The REAP-AP study recruited 3,746 patients with schizophrenia, in March and April 2016, from 71 centers in 15 Asian countries/territories namely Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Our findings reveal a trend according to which high dose antipsychotic prescription is more prevalent in Eastern Asia (especially, Japan and Korea) than in other regions of Asia. This historical factor may be associated with our finding of an Eastern Asian preponderance of high dose antipsychotic prescription.
Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Bangladesh ; China ; Far East ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; India ; Indonesia ; Japan ; Korea ; Malaysia ; Myanmar ; Pakistan ; Prescriptions* ; Schizophrenia* ; Singapore ; Sri Lanka ; Taiwan ; Thailand ; Vietnam

PURPOSE: Renal transplantation which allows children normal growth and development and a return to normal life. is now proven to be the best modality for children with ESRD Up to Recently, the number of renal transplantations in Asia has rapidly increased and the outcome has also improved. This investigation was planned to estimate the current status of pediatric renal transplantation in Asia and to find the keys for better improvement of outcome in pediatric renal allograft in Asian countries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The participating countries and institutions for this investigation were China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Korea, KSPN (Korean Society of Pediatric Nephrology), KONOS (Korean Network for Organ Sharing). RESULTS: Many countries in Asia still do not have a well organized nation wide renal transplantation registration system independently in the pediatric field . So it's very difficult to evaluate the real state of pediatric transplantation among Asian countries. According to the estimation with fragmented data from each countries, in the front running countries of pediatric renal transplantation in Asia, about 40 or more transplants were performed in each country per year and the five year actuarial renal allograft survival was around 80% which is similar to that of western countries. But there were large gaps among the behind groups. CONCLUSION: Vigorous attempts to perform renal transplantation for children especially younger than 5 years old would be encouraged as well as organ donation from brain dead donor and non heart beating cadaveric donor also should be activated to cope effectively with the shortage of living donor supply. Large number of recent reports shows the favorable outcome of pre-emptive renal transplantation, we should make more efforts toward pre-emptive renal transplantation. First of all, in order to improve the outcome and to narrow the gap between Asian countries in pediatric renal transplantation, effective and continuous efforts to establish nationwide pediatric renal transplantation registration program as well as official, nation-to-nation data sharing program should be needed.
Allografts ; Asia* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Brain Death ; Cadaver ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Growth and Development ; Heart ; Hong Kong ; Humans ; India ; Indonesia ; Information Dissemination ; Japan ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Korea ; Living Donors ; Malaysia ; Pakistan ; Philippines ; Running ; Singapore ; Thailand ; Tissue and Organ Procurement ; Tissue Donors

Asia, which holds 60% of the world’s population, comprises some developing countries which are in economic transition. This paper reviews the epidemiology of stroke in South, East and South-East Asia. Data on the epidemiology of stroke in South, East, and South-East Asia were derived from the Global Burden of Disease study (mortality, disability-adjusted life-years [DALYs] lost because of stroke), World Health Organization (vascular risk factors in the community), and publications in PubMed (incidence, prevalence, subtypes, vascular risk factors among hospitalized stroke patients). Age- and sex-standardized mortality is the lowest in Japan, and highest in Mongolia. Community-based incidence data of only a few countries are available, with the lowest rates being observed in Malaysia, and the highest in Japan and Taiwan. The availability of prevalence data is higher than incidence data, but different study methods were used for case-finding, with different age bands. For DALYs, Japan has the lowest rates, and Mongolia the highest. For community, a high prevalence of hypertension is seen in Mongolia and Pakistan; diabetes mellitus in Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, and Mongolia; hypercholesterolemia in Japan, Singapore, and Brunei; inactivity in Malaysia; obesity in Brunei, Papua New Guinea, and Mongolia; tobacco smoking in Indonesia. Hypertension is the most frequent risk factor, followed by diabetes mellitus and smoking. Ischemic stroke occurs more frequently than hemorrhagic stroke, and subarachnoid hemorrhages are uncommon. There are variations in the stroke epidemiology between countries in South, East, and South-East Asia. Further research on stroke burden is required.
Asia* ; Brunei ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; Developing Countries ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Epidemiology* ; Hypercholesterolemia ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Indonesia ; Japan ; Malaysia ; Mongolia ; Mortality ; Obesity ; Pakistan ; Papua New Guinea ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Singapore ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stroke* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Taiwan ; World Health Organization

Gnathostomiasis is caused by the nematode parasite Gnathostoma spinigerum. Humans are usually infected by ingestion of inadequately cooked fish, containing larva. Gnathostomiasis is endemic in much of southeast Asia including Thailand, Japan, China and Philippines. It causes migratory cutaneous erythematous indurated plaque and serious visceral sequellae. Treatment with all kinds of antiparasitic drugs has been disappointing. The disease has not been reported in Korea. We report the first case of gnathostomiasis in a 41-year-old Korean man travelling in an endemic area.
Adult ; Antiparasitic Agents ; Asia, Southeastern ; China ; Eating ; Gnathostoma ; Gnathostomiasis* ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Larva ; Parasites ; Philippines ; Thailand

The South Asian region comprising of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka is multi-ethnic with vast cultural differences. Yet they have in common, a strong predisposition for inflammatory bowel disease especially ulcerative colitis (UC). The vast majority of the population is rural with limited access to health care facilities. Community based studies on epidemiology of UC are sparse making it difficult to extrapolate data for the whole region. India has the highest incidence and prevalence of UC in Asia which is higher than the published figures for Korea and Japan, the two leading industrialized countries in Asia. Asian diaspora studies have revealed an unmasking of the disease when natives of this region migrate to countries with a higher prevalence of the disease. Data mainly from the UK suggests a higher incidence of the disease in Asian migrants compared to the indigenous population. Incidence data from within the sub-continent suggests a higher incidence of the disease in India as compared to its southern neighbour Sri Lanka suggesting a north-south gradient. Time trend studies from India do not suggest an increasing incidence of disease as has been observed in other parts of Asia. Some data point to phenotypically different disease in south Asian patients as compared to Caucasians. Familial clustering and cumulative colectomy rates are higher in Western patients as compared to their Asian counterparts. Asian patients with UC have a significantly lower risk of development of colorectal carcinoma vis a vis the Caucasian population. There is a pressing need for more studies on the epidemiology, long-term outcome and natural history of the disease in this region.
Asia* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bangladesh ; Colectomy ; Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Developed Countries ; Health Services Accessibility ; Humans ; Incidence ; India ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Japan ; Korea ; Natural History ; Nepal ; Pakistan ; Population Groups ; Prevalence ; Sri Lanka ; Transients and Migrants ; Ulcer*

Natural infections with influenza A viruses have been reported in a variety of animal species including humans, pigs, horses, sea mammals, and birds. Although viruses of relatively few haemagglutinin(HA) and neuraminidase(NA) subtype combinations have been isolated from mammalian species, all subtypes, in most combinations, have been isolated from birds. During the past few years, several subtypes of avian influenza A have been shown to cross the species barrier and infect humans. During an outbreak of a highly pathogenic influenza A(H5N1) virus among poultry in Hong Kong in 1997, 6 of 18 people with confirmed infection died. And a total of 89 human infections with influenza A(H7N7), including 1 resulting in the death of a Dutch veterinarian, occurred during the extensive outbreak in 2003. During late 2003 and early 2004, there were reports of large outbreaks of H5N1 among poultry throughout Asia (including Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and China). In Korea, we had also highly pathogenic avian influenza(HPAI) outbreak in 2003~2004 with a first suspected case reported on 10 December 2003. The case was reported at a parent stock farm for broilers, which was located in Chungbuk province, and the farm was immediately placed under movement restrictions. Laboratory tests confirmed the outbreak of HPAI on 12 December 2003. Up to 20 March 2004, a total of 19 farms were confirmed as having been infected with HPAI virus. No further outbreaks occurred after that date. Fortunately there were no human cases founded in this epidemic in Korea. In January 2004, there was confirmation that influenza A(H5N1) virus had been isolated from patients who had died of a respiratory illness in Vietnam. Total 107 human confirmed cases were reported until June 2005 to WHO, threatening new pandemic outbreak. We reviewed our prevention and control strategies of avian influenza and preparedness to the pandemic outbreak.
Animals ; Asia ; Birds ; Cambodia ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Communicable Diseases, Emerging ; Disease Outbreaks ; Epidemiology* ; Hong Kong ; Horses ; Humans ; Indonesia ; Influenza A virus ; Influenza in Birds* ; Influenza, Human ; Japan ; Korea ; Laos ; Mammals ; Pandemics ; Parents ; Poultry ; Swine ; Thailand ; Veterinarians ; Vietnam

We already achieved the goal of the elimination of leprosy that was recommended by WHO. But the amazing change of our country's situation of the economical & social conditions makes the need of the migrant worker. Especially, the portion of migrant workers form India, Nepal, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, & Vietnam, the countries of relatively high prevalence rate of Hansen's disease are increasing among them recently. It means the attention about the influx of Hansen's disease form the foreign countries. We perform the survey for Hansen's disease of the migrant worker. Total 603 workers were surveyed. We found only 4 persons, that had the high titer(above 500) of the result of PGL-1 ELISA, and only 3 persons, that had some findings, the suggestive finding of Hansen's disease, of cutaneous & neurological symptoms. In spite of the special study, we did not conform the diagnosis of Hansen's disease among them. During this survey, we did not find the conformed patients of Hansen's disease. But we think that we will be concerned about the influx of Hansen's disease from foreign countries, because of the recently significance change of the epidemiological situations of Hansen's disease in Korea.
Bangladesh ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; India ; Indonesia ; Korea ; Leprosy* ; Nepal ; Philippines ; Prevalence ; Social Conditions ; Transients and Migrants* ; Vietnam

Dengue virus infection is an emerging imported disease in Korea. A total of 4 cases of dengue fever or dengue hemorrhagic fever diagnosed at Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Bucheon between January 2001 and December 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. In addition, relevant domestic literatures from Korean bibliographic databases, which matched 'dengue fever', 'dengue hemorrhagic fever' or 'dengue shock syndrome' as key words, have been reviewed. Ten articles (13 patients) met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. All the patients except for one, who was infected in Africa, were infected in Asian countries: Philippines (4), Indonesia (3), India (2), Cambodia (2), Sri Lanka (1), Thailand (1), Bangladesh (1), Myanmar (1), and Malaysia (1). Clinical manifestations after returning from abroad were as follows: fever (100%), chills (82%), headache (65%), myalgia (53%), nausea (41%), neutropenia (82%), thrombocytopenia (82%), and elevation of AST (82%) and ALT (53%). Most of the patients improved with conservative care except for one who died of dengue shock syndrome.
Africa ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bangladesh ; Cambodia ; Chills ; Databases, Bibliographic ; Dengue ; Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever ; Dengue Virus ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; India ; Indonesia ; Korea ; Malaysia ; Myanmar ; Nausea ; Neutropenia ; Philippines ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock ; Sri Lanka ; Thailand ; Thrombocytopenia

Dengue virus infection is an emerging imported disease in Korea. A total of 4 cases of dengue fever or dengue hemorrhagic fever diagnosed at Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Bucheon between January 2001 and December 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. In addition, relevant domestic literatures from Korean bibliographic databases, which matched 'dengue fever', 'dengue hemorrhagic fever' or 'dengue shock syndrome' as key words, have been reviewed. Ten articles (13 patients) met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. All the patients except for one, who was infected in Africa, were infected in Asian countries: Philippines (4), Indonesia (3), India (2), Cambodia (2), Sri Lanka (1), Thailand (1), Bangladesh (1), Myanmar (1), and Malaysia (1). Clinical manifestations after returning from abroad were as follows: fever (100%), chills (82%), headache (65%), myalgia (53%), nausea (41%), neutropenia (82%), thrombocytopenia (82%), and elevation of AST (82%) and ALT (53%). Most of the patients improved with conservative care except for one who died of dengue shock syndrome.
Africa ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bangladesh ; Cambodia ; Chills ; Databases, Bibliographic ; Dengue ; Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever ; Dengue Virus ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; India ; Indonesia ; Korea ; Malaysia ; Myanmar ; Nausea ; Neutropenia ; Philippines ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock ; Sri Lanka ; Thailand ; Thrombocytopenia

Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology is the most widely used screening and diagnostic method for thyroid nodules. Although Western guidelines for managing thyroid nodules and the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology are widely available throughout Asia, the clinical practices in Asia vary from those of Western countries. Accordingly, the Working Group of Asian Thyroid FNA Cytology encouraged group members to publish their works jointly with the same topic. The articles in this special issue focused on the history of thyroid FNA, FNA performers and interpreters, training programs of cytopathologists and cytotechnicians, staining methods, the reporting system of thyroid FNA, quality assurance programs, ancillary testing, and literature review of their own country’s products. Herein, we provide a brief overview of thyroid FNA practices in China, India, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Asia* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; China ; Education ; Humans ; India ; Japan ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Methods ; Philippines ; Taiwan ; Thailand ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Nodule*