Calcific Uremic Arteriolopathy (CUA) Among Malaysian Dialysis Patients: Clinical Characteristics, Treatment, and Outcomes.

Background Calcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA) is a rare but debilitating disease affecting patients with kidney disease. Reported risk factors of CUA in the literature include female sex, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and vitamin K antagonists' (VKAs) usage. CUA prevalence in Malaysia is unknown and has not been reported before.

Autologous Serum Therapy in Recalcitrant Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: Experience from Three Dermatology Clinics in Malaysia.

Autohemotherapy is a commonly used treatment for recalcitrant chronic urticaria in some countries. Herein we report our experience using autologous serum therapy in eight patients with recalcitrant chronic spontaneous urticaria. Autologous serum therapy was initiated weekly for nine weeks followed by every fortnightly.

Prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in Malaysia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The incidence of childhood obesity is increasing worldwide. National surveys in Malaysia have shown similar trends. This review aimed to increase our understanding of the prevalence and associated factors of childhood overweight, obesity, and excess weight in Malaysia.

The rate of blood culture contamination and common organisms isolated in Malaysian public hospitals.

Introduction: Blood culture contamination remains a dilemma issue in the diagnosis of bloodstream infection. However, to date, there is no national data on blood culture contamination and the common organism isolated in Malaysia. This is a pioneer multi-centre study involving public hospitals with medical microbiologists in Malaysia to determine the blood culture contamination rate and the common organism isolated.

Tepotinib plus osimertinib in patients with EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer with MET amplification following progression on first-line osimertinib (INSIGHT 2): a multicentre, open-label, phase 2 trial.

Background: Patients with EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and MET amplification as a mechanism of resistance to first-line osimertinib have few treatment options. Here, we report the primary analysis of the phase 2 INSIGHT 2 study evaluating tepotinib, a highly selective MET inhibitor, combined with osimertinib in this population.

Methods: This open-label, phase 2 study was conducted at 179 academic centres and community clinics in 17 countries.

Obtaining assent for research involving children in Malaysia: a position statement from the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia College of Paediatrics.

The Academy of Medicine of Malaysia College of Paediatrics acknowledges the role of children in research and this position statement explores the ethical considerations in obtaining assent from minors in the Malaysian context. It highlights the importance in respecting children's agency and navigating cultural complexities. The College proposes flexibility in the minimum age for assent of at least nine years old, while emphasising the need for a tailored assent procedure.

Exploratory biomarker analysis in the phase III L-MOCA study of olaparib maintenance therapy in patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer.

Background: The prospective phase III multi-centre L-MOCA trial (NCT03534453) has demonstrated the encouraging efficacy and manageable safety profile of olaparib maintenance therapy in the Asian (mainly Chinese) patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer (PSROC). In this study, we report the preplanned exploratory biomarker analysis of the L-MOCA trial, which investigated the effects of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression on olaparib efficacy.

Methods: HRD status was determined using the ACTHRD assay, an enrichment-based targeted next-generation sequencing assay.

Quality of life following laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair of a unilateral reducible inguinal hernia.

Background: Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (TEP) inguinal hernia repair has become increasingly favored over open Lichtenstein tension-free mesh repair owing to its associated benefits, including reduced postoperative pain, early return to normal activities, and a comparable recurrence rate. In recent years, emphasis has been placed on patient-reported outcomes, particularly health-related quality of life (QOL), as a critical metric for evaluating surgical success. This study aimed to evaluate the overall QOL following laparoscopic TEP repair of unilateral inguinal hernia.

An insight into clinicians' practices in breaking bad news of oral cancer diagnosis.

Communication is an integral component of effective healthcare delivery to patients, and this includes breaking bad news (BBN). However, clinicians in dentistry are rarely exposed to diseases that can negatively and seriously affect an individual's view of their future and pose a mortality risk, except for oral cancer. The aim of this study was to assess clinician practices in BBN of oral cancer diagnosis in Malaysia.

Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Management of Metabolic Acidosis in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: A Multicenter Retrospective Study in Malaysia.

Background Metabolic acidosis in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients has lately gained attention due to the growing evidence of its treatment benefits. This study aims to provide baseline data on the prevalence, risk factors, and current management of metabolic acidosis among the pre-dialysis adult Malaysian CKD population. Methodology This multicenter cross-sectional retrospective study involved pre-dialysis CKD patients above 18 years old on regular nephrology clinic follow-up at three Malaysian government hospitals with nephrology subspecialty.

Presentation of Breast Cancer and Impact of Patient Navigation on Timeliness of Diagnosis and Treatment and on Adherence to Treatment Recommendations in a Multicenter Network in Malaysia.

Purpose: Breast cancer deaths disproportionately affect women living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Patient navigation has emerged as a cost-effective and impactful approach to enable women with symptoms or suspicious mammogram findings to access timely diagnosis and patients with breast cancer to access timely and appropriate multimodality treatment. However, few studies have systematically evaluated the impact of patient navigation on timeliness of diagnosis and treatment in LMICs.

Economic burden of systemic lupus erythematosus in Malaysia.

Introduction: Our cost-of-illness (COI) model adopted the perspective of both payer and society over a time horizon of 5 years to measure the economic burden of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Malaysia.

Methodology: Our COI model utilized a prevalence-based model to estimate the costs and economic consequences of SLE in Malaysia. The clinical parameters were obtained from published literature and validated using the Delphi panel.

A retrospective record review of tuberculous infections in rheumatoid arthritis patients on biologics in Malaysia.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to analyse the clinical characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving biologics therapy and investigate the association between types of biologics and tuberculosis (TB) infections in 13 tertiary hospitals in Malaysia.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective study that included all RA patients receiving biologics therapy in 13 tertiary hospitals in Malaysia from January 2008 to December 2018.

Results: We had 735 RA patients who received biologics therapy.

Problem behaviours and caregiver burden among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Kuching, Sarawak.

Objective: Caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often experience emotional and psychological distress, as well as disruptions to family life and employment due to the challenges of caring for children with ASD. This study examines the relationship between problem behaviours and caregiver burden among children with ASD.

Method: A cross-sectional study using convenience sampling recruited 230 caregivers of children with ASD aged 4 to 18 years from selected autism centres in Kuching, Sarawak.

Psychosocial Determinants of Knee Osteoarthritis Progression: Results from the Promoting Independence in Our Seniors with Arthritis Study.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of physical disability among older adults. While established risk factors for knee OA include age and increased body weight, few studies have examined psychosocial risk factors or progression of knee OA.

Methods: The Promoting Independence in our Seniors with Arthritis study recruited participants aged 65 years and over from orthopedic outpatients and community engagement events.

Modified-Malay Eating Behavior and Pattern Questionnaire (Malay-EBPQ): translation and validation among Malaysian women.

Background: Eating behavior primarily depends on eating patterns which are largely influenced by interactions between physiology, environment, psychology, culture and socio-economic status. This study was designed to translate and validate the Eating Behavior Pattern Questionnaire (EBPQ) among Malaysian women.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving translation and validation of the English version of EBPQ.

Physical and psychosocial characteristics differ between individuals with knee pain and different knee osteoarthritis diagnostic criteria.

Purpose: Knee pain and osteoarthritis (OA) are common and often lead to disability among older adults. Existing published evidence, however, utilizes differing criteria to define studies' knee OA populations. We, therefore, aimed to determine whether differences exist in the characteristics of individuals with the presence of knee pain and different diagnostic criteria for knee OA.

Recommendations for the use of next-generation sequencing in patients with metastatic cancer in the Asia-Pacific region: a report from the APODDC working group.

Introduction: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) diagnostics have shown clinical utility in predicting survival benefits in patients with certain cancer types who are undergoing targeted drug therapies. Currently, there are no guidelines or recommendations for the use of NGS in patients with metastatic cancer from an Asian perspective. In this article, we present the Asia-Pacific Oncology Drug Development Consortium (APODDC) recommendations for the clinical use of NGS in metastatic cancers.

Diagnostic Utility of TSSC3 and RB1 Immunohistochemistry in Hydatidiform Mole.

The general notion of complete hydatidiform moles is that most of them consist entirely of paternal DNA; hence, they do not express p57, a paternally imprinted gene. This forms the basis for the diagnosis of hydatidiform moles. There are about 38 paternally imprinted genes.