Norsarwany Mohamad

Polymorphism of ITPA 94C>A and risk of adverse effects among patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia treated with 6-mercaptopurine

What is known and Objective:  Genetic polymorphisms of thiopurine S‐methyltransferase (TPMT) and inosine triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase (ITPA 94C>A) contribute to variable responses, including fatal adverse effects, among subjects treated with 6‐mercaptopurine (6‐MP). Our objectives were to investigate the distribution of specific TPMT and ITPA genotypes in healthy subjects and patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) from the three main ethnic groups (Malays, Chinese and Indians) in Malaysia and the association of the polymorphisms with adverse effects of 6‐MP.

Piloting a psycho-education program for parents of pediatric cancer patients in Malaysia

Objective: To evaluate a psycho‐educational program (PeP) for parents of children with cancer (PoCwC) in Malaysia.

Developmental Haemostasis for Factor V and Factor VIII Levels in Neonates: A Case Report of Spontaneous Cephalhaematoma

Combined factor V and VIII deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder. Diagnosis of congenital coagulation factor deficiency in a neonate is challenging due to “immaturity” of the hemostatic system. A 2-day-old baby girl presented with spontaneous cephalhematoma. She was found to have persistent abnormal coagulation tests and finally diagnosed as combined factor V and VIII deficiency. Interestingly, factor V and factor VIII in developmental hemostasis are quite similar with adult levels in newborn, and hence early diagnosis is possible. An investigation to detect underlying hemostatic defects is recommended in newborns with spontaneous cephalhematoma.

Psychometric properties of the Malay version of the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS) in a sample of patients with HIV

ABSTRACT We determined the validity and reliability of the Malay translated MOS-SSS. A sample of 120 HIV patients participated in this study. Forty patients completed the self-administered 19-item questionnaire again after 1–2 weeks to test its reliability. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in four-factor solution which was consistent with the original subscales. All items had primary factor loadings > 0.40 without cross-loading. The Cronbach’s alpha values for the subscales ranged from 0.87–0.95. Intraclass correlation coefficient for the overall scale was 0.88. In conclusion, the Malay version of the MOS-SSS is valid and reliable for measuring perceived functional social support in patients with HIV.

HIV-related knowledge among people living with HIV/AIDS in Kelantan, Malaysia

ABSTRACT The authors of this cross-sectional study aims to translate and validate the brief HIV Knowledge Questionnaire (HIV-KQ-18) into Malay language, to assess HIV-related knowledge and its sociodemographic predictors among a sample of people living with HIV/AIDS in Kelantan, Malaysia. A total of 160 HIV patients participated in this study. The Malay version of HIV-KQ-18 showed good internal consistency with Cronbach’s α value of .78. Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.76 (95% confidence interval, 0.61 to 0.85). The HIV-KQ-18 score was normally distributed with a mean of 9.7 (SD = 3.78). The mean percentage of correct responses was 53.7 (SD = 21.0). Higher education level and longer period of living with HIV were significantly associated with better HIV knowledge. In conclusion, the Malay version of HIV-KQ-18 is a valid and reliable instrument to assess HIV-related knowledge, which was found to be lacking in certain aspects among our sample.

Infantile Fibrosarcoma of the Penis in a 2-Year-Old Boy

Fibrosarcoma is rare in the pediatric age group. It generally involves the extremities and the trunk but rarely involves the genital area. We report a case of a large fungating infantile fibrosarcoma of the penis in a 2-year-old Malay boy. Partial recovery of the penile structure was achieved after chemotherapy. The difficulty in managing the social and surgical aspect of this case is discussed in our report. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of infantile fibrosarcoma involving the penis in an Asian region.