Medicine
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This repository contains the published and unpublished research of the Faculty of Medicine by the staff members of the faculty
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Item Epidemiology of stroke subtypes and aetiology among Sri Lankan stroke patients(Sage Publishing, 2020) Mettananda, C.; Wettasinghe, L,; Eshani, M.D.P.; Ranawaka, U.BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Prevalence of stroke is on the rise in south Asia and the epidemiology is different to western countries. However, prevalence of stroke subtypes and aetiology is not reported of Sri Lanka. Therefore, we aimed to describe the same of Sri Lanka. METHODS: We analyzed all the acute stroke admissions to a stroke unit of a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka over 5 year from October 2013 to 2018. Data were collected prospectively using an interviewer administered questionnaire by interviewing patients and perusing medical records. Ischaemic strokes were classified on OCSP (Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project) and TOAST(Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment) classifications RESULTS: 891 patients were admitted to stroke unit over 5 years; 765(85.5%) ischaemic strokes, 129 (14.5%) intracerebral haemorrhages (ICH), and 0(0%) sub-arachnoid haemorrhages (SAH). Of the ischemic strokes 16(1.8%) were total anterior circulation, 253(29.0%) partial anterior circulation, 543(62.3%) lacunar, 59(6.8%) posterior circulation infarcts on OCSP classification. 542 of ischaemic stroke patients who had complete investigations for TOAST classification were studied for aetiology of stroke. Atrial fibrillation was reported in only 14(2.7%) and more than 50% carotid stenosis was seen in 22(4.1%) ischaemic stroke patients. 17(3.1%) were of large artery atherosclerosis, 369(68.1%) small vessel occlusion, 11(2.0%) cardioembolic and 145(26.8%) undermined aetiology. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of ischaemic strokes, ICH and SAH were not different to western statistics in this Sri Lankan cohort of stroke patients. However, cardio-embolic and large artery strokes were less common compared to west and lacunar strokes were the commonest of ischemic strokes.Item Prevalence and predictors of new onset depression in the acute phase of stroke(Elsevier Science, 2021) Isuru, A.; Hapangama, A.; Ediriweera, D.; Samarasinghe, L.; Fonseka, M.; Ranawaka, U.INTRODUCTION: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is known to be associated with poor functional outcome and high mortality. There is limited data on the prevalence and associated factors of depression in the acute phase after stroke. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of PSD in the acute phase and its correlates among patients with stroke in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. METHOD: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among patients with stroke admitted to the stroke unit of a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka over a 3-year period. Demographic and clinical information was obtained using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Depression was diagnosed using the ICD-10 criteria. Group comparisons were performed using Pearson's Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test Multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with PSD. RESULTS: Of 374 patients, 106 patients experienced moderate to severe PSD, with a prevalence of 28.3 % (95 % CI: 23.8 %-32.9 %). Of them, 54.7 % were females, 49 % were above the age of 60 years, and 79.9 % had ischemic strokes. Female gender (OR-2.77, 95 % CI: 1.46-5.07, P = 0.002), a longer duration of hypertension (OR-1.31, 95 % CI: 1.01-1.721, P = 0.004), strokes involving the temporal lobe (OR-7.25, 95 % CI: 2.81-20.25, P < 0.001) and post-stroke functional disability (OR- O.98, 95 % CI:0.97-0.99, P = 0.001) were associated with PSD on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: More than one fourth of the patients suffered from PSD in the acute phase of stroke. Female gender, longer history of hypertension, physical dependence and temporal lobe strokes were predictive of PSD. KEYWORDS: Acute phase; Post-stroke depression; Rehabilitation; South Asia; Stroke; Stroke unit.Item Physical activity tracking among Sri Lankan adults: findings from a 7-year follow-up of the Ragama Health Study(SAGE Publications, 2021) Pinidiyapathirage, J.; Kasturiratne, A.; Bennie, J.A.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Biddle, S.J.H.; de Silva, H.J.; Chackrewarthy, S.; Dassanayake, A.S.; Ranawaka, U.; Kato, N.; Wickremasinghe, A.R.ABSTRACT: Limited data are available on physical activity tracking among adults in low- and middle-income countries. Using a longitudinal design, we assessed trends and correlates of physical activity among Sri Lankan adults. Individuals selected through age-stratified random sampling, were screened initially in 2007 (n = 2986) and reevaluated in 2014 (n = 2148). On both occasions, structured interviews and clinical measurements were completed. Approximately 40% of the participants engaged in recommended levels of physical activity both at baseline and follow-up. One-fifth reported increased physical activity at follow-up, a similar proportion reported being persistently inactive or a reduction in physical activity. In the adjusted analysis, being persistently active was associated with male sex, a lower educational level and income, being free of any chronic disease conditions, better self-rated health, and sitting time <8 hours. Our findings support public health interventions to help maintain recommended physical activity levels over time, particularly for subgroups at high-risk of physical inactivity. KEYWORDS: Sri Lanka; lower middle-income countries; non-communicable diseases; physical activity; population studies.Item Stroke awareness in patients with incident stroke compared to patients without stroke or ischemic heart disease(Demos Publications, 2020) Ranawaka, U.; Mettananda, C.; Thilakarathna, C.; Peiris, A.; Kasturiratne, A.; Tilakaratna, Y.BACKGROUND: Stroke awareness is known to influence treatment seeking and risk reduction behavior, but there is limited data from Sri Lanka and South Asia. AIM: To describe stroke awareness in incident stroke patients and to compare with patients without stroke and/or ischemic heart disease (IHD) in a Sri Lankan tertiary-care center. METHODS: We studied awareness of stroke in all incident stroke patients admitted to a tertiary-care center in Sri Lanka and compared with a group of age- and sex-matched patients without stroke and/or IHD, over 2 years. Knowledge on stroke mechanisms, risk factors, symptoms, prognosis, treatment, and prevention were evaluated using a 40-item interviewer-administered questionnaire and converted to a composite score of 100%. Total awareness was categorized as Very poor (<24%), Poor (25%-49%), Good (50%-74%), and Very good (>74%). RESULTS: One hundred and sixty four incident stroke patients (mean age 62.0 ± 11.5 years; 64.6% males) and 164 patients without stroke and/or IHD were studied. Mean stroke awareness was 47.79% ± 14.6 in stroke patients, and 47.73% ± 14.9 in the nonstroke and/or IHD patients (P = .95). Of the associations studied, better stroke awareness (>50%) was associated only with higher education levels (OR 1.90, 95%CI 1.33-2.72, P < .001) in stroke patients. CONCLUSIONS: Stroke awareness is not satisfactory in incident stroke patients and is no better than in patients without stroke and/or IHD. Better stroke awareness was associated with higher education levels. Keywords: Sri Lanka; Stroke; awareness; comparison; stroke-patients.Item VITATOPS, the Vitamins to prevent stroke trial: rationale and design of a randomised trial of B vitamin therapy in patients with recent transient ischaemic attack or stroke (NCT00097669) (ISRCTN74743444)(Sage Publications, 2007) VITATOPS Trial Study Group; Hankey, G.J.; Algra, A.; Chen, C.; Wong, M.C.; Cheung, R.; Wong, L.; Divjak, I.; Ferro, J.; De Freitas, G.; Gommans, J.; Groppa, S.; Hill, M.; Spence, D.; Lees, K.; Lisheng, L.; Navarro, J. J.; Ranawaka, U.; Ricci, S.; Schmidt, R.; Slivka, A.; Tan, K.; Tsiskaridze, A.; Uddin, W.; Vanhooren, G.; Xavier, D.; Armitage, J.; Hobbs, M.; Le, M.; Sudlow, C.; Wheatley, K.; Yi, Q.; Bulder, M.; Eikelboom, J.W.; Hankey, G.J.; Ho, W.K.; Jamrozik, K.; Klijn, K.; Koedam, E.; Langton, P.; Nijboer, E.; Tuch, P.; Pizzi, J.; Tang, M.; Antenucci, M.; Chew, Y.; Chinnery, D.; Cockayne, C.; Loh, K.; McMullin, L.; Smith, F.; Schmidt, R.; Chen, C.; Wong, M.C.; De Freitas, G.; Hankey, G.J.; Loh, K.; Song, S.BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies suggest that raised plasma concentrations of total homocysteine (tHcy) may be a common, causal and treatable risk factor for atherothromboembolic ischaemic stroke, dementia and depression. Although tHcy can be lowered effectively with small doses of folic acid, vitamin B(12) and vitamin B(6), it is not known whether lowering tHcy, by means of B vitamin therapy, can prevent stroke and other major atherothromboembolic vascular events. AIM: To determine whether the addition of B-vitamin supplements (folic acid 2 mg, B(6) 25 mg, B(12) 500 microg) to best medical and surgicalmanagement will reduce the combined incidence of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI) and vascular death in patients with recent stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) of the brain or eye. DESIGN: A prospective, international, multicentre, randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. SETTING: One hundred and four medical centres in 20 countries on five continents. SUBJECTS: Eight thousand (6600 recruited as of 5 January, 2006) patients with recent (<7 months) stroke (ischaemic or haemorrhagic) or TIA (brain or eye). RANDOMISATION: Randomisation and data collection are performed by means of a central telephone service or secure internet site. INTERVENTION: One tablet daily of either placebo or B vitamins (folic acid 2 mg, B(6) 25 mg, B(12) 500 mug). PRIMARY OUTCOME: The composite of stroke, MI or death from any vascular cause, whichever occurs first. Outcome and serious adverse events are adjudicated blinded to treatment allocation. SECONDARY OUTCOMES: TIA, unstable angina, revascularisation procedures, dementia, depression. STATISTICAL POWER: With 8000 patients followed up for a median of 2 years and an annual incidence of the primary outcome of 8% among patients assigned placebo, the study will have at least 80% power to detect a relative reduction of 15% in the incidence of the primary outcome among patients assigned B vitamins (to 6.8%/year), applying a two-tailed level of significance of 5%. CONCLUSION: VITATOPS aims to recruit and follow-up 8000 patients between 1998 and 2008, and provide a reliable estimate of the safety and effectiveness of folic acid, vitamin B(12), and vitamin B(6) supplementation in reducing recurrent serious vascular events among a wide range of patients with TIA and stroke throughout the world.Item Differences in ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes in Sri Lanka: 7-year data from the Ragama Stroke Registry(American Academy of Neurology & Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2015) Ranawaka, U.; Peiris, A.; Thirumavalavan, K.; Premawansa, G.; Kasturiratne, A.OBJECTIVE:We sought to describe the differences in stroke characteristics of patients with ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke attending a Sri Lankan tertiary care hospital. BACKGROUND:The burden of stroke in South Asia is high, but epidemiological data are limited from the region. DESIGN/METHODS:The Ragama Stroke Registry is the first comprehensive stroke registry in Sri Lanka capturing data of all stroke patients admitted to an entire hospital. We collected data from all consenting patients with stroke admitted to the Colombo North Teaching Hospital over a seven-year period. We compared data from ischaemic stroke patients (IS group) with intracerebral haemorrhage patients (ICH group) regarding demographic characteristics, clinical features, risk factors, stroke severity and early disability. RESULTS:A total of 2690 patients were studied [mean age (SD) 64.4 (12.3) years; 58.6[percnt] males]; IS group- 2185 patients (81.3[percnt]); ICH group- 411 patients (15.3[percnt]). No differences were noted in age & sex distribution between ICH and IS groups. ICH patients presented to hospital earlier (<6 hours- ICH 74.5[percnt], IS 54.0[percnt], p<0.05). Altered consciousness, dysphasia, dysphagia, gaze palsy and bladder involvement were commoner among ICH patients (p<0.05). Previous history of stroke/ TIA, diabetes, heart disease, obesity/overweight and smoking were commoner in IS group. ICH patients presented with more severe strokes (NIHSS score >7 in ICH 67.6[percnt] vs. IS 43.8[percnt], p<0.05), and had more severe initial disability according to Barthel index and modified Rankin scale (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Clinical and risk factor profiles were different between ICH and IS patients. Stroke severity and functional disability were higher among ICH patients. Study Supported by:Ragama Stroke Registry has been partly supported by research grants from the University of Kelaniya and Research Institute, International Medical Centre of Japan. Disclosure: Dr. Ranawaka has nothing to disclose. Dr. Peiris has nothing to disclose. Dr. Thirumavalavan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Premawansa has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kasthuriratne has nothing to disclose.Item Human bocavirus in patients with encephalitis, Sri Lanka, 2009-2010(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2013) Mori, D.; Ranawaka, U.; Yamada, K.; Rajindrajith, S.; Miya, K.; Perera, H.K.K.; Matsumoto, T.; Dassanayake, M.; Mitui, M. T.; Mori, H.; Nishizono, A.; Soderlund-Venermo, M.; Ahmed, K.We identified human bocavirus (HBoV) DNA by PCR in cerebrospinal fluid from adults and children with encephalitis in Sri Lanka. HBoV types 1, 2, and 3 were identified among these cases. Phylogenetic analysis of HBoV1 strain sequences found no subclustering with strains previously identified among encephalitis cases in Bangladesh.Item Hereditary spastic paraplegias(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2006) Ranawaka, U.No Abstract Available