Cultural adaptation and validation of the Sinhala version of the spiritual needs assessment for patients (S-SNAP) questionnaire.

Background: Spiritual support for patients and caregivers of critically ill patients is associated with improved quality of life. This aspect, however, is not incorporated into the current care pathways in Sri Lanka. The Spiritual Needs Assessment for Patients (SNAP) questionnaire, comprised of 3 domains: psychosocial, spiritual and religious, gives a platform for clinicians to assess the spiritual needs of those patients.

Undetected falls among older adults attending medical clinics in four tertiary care centres in Sri Lanka; the need of a comprehensive geriatric assessment.

Objective: Falls take a high priority among the prevalent medical conditions in old age. Despite this, a history of falls or the risk of future falls is not routinely assessed or properly managed in medical clinics in Sri Lanka. This study was done to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with falls and recurrent falls among older adults attending medical clinics in four selected tertiary care centres in the country.

Control of cardiometabolic risk factors and their association with carotid intima media thickness among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus-single center experience in a developing country.

Background/aim: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is closely associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD). The objective of this study was to describe the degree of ASCVD risk factor control and their association with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in T2DM patients followed up at a diabetes clinic in Southern, Sri Lanka.

Materials And Methods: A crosssectional study was conducted to examine the association between CIMT and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)in 300 T2DM patients.

Evaluating compliance with the care standard of proactively assessing bone health in patients with diabetes: a pilot audit of practice across Asia by the Asia Pacific Consortium on Osteoporosis (APCO).

Unlabelled: This pilot audit explored how bone health is assessed patients with diabetes in diverse centres across Asia. Only 343 of 1092 (31%) audited patients had a bone health assessment, 27% of whom were diagnosed with osteoporosis. Quality improvement strategies are needed to address gaps in patient care in this area.

Cimetidine repurposed as a potential immunomodulatory agent against colorectal carcinoma: A systematic review.

Objective: To determine the survival benefit and immunomodulatory effects of cimetidine pre-, peri- or post-operatively in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed and Cochrane Library to retrieve randomized control trials (RCTs) that investigated the effects of cimetidine on survival and immunomodulation via improvement in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and peripheral blood lymphocytes. The review was carried out in accordance with the extended Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses.

Katz index of activities of daily living in assessing functional status of older people: Reliability and validity of Sinhala version.

Purpose: This study evaluated the reliability and validity of the Sinhala version of Katz index of activities of daily living (ADL) in assessing the functional status of older people aged >65 years.

Materials And Methods: The Katz index was translated to Sinhala, cross-culturally adapted and administered in two stages. In stage 01, 200 patients aged ≥65 years, selected randomly from out-patient medical clinics, were asked to fill the Sinhala version of Katz index along with the Sinhala version of the 10-item Barthel index (BI).

Age-dependent FRAX-based assessment and intervention thresholds for therapeutic decision making in osteoporosis in the Malaysian population.

Unlabelled: Fracture risk stratification is crucial in countries with limited access to bone density measurement. 24.8% women were in the high-risk category while 30.

Cultural adaptation and validation of the Sinhala version of the Frail Non-disabled tool (FiND).

Background: Frailty, a common geriatric syndrome of vulnerability, is associated with a decline in health and function. The most problematic expression of population ageing is associated with weakness, slowing, decreased energy, lower activity and when severe, unintended weight loss. Frailty is not consciously identified in clinical practice and is not widely studied in Sri Lanka.

Caregiver strain among patients of palliative care in Sri Lanka: validation of modified caregiver strain index - Sinhala version.

Background: Care givers of Palliated patients are at risk of adverse physical, psychosocial and emotional sequelae in varied nature. Efficient and valid assessment tools facilitate early detection to take corrective measures. The Modified Caregiver Strain Index (MCSI), composed of domains associated with caregiver strain is a simple and brief tool that can be used in both clinical and field settings.

Associations between body composition and cardiovascular disease risk in pre- and postmenopausal women.

Background: Menopause transition is a critical phase of women's life since body composition and cardiovascular risk factors begin to change during this period. This study investigated the associations between body composition and cardiovascular disease risk (CVDR) in pre (PrMW) and postmenopausal women (PMW).

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study involving 184 PrMW and 166 PMW, selected randomly from Bope-Poddala area in Galle, Sri Lanka was carried out.

Approach to Study the Efficacy and Safety of New Complementary and Alternative Medicine Formulations: Lesson during COVID-19 from Sri Lanka.

COVID-19 affected Sri Lanka from early 2020, a time of considerable ignorance accompanied by wide media coverage of a devastating epidemic in Italy and Europe. Many were attracted to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) or traditional medicine (TM) in this desperate situation. Several preparations were claimed to be effective against COVID-19 globally.

Service availability and readiness for hip fracture care in low- and middle-income countries in South and Southeast Asia.

Aims: The aim of this study was to describe the current pathways of care for patients with a fracture of the hip in five low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) in South Asia (Nepal and Sri Lanka) and Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines).

Methods: The World Health Organization Service Availability and Readiness Assessment tool was used to collect data on the care of hip fractures in Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Respondents were asked to provide details about the current pathway of care for patients with hip fracture, including pre-hospital transport, time to admission, time to surgery, and time to weightbearing, along with healthcare professionals involved at different stages of care, information on discharge, and patient follow-up.

Age Related Trends in Structural Indices of Proximal Femur in Women Aged 20-70 in Southern Sri Lanka.

Age related trends of the indices of hip structure help understanding how bone strength changes with age and the increased bone fragility in old age. Community-dwelling women aged 20-70years (n = 419) were selected by stratified random method and divided into age categories; 20-29years (n-69), 30-39years (n = 60), 40-49years (n = 69), 50-59years (n = 107) and 60-70years (n = 114). All subjects underwent dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and hip structure analysis using Hologic Discovery scanner (Hologic Inc, Bedford, USA).

Trimester-specific thyroid hormone reference data in Sri Lankan women.

Introduction: Regional differences in thyroid hormones are noted, especially during pregnancy.

Objectives: Establish reference values for thyroid function tests for Sri Lankan pregnant women and to determine their comparability with regional data; and determine the prevalence of 2. Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) antibody positivity and 3.

Age-dependent assessment thresholds to optimize patient care in a resource-limited setting: an analysis based on the Sri Lankan FRAX model.

Unlabelled: Age-dependent upper and lower assessment thresholds help categorizing women aged 40 years or more according to their fracture risk, independent of BMD information.

Introduction: Age-dependent assessment thresholds of the FRAX algorithm help stratifying men and women aged 40 years or more according to their fracture risk. This allows clinicians to decide on those who require interventions without BMD assessment and those who require BMD input for further assessment.

Age-Related Trends in Body Composition among Women Aged 20-80 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The determinants of body composition are likely to vary geographically due to the diversity of genetic and environmental factors between populations. Age-related trends in body composition in a population help understanding the health issues that are linked with different body compartments. In general, such studies are scarce in the South Asian region and this cross-sectional study examined the age-related trends in body composition in a selected group of healthy women aged 20-80 years in Sri Lanka.

Age-related trends and reference intervals of cross-linked C-telopeptide of type I collagen and procollagen type I N-propeptide from a reference population of Sri Lankan adult women.

Unlabelled: Refer ence values of bone turnover markers (BTMs) are determined by factors that are country-specific. In Sri Lanka, unavailability of BTM reference data has led to their non-use in management of osteoporosis. The results of this study can be used as reference data for women in Sri Lanka.

Intervention thresholds to identify postmenopausal women with high fracture risk: A single center study based on the Philippines FRAX model.

Objectives: This study is designed to estimate appropriate intervention thresholds for the Philippines Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) model to identify postmenopausal women with high fracture risk.

Methods: Age dependent intervention thresholds were calculated for a woman of body mass index 25 kg/m aged 50-80 years with a previous fragility fracture without other clinical risk factors. Fixed thresholds were developed using a database of 1546 postmenopausal women who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for clinical reasons.

Prevalence and factors associated with recurrent falls among middle-aged community-dwelling women.

Objective: This community-based study evaluated the prevalence and associated risk factors of recurrent falls among middle-aged community-dwelling women in Southern-Sri Lanka.

Methods: Randomly selected 285 middle-aged women (40-60years, Mean±SD;51.7±6.

Effect of vitamin D therapy on bone mineral density in patients with diabetic nephropathy; a randomized, double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial.

Purpose: Diabetes compromises bone strength resulting increased risk of osteoporosis. Objective of this study was to determine the effect of vitamin D given to patients with early diabetic renal disease on BMD and BMC.

Methods: Patients with diabetic nephropathy were recruited.

Quality of Life and Functional Independence of Hip Fracture Patients: Data from a Single Center Follow-Up Study in Sri Lanka.

Background: Data on the functional outcomes of hip fracture patients in Sri Lanka are limited. As this information is required for the design of long-term care plans, we assessed the physical activities (activities of daily living [ADL]) and quality of life (QoL) of hip fracture survivors in Sri Lanka.

Methods: A group of 180 consecutive patients with incident hip fractures admitted to a tertiary care center in Southern Sri Lanka were followed up for 12 months.