Factors Influencing Excessive Gestational Weight Gain Among Pregnant Women in Urban Malaysia Introduction Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) is a growing public health concern due to its association with higher risk of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. Recognising the key factors of underlying GWG incidence is thus crucial for developing targeted interventions. This study aims to determine the prevalence of excessive GWG and its associated factors among pregnant women in an urban district of Klang Valley, Malaysia. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted (betweenNovember 2017 and October 2018) among 472 pregnant women who gave birth between January 2015 and December 2016. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, medical illnesses, and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) were retrieved from the birth registry and maternal health records. The classification of GWG is based on the Institute of Medicine's recommendation Results The classification of GWG is based on the Institute of Medicine's recommendation. A total of 113 (23.9%) pregnant women had excessive GWG. Multiple logistic regression showed the odds of getting excessive GWG were higher among those with lower education levels (Adj. OR = 1.85; 95% CI = 1.084, 3.147), being employed (Adj. OR = 2.30; 95% CI = 1.342, 3.928), nulliparous (Adj. OR = 2.46; 95% CI = 1.450, 4.164), and having pre-pregnancy BMI of ≥25kg/m2(Adj. OR = 6.47; 95% CI = 3.909, 10.721). Conclusions Lifestyle interventions, such as weight reduction programs and health education, should focus on women with high pre-pregnancy BMI, nulliparous women, working women and women with low education levels. Pre-pregnancy clinics and workplaces can serve as platforms to promote healthy dietary choices and encourage regular physical exercise.

Background: Malaysians, known for their diverse ethnicities, exhibit unique aesthetic features influenced by cultural nuances.Research indicates that factors including ethnicity, culture, and personal experiences affect how people perceive beauty. Objective: This study aims to address the lack of data on the preferred facial aesthetics among women from different ethnic groups in Malaysia. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to 290 Malaysian women, covering multiple regions and dimensions of facial aesthetics, including facial shape, forehead height and slope, cheekbone height, chin shape, eye region features (eyebrow shape, eyelid creases, and inner eye fold), nose (nose bridge shape, nasolabial angle, and nose width-length ratio), and lip thickness. Edited images of Asian models were used as references for facial aesthetic criteria in this study. Results: The survey revealed that the majority of participants were of Malay ethnicity (71.0%) and employed in the private sector (39.3%). The average age of the participants was 31.6±9.2 years, and most of them (66.9%) have not undergone aesthetic procedures before. Furthermore, a significant association was observed between ethnicity and women’s facial aesthetic preferences for facial shape and nasal width-length ratio (p<0.05). Oval facial shape was preferred by Malay (40.3%, n=83), Chinese (41.4%, n=12), and Indian (41.3%, n=19) women, due to its long, narrow, and rounded chin. For nasal width-length ratio, Malay (44.2%, n=91) and Chinese (37.9%, n=11) women preferred a ratio <1, whereas Indians (39.1%, n=18) favored a ratio >1. However, no significant association was found between ethnicity and other facial aesthetic criteria assessed in the study. Conclusion This study identified that Malaysian women’s preferences for facial shape and nasal width-to-length ratio are associated with ethnicity. These findings can serve as a valuable reference for aesthetic practitioners, emphasizing the importance of preservation and enhancement of unique ethnic features, customized according to the suitability of each ethnicity, rather than conforming to prevailing beauty standards.

MEDICAL AESTHETIC AWARENESS AMONG PUBLIC IN MALAYSIA AND THE FACTORS THAT MAY INFLUENCE IT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY Introduction: Medical aesthetic practice is growing rapidly in Malaysia due to rising market demand, yet public understanding of these practices remains limited. This study evaluated the awareness and attitudes towards medical aesthetics among Malaysians. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among individuals aged ≥ 18 years old in Malaysia from December 2021 to May 2022. The survey was distributed both online and in public settings. The survey comprised of respondents’ sociodemographic, perception of physical attractiveness, knowledge and attitude towards medical aesthetic practices. The factors influencing respondents’ attitudes towards medical aesthetic practices in the country were analysed using binary logistic regression, with the significance level set at P<0.05. Results: A total of 382 respondents participated in this study with average age of 30.81 (±9.38) years, ranging from 18 to 68 years. The majority were women (77.5%), Malay (53.7%) and Muslim (57.1%). Although most respondents had no prior experience in medical aesthetic treatment (68.1%), 76.2% respondents demonstrated good knowledge and 70.2% had positive attitude towards these services. Additionally, 53.9% of the respondents highly valued the importance of physical attractiveness. The Buddhists and Hindus exhibited more positive attitude than the Muslims. Conversely, those who placed higher importance on physical attractiveness were 0.5 times less likely to develop a positive attitude towards medical aesthetic services. Conclusion: In conclusion, despite limited experience in medical aesthetic treatments and practice, most Malaysians possess good knowledge and positive attitudes towards medical aesthetics, indicating a growing interest and potential willingness to consider these services for enhancing their appearance.

SUMMARY Introduction: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common bacterial infection affecting children and therefore, prompt recognition and accurate antimicrobial management are vital to prevent kidney damage. This study aims to determine the bacterial pathogens and their patterns of antimicrobial resistance in children presenting with UTI. Methods: A retrospective study of 721 cases, involving children between the ages of 1-day old to 13 years old with culture-proven UTI in Selayang Hospital, Malaysia between January 2007 and December 2011. The bacterial pathogens and antibiotic resistance patterns in the total population, prophylaxis and no prophylaxis groups were studied. Results: The 3 most common organisms isolated in the total population were E.Coli (41.6%), Klebsiella spp. (21.2%) and Enterococcus spp. (11.0%). With regards to the antibiotic resistance, E.Coli resistance rates to ampicillin, cefuroxime and gentamicin were 67.7%, 15.3% and 7.3% respectively. Ampicillin-resistance was also highest in Klebsiella spp. (84.3%), Enterococcus spp. (15.5%) and Proteus spp. (55.5%). Conclusion: E.coli remains to be the leading bacterial pathogen causing UTI in children, with ampicillin-resistance occurring in more than half of these cases. Therefore, accurate choice of antibiotics is important to ensure optimal outcome. In our study, cefuroxime and gentamicin have lower antibiotic resistance rates and can be used in the treatment of UTI in children.
Urinary Tract Infections

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus is associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain oral mucosal disorders. This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions (OMLs) in patients with type 2 diabetes (DM2) and to investigate the association of such lesions with metabolic control of the disease. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 391 patients with DM2 and 391 non-diabetic control subjects. Demographic information and data on the duration and type of diabetes, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values, medical history, and current use of medication were obtained from medical records. Detailed oral examination was performed in accordance with international criteria. Results: The prevalence of OMLs was significantly higher among diabetic patients (45.5%) than among control subjects (38.4%) (P = 0.042). Patients with diabetes had a higher prevalence of geographic tongue (GT) (P = 0.017), denture stomatitis (P = 0.018), and angular cheilitis (P = 0.006) than controls. Overall, diabetic patients with poor metabolic control had a significantly higher prevalence of OMLs and xerostomia than patients with moderately and well-controlled disease (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The prevalence of OMLs was significantly higher in diabetic patients than in control subjects. Higher occurrence of OMLs was significantly associated with poor metabolic control.
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Mouth Mucosa ; Pathology, Oral ; Prevalence

This is a cross-sectional study in a representative sample of preschool children from 12 preschools (TADIKA KEMAS) Pasir Mas, Kelantan, Malaysia. Data on socioeconomic status and sources of water supply at home were collected through interview with mothers. Children’s anthropometric data (height and weight) and body-mass-index-for-age (BMI-for-age) was calculated. Oral examinations of ECC status was based on the dmft index (WHO, 1997). The results showed mean carious teeth were very high (dmft 11.1±4.8) and almost every preschool child was affected with ECC (prevalence 98.1%). The majority were in “high caries” category (i.e. dmft >7) and about 51.4% of preschoolers was underweight and only a few was overweight/obese. Preschool children with high caries mostly were underweight and normal of BMI. The BMI-for-age, household income and household expenditure for food were significant correlation with ECC experience (p<0.05). However, logistic regression showed only family income was a significant factor to ECC.

The aim of this study was to determine the genotoxicity of a locally produced nanocomposite by Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia using Comet assay. Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) were treated with the nanocomposite at five different concentrations (0.006, 0.0125, 0.025, 0.05, and 0.1 mg/ml) along with concurrent negative (medium alone) and positive control (zinc sulfate heptahydrate) and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours in an incubator at 5% CO2. The tail moment was used to assess the extent of DNA damage. The tail moment for the group of SHED treated with nanocomposite (for all the five different concentrations) was not statistically significant as compared to the negative control, suggesting that the locally produced dental nanocomposite did not induce any DNA damage. Hence, it can be concluded that the locally produced nanocomposite is non-genotoxic on stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth.

Dental caries is an important community dental health problem with limited studies in the mixed dentition stage. The aim of this study was to determine the caries prevalence and treatment needs among 7- 9 year old school children in Kelantan which is situated in North East Malaysia. A retrospective dental record review of fully documented dental records belonging to primary school children attending a paediatric dental clinic was conducted. Dental caries was recorded using dmft index and DMFT index for deciduous teeth and permanent teeth respectively. Three hundred and nineteen dental records of 175 (54.9%) boys’ and 144 (45.1%) girls’ were selected and subjected to a ‘dental record study’. The prevalence of dental caries was 93% (95% CI : 89,97) in primary dentition and 50.5% (95% CI : 42.2, 58.8) in permanent teeth. Mean dmft and DMFT was 6.2(SD 3.39) and 1.04(SD 1.34) respectively. Regarding treatment needs in the primary dentition, 35.4% of teeth needed one surface filling, 34.7% needed extraction, 24.5% needed two or more surfaces filling and 5.6% needed pulp care. In the permanent dentition, 54.7% required sealants and 21.9% required one surface restoration. The caries prevalence and treatment needs were high among this study population in the mixed dentition stage, particularly showing the early involvement of newly erupted permanent teeth. It appears that high caries prevalence in the primary dentition is a risk factor for caries in newly erupted permanent teeth. Oral health promotions programmes are required in the mixed dentition stage and may reduce the risk of caries in permanent dentition.

An interventional case-report about a rare case of penetrating eye injury caused by a fish hook. A 34-year old man was brought to the emergency department with a fish hook embedded in the eye. The fish hook occupied the whole globe with part of it penetrated into the posterior part of the sclera. It was extracted under general anaesthesia using the back-out method.The back-out method is the best option for the removal of the fish hook that penetrated the globe till to the posterior part of the sclera