APPaRENT 3: Asthma Patients' and Physicians' Perspectives on the Burden and Management of Asthma in Seven Countries.

Introduction: Asthma management is strongly dependent on physician and patient beliefs and perceptions about the disease and its long-term treatment. The APPaRENT 3 study was conducted to explore factors influencing treatment choice and to understand patients' and physicians' attitudes and perspectives on the use of controller inhalers in regular versus flexible dosing for asthma management.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey of patients with asthma and treating physicians was conducted in seven countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam (patient survey only), Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Massive hemoptysis in pregnancy due to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis with pulmonary tuberculosis co-infection.

A 37-year-old woman, 25 weeks pregnant, experienced sudden massive hemoptysis. She had a background history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and past pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Emergency intubation was necessary, and bronchoscopy revealed blood pooling in both main bronchi, with active bleeding from the right upper lobe bronchus.

The prevalence and predictors of poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness in epilepsy: A single tertiary centre experience in Malaysia.

Background And Objective: People with epilepsy frequently encounter sleep disruptions that can stem from a variety of complex factors. Epilepsy-related sleep disturbance can lead to reduced quality of life and excessive daytime hypersomnolence. Identification of sleep disturbances may help in the overall management of epilepsy patients.

Evaluation of short-acting Beta-2-agonist prescriptions and associated clinical outcomes: Findings from the SABA use IN Asthma (SABINA) study in Asia.

Background: The extent of short-acting Beta-2-agonist (β-agonist) (SABA) use across Asian countries is not well documented. As part of the SABA use IN Asthma (SABINA) III study, we assessed SABA prescriptions and clinical outcomes in patients with asthma from Asia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited patients (aged ≥12 years) with asthma from 8 Asian countries.

The benefit of indwelling pleural catheter with ambulatory pneumothorax device and autologous blood patch pleurodesis in lymphangioleiomyomatosis with persistent air leak.

We report a 35-year-old woman who presented with dyspnoea and chest pain for 1 week. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) thorax revealed bilateral pneumothoraces with diffuse lung cysts. Bilateral intercostal chest tubes were inserted, and there was a persistent air leak (PAL) bilaterally.

Satisfaction and tolerability using virtual reality (VR) as adjunctive treatment during flexible bronchoscopy: a randomized control trial.

Background: Patient comfort during invasive and therapeutic procedures is important. The use of virtual reality (VR) devices during flexible bronchoscopy (FB) as a method of distraction to increase patient tolerability and improve satisfaction has not been investigated. We aim to assess the satisfaction and tolerability of participants undergoing FB with or without VR.

Successful treatment of a complex malignant pleural effusion with 1 mg alteplase instilled through a non-draining indwelling pleural catheter.

Indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) is the treatment of choice in managing symptomatic recurrent malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Loculated effusions following insertion may occur due to infection, catheter malfunction or the inflammatory nature of MPE. Loculations may lead to ineffective drainage and make the IPC non-functional.

Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and organising pneumonia.

Organising pneumonia (OP) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be part of pulmonary manifestation (disease related) or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) related. We report a case series of RA patients with DMARDs related OP. A 65-year-old woman developed OP 3 weeks after initiation of methotrexate (MTX).

A rare presentation of isolated carpal bone tuberculous osteomyelitis mimicking gouty arthritis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the most prevalent infectious disease in Southeast Asia. It causes both pulmonary and extrapulmonary diseases. TB of the wrist is rare and presents as osteomyelitis or tenosynovitis.

Cryodebulking of endobronchial hamartoma via fibreoptic bronchoscopy and literature review.

Endobronchial hamartoma is a rare tumour. We report a 65-year-old woman with a history of recurrent pneumonia. Bronchoscopy revealed a 1 cm endobronchial mass obstructing the left upper lobe bronchus.

Silicone pneumonitis after gluteal filler: a case report and literature review.

Liquid silicone (polydimethylsiloxane) is an inert material that is commonly used for cosmetic purpose. Silicone embolization syndrome (SES) can rapidly progress to pneumonitis as a consequence of the injection of nonmedical-grade liquid silicone. We describe a case of severe silicone pneumonitis complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome and bilateral pneumothorax secondary to silicone gluteal augmentation.

The use of e-cigarettes among university students in Malaysia.

Introduction: E-cigarette use is an emerging phenomenon with increasing recognition and acceptance globally. This study aims to create a profile of e-cigarette users among university students in Malaysia.

Methods: The study was conducted using a cross-sectional research involving six universities in Malaysia.

Cluster Analysis Evaluating PM2.5, Occupation Risk and Mode of Transportation as Surrogates for Air-pollution and the Impact on Lung Cancer Diagnosis and 1-Year Mortality.

Objective: Epidemiological studies have reported the close relationship between risk for lung cancers and air pollution in particular, for non-smoking related lung cancers. However, most studies used residential address as proxies which may not estimate accurately an individual’s air pollution exposure. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify risk factors such as occupation and mode of transportation associated with lung cancer diagnosis and death.

Suture Granuloma 14 Years Following Partial Thyroidectomy Masquerading as Tuberculosis af The Sinus Tract.

Suture granuloma rarely occurs after thyroid surgery using non-absorbable sutures. We report the case of a 63-year-old female with a chronic discharging sinus in the anterior neck region. She had a history of subtotal thyroidectomy at the age of 45.

Annual Southeast Asia haze increases respiratory admissions: A 2-year large single institution experience.

Background And Objective: The Southeast Asia (SEA) haze is an annual problem and at its worst could produce respirable particles of concentrations up to 500 μg/m which is five times the level considered as 'unhealthy'. However, there are limited reports examining the direct clinical impact of the annual haze. This study examines the effects of the SEA haze on respiratory admissions.

Metastatic melanoma: a rare cause of central airway obstruction.

A middle-aged woman with recurrent malignant melanoma presented initially with massive left pleural effusion. There was a complete obliteration of the left main bronchus on flexible bronchoscopy caused by a mass. Serial cryo-debulking of the tumour was done under rigid bronchoscopy; however, the outcome was not favourable due to the aggressive tumour growth.

Disseminated tuberculosis masquerading primary myelodysplastic syndrome.

Tuberculosis is notoriously known to be a great mimicker of other diseases and may cause various haematologic abnormalities, especially with marrow involvement. A 61-year-old man who presented with right empyema and pancytopenia was diagnosed to have disseminated tuberculosis supported by the presence of caseating granuloma with Langhan's giant cells in the marrow and demonstration of acid-fast bacilli in the pleural fluid. Trilineage dysplasia from marrow aspirate was initially attributed to be reactive to the infection.