Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on nurses (n= 400) at public and private Mazandaran hospitals. An online questionnaire was used that consisted of two parts: demographic variables and NICS. The scale was translated into Persian first and then validated using both construct and content validity.
Results: The findings from an exploratory factor analysis yielded six factors that explained 53.12% of the total variance of the NICS. The confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the model had a good fit and the inter-item correlation values of the factors indicated good internal consistency.
Conclusion: The Persian version of NICS in Iranian nurses had six factors. The results of our study add insight for nurse administrators and educators to further develop strategies to increase nurses' intention by improving positive attitudes and reducing their negative beliefs.
METHODS: Data on allopurinol ADR reports (2000-2018) were extracted from the Malaysian ADR database. We identified RMMs implemented between 2000 and 2018 from the minutes of relevant meetings and the national pharmacovigilance newsletter. We obtained allopurinol utilization data (2004-2018) from the Pharmaceutical Services Programme. To determine the impact of RMMs on ADR reporting, we considered ADR reports received within 1 year of RMM implementation. We used the Pearson χ2 test to examine the relation between the implementation of RMMs and allopurinol ADR reports.
RESULTS: The 16 RMMs for allopurinol-related SCARs implemented in Malaysia involved nine risk communications, four prescriber or patient educational material, and three health system innovations. Allopurinol utilization decreased by 21.5% from 2004 to 2018. ADR reporting rates for all drugs (n = 144 507) and allopurinol (n = 1747) increased. ADR reports involving off-label use decreased by 6% from 2011. SCARs cases remained between 20% and 50%. RMMs implemented showed statistically significant reduction in ADR reports involving off-label use for August 2014 [χ2(1, N = 258) = 5.32, P = .021] and October 2016 [χ2(1, N = 349) = 3.85, P = .0499].
CONCLUSIONS: RMMs to promote the appropriate use of allopurinol and prescriber education have a positive impact. We need further measures to reduce the incidence and severity of allopurinol-induced SCARs, such as patient education and more research into pharmacogenetic screening.
AIMS: This study was undertaken to establish the prevalence of VVR among whole blood donors in Hospital Pulau Pinang and to investigate factors that lead to its occurrence.
SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 27,890 whole blood donations in 2016.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: For each donation, donor's demographic and blood donation-related information was extracted from the blood bank database.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Qualitative data including age group, sex, race, frequency, and location of donation were analyzed using Chi-square tests, while blood pressure was analyzed using t-test.
RESULTS: Overall, 425 cases of VVRs were reported, resulting in a VVR rate of 1.5% (one event in every 65 donations). We found a statistically significant association (P < 0.05) between the occurrence of VVRs with the young age group, female gender, Indian race, first-time donor, lower predonation blood pressure, and donation performed in a mobile donation campaign. The most common vasovagal symptoms are lightheadedness (88%), followed by nausea (5.4%), muscle twitching (3.5%), vomiting (1.4%), loss of consciousness <30 s (1.4%), and paresthesia (0.2%).
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of VVRs among whole blood donors in Hospital Pulau Pinang appeared to be low. Our study reaffirms that blood donation is a relatively safe process, and the incidence of VVR can be further reduced by ensuring strict screening procedure before blood donation.
Materials and Methods: Our study consisted of IGB patients diagnosed between 2010 March and 2016 December who had been followed-up for at least one year. Structured questionnaires and medical records were reviewed to analyse demographic characteristics, lifestyle patterns, blood tests, and imaging studies. We categorized the cases into two groups based on the response to conservative treatment and the need for surgical intervention.
Results: The most common initial chief symptoms were buttock pains in 24 patients (37.5%). Physical examinations showed the tenderness of ischial tuberosity area in 59 (92.2%) patients, but no specific findings were confirmed in 5 patients (7.8%). 51 patients (79.7%) responded well to the conservative management, 11 patients (17.2%) needed injection, and 2 patients (3.1%) had surgical treatment performed due to continuous recurrence. There was no difference in demographic and blood lab data between the two groups. However, the incidence of inflammatory diseases (response group: 10.3% vs non-response group: 66.7%, p=0.004) was significantly different between the two groups.
Conclusion: The diagnosis of IGB can be missed due to variations in clinical symptoms, and cautions should be exercised in patients with inflammatory diseases as conservative treatment is less effective in them, leading to chronic progression of IGB.
PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present a rare case of WS torsion in a 69-year-old elderly patient who presented with an acute abdomen. Physical examination revealed a tender right lower quadrant abdominal mass. Imaging studies confirmed the diagnosis of WS torsion with features of infarction. Subsequently, an emergency laparoscopic splenectomy was performed.
DISCUSSION: A WS occurs due to the hypermobility of the spleen secondary to the absence or laxity of splenic suspensory ligaments. It is more commonly seen in children and adults in the third decade of life. Symptoms are usually attributed to the consequences of splenic vascular pedicle torsion. Exhibited symptoms might be unspecific; thus, radiological modalities are essential to determine the diagnosis and aid in planning its management. The treatment of choice is either open or laparoscopic splenopexy or splenectomy.
CONCLUSION: Due to potentially life-threatening consequences and the rarity of such cases, a thorough history, detailed physical examination, and objective investigation are the pillars to attain a prompt diagnosis for appropriate management to be conducted as soon as possible to minimise complications.
METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted exclusively among women in the public with total sample of three hundred and forty six (346), questionnaires were distributed using a simple random technique. Data was collected and analyzed by student T test in SPPS version 20.
RESULTS: Our study reveals insufficient awareness on BC. Overall, awareness on risk factors is inadequate, but good knowledge on the importance of family history and diet as risk factors are discovered. Awareness on the cause and clinical manifestations of BC is required for improvement. As for treatment, alternatives especially surgery and chemotherapy are unclear to public, public is remotely unwitting on cessation of smoking to prevent BC at the early stage.
CONCLUSION: Malaysian has spaces for improvement on awareness of BC in terms of risk factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Early detection can be achieved with good awareness because it leads to better prognosis and lower mortality.