Authors: Samuel Jun Hao Chau, Zheng Yi Ooi, Jun Yi Ng, Ji Chao Leong, Sasikala Devi Amirthalingam, Sivalingam Nalliah

ABSTRACT

Introduction
This systematic review aims to appraise clinical practice guidelines and consensus statements on the management of common benign vulvar disorders using the AGREE II checklist.

Methods
A systematic search for articles was conducted employing PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Science Direct from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2023. The quality of eighteen practice guidelines was independently assessed by four appraisers using the AGREE II checklist.

Results
Of the eighteen guidelines assessed, one was classified as “recommended”, sixteen were designated as “recommended with modifications” and one as “not recommended”.

Conclusion
All guidelines proposed similar management strategies for the selected vulvar disorders with only minor variations. Medical practitioners are encouraged to treat patients in accordance with evidence-based recommendations in these guidelines.

Keywords: vulvar disorders, practice guidelines, and consensus, quality appraisal

Citations: IeJSME 2025 Vol 19 (3): 18-30

Authors: Thin Thin Win, Saint Nway Aye, Sunil Pazhayanur Venkateswaran, Purushotham Krishnappa, Dhanashri Kshitij Panse, Arun Kumar Basavaraj

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Virtual microscopy (VM) has emerged as a valuable adjunct to light microscopy (LM) in medical education, enabling remote access to high-quality histopathological images. While many studies report improved satisfaction and comparable better learning outcomes with VM, effectiveness in student performance was not properly studied. This study evaluated students’ satisfaction and effectiveness of VM compared to LM in undergraduate pathology teaching of a Malaysia private institution.

Methods
A randomised cross-over trial was conducted among Year 1 and Year 2 medical students. Pre- and post tests consisting of 10 one-best-answer (OBA) questions, mapped to the histopathology slides used in pathology practical sessions, were used to analyse effectiveness of VM and LM. After crossover swapping the groups, students completed pre-validated 5-point Likert scale questionnaires to assess the satisfaction on both methods.

Results
A majority (≥65%) expressed satisfaction with both LM and VM; however, VM scored higher for ease of use, time efficiency, and image quality. Group (B) with VM followed by LM had higher mean pre-test scores (6.85 ± 1.80) than Group A with LM followed by VM (5.92 ± 2.29), suggesting possible baseline differences. Post-test scores improved significantly in both groups (p < 0.001). Although Group B’s post test mean was higher (9.13 ± 1.19) than Group A’s (8.61 ± 1.63), this may reflect initial group performance rather than VM superiority alone.

Conclusion
Although the reliability statistics of tests could not be analysed, this study concluded that VM is a reliable adjunct tool to replace traditional LM in teaching learning. However, differences in baseline performance between groups highlight the need for cautious interpretation when comparing modalities. Integration of VM into e-learning platforms may enhance blended pathology education.

Keywords: Virtual microscopy; Light microscopy; Histopathology; Undergraduate medical education; Student satisfaction; Learning outcomes.

Citations: IeJSME 2025 Vol 19 (3): 31-45

Authors: Muhammad Muqri Bin Barudinsah, Khalid Ahmad Ali AL Sunaidar

ABSTRACT

Background: Healthcare professionals, particularly pharmacists, play a crucial role in adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting and pharmacovigilance activities. Despite retail pharmacies being the most accessible point of care for the patients to report mild ADRs, ADR reporting by community pharmacists in Malaysia remains low. Hence, increasing reporting rate among community pharmacists is crucial to promote medication safety.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and barriers related to ADR reporting and pharmacovigilance among community pharmacists in Perak, Malaysia, and explore associations between their sociodemographic characteristics with their good knowledge, positive attitudes and high barriers level.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed through both physical and online survey, involving 179 community pharmacists in Perak. Data were collected using a 38-item self-administered online structured questionnaire. Statistical analyses were subsequently conducted.

Results: This study revealed that community pharmacists exhibited good knowledge (82.1%), positive attitudes (68.7%) and low barriers (86.1%) towards ADR reporting and pharmacovigilance. However, several significant barriers hindered their reporting efforts, including the time-consuming nature of the reporting process (37.4%) and doubts about the causality of ADRs (29.7%). Remarkably, gender and CPD programmes participation were associated with good knowledge. While female gender, younger age and recent pharmacovigilance course exposure were associated with positive attitudes, higher education level was inversely associated with positive attitudes.

Conclusion: Despite possessing good knowledge and positive attitudes, several barriers prevent community pharmacists in Perak from effectively reporting ADRs. Targeted interventions are necessary to address these barriers and improve ADR reporting rates among community pharmacists.

Keywords: ADR, adverse drug reactions, attitude, barriers, community pharmacists, knowledge, pharmacovigilance.

Citations: IeJSME 2025 Vol 19 (3): 46-63

Authors: Ket Li Ho, Teguh Haryo Sasongko, Sook Han Ng, Pei Kuan Lai, Lay Cheng Lim & Sook Yee Gan

ABSTRACT

Many tools exist for conducting meta-analyses in systematic reviews, but they are often expensive or difficult for beginners to use. This challenge arises because most tools either fail to address all aspects of meta-analysis comprehensively or lack sufficient guidance for navigating their features. To address these limitations, we developed Meta-IMU, a free R-based Shiny application tailored specifically for beginners. Unlike many existing tools that focus solely on standard systematic reviews, Meta-IMU supports both systematic reviews and umbrella reviews, offering a more versatile approach. To ensure accessibility, Meta-IMU includes built-in instructional videos that guide users step by step, from navigating the application to interpreting the results produced. This guidance ensures users can confidently perform analyses without prior expertise. Meta-IMU encompasses a comprehensive range of features covering key aspects of meta-analysis, such as defining review questions, developing search terms, retrieving studies from various databases, assessing risk of bias, creating tables and plots, analysing small-study effects, performing meta-regression and subgroup analyses, conducting sensitivity analyses, assessing the certainty of evidence, summarizing findings, and generating PRISMA checklist reports. By integrating these functionalities into a single platform, Meta-IMU provides a user-friendly, all-in-one solution. In summary, Meta-IMU is a comprehensive, free application designed to simplify the process of meta-analysis for both systematic reviews and umbrella reviews, making advanced analytical techniques accessible to researchers at any level of experience.

Keywords: Systematic review, umbrella review, metaanalysis, R, Shiny

Citations: IeJSME 2025 Vol 19 (3): 64-83