A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the magnitude, clinical course and risk factors of cholestasis in surviving very low birth weight (VLBW) infants who received parenteral nutrition at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Cholestasis was defined as direct hyperbilirubinaemia of >34 mmol/L. Between 1St July 2000 to 31St March 2001, 58 VLBW infants received parenteral nutrition (PN). Forty seven infants survived to discharge. Complete data was obtained from 43 (90.1%) infants. Thirteen (30.2%) of these infants developed cholestasis. The cholestasis persisted beyond the age of 6 weeks in 8 infants and they underwent hepato imino diacetic acid (HIDA) scan. The HIDA scan was reported as normal in 2 infants and inconclusive in 6 infants. Operative cholangiography. (OTC) was then performed in these infants and were all normal. The cholestasis finally resolved in all infants. Analysis of risk factors revealed that duration of assisted ventilation and PN and the presence of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) had significant correlation with the development of cholestasis. These factors together with lower mean gestational age increased the likelihood of persistent cholestasis beyond 6 weeks of life in these infants. In conclusion cholestasis is common in VLBW infants who received parenteral nutrition. Although the clinical course seems benign, in a significant proportion of these infants it may persist longer and put them at increased risk of requiring invasive investigations.
Description of the chest pain of angina pectoris by patients is commonly used in the diagnosis, evaluation and monitoring of ischaemic heart disease. Whilst certain descriptive terms have been identified as describing angina and not other causes of chest pain, these terms have not been systematically evaluated among local Malaysian patients. Reliance on a translation of the description used by Western patients may not be totally correct in the local context. Seventy-one Malay patients with documented ischaemic heart disease were asked, by questionnaire and by interview, to identify the descriptive terms they used for their angina pectoris. Common terms used by these patients were sempit (constrictive) [56.3%], mencuck (pricking) [54.9%], berat (heavy) [53.5%], panas (burning) [50.7%], menekan (pressing) [46.4%], and pedih (smarting) [43.7%]. Other less common descriptions used were tajam (sharp), mencengkam (strangulating), hempap (compressive), ngilu, hiris (knife-like), lengoh (aching). Two-thirds of the patients used more than three terms to describe their angina pectoris. Direct translation of the description of angina may not only be inaccurate but could also be misleading. It is suggested that the actual words used by the patients in Bahasa Malaysia be recorded in the patient's notes rather than a translation of these. More studies are required to determine whether the terms used by the patients in this study are related to local dialect (in this case Terengganu) or are actually common in Malaysia. Further, similar studies among Chinese and Indian patients are also required.
One hundred consecutive patients with coronary heart disease attending the Physician Clinic, Kuala Terengganu General Hospital self-completed a questionnaire on their awareness of the coronary risk factors and their perception of their disease. Seventy-one subjects were males. Twenty-seven subjects had never had formal education and only 6 had completed tertiary education. Whilst 52% considered themselves as having less than 25% knowledge about their disease, many were aware of hypercholesterolaemia, emotional stress, inadequate exercise and smoking as risk factors for coronary heart disease. Diabetes and family history were less known as coronary risk factors. Despite their awareness of the risk factors, though, the subjects failed to control these. For example, smoking was prevalent and their awareness of the harmful effects of smoking did not seem to deter them from this habit. Further, formal education did not seem to influence positive health behaviour. In terms of disease perception, the subjects tended to believe that their illness could be cured. Eighty subjects expected a cure from their doctors. Sixty-three subjects wanted more explanation of their illness from their doctors. These findings suggest that efforts should be made to translate patients' awareness of their illness to appropriate health behaviour, and perhaps doctors could achieve this by spending more time explaining to the patients, and educating them.