1.A Review of Breast Cancer Research in Malaysia
CH Yip ; N Bhoo Pathy ; SH Teo
The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2014;69(Supplement A):8-22
Four hundred and nineteen articles related to breast cancer
were found in a search through a database dedicated to
indexing all original data relevant to medicine published in
Malaysia between the years 2000-2013. One hundred and fifty
four articles were selected and reviewed on the basis of
clinical relevance and future research implications. Overall,
Malaysian women have poor survival from breast cancer and
it is estimated that half of the deaths due to breast cancer
could be prevented. Five-year survival in Malaysia was low
and varies among different institutions even within the same
disease stage, suggesting an inequity of access to optimal
treatment or a lack of compliance to optimal treatment.
Malaysian women have poor knowledge of the risk factors,
symptoms and methods for early detection of breast cancer,
leading to late presentation. Moreover, Malaysian women
experience cancer fatalism, belief in alternative medicine, and
lack of autonomy in decision making resulting in delays in
seeking or avoidance of evidence-based medicine. There are
ethnic differences in estrogen receptor status, HER2
overexpression and incidence of triple negative breast cancer
which warrant further investigation. Malay women present
with larger tumours and at later stages, and even after
adjustment for these and other prognostic factors (stage,
pathology and treatment), Malay women have a poorer
survival. Although the factors responsible for these ethnic
differences have not been elucidated, it is thought that
pharmacogenomics, lifestyle factors (such as weight-gain,
diet and exercise), and psychosocial factors (such as
acceptance of 2nd or 3rd line chemotherapy) may be
responsible for the difference in survival. Notably,
survivorship studies show self-management programmes and
exercise improve quality of life, highlighting the need to
evaluate the psychosocial impact of breast cancer on
Malaysian women, and to design culturally-, religiously- and
linguistically-appropriate psycho-education programmes to
help women cope with the disease and improve their quality
of life. Research done in the Caucasian populations may not
necessarily apply to local settings and it is important to
embark on local studies particularly prevention, screening,
diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutic and psychosocial
research.
KEY WORDS: breast cancer; Malaysia; review; genetics; screening;
diagnosis; prognosis; treatment; outcome
2.Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Low Back Pain Among Health Care Providers in a District Hospital.
Malaysian Orthopaedic Journal 2010;4(2):23-28
Study design: A cross sectional study among health care providers working at one hospital. Objective: To investigate the prevalence, the consequences and the risk factors associated with low back pain (LBP) among hospital staff. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 931 health care providers who answered a pre established questionnaire including 30 items in two languages. Results: The cumulative life prevalence of LBP was 72.5% and the yearly prevalence was 56.9%. Chronic LBP prevalence was
Orthopaedic
3.Screening for somatisation in an Asian children's hospital emergency setting.
Siok Hoon ANG ; Juliet S K TAN ; Jiahui LEE ; Vicknesan J MARIMUTTU ; Xin Yi LIM ; Lois L E TEO ; Shannon N EDWARD ; Mavis TEO ; Joyce S T LIM ; Sashikumar GANAPATHY ; Angelina ANG
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2022;51(8):507-509
4.The Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome among Private Dentists in Klang Valley, Malaysia: A Cross-sectional Study
Sheryl Jing-Ning Teo ; Wan Nurul Hana Wan Mohamad Saleh ; Ratnasothy N. Subramaniam ; Nur Sulwana Mohamad Hanapi ; Yeannie Hui-Yeng Yap
Annals of Dentistry 2022;29(2022):52-59
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a progressive entrapment neuropathy that is commonly associated with
dentists. If left untreated, permanent nerve and muscle damage may occur. The purpose of this study is to
determine prevalence of CTS among private dentists in Klang Valley, Malaysia and to further identify the
associated risk factors for CTS symptoms. In-person interviews of 78 subjects obtained using the convenience
sampling method were carried out. The Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) and clinical tests of Phalen
and Tinel were used to examine signs and functional impact of CTS. The overall prevalence of CTS-related
symptoms is 37.2%. Using BCTQ alone, 6.4% showed mild CTS symptoms through the level of functional state
scoring (FSS) while 10.3% showed mild to moderate symptoms in the scale of the severity of symptoms (SSS).
There is a significant correlation between the age of dentists and CTS symptoms (p = 0.007). The prevalence of
CTS was more common in older dentists. Increasing age and working hours per week further enhance the risk
of CTS. Findings from this study will serve as a useful baseline to establish further study in Klang Valley. Future
work should examine the accounts underlying these risk factors for preventive measures.
5.Do We Ever Need to Fix Clavicle Fractures in Adolescents?
Lim KBL ; Olandres RA ; Cheow X ; Thng M ; Teo NMHZ ; Pereira N ; Chan PXE ; Lee NKL
Malaysian Orthopaedic Journal 2023;17(No.3):33-41
Introduction: Clavicle fractures in adults are increasingly
being treated by surgical fixation following reports of
symptomatic non-union, malunion and poor functional
outcome with conservative treatment. This has led to a
similar trend in the management of clavicle fractures in
adolescents. This study aims to evaluate the outcome and
complications of non-operatively treated clavicle fractures in
adolescents.
Materials and methods: This is a retrospective, single
institution study on adolescents aged 13-17 years who
sustained a closed, isolated clavicle fracture, between 1997-
2015. Clinical records were reviewed for demographic
information, injury mode, time to radiographic fracture
union, time to re-attainment of full shoulder range of motion
(ROM), and time to return to full activities and sports.
Complications and fracture-related issues were recorded.
Radiographs were analysed for fracture location,
displacement and shortening.
Results: A total of 115 patients (98 males, 17 females; mean
age:13.9 ± 0.89 years) were included for study. 101 (88%)
sustained a middle-third fracture while the remainder
sustained a lateral-third fracture. A total of 96 (95%) of the
middle-third fractures were displaced, and 12 (86%) of the
lateral-third fractures were displaced. All displaced fractures
in this study had shortening. Sports-related injuries and falls
accounted for 68 (59%) and 34 (30%) of the cases
respectively. Overall, the mean time to radiographic fracture
union was 7.8 ± 4.35 weeks; there were no cases of nonunion. Full shoulder ROM was re-attained in 6.6 ± 3.61
weeks, and full activities and sports was resumed in 11.4 ±
4.69 weeks. There were 5 cases of re-fracture and a single
case of intermittent fracture site pain.
Conclusion: Clavicle fractures in adolescents can and
should be treated non-operatively in the first instance with
the expectation of good outcomes in terms of time for
fracture union, reattainment of shoulder full range of motion,
and return to activities. Surgical stabilisation should be
reserved for cases for which there is an absolute indication.
6.Thermal strain and fluid balance during a 72-km military route march in a field setting.
Beng Hoong POON ; Suriya PRAKAASH ; Ya Shi TEO ; Priscilla Weiping FAN ; Jason Kai WEI LEE
Singapore medical journal 2022;63(9):497-502
INTRODUCTION:
A physiological profiling study was conducted to evaluate thermal strain as well as fluid and electrolyte balances on heat-acclimatised men performing a 72-km route march in a field setting.
METHODS:
38 male soldiers (age range 18-23 years) participated in the study, as part of a cohort that marched for 72 km, with loads for about 26 hours. Core temperature and heart rate sensors were used for the duration of the march. Fluid and food intake and output were monitored for the duration of the march. Blood samples were taken one day before the march (pre-march), immediately after the march (Post 1) and on the 15th day after the march to ascertain recovery (Post 2) to assess fluid and electrolyte profiles.
RESULTS:
Mean core temperature was within safe limits, ranging from 37.1 to 38.1°C throughout the march. There was an overall decrease in serum sodium levels, a decline in serum sodium concentration in 28 participants and three instances of hyponatraemia (serum sodium concentration <135 mmol/L).
CONCLUSION
Our study found low thermal strain heat-acclimatised individuals during a 72-km route march. However, there was an overall decrease in serum sodium levels, even when the participants were allowed to drink ad libitum. Challenges of exercise-associated hyponatraemia during prolonged activities remain to be addressed.
Humans
;
Male
;
Adolescent
;
Young Adult
;
Adult
;
Military Personnel
;
Hyponatremia
;
Water-Electrolyte Balance/physiology*
;
Exercise/physiology*
;
Sodium