A survey on patients' disease perception and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on persons living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Malaysia.

To investigate the patients' perception of their disease, its management and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on persons living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Malaysia. An online survey comprising 42 questions was conducted on ALS patients during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Responses were received from 37/60 (62%) participants with ALS directly or through their caregivers.

Trends of Stroke Incidence and 28-Day All-Cause Mortality after a Stroke in Malaysia: A Linkage of National Data Sources.

Background: Data on nationwide trends for stroke metrics are crucial to understand the extent of the disease burden to a country's health system. Yet, this information remains scarce in low- and middle-income countries.

Objectives: This study investigated trends of stroke incidence and 28-day all-cause mortality after a stroke from 2008 to 2016 in Malaysia, through linkage across national data sources.

The utility of ALS staging systems in a multi-ethnic patient cohort.

To compare two ALS staging systems, King's clinical staging and Milano-Torino (MiToS) functional staging, using prospective data from a multi-ethnic cohort of ALS patients. The stages of disease were determined prospectively based on existing definitions. The two systems were compared for timing of stages using box plots, correspondence using chi-square tests and association using Spearman's rank correlation.

Natural history and clinical features of ALS in Malaysia.

Studies from multiethnic populations are rarely reported but do indicate differences in phenotypic presentation and survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In this study, we aimed to investigate the natural history of a cohort of ALS patients from a multiethnic population. : Data from ALS patients presenting to our multidisciplinary ALS clinic were prospectively collected from January 2015 to June 2020 as part of an ongoing hospital-based patient registry.

Foot ulcers and their association with diabetic Charcot foot complications.

Background And Objectives: Diabetic Charcot foot (DCF) can cause gross structural deformities of the foot and ankle. The main objective of this study was to identify complications of DCF and its associated factors.

Method: This is a retrospective cohort study.

Cortical Modulation After Two Different Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Protocols in Similar Ischemic Stroke Patients.

Background: Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in Malaysia. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is one of the new non-invasive modality to enhance the motor recovery in stroke patients.

Objectives: This pilot study compared the motor evoked potential (MEP) changes using different settings of rTMS in the post-ischemic stroke patient.

Early AbobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport) in Post-Stroke Adult Upper Limb Spasticity: ONTIME Pilot Study.

The ONTIME study investigated whether early post-stroke abobotulinumtoxinA injection delays appearance or progression of upper limb spasticity (ULS) symptoms. ONTIME (NCT02321436) was a 28-week, exploratory, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of abobotulinumtoxinA 500U in patients with ULS (Modified Ashworth Scale [MAS] score ≥ 2) 2⁻12 weeks post-stroke. Patients were either symptomatic or asymptomatic (only increased MAS) at baseline.

Social Participation Determines Quality of Life Among Urban-Dwelling Older Adults With Stroke in a Developing Country.

Background And Purpose: Poor quality of life (QoL) is a well-recognized consequence after stroke. Quality of life is influenced by a complex interaction between personal and environmental factors. Most previous investigations of the QoL after stroke have focused on personal factors, for example, physical deficits directly resulting from stroke.

Predicting return to work following a cardiac event in Malaysia.

Background: Return to work is an important aspect for cardiac rehabilitation following a major cardiac event.

Objective: The aim was to understand the local prevalence and factors associated with returning to work in Malaysia after a cardiac event.

Methods: A cross sectional design was used.

The Effect of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Postural Stability After Acute Stroke: A Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Balance impairment is a common problem and a major cause of motor disability after stroke. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether low-frequency repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) improves the postural balance problems in stroke patients.

Methods: This randomized double blind clinical trial with 12 weeks follow-up was conducted on stroke patients.

Implementation of Clinical Quality Management for Rehabilitation in Malaysia.

In February 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its historic "Rehabilitation 2030: A Call for Action". Scaling up rehabilitation in health systems requires concerted action across all 6 components of WHO's Health Systems Framework. For rehabilitation, information about functioning is essential, as it is required for effective rehabilitation at all levels of the health system.

Evaluation of the topic lists used in two world Congresses (2015 and 2016) in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.

Background: Evaluation of the initial list of proposed abstract topics for Congresses of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) was needed in order to ensure its feasibility for use in future congress announcements and invitations for abstract submission.

Methods: The initial proposals were based on 5 main areas of PRM research: biosciences in rehabilitation, biomedical rehabilitation sciences and engineering, clinical PRM sciences, integrative rehabilitation sciences, and human functioning sciences. This list became a model for structuring the abstracts for the 9th and 10th World Congresses of PRM, held in Berlin, Germany (2015) and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2016), respectively.

Test-retest reliability, internal consistency and concurrent validity of Fatigue Severity Scale in measuring post-stroke fatigue.

Background: Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) is a common complaint among stroke survivors and has significant impacts on recovery and quality of life. Limited tools that measure fatigue have been validated in stroke.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) in patients with stroke.

Risk factors of diabetic foot Charcot arthropathy: a case-control study at a Malaysian tertiary care centre.

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the risk factors of diabetic Charcot arthropathy of the foot among diabetic patients with and without foot problems.

Methods: This was a case-control study involving diabetic patients attending the Diabetic Foot Care and Wound Management Clinic at University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from June 2010 to June 2011. Data on sociodemographic profiles, foot factors and diabetes characteristics was collected and analysed.

Aftereffects of 2 noninvasive brain stimulation techniques on corticospinal excitability in persons with chronic stroke: a pilot study.

Background And Purpose: Noninvasive brain stimulation, including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have gained popularity in the stroke rehabilitation literature. Little is known about the time course and duration of effects of noninvasive brain stimulation on corticospinal excitability in individuals with stroke. We examined the aftereffects of a single session of high-frequency rTMS (5 Hz) and anodal tDCS on corticospinal excitability in the same sample of participants with chronic stroke.

Neurophysiological and behavioral effects of tDCS combined with constraint-induced movement therapy in poststroke patients.

Background: Recovery of motor function after stroke may depend on a balance of activity in the neural network involving the affected and the unaffected motor cortices.

Objective: To assess whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can increase the training-induced recovery of motor functions.

Methods: In an exploratory study, 14 patients with chronic stroke and mean Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Motor Assessment of 29 (range = 8-50) entered a double-blind sham-controlled study, aimed to investigate neurophysiological and behavioral effects of bihemispheric tDCS (cathodal stimulation of the unaffected motor cortex and anodal stimulation of the affected motor cortex), combined with constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT).

Validation of the comprehensive ICF core sets for diabetes mellitus:a Malaysian perspective.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease that is prevalent in many countries. The prevalence of DM is on the rise, and its complications pose a heavy burden on the healthcare systems and on the patients' quality of life worldwide.

Materials And Methods: This is a multicentre, cross-sectional study involving 5 Health Clinics conducted by Family Medicine Specialists in Malaysia.

Sample size calculation in physical medicine and rehabilitation: a systematic review of reporting, characteristics, and results in randomized controlled trials.

Objective: To assess systematically the reporting of sample size calculation in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in 5 leading journals in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R).

Data Sources: The data source was full reports of RCTs in 5 leading PM&R journals (Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Clinical Rehabilitation, and Disability and Rehabilitation) between January and December of 1998 and 2008. Articles were identified in Medline.