INTRODUCTION: This review aims to examine asthma management during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: Relevant recommendations and articles were identified by respiratory professional societies and PubMed search using the terms "asthma" and "COVID-19", and examined for relevance and inclusion in this study. RESULTS: Recommendations for the management of asthma have remained similar but are now supported by new evidence between the years 2020 and 2022. Patients with well-controlled, mild-to-moderate asthma are unlikely to be at increased risk of acquiring COVID-19 or having worse outcomes from COVID-19. All asthma patients should receive COVID-19 vaccination. Spirometry can be performed with the usual strict infection control procedures unless there is a suspicion of COVID-19. Mask-wearing and other health measures remain important for asthma patients. CONCLUSION While previous recommendations were largely based on expert opinion, the tremendous amount of literature published since the pandemic first emerged 2 years ago has helped guide respiratory professional bodies to update their recommendations. This study provides a timely review of the various recommendations and can be used to guide healthcare professionals in managing asthma patients, as the world prepares for a future with COVID-19 becoming endemic. The long-term consequences of COVID-19 infection in asthma patients and the ripple effects of COVID-19 remain uncertain and deserve ongoing study.
Adult ; Humans ; COVID-19 ; Pandemics/prevention & control* ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Asthma/epidemiology* ; Infection Control

INTRODUCTION: Drug allergies are often self-reported but of unknown accuracy. We carried out a prospective study to examine the utility and safety of formal allergology evaluation, and to identify factors associated with accurate drug allergy labels. METHOD: All patients who underwent drug allergy evaluation in our clinic during the study period were recruited. Baseline demographics, characteristics of index hypersensitivity reaction and outcomes of evaluation were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 331 patients from March 2019 to June 2021 completed drug allergy evaluation to index drugs of concern. There were 123 (37%) male patients, and the mean age was 49 years (standard deviation 17). There were 170 beta-lactam antibiotics, 53 peri-operative drugs, 43 others, 38 non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and 27 non-beta-lactam antibiotic evaluations. Index reaction occurred within 5 years in 165 (50%) patients, with latency of less than 4 hours in 125 (38%) patients. The most common index reactions were rash, angioedema and urticaria. There were 57 (17%) evaluations stratified as low risk, 222 (67%) moderate risk, and 52 (16%) high risk based on multidisciplinary consensus. Allergy label was found to be false (negative drug evaluation) in 248 (75%) patients, while 16/237 (7%) skin tests, 44/331 (13%) in-clinic graded challenge, and 23/134 (17%) home prolonged challenges were positive (true drug allergy). The most common evaluation reactions were rash and urticaria. No cases of anaphylaxis were elicited. CONCLUSION Seventy-five percent of drug allergy labels are inaccurate. Risk-stratified, protocolised allergy evaluation is safe. Prolonged drug challenge increases the sensitivity of drug allergy evaluation and should therefore be performed when indicated.
Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Prospective Studies ; Drug Hypersensitivity/epidemiology* ; Exanthema ; Urticaria ; Monobactams

INTRODUCTIONCommunity-based exercise programmes have been shown to be effective in the Western world. However, there is a dearth of literature on their effectiveness in Asia. This pilot study aims to assess the effectiveness of the Asian community-based Health Wellness Programme (HWP) in Singapore. The HWP provides community cardiac rehabilitation services.

METHODSA retrospective database analysis was conducted on cardiac rehabilitation patients who had completed the one-year wellness programme from 2010 to 2011. Patients were included in the programme if they had an underlying cardiac disease such as ischaemic heart disease and were deemed as stable by their cardiologist. Patients with New York Heart Association Class III or IV heart failure were excluded from this programme. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical and laboratory data was recorded. Changes between the baseline and final measurements were analysed.

RESULTSComplete data from a total of 136 patients was analysed. Improvements were noted in body fat percentage (change [Δ] -1.3%, p < 0.01), distance walked (Δ 9.7 m, p = 0.01), total cholesterol (Δ -7.8 mg/dL, p = 0.03), low-density lipoprotein (Δ -7.8 mg/dL, p = 0.03) and triglyceride (Δ -17.8 mg/dL, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe low-to-moderate intensity HWP seems to be effective in a multiethnic community setting. To confirm the quality and effectiveness of such a programme in secondary cardiovascular prevention, more evidence from prospective controlled trials with suitable controls is needed.

Aged ; Cardiac Rehabilitation ; methods ; Ethnic Groups ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Promotion ; organization & administration ; Heart Failure ; ethnology ; rehabilitation ; Humans ; Male ; Morbidity ; trends ; Pilot Projects ; Retrospective Studies ; Singapore ; epidemiology

INTRODUCTIONAs the effectiveness of intensive glycaemic control is unclear and recommended glycaemic targets are inconsistent, this study aimed to ascertain the prevalence of dysglycaemia among hospitalised patients with diabetes mellitus in an Asian population and evaluate the current standards of inpatient glycaemic control.

METHODSA retrospective observational study was conducted at a secondary hospital. Point-of-care blood glucose (BG) values, demographic data, medical history, glycaemic therapy and clinical characteristics were recorded. Dysglycaemia prevalence was calculated as proportions of BG-monitored days with at least one reading exceeding the cut points of 8, 10 and 15 mmol/L for hyperglycaemia, and below the cut point of 4 mmol/L for hypoglycaemia.

RESULTSAmong the 288 patients recruited, hyperglycaemia was highly prevalent (90.3%, 81.3% and 47.6% for the respective cut points), while hypoglycaemia was the least prevalent (18.8%). Dysglycaemic patients were more likely than normoglycaemic patients to have poorer glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (8.4% ± 2.6% vs. 7.3% ± 1.9%; p = 0.002 for BG > 10 mmol/L) and longer lengths of stay (10.1 ± 8.2 days vs. 6.8 ± 4.7 days; p = 0.007 for BG < 4 mmol/L). Hyperglycaemia was more prevalent in patients on more intensive treatment regimens, such as basal-bolus combination therapy and the use of both insulin and oral hypoglycaemic agents (100.0% and 96.0%, respectively; p < 0.001 for BG > 10 mmol/L).

CONCLUSIONInpatient glycaemic control is suboptimal. Factors (e.g. type of treatment regimen, discipline and baseline HbA1c) associated with greater prevalence of dysglycaemia should be given due consideration in patient management.

Aged ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Diabetes Mellitus ; drug therapy ; Female ; Hospitals ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; complications ; drug therapy ; Hypoglycemia ; complications ; drug therapy ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Inpatients ; Insulin ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Point-of-Care Systems ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Singapore ; Treatment Outcome

The last review on epilepsy in Southeast Asian (SEA) countries was reported in 1997. This review aimed to update the understanding of epilepsy management in this region over the past 23 years. There has been significant increase in the epidemiological studies which reported a prevalence of 4.3-7.7 per 1,000 populations in this region. Reversible aetiologies of epilepsy such as head injury, birth trauma, cerebrovascular disease, and intracranial infections (neurocysticercosis or meningoencephalitis) are still prevalent, with a surge in autoimmune encephalitis. There was a surge in genetic studies which suggest ethnic variation. Treatment gap is still high especially in the rural and less developed areas, and the availability and affordability of newer anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) is still a major challenge in SEA. Alternative medicine is a common practice but varies among different ethnic groups. AEDs hypersensitivity especially on the association between HLA-B*1502 and carbamazepine-related severe cutaneous reaction had been extensively studied and proven in nearly all SEA countries. However, HLA-B*1502 screening is not widely available in SEA and the cost-effectiveness of the screening is questionable. Stigma and its psychosocial consequences are still a major concern despite enormous efforts to study the public attitudes towards epilepsy and change of epilepsy naming in a few countries. The number and complexity of epilepsy surgery are progressing, but it is still under-utilized in many SEA countries, related to cost, cultural perception and lack of facilities. More resources should also be channelled in training adequate number of epileptologists who can spearhead epilepsy care around the region, as well as public education and research in epilepsy. In conclusion, there is an increase in epilepsy research in this region, gradual increase in trained neurologists and facilities, and efforts to reduce the knowledge and treatment gap, but the epilepsy management gap is still a battle to fight.