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BACKGROUND: Meningioma is the most common type of primary central nervous system tumor. The development of meningioma is often influenced by the neurofibromin-2 (NF2) gene. Studies have demonstrated that the genetic profile of meningioma is linked to their location. However, it is currently unclear whether there is an association between NF2 expression and meningioma location in the Indonesian population. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional analysis included 153 histologically confirmed meningioma patients admitted to Dr. Sardjito General Hospital in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The study utilized immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining to determine the NF2/Merlin expression. Meningioma locations were established using brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT) scans before surgery. The data on other variables were collected from medical records. RESULTS: Of all the patients, 118 (77.1%) tested positive for NF2/Merlin expression. The subjects in the study comprised 126 (82.4%) World Health Organization (WHO) grade I tumors and 27 (17.6%) WHO grade II and III tumors. The research showed that 85 (55.6%) of the tumors were located in the spheno-orbital region. The study found a significant association between NF2 positive expression and meningioma location in the spheno-orbital region [odds ratio (OR) 2.51, P=0.02]. Therefore, the patients who tested positive for NF2 had higher chances of visual impairment (P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed positive NF2 expression is associated with meningioma location in spheno-orbital and patients' visual symptoms.

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BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma and brain metastasis are two types of brain tumors that have a significant impact on the global healthcare system, with high rates of morbidity and mortality. These tumors can be challenging to differentiate from each other, as they often present with similar symptoms and features on medical imaging. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) could help distinguish between glioblastoma and brain metastasis. METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional analysis that utilized medical records from six hospitals located in Yogyakarta, Indonesia from the period of 2016 to 2021. The study included patients who were diagnosed with glioblastoma and brain metastasis. Laboratory data was collected upon initial admission, and the diagnosis of glioblastoma and brain metastasis was based on a histopathological examination. RESULTS: This study included a total of 393 subjects, with the glioblastoma group comprising 121 subjects and the brain metastasis group comprising 272 subjects. The group with glioblastoma had a higher NLR (11.12±11.56 vs. 8.75±9.18, P=0.006) than the brain metastasis group. The area under the curve from the receiver operating characteristic analysis was 0.587 (95% confidence Interval: 0.528-0.647, P=0.006). An NLR value greater than 7.14 was found to have 55.4% sensitivity and 62.5% specificity in predicting glioblastoma. CONCLUSIONS: According to this study, the NLR value of patients suffering from glioblastoma was significantly higher when compared to those with brain metastasis. This indicates that there is a higher degree of systemic inflammation in glioblastoma as compared to brain metastasis. Therefore, the NLR value can be a useful diagnostic tool to distinguish between glioblastoma and brain metastasis.

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BACKGROUND: Glioma is the second most common type of brain tumor, representing 24% of all brain tumor cases. The role of body mass index (BMI) on glioma remains unclear, with conflicting findings regarding the association between higher BMI and the risk of developing certain brain tumors. Glioblastoma, an aggressive and malignant form of glioma with limited treatment options and a poor prognosis, has been linked to BMI in some studies, suggesting that individuals with higher BMIs may have an elevated risk of glioblastoma development. However, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying this relationship and its extent is still needed. The study aimed to investigate the correlation between BMI and the grading and survival of glioma patients. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 117 histologically confirmed glioma patients at Dr. Sardjito General Hospital in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Clinical data were collected from medical records. BMI was calculated by measuring weights (kg) and dividing it by squared heights (m2). The statistical analysis focused on assessing the association between BMI, tumor grade, and patient survival. RESULTS: Among 117 glioma patients, glioblastoma was the most prevalent tumor type (48.7%; n=57/117), followed by diffuse astrocytoma (22%; n=26/117). The remaining cases included anaplastic ependymoma, anaplastic oligodendroglioma, and pilocytic astrocytoma. Most patients were male (61%), with an average age of 47.5 years, age ranges between 20 and 79 years. The majority had grade IV of World Health Organization (WHO) classification (58%, n=68/117), while only two patients were classified as grade I. The average BMI was 23.5 kg/m2, indicating overweight status for the Asian population, with more than half of the patients being overweight or obese (54%, n=63/117). Additionally, ten patients were underweight. There was a trend of higher BMI being associated with higher grading and survival. However, no significant association between BMI and tumor grade (P=0.23) or survival (P=0.26) was found. CONCLUSIONS: Although no significant associations were found between BMI, tumor grade, and survival in glioma patients, further studies are warranted. The high prevalence of overweight and obesity among patients should be further investigated to provide valuable insights for patient management and care.

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Uncontrolled and unsafe use of pesticides can lead to acute and chronic toxicity in farmers, with neuropathy being one of the most common symptoms of chronic toxicity. However, the effects of this toxicity on farmers' electroneuromyography (ENMG) are still unclear. To address this, we conducted a cross-sectional study from July to October 2017 in Ngablak District, Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. Eligible farmers who were exposed to pesticides underwent electrophysiology examinations, as well as additional tests such as physical examination and laboratory testing. We collected general information such as age and work history by interview. In total, 64 farmers were included in this study. Out of these, 44 farmers were found to have polyneuropathy, with 41 of them having motor polyneuropathy and 19 of them having sensory polyneuropathy. Our findings showed that low blood cholinesterase was associated with distal latency prolongation (p-value: 0.014). The group exposed to organophosphate/carbamate pesticides was also significantly associated with prolonged distal latency (p-value: 0.012). However, motor polyneuropathy was significantly associated with chronic exposure to organophosphate/carbamate pesticides (p-value: 0.009) and not with low blood cholinesterase levels (p-value: 0.454). The study concludes that chronic exposure to organophosphate or carbamate pesticides could result in polyneuropathy disease, particularly in the motor system.

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BACKGROUND: Meningioma is the most common primary intracranial tumor. Previous studies have shown the possible association between hormonal contraceptive use and meningioma location. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the association between the history of hormonal contraceptive use and the location of meningioma in the Indonesian population. METHODS: In total, 99 histologically confirmed female meningioma patients admitted to Dr. Sardjito General Hospital Yogyakarta, Indonesia, were included in this study. Data on hormonal contraception and other variables were collected from medical records. Meningioma locations were determined from brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Computerized Tomography (CT) scan before surgery. RESULTS: Seventy-two (72.7%) patients had a history of hormonal contraceptive use. The subjects consist of 83 (83.8%) WHO grade I and 16 (16.2%) WHO grade II and III tumors. A total of 57 (57.6%) tumors were located in the spheno-orbital region. We found a significant association between hormonal contraceptive use and meningioma location in the spheno-orbital region (Odds ratio (OR) 2.573, p=0.038). This resulted in the patients in the hormonal contraception group having more visual impairment (p=0.044). CONCLUSION: The use of hormonal contraception is associated with the location of meningioma in the spheno-orbital region.

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