Characteristics of Children with Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Brunei Darussalam.

Objective: This study aims to characterize the presentation, biochemical status of children with T1DM at diagnosis, the type of subcutaneous insulin regimens initiated, and to determine the incidence of T1DM in Bruneian children aged 18 years and younger. Methodology: A retrospective electronic and paper medical chart review was performed on patients aged 18 years and younger diagnosed with T1DM from 2013 to 2018 in Brunei Darussalam. Results: A total of 31 children with a mean age of 10.2 ± 3.6 years old were diagnosed with T1DM, of which 66.7% presented with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a majority in severe DKA with an intercurrent illness (p = 0.021). The mean HbA1c was 13.6 ± 2.7% with a mean serum glucose of 37.0 ± 14.9 mmol/L at diagnosis. In the majority of the children (67.7%), multiple daily injections of subcutaneous insulin were initiated. The incidence of T1DM in children aged 18 years and younger was 4.9 per 100,000 for the year 2018. Conclusions: The majority of the patients in this study presented with severe DKA with an intercurrent illness. This highlights the importance of childhood T1DM awareness among the public and healthcare providers. The incidence of childhood T1DM in Brunei Darussalam is similar to other countries in the Asian region, being relatively low, compared to the rest of the world.

Development and Exploration of the Effectiveness and Feasibility of a Digital Intervention for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DEsireD): Protocol for a Clinical Nonrandomized Pilot Trial in Brunei Darussalam.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing worldwide. Digital interventions that incorporate the use of mobile phones and wearables have been getting popular. A combination of a digital intervention with support from professional management can enhance users' self-efficacy better than a digital intervention alone and provide better accessibility to a lifestyle intervention. However, there are limited studies exploring the feasibility and efficacy of applying a digital intervention in Muslim-majority countries, and none have been conducted in Brunei Darussalam. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to determine the effectiveness and feasibility of a proposed 16-week digital intervention program for T2DM self-management and to guide the rollout of a mobile app as part of a population health solution for adults with T2DM in Brunei. The primary outcome of this study is to measure the proportion of participants with a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) reduction of at least 0.6% from baseline, and the secondary outcomes include a change in HbA1c, BMI, lipid profile, and EQ-5D-5L score. METHODS: This single-arm nonrandomized pilot study will recruit participants using web-based (with the national health care app [BruHealth] and official social media platforms being used for outreach) and offline (in-person recruitment at health centers) approaches. A target of 180 individuals with T2DM aged between 20 and 70 years that meet the inclusion criteria will be enrolled in a 16-week digital intervention program. Baseline and postintervention markers will be evaluated. RESULTS: The study received approval from the Medical and Health Research & Ethics Committee of the Brunei Darussalam Ministry of Health (MHREC/MOH/2022/4(1)). The recruitment process is ongoing, and we anticipate that the study will conclude by April 2023. This will be followed by data analysis and the reporting of outcomes with the intention to publish. The results of this study will be disseminated through scientific publications and conferences. This study will serve as a guide to launch T2DM digital therapeutic programs and extend to other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) if proven as an effective and feasible approach in Brunei. CONCLUSIONS: The Development and Exploration of the Effectiveness and Feasibility of a Digital Intervention for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DEsireD) study will be the first study to investigate the clinical effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed 16-week T2DM digital intervention program tailored for Brunei, a Muslim-majority country. The findings of this study can potentially scale up the proposed model of care to other NCDs as a national approach for health management solutions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05364476; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05364476. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/43208.

Shewanella putrefaciens, a rare cause of splenic abscess.

Splenic abscess is uncommon and is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Gram-negative bacilli are the most commonly isolated organisms, followed by Gram-positive cocci. However, the predominant organisms found depend on the geographic location. Shewanella putrefaciens is a Gram-negative non-fermentative oxidative bacillus found in the environment. Infection usually manifests with a number of clinical syndromes, most commonly as skin or soft tissue infections, typically in patients whose immune system is compromised. Intra-abdominal abscess is extremely rare. We report a case of a 22-year-old female who presented with S. putrefaciens splenic abscesses as the first manifestation of diabetes mellitus, which was successfully managed with a course of antibiotic therapy.