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Biomedical subjects

A Y Tan

Publications and source records attributed to A Y Tan.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Efficacy and safety of oral desmopressin in the treatment of primary nocturnal enuresis in Asian children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and safety of oral desmopressin (DDAVP) treatment in Asian children with nocturnal enuresis. METHODOLOGY: This was a multicentre randomized placebo-controlled double-blind cross-over study. Patients were randomized to either active treatment with oral 400 mg DDAVP or placebo, with a 2-week medication-free period between the cross-over. Children with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis, aged between 7 and 18 years, with a minimum frequency of wetting of 6 nights or more during a 2-week observation period were recruited. Efficacy was measured by reduction in the average number of wet nights per week. RESULTS: Of the 37 children initially recruited, the outcomes for 34 children were included in the final cross-over analysis, as they had complete data for both the treatment periods. Statistical analysis by ANOVA showed that there was no significant difference between the medication-free period and the pretreatment period. However, the average number of wet nights per week for the DDAVP treatment period (2.5+/-2.7) was significantly lower than that of the placebo treatment period (4.5+/-2.1) (P < 0.0001). In terms of the safety profile, there was no significant change in bodyweight, blood pressure, serum sodium, serum osmolality, and urine osmolality following DDAVP treatment. CONCLUSION: Oral DDAVP is a safe and efficacious drug for the short-term treatment of children with primary nocturnal enuresis.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1998

Risk factors for breakthrough varicella in healthy children.

AIM: To evaluate the risk factors for breakthrough varicella in a follow up study of a cohort of 181 healthy children immunised when aged 9-24 months with a reformulated Oka strain varicella vaccine (SmithKline Beecham Biologicals/Oka). DESIGN: The children were randomised in a double blind manner into one of four groups to receive one of two production lot vaccine batches, at two different titres (high titre, 10(3.9) and 10(4.0) plaque forming units (pfu); low titre (heat exposed), 10(2.7) and 10(2.8) pfu). The overall seroconversion rate after immunisation was 99%. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-eight patients were available for review after a mean (SD) follow up of 35 (9) months after vaccination. Multivariate analysis indicated that risk factors for breakthrough varicella were household contact with varicella (adjusted odds ratio (OR), 19.89; 95% confidence interval (CI), 18.39 to 21.39), vaccination age of < or = 14 months (adjusted OR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.69 to 2.90), and receiving low titre (10(2.7) pfu) vaccine (adjusted OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.54 to 2.73). All children who developed breakthrough varicella, had a modified varicella illness, except for three, all of whom had received low titre vaccine. CONCLUSION: The identification of young immunisation age (< or = 14 months) and low titre vaccine as risk factors for breakthrough varicella have important implications for the implementation of varicella vaccination programmes in healthy children.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1996

Use of a reformulated Oka strain varicella vaccine (SmithKline Beecham Biologicals/Oka) in healthy children.

UNLABELLED: The first live-attenuated Oka strain varicella vaccines needed to be stored at -20 degrees C. Reformulation of this vaccine by SmithKline Beecham Biologicals has provided a vaccine shelf life of up to 2 years when stored at +4 degrees C to +8 degrees C. In this study the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of two different production lots of this reformulated vaccine at two different titres each, which corresponded to the release and expected expiry titres, were evaluated. A double-blind randomised clinical trial was conducted in healthy children aged from 9 to 24 months. Immunogenicity was assessed by the measurement of varicella specific antibodies in paired serum samples taken before and from 35 to 63 days post vaccination. Reactogenicity was assessed by the evaluation of any untoward reactions occurring up to 42 days post vaccination. In order to assess protective efficacy, parents of these subjects were contacted approximately 6 months after completion of the trial. One hundred and ninety-one subjects were recruited into the study. Of the 181 initially seronegative subjects who completed the trial according to the protocol, 179 showed seroconversion (98.9%). Reactions to the vaccine were minor and observed in 46/191 (24%) of subjects. Rashes were present in 19, fever in 22, and both fever and rash in 5. Rashes were mainly maculo-papular in nature but were vesicular in 6. Febrile reactions were shortlived. After a 6-month follow up period, attenuated varicella with minor clinical symptoms was diagnosed in 6/52 vaccinees who had close contact with natural varicella (attack rate = 11.5%). CONCLUSION: This reformulated vaccine was well tolerated, highly immunogenic and provided protection against varicella. In increased stability allowing refrigerator storage makes it a good candidate for mass vaccination programmes.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1996

Parents' perceptions towards their child's use of inhaled medications for asthma therapy.

OBJECTIVE: Understanding patients' and their parents' perceptions towards asthma medication is important in developing strategies to ensure patient compliance. In this study, parents' perceptions towards their children's use of inhaled medication for asthma treatment were evaluated. METHODOLOGY: A questionnaire was administered by interviewing parents of 210 asthmatic children attending the Department of Paediatrics, National University Hospital. RESULTS: Our results showed that 76/210 (36%) of parents either felt opposed to inhaler therapy and/or preferred oral medications. The main reasons for their reluctance to use inhalers were related to fear of dependence, side effects and overdosage, and the child's dislike for inhalers. A third of these parents felt that inhalers were only indicated for very severe asthma. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that a significant proportion of parents have reservations regarding the use of inhalers for the treatment of asthma. These factors should be taken into consideration when planning an effective asthma education programme.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1993

Sulphate conjugation of minoxidil in rat skin.

Minoxidil sulphotransferase (MST) activity was determined in the cytosolic fraction of rat skin and liver. MST of rat skin is similar to the P (phenol)-form of phenosulphotransferase (PST) of human tissues with respect to thermostability and inhibition by 2,6-dichloro-4-nitrophenol (DCNP). p-Nitrophenol, a prototype substrate of human P-PST form, inhibits MST at micromolar concentration while millimolar concentrations of dopamine and tyramine, substrates of human M-(monoamine)-PST, are required to elicit a similar degree of inhibition. The enzymatic transfer of 35S from sodium 35sulphate to minoxidil was also demonstrated suggesting that the rat skin is potentially capable of synthesizing 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulphate (PAPS) from inorganic sulphate and utilizing it for the biosynthesis of minoxidil sulphate, its active metabolite. Thus, it is conceivable that the pharmacological action of minoxidil as a promoter of hair growth could be carried out by the cutaneous tissues without the contribution of hepatic or other extrahepatic organs.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Major blinding complications of intraocular implantation.

Modern implant surgery for cataract by trained ophthalmologists gives excellent results in the vast majority of patients. All eye surgeons have a grave responsibility to ensure that blinding complications are avoided. The major blinding postoperative complications include endophthalmitis, problems with lens implants, corneal decompensation, uveitis and glaucoma, retinal complications and inadequate microsurgical training. The most disastrous of these is postoperative endophthalmitis which is preventable and can result in total blindness.

Aged↗
PubMed1977

Hepatitis B antigen in the liver cells in cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

The demonstration of hepatitis B antigen in the liver cells in formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues by Shikata's orcein staining method affords an opportunity to conduct retrospective studies on necrospy materials. Such a study in Singapore showed orcein-positive liver cells in 22 out of 52 (42.3%) and 37 out of 50 (74.0%) cases of cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular carcinoma respectively, while only 5 out of 113 (4.4%) 'normal' livers gave positive results. There is a significant difference in the frequency of hepatocellular carcinoma in orcein-positive and orcein-negative cirrhotic livers (28 out of 50, 10 out of 40 respectively). These results suggest a possible aetiological relationship between hepatitis B antigen and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗