RESEARCH DIGEST

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Research Digest is a selection of original research done by Malaysian authors or conducted in Malaysia. Only articles felt to be of clinical relevance to primary care physicians are selected. This Research Digest is abstracted by CL Teng (tengcl@gmail.com)
Editor’s note: We wish to thank authors for providing full text reprint of their articles.

Peer-adult-led educational intervention for university students regarding HIV/AIDS improves knowledge and attitudes but not behaviour

Jahanfar S, Lye MS, Rampal L. A randomised controlled trial of peer-adult-led intervention on improvement of knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of university students regarding HIV/AIDS in Malaysia. Singapore Med J. 2009;50(2):173-80 [PubMed] [Full text]
Affiliation of primary author: Department of Public Health, Royal College of Medicine Perak, Universiti Kuala Lumpur.
A randomised controlled trial of 530 university students (Universiti Teknologi Petronas) was done using peer-adult facilitators. Educational intervention include various interactional activities, such as small group discussions, poster activity and empathy exercises. The programme was successful in increasing knowledge and improving attitudes towards AIDS and HIV. However, it did not improve risk-taking behaviour.

Garlic does not produce beneficial effects on serum cholesterol

Khoo YS, Aziz Z. Garlic supplementation and serum cholesterol: a meta-analysis. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2009;34(2):133-45 [PubMed]
Affiliation of primary author: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.
Thirteen trials (1056 subjects) were included in this meta-analysis. Garlic therapy did not produce any statistically significant reduction in serum total cholesterol level, LDL-cholesterol level, triglycerides level or apolipoprotein B level. There was no difference between garlic and placebo on HDL-cholesterol level.

One in four dyspeptic adults has helicobacter infection in UKM Primary Care Centre

Aznida Firzah AA, Zuhra H, Tong SF, et al. Helicobacter pylori related dyspepsia: prevalence and treatment outcomes at University Kebangsaan Malaysia-Primary Care Centre. Asia Pac Fam Med. 2009;8(1):4 [PubMed] [Full text]
Affiliation of primary author: Department of Family Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
98 adult patients with dyspepsia were assessed with Modified Glasgow Dyspepsia Severity Score Questionnaire (MGDSSQ) 13Carbon Urea Breath Test (UBT) for helicobacter. Those with positive UBT received eradication therapy with oral omeprazole 20 mg twice daily, clarithromycin 500 mg daily and amoxycillin 500 mg twice daily for one week followed by omeprazole to be completed for another 4 to 6 weeks. Those with negative UBT received empirical treatment with oral omeprazole 20 mg twice daily for 4 to 6 weeks. The prevalence of dyspepsia was 1.12%, out of which 23.5% was due to HP. Post treatment assessment in both HP and non HP-related dyspepsia groups showed complete or almost complete resolution of dyspepsia.

One in ten hospitalised cardiac patients may have hyperkalemia due to significant drug interaction.

Amir O, Hassan Y, Sarriff A, et al. Incidence of risk factors for developing hyperkalemia when using ACE inhibitors in cardiovascular diseases. Pharm World Sci. 2009;31(3):387-93 [PubMed] [Full text]
Affiliation of primary author: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.
489 cardiac in-patients were evaluated using Drug Interaction Probability Scale (DIPS). Hyperkalemia as a result of association between ACEI–drug interactions is found 9.8% Risk factors identified as predictors of hyperkalemia secondary to ACEI-drug interactions were: advanced age; renal disease; hepatic disease; taking many medications (>15).

One in three adults reported using herbal medicine in the past one year

Aziz Z, Tey NP. Herbal medicines: prevalence and predictors of use among Malaysian adults. Complement Ther Med. 2009; 17(1):44-50 [PubMed]
Affiliation of primary author: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur.
This is a cross-sectional survey of adults from four towns in Malaysia. From a total of 1601 respondents, 542 (33.9%) reported use of herbal medicines in the previous 12 months. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the following variables to be predictive of herbal medicines use: female gender, being married, having health problems and having high-income levels.

One in six adult women in Selangor is obese

Sherina MS, Rampal L. The prevalence and factors associated with obesity among adult women in Selangor, Malaysia. Asia Pac Fam Med. 2009;8(1):2 [PubMed] [Full text]
Affiliation of primary author: Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Sealngor.
972 women aged 20-59 years old in Selangor were interviewed. Obesity (BMI³30 kg/m2) was found in 16.7% (Malays 19.4%, Chinese 6.2, Indian 19.0).

One in seven healthy blood donors in Kelantan is seropositive for Helicobacter pylori

Sasidharan S, Uyub AM. Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection among asymptomatic healthy blood donors in Northern Peninsular Malaysia. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2009;103(4):395-8 [PubMed]
Affiliation of primary author: School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang.
5370 serum samples from healthy adult blood donors in Kelantan were evaluated for H. pylori IgG and IgA antibodies. Seven hundred and sixty subjects (14.2%) were seropositive. The overall seropositivity did not differ with ethnicity, gender, ABO blood group and age.

One in 23 Malaysian is elderly

Forsyth DR, Chia YC. How should Malaysia respond to its ageing society? Med J Malaysia 2009;64(1):46-50
Affiliation of primary author: Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Addenbroke’s Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
In 1991 the proportion of the Malaysian population aged 65 years and over was 3.7% and in 2006 was 3.9%. Current (year 2008) estimates are that out of a totaI population of some 27.7 million, approximately 1.2 million Malaysians (4.2%) are aged over 65 years.