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Biomedical subjects

M S Abdullah

Publications and source records attributed to M S Abdullah.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Bilateral persistent sciatic arteries with unilateral complicating aneurysm.

Persistent sciatic artery is a very uncommon embryological vascular variant. This case report highlights this rare vascular anomaly, diagnostic difficulty, complication and subsequent treatment in a 43-year-old man who presented with sudden onset of right leg pain for a few hours. He was unable to walk because of pain and numbness. Emergency right lower limb angiogram showed a large aneurysm that was initially thought to arise from the right common femoral artery, associated with thrombus formation within the right popliteal artery. A below knee amputation was performed due to worsening ischaemia of the right leg. The persistent right sciatic artery was later obliterated using percutaneous stenting and endovascular grafting, with deployment of two wallstents.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Assessment of orthodontic treatment need in 5,112 Malaysian children using the IOTN and DAI indices.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and severity of malocclusion in a large sample of 12-13-year-old children and to compare assessments of treatment need according to three methods. DESIGN: A random sample of 5,112 Malaysian children was drawn according to a multi-stage technique which accounted for the ethnic composition of the population. Subjects were examined using both components of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) and the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). RESULTS: The proportion of children in need of orthodontic treatment was 47.9% according to grades 4 and 5 of the dental health component (DHC) of IOTN and 22.8% according to grades 8-10 of the aesthetic component (AC). Using 32 points as the cut-off point for treatment acceptance, the DAI index indicated that 24.1% needed treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The IOTN index was found to be efficient and fair in identifying children who required orthodontic treatment. The best results appeared to be produced by using DHC grades 4 and 5 in association with AC photographs 6-10. This combination indicated 30% of children as being in need of treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Intestinal parasites in Malaysian children with cancer.

In this prospective study, we examined stool specimens from children with cancer receiving chemotherapy who were admitted for fever to the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital in Kota Baru, Kelantan. Stool specimens were examined for ova and cysts of parasites. Over a period of 15 months, there were 129 febrile episodes in 50 children with cancer and, in all, 237 stool specimens were examined. Sixty-six per cent of febrile episodes were associated with neutropenia and 9 per cent were associated with diarrhoea. Stool parasites were found in 42 per cent of children. The most common were helminths, followed by protozoa. Trichuris trichiura was the most common parasite (24 per cent), followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (22 per cent). Hookworm was found in 2 per cent. Giardia lamblia was found in 6 per cent of children, Blastocystis hominis in 4 per cent, and Cryptosporidium parvum in 2 per cent.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

A genus- and species-specific nested polymerase chain reaction malaria detection assay for epidemiologic studies.

A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that uses Plasmodium genus-specific primers for the initial PCR (nest 1) amplification and either genus- or species-specific primers for the nest 2 amplifications was tested on laboratory and field samples. With in vitro cultured Plasmodium falciparum-infected blood samples, it was capable of detecting six parasites/microl of blood using DNA prepared from 25-microl blood spots on filter paper. The assay was evaluated on fingerprick blood samples collected on filter paper from 129 individuals living in a malaria-endemic area in Malaysia. Malaria prevalence by genus-specific nested PCR was 35.6% (46 of 129) compared with 28.7% (37 of 129) by microscopy. The nested PCR detected seven more malaria samples than microscopy in the first round of microscopic examination, malaria in three microscopically negative samples, six double infections identified as single infections by microscopy and one triple infection identified as a double infection by microscopy. The nested PCR assay described is a sensitive technique for collecting accurate malaria epidemiologic data. When coupled with simple blood spot sampling, it is particularly useful for screening communities in remote regions of the world.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Increased sensitivity of malaria detection by nested polymerase chain reaction using simple sampling and DNA extraction.

Malaria remains a disease of underdeveloped and remote regions of the world. The application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology to malaria epidemiology has the potential for increasing our knowledge and understanding of this disease. In order to study malaria in all geographical locations it is important that specimen collection and DNA extraction for PCR be kept simple. Here we report a method for extracting DNA from dried blood spots on filter paper which is capable of detecting one Plasmodium falciparum and two Plasmodium vivax parasites/microliter of whole blood by nested PCR without compromising the simplicity of specimen collection or DNA extraction.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Cytokines and the malnutrition of chronic renal failure.

Malnutrition in uremic patients remains one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality. Its mediators remain largely unknown. Uremia is characterized by changes in circulating levels of catabolic cytokines and anabolic growth factors. The aim of this study was to investigate whether these changes are associated with the malnutrition of patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). We have studied the prevalence of malnutrition in a small group of patients (n = 20) with CRF (serum creatinine = 551 +/- 105 mumol/l, mean +/- SD) and 25 age-matched controls. Nutritional status was assessed by dietary diaries, subjective global assessment (SGA), and by measurement of anthropometric parameters. Regression analysis was applied to examine the relationship between biochemical and anthropometric parameters. Simultaneously, we have investigated changes in the circulating levels of catabolic cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-1 beta and IL-6] and an anabolic growth factor [insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)]. We observed a high prevalence of malnutrition as judged initially by SGA: 50% moderately malnourished and 15% severely malnourished. This was confirmed by anthropometric measurements. We noted a significant reduction in both triceps skinfold thickness (TST; 35% of patients < 25th centile) and midarm muscle circumference (MAMC, 65% of patients < 25th centile). We also noted a reduction in serum IGF-I in malnourished patients (IGF-I in well-nourished patients = 207 +/- 48 micrograms/l, in malnourished patients = 133 +/- 33 micrograms/l, p < 0.01). IGF-I correlated with TST (r = 0.71, p < 0.001) and MAMC (r = 0.47, p < 0.05). IGF-I had a high predictive value for TST (R2 = 51%, p < 0.001). In contrast, TNF-alpha levels were higher in malnourished patients: 19.5 +/- 30 pg/ml compared to 3.9 +/- 8 pg/ml in healthy patients (p < 0.001) and TNF-alpha showed a negative correlation with MAMC (r = -0.69, p < 0.01; R2 = 47%, p < 0.01). IL-1 beta levels were higher in CRF than in controls but did not correlate with nutritional parameters. No significant changes could be detected in serum IL-6. A significant percentage of predialysis patients with CRF suffer from some degree of malnutrition. This may be attributed in part to a fall in circulating anabolic growth factors and an increase in catabolic cytokines.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Field trial of permethrin impregnated sisal curtains in malaria control in western Kenya.

A trial to determine the effectiveness of sisal eaves-curtains impregnated with permethrin for malaria control was conducted in the malaria holoendemic western Kenya between 1991 and 1993. Indoor resting densities of Anopheles gambiae s.l. and Anopheles funestus were reduced by 90.9% and 93.8% respectively in protected houses. The entomological inoculation rate (EIR) was reduced by 72% in the intervention village. There was no significant reduction in vector longevity or survival as shown by the sustained high sporozoite rates. Monthly bioassays for retained insecticidal potency of permethrin on the fibre indicated vector mortality rates above 95% over the period. Of 283 and 240 children followed up from the intervention and control villages, a mean malaria prevalence of 43.2% and 52.2% respectively was observed over the trial period (p < 0.01). The prevalence rose to 73.5% and 75.7% (p = 0.541) respectively after the removal of the curtains. No significant differences were observed in the mean parasite density between the groups or between the proportions with parasite density exceeding 2,500 per microliter and with or without fever. The prevalence of splenomegaly was significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control, both during (p = 0.005) and after the intervention (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the mean change in haematocrit at the end of the intervention. We observe that permethrin impregnated sisal curtains effectively retain permethrin, alter favourably the indoor vector density and EIR, and could provide a reduction in malaria prevalence.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Surgical aspects of live donor kidney transplants in Kenya.

Review of twenty cases of live-donor kidney transplants in Kenya for a period of 5 years (1985-1989) and the follow up study results revealed that there were both high graft losses, high morbidity and mortality due to various complications pertaining to surgery and immunosuppression. The most serious complications were intercurrent infections, acute or chronic rejection, pulmonary embolism, steroid induced diabetes, pneumonia, and myocardial infarction. At the end of the first year follow up, there were only twelve graft patients alive. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was not available for assessing the anatomical and functional behaviour of the transplanted kidneys. This would have assisted in early diagnosis of the degree and onset of rejection for appropriate treatment before the death of the allografts. It would also assist in differentiating perfusional problems from rejection.

Diabetes Mellitus↗
PubMed1992

Quantification of microvascular changes in the skin in patients with psoriasis.

It has been suggested that there is a widespread abnormality of the capillaries in the skin of patients with psoriasis. This study was carried out to obtain more evidence on this point. Lesions of 20 patients with typical psoriasis, and uninvolved skin 3 cm from these lesions, were biopsied and compared with biopsies from 10 normal healthy control subjects. The dermal microvasculature was quantified in all these biopsies with regard to endothelial and luminal volume relative to the volume of dermal components of skin using stereological point counting methods utilizing the Delesse principle. The values for endothelial volume in specimens taken from the centre of the lesions did not differ significantly from those taken from the margins (33.6 x 10(-3) and 35.8 x 10(-3), respectively). The same was true for the luminal volume from the two sites (9.1 x 10(-3) and 10.0 x 10(-3), respectively). There was a highly significant difference, however, between the value for endothelial volume in biopsies from psoriatic patients compared to controls (P less than 0.001) and specimens from uninvolved psoriatic skin also showed a highly significant difference (P less than 0.001) from involved areas. There was no significant difference between uninvolved areas in psoriasis patients and control specimens. Significant differences were also found between values for control subjects and those for both involved and uninvolved psoriatic skin for luminal volume (P less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗