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Deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease: Looking back, looking forward

Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) may present with prodromal (e.g. hyposmia, sleep disorders, constipation), motor (e.g. tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, postural dysfunction) and non-motor (e.g. cognitive dysfunction, depression) symptoms.1 Treatment is symptomatic, targeting motor and non-motor manifestations, but there is presently no effective disease modifying treatment.1 Although PD therapies have...

Challenges in genetic screening for inherited endocrinopathy affecting the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands in Singapore

In the current landscape of medicine, it is well known that most diseases incorporate a genetic component to some degree. Genetic testing of human diseases originated in the 1950s, and screening for genetic disorders followed a decade after.1 It is worthwhile noting that the Human Genome Project (1990–2003), which...

Polycystic ovary syndrome v.2023: Simplified diagnostic criteria for an East Asian phenotype

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine condition affecting 6–19% of women of reproductive age, depending on the reference population and definition used.1,2 The incidence of PCOS is increasing and the syndrome can be considered the single most common endocrine abnormality among women of reproductive age.3 Although its...

Enhancing the accuracy of polycystic ovary syndrome diagnosis

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder, experienced by 1 in 10 women of childbearing age. Its aetiology is multifactorial and complex, and its clinical presentation is heterogeneous with menstrual irregularities, high levels of androgens and the presence of multiple follicles or cysts in the ovaries...

Minimal monitoring is a safe but underutilised strategy for hepatitis C virus treatment in Singapore

Dear Editor, Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is estimated to affect 57 million people globally.1 Despite the availability of safe and effective pan-genotypic direct acting antivirals,2-5 many countries have yet to achieve the WHO goal of HCV elimination by 2030.1 To facilitate HCV elimination, current guidelines recommend using a...

Comparison of existing methods of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol estimation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels are a major risk factor for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). A reduction in LDL-C levels has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of incident ASCVD1 and all-cause mortality.2 LDL-C levels are hence key treatment targets in the prevention of...

Diabetes: Know thy foe

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, Singapore’s Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung mentioned, “After the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, we need to tackle a far more challenging pandemic—which is longer-term chronic illness, and diabetes is a major one.”1 Truly, in the past decade, there has been an invisible global...

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease screening in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A cost-effectiveness and price threshold analysis

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a growing epidemic and has become a major cause of liver-related mortality and indication for liver transplantations globally. It is estimated that nearly 25% of the world’s population and more than 60% of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients have NAFLD. A prior...

Diagnosis and management of polycystic ovary syndrome: Perspectives of clinicians in Singapore

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder estimated to affect 4–21% of women, depending on the diagnostic criteria used.1 Clinical manifestations of the syndrome are varied, and multiple parameters are needed for its diagnosis.2,3 This complicates the diagnosis of PCOS and may cause patient dissatisfaction arising from delayed...

Thyroid Storm Presenting as Jaundice and Complete Heart Block

Thyroid storm is defined as a severe and often life-threatening exacerbation of thyrotoxicosis which is usually characterised by hyperthermia, tachycardia, severe agitation and altered mental status. With the “apathetic” variant of hyperthyroidism, the classical features may not be evident. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...

Invasive Cancer after Treatment of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia

The objective of a cervical screening programme is to prevent invasive cancer of the cervix by detecting and treating pre-invasive disease of the cervix. The impact of the programme depends both on the detection of women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and upon their being treated effectively. This article is...

Hyperthyroidism with Gynaecomastia as the Initial Complaint: A Case Report

Gynaecomastia is not a commonly recognised feature among the myriad symptoms and signs associated with hyperthyroidism. A review of the literature disclosed only eight reported cases of gynaecomastia as a presenting feature in thyrotoxicosis, and herein we describe an additional case. This article is available only as a PDF. Please...

Urinary 2/16α-hydroxyestrone Ratio: Correlation with Serum Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3 and a Potential Biomarker of Breast Cancer Risk

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Singapore with age-standardised incidence rates increasing markedly from 26.8 to 38.7 per 100 000 per year over the last decade. While many recognised risk factors exist for the development of breast cancer such as demographic factors (personal and family...

A Case Series of Paget’s Disease of Bone: Diagnosing a Rather Uncommon Condition in Singapore

Sir James Paget’s description in 1877 of “a form of chronic inflammation of bones” which now bears his name was based entirely on clinical and pathological observations in patients with advanced disease. Today, more than a century later, advanced imaging techniques and biochemical tests have allowed us to identify...

A Case Report of a Patient with Bronchial Carcinoid Tumour and Late Presentation of Cushing’s Syndrome

Cushing’s syndrome is usually easy to recognise clinically. Determining the cause of non-iatrogenic Cushing’s syndrome is, on the other hand, often a diagnostic enigma. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Osteoporosis—The Need for a Paradigm Shift

Osteoporosis is becoming an increasing public health problem in most countries. Osteoporosis literally means “porous bones” and involves skeletal fragility leading to an increased risk of fracture. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Managing Problem Gout

Gout occurs in 3 overlapping phases: a long phase of asymptomatic hyperuricaemia, a period of recurrent acute gouty attacks separated by asymptomatic intervals (interval gout), followed in about 10% of patients by chronic tophaceous gouty arthritis. Gout is one of the better understood of the arthritic disorders, and certainly...

Aetiology and Distribution of Mandibular Fractures in the National University Hospital, Singapore

Apart from the nasal bone, the mandible is the most commonly fractured bone in the face. It is also the 10th most often broken bone in the body. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Under-diagnosed Psychiatric Syndrome II: Pathologic Skin Picking

Pathologic skin picking may be defined as the habitual picking of skin lesions, which when chronic and extensive, can lead to significant distress, dysfunction and disfigurement. The underlying skin lesions may range from benign ones, e.g. barely noticeable irregularities of the skin, to more severe ones, e.g. acne, eczema,...

Measurement of Obesity by Anthropometry and Bioelectric Impedance Analysis: Correlation with Fasting Lipids and Insulin Resistance in an Asian Population

Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This risk is partially mediated by the correlation between obesity and other coronary artery disease risk factors. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Under-diagnosed Psychiatric Syndrome I: Trichotillomania

Trichotillomania (TTM) is a chronic psychiatric condition characterised by uncontrollable, self-inflicted, hair pulling, resulting in noticeable hair loss. First described by Hallopeau a century ago, it was previously regarded as an obscure condition. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view...

Current Therapeutic Strategies in Glomerulonephritis

Twenty years ago, the therapy of glomerulonephritis (GN) was relatively simple as it was believed that treatment with prednisolone should be confined to patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome and lupus nephritis. For those patients who failed to respond, they were treated with oral cyclophosphamide. This article is available only...

A Study to Assess the Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Soluble Fibre (Minolest®) on Lipid Levels in Normal Subjects with Hypercholesterolaemia

Hypercholesterolaemia is one of the major risk factors in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). In recent years, many non-prescription treatments have become available for cholesterol lowering. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Regulation of Insulin Secretion by Nerves and Neuropeptides

The pancreatic islets of Langerhans were described by Paul Langerhans in 1869. They are distributed throughout the entire pancreas forming in adults approximately 1% of the pancreatic mass. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Hypoglycaemia from Islet Cell Hyperplasia and Nesidioblastosis in a Patient with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus—A Case Report

A 57-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for perforated left tubo-ovarian abscess and found to have newly diagnosed diabetes with an admission blood glucose of 23 mM and glycated haemoglobin value of 12% (reference range 4.6% to 6.4%). She denied past symptoms of thirst, polyuria or polydipsia. This article...

Orlistat (Xenical) in the Management of Obesity

The term “obesity” implies an excess of adipose tissue (fat) and excess adiposity is a health risk. In most cases it develops in the absence of any underlying disease process. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

The Molecular Pathogenesis of Obesity: An Unfinished Jigsaw Puzzle

Obesity is one of the most common health problems in Singapore with escalating prevalence, affecting about 6% of the Singapore population above 18 years of age. The prevalence of obesity is 12.2% in Singapore children aged 6 to 7 years, 12.8% in children aged 11 to 12 years, and...

1990-2000: Progress in Determining High Blood Pressure Genes

Essential hypertension and its complications, coronary heart disease, stroke and renal failure are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in western societies.1 While the aetiology of essential hypertension is not known, it is recognised as being a multifactorial disease caused by both genetic and environmental factors. This article is available...

A Rational Alternative for the Diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus in High Risk Individuals

The “gold standard” for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus has all along been the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). As diabetes mellitus defines a group of individuals at high risk for macrovascular and microvascular disease, it is essential that the diagnosis be made promptly. This article is available only as...

Evaluation of a Rapid Screening Test for Microalbuminuria with a Spot Measurement of Urine Albumin-Creatinine Ratio

In 1989, the St Vincent Declaration was formulated by all European countries to address the growing problem of diabetes, with the general goals of improving health care and quality of life for the diabetic patient. One of the targets in the declaration was the need to implement effective measures...

Graves’ disease after COVID-19 vaccination

Dear Editor, Case 1 was a 41-year-old man with a history of primary hyperthyroidism. At the time of diagnosis, thyroglobulin antibodies were elevated although no thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TRAB) were available. The patient was treated with carbimazole for 20 months. At the time of cessation of carbimazole in May 2020,...

Pathology of Ductal Carcinoma In situ of the Breast: A Heterogeneous Entity in Need of Greater Understanding

Breast cancer is the commonest malignancy in Singapore women, with an age-standardised rate of 46.1 per 100,000 per year and an annual increase in incidence of 3.68%. It comprises 22.8% of all local female cancers, with an annual mortality of 13.7 per 100,000 per year. This article is available only...

Severe Diabetes in Remission: A Singapore’s Perspective

Diabetic ketoacidosis is generally believed to be the result of an acute and severe degree of insulin insufficiency, classically occurring at the presentation of a newly diagnosed individual with Type 1 diabetes. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the...

Obesity in Singapore

The word obesity implies an excess of adipose tissue (fat) and not merely an excess of body weight. An increase in body weight may be due to fat (as in an obese person) or due to lean muscles (as in Hercules or in a body builder). This article is available...

The Need for Collaboration Between Clinicians and Statisticians: Some Experience and Examples

Many areas of medical research require the application of statistical techniques. Although most clinicians are taught some statistics as part of their basic medical training, the important role of statistics in medical research has led to many pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and medical research institutions employing full time statisticians to...

Clinical Update on Occupational Asthma

Occupational asthma is the most common occupational respiratory disease in the United Kingdom and also in Singapore. Recent estimates of the proportion of adult asthmatics where the cause could be occupational range from 4% to 9%. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on...

Introduction to Bayesian Methods for Medical Research

The traditional statistical approach used in most areas of medical research involves what is commonly known as frequentist statistics. Bayesian methods provide an increasingly popular alternative to frequentist approaches. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Clinical Update on Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori is one of the commonest infections in human, affecting 30% to 50% of people worldwide. It is associated with the development of peptic ulcer, chronic gastritis and gastric cancer and may play a role in a small subset of patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia. This article is available only...

A Rare Cause of Syncope in a Patient with Diabetes Mellitus—A Case Report

Hypoglycaemia is a common medical emergency. It presents either with symptoms of neuroglycopaenia, such as episodes of visual blurring, confusion, convulsions and sometimes coma or with symptoms caused by excess of counterregulatory hormones like catecholamines, such as palpitations, sweating and tremulousness. It is most commonly seen in patients with...

Case Reports of Low Dose Cyclosporine A Therapy in Adult Minimal Change Nephrotic Syndrome

There have been many reports on the use of conventional doses of cyclosporine A (CsA) in inducing remission among adults with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS), including those who fail steroids and cyclophosphamide therapy or who are steroid dependent and frequent relapsers. We report 3 cases which demonstrate the...

Body Mass Index Profile in Hong Kong Chinese Adults

Obesity is considered a chronic disease and not just a social stigma due to the associated morbidity and early mortality. Obesity has now become an epidemic with increasing prevalence in most parts of the world. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top...

Problem-based Learning (PBL) as an Approach in the Teaching of Biochemistry of the Endocrine System at the Angeles University College of Medicine

The Angeles University College of Medicine (AUCOM) was established in 1983 with a curriculum that is conventionally teacher-centred. Biochemistry is a basic science subject introduced in the first year of the medical curriculum. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view...

46, XY Female—A Case Report

The phenotypic sex of an individual is usually male if that person’s genotype is 46, XY since the SRY gene on the Y chromosome, being the putative testicular determining factor (TDF) governs testicular gonadogenesis. Yet, there are distinct situations where sexual differentiation proceeds along a female phenotype despite the...

A Case Report of Primary Hyperparathyroidism with Severe Bony Involvement and Nephrolithiasis

Primary hyperparathyroidism is said to have evolved from a disease of “bones, stones and groans”, to one that is largely asymptomatic with a relatively benign course in the majority of patients. In a 1981 study, the incidence of radiologically detectable bone disease was found in 24% of patients but...

Current Therapeutic Strategies for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is now recognised as a metabolic syndrome and although the treatment paradigm has shifted from one that focuses solely on glycaemic control to one addressing global cardiovascular risk factors in a particular individual, glycaemic control remains one of the key challenges that the physician faces...

Update in the Management of Stroke

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death and a leading cause of morbidity in Singapore. The number of hospital admissions for cerebrovascular disorders has been rising dramatically over the last few years, exceeding 10,400 in 2001. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF”...

Treating Thyrotoxicosis with Radioiodine

Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormone and is actively taken up by thyroid follicles. This is the physiological basis for the use of radioiodine in the treatment of thyrotoxicosis. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full...

A Preliminary Evaluation of a Disease Management Programme for Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension in a Primary Healthcare Setting

Chronic diseases are the main causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. In most developed countries, the problems of a rising prevalence of chronic disease and escalating costs have forced healthcare policymakers to look for ways to provide cost-effective healthcare for chronic disease patients. This article is available only...

Agreement or Prediction: Asking and Answering the Right Question

In an article published in this journal, Chia discusses the difference between measuring association and agreement. In this paper, we extend the discussion to the difference, in terms of the concepts as well as the practical usage, between analysing agreement and prediction. This article is available only as a PDF....

Age-related Macular Degeneration: What’s New

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the developed western world, accounting for approximately 50% of all cases of registered blindness. The prevalence of AMD seems to be increasing at a rate not commensurate with the increasing age of the population, although this observation...

Management of Premalignant Lesions of the Cervix

Cervical cancer is one of the most common female cancers worldwide. It is ranked second only to breast cancer and in many underdeveloped countries, it is the most common female cancer. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full...

Thyroid Diseases in Pregnancy

Abnormalities of thyroid function associated with pregnancy encompass both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. These may have been present before the onset of pregnancy, or occurred only during or after pregnancy. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Call for Systematic Tracing

The prevalence of diabetes is increasing worldwide. In Singapore, the prevalence of diabetes has increased dramatically from 4.7% in 1984 to 8.6% in 1998. Diabetic complications lead to a significant number of patients with blindness, amputations and end-stage renal failure annually. This article is available only as a PDF. Please...

Clinical Update on Managing the Obstructed Airway

Maintaining a patent upper airway is the first principle in resuscitation and acute care. This is usually carried out by anaesthesiologists, emergency medicine physicians and intensivists. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Clinical Update on Deep Vein Thrombosis in Singapore

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and its acute complication–pulmonary embolism (PE), is one of the most important preventable causes of death in hospital patients. It also contributes to significant morbidity in terms of post-phleblitic syndrome and chronic venous ulcers. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Statins and Bone Morphogenetic Proteins: New Pathways in Bone Formation

Osteoporosis is a major public health problem causing considerable morbidity and mortality in Asian women. It is estimated that half of the world’s hip fractures will occur in Asia in 50 years’ time. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view...

Comparing Fasting Plasma Glucose against Two-hour Post-load Glucose Concentrations for the Diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus and Glucose Intolerance in Singaporean Hospital Patients

Prior to 1997, the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in asymptomatic individuals was based upon the 1985 World Health Organisation (WHO) diagnostic criteria in which, utilising the 75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), diabetes was defined either by a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) concentration of >7.8 mmol/L or by a...

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia and Chronic Lung Disease of Infancy: Strategies for Prevention and Management

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and chronic lung disease of infancy (CLD) are two chronic pulmonary conditions which are the result of incomplete resolution or abnormal repair of lung injury in the neonatal period. Although BPD and CLD are closely related, they have differing diagnostic criteria and the spectrum of severity...

Clinical Update on Osteoporosis

Fractures, the most serious complication of osteoporosis, are increasing and constitute an evolving public health problem in terms of disability, mortality and cost. A paradigm shift in the management of osteoporosis has resulted from the development of techniques which can diagnose osteoporosis before fractures occur, and effective medications which...

The Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010: For Prevention and Treatment of Musculoskeletal Disease

The theme of this issue of the Annals, Academy of Medicine at the beginning of the year is suitably on osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, with its multi-faceted, multidisciplinary approach, has been identified as one of the four clinical fields selected also for emphasis by the Bone and Joint Decade initiative. This article...

Osteoporosis—A Worldwide Problem and the Implications in Asia

Osteoporosis is a condition characterised by low bone mineral density, microarchitectural deterioration of bony tissue, and a consequent increase in fracture risk. With rapid ageing of the Asian population, osteoporosis has become one of the most prevalent and costly health problems. This article is available only as a PDF. Please...

Bone Fragility in Asian and Caucasian Men

Bone fragility in men has been receiving greater attention during the last few years. Epidemiological studies have been done in Caucasian and Asian populations. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Steroid-induced Osteoporosis

Corticosteroids are known to affect bone through multiple pathways (Fig. 1), influencing both bone formation and bone resorption, and these mechanisms have been reviewed. The most important effects appear to be on bone formation due to direct effects on cells of the osteoblastic lineage although indirect effects related to...

Medical Treatment of Osteoporosis—Increasing Options

The current practice and management of osteoporosis differs greatly from even the recent past. Up to 15 years ago, bone mineral density (BMD) measurements were not widely available, osteoporosis was still largely diagnosed only at the stage of fractures, the epidemiology of osteoporosis was not well studied yet and...

Osteoporosis Risk Factor Assessment and Bone Densitometry—Current Status and Future Trends

Osteoporosis affects predominantly elderly women; although younger women and men may also be affected. Demographically, the number and proportion of the elderly (aged 65 years and above) in many countries is increasing rapidly, and the problem of osteoporosis will increase concomitantly. This article is available only as a PDF. Please...

Osteoporosis in Relation to Menopause

Singapore has a rapidly ageing population. In 1990, only 6% of the population was above the age of 65 years but this percentage of elderly citizens will rise rapidly to 17% by the year 2030. As Singaporean women achieve longer life expectancy and live a greater portion of their...

An Asian Perspective to the Problem of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is regarded as an important public health problem in many Caucasian populations. Much of the research on epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, genetic and molecular aspects has been carried out in the West. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the...

Osteoporosis: A Treatable Disease

Osteoporosis twenty years ago was a very different disease from what we know of it today. At that time a diagnosis of osteoporosis was made at the point of sustaining a fracture as there was no routine method of pre-fracture diagnosis such as bone mineral density measurement. This article is...

The Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill in Women Over Age Forty

In the 1970s, several studies appeared to suggest that users of oral contraceptives (OCs) were at increased risk of cardiovascular events. More recently following newer studies on lower dose OCs and re-analysis of the old studies, it was concluded that the risk of cardiovascular accidents was attributable primarily to...

Contemporary Management of Fibroids

Fibroids are the most common, solid benign pelvic tumours occurring in about 30% of women beyond the age of 30. They are asymptomatic in most women. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Investigating the Infertile Couple

Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after 1 to 2 years of unprotected intercourse. In general, an estimated 84% of all women would conceive after a year of intercourse. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full...

Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy in the Asymptomatic Postmenopausal Woman: What is the Current Evidence?

The understanding of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for postmenopausal women has undergone dramatic change since the publication of the results of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study in July 2002. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Fetal Cells in Maternal Blood: State of the Art for Non-Invasive Prenatal Diagnosis

Without prenatal diagnosis, 1 in 50 babies are born with serious physical or mental handicap, and as many as 1 in 30 with some form of congenital malformation. These may be due to structural or chromosomal abnormalities, or single gene disorders. This article is available only as a PDF. Please...

Human Papillomavirus Triage of Patients with Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance on Cervical Papanicolaou Smear

Cervical cancer affects >400,000 women a year worldwide, and represents a significant health issue for women. In the United States (US) however, screening programmes have reduced the incidence to 8.3 cases per 100,000 women with only 14,000 cases and 5000 deaths annually. This article is available only as a PDF....

Screening for Chromosomal Anomalies: First or Second Trimester, Biochemical or Ultrasound?

A chromosome abnormality contributes significantly to fetal loss during pregnancy, and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The contribution of chromosomal abnormalities to fetal loss decreases as pregnancy progresses; an estimated 50% of first-trimester spontaneous abortions are due to chromosomal abnormalities. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...

Should Doctors Perform an Elective Caesarean Section on Request?

Caesarean sections performed without medical indication, better known as maternal request caesarean sections, have generated intense debate in recent times. While uncommon in the past, a recent national audit in the United Kingdom (UK)1 revealed that 7% of all elective caesarean sections were performed for precisely this reason. This article...

Imaging-guided Bone Biopsy

Biopsy may be performed at surgery (open biopsy) or percutaneously (closed biopsy). Percutaneous bone biopsies are usually performed under imaging guidance using a variety of modalities, such as fluoroscopy1 and computed tomography (CT), and less commonly, ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. This article is available only as a...

Carcinoma of the Cervix: Role of MR Imaging

In females with cancer, cervical carcinoma is second to breast cancer in both incidence and mortality worldwide. About 465,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in both developing and industrialised nations, with a higher incidence in women of low socioeconomic status. This article is available only as a PDF. Please...

The Use and Abuse of Steroids in Perinatal Medicine

Preterm birth, delivery prior to 37 weeks of gestational age, accounts for a major and disproportionate amount of infant and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Despite advances in medical technology, the prevalence of preterm birth in Singapore has increased, secondary to an increase in multiple gestations and obstetric interventions. This article...

Surgical Management of Colorectal Metastases to the Liver

Colorectal carcinoma is the second commonest cancer in both males and females in Singapore, accounting for about 15% of all cancer cases. The liver is the most common site of distant metastases from colorectal cancer. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top...

Nipah Encephalitis Outbreak in Malaysia

From September 1998 to June 1999, there was an outbreak of viral encephalitis in several pig farming villages in Malaysia. The outbreak, which started in Ulu Piah, Tambun and Ampang near Ipoh in the state of Perak, later involved Sikamat, Sungai Nipah, Kampong Sawah and Bukit Pelanduk areas in...

The Perils of Puberty

Adolescence is a biopsychosocial maturational process, with the biological changes including completion of linear growth and sexual maturation (puberty), maturation of enzyme systems such as cytochrome P450 systems, accretion of peak bone mass, and the development of sexually dimorphic adult patterns in blood lipids, blood pressure, haemoglobin and red...

Lymphomas Involving Waldeyer’s Ring: Placement, Paradigms, Peculiarities, Pitfalls, Patterns and Postulates

As the histopathological diagnosis of any lymphoma still largely hinges upon the demonstration of lymphoid architectural abnormality, the pathologist must first be cognizant of the histology of normal and reactive lymphoid tissue in all contexts, particularly in extranodal tissue such as Waldeyer’s ring where unfamiliarity with lymphoid histological landmarks...

How Much do Diabetic Patients Know About Diabetes Mellitus and its Complications?

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common and growing healthcare problem in Singapore with a prevalence of 9% in 1998. Since the 1990s, the Ministry of Health, Singapore has identified DM as a priority condition for disease control. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF”...

A Case Report of Occupational Asthma due to Gluteraldehyde Exposure

Worldwide, asthma is estimated to affect between 5% and 10% of the population and, among adults, 4% to 9% of these cases have been attributed to an occupational cause. Yet, only 3 cases were reported and confirmed in Singapore in the year 2000 – an incidence of only 0.14/100,000...

Is it Possible to Slow the Progression of Myopia?

The rates of myopia, including high myopia , have been reported to be rising to epidemic proportions in Asia and solutions to this huge public health problem are urgently needed. Many researchers agree that myopia is not determined solely by genes and that environment may play a huge role. This...

Bile Duct Perforation in Children: Is it Truly Spontaneous?

Bile duct perforation (BDP) and biliary ascites in children is a rare clinical entity. The aetiopathogenesis is still elusive. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Unravelling the Mystery in a Case of Persistent ACTH-independent Cushing’s Syndrome

A Malaysian Chinese male patient, CMO, first presented at the age of 22 years with a 2-week history of severe spontaneous low backache with no prior trauma or back injury. A lumbar spine X-ray showing marked osteopenia and compression fracture of the first lumbar vertebra led to findings of...

A Hyperthyroid Patient with Measurable Thyroid-stimulating Hormone Concentration – A Trap for the Unwary

Free thyroxine (FT4), total tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyrotropin (TSH) are the commonly measured biochemical indices in the assessment of thyroid function in a patient with suspected thyrotoxicosis. These indices give sufficient information regarding the functional status of the thyroid gland under most circumstances. This article is available only as a...

Swallowed Foreign Bodies in Children: Report of Four Unusual Cases

Foreign body (FB) ingestion in children is a frequent and frightening experience to the patients and caregivers. It is a common paediatric problem necessitating occasional immediate intervention to avoid serious complications. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full...

Newborn Screening for all Identifiable Disorders with Tandem Mass Spectrometry is Cost Effective: The Negative Case

This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to view the full article.

Parathyroid Carcinoma: A Case Series

Parathyroid carcinomas account for 1% to 3% of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT).1 Patients usually present with a severe form of hyperparathyroidism at diagnosis, such as bone disease, renal disease, or hypercalcaemic crisis, in contrast to the relatively asymptomatic presentation of benign parathyroid disease.2 Problems encountered include difficulty in...

The NORSE (New-onset Refractory Status Epilepticus) Syndrome: Defining a Disease Entity

Status epilepticus (SE) describes a clinical condition characterised by an epileptic seizure or a series of seizures that lasts for at least 30 minutes without consciousness being regained.1 Some authors have added a time line of 60 minutes. The incidence of generalised convulsive status epilepticus (GCSE) is between 40...

Diabetes Outcomes in Specialist and General Practitioner Settings in Singapore: Challenges of Right-Siting

The long lasting debate on the role of generalists and specialists in the management of diabetes is still ongoing. Nonetheless, the last 3 decades have seen the increasing shift of chronic disease management from specialist outpatient clinic-based to more general practice-based services. This article is available only as a PDF....

Diabetes in Asia – From Understanding to Action

In the present pandemic of diabetes and obesity, 60% of the affected population will come from Asia. Between India and China, these two most populous nations will contribute more than 100 million to the world’s population of people with diabetes, many of whom remain undiagnosed, untreated or suboptimally managed. This...

Obesity and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Hypopnoea Syndrome in Singapore Children

Obesity is becoming a problem of epidemic proportions and is perhaps, the most pervasive medical problem faced by medical providers today. It is a problem affecting about 10% to 15% of our school-going population in Singapore, affecting disease burden in virtually every medical subspecialty. This article is available only as...

A Walk Through the Management of Parkinson’s Disease

The management of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease is deceptively simple. Current practice, which consists of replacing dopamine on a twice or thrice daily regime may actually be responsible for causing the involuntary movements (dyskinesias) which were formerly thought to be inevitable in the disease and which occur in association with...

Magnesium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, and Selenium Levels in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis. Can Magnesium Play a Key Role in Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition in which an increased risk of fracture takes place due to a reduction of bone mineral content. It occurs as a result of an imbalance between bone formation and bone resorption. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top...

The Relation Between Insulin Resistance Determined by Haemostatic Modelling and Slow Coronary Flow

Slow coronary flow (SCF) is a well recognised clinical entity, characterised by delayed opacification of coronary arteries in the presence of normal coronary angiogram. Many aetiological factors, such as microvascular and endothelial dysfunction, have been implicated. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on...

Consequences of Right Siting of Endocrinology Patients – A Financial and Caseload Simulation

Right siting, defined as “patients treated in the most appropriate locations by medically competent teams at the lower possible cost”, has been on the national healthcare agenda for a number of years, even meriting mention and discussion in the Singapore Parliament. Internationally, the term “appropriate siting” is more commonly...

Phaeochromocytoma the Great Mimicker: A Case Report

Phaeochromocytomas are catecholamine producing neuroendocrine tumours that can manifest a variety of symptoms which mimic other diseases. They are also known for their “rule of 10” where 10% are extra-adrenal, of which 10% are extra-abdominal, 10% are malignant, 10% occurs in normotensive patients and 10% are hereditary. This article is...

Metabolic Control in Type 2 Diabetes Correlates Weakly with Patient Adherence to Oral Hypoglycaemic Treatment

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic diseases affecting Singaporeans. In 2004, 8.2% of the population was afflicted, placing a significant burden on healthcare resources and affecting the well-being of the community. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top to...

Perforated Appendicitis in Children: Benefits of Early Laparoscopic Surgery

Despite perforated appendicitis (PA) being a common surgical emergency in childhood, controversy still exists with regard to its management in this era of minimal access surgery. Open appendicectomy (OA) has been accepted as the standard procedure for PA. However, OA has been associated with prolonged hospitalisation and significant complications...

Elevated Level of Carbonyl Compounds Correlates with Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes

With rapid development of therapy, the mortality from acute complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) has decreased, but mortality from chronic complications like diabetic nephropathy has increased. The incidence and prevalence of type 2 DM is increasing in developing countries. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...

Peripheral Arterial Disease in Community-based Patients with Diabetes in Singapore: Results from a Primary Healthcare Study

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a significant complication of diabetes mellitus and accounts for the majority of amputations among these patients with diabetes. In addition, PAD is a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis and is associated with increased risk of death and ischaemic events. This article is available only as a...

Foot Screening for Diabetics

Prevalence of diabetes is high in Singapore (8.2%). Five per cent to 15% of diabetics developed foot ulcers. In fact, the lifetime risk for a person with diabetes of developing a foot ulcer could be as high as 25%. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...

The Singapore National Healthcare Group Diabetes Registry – Descriptive Epidemiology of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most challenging global health problems in the 21st century. It is associated with excess mortality and significant morbidity from complications, which lead to disability, poor quality of life and an enormous health cost. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...

Comparison of Oral Glucose Insulin Sensitivity with Other Insulin Sensitivity Surrogates from Oral Glucose Tolerance Tests in Chinese

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are at an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases leading to higher morbidity and mortality. These complications cause serious economic burdens, not only to patients, but also to the family and society. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click...

Male Breast Cancer in Singapore: 15 Years of Experience at a Single Tertiary Institution

Male breast cancer is a rare disease entity, traditionally said to represent <1% of all diagnosed breast cancers. Recent statistics, however, suggest that its incidence may be on the rise, although the clinical significance of this is unknown. This rarity has precluded large randomised controlled trials, and most treatment...

Internet Addiction in Young People

The Internet has in recent years become ubiquitous in the lives of young persons and children due to rapid information technology (IT) development, high speed wire connection, easy accessibility and increasing affordability. Its growth has also been fuelled by a huge customer demand created by social and print media,...

Kidney Cancer and Diabetes Mellitus: A Population-Based Case-Control Study in Taiwan

Kidney cancer accounts for 3% to 4% of all cancers. In a systematic review by Mathew and et al,2 the incidence of kidney cancer was the highest in France (16.1 per 100,000 man-years) and the lowest in India (0.9 per 100,000 woman-years) during 1988 to 1992. A trend analysis in...

Singapore Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) Experience: Shall We Change Our Practice?

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) constitutes nearly 4% of all children diagnosed with cancer in the ethnically diverse small island city of Singapore. It is the most common primary soft tissue malignancy of childhood and one which is highly sensitive to chemotherapy and radiation therapy leading to excellent overall survivals. In KK...

Adipsic diabetes insipidus and SGLT2 inhibitor: A perplexing conundrum

A 70-year-old man with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and alcohol dependence presented intoxicated, with occipital scalp lacerations after a fall. A brain computerised tomography (CT) revealed occipital skull fracture with bilateral subarachnoid haemorrhages, subdural haemorrhages and parenchymal contusions. He was admitted for close observation...

Metformin use in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease: An evidence-based review

Diabetes is a chronic disease characterised by elevated levels of blood glucose. The most common type of diabetes is type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This usually occurs in adults and arises through insulin resistance or an insufficiency of insulin production. Diabetes is one of the priority non-communicable diseases targeted...

Clinical Presentation and Disease Associations of Gout: A Hospital-based Study of 100 Patients in Singapore

Gout is a common metabolic disease that causes arthritis which is often painful and sometimes disabling. It results from the deposition of monosodium urate monohydrate crystals in the joints and soft tissue giving rise to an acute inflammatory response. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on...