AimsAdverse drug reactions (ADRs) contribute to poorer patient outcomes and additional burden to the healthcare system. However, data on the true burden, relevant types and drugs causing ADRs are lacking. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of ADR‐related hospitalization in the general adult population in Singapore and to investigate their characteristics.MethodsWe prospectively recruited 1000 adult patients with unplanned admission to a large tertiary‐care hospital. Two independent reviewers evaluated all suspected ADRs for causality, type, severity and avoidability. The prevalence of ADR‐related hospitalization was calculated based on ‘definite’ and ‘probable’ ADRs. Logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors for having an ADR at admission.ResultsThe prevalence of all ADRs at admission was 12.4% (95% CI: 10.5–14.6%) and ADRs causing admission was 8.1% (95% CI: 6.5–10.0%). The most common ADRs were gastrointestinal‐related. The most common drug category causing ADRs were cardiovascular drugs. Patients with ADRs had a longer length of stay than those who did not (median 4 vs. 3 days, P = 1.70 × 10−3). About 30% of ADRs at admission were caused by at least one drug with a clinical annotation in the Pharmacogenomics KnowledgeBase (PharmGKB), suggesting that some of these ADRs may have been predicted by pharmacogenetic testing.ConclusionsWe have quantified the burden and characteristics of clinically impactful ADRs in the Singaporean general adult population. Our results will provide vital information for efforts in reducing ADRs through targeted vigilance, patient education and pharmacogenomics in Singapore.

Yeast co-expressing human elongase and desaturase genes were used to investigate whether the same desaturase gene encodes an enzyme able to desaturate n-3 and n-6 fatty acids with the same or different carbon chain length. The results clearly demonstrated that a single human v v5 desaturase is active on 20:3n-6 and 20:4n-3. Endogenous v v6 desaturase substrates were generated by providing to the yeast radiolabelled 20:4n-6 or 20:5n-3 which, through two sequential elongations, produced 24:4n-6 and 24:5n-3, respectively. Overall, our data suggest that a single human v v6 desaturase is active on 18:2n-6, 18:3n-3, 24:4n-6 and 24:5n-3. ß 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

beta-Galactosidase (GZ) is an intracellular protein that is frequently used to express cloned antigens as fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. Salmonella typhimurium strain SL3261, an attenuated aroA vaccine strain, was used as a carrier for the plasmid pXY411, which directs the expression of GZ in salmonellae (which do not normally produce this protein). The resulting strain--SL3261(pXY411)--expressed GZ as an intracellular antigen. The plasmid was stable in vitro and in vivo and did not significantly alter the behavior of strain SL3261 in mice. Animals intravenously vaccinated with this construct developed circulating antibodies to GZ, as measured by ELISA, and delayed hypersensitivity to the antigen injected in the footpad. These results indicate that attenuated salmonellae may be expected to elicit both humoral and cellular responses to intracellular cloned antigens.