Althea Medical Journal
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Urine Color Analysis of Hydration Status in Employees Working in Bandung, Indonesia
Get PDFBackground: Dehydration can be compensated for by the body. However, if it occurs persistently, it can cause concentration problems, thermoregulation disorders, kidney damage, and other life-threatening disorders such as cardiovascular disorders. Urine color is a simple indicator to assess a person’s hydration status. The purpose of this study was to explore the hydration status of employees working in Bandung, Indonesia.Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from March to November 2019. This study was a part of another study exploring urine color levels. Urine was collected on Sunday morning when the employees were free. Water intake and workload before urine examination were not taken into account. Hydration status was divided into three categories: well-hydrated, mild/moderate dehidration, and severe dehydration. A total sampling method was used to collect data.Results: In total, 178 subjects who met the study criteria participated in the study. The majority of respondents were 40-79 years old, male, did not have hypertension or diabetes, and active smokers. Most respondents experienced severe dehydration (44.7%) although 58.1% had consumed ≥8 glasses of water/day.Conclusion: More than half employees have consumed adequate amount of water; however, the majority are severely dehydrated when assessed based on their urine color. Further study on the balance of water intake and excretion is needed to explore the phenomenon of dehydration in the morning
Correlation between Anemia and Malaria Infection Severity in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Nigeria
Get PDFBackground: Malaria and diabetes mellitus are still a significant global public health problem despite the phenomenal progresses in clinical sciences related to the diseases. Both anemia and malaria parasitemia are common in developing countries. It is therefore important to diagnose and determine the correlation between anemia level and malaria infection severity in diabetic patients for better management. Methods: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) infected with malaria were recruited (n=50) as subjects and non-diabetic patients were used as control in this study, who were further divided into two sub-group: non-DM infected with malaria (n=25) and non-DM without malaria parasitemia (n=25). Blood sample were collected to examine the fasting blood sugar (FBS) level, packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb) level, and malaria parasitemia. Statistical analysis was then performed using ANOVA with a p value of less than or equal to 0.05 considered statistically significant.Results: The parasite density in DM with malaria was significantly lower (p<0.05) than in the non-DM with malaria. Interestingly, there was a higher PCV and hemoglobin level (p<0.05) in DM with malaria when compared with non-DM with malaria.Conclusion: DM patients infected with plasmodium have low parasite density but higher hemoglobin level and PCV compared to the control group. There is no correlation between the severity of anemia and malaria parasitemia in DM patients infected with malaria when compared to non-diabetic subjects infected with malaria. Further studies are needed to explore the correlation between hemoglobin level in DM and plasmodium infectio
The Pattern of Iodine Food Source Intake in Early Adolescents in Junior High School in Jatinangor
Get PDFBackground: Iodine is one of the essential micronutrients for normal growth, development, and metabolism throughout life. Studies about the pattern of iodine food source intake in Indonesia are lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the current pattern of iodine food source intake among early adolescents.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, the pattern of iodine food source intake in early adolescents aged 11–14 years attending Junior High School in Jatinangor Sumedang, Indonesia was assessed from September to October 2014, by validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Eating patterns were divided into four categories based on Indonesian Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).Results: The average iodine daily intake of the subjects was 356.27 mcg. The highest frequency of the iodine intake category was adequate in students aged 11–12 years old (100%), compared to aged 13–14 years old (79.2%).Conclusions: The daily iodine intake in Junior High School students is sufficient. Further assessment in areas elsewhere in West Java needs to be conducted to have a better picture of the pattern of iodine food source intake in adolescents
Implementation of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in Elderly-Friendly Public Health Centers and General Public Health Centers in Bandung
Get PDFBackground: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is a comprehensive, multi-dimensional biopsychosocial examination. The CGA is conducted at the primary health facility such as the public health centers (Pusat Kesehatan Masyarakat, Puskesmas); categorized as Eldery-Friendly Public Health Centers (Puskesmas Santun Lansia), a puskesmas where one of its programs provides health care for the elderly, and Puskesmas in general, where there is no specific program for the elderly. The purpose of the study was to analyze the difference between Puskesmas santun lansia and Puskesmas in providing CGA.Methods: A comparative analytical study was carried out from August to November 2019, involving Puskesmas Santun Lansia (n=6) and puskesmas (n=12) in Bandung City. From each Puskesmas, two elderly were selected and observed for the CGA. The assessment consisted of the identity of the elderly, anamnesis, vital sign examination, physical examination, assessment of nutritional status, functional, psychosocial, social, cognitive, and mental assessment. The collected data were analyzed using the Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test.Results: This study showed that there was no difference between Puskesmas Santun Lansia and Puskesmas in the CGA, except in the simple nutritional anamnesis (p=0.003), anamnesis of the symptoms or signs of the dysfunction of the organ system (p=0.034), and body mass index measurement (p=0.009).Conclusions: The CGA is not well implemented in both Puskesmas. In the future, both of the Puskesmas should enhance their knowledge and skills to provide the CGA as mentioned in the regulation of the Minister of Health No. 67/2015.
Preservation in Paraffin Oil: Alternative for Fungi Preservation in Simple Laboratory Concept
Get PDFBackground: A good collection of fungi culture can be maintained with good preservation methods. With appropriate methods, preservation can be performed in low-budget laboratories, such as with periodic subculture and preservation in either sterile water or in paraffin oil. The aim of this study was to assess the viability, morphology, contamination, and antifungal susceptibility profile of fungi preserved in sterile water or paraffin oil compared to a periodic subculture.Methods: This study was an experimental study using Aspergillus sp., Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Candida albicans. The fungi were preserved by a periodic subculture or in sterile water or in paraffin oil for six months. A comparison of viability, morphology, contamination, and antifungal susceptibility profile between methods were made before and after six months of study.Results: The viability of all the fungi was maintained in both periodic subculture and preservation with paraffin oil. However, the T. mentagrophytes was not viable in preservation using sterile water. All methods could maintain the morphology without contamination. There were reductions in the inhibition zone against antifungal drug in preservation with sterile water and paraffin oil.Conclusion: Preservation in paraffin oil is superior to preservation in sterile water in terms of maintaining fungal viability. This method is suitable for the use in a simple laboratory, albeit considerations should be given to the reduction of inhibition zone
Platelet-Rich Fibrin Enhances Fracture Healing in Tibial Long Bone: An Experiment in Rabbit
Get PDFBackground: Fracture on long bone is a complicated case to manage. Bone graft procedure involving growth factors has been widely studied with promising results. Recently, platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has been introduced as having potential in healing process. This study aimed to explore the quality of fracture healing on long bones treated with bone graft with and without PRF combination.Methods: This study was conducted between October to November 2018 on 18 rabbits that were divided into 2 groups. A 5 mm fracture was created on tibial bones and the fracture was stabilized using a 2.0 mm mini plate. The defect was then treated by an autogenic bone graft with and without PRF. Histological analysis was conducted 3 weeks after the treatment and a scoring was performed using the Salkeld system. The quality of union; cortex development and remodeling; and bone graft incorporation and new bone formation were then analyzed.Results: There were significant differences between fractures in rabbits given PRF than those without PRF in terms of union quality (p 0.040), cortex growth and remodeling (p 0.0001), bone graft and new bone union (p 0.0001), as well as in the total Salkeld score (p 0.0001).Conclusion: PRF given with bone graft therapy can enhance the quality of fracture healing of a long bone. Further studies on how the PRF content influences fracture healing process needs to be performed to further explore this effect.
Relationship between Nomophobia and Attention among Medical Students in Jakarta
Get PDFBackground: The advancements in technology in the form of smartphones have made life easier; however, some negative effects have been recorded with regards to the use of smartphone. Among these negative effects are nomophobia, or a phobia of no mobile phone, and lack of attention. This study explored the relationship between nomophobia and attention in medical students.Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytic study on medical students in Jakarta in 2019. The Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) was used to measure the level of nomophobia and the Six Letter Cancellation Test (SLCT) was used to measure attention. Data collected were analyzed using a simple linear regression test.Result: There was a weak negative relationship between the severity of nomophobia and attention (r=.161). However, nomophobia score was a very weak predictor for attention with an adjusted r-squared score of .021.Conclusions: Nomophobia does not necessarily affect the attention of medical students. Excessive mobile phone use does cause nomophobia and lack of attention. Therefore, smartphones need to be used wisely.
Relationship between Calcification on Mammography and Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER-2) Expression in Breast Carcinoma
Get PDFBackground: Breast carcinoma shows over-expression of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER-2) in 18 to 20% of the cases. This type of cancer is very progressive and has a poor prognosis. This study aimed to determine the association between the calcification on mammography with HER-2 expression in breast carcinoma as a marker of breast carcinoma aggressiveness.Methods: This was an analytic observational study with a case-control design. Patients with breast carcinoma at the Department of Radiology and Department of Anatomical Pathology of Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital Bandung from July–September 2019 were enrolled in this study. Samples were consecutively collected. The association of calcification on mammography and HER2 expression was analyzed using the Chi-square test.Result: In total, 40 patients were included, consisting of 20 individuals with HER-2 positive and 20 individuals with HER-2 negative. The youngest was 40 years old and the oldest was 73 years old. Statistical test results showed that there was a significant association between calcifications in mammography and HER-2 expression (p-value = 0.0001, OR 13.22; 95% CI 2.7–62.6).Conclusions: There is a significant association between calcification on mammography and HER-2 expression in breast carcinoma, suggesting that positive calcification mammography was 13.22 times higher in patients with HER-2 positive compared to patients with negative calcifications
Sweet Taste Threshold among Medical Students with Family History of Diabetes Mellitus
Get PDFBackground: Diabetic patients have low sensitivity towards sweet taste, thus consuming more sugar. A young adult with family history of diabetes mellitus (FHD) who lives with diabetic parents may have an increased risk of overconsumption of sugar due to a similar dietary pattern, leading to diabetes. This study aimed to explore the difference in the sweet taste threshold (STT) between students with and without a family history of diabetes mellitus.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in October –November 2018 on Class 2018 medical students living in a student dormitory who were divided into those with family history of diabetes (FHD) and those without it (non-FHD). Family history of diabetes and other known diseases were self-reported. The three-Ascending Forced Choice method was used to determine the sweet recognition threshold. Mann-Whitney analysis was used to compare the sweet taste thresholds between the two groups.Result: A total of 183 subjects participated in this study. The non-FHD group had a higher rank of sweet taste threshold than subjects in the FHD group (94.21 vs 81.16), albeit insignificant (p=0.192). Interestingly, the modes of best estimation threshold (BET) for non-FHD group was than the FHD group (0.067 M vs 0.043 M).Conclusion: The BET for students without family history of diabetes is higher than those with family history of diabetes. It is imperative that low sugar consumption campaign should also aim young people without FHD.
Antibacterial Effect of Human Milk against Streptococcus pyogenes: an in vitro Study
Get PDFBackground: Streptococcus pyogenes infection is one of the common upper respiratory infections among children. Human milk has antibacterial properties that may play a role against infections. The study was conducted to observe the antibacterial effect of human milk against Streptococcus pyogenes.Methods: This was an in vitro experimental study conducted on October–November 2012 in Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, using agar well diffusion method. Human milk was collected from eligible donors and tested at concentrations of 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% dilution with water. Inhibition zone formed surrounding the wells were measured after 24 hours of incubation.Results: All samples incubated with human mils (in concentration of 70%, 80%, 90% and 100%) inhibited the growth of Streptococcus pyogenes, with the inhibition zone mean diameters of 26.33, 28.00, 28.00 and 28.33mm, respectively, compared to the well containing sterile aquadest that did not show any zone of inhibition.Conclusions: Human milk has an in vitro antibacterial effect against Streptococcus pyogenes. Giving human milk to babies is important for preventing infectious diseases