Introduction: The recommendation to lose weight has been the guiding principle in the treatment of type 2 diabetic patients. However, to facilitate this process, it is vital to understand factors associated with personal feelings about body weight and related behaviour. Methods: The objectives of this cross-sectional study were (1) to determine mean BMI and weight of satisfaction and (2) to measure the association between body weight satisfaction vs. sex, BMI, glycaemic control (as measured by Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG), and attempts to lose weight among type 2 diabetic patients. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were employed (SPSS 16). A total of 67 subjects were recruited from Klinik Kesihatan Bandar Kuantan (age = 54.1 ± 8.1 years; female = 62.7%; Malay = 73.1%; overweight/obese = 62.7%) who completed a set of self-administered questionnaires. Results: The mean BMI and weight of satisfaction were 27.9 ± 5.3 kg/m2 and 62.7 ± 10.9kg respectively. A greater proportion of women (65.0%) reported dissatisfaction with their body weight. Patients with higher BMI generally reported greater dissatisfaction with body weight compared to those with lesser BMI (p = 0.090). There was no significant difference in the glycaemic control of patients who were satisfied or dissatisfied with their weight (p = 0.839). There was also no significant association between body weight satisfaction and diet (p = 0.957), physical activity (p = 0.517) or both (p = 0.734). Conclusion: This study implies that body weight satisfaction alone is not a strong factor that may drive type 2 diabetic patients to control their body weight.

Early detection of a dengue outbreak is an important first step towards implementing effective dengue interventions resulting in reduced mortality and morbidity. A dengue mathematical model would be useful for the prediction of an outbreak and evaluation of control measures. However, such a model must be carefully parameterized and validated with epidemiological, ecological and entomological data. A field study was conducted to collect and analyse various parameters to model dengue transmission and outbreak. Dengueprone areas in Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, Kedah and Johor were chosen for this study. Ovitraps were placed outdoor and used to determine the effects of meteorological parameters on vector breeding. Vector population in each area was monitored weekly for 87 weeks. Weather stations, consisting of a temperature and relative humidity data logger and an automated rain gauge, were installed at key locations in each study site. Correlation and Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ADL) model were used to study the relationship among the variables. Previous week rainfall plays a significant role in increasing the mosquito population, followed by maximum humidity and temperature. The secondary data of rainfall, temperature and humidity provided by the meteorological department showed an insignificant relationship with the mosquito population compared to the primary data recorded by the researchers. A well fit model was obtained for each locality to be used as a predictive model to foretell possible outbreak.

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Phenytoin is commonly prescribed for the prophylaxis of seizures in neurosurgical patients. A phenytoin-induced serious adverse effect of thrombocytopenia has been reported in the literature. The concurrent use of dexamethasone, another commonly prescribed drug in neurosurgical patients, has been reported to aggravate this adverse haematological effect. We present a report of phenytoin-induced thrombocytopenia in a patient concurrently prescribed with dexamethasone, after an intracerebral haemorrhage secondary to a rupture of an arteriovenous malformation. The thrombocytopenia was noted after two weeks of phenytoin medication. Phenytoin was immediately withheld, and seven units of random donor platelets were transfused. A gradual resolution of thrombocytopenia was observed within a week