Browsing by Author "Ediriweera, D."

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20 year follow up and survival analysis in a cohort of patients with Haemoglobin E beta Thalassaemia.
(Sri Lanka Medical Association., 2019) Olivieri, N.F.; Premawardhena, A.P.; Amir-Arsalan, S.; Ediriweera, D.; Mettananda, S.; Bandara, W.D.; Arambepola, M.; de Silva, S.; Refai, M.A.C.M.; Allen, A.
INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: Haemoglobin E beta thalassaemia (EBT) is the commonest beta thalassaemia syndrome in the world and is extremely phenotypically variable. Unlike for transfusion dependent thalassaemia (TDT) there are no clear guidelines for the management of this disease. We have followed up a cohort of 109 patients with EBT for 20 years. Objective of the study was to study the 20-year survival and factors that affect survival. METHODS: Study was conducted at Kurunegala Thalassaemia centre. Transfusions were stopped in 1997 in all 109 patients. Since then they were assessed every three months by the clinical team for the next 20 years. Relevant haematological, biochemical, radiological assessments were done periodically. RESULTS: 32 (30%) of patients were dead at 20 years. Kaplan Meir survival curve identified the median survival to be 51 years. Splenectomy had been done in 73/109 (67%) patients. Splenectomy allowed 66% to be off transfusions even 9.7± 1.3 years post- surgery. However, 33% had to return to transfusions. The commonest cause of death in the cohort was infections (34.3%). Most (72%) infective deaths happened in those who were splenectomised. Transfusions needed to be restarted in 60%, of whom 33% went back to (>8 per year) regular transfusions at a mean 8.4 ±0.8 years after stopping transfusions. CONCLUSION: In this first ever long term follow up study of EBT, significantly shortened survival is observed. Though splenectomy allows prolonged transfusion free phases in many it increases risk of infective deaths. Overall the disease is far less benign than previously thought with a high prevalence of morbidity and mortality.
Assessing liver fibrosis in patients with transfusion dependent beta thalassaemia - a predictive model
(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2021) Padeniya, A.G.P.M.; Ediriweera, D.; de Silva, A.; Niriella, M.A.; Premawardhena, A.P.
Introduction and Objectives Liver fibrosis in β-thalassaemia major is mainly due to transfusion-related iron overload. Transient elastography (TE) is an imaging modality which measures liver stiffness/fibrosis non-invasively. TE is simple, safe and efficient. However, inaccessibility and high-cost hinders its routine use. We designed a predictive model to evaluate liver fibrosis using demographic, anthropometric, biochemical and imaging data. Methods Sixteen patients with transfusion dependent beta thalassaemia were recruited to the study. FBC, LFT, serum ferritin and Transient Elastography (TE) and FerriScan measurements were recorded at the baseline and after two years follow up. Multiple regression model was developed to predict liver fibrosis using demographic, anthropometric, biochemical and imaging data. [age, gender, body mass index (BMI), steatosis score, liver iron content, mean pre-Hb over the last year, no of blood transfusions (lifetime), amount of blood ingested over the last year(ml/kg), amount of elemental iron by transfusions over last year(mg/ kg), serum ferritin, SGOT, SGPT and compliance with iron chelation].Results Of 16, 8 (50%) were females, mean (SD) age, BMI and fibrosis scores were 21(4.3) years, 18.8 (2.8) kgm-2 and 9.7(5.7) kPa respectively. Gender, BMI, SGOT, SGPT, compliance, number of transfusions taken lifetime showed significant association with liver fibrosis. The final model showed a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.859. According to the model, predicted liver fibrosis is given by;-26.18 - 4.38*male+1.01*BMI - 0.11*SGPT+0.32*SGOT+2.78*compliance (rps)+0.04*no. of transfusions. ConclusionThe suggested model is a reliable tool to predict liver fibrosis in transfusion-dependent β-thalassaemia major patients in resource poor settings.
Assessing motivation to lose weight: the psychometric properties of the Sinhala version of University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) scale
(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2023) Niriella, M.A.; de Silva, S.T.; Hapangama, A.; Baminiwatta, A.; Fernando, R.; Ediriweera, D.
INTRODUCTION: Weight reduction through lifestyle modifications is an important component in the management of various chronic diseases. The degree of motivation to change has been shown to predict outcomes in weight reduction interventions. Thus, the availability of a validated self-report tool assessing the degree of motivation for weight management would be useful for both clinical and research purposes in Sri Lanka. OBJECTIVES: To examine the structural validity and internal consistency of the URICA for weight management in a sample of Sri Lankan adults with chronic medical conditions. METHODS: Standard procedures for cross-cultural adaptation of a questionnaire were followed in translating the 32-item URICA into Sinhala. The Sinhala version was administered to 208 patients aged 18-60 years attending outpatient clinical services for non-disabling chronic medical diseases. Psychometric testing included confirmatory factor analysis and the assessment of internal consistency (Cronbach α). RESULTS: The commonly accepted four-factor structure of URICA reflecting Prochaska and Di Clemente’s transtheoretical model (pre-contemplation, contemplation, action and maintenance) showed good model fit, after the removal of four items from the pre-contemplation subscale due to inadequate factor loadings (<0.4). In line with theory, factor correlations indicated that the pre-contemplation factor was inversely correlated with the other three factors, while the other three factors were positively correlated with one another. All four subscales showed good internal consistency (Cronbach α ranging from 0.73 to 0.89). CONCLUSIONS: The Sinhala version of a modified 28-item URICA was found to have sound psychometric properties as a measure of motivation for weight management among Sinhala-speaking adult patient.
Assessing reversibility of liver fibrosis in patients with transfusion-dependent beta thalassaemia following intensive chelation
(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2023) Padeniya, A.G.P.M.; Ediriweera, D.; Niriella, M.A.; de Silva, A.; Premawardhena, A.P.
INTRODUCTION: Transfusion-related iron overload is a leading cause of hepatic fibrosis in transfusion-dependent thalassaemia (TDT). OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the reversibility of liver fibrosis with intensive chelation therapy in TDT. METHODS: Forty-five patients were included. Serum ferritin, hepatic fibrosis & steatosis (assessed by Transient Elastography), and liver iron concentration/LIC (estimated by FerriScan) were recorded at recruitment and after 2 ½ years of intensive chelation. Compliance for iron chelators was monitored and recorded as good (gc), moderate compliance (mc), and poor (pc) compliance based on the number of days the iron chelators were used. RESULTS: 22/45 (49%) were males [mean age (SD)-19 (4.78) years]. There were 23 (51%), 12 (27%), and 10 (22%) patients with gc, mc, and pc with iron chelators, respectively. The LIC decreased in 36 (80%) patients. The median LIC reduction after 2 ½ years was as follows: gc group-13.5 to 5.1 mg Fe/g dw (P=0.0002); mc group-25.5 to 17.75 mg Fe/g dw (P=0.001). In the pc group, the LIC increased by 10.4 mg Fe/g dw (P =0.058). Liver fibrosis declined in 23 (51%) patients. The liver stiffness at recruitment and after 2 ½ years was 7.6 and 7.1 kPa (P=0.08) in the gc group. In both mc and pc groups, liver fibrosis increased on follow-up [significantly worsened in the pc group (P=0.04)]. CONCLUSION: The reduction of LIC in TDT was related to compliance with chelation therapy; substantial reductions were achieved in those with gc and mc. However, only those with gc managed to arrest the fibrosis progression.
The association between steatosis and liver damage in transfusion-dependent beta thalassaemia patients
(Wiley-Blackwell, 2023) Padeniya, P.; Ediriweera, D.; de Silva, A.P.; Niriella, M.; Premawardhena, A.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global health problem. Iron is the leading cause of liver damage in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia (TDT), and data on the contribution of NAFLD to liver damage in TDT is lacking. Forty-five heavily transfused TDT patients who did not have biochemical or ultrasonic evidence of liver cirrhosis were evaluated for effects of iron overload, including the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypogonadism, serum ferritin, R2-MRI-liver, and liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. Liver fibrosis and steatosis were estimated using transient elastography (TE). Nine (20%) patients had significant steatosis (S1), and their body mass index (BMI) and liver fibrosis scores were higher than in patients without significant steatosis (S0) (p = 0.03 and p = 0.004, respectively). On regression analysis, the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) score (i.e., degree of liver steatosis) was associated only with increasing BMI. The TE score (i.e., degree of liver fibrosis) was associated with increasing age, CAP score, male gender, and presence of diabetes. Neither liver steatosis nor fibrosis showed significant association with the liver iron concentration or iron-related organ damage (hypogonadism). In this cohort of TDT patients, steatosis of the liver, which is associated with increasing BMI, appeared to increase the risk of liver fibrosis.
Association of serum ferritin with diabetes and alcohol in patients with non-viral liver disease-related hepatocellular carcinoma
(S. Karger, 2017) Siriwardana, R.C.; Niriella, M.A.; Dassanayake, A.S.; Ediriweera, D.; Gunetilleke, B.; Sivasundaram, T.; de Silva, H.J.
INTRODUCTION: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a leading cause for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Sri Lanka. Diabetes mellitus, alcohol abuse, and liver inflammation are known to increase the risk of HCC. The present study evaluates serum ferritin levels in a cohort of patients with non-viral HCC (nvHCC). METHODOLOGY: Consecutive patients with nvHCC presenting to the Colombo North Liver transplant Service, Ragama, from January 2012 to July 2013 were investigated. All were negative for hepatitis B and C. At registration, 5 mL of serum was separated into plain tubes, stored at -80°C and analysed for ferritin using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Correlation between the serum ferritin and patient risk factors, liver status, and tumour characteristics were analysed. RESULTS: There were 93 patients with nvHCC (median age 65 [12-82] years; 82 [88.2%] males). The median ferritin level was 246.2 μg/L, and 38 (40.86%) patients had elevated ferritin. Non-diabetics (median 363.5 mg/L, p = 0.003) and alcohol abusers (median 261.2 mg/L, p = 0.018) had higher ferritin levels. On multiple-variable analysis, being non-diabetic (p = 0.013) and alcoholic (p = 0.046) was significantly associated with high serum ferritin. No association was found with body mass index, tumour stage, size, macrovascular invasion, number of nodules, alpha-fetoprotein, bilirubin, international normalized ratio, and survival. CONCLUSION: In patients with nvHCC, serum ferritin levels are higher in non-diabetics and alcoholics.
Background radiation levels near a mineral sand mining factory in Sri Lanka: Correlation of radiation measurements with micronuclei frequency
(Nuclear Technology Pub, 2020) Warnakulasuriya, T.; Williams, S.; Weerakkody, T.; Dabarera, M.; Rodrigo, K.; Waduge, V.A.; Ediriweera, D.; Siriwardena, N.; Wickremasinghe, R.
ABSTRACT:Lanka Mineral Sands Ltd (LMS) is a company operating in Pulmoddai, Sri Lanka, mining for rare earth minerals along with monazite which contains thorium that emits ionizing gamma and alpha radiation on decay. The objective of the study was to determine the background radiation levels and selected radionuclides and then to correlate these levels with the frequency of micronuclei (MN) among persons residing in the vicinity of LMS. A cross-sectional study was conducted among persons of both sexes between 35 and 45 years of age residing in the vicinity of LMS. Background radiation measurements were obtained by a survey metre, and gamma spectrometry was done on soil samples. Five millilitres of venous blood was drawn for cytokinesis-blocked MN assay. Background radiation levels measured by the survey metre; 232Th, 226Ra and 210Pb mass activities in soil were highest in the samples collected from the LMS. The background radiation measurements positively correlated with MN frequency although the magnitude of the correlation was small (r = 0.176, p = 0.04). This implies that chronic long-term exposure to low-dose radiation may result in genotoxicity. Prospective large-scale studies are recommended to evaluate the long-term effect of exposure to low-dose radiation at Pulmoddai.
Betel-quid use and its effects on symptoms of schizophrenia and extrapyramidal symptoms among a group of patients in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka.
(Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, 2020) Isuru, A.; Ediriweera, D.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Embuldeniya, A.; Narammalage, H.; Warnakulasuriya, S.; Kuruppuarachchi, K.A.L.A.; Hapangama, A.
BACKGROUND: There is limited research regarding the prevalence of betel quid use and its effects on symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. Available studies suggest an association between betel chewing and positive symptoms among males with schizophrenia. AIMS: This study aimed to compare the prevalence of betel quid chewing between patients with and without mental illness, and to explore the association between betel quid use, symptoms of schizophrenia and side effects of psychotropic medication. METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study was carried atoutpatient clinics at a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. A structured interview schedule was administered to all participants. RESULTS: Out of 1000 participants, 20.9% chewed betel quid (95%CI: 18.4% - 23.4%). The rate of betel chewing among patients with and without a mental illness was 20.7% (95% CI: 17.0% - 24.4%) and 21.0% (95% CI: 17.6% - 24.5%) respectively and there was no significant difference between the two groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the occurrence of positive or negative symptoms and extra pyramidal side effects in patients with schizophrenia who did and did not chew betel. Female gender (p=0.004) and betel quid chewing (0.002) were associated with more anticholinergic side effects. CONCLUSIONS: There was no association between betel quid usage and the occurrence of positive or negative symptoms of schizophrenia or extra pyramidal side effects. KEYWORDS: Schizophrenia, Betel quid, Positive symptoms, Negative symptoms, Extra pyramidal side effects
Clinical exome gene panel analysis of a cohort of urothelial bladder cancer patients from Sri Lanka
(Asian Pacific Organization for Cancer Prevention, 2023) Malalasekera, A.; Neththikumara, N.; Somasundaram, P.; Pathirana, S.; Ediriweera, C.; Ediriweera, D.; Goonewardena, S.A.; Perera, N.D.; Abeygunasekara, A.; Jayasekara, R.W.; Wettasinghe, K.; Lokuhetty, M.D.S.; Dissanayeke, V.H.W.
BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer has a high rate of recurrence and high mortality rates in those who progress to muscle invasive disease. Biomarkers and molecular sub classification of tumours beyond standard histopathology has been proposed to address therapeutic dilemmas. The Cancer Genome Atlas project and other studies have contributed to the enhanced knowledge base of the mutational landscape of urothelial bladder cancer. Once again, these are mostly from Caucasian and Chinese patients, with data from the rest of Asia and Sri Lanka being sparse. The objective of this study was to assess the genomic variations of a cohort of urothelial bladder cancer patients in Sri Lanka. METHODS: The molecular genetic study was conducted on formalin fixed paraffin embedded tumour samples of 24 patients, prospectively enrolled from 2013 to 2017. The samples were sequenced and variant distribution performed based on a 70-gene panel. RESULTS: Total number of filtered mutations in the 24 patients was 10453. Median mutations per patient were 450 (range 22-987). The predominant mutational change was C>T and G>A. The top 5 mutated genes in our cohort were SYNE1, SYNE2, KMT2C, LRP2, and ANK2. The genes were clustered into 3 groups dependent on the number of mutations per patient per gene. The genes of cluster 1 and 2 mapped to Chromatin modifying enzymes and Generic Transcription Pathway. The chromatin remodelling pathway accounted for the largest proportion (22%) of mutations. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical exome sequencing utilising a gene panel yielded a high mutation rate in our patients. The predominant mutational change was C>T and G>A. Three clusters of genes were identified. SYNE1 was the gene with the most mutations. The mutations comprised predominantly of genes of the chromatin remodelling pathway.
Comparison of liver MRI R2(FerriScan®) VS liver MRI T2* as a measure of body iron load in a cohort of Beta Thalassaemia major patients
(BioMed Central, 2020) Padeniya, P.; Siriwardana, S.; Ediriweera, D.; Samarasinghe, N.; Silva, S.; Silva, I.; Ahamed, N.; Niriella, M.A.; Premawardhena, A.
ABSTRACT: To compare the similarity of the non-patented T2* and the high cost patented R2 (Ferriscan®) MRI techniques in the measurement of liver iron concentration (LIC) in heavily transfused patients with thalassaemia major in a real- life Sri Lankan hospital setup. We compared LIC measured by MRI, obtained 2 weeks apart, using both T2* and R2 techniques in 15 patients with beta thalassaemia major. They all had a history of > 100 units of blood transfusions life long and also a history of sub optimal chelation. MRI R2 and MRI T2* scan values showed a negative correlation (co-rrelation coefficient = - 0.63, p = 0.01) This correlation was strong in lower LICs and progressively decreased with upper LIC values. Thus a significant discrepancy was observed between median values of two MRI technologies (p = 0.0005) with T2* tending to underestimate iron overload especially in those with very high LIC identified by R2. The lack of concordance of T2* and R2 especially in those with very high reading on R2 suggest the potential errors in interpretations that can occur in "non-expert centres"; which are likely to lead to errors in clinical judgement on the intensity of chelation therapy needed. KEYWORDS: FerriScan®; Iron overload; Liver iron concentration; MRI; T2* scan.
Comparison of Mucin Patterns in Colonic Pathologies by Histochemistry.
(College of Pathologists of Sri Lanka, 2019) Ratnayake, R.M.U.S.; Epitakaduwa, C.; Jayatunge, D.N.U.; Ediriweera, D.; Hewavisenthi, S.J.D.S.
INTRODUCTION: High Iron Diamine Alcian blue (HID-AB) is a well-established technique for demonstrating colonic acid mucins namely sulphomucins (brown- black) and sialomucins (blue). In certain colonic pathologies expression of sulphomucin, the predominant mucin in normal colonic epithelium is altered. OBJECTIVE: To compare the changes in the pattern of mucin staining in, adenocarcinoma (AC), normal colonic epithelium, solitary rectal ulcer (SRU), transitional zone mucosa (TZ) (i.e.: normal non dysplastic mucosa adjacent to adenocarcinoma) and in ulcerative colitis (UC). METHOD: AC-21, normal colonic epithelium-30, SRU-23, TZ-20, UC-29 biopsies were stained with the HID-AB stain. Two investigators assessed the percentages of mucin staining by counting the number of cells staining for sulphomucin and sialomucin in an area of colonic epithelium measuring 1mm in length. The differences in these 5 categories were assessed for statistical significance using the one-way ANOVA test and a Post Hoc Comparison of the mean values was carried out to establish which groups were different. RESULTS: ACs showed no sulphomucin or sialomucin staining while normal colonic epithelium showed nearly 100% sulphomucin staining. The percentage mean value for sulphomucin staining was AC-12.47%, normal colonic epithelium - 96.7%, SRU-35.7%, TZ-48.98%, and UC –75.43%. Hence the differences between these categories reached a level of statistical significance except between TZ and SRU. CONCLUSION: The patterns of mucin staining observed with HID/AB staining included relatively similar changes in mucin staining in the TZ and SRU, the loss acid mucin staining in AC and the relatively mild degree of sulphomucin loss in UC. Though there are significant differences in mucin staining between some of these colonic pathologies practical problems were encountered in using HID/AB as a diagnostic tool.
Connectivism for improved learning outcomes in higher education in the digital age – A scoping review
(Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya Sri Lanka, 2022) Senadheera, V.; Muthukumarana, C.; Rupasinghe, T.; Ediriweera, D.
In the current context, there is a substantial need to update instructional strategies used in higher education, to cater the learning needs of current learners, who are called as digital natives. Connectivism, which is a learning theory that intends to explain how learning occurs in the digital age, can be used to bridge the gap between instructional strategies and how learning occurs in digital natives. The objective of this scoping review was to examine how connectivism has been applied in higher education, describe the findings and to understand the impact of connectivism on the success of student learning in higher education. Nine databases were searched for eligible publications. SCOPUS, EBSCOhost, Emerald, JSTOR, Taylor and Francis, PubMed (MEDLINE), ERIC, ACM and IEEE Xplore were searched using the keyword ‘connectivism’. The search retrieved 1560 records of which 24 articles were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Included studies which were published 2009 through 2022, were from 18 countries and represented 12 study fields including; language learning, education, medicine, and engineering. In reported studies, either connectivism has been applied alone or it has been combined with another learning theory to design teaching/learning activities. These studies predominantly have used the online mode (54%), followed by blended learning mode (25%) and face to face mode (21%). Among these studies, 67% have been intended to deliver skills such as; writing, teaching and work-based learning, and 33% have been intended to deliver both theory and skills such as; biostatistics, chemistry and pedagogical practices, while no study has been designed to deliver a theory alone. To evaluate the outcomes of the teaching/learning activities, 75% of the studies used qualitative approaches, 12.5% used quantitative approaches and 12.5% used mixed methods. According to the findings, 17% of studies have reported that, connectivist learning environment has exhibited a significant positive impact on the academic performance of students through the promotion of higher order learning activities such as; synthesizing information, creating new knowledge and applying. More importantly, it has resulted in an enhancement of several attributes of learners which are required in the current job market. Accordingly, 17% of studies reported enhanced creative thinking, 21% self-management of learning and 50% enhanced interactions with peers as outcomes of using connectivism to design teaching and learning. Bringing connectivism to higher education is a method to incorporate formal education into the learning needs of the digital age and it has the potential to offer improved learning outcomes for higher education students. These improved outcomes are more pronounced when connectivism is used to deliver skills (deliver functioning knowledge/ put knowledge into action) compared to when it is used to deliver theory (declarative knowledge/content knowledge). Overall, it can be concluded that the successful integration of principles of connectivism in skill related teaching has a positive impact on students’ learning and promotes lifelong learning.
Demographics, pathological characteristics and survival in urothelial bladder cancer in a cohort of Sri Lankan patients.
(The Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2022) Malalasekera, A.P.; Ediriweera, D.; Goonewardena, S.A.S.; Perera, N.D.; Abeygunasekara, A.; Jayasekara, R.W.; Wettasinghe, K.; Dissanayake, V.H.W.; Lokuhetty, M.D.S.
INTRODUCTION: Bladder cancer has the 9th highest incidence among Sri Lankan males. This study describes the demographic profiles and survival in bladder cancer patients at two tertiary care centres in Sri Lanka. METHODS: A group of patients with urothelial bladder cancer, presenting for the first time for definitive treatment, were prospectively enrolled from 2013 to 2017. RESULTS: There were sixty-six patients, with median age of 65 years and male to female ratio of 7:1. Histopathologically pTa 24%, pT1 47% and pT2 29%. Of the pT1 tumours 61% were low grade (LG). The majority (71%) of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumour only. For the entire cohort the 5-year overall survival was 59% and cancer specific survival (CSS) was 65%. CSS in NMIBC was 75% and 30% in muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). The 5-year female CSS (22%) was significantly lower than in males (71%). CONCLUSION: Our cohort has a high male to female ratio. The percentage of MIBC was lower than reported in previous Sri Lankan studies. Of the pT1 tumours there is a higher percentage of pT1 LG patients in comparison to Western reports. There is low utilisation of intravesical mitomycin / bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) in the treatment of NMIBC. The 5-year CSS in the Sri Lankan (lower middle-income economy) cohort lies between the values of high-income economies and upper middle-income economies in Asia. The reasons for poor CSS among Sri Lankan women with bladder cancer needs to be further investigated.
Development of a model for a resource limited setting, to predict the presence of oesophageal varices among newly diagnosed patients with cirrhosis.
(Sri Lanka Medical Association., 2019) Perera, K.; Kodisinghe, S.K.; Ediriweera, D.; Moratuwagama, H.M.D.; Williams, S.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Niriella, M.A.; de Silva, H.J.
INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: In cirrhosis upper-gastrointestinal-endoscopy (UGIE) identifies oesophageal varices (OV). UGIE is unavailable in most resource-limited settings. Therefore, we assessed prediction of presence OV using hematological parameters (HP) and Child-Turcott-Pugh (CTP) class. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out on consecutive, consenting, newly-diagnosed patients with cirrhosis, in the University Medical Unit, Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Ragama, from April 20 I 4-April 2016. All patients had UGIE to evaluate presence and degree of OV, prior to appropriate therapy. HP (FBC with indices using automated analyzer and peripheral blood smear using Leishmann stain) and CTP class were assessed. Linear logistic regression model was developed to predict OV using HP and CTP class. RESULTS: 54-patients with cirrhosis were included [14(26%), 24(44%) and 16(30%) belonged to CTP class A, B and C respectively]. 37 had varices [CTP-A 4/14(26.6%), CTP-B 19/24(79.2%), CTP-C 14/16(87.5%)] on UGIE. Generalized linear model fitting showed decreasing percentage of small platelets (%SP) (P=0.002), CTP-B (P=0.003) and CTP-C (P=0.003) compared to CTP-A had higher probability of having OV. The model predicts the log odds for having OV = - 0.189 - (0.046*%SP) + 2.9 [if CTP-B] + 3.7 [if CTP-C]. Based on ROC analysis, a model value >-0.19 was selected as the cutoff point to predict OV with 89%-sensitivity, 76%-specificity, 89% positive predictive value and 76%-negative predictive value. CONCLUSION: We constructed a model using %SP on peripheral blood smear and CTP class. This model can be used to predict the presence of OV, in newly diagnosed patients with cirrhosis, with high sensitivity and specificity, avoiding the need for initial UGIE.
Envenoming Snakebite Risk Map for Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Ediriweera, D.; Kasturiratne, A.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Gunawardena, N.; Jayamanne, S.; Wijayawickrama, B.; Isbister, G.; Giorgi, A.D.E.; Diggle, P.; Lalloo, D.; de Silva, J.
Snakebite is a neglected tropical disease. Hospital based statistics often underestimate snakebite incidence because a significant proportion of victims seek traditional treatments. Since geospatial risk assessments of snakebite envenoming are rare, health care resources are distributed based on administrative boundaries rather than on a need analysis. The aim of the study was to develop a snakebite envenoming risk map for Sri Lanka. Epidemiological data was obtained from a community-based island-wide survey. The sample was distributed equally among the nine provinces. 165,665 participants living in 1118 Grama Niladhari divisions were surveyed. Model-based geostatistics was used to determine the geographical distribution of envenoming bite incidence. The Monte Carlo maximum likelihood method was used to obtain parameter estimates and plug-in spatial predictions of risk. A predictive model was developed with natural and social environmental variables to construct an estimated envenoming bite incidence map and a probability contour map (PCM) to demonstrate the spatial variation in the predictive probability that local incidence does or does not exceed national envenoming snakebite incidence (i.e. 151 per 100,000). Envenoming bite incidence had a positive association with elevation up to 195 meters above sea level, with incidence dropping at higher elevations. The incidence of envenoming was higher in the dry zone compared to intermediate and wet climatic zones and decreased with increasing population density. Developed risk maps showed substantial within-country spatial variation in envenoming bites. Conclusion: The risk maps provide useful information for healthcare decision makers to allocate resources to manage snakebite envenoming in Sri Lanka. We used replicable methods which can be adapted to other geographic regions after re-estimating spatial covariance parameters for each region of interest.
Evaluating Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Snakebite in Sri Lanka
(International Postgraduate Research Conference 2019, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2019) Ediriweera, D.; Diggle, P.; Kasturiratne, A.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Gunawardena, N.; Jayamanne, S.; Lalloo, D.; de Silva, J.
Snakebite data has shown spatial and temporal variations in many countries and regions. Yet, no study has evaluated spatiotemporal patterns of snakebites across a country in detail. We used data from the National Snakebite Survey (NSS), which sampled 0.8% of the national population (165665 people) living in 1118 clusters representing all the provinces. Explanatory variables of previously published spatial and temporal models for the NSS data were considered as candidate explanatory variables for our spatiotemporal models. Spatial prediction models for snakebite incidence was a geostatistical binomial logistic model and the temporal prediction model was a Poisson log-linear model, which predicted snakebite incidence at the national level. These spatial and temporal models could not explain locally varying temporal patterns in the country. Therefore, we constructed spatiotemporal models at the provincial levels. The NSS was conducted for 11 consecutive months, and different clusters were surveyed in each month. Therefore, the NSS can be considered as a set of 11 repeated cross-sectional surveys at different locations. NSS captured bite events that occurred in the survey month and in the 12 preceding months. Hence, each individual provided information regarding the number of bites experienced in each of 13 months. In the NSS data, the location of each sampled individual was fixed at the cluster centroid and the data contain the month of each recorded bite, if any, over a 13 month period covering the survey month and each of the preceding 12 months. We modelled the data from each cluster as an inhomogenous Poisson process with cluster-level explanatory variables and estimated the model parameters by maximising the pooled log-likelihood over all. The fitted cluster-level spatiotemporal models were aggregated so as to predict the province-level monthly bite incidence rates in Sri Lanka. Snakebite incidence showed complex spatiotemporal patterns in Sri Lanka. Models fitted for Southern, North Central, Uva and Sabaragamuwa provinces showed both spatial and temporal variation in snakebites. The geographical extent of the high-risk areas (i.e. hotspots) in these provinces dynamically changed over a period of a year. The remaining five models (i.e. Western, Central, North Western, Northern and Eastern) did not show any spatio-temporal interaction, in risk, i.e. the geographical extent of the hotspots persisted throughout the year. Southern, Sabaragamuwa and North Central provinces showed triannual seasonal trends. High snakebite incidences in Southern and Sabaragamuwa provinces were noticed in April followed by December and August to September. Peak incidences in North Central province were seen in November and another two smaller peaks were observed in April and July. Uva province showed a biannual trend with highest incidences in June followed by December. These findings can inform healthcare decision-making at local level, taking account of the seasonal variations in order to prevent and manage snakebites in Sri Lanka
Evaluating Temporal Patterns of Snakebite in Sri Lanka: The Potential for Higher Snakebite Burdens with Climate Change
(19th Conference on Postgraduate Research, International Postgraduate Research Conference 2018, Faculty of Graduate Studies,University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2018) Ediriweera, D.
Background: Snakebite is a neglected tropical disease that has been overlooked by healthcare decision makers in many countries. Previous studies have reported seasonal variation in hospital admission rates due to snakebites in endemic countries including Sri Lanka, but seasonal patterns have not been investigated in detail. Methods: A national community-based survey was conducted during the period of August 2012 to June 2013. The survey used a multistage cluster design, sampled 165 665 individuals living in 44 136 households and recorded all recalled snakebite events that had occurred during the preceding year. Log-linear models were fitted to describe the expected number of snakebites occurring in each month, taking into account seasonal trends and weather conditions, and addressing the effects of variation in survey effort during the study and of recall bias amongst survey respondents. Results: Snakebite events showed a clear seasonal variation. Typically, snakebite incidence is highest during November–December followed by March–May and August, but this can vary between years due to variations in relative humidity, which is also a risk factor. Low relative-humidity levels are associated with high snakebite incidence. If current climate-change projections are correct, this could lead to an increase in the annual snakebite burden of 31.3% (95% confidence interval: 10.7–55.7) during the next 25–50 years. Conclusions: Snakebite in Sri Lanka shows seasonal variation. Additionally, more snakebites can be expected during periods of lower-than-expected humidity. Global climate change is likely to increase the incidence of snakebite in Sri Lanka
Factor structure of medical students’ attitudes towards psychiatry: findings from a nationally representative sample from Sri Lanka
(Cambridge University Press, 2021) Baminiwatta, A.; Chandradasa, M.; Ediriweera, D.; Dias, S.
AIMS : The aim of this study was to examine the factor structure of attitudes towards psychiatry among medical students by using the ‘Attitude towards psychiatry-30’ (ATP-30) scale, which is one of the most widely used psychometric tools in assessing medical students’ attitudes regarding psychiatry. We also aimed to explore the possible existence of meaningful subscales in the ATP-30 scale. METHOD: Secondary data from a survey of 743 final-year medical students from nine medical schools in Sri Lanka were subjected to factor analysis. Models based on empirical evidence were tested with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) for model fit using Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Tucker Lewis Index (TLI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) and Chi square. To explore the underlying latent structure of the scale, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with oblique (i.e. Promax) rotation was employed. Horn's parallel analysis and goodness-of-fit statistics for a series of EFA models tested with different numbers of factors were used in determining the number of factors to retain. Items conceptually external to the emerging factors or with factor loadings less than 0.4 were discarded. Gender invariance of the final model was tested by configural, metric and scalar invariance. Internal consistency of subscales was assessed using McDonald's omega (ω). RESULT: Three models based on literature (one-, five-, and eight- factor) were disproved by CFA. EFA revealed a six-factor solution, encompassing 18 out of the 30 items, to be the most theoretically meaningful factor structure. This six-factor model was affirmed by a CFA (CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.92, RMSEA = 0.036). These factors were, namely, ‘the image of psychiatrists’, ‘psychiatric patients and mental illness’, ‘efficacy of treatment’, ‘psychiatric teaching’, ‘career choice’, and ‘psychiatry as an evidence-based discipline’. This six-factor solution was invariant across gender. ‘The image of psychiatrists’ appeared to be the most salient factor, and formed the most consistent subscale (ω = 0.71). The internal consistencies of the other subscales were modest (ω = 0.55–0.67). The overall 18-item scale showed good internal consistency (ω = 0.78). CONCLUSION: Our findings provide evidence of a multi-dimensional structure in medical students’ attitudes towards psychiatry, endorsing six meaningful subscales of the ATP-30. Future researchers and educators can utilize these subscales in identifying specific attitudinal domains which are more closely associated with students’ future choice of a career in psychiatry, and also in identifying specific areas where attitudes are more stigmatized, so that appropriate interventions can be incorporated into the undergraduate psychiatric curriculum.
Herbal treatments for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
(Elsevier Ltd, 2024) Rathnayake, D.W.; Sooriyaarachchi, P.; Niriella, M.A.; Ediriweera, D.; Perera, J.
BACKGROUND With the rising prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), there is a growing need to explore alternative therapeutic interventions. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the available evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for the use of herbal medications in NAFLD.METHODS A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases using appropriate keywords for studies published before the 6th of July 2023. RCTs involving humans, with confirmed NAFLD, the intervention group (IG) receiving herbal treatment, the control group (CG) given a placebo, participants aged ≥18 years, published in English, and a Jadad score ≥6 were included. Coffee and green tea as interventions were excluded. A meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of herbal supplementation on clinical and biochemical parameters in patients with NAFLD was performed. Analysis was done with the “meta” package in R programming language version 4.3.RESULTS In this analysis encompassing 48 articles, study durations varied from 6 weeks to 12 months, with sample sizes ranging between 36 and 226 patients. The study included a total of 3741 patients, (IG=2013, CG=1728). Predominant single herbal medicines identified were Phyllanthus niruri, Beta vulgaris, Allium sativum L., Silymarin (Silybum marianum), Portulaca oleracea L., Nigella sativa, and Cynara cardunculus L. Meanwhile, Cynara cardunculus and curcumin were the most common ingredients in polyherbal compounds. Meta-analysis outcomes revealed a higher reduction in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), liver stiffness, waist circumference (WC), weight, body mass index (BMI), triglycerides (TG), and fasting blood glucose (FBG) in the IG compared to the CG. Notably, the reductions in ALT and weight were more pronounced in single herb compounds compared to polyherbal compounds. No differences were observed between the two groups regarding HbA1c levels.CONCLUSION These findings highlight the potential benefits of herbal interventions with regard to improvements in anthropometry, metabolic profiles, and liver enzymes in study participants.
High prevalence of overweight/obesity in urban Sri Lanka: findings from the Colombo urban study.
(Hindawi Limited, 2019) Somasundaram, N.; Ranathunga, I.; Gunawardana, K.; Ahamed, M.; Ediriweera, D.; Antonypillai, C.N.; Kalupahana, N.
BACKGROUND:South Asian countries face a double burden of malnutrition characterized by high prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity. Understanding the distribution of this public health problem is important to tailor targeted interventions for communities. The objective of the current study was to find out the prevalence of obesity in urban Sri Lanka and to identify sociodemographic factors associated with it. METHODS:Adult males and females residing in an urban government division of the Colombo District in Sri Lanka were included in this study (Colombo Urban Study). Stratified simple random sampling was used to select a sample of 463 from the total population. Sociodemographic data using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, and serum samples were obtained for investigations. RESULTS: When the global BMI cutoffs were applied, the community prevalences of underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity were 7.7%, 39.6%, 37.0%, and 15.8%, respectively. When the Asian BMI cutoffs were applied, the respective prevalences were 7.7%, 26.8%, 34.3%, and 31.2%. The community prevalence for abdominal obesity was 58.1% when using Asian cutoffs. Females had a higher prevalence of both obesity and abdominal obesity. There was an ethnic difference in obesity rates with Moors having the highest rates (65.5%) followed by Sinhalese (52.3%) and Tamils (40.2%). The highest obesity prevalence was observed in the most educated group. Multiple regression analysis showed that high BMI was associated with female gender and family history of hypertension. Serum LDL negatively associated with BMI while the strength of this relationship was impacted by serum HBA1c levels. Finally, serum triglyceride level showed positive association with BMI, and the effect was more marked in Moors compared to Sinhalese. CONCLUSION:Two-thirds of adults in the studied urban population were overweight or obese. This highlights the urgent need for interventions to curb this epidemic. The gender, ethnic differences in obesity, its associations with educational status, and the interactions with metabolic comorbidities indicate that these interventions may need to be targeted towards different groups in the population.