A pilot study of the impact of the Asian Tsunami on a group of Asian media workers.

The Asian Tsunami that struck on December 26, 2004, claimed tens of thousands of lives. To bring up-to-date news to the public, many media workers raced to the frontline. Singapore journalists were among the first to arrive at the devastated scenes of the affected countries.

Malocclusion severity in Asian men in relation to malocclusion type and orthodontic treatment need.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess the severity of malocclusion in young Asian men in relation to types of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need.

Methods: Study models of 339 male army recruits (age, 17-22 years) with no history of orthodontic treatment were assessed. The peer assessment rating (PAR) index was used to determine the severity of their malocclusions.

Occlusal status in Asian male adults: prevalence and ethnic variation.

The purpose of this study was to determine the occlusal status in young Asian male adults of three ethnic groups. Study models of a sample of male army recruits (N = 339, age 17-22 years) with no history of orthodontic treatment were assessed. The ethnic proportions of the sample were Chinese 76.

Iris ischaemic changes and visual outcome after acute primary angle closure.

Background: Ischaemic changes in the iris occur frequently after an episode of acute primary angle closure (APAC). The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of such changes with regards to visual outcome.

Methods: Acute primary angle closure cases were treated with medical therapy followed by laser peripheral iridotomy after resolution of the acute episode.

Increasing trend of reflux esophagitis and decreasing trend of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients from a multiethnic Asian country.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine time trends in the frequency of endoscopic esophagitis, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in a large Singaporean teaching hospital over a 10-yr period.

Methods: We studied a consecutive series of 16,375 patients who had been newly referred for diagnostic esophagogastroduodenoscopy from 1992 to 2001.

Itch, pain, and burning sensation are common symptoms in mild to moderate chronic venous insufficiency with an impact on quality of life.

To our knowledge there are no studies evaluating the prevalence and characteristics of itch, pain, and burning sensation among patients with mild to moderate chronic venous insufficiency or assessing the impact of these symptoms on quality of life. In this report 100 patients met the inclusion criteria. Patients who suffered from itch were also assessed with the use of a validated questionnaire and a modified Skindex-16 questionnaire.

Brief communication: factors affecting rehospitalisation in psychiatric patients in Singapore.

Objectives: To study the patterns of readmission in Singapore using a cohort of first admission schizophrenia patients to the state mental health institute.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of case records was done of first admission schizophrenia patients to the hospital from April 1993 to March 1994. Patients who had only one admission in the five years of follow up were compared to 'revolving door patients'.

Review of clinical manifestations of biochemically-advanced prostate cancer cases.

Objective: To review the pattern of initial clinical manifestation of patients who present with biochemically-advanced prostate carcinoma.

Methods: A review of 39 prostate cancer patients with initial prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels of more than 400 ng/mL (study group) and 40 patients whose initial PSA levels were between 20 and 399 ng/mL (control group) was done.

Results: The epidemiological profile and median Gleason score were similar in both groups.

Resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by Asian primary health-care physicians.

Aim: To assess the experience, knowledge and attitudes of local primary health-care doctors towards resuscitation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Methods: We conducted a survey of general practitioners (GPs) working in both private and public sectors. The survey consisted of 29 questions and was self-administered.

Determinants of duration of untreated psychosis and the pathway to care in Singapore.

Introduction: Delays in providing effective treatment for a patient with psychosis has significant negative effects on the outcome. This includes more hospitalizations, longer periods of inpatient care, slower and less complete recovery, and more frequent relapses. In this study, we established the Duration of Psychosis (DUP) in a sample of patients with first-episode psychosis and examined the pathways to care.

Family centred decision making and non-disclosure of diagnosis in a South East Asian oncology practice.

Aim: To audit the extent of non-disclosure of cancer diagnosis (NDD) in South-East Asian patients referred to a Western trained oncologist, and determine the factors associated with this pattern of decision-making.

Methods: Over a 12-month period, all new patients referred to a single radiation oncologist's practice were prospectively audited at time of the initial consultation. Data obtained included patient demographic features, tumour details, proposed treatment and decision-making process.

Degree of angle closure and the intraocular pressure-lowering effect of latanoprost in subjects with chronic angle-closure glaucoma.

Objective: To examine the relationship between the configuration of the drainage angle and intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering efficacy of latanoprost in subjects with chronic angle-closure glaucoma (CACG).

Design: Prospective observational case series.

Participants: One hundred thirty-seven Asian subjects with CACG.

Configuration of the drainage angle, intraocular pressure, and optic disc cupping in subjects with chronic angle-closure glaucoma.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between drainage angle configuration with untreated intraocular pressure (IOP) and optic disc cupping in subjects with chronic angle-closure glaucoma (CACG).

Design: Prospective, observational study.

Participants: Two hundred seventy-five Asian subjects with CACG who participated in a randomized controlled trial that investigated the IOP-reducing effect of latanoprost and timolol.

Results of the first five years of the prehospital automatic external defibrillation project in Singapore in the "Utstein style".

In 1994, all emergency medical services (EMS) ambulance officers in Singapore were trained to perform pre-hospital defibrillation with semi-automated external defibrillators (AED). All non-traumatic cardiac arrest patients over 10 years old were included, excluding those who were obviously dead and children below 36 kg. The data were collected by the ambulance officers according to the Utstein guidelines.

Pruritus, pain, and small nerve fiber function in keloids: a controlled study.

Background: Keloid scars can itch and hurt, but little is known about the characteristics of these symptoms in keloids. Because itch and pain are carried by small nerve fibers, abnormal function of these fibers could be an explanation for such phenomena.

Objective: We sought to assess the characteristics of itch and pain in keloid scars, and to assess the function of small nerve fibers in keloids.

Variability of somatosensory evoked potential monitoring during scoliosis surgery.

Objective: Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) of 65 patients undergoing scoliosis surgery were monitored by stimulation of posterior tibial nerve to observe variations in latencies and amplitudes.

Methods: Monitoring was divided into five stages: pre incision, spine exposure, instrumentation loading, deformity correction, and wound closure (stages 1-5, respectively).

Results: We found the latency showed significant increase and the amplitude significant reduction from stages 1 to 2.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related psychiatric and posttraumatic morbidities and coping responses in medical staff within a primary health care setting in Singapore.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a major new infectious disease of this century that is unique in its high morbidity and concentration in health care settings. We aimed to determine the level of psychological impact and coping styles among the medical staff in a primary health care setting.

Method: Using a structured questionnaire, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of the doctors and nurses working within a public, primary health care setting in mid-July 2003.

Changes in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness after acute primary angle closure.

Purpose: To evaluate the changes in retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in the first 16 weeks after acute primary angle closure (APAC) using scanning laser polarimetry (SLP).

Design: Prospective, observational case series.

Participants: Thirty-seven Asian subjects with APAC.

Psychosocial stressors that precipitate dissociative trance disorder in Singapore.

Objective: To study the psychosocial stressors that precipitate dissociative trance disorder (DTD) and to identify predictors of DTD.

Method: We conducted semistructured interviews in which detailed information was obtained for 58 cases diagnosed with DTD at a psychiatric hospital in Singapore. A comparison group of 58 patients who received treatment at the same hospital for major depression (MD) were also interviewed, using the same instrument.

Clinical correlates of antipsychotic polytherapy in patients with schizophrenia in Singapore.

The purpose of the present study wa to determine the prevalence of antipsychotic polytherapy (use of more than one antipsychotic drug at one time) and its clinical correlates among 300 hospitalized psychotic Asian patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. It was hypothesized that such treatment would be associated with more severe illness than in comparable monotherapy patients, and with higher chlorpromazine-equivalent (CPZ) total daily doses. Clinical and demographic details were obtained from the medical records and direct clinical examinations.

Influence of work environment on emotional health in a health care setting.

Background: Radical changes are taking place in health care services and might be expected to cause job dissatisfaction, absenteeism, somatic complaints and mental health problems. Research in this area is limited and focused primarily on nurses.

Aim: To understand the impact of the work environment on the emotional health of doctors and nurses in a general hospital setting.

Psychological impact of the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak on health care workers in a medium size regional general hospital in Singapore.

Aims: To describe the psychological impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) on health care workers in a regional general hospital 2 months post-outbreak.

Method: Doctors and nurses were encouraged to participate. The survey consisted of self-report measures: demographics, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) 28 and Impact of Events Scale (IES).

Clinical predictors in obstructive sleep apnea patients with computer-assisted quantitative videoendoscopic upper airway analysis.

Aim: To identify the clinical predictors and assist surgeons in their clinical management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A prospective study with a new approach to analyze the static and dynamic upper airway morphology between patients with OSA and normal subjects.

Method: Quantitative computer-assisted videoendoscopy (validated with upper airway magnetic resonance imaging) was performed in 49 (43 males, 6 females) patients with OSA and compared with 39 (22 males, 17 females) controls (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] < 5).

Circadian and ultradian (12 h) variations of skin blood flow and barrier function in non-irritated and irritated skin-effect of topical corticosteroids.

The skin is the organ that receives the greatest exposure to light and shows a high-amplitude circadian rhythm in epidermal cell proliferation. We have previously demonstrated that the skin barrier function has a significant circadian rhythm. Corticosteroids (CS) are the most commonly used topical treatment in dermatology.