficient in managing loss and grief. Innovative strategies are essential to tackle the many dimensions of loss and grief. Nevertheless, further research is necessary to better understand the effectiveness of implemented policies.
Humans ; COVID-19 ; Grief ; Health Personnel ; Pandemics ; Qualitative Research