1.Developing the "NUS Tummy Dummy", a low-cost simulator to teach medical students to perform the abdominal examination.
Shariff MAHABOOB ; Lian-Kiat LIM ; Chew-Lip NG ; Quan-Yao HO ; Michael E L LEOW ; Erle C H LIM
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2010;39(2):150-151
Abdomen
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physiology
;
Humans
;
Manikins
;
Physical Examination
;
methods
;
Singapore
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Students, Medical
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Teaching
;
methods
2.Predictors of moderate, severe, and critical COVID-19 infection in a largely vaccinated kidney transplant recipient cohort during the Omicron era: the importance of timely booster vaccinations and early presentation to care
Cherie Le Si GAN ; Shimin Jasmine CHUNG ; Quan Yao HO ; Thuan Tong TAN ; Ban Hock TAN ; Ian Tatt LIEW ; Carolyn Shan-Yeu TIEN ; Sobhana THANGARAJU ; Terence KEE
Clinical Transplantation and Research 2025;39(1):46-54
Background:
Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are at risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) complications and mortality. This study examined factors associated with moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19 infection among KTRs during the Omicron-predominant period.
Methods:
This single-center retrospective study included KTRs aged ≥18 years diag-nosed with COVID-19 between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Mild infection was defined as symptomatic illness without lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI);moderate infection as LRTI without hypoxia; severe infection as oxygen saturation <94% on room air; and critical infection as respiratory failure, septic shock, or multiple organ dysfunction. We compared the characteristics of KTRs with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 versus those with moderate to critical disease. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with moderate to critical illness.
Results:
Most KTRs (94.4%) had received three or more vaccine doses. Of 603 episodes of COVID-19 infection during the study period, 554 (91.9%) were asymptomatic or mild, while 49 (8.1%) were moderate to critical. Multivariate analysis revealed that older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.037; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006–1.069) and longer symptom duration before seeking care (aOR, 1.288; 95% CI, 1.155–1.436) were associated with higher odds of moderate to critical disease. Protective factors included receiving a vaccine booster within the past year (aOR, 0.414; 95% CI, 0.212–0.809) and higher glomerular filtration rate (aOR, 0.971; 95% CI, 0.956–0.986).
Conclusions
KTRs should seek care early if infected with COVID-19 and keep their COVID-19 vaccine boosters updated within 1 year of the last dose.
3.Predictors of moderate, severe, and critical COVID-19 infection in a largely vaccinated kidney transplant recipient cohort during the Omicron era: the importance of timely booster vaccinations and early presentation to care
Cherie Le Si GAN ; Shimin Jasmine CHUNG ; Quan Yao HO ; Thuan Tong TAN ; Ban Hock TAN ; Ian Tatt LIEW ; Carolyn Shan-Yeu TIEN ; Sobhana THANGARAJU ; Terence KEE
Clinical Transplantation and Research 2025;39(1):46-54
Background:
Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are at risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) complications and mortality. This study examined factors associated with moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19 infection among KTRs during the Omicron-predominant period.
Methods:
This single-center retrospective study included KTRs aged ≥18 years diag-nosed with COVID-19 between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Mild infection was defined as symptomatic illness without lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI);moderate infection as LRTI without hypoxia; severe infection as oxygen saturation <94% on room air; and critical infection as respiratory failure, septic shock, or multiple organ dysfunction. We compared the characteristics of KTRs with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 versus those with moderate to critical disease. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with moderate to critical illness.
Results:
Most KTRs (94.4%) had received three or more vaccine doses. Of 603 episodes of COVID-19 infection during the study period, 554 (91.9%) were asymptomatic or mild, while 49 (8.1%) were moderate to critical. Multivariate analysis revealed that older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.037; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006–1.069) and longer symptom duration before seeking care (aOR, 1.288; 95% CI, 1.155–1.436) were associated with higher odds of moderate to critical disease. Protective factors included receiving a vaccine booster within the past year (aOR, 0.414; 95% CI, 0.212–0.809) and higher glomerular filtration rate (aOR, 0.971; 95% CI, 0.956–0.986).
Conclusions
KTRs should seek care early if infected with COVID-19 and keep their COVID-19 vaccine boosters updated within 1 year of the last dose.
4.Predictors of moderate, severe, and critical COVID-19 infection in a largely vaccinated kidney transplant recipient cohort during the Omicron era: the importance of timely booster vaccinations and early presentation to care
Cherie Le Si GAN ; Shimin Jasmine CHUNG ; Quan Yao HO ; Thuan Tong TAN ; Ban Hock TAN ; Ian Tatt LIEW ; Carolyn Shan-Yeu TIEN ; Sobhana THANGARAJU ; Terence KEE
Clinical Transplantation and Research 2025;39(1):46-54
Background:
Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are at risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) complications and mortality. This study examined factors associated with moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19 infection among KTRs during the Omicron-predominant period.
Methods:
This single-center retrospective study included KTRs aged ≥18 years diag-nosed with COVID-19 between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Mild infection was defined as symptomatic illness without lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI);moderate infection as LRTI without hypoxia; severe infection as oxygen saturation <94% on room air; and critical infection as respiratory failure, septic shock, or multiple organ dysfunction. We compared the characteristics of KTRs with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 versus those with moderate to critical disease. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with moderate to critical illness.
Results:
Most KTRs (94.4%) had received three or more vaccine doses. Of 603 episodes of COVID-19 infection during the study period, 554 (91.9%) were asymptomatic or mild, while 49 (8.1%) were moderate to critical. Multivariate analysis revealed that older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.037; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006–1.069) and longer symptom duration before seeking care (aOR, 1.288; 95% CI, 1.155–1.436) were associated with higher odds of moderate to critical disease. Protective factors included receiving a vaccine booster within the past year (aOR, 0.414; 95% CI, 0.212–0.809) and higher glomerular filtration rate (aOR, 0.971; 95% CI, 0.956–0.986).
Conclusions
KTRs should seek care early if infected with COVID-19 and keep their COVID-19 vaccine boosters updated within 1 year of the last dose.
5.Predictors of moderate, severe, and critical COVID-19 infection in a largely vaccinated kidney transplant recipient cohort during the Omicron era: the importance of timely booster vaccinations and early presentation to care
Cherie Le Si GAN ; Shimin Jasmine CHUNG ; Quan Yao HO ; Thuan Tong TAN ; Ban Hock TAN ; Ian Tatt LIEW ; Carolyn Shan-Yeu TIEN ; Sobhana THANGARAJU ; Terence KEE
Clinical Transplantation and Research 2025;39(1):46-54
Background:
Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are at risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) complications and mortality. This study examined factors associated with moderate, severe, or critical COVID-19 infection among KTRs during the Omicron-predominant period.
Methods:
This single-center retrospective study included KTRs aged ≥18 years diag-nosed with COVID-19 between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Mild infection was defined as symptomatic illness without lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI);moderate infection as LRTI without hypoxia; severe infection as oxygen saturation <94% on room air; and critical infection as respiratory failure, septic shock, or multiple organ dysfunction. We compared the characteristics of KTRs with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 versus those with moderate to critical disease. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with moderate to critical illness.
Results:
Most KTRs (94.4%) had received three or more vaccine doses. Of 603 episodes of COVID-19 infection during the study period, 554 (91.9%) were asymptomatic or mild, while 49 (8.1%) were moderate to critical. Multivariate analysis revealed that older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.037; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.006–1.069) and longer symptom duration before seeking care (aOR, 1.288; 95% CI, 1.155–1.436) were associated with higher odds of moderate to critical disease. Protective factors included receiving a vaccine booster within the past year (aOR, 0.414; 95% CI, 0.212–0.809) and higher glomerular filtration rate (aOR, 0.971; 95% CI, 0.956–0.986).
Conclusions
KTRs should seek care early if infected with COVID-19 and keep their COVID-19 vaccine boosters updated within 1 year of the last dose.
6.Impact of COVID-19 infections among kidney transplant recipients.
Shimin Jasmine CHUNG ; Quan Yao HO ; Ian Tatt LIEW ; Siew Yee THIEN ; Yvonne Fu Zi CHAN ; Benjamin Pei Zhi CHERNG ; Hei Man WONG ; Ying Ying CHUA ; Terence KEE ; Thuan Tong TAN
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2022;51(2):122-126
7.Coronavirus disease 2019 in kidney transplant recipients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Quan Yao HO ; Rehena SULTANA ; Tung Lin LEE ; Sobhana THANGARAJU ; Terence KEE ; Htay HTAY
Singapore medical journal 2023;64(10):593-602
INTRODUCTION:
The clinical presentation and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) have not been well studied.
METHODS:
We performed a meta-analysis to examine the presenting features, outcomes and the effect of treatment on outcomes of KTRs with COVID-19. Database search was performed up to 5 September 2020 through PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and CENTRAL.
RESULTS:
Overall, 23 studies (1,373 patients) were included in the review and meta-analysis. The most common presenting symptoms included fever (74.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 65.3-81.1), cough (63.3%, 95% CI 56.5-69.6) and dyspnoea (47.5%, 95% CI 39.6-55.6). Pooled rates of mortality and critical illness were 21.1% (95% CI 15.3-28.4) and 27.7% (95% CI 21.5-34.8), respectively. Acute kidney injury occurred in 38.9% (95% CI 30.6-48.1) and dialysis was required in 12.4% (95% CI 8.3-18.0) of the cases.
CONCLUSION
Kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19 have a similar clinical presentation as the general population, but they have higher morbidity and mortality. It is uncertain whether high-dose corticosteroid or hydroxychloroquine reduces the risks of mortality in KTRs with COVID-19.