Singap Med J
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This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the emergency department observation unit (EDOU) for patients with acute pyelonephritis in a Singapore tertiary academic medical centre. ⋯ EDOU is useful for both observation and treatment of patients with acute pyelonephritis. Urine cultures are sufficient for the identification of the culprit micro-organism. Patients who present with prominent symptoms of vomiting should have routine administration of antiemetics, while consideration for second-line antiemetics is recommended for those with persistent symptoms.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparison of inhalational methoxyflurane (Penthrox®) and intramuscular tramadol for prehospital analgesia.
Treatment of pain is an important component of prehospital care. Inhalational analgesia agents have attractive strengths, but there is a paucity of studies comparing these with more conventional agents. We aimed to compare inhalational methoxyflurane and intramuscular (IM) tramadol as first-contact analgesia in the Singapore national ambulance service. ⋯ For the doses of medication used in this implementation study, methoxyflurane was superior in efficacy, speed of onset and administration, but had more minor adverse effects when compared to IM tramadol.
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Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) among cancer survivors is a persistent and distressing psychosocial concern that affects recovery and quality of life. The prevalence of FCR in Singapore is unknown. This cross-sectional study was designed to examine FCR and identify factors associated with FCR in mixed-cancer survivors locally. ⋯ The present study is the first to determine levels of FCR among cancer survivors in Singapore. While the total FCR scores were similar to those of international studies, severe/pathological levels of FCR were found to be four times higher. These findings highlight a problem that is not widely recognised or acknowledged, but which deserves greater attention.
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There is limited literature on clinical outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Asian dialysis patients. We evaluated the angiographic characteristics and clinical outcomes of dialysis patients treated with PCI in an Asian society. ⋯ Asian dialysis patients who underwent PCI had a two-year MACE rate of 55.8% due to death and AMI. Age, LVEF and diabetes mellitus were significant predictors of mortality at two years.
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It is vital to diagnose and treat pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) early, in the interests of the patient and public health. At the Singapore Tuberculosis Control Unit (TBCU), it was not uncommon to discover abnormal chest radiographs (CXRs) predating their PTB diagnosis by months to years in the electronic medical records (EMRs) of sputum acid-fast bacilli smear-positive patients. Our study explored this observation. ⋯ PTB patients may be asymptomatic or have chronic indolent disease and remain undiagnosed for years. There is a need for vigilance within our healthcare system to seize opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment to prevent the spread of this infectious disease in Singapore.