Browse publications by year: 1994

Fulltext Continent pouch ileostomy

Tay SK, Meah FA, Isa MR, Phang KS

Med J Malaysia, 1994 Sep;49(3):310-4.
PMID: 7845289

Continent pouch ileostomy is fashioned for patients who need a proctocolectomy. It is usually indicated for cases of ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis where the anal sphincter can no longer maintain normal function or has to be removed. A case of familial adenomatous polyposis with features of Gardner's syndrome is reported. The patient presented with carcinoma of the rectum. Abdominoperineal resection followed by completion pancolectomy was performed. A continent pouch ileostomy was fashioned for him. He resumed work as a labourer within six months. The pouch was troublefree, needed to emptied four to six times a day and was fully continent of fluid, flatus and faeces until his demise three years later from liver secondaries. Continent pouch ileostomy is a better alternative than permanent end ileostomy. All care should be taken to rule out the existence of Crohn's disease. It is proposed that continent pouch ileostomy should be offered to patients needing permanent ileostomy if the expertise is available.

MeSH terms: Adenocarcinoma/pathology; Adenocarcinoma/surgery*; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli/pathology; Adenomatous Polyposis Coli/surgery*; Rectal Neoplasms/pathology; Rectal Neoplasms/surgery*; Reoperation; Proctocolectomy, Restorative*
Immunoassay of gonadotropins using a fully-automated benchtop analyser

Kamariah K, Lopez JB, Satgunasingam N

Br J Biomed Sci, 1994 Sep;51(3):296-8.
PMID: 7881328

We assessed the analytical performance of the Abbott IMxTM immunoassay analyser for total beta human chorionic gonadotropin (Beta hCG), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH). The within-run CVs for various analyte concentrations were 2% to 6% while those for between-run imprecision in routine assay ranged from 4% to 10%. IMxTM values correlated well with radioimmunoassay for beta hCG, and immunoradiometric assay for FSH and LH; the correlation coefficients (r) were 0.97, 0.99 and 0.98 for total beta hCG, FSH and LH respectively. The average sensitivities were approximately 3.1, 0.2 and 0.5 iu/l for beta hCG, FSH and LH, respectively. Sample carry-over was not detected and there was negligible cross-reaction between LH and beta hCG in the respective assays. The automatic sample dilution protocol for beta hCG was superior to the manual procedure. The IMxTM is easy to operate and is able to process 24 samples in 40-45 minutes.

MeSH terms: Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood; Gonadotropins/blood*; Chorionic Gonadotropin/blood; Humans; Immunoassay/instrumentation*; Luteinizing Hormone/blood
Selective IgA deficiency presenting with hypersplenism

Teh A, Bosco JJ

Br J Clin Pract, 1994 Sep-Oct;48(5):276-7.
PMID: 7917827

A young patient presenting with splenomegaly and hypersplenism was inadvertently found to have selective IgA deficiency. There were no symptoms of immunodeficiency and the patient responded well to splenectomy, with return of blood counts to normal without adverse effects. No other cause for the hypersplenism was found. We postulate selective IgA deficiency as a cause of splenomegaly and hypersplenism.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Female; Humans; Hypersplenism/etiology*; Hypersplenism/surgery; Splenectomy; Splenomegaly/etiology; Splenomegaly/surgery; IgA Deficiency/complications*
Organochlorine pesticide residue levels in peninsular Malaysian rivers

Tan GH, Vijayaletchumy K

Bull Environ Contam Toxicol, 1994 Sep;53(3):351-6.
PMID: 7919710
MeSH terms: Chromatography, Gas/methods; Fresh Water; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated*; Insecticides/analysis*; Malaysia; Pesticide Residues/analysis*; Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis*
Lung function reference values in Singaporean children aged 6-18 years

Connett GJ, Quak SH, Wong ML, Teo J, Lee BW

Thorax, 1994 Sep;49(9):901-5.
PMID: 7940431

A study was undertaken to produce reference values of lung function in Chinese children and a means of calculating adjusted standard deviation scores of lung function for Malay and Indian ethnic groups.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Body Height; Child; China/ethnology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; India/ethnology; Lung/physiology*; Malaysia/ethnology; Male; Random Allocation; Reference Values; Regression Analysis; Sex Factors; Singapore/ethnology; Vital Capacity
Undifferentiated carcinoma of the sinuses and cranial basis successfully treated with radiochemotherapy. A case report

Chandrasekaran S, Baba AA, Othman N, Jayakumar CR

Chemotherapy, 1994 Sep-Oct;40(5):357-61.
PMID: 7956460

The frustration and disappointment in managing advanced cancers of the nose and paranasal sinuses are well known. We report a case of a successful treatment of such a tumour in a 37-year-old soldier, using a combination of therapy including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Each mode of treatment is discussed.

MeSH terms: Adult; Carcinoma/drug therapy; Carcinoma/radiotherapy; Carcinoma/surgery; Carcinoma/therapy*; Combined Modality Therapy; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Nose Neoplasms/drug therapy; Nose Neoplasms/radiotherapy; Nose Neoplasms/surgery; Nose Neoplasms/therapy*; Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms/drug therapy; Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms/radiotherapy; Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms/surgery; Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms/therapy*; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
The effects of stereotyping on impression formation: cross-cultural perspectives on viewing religious persons

Chia EK, Jih CS

J Psychol, 1994 Sep;128(5):559-65.
PMID: 7983612

We examined the effects of stereotyping on impression formation when encountering people dressed to represent a religious faith. We used stimulus photographs of eight male and female models dressed casually and a second photograph of one male and one female model in religious attire that was placed beside the control photos of models dressed causally. From each set of photographs, subjects selected a photo of the person with whom they would associate the various positive personality traits suggested by our stimulus questions. Subjects were students from a U.S. Catholic school, a U.S. public school, and a Malaysian Muslim school. All the subjects attributed more of the positive traits to photos of the models who were religiously attired than to photos of those who were casually dressed, but subjects from U.S. schools attributed more of the positive traits to the photos of religiously dressed models than did the subjects from the Malaysian school.

MeSH terms: Adult; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Culture; Female; Humans; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Photography; Religion and Psychology*; Sex Factors; Stereotyping*; United States
A synopsis of the origins and function of dental plaque and pellicle

Park AW, Yaacob HB

J Nihon Univ Sch Dent, 1994 Sep;36(3):157-74.
PMID: 7989958
MeSH terms: Bacteria, Anaerobic/metabolism; Bacterial Adhesion/physiology; Dental Deposits/chemistry; Dental Plaque/metabolism; Dental Plaque/microbiology*; Dental Plaque/chemistry; Humans; Saliva/chemistry; Dental Pellicle
Relationship between oral hygiene state and levels of oral sensory perception and motor ability

Jalil RA, Cornick DE

J Nihon Univ Sch Dent, 1994 Sep;36(3):175-82.
PMID: 7989959

It has been postulated that subjects with high levels of oral sensory perception and motor ability are able to achieve higher standards of oral hygiene even under different dietary regimes. In this study, eleven dental personnel volunteers were started on a low-sucrose diet for one week, followed by a high-sucrose diet for another week, while eleven others followed a reverse-order dietary regime. Oral sensory perception and motor ability were assessed by the oral stereognosis test and a test for oral motor ability. There was a greater trend for subjects to have more plaque on their teeth when they were on the high-sucrose diet, even when normal oral hygiene procedures were taken. There were no significant correlations between the state of oral hygiene and levels of oral sensory perception and motor ability. These results do not support the hypothesis that subjects with high levels of oral sensory perception and motor ability are likely to achieve better oral hygiene.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Dental Plaque/etiology; Dental Plaque Index; Humans; Motor Skills*; Sensory Thresholds/physiology; Stereognosis*; Sucrose/adverse effects; Reproducibility of Results; Statistics, Nonparametric
Oculogyric spasm in Asian psychiatric in-patients on maintenance medication

Tan CH, Chiang PC, Ng LL, Chee KT

Br J Psychiatry, 1994 Sep;165(3):381-3.
PMID: 7994510

BACKGROUND: The objective was to investigate the occurrence and characteristics of oculogyric spasm (OGS) in an Asian country.
METHOD: All 2035 Asian (88% Chinese, 7% Malays and 5% Indonesians) psychiatric in-patients in the state psychiatric hospital in Singapore were surveyed for occurrence of oculogyric spasm (OGS) over a two-month period.
RESULTS: Thirty-four patients (1.7%) developed OGS (53% male and 47% female). All the 34 patients had been on maintenance antipsychotic drugs for more than five months. Eighteen patients had recurrent attacks. The mean chlorpromazine equivalent daily dose for those patients with recurrent OGS was 511 mg. This was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the 277 mg daily dose received by those without recurrent OGS. Most (68%) of the attacks occurred between 1400-2000 h suggesting that OGS may have a diurnal variation.
CONCLUSIONS: OGS presenting as tardive dystonia may be due to a relative increase in cholinergic activity.

MeSH terms: Adult; China/ethnology; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced/diagnosis; Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced/ethnology; Female; Humans; Indonesia/ethnology; Malaysia/ethnology; Male; Middle Aged; Neurologic Examination/drug effects; Psychotic Disorders/drug therapy*; Psychotic Disorders/ethnology; Psychotic Disorders/psychology; Schizophrenia/drug therapy*; Schizophrenia/ethnology; Schizophrenic Psychology*; Singapore; Spasm/chemically induced*; Spasm/diagnosis; Spasm/ethnology; Antipsychotic Agents/administration & dosage; Antipsychotic Agents/adverse effects*; Ocular Motility Disorders/chemically induced*; Ocular Motility Disorders/diagnosis; Ocular Motility Disorders/ethnology
Purification and properties of the L-amino acid oxidase from Malayan pit viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma) venom

Ponnudurai G, Chung MC, Tan NH

Arch Biochem Biophys, 1994 Sep;313(2):373-8.
PMID: 8080286

The L-amino acid oxidase of Malayan pit viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma) venom was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity. The molecular weight of the enzyme was 132,000 as determined by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography and 66,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It is a glycoprotein, has an isoelectric point of 4.4, and contains 2 mol of flavin mononucleotide per mole of enzyme. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme was A-D-D-R-N-P-L-A-E-E-F-Q-E-N-N-Y-E-E-F-L. Kinetic studies suggest the presence of a alkyl side-chain binding site in the enzyme and that the binding site comprises at least four hydrophobic subsites. The characteristics of the binding site differ slightly from those of cobra venom L-amino acid oxidases.

MeSH terms: Amino Acid Oxidoreductases/isolation & purification*; Amino Acid Oxidoreductases/metabolism; Amino Acid Oxidoreductases/chemistry*; Amino Acid Sequence; Amino Acids/analysis; Animals; Chromatography, Gel; Isoelectric Focusing; Molecular Sequence Data; Molecular Weight; Peptide Fragments/chemistry; Substrate Specificity; Viper Venoms*; Viperidae; L-Amino Acid Oxidase
Depth of composite polymerization within simulated root canals using light-transmitting posts

Lui JL

Oper Dent, 1994 Sep-Oct;19(5):165-8.
PMID: 8700755

In this study, the depth of cure of composite resins cured within simulated root canals by means of light-transmitting plastic posts was compared to that achieved by the conventional light-curing method. Six sizes of posts with diameters of 1.05 mm, 1.20 mm, 1.35 mm, 1.50 mm, 1.65 mm, and 1.80 mm were investigated. In general, the larger the post diameter, the greater was the depth of cure. There were significant differences in the depth of cure between the control and all sizes of posts investigated. There were also significant differences between the various post diameters except for the 1.35 mm and 1.50 mm diameter posts. It was possible to achieve a depth of cure exceeding 11 mm using these light-transmitting posts.

MeSH terms: Analysis of Variance; Composite Resins/chemistry*; Dental Pulp Cavity; Humans; Light; Plastics; Polymers/chemistry; Post and Core Technique/instrumentation*; Technology, Dental/methods*
Heavy metals in freshwater snails of Kuala Klawang's rice field, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia

Ismail A

Environ Monit Assess, 1994 Sep;32(3):187-91.
PMID: 24214132 DOI: 10.1007/BF00546274

A study of heavy metal contents in freshwater snails from rice fields have been made. The results indicate that the levels of heavy metals, Pb, Cu, Zn and Cd, are low and within the permissible limit of Malaysian Food Regulations. The results can serve as background data for further reference.

MeSH terms: Animals; Cadmium; Food Hypersensitivity; Fresh Water; Lead; Oryza; Snails; Zinc; Metals, Heavy
Isolation of an ivermectin-resistant strain of Haemonchus contortus from sheep in Malaysia

Sivaraj S, Pandey VS

Vet Rec, 1994 Sep 24;135(13):307-8.
PMID: 7817517
MeSH terms: Animals; Drug Resistance; Feces/parasitology; Haemonchiasis/drug therapy; Haemonchiasis/parasitology; Haemonchiasis/veterinary*; Haemonchus/drug effects; Haemonchus/isolation & purification*; Ivermectin/pharmacology*; Ivermectin/therapeutic use; Malaysia; Parasite Egg Count/veterinary; Sheep; Sheep Diseases/drug therapy*; Sheep Diseases/parasitology
Fulltext Campylobacter enteritis in children: clinical and laboratory findings in 137 cases

Puthucheary SD, Parasakthi N, Liew ST, Chee YW

Singapore Med J, 1994 Oct;35(5):453-6.
PMID: 7701360

One hundred and thirty-seven children with Campylobacter diarrhoea were reviewed. The predominant species was C. jejuni. Ninety-five percent of the children were below 5 years of age with 61% of these being 2-12 months old. A slight male preponderance was noted. About half the cases presented with fever and bloody diarrhoea; vomiting was seen in 28% and abdominal colic in only 8%. Moderate to severe diarrhoea was present in 48% of the children. Thirty-seven percent had a history of recent or concurrent illness. Other bacterial enteropathogens together with Campylobacter were isolated in 15% of the children. Erythromycin, the most useful drug, when indicated for Campylobacter infections, had an MIC90 of 2 mg/l with 96.2% of the strains being sensitive.

MeSH terms: Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology; Campylobacter/drug effects; Campylobacter/isolation & purification; Campylobacter Infections/drug therapy; Campylobacter Infections/epidemiology*; Child; Child, Preschool; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Enteritis/drug therapy; Enteritis/epidemiology*; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Malaysia/epidemiology; Male; Age Distribution; Sex Distribution
Fulltext Survey of postoperative pain in University Hospital Kuala Lumpur

Vijayan R, Tay KH, Tan LB, Loganathan

Singapore Med J, 1994 Oct;35(5):502-4.
PMID: 7701371

One hundred and eighty-three patients undergoing surgery were interviewed twenty-four hours following surgery to assess the quality of pain relief they received in the immediate postoperative period. Interviews were conducted using a standard questionnaire for all patients. They were asked to (1) rate the quality of pain relief they obtained on a Visual Pain Analogue Scale (VPAS-0 being no pain and 10 being the worst imaginable pain); (2) state whether they were happy and satisfied with the pain relief they received; (3) if dissatisfied, they were asked to give their reasons. 37.7% (69 patients) had moderate to severe pain--pain score greater than 6 on the VPAS. Most of these patients had undergone abdominal or major orthopaedic surgery. 32.7% (60 patients) were unhappy with their postoperative pain control. The main reasons for complaint from the patients were that analgesic injections were either not given promptly or were not given at all. The survey also highlighted the inadequate under-administration of narcotic injections in the postoperative period despite orders being written up. It showed there is an urgent need for setting up an Acute Pain Service for better postoperative pain control. An anaesthesiology based Acute Pain Service was started in October 1992.

MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analgesics/administration & dosage; Analgesics/therapeutic use*; Child; Female; Humans; Injections, Intramuscular; Malaysia; Male; Middle Aged; Pain Measurement; Pain, Postoperative/drug therapy*; Pain, Postoperative/ethnology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Patient Satisfaction/ethnology
Fulltext Chronic granulomatous disease--a report in two Malay families

Mohd Noh L, Noah RM, Wu LL, Nasuruddin BA, Junaidah E, Ooi CP, et al.

Singapore Med J, 1994 Oct;35(5):505-8.
PMID: 7701372

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a very rare disease whose defect lies in an abnormal intracellular killing resulting in recurrent abscesses, lymphadenitis and granuloma formation. We describe 2 Malay male infants with CGD whom we believe to be the first report of this disorder in Malays. Both children presented with recurrent abscesses, pneumoniae and hepatosplenomegaly; lymphadenopathy was also present in one of the patients. The organisms isolated were catalase positive bacteria. Both neutrophil chemiluminescence (against fungal and bacterial antigens, phorbol myristate acetate) and intracellular killing assays were severely depressed. Recognition of CGD is important as great strides have been made in the treatment of this disease which include gamma interferon therapy besides the conventional prophylactic antibacterial therapy.

MeSH terms: Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use; Granulomatous Disease, Chronic/diagnosis*; Granulomatous Disease, Chronic/drug therapy; Granulomatous Disease, Chronic/immunology; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Infant; Interferon-gamma/therapeutic use; Malaysia; Male; Phagocytosis; Fatal Outcome
Fulltext The immediate outcome of ventilation for pulmonary diseases

Yaacob I, Mustafa M

Singapore Med J, 1994 Oct;35(5):512-4.
PMID: 7701374

Fifty-eight patients were ventilated for acute respiratory failure complicating respiratory diseases between 1985 to 1990. There were 19 cases of chronic obstructive airway disease (COAD), 17 cases of asthma, 16 cases of pneumonia and 6 cases with other diagnoses. Overall, 40% of patients survived and were discharged from the ward. Patients with pneumonia had the lowest survival rate (25%) whilst the survival rates for asthma and COAD were 47% and 42% respectively. Increasing age had an inverse relationship to survival rate (r = 0.96, p < 0.05) but the duration of ventilation did not correlate with survival. Patients who were electively ventilated before respiratory arrest had a better chance of survival (57%) compared with only 18% survival rate in patients who were ventilated as an emergency (x2 = 4.47, p < 0.05). Patients who developed other organ failure had higher mortality (71%) than those who did not (22%; x2 = 2.14, p < 0.05). We conclude that patients younger than 50 years of age, who were electively ventilated and without other organ failure had a better immediate survival after assisted ventilation.

MeSH terms: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Female; Humans; Lung Diseases/complications*; Male; Middle Aged; Respiratory Insufficiency/etiology; Respiratory Insufficiency/mortality; Respiratory Insufficiency/therapy*; Survival Analysis; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
Fulltext Disappearing bone disease: a case report

Kareem BA, Das PK, Saad R

Singapore Med J, 1994 Oct;35(5):527-8.
PMID: 7701379

Disappearing bone disease is a rare condition and usually affects young adults. Its aetiology is not known. A case of a 12-year-old female child, who had a fall and sustained a fracture mid shaft of femur and supracondylar region, is reported. On follow-up subsequent X-ray showed extensive osteolysis which was progressively affecting the other side of the pelvic girdle and femur. She was put on trial of calcitonin 50 IU by nasal spray for six months but there was no improvement. However, during the past three and half years the disease process had progressively extended to the other side of pelvic girdle and femur with fatal outcome. To the knowledge of the authors such progression in a short time has not been reported in any case so far.

MeSH terms: Child; Female; Femur/radiography; Humans; Osteolysis, Essential/physiopathology*; Osteolysis, Essential/radiography; Osteolysis, Essential/therapy; Pelvis/radiography; Age of Onset; Fatal Outcome; Disease Progression
Fulltext Cystic hygroma: anaesthetic considerations and review

Sharma S, Aminuldin AG, Azlan W

Singapore Med J, 1994 Oct;35(5):529-31.
PMID: 7701380

A 3-day-old child presented with a gross swelling on the right side of the neck extending beyond the midline and inability to swallow. It was diagnosed to be cystic hygroma and decision was made to excise the swelling as an emergency operation to enable the child to swallow and thrive better. During the gaseous induction, difficulty was encountered in maintaining the airway and subsequently to intubate the patient. Intraoperatively the surgeon was not able to excise the tumour completely. Postoperatively it was decided to ventilate the child electively because of the intubation difficulties encountered and not so firm floor of the mouth because of surgical excision. The stay in the neonatal ICU was marked with infection and facial nerve palsy.

MeSH terms: Anesthesia, General/adverse effects*; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Postoperative Complications/therapy*; Tongue Neoplasms/surgery*; Lymphangioma, Cystic/surgery*

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