Rheumatology in Malaysia.

Malaysia is a developing country in the South-East Asian region with a significant burden of disability from musculoskeletal disease. Rheumatology in Malaysia is a relatively young speciality. Currently, there is approximately 1 rheumatologist per 390,000 population, mostly concentrated in the urban areas.

Rheumatological publications from Malaysia: a bibliometric study.

Objectives: To assess the content, authorship and study design of rheumatological publications written by Malaysian authors or about rheumatological conditions in Malaysia.

Methods: The Malaysian Medical Repository (MyMedR), a web-based database of Malaysian health and medical publications, and Scopus were searched to retrieve rheumatological publications from Malaysia, for the period 1950 until 30 June 2019. The type and number of publications in each rheumatological subject area and the overall trend of publication numbers and citations were analysed.

Correction: Correlation of serum cartilage oligometric matrix protein (COMP) and interleukin-16 (IL-16) levels with disease severity in primary knee osteoarthritis: A pilot study in a Malaysian population.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Correlation of serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and interleukin-16 (IL-16) levels with disease severity in primary knee osteoarthritis: A pilot study in a Malaysian population.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlations between serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), interleukin-16 (IL-16) and different grades of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in Malaysian subjects.

Methods: Ninety subjects were recruited comprising 30 with Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grade 2 KOA, 27 with K-L grade 3 KOA, 7 with grade 4 KOA, and 30 healthy controls. All subjects completed the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire.

Effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and vitamin D-binding protein on bone mineral density and disease activity in Malaysian patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Aim: Vitamin D3 [25(OH)D] has been shown to be important in bone health and can influence rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity. Vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) levels vary with race and may modulate 'bioavailable' levels of 25(OH)D. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between 25(OH)D, VDBP and clinical factors on bone mineral density (BMD) in a group of multi-ethnic Malaysian RA patients and healthy controls.

Concordance in the Assessment of Effectiveness of Palliative Care between Patients and Palliative Care Nurses in Malaysia: A Study with the Palliative Care Outcome Scale.

Context: The Palliative Care Outcome Scale (POS) is an easy-to-use assessment tool to evaluate the effectiveness of palliative care. There is no published literature on the use of POS as an assessment tool in Malaysia.

Aim: To define the concordance in the assessment of quality of life between patients with advanced cancers and their palliative care nurses using a Malay version of the POS.

Clinical significance of SLC2A9/GLUT9 rs11722228 polymorphisms in gout.

Aim: The main objective of this study is to elucidate the clinical significance of the SLC2A9/GLUT9 rs11722228 polymorphism among male gout patients.

Method: We consecutively recruited all newly diagnosed male gout patients who were treatment-naive from the rheumatology outpatient clinics of two Malaysian hospitals. Age-matched healthy male adults were employed as controls.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism: epidemiology, metabolism and the associated diseases.

The Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism is associated with various diseases (vascular, cancers, neurology, diabetes, psoriasis, etc) with the epidemiology of the polymorphism of the C677T that varies dependent on the geography and ethnicity. The 5,10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) locus is mapped on chromosome 1 at the end of the short arm (1p36.6).

Predictors of frequent oral analgesic use in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine the predictors of frequent oral analgesic use among Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients who were prescribed with the above medication on an 'as-needed' basis.

Methods: Patients with RA were recruited consecutively from the Rheumatology outpatient clinics in this cross-sectional study. The sociodemographic data, frequency of oral analgesic intake, Patient Global Assessment (PGA) scores and HAQ (Health Assessment Questionnaire) scores were determined by interviewing the subjects.

Myocardial infarction false alarm: initial electrocardiogram and cardiac enzymes.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of a myocardial infarction "false alarm" and evaluate the efficacy of the initial electrocardiogram and cardiac enzymes in diagnosing myocardial infarction in Malaysia.

Methods: We recruited patients who were admitted with suspected myocardial infarction from June to August 2008. The medical records of these patients were reviewed for the initial electrocardiogram, initial cardiac enzyme levels (creatinine kinase-MB and troponin T), and the final diagnosis upon discharge.

Oral hyperpigmented lesions--a case study.

An overweight woman, aged 58 years, presented for follow up of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidaemia. She was noted to have hyperpigmented brown macules on the inner surface of the lower lip and buccal mucosa (Figure 1). She stated that she had first noticed these lesions when aged in her 40s.

Differential expression of the angiogenesis growth factors in psoriasis vulgaris.

Background: Angiogenesis has been reported to be one of the contributory factors to the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris. This study aims to compare the expression of different angiogenesis growth factors namely (1) the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) subfamily: A, B, C, D and placenta growth factor (PlGF); (2) nerve growth factor (NGF) and (3) von Willebrand factor (vWFr) in the skins of patients with psoriasis vulgaris and non-psoriatic volunteers.

Results: Comparative immunohistochemistry study was performed on the paraffin-sectioned psoriatic and healthy skins with the abovementioned markers.

Association of methylentetraydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677 C > T gene polymorphism and homocysteine levels in psoriasis vulgaris patients from Malaysia: a case-control study.

Background: The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) enzyme catalyzes the reduction of 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate to 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and methyl donors. The methyl donors are required for the conversion of homocysteine to methionine. Mutation of MTHFR 677 C > T disrupts its thermostability therefore leads to defective enzyme activities and dysregulation of homocysteine levels.

Knowledge about osteoporosis in a Malaysian population.

To determine the depth and sources of knowledge about osteoporosis (OP) among the public in Malaysia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to attendees of health-related public forums. A total of 87.

A tile factory worker presenting with breathlessness and dry cough.

Jenny, a nonsmoker, 54 years of age, presents with 3 years of dry cough, progressive breathlessness and reducing exercise tolerance. Two years ago she was diagnosed with asthma and treated with inhaled bronchodilators (which have been marginally effective). Jenny has worked in a tile factory for 22 years; 15 years in the grinding department, transferring to the chipping department 7 years ago.

Common laboratory tests for rheumatological disorders: how do they help the diagnosis?

No screening test is ideal for detecting rheumatic diseases; diagnosis depends on appropriate history and thorough physical examination. Sometimes, laboratory investigations may be useful in confirming or ruling out rheumatic disease after a clinical diagnosis is considered. Once a rheumatic disease has been diagnosed, certain laboratory tests can help in assessing prognosis or determining the extent of the disease.