Clinical Research Centre
Hospital Taiping
Perak
WhoWe Are
The Clinical Research Centre Hospital Taiping (CRC Hospital Taiping), operational since April 2011, expanded to the entire east wing of the Continuing Medical Education (CME) building in December 2011 following significant upgrades funded by the National CRC. By early 2012, it was fully equipped with offices, trial clinics, and other facilities. Led by Dr. Cheah Wee Kooi, the CRC has developed into a proficient and accountable center for high-quality, ethical research aimed at improving patient outcomes. The team now includes two medical officers, a research officer, a nurse, and two pharmacists. As part of the Ministry of Health's CRC Network, it builds research capacity in northern Perak and supports industry-sponsored clinical trials.
OurTeam
InvestigatorsHighlight
Head of CRC, Head of Medicine Hospital Taiping, Perak
National Head of Medicine (Ministry of Health, Malaysia)
Email: wkcheah@moh.gov.my
MBBS, MRCP (UK), FAAM (Mal), FCPM (Geriatric), FRCP (Lon)
Areas of interest: Geriatrics, Cognitive disorders, Parkinson's disease and Parkinsonism, Respiratory infectious diseases, Tropical infectious diseases, Atherosclerotic neurocardiovascular diseases, Diabetes, Dyslipidaemia.
Awards and achievements:
- Order of the Perak State Crown (Member), A.M.P.
- Civil Service Award of Excellent Service 2006, 2012, 2019
- MBBS University of Malaya (Distinction)
Books Published:
- Eow GB, Goh TH, Lim TT, Cheah WK. Pacing the PACES: Tips for passing MRCP and Final MBBS. 2011(copyright obtained and published 2011)
- Cheah WK. Parkinsonism. The Handbook on Geriatric Medicine. 2012. [Book chapter]
- Cheah WK. Stroke. The Handbook on Geriatric Medicine. 2012. [Book chapter]
- Cheah WK. Immobile Patient. The Handbook on Geriatric Medicine. 2012. [Book chapter]
Dr. Cheah Wee Kooi is a distinguished specialist in Internal Medicine with extensive research experience across various subspecialties, including geriatrics, cognitive disorders, Parkinson's disease and Parkinsonism, respiratory and tropical infectious diseases, atherosclerotic neurocardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and dyslipidaemia. His notable research contributions include leading the PEARLs study, Malaysia's first stroke incidence trial, which has significantly informed stroke service planning in the country. In 2014, Dr. Cheah published a comprehensive review of dengue research in Malaysia, highlighting key knowledge gaps and guiding future research in the field. His involvement in the I-TECH study, which evaluated Ivermectin for COVID-19 treatment, provided crucial negative findings that have influenced global management strategies. Additionally, Dr. Cheah played a key role in the MALPIP study, which developed a local screening tool for potentially inappropriate prescribing in older adults; this tool has been incorporated into the Ministry of Health Malaysia's Geriatric Pharmacy Protocol 2024. Dr. Cheah’s work reflects his dedication to advancing medical research and improving healthcare practices both locally and internationally.
Research Highlights
- PEARLs Study: The first stroke incidence trial in Malaysia, providing crucial data for stroke service planning and execution.
- Dengue Research Review (2014): Offered a comprehensive summary of dengue research in Malaysia and identified knowledge gaps for future research.
- I-TECH Study: Evaluated the effectiveness of Ivermectin for COVID-19, yielding important negative findings that have influenced global management practices.
- MALPIP Study: Developed a local screening tool for potentially inappropriate prescribing in older adults, now included in the Ministry of Health Malaysia's Geriatric Pharmacy Protocol 2024.
Recent Publications
Project Highlights
This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of vitamin B12 (vB12) deficiency among metformin-treated elderly diabetic patients in Malaysia. Conducted across four healthcare facilities from August 2023 to March 2024, the study included 102 participants aged 65-100 years. The prevalence of vB12 deficiency, defined as serum levels ≤ 221 pmol/L, was found to be 29.4%. No significant associations were observed between vB12 deficiency and gender, age (≥75 years), ethnicity, HbA1c, or hemoglobin levels. The findings highlight the high prevalence of vB12 deficiency in this population, underscoring the need for regular screening in elderly diabetic patients.
This study aims to investigate the genetic factors contributing to late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) in Malaysia using whole exome sequencing. Alzheimer's disease is a leading cause of dementia, with significant global and local prevalence. Despite its rising incidence, the genetic and environmental risk factors for Alzheimer's in the Malaysian population remain poorly understood. By analyzing genetic variants in local LOAD cases, this research seeks to identify specific genes and their roles in disease onset and progression, which could inform targeted prevention and treatment strategies for Alzheimer's in Malaysia's multi-ethnic population.
This study evaluates diagnostic accuracy among elderly patients by comparing provisional diagnoses made by district doctors with final diagnoses by the primary team at Hospital Taiping. It aims to determine the rate of diagnostic discrepancies and identify factors contributing to unmatched diagnoses. Additionally, the study will assess the impact of these discrepancies on patient outcomes, including length of hospital stay, ICU admission, and mortality. The findings will address significant knowledge gaps and provide recommendations for improving diagnostic accuracy, thereby enhancing the quality of healthcare services for elderly patients.
| NMRR-23-01716-LOU | Whole Exome Sequencing in Late Onset Azheimer’s Disease in Peninsular Malaysia |
| NMRR-24-01773-PK9 | Scrubbed Out: Why Nurses Are Hanging Up their Uniforms Earlier than ever in Government Hospital |
| NMRR-24-01193-SCR | Diagnosis Discrepancy Among Elderly Patients: Underlying Factors and Potential Clinical Outcomes in Hospital Taiping |
| NMRR-22-00421-2PS | An adaptive, randomized, double-blind, dose exploration, parallel group, placebo-controlled, multicenter phase 2 trial to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of LNP023 in combination with standard-of-care with and without oral corticosteroids in adult patients with active lupus nephritis Class III-IV, +/- V |
| NMRR-19-1290-47661 | A phase 3, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ertugliflozin (MK-8835/PF-04971729)in pediatric participants (ages 10 to 17 years, inclusive) with type 2 diabetes mellitus |
| NMRR-21-801-59389 | A Phase IIb Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled, Dose-Ranging Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Ataciceptin Subjects with IgA Nephropathy (IgAN) |
| NMRRID-23-01009-GNA | A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Double-Dummy, Parallel Group, Active-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Milvexian, an Oral Factor XIa Inhibitor, Versus Apixaban in Participants with Atrial Fibrillation |
| NMRRID-23-03218-ZWJ | A Phase 2a, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of MK6194 in adult participants with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus |
| NMRRID-23-00525-RKY | A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Multicenter Study to Evaluate the Effect of Inclisiran on Preventing Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in High-risk Primary Prevention Patients (VICTORION-1 PREVENT) |
| NMRRID-23-02275-S4E | A Phase 3, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of RO7434656, An Antisense Inhibitor of Complement Factor B in Patients with Primary IgA Nephropathy at High Risk of Progression |
| NMRR ID-23-02079-FK2 | Malaysia Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Real-World Evidence (MyMPN RWE) Study |
List of Publications associated with CRC Hospital Taiping
- The Epidemiological Characteristics of Sleep Disordered Breathing in Congestive Heart Failure: A Prospective, Single Centre Study in Southeast Asia
- Lourdesamy Anthony AI, Abdul Rani R
- Exploring Measurement Tools to Optimise Hospital Physician Distribution
- Suan NAM, Soelar SA, Rani RA, Anuar NA, Aziz KAA, Chan HK, Cheah WK, Sani SSM, Said RM, Hassan MRA
- Sézary Syndrome: Unravelling the Mystery behind Erythrodermic Manifestations - A Case Report
- Tang X. Y., Chong J. Y., Lee H. L., Chua H. H., Liew P.K., Tan J. T.
Services at CRC Hospital Taiping
CRC Hospital Taiping provides training through workshops and consultations:
- Research related Training
- Supporting IIR & ISR
- Literature Search Using Pubmed
- Introduction to Clinical Research Workshop
- Manuscript Writing Workshop
- Basic SPSS Workshop
- Proposal Writing Workshop
- Intermediate SPSS Workshop
- Good Clinical Practice Workshop
- Introduction to R
- Qualitative Research Workshop
- Questionnaire Development Workshop
- Research Consultation Clinic
CRC Hospital Taiping, Perak
Main Phone: +605-820 4000 ext. 8400
Email: crchospitaltaiping@gmail.com
