1.Bali Chronic Constipation Roundtable Report: Chronic ConstipationManagement in Asia
Yi Ping REN ; Wah Loong CHAN ; Kee Huat CHUAH ; Yong Sung KIM ; Atsushi NAKAJIMA ; Sanjiv MAHADEVA ; Yeong Yeh LEE ; Andrew S B CHUA ; Tao BAI ; Ari Fahrial SYAM ; Chien-Lin CHEN ; Ching-Liang LU ; M. Masudur RAHMAN ; Tanisa PATCHARATRAKUL ; Victoria Ping Y TAN ; Dao Viet HANG ; Xiaohua HOU ; Yinglian XIAO ; Justin WU ; Uday C GHOSHAL ; Hidekazu SUZUKI ; Sutep GONLACHANVIT ; Kewin T H SIAH
Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility 2026;32(1):109-128
Background/Aims:
Chronic constipation is prevalent yet under-diagnosed across Asia, compromising quality of life and burdening healthcare systems. Cultural stigma, varied diets, and limited access to standardized diagnostic tools delay timely care.
Methods:
The Bali Chronic Constipation Roundtable in November 2024, brought together experts from 11 Asian countries. The group reviewed epidemiological data, analyzed multinational questionnaire on clinical practice pattern, and conducted structured discussions to identify key barriers and propose region-specific recommendations.
Results:
Chronic constipation prevalence varies across Asia, ranging from 1.8% in India to 16.6% in Japan, with women and the elderly disproportionately affected. Under-reporting persists owing to cultural taboos and widespread self treatment with laxatives and traditional medications. Although the Rome IV criteria remains the global standard, they may not fully reflect Asian symptom profiles, and diagnosis is limited by scarce motility laboratories. First line therapies such as dietary-fiber optimization and osmotic laxatives are widely available, but newer pharmacotherapies (prucalopride, linaclotide, lubiprostone, and elobixibat) remain costly and unevenly accessible. Biofeedback for dyssynergic defecation is underutilized due to limited availability. Experts recommend expanded regional research on to refine diagnostic criteria, coupled with enhanced physician education and public awareness. They advocate accessibility to second-line and novel therapies that incorporate culturally attuned regional guidelines, and improved access to gastrointestinal motility testing.
Conclusions
The Bali Chronic Constipation Roundtable highlighted Asia’s need for region specific diagnostics and management. Addressing diagnostic and treatment gaps will improve outcomes, while ongoing researcher clinician policy collaboration must standardize guidelines, advance research, and ensure equitable care across Asia.
2.Interleukin-27 exhibited anti-inflammatory activity during Plasmodium berghei infection in mice.
Fazalul Rahiman, S S ; Basir, R ; Talib, H ; Tie, T H ; Chuah, Y K ; Jabbarzare, M ; Chong, W C ; Mohd Yusoff, M A ; Nordin, N ; Yam, M F ; Abdullah, W O ; Abdul Majid, R
Tropical Biomedicine 2013;30(4):663-80
Interleukin-27 (IL-27) has a pleiotropic role either as a pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory cytokine in inflammatory related diseases. The role and involvement of IL-27 during malaria was investigated and the effects of modulating its release on the production of major inflammatory cytokines and the histopathological consequences in major affected organs during the infection were evaluated. Results showed that IL-27 concentration was significantly elevated throughout the infection but no positive correlation with the parasitaemia development observed. Augmentation of IL-27 significantly elevated the release of anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10 whereas antagonising and neutralising IL-27 produced the opposite. A significant elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-6) was also observed, both during augmentation and inhibition of IL-27. Thus, it is suggested that IL-27 exerts an anti-inflammatory activity in the Th1 type response by signalling the production of IL-10 during malaria. Histopathological examination showed sequestration of PRBC in the microvasculature of major organs in malarial mice. Other significant histopathological changes include hyperplasia and hypertrophy of the Kupffer cells in the liver, hyaline membrane formation in lung tissue, enlargement of the white and red pulp followed by the disappearance of germinal centre of the spleen, and tubular vacuolation of the kidney tissues. In conclusion, it is suggested that IL-27 may possibly acts as an anti-inflammatory cytokine during the infection. Modulation of its release produced a positive impact on inflammatory cytokine production during the infection, suggesting its potential in malaria immunotherapy, in which the host may benefit from its inhibition.
3.Life threatening and occult mediastinal haemorrhage secondary to acquired factor VIII deficiency.
Chieh Suai TAN ; Kenneth P CHAN ; Charles T CHUAH ; Heng Joo NG ; Foong Koon CHEAH ; Felicia S TEO ; Philip C T ENG
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2009;38(3):280-281
Aged
;
Female
;
Hemophilia A
;
complications
;
Hemorrhage
;
etiology
;
Humans
;
Mediastinal Diseases
;
etiology
4.Renal cell carcinoma bony metastasis treatment.
Saminathan Suresh NATHAN ; Chin Tat LIM ; Benjamin Y S CHUAH ; Thomas C PUTTI ; Anthony J STANLEY ; Alvin S C WONG
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2008;37(3):247-248
Bone Neoplasms
;
diagnosis
;
secondary
;
Carcinoma, Renal Cell
;
diagnosis
;
secondary
;
Humans
;
Kidney Neoplasms
;
pathology
;
Male
;
Middle Aged
;
Patella
;
Sternum
5.Pasteurella multocida septicaemia following a dog bite.
; P K MAH ; S C CHUAH ; L S CHEW
Singapore medical journal 1993;34(3):271-273
Bite wounds are often mistakenly considered innocuous. However, they are frequently complicated by infection which may be serious. We describe a case of Pasteurella multocida septicaemia with myopericarditis following a dog bite. Treatment of the infection as well as active support of myocardial function led to a successful outcome.
Adult
;
Animals
;
Bites and Stings
;
microbiology
;
Dogs
;
Hand Injuries
;
microbiology
;
Humans
;
Male
;
Pasteurella Infections
;
pathology
;
Pasteurella multocida
;
Pericardial Effusion
;
microbiology
;
Pericarditis
;
microbiology
;
Sepsis
;
pathology
;
Wound Infection
;
pathology


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