Introduction: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) , and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) are severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCARs) related to a variety of medications. Objectives: We aim to document the epidemiological features, the causative drugs and clinical outcomes of patients with SCARs treated in Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR) between January 2009 and December 2013. Materials & Methods: A retrospective review of the data of all patients with SJS, TEN and DRESS treated from January 2009 to December 2013 was retrieved and analyzed. Results: A total of 33 SCARs patients were seen, which included SJS (25), TEN (3) and DRESS (5). The mean age was 42.8 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1.36:1. Allopurinol (33.3%) was the commonest offending drug, followed by antibiotics (30.3%), anticonvulsants (12.1%), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (12.1%) and traditional medications (6.1%). Eighty percent of SJS and all TEN and DRESS patients were given systemic corticosteroids. One patient with TEN (33.3%) was concurrently given intravenous immunoglobulin. All SJS patients survived. Two patients with TEN (66.7%) and one patient with DRESS (20%) succumbed due to sepsis. Conclusion: The commonest drugs implicated for SCARs in our study were allopurinol and antibiotics. Inappropriate use of these drugs leads to increased risk of SCARs. Early recognition and prompt treatment of patients with SCARs may improve their outcome.

Demand for dietary fibre-enriched and low sugar bakery products is rapidly increasing due to the current high incidence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Cinnamon, a spice which acts as a natural sweetener and insulin mimetic is believed to have health benefits. The objective of this study was to determine the properties of butter biscuits containing cinnamon powder (CP) that partially replaced sucrose at levels of 0 (control), 2, 4 or 6%. Methods: Nutritional composition, physical properties and sensory acceptability of the biscuits were analysed using AOAC methods, texture profile analyser and 7-point hedonic scaling method, respectively. Results: Protein, ash and dietary fibre contents of the biscuits increased significantly (P < 0.05) whereas the moisture and sucrose contents were reduced significantly, proportionately to the increasing levels of CP. In texture profile analyses, increment of firmness and reduction of crispiness of the biscuits were detected with increasing levels of CP, but not significantly. The sensory scores for control and 2% CP biscuits were not significantly different for all the sensory attributes. Biscuits with 4% CP received lower scores only for aroma and appearance whereas the scores for colour, crispiness and flavour showed no significant differences compared to the control and 2% CP biscuit. Conclusion: The addition of 4% CP in biscuit could be an effective way to produce nutritious butter biscuits without any apparent change to its desirable physical properties and sensory acceptability.
Cinnamomum zeylanicum ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Dietary Fiber ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2

Tuberculosis (TB), once a disease confined to undeveloped or developing nations is currently in resurgence due to pandemic human immunodeficiency virus infection and immigration from endemic areas. TB is also known as the ‘great mimicker’. Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis affecting the knee is rare in all forms of TB (0.1-0.3%). Here, we report a case of isolated highly erosive TB knee in a previously fit Burmese migrant worker. He presented with after a history of fall into a drain. The patient also reported pain and swelling over his left knee for the previous three years. He had been treated for a bacterial infection of the knee in another hospital but defaulted due to financial constraints. Arthrotomy of the knee was performed including washout. Diagnosis of TB of the knee was made based on the synovial fluid and tissue culture. Treatment with antituberculosis drugs was then initiated.

Massive haemoptysis can occur in lung abscess. Massive haemoptysis itself may be life threatening due to asphyxiation or respiratory failure secondary to acute large airway obstruction by blood clots. Prompt removal of the obstructing blood clots save life. We describe a case of lung abscess causing massive haemoptysis resulting in acute airway obstruction which required rigid bronchoscopy to remove the huge blood clot. (JUMMEC2010; 13(2): 107-110)
Bronchoscopy

This case report describes a rigid bronchoscopy-assisted placement of a silicone airway Y-stent in a patient who developed tracheobronchomalacia following repeated dilatations for post-tuberculous airway stenosis. This is the first report of an airway Y-stent insertion in Malaysia.

Klebsiella ozaenae is a Gram negative bacillus. It has been described as a colonizer of oral and nasopharyngeal mucosa and is a cause of atrophic rhinitis. Klebsiella ozaenae has seldom been isolated from serious infections. However, several reports have stated that Klebsiella ozaenae may cause invasive infections and even mortality. We report a 55-year-old man with Klebsiella ozaenae infection causing abscesses involving the right eye and left kidney and possibly also in the brain, lungs and prostate. The isolates were sensitive to ceftazidime, ciprofl oxacin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim but resistant to ampicillin. He responded well to 4 weeks of IV ceftazidime and IV amoxycillin-clavulanic acid. To our knowledge, such a multiorgan infection has not been reported previously for this organism.

INTRODUCTIONAlthough pneumonia is a major complication after acute ischaemic stroke (AIS), pneumonia prediction scores have not been extensively validated. This study aimed to compare the discrimination performance of 5 pneumonia prediction scores in AIS patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODSWe retrospectively reviewed all consecutive adult AIS patients whom presented to our emergency department within 4.5 hours of symptom-onset between January 2012 and February 2015. Diagnosis had to be made by a neurologist and infarcts confirmed by neuroimaging. We excluded patients with pneumonia on presentation. Pneumonia predictors were based on the 5 prediction scoring models: Kwon's score, Chumbler's score, Acute Ischaemic Stroke-Associated Pneumonia Score (AIS-APS), ADSscore and ISAN score. The definition of stroke-associated pneumonia was based on the criteria by the Pneumonia in Stroke Consensus Group. Analysis using area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) was performed.

RESULTSForty (5.5%) out of 731 patients analysed had stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP). ADSscore had the highest discrimination capacity (AUROC 0.88; 95% CI, 0.84 to 0.92), followed by AIS-APS (AUROC 0.87; 95% CI, 0.83 to 0.91), Kwon's score (AUROC 0.86; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.92), Prestroke Independence, Sex, Age and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (ISAN) score (AUROC 0.85; 95% CI, 0.80 to 0.90) and Chumbler's score (AUROC 0.79; 95% CI, 0.74 to 0.84). However, there was no statistical difference of discrimination capacity among ADSscore, AIS-APS and Kwon's score.

CONCLUSIONADS, AIS-APS and Kwon's scores performed comparably in discriminating SAP in AIS patients.

INTRODUCTION: Nursing home (NH) residents with out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) have unique resuscitation priorities. This study aimed to describe OHCA characteristics in NH residents and identify independent predictors of survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: OHCA cases between 2010-16 in the Pan-Asian Resuscitation Outcomes Study were retrospectively analysed. Patients aged <18 years old and non-emergency cases were excluded. Primary outcome was survival at discharge or 30 days. Good neurological outcome was defined as a cerebral performance score between 1-2. RESULTS: A total of 12,112 cases were included. Of these, 449 (3.7%) were NH residents who were older (median age 79 years, range 69-87 years) and more likely to have a history of stroke, heart and respiratory diseases. Fewer NH OHCA had presumed cardiac aetiology (62% vs 70%, <0.01) and initial shockable rhythm (8.9% vs 18%, <0.01), but had higher incidence of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (74% vs 43%, <0.01) and defibrillator use (8.5% vs 2.8%, <0.01). Non-NH (2.8%) residents had better neurological outcomes than NH (0.9%) residents ( <0.05). Factors associated with survival for cardiac aetiology included age <65 years old, witnessed arrest, bystander defibrillator use and initial shockable rhythm; for non-cardiac aetiology, these included witnessed arrest (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.8, <0.001) and initial shockable rhythm (AOR 5.7, <0.001). CONCLUSION Neurological outcomes were poorer in NH survivors of OHCA. These findings should inform health policies on termination of resuscitation, advance care directives and do-not-resuscitate orders in this population.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of upper tract involvement in ketamine-associated uropathy, and to determine the predictors of hydronephrosis in patients with a history of ketamine abuse. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of a prospective cohort of patients with ketamine-associated uropathy. Data including demographics, pattern of ketamine abuse, pelvic pain and urgency or frequency (PUF) symptom score, uroflowmetry (UFM) parameters, serum renal function, and liver function tests were collected. Upon consultation, ultrasonography was performed to assess the function of the urinary system. RESULTS: From December 2011 to October 2015, we treated 572 patients with ketamine-associated uropathy. Of these patients, 207 (36.2%) had managed to achieve abstinence at the time of their first consultation. Ninety-six patients (16.8%) in the cohort were found to have hydronephrosis on ultrasonography. Univariate analysis identified age, duration of ketamine abuse, PUF symptom score, voided volume on UFM, serum creatinine levels >100 μmol/L, and an abnormal serum liver enzyme profile as factors associated with hydronephrosis. Logistic regression revealed the following parameters to be statistically related to hydronephrosis: age (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.090; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.020–1.166; P=0.012), functional bladder capacity (adjusted OR, 0.997; 95% CI, 0.995–0.999; P=0.029), serum creatinine >100 μmol/L (adjusted OR, 3.107; 95% CI, 1.238–7.794; P=0.016, and an abnormal serum liver enzyme profile (adjusted OR, 1.967; 95% CI, 1.213–3.187; P=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Ketamine-associated uropathy can involve the upper urinary tract. Patient demographics as well as investigations of UFM, renal function tests, and liver function tests may allow us to identify at-risk patients.
Cohort Studies ; Creatinine ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Cystitis ; Demography ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Ketamine ; Liver ; Liver Function Tests ; Logistic Models ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Odds Ratio ; Pelvic Pain ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Tract* ; Urination Disorders

Aedes ; Animals ; Female ; Humans ; Microcephaly ; epidemiology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Public Health ; Zika Virus ; Zika Virus Infection ; epidemiology ; therapy ; transmission