To Determine the Risk-Based Screening Interval for Diabetic Retinopathy: Development and Validation of Risk Algorithm from a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: The optimal screening interval for diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains controversial. This study aimed to develop a risk algorithm to predict the individual risk of referable sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy (STDR) in a mainly Chinese population and to provide evidence for risk-based screening intervals.

Methods: The retrospective cohort data from 117,418 subjects who received systematic DR screening in Hong Kong between 2010 and 2016 were included to develop and validate the risk algorithm using a parametric survival model.

Add-on astragalus in type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease: A multi-center, assessor-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Background: Diabetes leads to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure, requiring dialysis or transplantation. Astragalus, a common herbal medicine and US pharmacopeia-registered food ingredient, is shown kidney protective by retrospective and preclinical data but with limited long-term prospective clinical evidence. This trial aimed to assess the effectiveness of astragalus on kidney function decline in macroalbuminuric diabetic CKD patients.

Add-on Rehmannia-6-Based Chinese Medicine in Type 2 Diabetes and CKD: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Diabetes is the leading cause of CKD and kidney failure. We assessed the real-world effectiveness of Rehmannia-6-based Chinese medicine treatment, the most used Chinese medicine formulation, on the change in eGFR and albuminuria in patients with diabetes and CKD with severely increased albuminuria.

Methods: In this randomized, assessor-blind, standard care-controlled, parallel, multicenter trial, 148 adult patients from outpatient clinics with type 2 diabetes, an eGFR of 30-90 ml/min per 1.

Screening for diabetic retinopathy with different levels of financial incentive in a randomized controlled trial.

Aims/introduction: To examine the impact of different levels of financial incentive in terms of fee subsidization on diabetic retinopathy screening in the private primary care setting in Hong Kong.

Materials And Methods: All general practitioners working in the private sector and registered in two electronic public databases were invited to participate. Consecutive patients with diabetes mellitus were then recruited by the participating practitioners.

Efficacy, safety and response predictors of adjuvant astragalus for diabetic kidney disease (READY): study protocol of an add-on, assessor-blind, parallel, pragmatic randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a prevalent and costly complication of diabetes with limited therapeutic options, being the leading cause of end-stage kidney disease in most developed regions. Recent big data studies showed that add-on Chinese medicine (CM) led to a reduced risk of end-stage kidney disease and mortality among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes. Astragalus, commonly known as huang-qi, is the most prescribed CM or used dietary herb in China for diabetes and DKD.

Distinct profiles of cognitive impairment associated with different silent cerebrovascular lesions in hypertensive elderly Chinese.

Background/objectives: Silent cerebrovascular lesions (SCLs) and their underlying pathology are now recognized as important causes of cognitive impairment in the elderly. However, the distinct profile of cognitive deficits associated with each type of SCLs remains unclear.

Methods: Of 497 otherwise healthy hypertensive elderly Chinese, 398 participants (mean age 72.

Semi-individualised Chinese medicine treatment as an adjuvant management for diabetic nephropathy: a pilot add-on, randomised, controlled, multicentre, open-label pragmatic clinical trial.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus and diabetic nephropathy (DN) are prevalent and costly to manage. DN is the leading cause of end-stage kidney disease. Conventional therapy blocking the renin-angiotensin system has only achieved limited effect in preserving renal function.