Medical Journal of Malaysia最新文献

{"title":"Drug-resistant tuberculosis in Malaysia: Prevalence, characteristics, and treatment outcomes.","authors":"M Y Sidek, M F Kamarul Zaman, N H Nik Rosmawati, A B Zamzurina","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) poses a serious global health threat, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. Malaysia has witnessed an increase in DRTB cases, necessitating research into trends and characteristics. This study aims to determine the prevalence and describe the characteristics and treatment outcomes of DR-TB cases in Malaysia from 2016 to 2020.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A retrospective record review was carried out, utilising secondary data obtained from the TB registry of Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur. All registered DR-TB cases between 2016 and 2020 that met the study criteria were analysed descriptively using SPSS software version 27.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 443 cases of registered DR-TB over 5 years, 430 cases fulfilled the study criteria. The prevalence of DR-TB increased from 0.27 to 1.79 per 100,000 population between 2016 and 2020. The average age was 40.96 years, majority were males (70.7%), Malaysian (79.3%), with Malays comprising 50.2%. Most patients had up to secondary school education (51.9%), married (57.0%), employed (53.3%) and 34.9% were smokers. For clinical characteristics, 23.5% had diabetes, and 10.9% were HIVpositive. Retreatment cases accounted for half the total, and 83.9% had positive smear results. Minimal chest X-ray lesions were observed in 54.4% of cases. The majority (66.7%) received supervised treatment from healthcare providers after being diagnosed with DR-TB, and 37.4% had more than one anti-TB resistance. Favourable treatment outcomes were observed in 56.7% of cases, while 42.1% had unfavourable outcomes, mainly due to loss to follow-up (49.7%), death (42.6%) and treatment failure (7.7%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The rising cases of DR-TB call for comprehensive public health interventions and stakeholder commitment to reduce its occurrence and transmission. These findings provide valuable guidance for policymakers in strengthening DR-TB control and prevention strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":39388,"journal":{"name":"Medical Journal of Malaysia","volume":"79 6","pages":"661-668"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142773263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation in heart rate variability in post-on-call trainees.","authors":"H J Low, O K Cheah, B H Ng, M M Siti Nidzwani, W M Wan Rahiza, C Y Liu","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Anaesthesiology is a high-demand speciality with 24-hour on-call shifts, which can lead to significant stress and impaired sleep quality among anaesthetists. Nonpharmacological interventions like acupuncture have been widely explored for stress relief. This study aims to evaluate the impact of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on physiological parameters, specifically heart rate variability (HRV) and sleep quality, in anaesthesiology trainees following 24-hour on-call duty.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A total of 38 anaesthesiology trainees, following 24-hour ICU on-call shifts, were recruited for this single-centre cross-sectional clinical trial. The participants were required to complete two 24-hour on-call duties. Demographic data and baseline sleep quality assessments were collected following the first on-call duty. Upon completion of the second on-call shift, participants underwent 20 minutes of TEAS at bilateral PC6 (Neiguan), LI4 (Hegu), LR3 (Taichong), and ST41 (Jiexi) points. Heart rate variability (HRV) parameters, blood pressure, and heart rate were recorded before and after TEAS. Post-TEAS sleep quality was assessed following an overnight rest.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results demonstrated a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure compared to baseline (109.5±8.9 vs 111.9±10.1 mmHg, p = 0.006), as well as a significant decrease in diastolic blood pressure (69.3±8.0 vs 70.9±9.0 mmHg, p = 0.037) and heart rate (65.8±9.2 vs 67.4±9.8 bpm, p = 0.034). There was significant improvement in all aspects of sleep quality (p < 0.001). However, no statistically significant changes were observed in heart rate variability (HRV) parameters, including high-frequency (HF) power, lowfrequency (LF) power, and the LF/HF ratio.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>TEAS may offer potential benefits in managing cardiovascular stress and improving sleep quality in highstress environments, such as post-call recovery. Nevertheless, its impact on autonomic nervous system regulation, as reflected by HRV, appears limited.</p>","PeriodicalId":39388,"journal":{"name":"Medical Journal of Malaysia","volume":"79 6","pages":"764-769"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142773265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors associated with the incidence of low birth weight in Pontianak City, Indonesia.","authors":"L Hastuti, A Litasari, K Kardiatun, R Mardiyani, A Rahmawati, S Jais","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The weight of an infant at the time of birth is an indicator of its health. Infants with low birth weight (LBW) are at a higher risk of neonatal mortality and morbidity as well as stunted growth. Low birth weight (LBW) remains a public health concern in developing countries, such as Indonesia. In fact, the neonatal mortalities and morbidities that occur as a consequence of LBW can be prevented by addressing the relevant risk factors. It is believed that by identifying these risk factors, prevention and management efforts can be efficiently and effectively implemented to reduce incidences of LBW (LBWIs). As such, the present study determined the factors affecting LBWIs in a rural setting in Pontianak City, Indonesia.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This is a retrospective unmatched case-control study. The required data was obtained from the medical records maintained by the University Tanjungpura Hospital, Pontianak City, Indonesia. Simple random sampling was used to select and equally divide the 60 chosen respondents into LBW case and normal birth weight control groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mothers with low educational levels had a 1.5 times greater chance of giving birth to LBW babies. The results of the multivariate analysis also revealed a correlation between gestational age (GA), incidence of premature rupture of membranes (PROM), and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and that their combined effects that contributed to 56% of LBWIs.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Low maternal education level, low gestational age, IUGR, and premature rupture of membranes contribute to LBW babies. This study recommends that it is necessary to educate women of childbearing age about routine antenatal care checks to identify risk factors that can lead to LBW.</p>","PeriodicalId":39388,"journal":{"name":"Medical Journal of Malaysia","volume":"79 6","pages":"757-763"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142773296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"IL-41: A novel serum marker correlates with disease activity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.","authors":"B M Abd Ali, I K Sharquie, F I Gorial","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Interleukin (IL)-41, a type of cytokine also known as Metrnl, is involved in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory and immune-related diseases. However, its role in Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), a field yet to be explored, remains a mystery. This study therefore assesses the diagnostic utility of IL-41 in patients with AS and examines the correlations among IL-41 levels, disease activity, and patients' demographic and clinical data. Such novel insights could have significant implications for the diagnosis and management of AS.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Eighty-eight patients diagnosed with AS were enrolled from the Rheumatology Unit at Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Participants were categorized into two groups based on disease status: inactive (n = 44) and active (n = 44). Additionally, 44 matched healthy individuals were included as controls. Comprehensive medical histories were obtained, including disease duration, body mass index, sex, and age. Laboratory parameters related to the disease-such as C-reactive protein, human leukocyte antigen (HLA-B27), and rheumatoid factor-were also measured. Serum IL-41 levels were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study revealed a significant difference in levels of IL-41 in patients with AS (17.721±0.705 ng/L) compared to controls (8.495±0.984 ng/L; P = 0.009). The mean serum IL-41 concentration was highest in the active group (23.037±5.268 ng/L), followed by the inactive group (12.411±1.672 ng/L; p = 0.001) and controls (8.495±0.984 ng/L). Serum IL-41 levels demonstrated strong validity for diagnosing AS, with a cutoff value of ≥ 9.35 ng/mL and an area under the curve of 0.991. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 97.7%, 79.5%, and 92.38%, respectively (p = 0.002).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>IL-41 is a potential new diagnostic biomarker for AS and associated with patient's disease activity. These insights could potentially transform the way we diagnose and manage AS, offering new avenues for improved patient care and outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":39388,"journal":{"name":"Medical Journal of Malaysia","volume":"79 6","pages":"777-784"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142773298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of occupational noise-induced hearing loss and its associated factors among marine technicians working on the Royal Malaysian Navy vessels.","authors":"W M M Wan Mohamed, S H Adam, K A Zarkasi, S Z Zulkepli","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the second most common form of sensorineural hearing loss. It is one of the occupational health concerns worldwide with a prevalence rate of 16%. In Malaysia, there is an increasing trend of occupational NIHL prevalence encompassing agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and construction sectors. The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) personnel, particularly the marine technicians of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), have a heightened risk of developing NIHL due to prolonged exposure to hazardous noise levels onboard the military vessels. Previous studies involving MAF participants recorded a prevalence rate of approximately 22%. However, limited information is available regarding occupational NIHL among the RMN marine technicians. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of occupational NIHL and its associated factors among marine technicians working on the RMN vessels.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 127 randomly selected participants among marine technicians working on RMN vessels stationed at the Lumut Naval Base, Perak, Malaysia. The research instruments were questionnaires that contained information about sociodemographic, socioeconomic, occupational characteristics, and lifestyle behaviours, followed by a pure tone audiometric (PTA) assessment. Diagnosis of NIHL was made when the hearing threshold was ≥25 dB at 3 kHz to 6 kHz, with a recovery at 8 kHz on PTA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The participants' median age was 32 years (interquartile range=27-37 years). The prevalence of occupational NIHL was 29.9% (95% CI=22.1-38.7). Factors associated with occupational NIHL on unadjusted regression analysis include age >30 years (OR=2.56, p=0.0185), middle household income (OR=2.76, p=0.0227), military rank especially the warrant officer (OR=7.12, p=0.0038), and length of service ≥15 years (OR=2.40, p=0.0246). After adjusting for ethnicity, smoking status, types of vessels, and participation in noise-related leisure activities, middle household income (OR=3.15, 95% CI=1.29- 7.87, p=0.0121) and warrant officer (OR=4.38, 95% CI=1.08- 20.52, p=0.0384) remained as significant predictors for occupational NIHL in this population.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this study, the marine technicians working on board the RMN vessels had a higher prevalence of occupational NIHL compared to the prevalence among other MAF personnel as well as the global data. In addition, the probabilities of having occupational NIHL were significantly higher for middle-income technicians and those who ranked as warrant officers. These findings highlight the need for routine audiometric assessment and adoption of hearing conservation initiatives for individuals at high risk within this occupational cohort.</p>","PeriodicalId":39388,"journal":{"name":"Medical Journal of Malaysia","volume":"79 6","pages":"669-676"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142773366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diagnostic Evaluation of Technetium-99 metastable TRODAT-1 Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography-Computed Tomography in the Differential Diagnosis of Parkinsonism in Hospital Kuala Lumpur: A preliminary experience.","authors":"K Kamarulzaman, N Abd Razak, A S Mawardi, S Z Amir Hassan","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Parkinsonian syndrome encompasses a group of movement disorders characterized by symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability. While Idiopathic Parkinson's disease is the most common cause, several other etiologies can also result in parkinsonism. Identifying the specific type of Parkinsonian syndrome is essential due to its varying therapeutic and prognostic implications. This study aims to evaluate the role of Technetium-99 metastable TRODAT-1 Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography-Computed Tomography (Tc-99m TRODAT-1 SPECT-CT) in patients with parkinsonism.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The clinical data and scintigraphy findings of patients referred to the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hospital Kuala Lumpur for Tc-99m TRODAT-1 SPECT-CT from July 2022 to July 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Follow-up with primary team was conducted to determine the clinical implications and subsequent therapeutic management of the patients.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Tc-99m TRODAT-1 SPECT-CT was performed on sixteen patients (10 females and 6 males) with a mean age of 55.2 years (range 26 to 75 years). Five patients exhibited normal scintigraphy findings, while eleven patients showed abnormal Tc-99m TRODAT-1 SPECT-CT results. The scintigraphy findings led to changes in therapeutic management for 81.3% of the patients. Additionally, 19% of the patients were referred for further evaluation with Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET to assist in diagnosing atypical Parkinsonian disease.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Tc-99m TRODAT-1 SPECT-CT is a readily available tool for assessing presynaptic dopamine transporters in patients with parkinsonism. This study demonstrated that Tc-99m TRODAT-1 SPECT-CT significantly impacts the diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes for patients with parkinsonism.</p>","PeriodicalId":39388,"journal":{"name":"Medical Journal of Malaysia","volume":"79 6","pages":"690-702"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142773250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of educational intervention on knowledge and awareness regarding glaucoma among working adults in northeast of Malaysia.","authors":"W K Chong, D S K Phang, I Mohd Ismail, A H Siti-Azrin, A T Liza-Sharmini, Y Azhany","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>To determine the level of good awareness and knowledge on glaucoma and their associated factors as well as the effectiveness of the glaucoma educational intervention among the working adults in northeast of Malaysia.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Participants from the governmental departments were recruited and divided into intervention group and control group. A translated and validated questionnaire on awareness and knowledge related to glaucoma were used. Educational interventions were given for both groups. Post-test assessments were completed at one month and three months post intervention.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 202 participants enrolled for the study (102 intervention group and 100 control group). 64.9% of the participants were aware of glaucoma and 49% of the participants had good knowledge score on glaucoma. Higher educational attainments (bachelor and diploma holders) were the only factors significantly associated with good glaucoma knowledge (p <0.001). There was significant increase in the proportion of good glaucoma knowledge in the intervention group one month after the educational intervention (p < 0.001) and the effect persisted after three months (p < 0.003). There was also significantly higher proportion of good post-test glaucoma knowledge between intervention and control group (p = 0.003).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Although the public was well aware of glaucoma, there was relatively little understanding of the condition. Educational interventions can be effective to bridge the gap in promoting the glaucoma awareness and better understanding of glaucoma.</p>","PeriodicalId":39388,"journal":{"name":"Medical Journal of Malaysia","volume":"79 6","pages":"770-776"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142773340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A multicentre, retrospective study of epidemiology and outcome of aplastic anaemia among adult population in Sabah and Sarawak from year 2006 to 2017.","authors":"G W C Lee, M Y Yeap, X Y Tan, A S O Tang, Y F Ho, K B Law, S W F Lee, L P Chew, L L L Wong","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Aplastic anaemia (AA) is a rare disorder of bone marrow failure, characterized by bone marrow hypocellularity with pancytopenia. The annual incidence rates of AA in Asia are observed to be two to three times higher than Europe and North America. Since the introduction of immunosuppressive therapy (IST) and of allogenic stem cell transplant (SCT), the outcome of severe AA has significantly improved. We conducted a 12-year multi-centre retrospective study among the adult AA population in Sabah and Sarawak.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A total of 119 AA patients had been identified from hospital records of the involved sites, namely Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Sabah, Sarawak General Hospital, Sibu Hospital, Miri Hospital and Bintulu Hospital in Sarawak from Jan 2006 to Dec 2017.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The median age at diagnosis was 46 years, and native ethnic group from Sabah, Kadazan-Dusun, recorded the highest percentage of 41.2%, which could be explained by higher frequency of HLA-DRB1*15:01, an alelle linked to increased risk of AA, among this ethnic group. The majority of patients (59.7%) received cyclosporine (CsA) as monotherapy or in combination with other non-IST agents such as danazol, which was instituted in 48.7% of the patients, while a third of them (33.7%) received antithymocyte globulin (ATG) therapy with or without CsA, and 12.4% underwent allogenic SCT. The five-year overall survival (OS) for all AA patients was 76.1%. Elderly patients >60 years old and those with severe disease had more inferior 5-year survival.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A prospective study is warranted to determine the true incidence rate, epidemiological distributions, treatment outcome and overall survival of AA patients in Malaysia. Establishment of allogenic SCT in East Malaysia is imperative to make this curative therapy more accessible to patients with severe disease and improve the outcome.</p>","PeriodicalId":39388,"journal":{"name":"Medical Journal of Malaysia","volume":"79 6","pages":"749-756"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142773241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Parental perception on home therapy and its associated factors for children with cerebral palsy: A qualitative study in Malaysia.","authors":"T Chandrabose, S Suppiah, A A Fauzi, J P Engkasan, M H Romli","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Children with cerebral palsy (CP) benefit from consistent rehabilitation intervention. Home therapy (HT) consists of therapeutic exercises and activities targeting physical and functional improvement. HT is vital to ensure the rehabilitation provided in the clinical setting is further continued by the client. However, the success of HT mostly depends on compliance and support from caregivers, especially the parents. The objective of this study was to explore parents' perceptions of home therapy and to identify facilitating factors and barriers to it.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>An interview-based qualitative study was conducted in a public university hospital in Malaysia, utilizing in-depth interviews. Audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed verbatim. The transcript data were coded, and the codes were then organized into themes using a thematic analysis approach.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Data from twelve mothers and three fathers among a total of fifteen children with CP were acquired. Nine themes were derived from transcript data namely : HT is a simple home prescription,HT empowers and enhances experiences of care, Negative experience, goal-directed positive attitude, External Support System, physical health as a barrier, psychological health as barrier, limited time and limited external support system.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Real-life experiences of parents with CP children regarding HT was explored and valuable outcomes were derived from this study to help clinicians to manage children with CP more efficiently and understand their family dynamics better in the local context. Overall, parents perceived HT as doable and it provided physical, functional, and psychological benefits for them as well as improved their confidence and skills to perform exercises on their children and empowered them to monitor their children's progression.</p>","PeriodicalId":39388,"journal":{"name":"Medical Journal of Malaysia","volume":"79 6","pages":"721-728"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142773301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prognostic role of Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio in critically ill COVID-19 patients: A retrospective study.","authors":"W Wulandari, M Z Syahrul, S Ermayanti, Z D Rofinda, E Usman, D Kurnia, M Lailani","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Critical coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients have a high mortality rate. To identify high-risk patients, first-level healthcare facilities can use the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the plateletlymphocyte ratio (PLR) as prognostic markers. We aimed to assess the NLR and the PLR profile in critically ill COVID-19 patients to predict disease severity.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This descriptive retrospective study featured 221 patients diagnosed with clinically critical COVID-19 from August 2021 to March 2022 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of RSUP Dr. M. Djamil, Padang, Indonesia. The study employed a total sampling technique to collect data from medical records in the hospital. Patients aged 18 years or older who underwent testing for leukocytes, platelets, neutrophils, and lymphocytes were included in the study. We analysed the data using descriptive univariate analysis. Then, the NLR and PLR of the patients were statistically compared based on comorbidities and coincidence.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>According to the study, most patients with critically ill COVID-19 exhibited high levels of NLR (88.2%) and PLR (71.1%). The severe COVID-19 patients with comorbidity of kidney disease had the highest NLR (Mean ± SD) of 31.74 ± 27.95 (p-value <0.001) and the highest mean PLR (Mean ± SD) of 469.33 ± 362.95 (p-value 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings showed a significantly higher NLR and PLR in patients with critically ill COVID-19, particularly in patients with comorbidity of kidney disease. Thus, elevated levels of NLR and PLR were identified as potential prognostic markers for predicting disease severity in COVID-19 patients, especially those with kidney comorbidity.</p>","PeriodicalId":39388,"journal":{"name":"Medical Journal of Malaysia","volume":"79 6","pages":"743-748"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142773370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}