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PubMed2001

Occupational skin diseases in national servicemen and military personnel in Singapore, 1989-1999.

This is a study of occupational skin disease among military personnel and conscripts in Singapore. All military personnel and conscripts diagnosed with occupational dermatoses in the National Skin Centre, Singapore, between 1989-1999 were studied retrospectively. Conscripts and regulars comprised 7.3% of all occupational skin disease patients seen. All were male, with a mean age of 23 years. Irritant contact dermatitis was more common than allergic contact dermatitis, by 4.4:1. The most common vocations associated with occupational skin diseases are those involving vehicle repairs and maintenance (48%) and food handling (19%). The most common irritants were oil/grease (66%), wet work (23%) and solvents (18%). The most common allergens were food (40%) and chromates (20%). Military personnel and conscripts make up a significant proportion of occupational skin disease patients seen in Singapore.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

The epidemiology of ocular trauma in Singapore: perspective from the emergency service of a large tertiary hospital.

PURPOSE: To describe the epidemiology of ocular trauma from the perspective of the emergency service of a large tertiary hospital in Singapore. METHODS: A prospective survey was conducted over a 3 month period (August to October 1997) on all patients seen at the ophthalmic unit at the Singapore General Hospital's emergency service. Data on clinical presentation, type and cause of injury and use of eye protective devices (EPD) were collected via a standardised interview and examination. RESULTS: A total of 870 persons presented with a diagnosis of ocular trauma, out of the 1,631 patients seen during the study period. Compared with non-trauma cases, trauma cases were more likely to be male (odds ratio (OR): 4.2, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 3.2, 5.4), non-residents (OR: 6.2, 95% CI: 3.7, 10.5), younger than 40 years of age (OR: 3.2, 95% CI: 2.7, 4.1) and less likely to require follow-up or hospital admission (OR: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.2, 0.3). The three most common types of injuries were superficial foreign body (58.2%), corneal abrasion (24.9%) and blunt trauma (12.6%), while open globe injury occurred in only 17 cases (2%). Comparison with a 10% random sample of all cases seen in the previous 9 months (n = 284) revealed no significant time variation in the types of injuries (p = 0.63). Work-related injuries accounted for 590 (71.4%) cases, where grinding, cutting metal and drilling were the specific activities in more than 90% of the cases. In appropriate settings, only 21.7% of patients with work-related injuries used EPD; 43.7% were provided with EPD, but did not use them at the time of injury; and the remaining 34.6% reported that EPD were not provided. CONCLUSIONS: Ocular trauma at the emergency service level in Singapore involved mainly young non-resident men, were work-related and associated with well-defined activities, and were generally minor. The low prevalence of EPD use reinforces the need for a review of the design and implementation of occupational eye safety programmes, especially among non-resident workers.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1985

The care of paraplegics and tetraplegics in Singapore.

A brief description of the evolution of the spinal injury unit in Singapore is given. Based on statistics gathered between 1973 and 1983 on all of the 713 traumatic cases treated at this unit, the causes, pattern and effect of spinal cord injury in Singapore are analysed, and highlights on the other supporting services available in Singapore for paraplegics and tetraplegics, from long term institutional care and hostel accommodation to vocational assessment, training and placement are given.

Home Nursing↗
PubMed2000

The paradox of low body mass index and high body fat percentage among Chinese, Malays and Indians in Singapore.

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between body fat percentage and body mass index (BMI) in three different ethnic groups in Singapore (Chinese, Malays and Indians) in order to evaluate the validity of the BMI cut-off points for obesity. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Two-hundred and ninety-one subjects, purposively selected to ensure adequate representation of range of age and BMI of the general adult population, with almost equal numbers from each ethnic and gender group. MEASUREMENTS: Body weight, body height, sitting height, wrist and femoral widths, skinfold thicknesses, total body water by deuterium oxide dilution, densitometry with Bodpod(R) and bone mineral content with Hologic(R) QDR-4500. Body fat percentage was calculated using a four-compartment model. RESULTS: Compared with body fat percentage (BF%) obtained using the reference method, BF% for the Singaporean Chinese, Malays and Indians were under-predicted by BMI, sex and age when an equation developed in a Caucasian population was used. The mean prediction error ranged from 2.7% to 5.6% body fat. The BMI/BF% relationship was also different among the three Singaporean groups, with Indians having the highest BF% and Chinese the lowest for the same BMI. These differences could be ascribed to differences in body build. It was also found that for the same amount of body fat as Caucasians who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 (cut-off for obesity as defined by WHO), the BMI cut-off points for obesity would have to be about 27 kg/m2 for Chinese and Malays and 26 kg/m2 for Indians. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the relationship between BF% and BMI is different between Singaporeans and Caucasians and also among the three ethnic groups in Singapore. If obesity is regarded as an excess of body fat and not as an excess of weight (increased BMI), the cut-off points for obesity in Singapore based on the BMI would need to be lowered. This would have immense public health implications in terms of policy related to obesity prevention and management.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed2001

Relationships between indices of obesity and its co-morbidities in multi-ethnic Singapore.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of body mass index (BMI) and body fat distribution as measured by waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) on the cardiovascular risk factor profile of the three major ethnic groups in Singapore (Chinese, Malay and Indian people) and to determine if WHO recommended cut-off values for BMI and WHR are appropriate for the different sub-populations in Singapore. DESIGN: Cross-sectional population study. SUBJECTS: A total of 4723 adult subjects (64% Chinese individuals, 21% Malay individuals and 15% Indian individuals) were selected through a multi-staged sampling technique to take part in the National Health Survey in 1998. MEASUREMENTS: Data on socio-economic status (education level, occupation, housing type) and lifestyle habits (smoking and physical activity), body weight, body height, waist and hip circumferences and blood pressure measured using standardised protocols. Fasting venous blood samples were obtained for determination of serum total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), triglycerides (TG). Venous blood samples were taken for 2 h oral glucose tolerance test (2 h glu). RESULTS: Absolute and relative risks for at least one cardiovascular risk factor (elevated TC, elevated TC/HDL ratio, elevated TG, hypertension and diabetes mellitus) were determined for various categories of BMI and WHR. At low categories of BMI (BMI between 22 and 24 kg/m(2)) and WHR (WHR between 0.80 and 0.85 for women, and between 0.90 and 0.95 for men), the absolute risks are high, ranging from 41 to 81%. At these same categories the relative risks are significantly higher compared to the reference category, ranging from odds ratio of 1.97 to 4.38. These categories of BMI and WHR are all below the cut-off values of BMI and WHR recommended by WHO. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that, at relatively low BMI and WHR, Singaporean adults experience elevated levels of risks (absolute and relative) for cardiovascular risk factors. These findings, in addition to earlier reported high percentage body fat among Singaporeans at low levels of BMI, confirm the need to revise the WHO cut-off values for the various indices of obesity and fat distribution, viz BMI and WHR, in Singapore.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Characterization and source identification of airborne trace metals in Singapore.

Airborne particulate trace metals have important health implications. As a consequence, their concentrations are increasingly monitored in many urban locations worldwide. In this study, fine atmospheric particles (PM(2.5)) were collected in Singapore over a period of 83 consecutive days during 2000, and analysed to determine the concentration of trace elements using ICP-MS. Altogether, eighteen airborne trace metals were quantified: Al, Ag, Ba, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Ga, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn, V, Si, and Ti. While Li was the least abundant trace metal with a mean concentration of 0.2 ng m(-3), Zn showed the maximum mean concentration of 279.1 ng m(-3). Calculation of enrichment factors indicated that the elements Pb, Zn, Cd, V, Ni, Cr, and Cu were enriched by factors of 30 to 5000 relative to their natural abundance in crustal soil. The extent of metal pollution in the study area was assessed by comparing the measured concentrations to those reported in the literature for a selected number of urban sites in other parts of the world. Factor analysis was used to identify the major sources affecting particulate air pollution in Singapore. The sources that contribute to the loading of trace metal-bearing aerosols in the Singapore urban atmosphere include fuel oil-fired power plants, metal processing industry, land reclamation and construction activities, municipal solid waste incinerators, and traffic emissions.

Acids↗
PubMed2001

Population pharmacokinetics of carbamazepine in Singapore epileptic patients.

AIMS: To document the population pharmacokinetics of carbamazepine in patients with epilepsy living in Singapore, the majority of whom are of Chinese origin and others of minority races. METHODS: Steady-state plasma carbamazepine concentration data were gathered during routine care from various hospitals in Singapore for patients with epilepsy. Age, body weight, gender, race, formulation and concurrent medication (for other illnesses) were the fixed effects (covariates) tested simultaneously for their influence on the population mean of carbamazepine clearance, using the nonlinear mixed-effects model, in the NONMEM program. RESULTS: No age, gender, race, or formulation-related effect was found. Body weight (W), age (A) and concurrent medication with phenobarbitone (PB) emerged as the determinants of carbamazepine clearance (CL). The final regression model for carbamazepine clearance found best to describe the data was CL = 40.7 x A(0.494) x W(-1.17) x 1.44PB where CL is in l day(-1) kg(-1), A is in years, W is in kg and PB = 0 for a patient on carbamazepine only and PB = 1 for a patient on concomitant PB. The corresponding interindividual variability (CV%) in CL, described by using an exponential model, was 21.4%, and the residual error, described by using an exponential error model, was 18.2%. Predictive performance of this population covariate model was evaluated by Bayesian forecasting in a similar, but independent cohort of patients. There was no statistically significant bias between predicted and measured plasma carbamazepine concentrations. The population mean value of carbamazepine clearance obtained was similar to that previously reported for patients with a very different ethnic (Caucasians and Blacks) or geographical background (South Africa, Europe and USA). CONCLUSIONS: The derived covariate regression model reasonably predicted concentrations in the separate validation Singapore patient data set. The correlation between carbamazepine clearance and patient-specific characteristics may thus allow dosage adjustment to be made to achieve target steady-state plasma concentrations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

The prevalence and descriptive epidemiology of atopic dermatitis in Singapore school children.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis is a common disease that appears to be increasing in frequency during recent decades. Most of the studies are based on the Western population, and there are few data in the Asian population. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and descriptive epidemiology of atopic dermatitis among school children in the general community in Singapore. METHODS: This is a questionnaire study of 12 323 students done over a 1-year period, comprising 7 year olds (4605), 12 year olds (3940) and 16 year olds (3778) from 19 primary and 17 secondary schools randomly selected in Singapore. All children had a complete cutaneous examination. The diagnosis of atopic dermatitis was based on the U.K. Working Party diagnostic criteria. The questionnaire was translated into Chinese and both the English and Chinese versions were issued simultaneously to the students. RESULTS: The 1-year period prevalence of atopic dermatitis was 20.8%. Atopic dermatitis was present in 22.7% of 7 year olds, 17.9% of 12 year olds and 21.5% of 16 year olds. The overall sex ratio was equal. There were slightly more boys with atopic dermatitis among the younger children (6 and 12 year olds, 1.18 : 1 and 1.19 : 1, respectively) but more girls were affected (1.57 : 1) among the 16 year olds. Atopic dermatitis was more common among the Chinese (21.6%) and Malays (19.8%) compared with the Indians (16%) and other races (14%). The onset of the disease occurred before the age of 10 years in 49.5% of the 16 year olds. "Pure" atopic dermatitis without concomitant respiratory allergies was noted in 788 respondents (30.7%); 1775 (69.3%) suffered from a "mixed" type, with 34.3% having allergic rhinitis, 9.5% having asthma and 25.5% having both asthma and allergic rhinitis. More boys had atopic dermatitis and concomitant respiratory allergies whereas more girls were affected with "pure" atopic dermatitis alone (1.4 : 1). At least one first-degree family member with atopy was noted in 1435 children (56%): atopic dermatitis (70%), asthma (62%) and allergic rhinitis (68%). Among siblings with one parent with atopic dermatitis, 37% had either a father or a mother with atopic dermatitis. Common aggravating factors reported included exercise, heat and sweating, grass intolerance, thick clothing and stress. Pityriasis alba was noted in 25% of the study population, keratosis pilaris in 13% and ichthyosis vulgaris in 8%. Most respondents had mild to moderate atopic dermatitis that could be controlled with a fairly simple regimen of moisturizers, topical steroids, antihistamines and antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Singapore is similar to that observed in developed countries, suggesting that environmental factors may be important in determining the expression of the disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma of the skin: analysis of the Singapore Cancer Registry data 1968-97.

BACKGROUND: There has been an alarming recent increase in skin cancer incidence among fair-skinned populations. Information from Asian populations is less readily available. OBJECTIVES: This study examines time trends and ethnic differences of skin cancers among Asians in Singapore. METHODS: Data from 1968 to 1997 was obtained from the Singapore Cancer Registry, a population-based registry. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs) and age-adjusted average annual percentage change, using the Poisson regression model, were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 2650 basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), 1407 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 281 melanomas were reported. There was an overall increase of skin cancer from 6.0 per 100000 person years (1968-72) to 8.9 per 100000 person years (1993-97). BCC incidence increased 3% annually, melanoma remained constant, and SCC decreased 0.9% annually. BCC ASRs were highest among Chinese, then Malays and Indians. A similar pattern was noted for SCC and melanomas. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rates of skin cancer increased in Singapore during the period 1968-97. Fairer-skinned Chinese had a higher incidence of skin cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Pharmacist-operated drug information centres in Singapore.

OBJECTIVE: Relatively little is known about the organized drug information centres (DICs) in Asia. Here we evaluate the four pharmacist-operated DICs in Singapore and compare them with published information on DICs located in Australia, the U.K. and the U.S., and with established guidelines for quality assurance of DICs. METHODS: A prospective survey was conducted in 1996 in which two sets of questionnaires were developed and distributed to the DIC pharmacists to elicit information on the DIC as well as the DIC pharmacists. In addition, the enquiry records received by the DICs over the period 1 April to 31 July 1996 were collated for evaluation. RESULTS: All the pharmacist-operated DICs in Singapore were well equipped with facilities for information retrieval, storage and dissemination, and they had adequate literature resources comparable with DICs in Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. They also complied with many of the DIC guidelines compiled by The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia, except for the institution of formal quality assurance programmes, which was lacking in all centres. The professional activities of the local DIC pharmacists were also similar to their counterparts in Australia, the U.K. and U.S., but the job scope could be expanded to include other activities that are gaining impetus among other DIC pharmacists. Postgraduate professional training of pharmacists was inadequate compared with the specialist training received by DIC pharmacists in the U.S. A total of 2517 enquiries were collated for evaluation. Physicians were the major class (47-57%) of enquirers in the local hospitals. The classes of questions received by the DICs were not different from those received by DICs elsewhere, although the DICs in the hospitals received a preponderance of questions on dose (20-25%) and product availability (13-16%). More than 60% of enquiries received by the DICs in the hospitals were answered within 5 min, while about 80% of the enquiries required reference to not more than one literature resource. CONCLUSIONS: The pharmacist-operated DICs in Singapore have comparable standards to established DICs in Australia, the U.K. and U.S., while the workload and activities of the local DIC pharmacists are similar to their counterparts in these countries. It is recommended that the DICs institute formal quality assurance programmes and expand the training and job scope of the DIC pharmacists.

Australia↗
PubMed2004

Seroepidemiology of dengue in the adult population of Singapore.

Urbanization is one of the reasons for the resurgence of dengue in tropical and subtropical countries. We conducted a cross-sectional seroepidemiological study in Singapore to determine the extent at which the Singapore population has been exposed to dengue infections. Dengue antibodies were measures with PanBio Dengue. Of 298 enrolled subjects (age 18-45), 133 (45%) had a positive dengue serology. In multivariate analysis, age and nationality (Singaporean vs non-Singaporean Asians) were found to be significant independent predictors. The odds ratio of dengue seroprevalence increased by 4.13 (95% CI: 2.88-5.93) for every 10 year increase in age. Dengue infections remain a major problem in Singapore.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Breast reconstruction after mastectomy: a survey of general surgeons in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the leading malignancy among women in Singapore. In the West as many as 30% of eligible patients undergo some form of reconstruction, but in Singapore breast reconstruction is not often performed. METHODS: A postal survey of general surgeons in Singapore (response rate of 46%) was conducted to ascertain the factors influencing their decision to refer for reconstruction and the possible concerns they had about reconstruction. RESULTS: Age, anticipated psychosocial morbidity and the need for adjuvant therapy were the most important factors identified. The survey also found that almost 30% of respondents were unsure of whether reconstruction would mask recurrence. Despite this, almost 80% of respondents felt that reconstruction was worth the effort, but 55% (compared to less than 20% in the West) felt that patients did not want reconstruction despite being advised of its availability. CONCLUSION: Lack of information and the perception that patients would not want reconstruction may be important reasons for the low emphasis placed on the role of breast reconstruction in post-mastectomy patients.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2002

Toxic marine dinoflagellates in Singapore waters that cause seafood poisonings.

1. The present paper reviews the toxic dinoflagellates found in Singapore waters that produce toxins that can accumulate through marine food chains to cause seafood poisonings. 2. Singapore waters contain dinoflagellate species linked to three types of seafood poisoning: paralytic shellfish poisoning, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) and ciguatera. 3. Paralytic shellfish poisoning and DSP occur by eating bivalve shellfish contaminated with saxitoxins and okadaic acid analogues, respectively. Shellfish accumulate these toxins from filter feeding on a number of species of (mostly) planktonic dinoflagellates. 4. In contrast, benthic species of dinoflagellates of the genus Gambierdiscus produce the ciguatoxins that are bioaccumulated into finfish to cause ciguatera. 5. Paralytic shellfish poisoning and DSP are the major concern for local and regionally produced seafood. To the best of our knowledge, ciguatera poisoning in Singapore only originates from imported reef fish.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Racial differences in the prevalence of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rates of inflammatory bowel disease in the different races in Singapore. METHODS: The patients studied consisted of 58 people with an established diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) as determined by a combination of clinical, radiological, endoscopic and histological criteria. The patients were residents of a well-defined geographical area in the northern part of Singapore and had been referred to the single regional hospital. Epidemiological data including sex, age, ethnicity, family history and disease type and extent were collected from case records and patient interviews. RESULTS: There were 37 UC and 21 CD patients. Of the patients with UC, 67.5% were Chinese, 13.5% were Malay and 19% were Indian. The CD group consisted of 81% Chinese, 9.5% Malay and 9.5% Indian patients. The study population from which the patients were drawn was approximately 0.5 million in size. CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence of UC was 6 per 100,000 and of CD was 3.6 per 100,000 in Singapore. There were disproportionately more Indians suffering from UC, with a prevalence of 16.2 per 100,000 in comparison with six per 100,000 for Chinese and seven per 100 000 for Malays. The relative risk of UC in Indians is 2.9-fold greater than for the Chinese (CI= 1.25-6.7) which was statistically significant. This trend was not seen for CD.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Clinical profile of primary sclerosing cholangitis in Singapore.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare chronic disease in Singapore and its epidemiological profile has not been described previously. The present study aimed to define the demographic and clinical profile of patients with PSC in Singapore. METHODS: The case records of patients with PSC seen at Changi General Hospital were analyzed in terms of demographic profile, clinical presentation, clinical course, treatment and complications. RESULTS: Ten cases of PSC were diagnosed over a 10-year period. The male:female ratio was 9:1. The median age of diagnosis was 49.5 years (mean: 50.9 years; range: 35-63 years). With regards to clinical presentation, seven patients had hepatobiliary sepsis, two patients had asymptomatic liver biochemistry abnormalities while one patient had cholestatic jaundice. Prevalence rate of perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (pANCA) was 20%. Symptomatic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) was diagnosed in 20% of PSC cases. Eight patients (80%) had intrahepatic ductal involvement while two patients (20%) had combined intrahepatic and extrahepatic ductal involvement on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The prevalence rate of recurrent cholangitis was 30% while that of recurrent liver abscess, cirrhosis and common bile duct stricture were all 10%. The mean duration of follow up was 6.6 years with one death from liver failure. CONCLUSION: The clinical profile of patients with PSC in Singapore appears to differ with other published data, with a greater number presenting with hepatobiliary sepsis and less frequent association with IBD and pANCA. It is hypothesized that this may be related to differences in environmental triggers and genetic susceptibility.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Impact to lung health of haze from forest fires: the Singapore experience.

OBJECTIVE: From late July to the beginning of October 1997, countries of Southeast Asia experienced severe smoke haze pollution from uncontrolled forest fires mainly in the Indonesian states of Kalimantan and Sumatra. In Singapore, the impact of the 1997 haze was felt in the period from the end of August to the first week of November 1997 as a result of prevailing winds. METHODOLOGY: The Ministry of the Environment monitors ambient air quality by a country-wide telemetric air quality monitoring and management network, with 15 stations located throughout the island, linked via a public telephone network to a central control station at the Environment Building. The monitoring methods used are the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) reference methods. The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) developed by the USEPA is used for the reporting of daily air pollution concentrations. Intervals on the PSI scale are related to the potential health effects of the daily measured concentrations of the five major air pollutants: sulfur dioxide, particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide, ozone and carbon monoxide. Public sector health facilities which come under the Ministry of Health, have computerized patient care systems which enable the routine ongoing surveillance of disease conditions for the period of the haze. Attention during the period of the haze was focused on conditions related to health effects of the haze. Data sources for the monitoring of the lung health effects of the haze included morbidity from public sector outpatient care facilities, accidents and emergency departments, public sector inpatient care facilities and national mortality data. RESULTS: Findings from the health impact of the haze showed that there was a 30% increase in outpatient attendance for haze-related conditions. An increase in PM10 levels from 50 microg/m3 to 150 microg/m3 was significantly associated with increases of 12% of upper respiratory tract illness, 19% asthma and 26% rhinitis. Supplementary findings from scanning the electron microscopic sizing of the haze particles showed that 94% of the particles in the haze were below 2.5 microm in diameter. This was consistent with emissions from combustion sources originating over 500 km from Singapore. This has been of some concern because particles smaller than 2.5 microm in diameter can easily bypass normal body defence metabolism and penetrate deeply into the alveoli of the lungs. During the same period, there was also an increase in accident and emergency attendance for haze-related conditions. There was no significant increase in hospital admissions or in mortality. CONCLUSION: The present study found that the health effects from the 1997 smoke haze in Singapore were generally mild.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2004

Prevalence of refractive errors in teenage high school students in Singapore.

We aimed to study the prevalence of refractive conditions in Singapore teenagers. Grade 9 and 10 students (n = 946) aged 15-19 years from two secondary schools in Singapore were recruited. The refractive errors of the students' eyes were measured using non-cycloplegic autorefraction. Sociodemographic data and information on risk factors for myopia (such as reading and writing) were also obtained using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The prevalence of refractive conditions was found to be: myopia [spherical equivalent (SE) at least -0.50 D] - 73.9%, hyperopia (SE at least +0.50 D) - 1.5%, astigmatism (cylinder at least -0.50 D) - 58.7% and anisometropia (SE difference at least 1.00 D) - 11.2%. After adjusting for age and gender, currently doing more than 20.5 h of reading and writing a week was found to be positively associated with myopia [odds ratio 1.12 (95% CI 1.04-1.20, p = 0.003)], as was reading and writing at a close distance and a better educational stream. The prevalence of myopia (73.9%) in Singapore teenagers is high. Current reading and writing habits, reading at close distances and a better educational stream are possible risk factors for myopia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals in typical seafoods consumed in Singapore.

In this study, the levels of several heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were measured in the edible portions of 20 different seafood types consumed in Singapore (2 < n < 12). The mean heavy metal concentrations among the seafood types ranged from below detection limits (BLD) to 14.2 microg/g wet weight (ww) for As (shark), to 0.50 microg/g ww for Cd (kunning), to 25.5 microg/g ww for Cu (gray prawn), to 0.58 microg/g ww for Hg (eel), and to 1.21 microg/g ww for Pb (salmon). Chlordane, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and p, p'-DDT [2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane] and its related metabolites (sum noted as DDTs) were the main POPs found among the seafood types, with highest concentrations in salmon fillets and green mussels. Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations in salmon fillets (2.75 ng/g ww) were one order of magnitude lower than the highest concentration of PCBs (28.5 ng/g ww). The mean daily intake of contaminants from seafood was calculated for the general population of Singapore. Daily intakes of heavy metals and POPs from seafood are below the oral reference dose set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), except for As, although our study did not characterize the species of As present. Daily intake of As, DDTs, heptachlor, and PCBs in seafood exceeded the conservative cancer benchmark concentrations set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), suggesting that a significant number of people are potentially at risk in Singapore over a lifetime from seafood consumption.

Animals↗