A multi-centred study on knowledge of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and adherence towards medications among caregivers of T1DM patients

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), is a chronic disease caused by the autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic β cells, which function as insulin-producing cells. This study was aimed to assess the level of knowledge about T1DM and adherence to medications prescribed to T1DM patients at two different tertiary hospitals in Malaysia. This study was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted using self-administered questionnaire. The respondents were among caregivers of paediatrics patients with T1DM attending Paediatrics Clinics from both study sites . The study period was between January 2018 until December 2018 while the data collection period was conducted between May to August 2018. The mean age (SD) of the respondents were 41.07 (7.699). Studied samples were found to have good knowledge (mean=65.98, SD=12.62) and poor adherence (mean=60.08, SD=24.72). The correlation between knowledge score and adherence score among caregivers of T1DM patients showed that they were significantly correlated.  As for the association between adherence to medication and HbA1c level showed that they were insignificantly associated.&nbsp

Effects of CYP3A5 Polymorphism on Rapid Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease: A Prospective, Multicentre Study

Personalised medicine is potentially useful to delay the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of CYP3A5 polymorphism in rapid CKD progression. This multicentre, observational, prospective cohort study was performed among adult CKD patients (≥18 years) with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥30 mL/min/1.73 m2, who had ≥4 outpatient, non-emergency eGFR values during the three-year study period. The blood samples collected were analysed for CYP3A5*3 polymorphism. Rapid CKD progression was defined as eGFR decline of >5 mL/min/1.73 m2/year. Multiple logistic regression was then performed to identify the factors associated with rapid CKD progression. A total of 124 subjects consented to participate. The distribution of the genotypes adhered to the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (X2 = 0.237, p = 0.626). After adjusting for potential confounding factors via multiple logistic regression, the factors associated with rapid CKD progression were CYP3A5*3/*3 polymorphism (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 4.190, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.268, 13.852), adjustments to antihypertensives, young age, dyslipidaemia, smoking and use of traditional/complementary medicine. CKD patients should be monitored closely for possible factors associated with rapid CKD progression to optimise clinical outcomes. The CYP3A5*3/*3 genotype could potentially be screened among CKD patients to offer more individualised management among these patients

Knowledge and attitudes towards child vaccination among public in Cyberjaya, Selangor and their level of vaccine hesitancy

Vaccination is regarded as one of the greatest public health achievements and one of the most cost-effective interventions to prevent childhood major illnesses and mortality. However, despite being recognized as one of the most successful public health measures, vaccination is perceived as unsafe and unnecessary by a growing number of individuals that lead to vaccine hesitancy. This study aimed to determine public level of knowledge, attitudes and hesitancy towards child vaccination in Cyberjaya, Selangor. This study also aimed to measure the association between level of knowledge and attitudes with different respondents’ demographic data. Another aim of this study is to measure correlation between knowledge and attitudes with hesitancy towards child vaccination. A guided self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge, attitudes and hesitancy of the respondents. This cross-sectional study involved 300 respondents identified from the public. Majority of the respondents were females (65.0%), age between 18-29 years (74.7%), Malay (82.3%), Muslim (84.0%), with tertiary education level (78.7%), students (50.0%) and unmarried (70.7%). This study found that the respondents had an overall poor knowledge towards child vaccination (mean knowledge score = 51.3 ± 20.1)