The electroencephalographic pattern is distinctive in many but not in all patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Often, it is one of diffuse and non-specific slowing in the background with stereotypical generalised periodic high-voltage slow and sharp wave complexes. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download...

Falls in the elderly has been a well-studied subject and now occupies an important place in geriatric medicine. While many studies have been done on falls in community-dwelling elderly, relatively few studies have focused on the problem in institutionalised elderly. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click...

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is the commonest human transmissible subacute spongiform encephalopathy. It has a worldwide distribution with an estimated annual incidence of 0.5 to 1.0 per million population. However, the incidence of CJD in the Singaporean population is not known. With a population of 4 million, an estimated 2...

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...

Dementia is a growing public health issue in the Asia-Pacific region. The number of people with dementia in the Asia-Pacific region will increase from 13.7 million people in 2005 to 64.6 million people in 2050. This article is available only as a PDF. Please click on “Download PDF” on top...

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is a widely prevalent disorder characterised by recurrent partial or complete obstruction of upper airway during sleep. Compelling data from several large cross-sectional and longitudinal studies strongly suggest a role of OSAS in the development of cardiovascular disorders, including hypertension, coronary artery disease and...

The prevalence of obesity has risen by three-folds or more in many countries since 1980. In 2005, it was estimated that globally there are about 1.6 billion overweight adults and at least 400 million of them are obese. This increase in the prevalence of adults being overweight and obese...

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were about 1.6 billion overweight adults aged 15 years and above and at least 400 million adults are obese worldwide in 2005. Obesity increases the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, stroke and some cancers. It is...

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing recognised as one of the most important causes of chronic liver disease in Western countries. It encompasses a spectrum of diseases ranging from simple hepatic steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Hepatic steatosis is a common clinical and histological finding and it is...

Currently, type 2 diabetes is a leading cause of death in Taiwan, as well as in many other countries. It places a tremendous burden not only on patients themselves but also on patients’ families and society. Although which process occurs first remains controversial, both insulin resistance and impaired insulin...

Malnutrition is well described in liver cirrhosis. The hyperdynamic circulation and altered metabolism in cirrhosis result in a hypercatabolic state which accelerates tissue breakdown. Ascites and gastrointestinal dysmotility in advanced cirrhosis, compounded by the need for dietary restrictions, often result in early satiety and anorexia. Inevitably, liver transplant wait-list...