1.Glucocerebrosidase genetic variants in Malays with early and late-onset Parkinson’s disease
Nur Fadhlina Mohamad Pakarulrazy ; Saiful Effendi Syafruddin ; Nurul Syakima Ab Mutalib ; Azlina Ahmad Annuar ; Shen-Yang Lim ; Rahman Jamal ; Nor Azian Abdul Murad ; Norlinah Mohamed Ibrahim
Neurology Asia 2020;25(1):39-46
Background: Mutations in glucocerebrosidase (GBA) have been associated with the risk of developing
Parkinson’s disease (PD) in different ethnic populations. The prevalence of GBA mutations among
Malay PD patients is unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the frequency of GBA
mutations among Malay PD patients, focusing on early (EOPD) and late-onset (LOPD) patients.
Methods:EOPD (n = 50) and LOPD (n = 50) patients along with 50 ethnically and age-matched control wererecruited. The GBA exons of these patients were sequenced using the Ion Torrent PGMTM System.
Results: Five heterozygous mutations exclusive to EOPD patients were identified; c.-203A>G,p.S146L,
p.R159Q, p.L483P and p.L483R+c.-145G>A. In LOPD patients, c.543C>T(p.(F181=)), c.28-10C>A
and p.R202Q were identified in which this p.R202Q was also present in a control subject. In addition,
c.259C>A(p.(R87=)) and c.-145G>A were identified in two control subjects. In summary, we observed
GBA mutations in 8% and 6% of Malay PD cases and control subject, respectively. The prevalence
of GBA mutations was higher in EOPD (10%) than LOPD (6%). However, these differences were
not statistically significant; [PD vs. controls: OR = 1.36, 95%CI 0.35-5.38, p = 0.752] and [EOPD
vs. LOPD: OR = 1.74, 95%CI 0.39-7.71, p = 0.715].
Conclusion: We identified five exclusive heterozygous GBA mutations in EOPD patients which might
predict the increase susceptibility of Malays to develop PD at young age. These findings could add
knowledge into the existing evidences linking genetic alterations in GBA and PD.
2.Hb Lepore/β0-Thalassaemia With α+-Thalassaemia Interactions, A Potential Diagnostic Pitfall
Hafiza Alauddin ; Suziana Mohamad Nasir ; Madzlifah Ahadon ; Raja Zahratul Azma Raja Sabudin ; Azlin Ithnin ; Noor Hamidah Hussin ; Hamidah Alias ; Loh C-Khai ; Zarina Abdul Latiff ; Nor Azian Abdul Murad ; Ainoon Othman
The Malaysian Journal of Pathology 2015;37(3):287-292
Haemoglobin (Hb) Lepore is a variant Hb consisting of two α-globin and two δβ-globin chains. In a
heterozygote, it is associated with clinical findings of thalassaemia minor, but interactions with other
haemoglobinopathies can lead to various clinical phenotypes and pose diagnostic challenges. We
reported a pair of siblings from a Malay family, who presented with pallor and hepatosplenomegaly
at the ages of 21 months and 14 months old. The red cell indices and peripheral blood smears of
both patients showed features of thalassaemia intermedia. Other laboratory investigations of the
patients showed conflicting results. However, laboratory investigation results of the parents had led
to a presumptive diagnosis of compound heterozygote Hb Lepore/β-thalassaemia and co-inheritance
α+-thalassaemia (-α3.7). Hb Lepore has rarely been detected in Southeast Asian countries, particularly
in Malaysia. These two cases highlight the importance of family studies for accurate diagnosis,
hence appropriate clinical management and genetic counseling.
3.Hb lepore/β0-thalassaemia with α+-thalassaemia interactions, a potential diagnostic pitfall.
Alauddin, Hafiza ; Mohamad Nasir, Suziana ; Ahadon, Madzlifah ; Raja Sabudin, Raja Zahratul Azma ; Ithnin, Azlin ; Hussin, Noor Hamidah ; Alias, Hamidah ; Loh, C-Khai ; Abdul Latiff, Zarina ; Abdul Murad, Nor Azian ; Othman, Ainoon
The Malaysian Journal of Pathology 2015;37(3):287-92
Haemoglobin (Hb) Lepore is a variant Hb consisting of two α-globin and two δβ-globin chains. In a heterozygote, it is associated with clinical findings of thalassaemia minor, but interactions with other haemoglobinopathies can lead to various clinical phenotypes and pose diagnostic challenges. We reported a pair of siblings from a Malay family, who presented with pallor and hepatosplenomegaly at the ages of 21 months and 14 months old. The red cell indices and peripheral blood smears of both patients showed features of thalassaemia intermedia. Other laboratory investigations of the patients showed conflicting results. However, laboratory investigation results of the parents had led to a presumptive diagnosis of compound heterozygote Hb Lepore/β-thalassaemia and co-inheritance α+-thalassaemia (-α3.7). Hb Lepore has rarely been detected in Southeast Asian countries, particularly in Malaysia. These two cases highlight the importance of family studies for accurate diagnosis, hence appropriate clinical management and genetic counseling.
4.HLA-B*15:02 screening in epileptic patients using a high resolution melting-real time PCR (HRM-QPCR) method
Zam Zureena Mohd Rani ; Nor Azian Abdul Murad ; Sue-Mian THEN ; Suthashini Panja BERNAM ; Asmaa ABDULLAH ; Saberi SAIMUN ; Sri Noraima OTHMAN ; Raymond Azman ALI ; Rahman JAMAL
Neurology Asia 2018;23(2):137-144
Background: The HLA-B*15:02 polymorphism in epileptic patients is known to be associated with carbamazepine-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS). The prevalence of HLA-B*15:02 polymorphism seemed to be ethnic-specific with a higher frequency of HLA-B*15:02 in Asian compared to the Europeans. This study was performed to determine the frequency of the HLA-B*15:02 polymorphism in epileptic patients at the Chancellor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital-UKM Medical Centre (HCTM-UKMMC) using high resolution melting-real time PCR (HRM-QPCR) method. Methods: We performed a fast and effective in-house high resolution melting-real time polymerase chain reaction method and compared it with the conventional multiplex-PCR method. The specificity and sensitivity of each test were also determined using DNA from saliva. Results: Using the conventional multiplex-PCR approach for screening, 25 out of 64 (39.1%) epileptic patients were positive for HLA-B*15:02. However, using the HRM-QPCR technique, 24/64 (37.5%) of the patients were positive. The one patient who tested positive by the multiplex-PCR but negative using the HRM-QPCR turned out to be negative by DNA sequencing. The HRM-QPCR and DNA sequencing showed 100% sensitivity and specificity. The multiplex-PCR showed 100% sensitivity and 98.4% specificity compared to both HRM-QPCR and DNA sequencing. The HRM-QPCR is also more cost-effective (<$16.40 USD/test) and less time-consuming when compared to the multiplex-PCR ($25.15 USD/test).Conclusion: Our result suggested that multiplex PCR, HRM-QPCR and Sanger sequencing can be used for detection of HLA-B*15:02. However, a qualitative method such as multiplex PCR should be confirmed with other quantitative methods such as HRM-QPCR and Sanger sequencing.
5.Impulse control behaviours in a Malaysian Parkinson’s disease population
Shahrul Azmin ; Eng Liang Tan ; Nik Jaafar Nik Ruzyanei ; Zakaria Hazli ; Azmawati Mohammed Nawi ; Zhe Kang Law ; Remli Rabani ; Wan Yahya Nafisah ; Ramesh Sahathevan ; Hui Jan Tan ; Nur Fadhlina M. Pakarul Razy ; Nor Azian Abdul Murad ; King-Hwa Ling ; Mohamed Ibrahim
Neurology Asia 2016;21(2):137-143
Background: Impulse control behaviours are repetitive and excessive activities that may be subsyndromal
and not fulfil the criteria for impulse control disorder. These activities have potential to
negatively impact on the daily lives of sufferers. We conducted a study to investigate the prevalence
of impulse control behaviours and its associated features in Parkinson’s disease in our population.
Methods: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study on consecutive patients attending neurology
clinic. Inclusion criteria include idiopathic Parkinson’s disease patients with Hoehn & Yahr stage I-IV.
Eighty patients were enrolled and screened for impulse control behaviours using the Questionnaire
for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorder for Parkinson’s disease (QUIP). Results: Prevalence of impulse
control behaviours among our cohort was 11.3%; the features significantly associated with it were
higher level of education (p=0.02), advanced stage of disease (p=0.03) and higher levodopa dosage
(p= 0.01). The commonest impulse control behaviour in our cohort was compulsive medication use
(7.5%), followed by hobbyism (6.3%), hypersexuality (5%), compulsive buying (3.75%), punding
(2.5%), walkabout (2.5%), compulsive eating (1.25%) and pathological gambling (1.3%).
Conclusions: There is an association between impulse control behaviour and higher levodopa dosage
in a study on patients with Parkinson’s disease in Malaysia. We also found a low prevalence of
pathological gambling as compared to studies performed in the West.
Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders
;
Parkinson Disease
6.Differential expression of circulating miRNAs in Parkinson’s disease patients: Potential early biomarker?
Siti Aishah Sulaiman ; Nor Ilham Ainaa Muhsin ; Ahmad Rasyadan Arshad ; Wan Fahmi Wan Mohamad Nazarie ; Rahman Jamal ; Norlinah Mohamed Ibrahim ; Nor Azian Abdul Murad
Neurology Asia 2020;25(3):319-329
Background & Objective: Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) expressions have been suggested as
potential biomarkers for Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Identification of early biomarkers for PD is
important and crucial as PD symptoms occur at a late stage. Hence, these biomarkers could be used
in molecular diagnosis for early detection. We therefore examined and compared the expression of
circulating miRNAs between PD patients and controls. We also compared the miRNAs expression
between early-onset PD (EOPD) and late-onset PD (LOPD). Methods: RNA was extracted from
the plasma of EOPD (onset age <50 years; n=14), LOPD (onset age < 60 years; n=14) and healthy
controls (n=11). The miRNAs expression was determined using the Affymetrix GeneChip microarray.
Differential analysis was performed using the R software. Significantly differentiated miRNAs were
subsequently analyzed for functional enrichment and biological pathway using the FunRich v1.3
software based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. The Omics.net
was used to determine the predicted target mRNAs of these miRNAs, and their interactions, based
on the five most differentially expressed miRNAs. Results: In total, 273 miRNAs were upregulated
in PD patients compared to controls. The most significant miRNAs were hsa-miR-301a-3p, 100-5p,
140-5p, 486-3p, 143-3p (fold change ranging from 11.2 – 32.0). A total of 140 circulating miRNAs
were differentially expressed in EOPD compared to LOPD. Five of these miRNAs (one upregulated
miRNA (hsa-miR-29b-3p) and four downregulated miRNAs (hsa-miR-297, 4462, 1909-5p and 346)
belonged exclusively to the EOPD patients. The predicted gene targets of these miRNAs involved in
dopaminergic synapse regulation, crucial to the pathogenesis of PD.
Conclusion: Circulating miRNAs differ between PD patients and controls, and between EOPD and
LOPD patients. A validation study with a larger and more diverse multi-ethnic population should be
conducted to confirm our results.
7.Penjujukan Eksom Bagi Penyakit Jarang Jumpa, Mullerian Agenesis dan Agenesis Anotectal anomaly: Kajian Kes (Whole Exome Sequencing of a Rare Disease, Mullerian Agenesis and Anorectal Anomaly: A Case Report)
Siti Aishah Sulaiman ; Nor Azian Abdul Murad ; Yock Ping Chow ; Muhammad-Redha Abdullah-Zawawi ; Zam Zureena Mohd Rani ; Siti Nurmi Nasir ; Salwati Shuib ; Dayang Anita Abdul Aziz ; Hana Azhari ; Sharifah Azween Syed Omar ; Zarina Abdul Latiff ; Rahman Jamal
Malaysian Journal of Health Sciences 2024;22(No.2):18-38
Mullerian agenesis or Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome (MRKH) Type-II is a
congenital defect in the Mullerian duct that results in the absence of a uterus in women. The
aetiology of this syndrome is unknown and has been considered a sporadic genetic disease.
MRKH, together with anorectal anomaly, is an extremely rare condition and has only been
reported in a few cases without any information on genetic analysis. This study investigated the mutational profile of a girl diagnosed with MRKH and anorectal anomalies with
rectovaginal fistula. The whole exome sequencing (WES) trio-genetic analysis of a 5-year-old
Malaysian girl diagnosed with MRKH (having anorectal anomaly with rectovaginal fistula)
was performed together with her normal parents, using the Ion AmpliSeq Exome RDY kit
(ThermoFisher Scientific, USA). Data were analysed using Torrent Suite v.5.0.4 and annotated
using ANNOVAR. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with an allele frequency >0.01
were excluded, and the remaining variants were filtered based on de novo mutations,
autosomal recessive, and autosomal recessive genetic traits. Related genes were analysed by
biological pathway analysis (g:Profiler) and protein-protein interaction (HIPPIE v.2.3,
STRING v.11.5, dan GeneMANIA). A total of 36 mutations were identified, and two of them,
the LHX5 (p.P358Q), inherited from the father, and CFTR (p.R1158X), inherited from the
mother. There were 28 de-novo mutations from 28 genes. All genes were involved in 27
biological processes that connected with 23 interactions, and are likely to cause MRKH
syndrome in this patient.
8.Discordance between Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) and HbA1c in Diagnosing Diabetes and Pre-diabetes in The Malaysian Cohort
Nor Azian Abdul Murad ; Noraidatulakma Abdullah ; Mohd Arman Kamaruddin ; Nazihah Abd Jalal ; Norliza Ismail ; Nurul Ain Mhd Yusof ; Norlaila Mustafa ; Rahman Jamal
Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies 2021;36(2):127-132
Objective:
In this present study, we aim to evaluate the accuracy of the HbA1c relative to fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in the diagnosis of diabetes and pre-diabetes among The Malaysian Cohort (TMC) participants.
Methodology:
FPG and HbA1c were taken from 40,667 eligible TMC participants that have no previous history of diabetes, aged between 35-70 years and were recruited from 2006 – 2012. Participants were classified as normal, diabetes and pre-diabetes based on the 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA and Chi-square test, while Pearson correlation and Cohen’s kappa were used to examine the concordance rate between FPG and HbA1c.
Results:
The study samples consisted of 16,224 men and 24,443 women. The prevalence of diabetes among the participants was 5.7% and 7.5% according to the FPG and HbA1c level, respectively. Based on FPG, 10.6% of the participants had pre-diabetes but this increased to 14.2% based on HbA1c (r=0.86; P<0.001). HbA1c had a sensitivity of 58.20 (95% CI: 56.43, 59.96) and a specificity of 98.59 (95% CI: 98.46, 98.70).
Conclusion
A higher prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes was observed when using HbA1c as a diagnosis tool, suggesting that it could possibly be more useful for early detection. However, given that HbA1c may also have lower sensitivity and higher false positive rate, several diagnostic criteria should be used to diagnose diabetes accurately.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
;
Diagnosis
9.Kaedah Diagnostik Semasa dan Penggunaan Ujian Titik Penjagaan Pantas (POC) Bagi Mendiagnos Hiperkolesterolemia Famili (FH) (Current Diagnostic Techniques and the Use of Rapid Point-of-Care (POC) Testing to Diagnose Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH))
LINA KHIALIDA SAIDI ; ZAM ZUREENA MD RANI ; SITI AISHAH SILAIMAN ; ISMAIL AZIAH ; ANIS AMIRAH ALIM ; SHARIPAH NADZIRAH SYED AHMAD AYOB ; DEE CHANG FU ; AZRUL AZLAN HAMZAH ; NOR AZIAN ABDUL MURAD
Malaysian Journal of Health Sciences 2023;21(No.2):35-45
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant inherited genetic disease characterized by increased
concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) cholesterol in the blood. The risk of premature coronary heart
disease in FH patients may increase without early treatment. Advancement in molecular biology techniques has enable
early detection and diagnosis of FH. These techniques are cost-effective and have a shorter turnaround time. The
current diagnostic tools available for FH diagnosis involving algorithm-based scoring criteria and various molecular
diagnosis methods including next-generation sequencing (NGS), Sanger sequencing, Multiplex ligation-dependent
probe amplification (MLPA) and DNA hybridisation assay are discussed in this review. However, molecular genetic
testing is not widely available due to time-consuming procedures, high cost and requires trained personnel. Thus, this
36
review highlights the use of point of care (POC) testing as an approach to diagnose FH, particularly in countries
lacking infrastructure and expertise in this field. Lateral flow testing (LFA) has gained attention as a POC diagnostic
tool due to its simplicity, low cost and involved simple procedure and settings. The advantages of LFA made this technique
a potential tool in addressing challenges in diagnosing FH, particularly for early diagnosis of family members.