INTRODUCTIONThis study assessed the clinical utility of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for the diagnosis of suspected granulomatous mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

MATERIALS AND METHODSRetrospective chart review of all patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA for suspected granulomatous mediastinal lymphadenopathy at Singapore General Hospital between December 2008 and December 2011 inclusive.

RESULTSOver a period of 3 years, a total of 371 patients underwent EBUS-TBNA of whom 33 (9%) had the procedure performed for evaluation of suspected granulomatous mediastinal lymphadenopathy - 18 for suspected tuberculosis (TB) and non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lymphadenitis, and 15 for suspected sarcoidosis. EBUS-TBNA was diagnostic in 9 of the 13 patients with a final diagnosis of TB/NTM. EBUS-TBNA cultures were positive in 6 of them (46%), 1 showed acid-fast bacilli (AFB) although cultures were negative, and 2 had necrotising granulomatous inflammation from EBUS-TBNA biopsies and sputum cultures grew TB. EBUS-TBNA was diagnostic in 9 of the 14 patients with a final diagnosis of sarcoidosis through histology showing non-caseating granulomatous inflammation. The sensitivities of EBUS-TBNA for diagnosis of TB/NTM, sarcoidosis and overall granulomatous mediastinal lymphadenopathy were 69%, 64%, 64%; the negative predictive values were 56%, 17%, 33%; and accuracies were 78%, 67%, 70%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONEBUS-TBNA can be useful in the diagnosis of suspected granulomatous mediastinal lymphadenopathy with sensitivities and accuracies of >60%.

Bronchoscopy ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration ; Female ; Granuloma ; pathology ; Humans ; Lymphatic Diseases ; pathology ; Male ; Mediastinal Diseases ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

INTRODUCTIONTuberculosis (TB), a potentially fatal infectious disease, poses significant health problems. The objective of this study was to analyse trends among newly diagnosed TB patients seen at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

METHODSThis study was a retrospective case record review of notified TB patients at SGH between 2006 and 2010 (inclusive).

RESULTSA total of 1,979 cases of TB were notified over the five years. The number increased from 368 in 2006 to 407 in 2010 (p = 0.51), in tandem with the increasing number of patients seen at the hospital and the rising population in Singapore. Singaporean residents accounted for 82.8% of the cases, while non-Singaporean residents and non-residents made up the remainder. The year-to-year percentage of non-Singaporean residents and non-residents notified remained stable throughout the five years (p = 0.783). The number of male Singaporean residents (70.7%) notified was more than twice that of female Singaporean residents (29.3%). The majority of patients infected with TB (31.9%) were elderly patients aged > 65 years. Although testing for the human immunodeficiency virus increased from 43.8% (2006) to 64.2% (2010), the number detected with coinfection remained stable (14 and 12 patients in 2006 and 2010, respectively). Mortality rates also remained stable at 12.0%.

CONCLUSIONWe cannot afford complacency, as there was no downward trend in the number of notified TB cases at SGH from 2006 to 2010. As the elderly contribute significantly to the TB burden, increased efforts are required to manage this vulnerable population.

Adult ; Aged ; Communicable Disease Control ; Female ; HIV Infections ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Factors ; Singapore ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Tuberculosis ; complications ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Vulnerable Populations

Adult ; Alternaria ; immunology ; Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic ; immunology ; Animals ; Antibodies ; immunology ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; immunology ; Antibodies, Fungal ; immunology ; Antigens ; immunology ; Antigens, Bacterial ; immunology ; Antigens, Fungal ; immunology ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; immunology ; Asymptomatic Diseases ; Candida albicans ; immunology ; Cladosporium ; immunology ; Columbidae ; immunology ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; immunology ; Male ; Melopsittacus ; immunology ; Middle Aged ; Mucor ; immunology ; Nocardia ; immunology ; Parrots ; immunology ; Penicillium chrysogenum ; immunology ; Stachybotrys ; immunology ; Thermoactinomyces ; immunology

INTRODUCTIONDiabetes mellitus (DM) is a major cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The epidemiology of CKD secondary to type 2 DM (T2DM) (i.e. diabetic nephropathy (DN)) has not been well studied in Singapore, a multi-ethnic Asian population. We aimed to determine the prevalence of CKD in adult patients with T2DM.

MATERIALS AND METHODSWe conducted a cross-sectional study on patients (n = 1861) aged 21 to 89 years with T2DM who had attended the DM centre of a single acute care public hospital or a primary care polyclinic between August 2011 and November 2013. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from patients using a standard questionnaire. Spot urine and fasting blood samples were sent to an accredited hospital laboratory for urinary albumin, serum creatinine, HbA1c and lipid measurement. CKD was defined and classified using the 2012 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines and classification.

RESULTSThe distribution by risk of adverse CKD outcomes was: low risk, 47%; moderate risk, 27.2%; high risk, 12.8%; and very high risk, 13%. The prevalence of CKD in patients with T2DM was 53%. Variables significantly associated with CKD include neuropathy, blood pressure ≥140/80 mmHg, triglycerides ≥1.7 mmol, body mass index, duration of diabetes, HbA1c ≥8%, age, cardiovascular disease, and proliferative retinopathy.

CONCLUSIONCKD was highly prevalent among patients with T2DM in Singapore. Several risk factors for CKD are well recognised and amenable to intervention. Routine rigorous screening for DN and enhanced programme for global risk factors reduction will be critical to stem the tide of DN.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Risk Factors ; Singapore

Hemorrhoids/surgery* ; Humans ; Lasers ; Ligation

INTRODUCTIONThe aim of this study was to identify patient characteristics and risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) requiring intensive care unit (ICU) management.

METHODSA retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients with active PTB admitted to the ICU at Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, between January 2005 and December 2010.

RESULTSThere were 2,155 patients with active PTB diagnosed, of whom 83 (3.9%) patients were admitted to the ICU, but eight were excluded because their admission to the ICU was unrelated to PTB. The most common comorbidities were diabetes mellitus (n = 23, 30.7%) and immunocompromised host (n = 25, 33.3%). A few (n = 4, 5.3%) of the patients had HIV coinfection. A majority (n = 67, 89.3%) of patients required mechanical ventilation and the mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 8.05 ± 14.43 days. Mean duration of ICU stay and hospital stay were 10.23 ± 15.8 days and 33.7 ± 50.7 days, respectively. In-hospital mortality was 62.7% (n = 47), and 36 of these patients died while in the ICU (ICU mortality, 48.0%). Univariate analysis identified ischaemic heart disease, low albumin, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation score, disseminated intravascular coagulation, shock and multiorgan failure as significantly associated with mortality. Multivariate analysis showed that low albumin on the day of ICU admission was the only significant independent predictor of death (p = 0.033).

CONCLUSIONIn-hospital mortality from active PTB requiring ICU admission was 62.7%, and low albumin was an independent predictor of mortality in this study.

The concept of theranostics, where individual patient-level biological information is used to choose the optimal therapy for that individual, has become more popular in the modern era of ‘personalised’ medicine. With the growth of theranostics, nuclear medicine as a specialty is uniquely poised to grow along with the ever-increasing number of concepts combining imaging and therapy. This special report summarises the status and growth of Theranostic Nuclear Medicine in Singapore.We will cover our experience with the use of radioiodine, radioiodinated metaiodobenzylguanidine, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, prostate specific membrane antigen radioligand therapy, radium-223 and yttrium-90 selective internal radiation therapy.We also include a section on our radiopharmacy laboratory, crucial to our implementation of theranostic principles. Radionuclide theranostics has seen tremendous growth and we hope to be able to grow alongside to continue to serve the patients in Singapore and in the region.
Hope ; Humans ; Lutetium ; Membranes ; Nuclear Medicine ; Prostate ; Radium ; Receptors, Peptide ; Singapore ; Theranostic Nanomedicine ; Yttrium

The concept of theranostics, where individual patient-level biological information is used to choose the optimal therapy for that individual, has become more popular in the modern era of ‘personalised’ medicine. With the growth of theranostics, nuclear medicine as a specialty is uniquely poised to grow along with the ever-increasing number of concepts combining imaging and therapy. This special report summarises the status and growth of Theranostic Nuclear Medicine in Singapore.We will cover our experience with the use of radioiodine, radioiodinated metaiodobenzylguanidine, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, prostate specific membrane antigen radioligand therapy, radium-223 and yttrium-90 selective internal radiation therapy.We also include a section on our radiopharmacy laboratory, crucial to our implementation of theranostic principles. Radionuclide theranostics has seen tremendous growth and we hope to be able to grow alongside to continue to serve the patients in Singapore and in the region.

OBJECTIVES: An inter-arm difference in systolic blood pressure (IADSBP) of 10 mmHg or more has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and increased mortality in T2DM patients. We aim to study ethnic disparity in IADSBP and its determinants in a multi-ethnic T2DM Asian cohort.
METHODOLOGY: Bilateral blood pressures were collected sequentially in Chinese (n=654), Malays (n=266) and Indians (n=313). IADSBP was analyzed as categories (
RESULTS: Malays (27.4%) and Indians (22.4%) had higher prevalence of IADSBP ?10 mmHg than Chinese (17.4%) (p=0.002). After adjustment for age, gender, duration of diabetes, hemoglobin A1c, body mass index (BMI), heart rate, pulse wave velocity (PWV), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), smoking, hypertension, soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), and usage of hypertension medications, ethnicity remained associated with IADSBP. While Malays were more likely to have IADSBP ?10 mmHg than Chinese (OR=1.648, 95%CI: 1.138-2.400, p=0.009), Indians had comparable odds with the Chinese. BMI (OR=1.054, 95%CI: 1.022-1.087, p=0.001) and hypertension (OR=2.529, 95%CI: 1.811-3.533, p<0.001) were also associated with IADSBP ?10 mmHg.
CONCLUSION: IADSBP in Malays were more likely to be ?10 mmHg than the Chinese which may explain their higher risk for CVD and mortality. Measuring bilateral blood pressures may identify high-risk T2DM individuals for intensive risk factor-management.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Aged 80 And Over ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Mortality ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Body Mass Index ; Hemoglobins ; Heart Rate ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Creatinine ; Smoking ; Hypertension