Publications by authors named "Shafi Humaira"

Article Synopsis
  • Singapore has established institutional surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) guidelines in public hospitals, but adherence and tracking are inconsistent, with a 2020 survey revealing around 60% of prophylactic antibiotics were given for over 24 hours.
  • The guidelines were created by a diverse panel of experts using the ADAPTE methodology, focusing on evidence-based recommendations for the appropriate use of antibiotics during surgeries, with varying protocols for different patient groups.
  • The ultimate goal of these guidelines is to standardize practices across hospitals, improve the rational use of antibiotics in order to prevent surgical site infections, and minimize negative effects from unnecessary prolonged antibiotic use.
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Aims: To evaluate the efficacy of multi-component interventions for prevention of hospital-acquired pneumonia in older patients hospitalized in geriatric wards.

Methods: A randomized, parallel-group, controlled trial was undertaken in patients aged 65 and above who were admitted to a tertiary hospital geriatric unit from January 1, 2016 to June 30, 2018 for an acute non-respiratory illness. Participants were randomized by to receive either a multi-component intervention (consisting of reverse Trendelenburg position, dysphagia screening, oral care and vaccinations), or usual care.

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Article Synopsis
  • A study in Singapore examined arterial and venous thrombosis rates in critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU from January to April 2020.
  • Among 111 patients, the rates of venous thrombotic events were low at 1.8%, while arterial thrombosis was higher at 9.9%.
  • Additionally, the major bleeding rate among these patients was recorded at 14.8%, indicating a unique thrombosis and bleeding profile in this cohort compared to other studies.
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Migrant workers, a marginalized and under-resourced population, are vulnerable to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to limited healthcare access. Moreover, metabolic diseases-such as diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and hyperlipidemia-predispose to severe complications and mortality from COVID-19. We investigate the prevalence and consequences of undiagnosed metabolic illnesses, particularly DM and pre-diabetes, in international migrant workers with COVID-19.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the connection between COVID-19 and cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), a rare but serious condition seen in some COVID-19 patients, focusing on understanding its pathophysiology.
  • It presents two cases from Singapore and reviews existing literature, highlighting that most COVID-19 patients with CVT were relatively young and had no significant health issues prior.
  • Findings show a high mortality rate of 45.5% among these patients, emphasizing the need for physicians to be vigilant and initiate anticoagulation treatment early to improve outcomes.
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Central nervous system (CNS) infections cause substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide, with mounting concern about new and emerging neurologic infections. Stratifying etiologies based on initial clinical and laboratory data would facilitate etiology-based treatment rather than relying on empirical treatment. Here, we report the epidemiology and clinical outcomes of patients with CNS infections from a prospective surveillance study that took place between 2013 and 2016 in Singapore.

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We present a case of disseminated cryptococcosis (DC) in a 71-year-old gentleman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on long-term corticosteroids. He initially presented with right arm cellulitis in a tertiary hospital in Singapore and was subsequently diagnosed with DC involving skin, meninges, blood, and possibly pulmonary involvement. He eventually succumbed to the disease despite prolonged antifungal therapy.

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Patients with rickettsial infection usually present with a febrile illness, headache, arthromyalgia and various biochemical abnormalities. Neurologic involvement is rare in murine typhus. Here, we report a case of a patient who presented with status epilepticus secondary to Rickettsia typhi infection.

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Objectives: Austrian syndrome comprises the triad of pneumonia, meningitis, and endocarditis secondary to Streptococcus pneumonia. We present what we believe to be the first reported case of Austrian syndrome with quadruple heart valve involvement and review the literature detailing cases of quadruple valve infective endocarditis.

Case Presentation And Results: A case is presented of a patient with radiographic evidence of a left lower lobe pneumonia.

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Paradoxical reactions during tuberculosis (TB) treatment are well-described in the HIV seropositive population but less so in the HIV seronegative group. Abdominal TB rarely presents as spontaneous perforation; cases occurring during anti-TB therapy are even rarer. We describe the clinical progress of a case of an HIV-negative patient who developed acute peritonitis while on anti-TB treatment for peritoneal TB through a series of clinical, radiological and histological images.

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Purpose: In 2015, an outbreak of group B streptococcal (GBS) infection caused by Streptococcus agalactiae Serotype III, multilocus sequence type 283, related to consuming infected raw freshwater fish, affected more than 200 patients in Singapore. We describe the clinical, laboratory, and neuroimaging features of a subgroup of adults with central nervous system (CNS) infections caused by GBS.

Materials And Methods: The database of the Singapore Neurologic Infections Program (SNIP), a national multicenter study for surveillance of infectious neurologic disease, was reviewed to select patients with GBS CNS infection during the outbreak.

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We present a case report of a 41-year-old woman of Malay ethnicity who presented with an 11-day history of fever and left-sided lymphadenopathy after consuming 'Miracle Mineral Solution' (sodium chlorite solution) for the first time. A diagnosis of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease was established via lymph node biopsy after other differentials were excluded. The aetiology of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease remains controversial, but viral, autoimmune and physicochemical causes have been suggested as possibilities.

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Oxindole derivatives 3-25 have been synthesized from commercially available oxindole by refluxing with different aromatic aldehydes in good yields. Their in vitro antiglycation potential has been evaluated. They showed a varying degree of antiglycation activity with IC50 values ranging between 150.

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