Lancet Reg Health Southeast Asia
August 2023
Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the commonest chronic liver disease worldwide. We estimated the prevalence and predefined associated factors for NAFLD among South-Asian adults.
Methods: We searched PubMed and included descriptive, epidemiological studies with satisfactory methodology, reporting the prevalence of NAFLD with ultrasound.
Snakebite affects more than 1.8 million people annually. Factors explaining snakebite variability include farmers' behaviors, snake ecology and climate.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMJ Open
January 2023
Introduction: Identification of advanced hepatic fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is important as this may progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The risk of hepatic fibrosis is especially high among patients with diabetes with NAFLD. Annual screening of patients with diabetes for fatty liver and calculation of Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score and exclusion of significant fibrosis with vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) have been recommended.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMJ Glob Health
October 2022
Background: Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease. Data from the worst affected countries are limited because conducting epidemiological surveys is challenging. We assessed the utility of inhibitory geostatistical design with close pairs (ICP) to estimate snakebite envenoming incidence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Data on the alcoholic fatty liver (AFL) is limited. Therefore, we investigated alcohol use and AFL patterns among urban, adult Sri Lankans.
Methods: The study population (selected by age-stratified random sampling) was screened in 2007 (35-64 years) and re-evaluated in 2014.
Acquired hepatocerebral degeneration (AHCD) is an acquired, extrapyramidal, neurodegenerative condition, encountered in patients with cirrhosis. It is an uncommon and usually irreversible condition, resulting in widespread cerebral, basal ganglia and cerebellar damage. We describe here four cases of AHCD, with varying presentations, highlighting the need for increased awareness of this condition, to avoid diagnostics delays and unnecessary management.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Gastroenterol Hepatol
June 2022
Background And Aim: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is emerging in the newly industrialized countries of South Asia, South-East Asia, and the Middle East, yet epidemiological data are scarce.
Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of IBD demographics, disease phenotype, and treatment across 38 centers in 15 countries of South Asia, South-East Asia, and Middle East. Intergroup comparisons included gross national income (GNI) per capita.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis
June 2021
Background: Snakebite incidence shows both spatial and temporal variation. However, no study has evaluated spatiotemporal patterns of snakebites across a country or region in detail. We used a nationally representative population sample to evaluate spatiotemporal patterns of snakebite in Sri Lanka.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLimited data are available on physical activity tracking among adults in low- and middle-income countries. Using a longitudinal design, we assessed trends and correlates of physical activity among Sri Lankan adults. Individuals selected through age-stratified random sampling, were screened initially in 2007 (n = 2986) and reevaluated in 2014 (n = 2148).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The term "metabolic (dysfunction)-associated fatty liver disease" (MAFLD) is suggested alternative for "non-alcoholic fatty liver disease" (NAFLD), as it better reflects metabolic dysfunction. No study has compared outcomes of the two diagnostic criteria.
Methods: In an ongoing, community-based, cohort-study in suburban Sri Lanka, participants were randomly selected in 2007.
Snakebite causes more than 1.8 million envenoming cases annually and is a major cause of death in the tropics especially for poor farmers. While both social and ecological factors influence the chance encounter between snakes and people, the spatio-temporal processes underlying snakebites remain poorly explored.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Radiol
March 2021
Objectives: Despite its widespread use there is no consensus on ultrasound criteria to diagnose fatty liver.
Method: In an ongoing, cohort-study, participants were initially screened in 2007 and reassessed in 2014 by interview, anthropometric measurements, liver ultrasonography, and blood tests. We evaluated utility of increased hepatic echogenicity alone (intermediate) compared to using additional criteria which included signal attenuation and/or vascular blunting along with increase of hepatic echogenicity (moderate-severe), to diagnose fatty liver in NAFLD.
BMJ Open
September 2020
Objective: To describe patterns and predictors of mortality in a semi-urban population in Sri Lanka.
Design: A prospective population-based cohort study.
Setting: Ragama Medical Officer of Health area in the Gampaha district, Sri Lanka.
Background: Sri Lanka diagnosed its first local case of COVID-19 on 11 March 2020. The government acted swiftly to contain transmission, with extensive public health measures. At the end of 30 days, Sri Lanka had 197 cases, 54 recovered and 7 deaths; a staged relaxing of the lockdown is now underway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
March 2020
Background: There are few studies investigating the natural course of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the community. We assessed resolution of NAFLD in a general population cohort of urban Sri Lankans adults.
Methods: Participants were selected by age-stratified random sampling from electoral lists.
PLoS One
March 2020
Background: Health outcomes and causality are usually assessed with individual level sociodemographic variables. Studies that consider only individual-level variables can suffer from residual confounding. This can result in individual variables that are unrelated to risk behaving as proxies for uncaptured information.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: To estimate prevalence and phenotypic associations of selected inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-associated genetic variants among Sri Lankan patients.
Methods: A case study of histologically confirmed ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD) patients with ≥ 1 year disease duration, who were compared to unrelated, gender-matched, healthy individuals as controls, was conducted at four major centers in Sri Lanka. Phenotypic data of the cases were obtained and all participants were genotyped for 16 selected genetic variants: :, :, :, :, /:, :, :, :, :, /:, :, :, :, :, , , , :, , , and :.
Background: Snakebite is a neglected tropical disease that has been overlooked by healthcare decision makers in many countries. Previous studies have reported seasonal variation in hospital admission rates due to snakebites in endemic countries including Sri Lanka, but seasonal patterns have not been investigated in detail.
Methods: A national community-based survey was conducted during the period of August 2012 to June 2013.
Background/aims: To examine the association between use of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) and the risk of developing inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), in a modern cohort.
Methods: A prospective nested case-control study across sites in the Asia-Pacific region was conducted; involving female IBD cases and asymptomatic controls. Subjects completed a questionnaire addressing questions related to OCP use.
Introduction: Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million and about 80,000 snakebites occur annually. However, there are limited data on health seeking behavior following bites. We investigated the effects of snakebite and envenoming on health seeking behavior in Sri Lanka.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Res Notes
July 2017
Background: As acute viral hepatitis can be fatal in patients with cirrhosis, vaccination against hepatitis A (HAV) and hepatitis B (HBV) is recommended for non-immune patients. With increasing affluence the incidence of hepatitis A in childhood has decreased leading to a significant proportion of non-immune adults. As part of their routine investigation, hepatitis A IgG antibodies (anti-HAV IgG), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HCV antibodies was checked and immunization status was assessed among consenting newly diagnosed cirrhotic patients presenting to a tertiary referral center.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Snakebite is a major problem affecting the rural poor in many of the poorest countries in the tropics. However, the scale of the socio-economic burden has rarely been studied. We undertook a comprehensive assessment of the burden in Sri Lanka.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Med Case Rep
July 2017
Background: Hydrocarbon-induced occupational liver injury is a well-known clinical entity among petroleum industry workers. There are many types of hydrocarbon exposure, with inhalation being the most common. Hydrocarbon-induced occupational liver injury is a rarely suspected and commonly missed etiological agent for liver injury.
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