Demographic characteristics and intravenous drug use among hepatitis C patients in the Kota Setar district, Kedah, Malaysia

Wei Leong Tan,Goh Yihui,Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan 한국역학회 2015 Epidemiology and Health Vol.37 No.-

OBJECTIVES: This study explored the demographic characteristics of hepatitis C patients in the Kota Setar (KS) district, Kedah, Malaysia, the prevalence of intravenous drug use (IVDU) as a risk factor among these patients, and the associations between IVDU and demographic characteristics. METHODS: Retrospective data pertaining to 713 patients from January 2009 to December 2013 were retrieved from hospital and disease notification records for analysis. The risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were grouped into IVDU and non-IVDU risk factors for analysis using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the hepatitis C patients included in this study, the most common age group was 31 to 40 years (30.2%), and male patients (91.2%) made up the overwhelming majority. Ethnic Malays constituted approximately 80.4% of the patients, and IVDU was the main risk factor (77.8%) for HCV infection. Multiple logistic regression showed that male patients were 59 times more likely to have IVDU as a risk factor for HCV infection. Single patients were 2.5 times more likely to have IVDU as a risk factor. Patients aged ≥71 years were much less likely than patients aged ≤30 years to have IVDU as a risk factor for HCV infection. CONCLUSIONS: IVDU was found to be an important risk factor for HCV infection among patients in the KS district. The factors associated with IVDU included age, sex, and marital status. Appropriate preventive measures should be developed to target the groups in which IVDU is most likely to be a risk factor for HCV infection.

Bioprospecting of Endophytic Fungi as Promising Anti-MRSA Agents

Wei, Yee-Min,Tan, Joo-Shun,Tang, Hock-Wei,Tong, Woei-Yenn,Leong, Chean-Ring,Tan, Wen-Nee The Korean Society of Pharmacognosy 2022 Natural Product Sciences Vol.28 No.3

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a serious threat to the global healthcare system. Ineffective and resistance to antibiotic treatments have increased morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. New and effective antibiotics are needed to combat against bacterial resistance. Endophytic fungi are crucial reservoirs of novel bioactive metabolites. In particular, the secondary metabolites show promising therapeutic potential, notably, antibacterial. This review discussed the emerging potential of endophytic fungi as anti-MRSA agents. The ecological sources of endophytic fungi were discussed with the synthesis of bioactive metabolites. The mode of antibacterial actions was elucidated to give a better understanding of the mechanisms involved. This review may serve as an important reference for future discovery and developments of anti-MRSA agents from endophytic fungi.

Evaluation of a Colorectal Carcinoma Screening Program in Kota Setar and Kuala Muda Districts, Malaysia

Abu Hassan, Muhammad Radzi,Leong, Tan Wei,Andu, Delarina Frimawati Othman,Hat, Habshoh,Mustapha, Nik Raihan Nik Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2016 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.17 No.2

Background: A colorectal cancer screening program was piloted in two districts of Kedah in 2013. There is scarcity of information on colorectal cancer screening in Malaysia. Objective: Thus, this research was conducted to evaluate the colorectal cancer screening program in the districts to provide insights intop its efficacy. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted using data on the colorectal cancer screening program in 2013 involving Kota Setar and Kuala Muda districts in Malaysia. We determined the response rate of immunochemical fecal occult blood test (iFOBT), colonoscopy compliance, and detection rates of neoplasia and carcinoma. We also compared the response of FOBT by demographic background. Results: The response rate of FOBT for first iFOBT screening was 94.7% while the second iFOBT screening was 90.7%. Participants from Kuala Muda district were 27 times more likely to default while Indians had a 3 times higher risk of default compared to Malays. The colonoscopy compliance was suboptimal among those with positive iFOBT. The most common finding from colonoscopy was hemorrhoids, followed by tubular adenoma. Detection rate of carcinoma and neoplasia for our program was 1.2%. Conclusions: In summary, the response rate of iFOBT was encouraging but the colonoscopy compliance was suboptimal which led to a considerably low detection rate.

A Preliminary Experience of Endoscopic Total Mastectomy With Immediate Free Abdominal-Based Perforator Flap Reconstruction Using Minimal Incisions, and Literature Review

Sabrina Ngaserin,Allen Wei-Jiat Wong,Faith Qi-Hui Leong,Jia-Jun Feng,Yee Onn Kok,Benita Kiat-Tee Tan 한국유방암학회 2023 Journal of breast cancer Vol.26 No.2

Purpose: Endoscopic total mastectomy (ETM) is predominantly performed with reconstruction using prostheses, lipofilling, omental flaps, latissimus dorsi flaps, or a combination of these techniques. Common approaches include minimal incisions, e.g., periareolar, inframammary, axillary, or mid-axillary line, which limit the technical ability to perform autologous flap insets and microvascular anastomoses, as such the ETM with free abdominal-based perforator flap reconstruction has not been robustly explored. Methods: We studied female patients with breast cancer who underwent ETM and abdominal-based flap reconstruction. Clinical-radiological-pathological characteristics, surgery, complications, recurrence rates, and aesthetic outcomes were reviewed. Results: Twelve patients underwent ETM with abdominal-based flap reconstruction. The mean age was 53.4 years (range 36–65). Of the patients, 33.3% were surgically treated for stage I, 58.4% for stage II, and 8.3% for stage III cancer. Mean tumor size was 35.4 mm (range 1–67). Mean specimen weight was 458.75 g (range 242–800). Of the patients, 92.3% successfully received endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy and 7.7% underwent intraoperative conversion to skin-sparing mastectomy after carcinoma was reported on frozen section of the nipple base. Mean operative time for ETM was 139 minutes (92–198), and the average ischemic time was 37.3 minutes (range 22–50). Fifty percent of patients underwent deep inferior epigastric perforator, 33.4% underwent MS-2 transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM), 8.3% underwent MS-1 TRAM, and 8.3% underwent pedicled TRAM flap reconstruction. No cases required re-exploration, no flap failure occurred, margins were clear, and no skin or nipple-areolar complex ischemia/necrosis developed. In the aesthetic outcome evaluation, 16.7% were excellent, 75% good, 8.3% fair, and none were unsatisfactory. No recurrences were observed. Conclusion: ETM through a minimal-access inferior mammary or mid-axillary line approach, followed by immediate pedicled TRAM or free abdominal-based perforator flap reconstruction, can be a safe means of achieving an “aesthetically scarless” mastectomy and reconstruction through minimal incisions.

Intestinal obstruction: predictor of poor prognosis in colorectal carcinoma?

Mohd Azri Mohd Suan,Wei Leong Tan,Shahrul Aiman Soelar,Ibtisam Ismail,Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan 한국역학회 2015 Epidemiology and Health Vol.37 No.-

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between intestinal obstruction and the prognosis of colorectal carcinoma. METHODS: Data pertaining to 4,501 colorectal carcinoma patients were extracted from the national colorec-tal registry and analysed. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test was used to compare the survival rate between patients with intestinal obstruction and those without intesti-nal obstruction. The p-values< 0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. Simple Cox proportion-al hazards regression analysis was used to estimate the crude hazard ratio of mortality from colorectal cancer. RESULTS: Intestinal obstruction was reported in more than 13% of patients. The 3-year survival rate after treat-ment was 48.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 43.9 to 52.8) for patients with intestinal obstruction (n= 593) and 54.9% (95% CI, 53.1 to 56.6) for patients without intestinal obstruction (n= 3,908). The 5-year survival rate for patients with intestinal obstruction was 37.3% (95% CI, 31.9 to 42.8), which was lower than that of patients without intestinal obstruction (45.6%; 95% CI, 43.5 to 47.7). After adjusting the hazard ratio for oth-er prognostic variables, intestinal obstruction had a statistically significant negative correlation with the surviv-al rate of colorectal cancer patients, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.22 (p= 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of intestinal obstruction is associated with a lower survival rate among colorectal cancer patients.

Incidence and mortality rates of colorectal cancer in Malaysia

Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan,Ibtisam Ismail,Mohd Azri Mohd Suan,Faizah Ahmad,Wan Khamizar Wan Khazim,Zabedah Othman,Rosaida Mat Said,Wei Leong Tan,Siti Rahmah @ Noor Syahireen Mohammed,Shahrul Aiman Soel 한국역학회 2016 Epidemiology and Health Vol.38 No.-

OBJECTIVES: This is the first study that estimates the incidence and mortality rate for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in Malaysia by sex and ethnicity. METHODS: The 4,501 patients were selected from National Cancer Patient Registry-Colorectal Cancer data. Patient survival status was cross-checked with the National Registration Department. The age-standardised rate (ASR) was calculated as the proportion of CRC cases (incidence) and deaths (mortality) from 2008 to 2013, weighted by the age structure of the population, as determined by the Department of Statistics Malaysia and the World Health Organization world standard population distribution. RESULTS: The overall incidence rate for CRC was 21.32 cases per 100,000. Those of Chinese ethnicity had the highest CRC incidence (27.35), followed by the Malay (18.95), and Indian (17.55) ethnicities. The ASR incidence rate of CRC was 1.33 times higher among males than females (24.16 and 18.14 per 100,000, respectively). The 2011 (44.7%) CRC deaths were recorded. The overall ASR of mortality was 9.79 cases, with 11.85 among the Chinese, followed by 9.56 among the Malays and 7.08 among the Indians. The ASR of mortality was 1.42 times higher among males (11.46) than females (8.05). CONCLUSIONS: CRC incidence and mortality is higher in males than females. Individuals of Chinese ethnicity have the highest incidence of CRC, followed by the Malay and Indian ethnicities. The same trends were observed for the age-standardised mortality rate.