A novel splicing variant in ABCA1 in the first reported Hong Kong Chinese patient with high-density lipoprotein deficiency.

Summary: Low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Very low HDL-C levels (less than 20 mg/dL), however, were uncommonly seen and can be due to genetic defects involving the metabolic pathway of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). We encountered a 50-year-old Chinese man who was only noticed to have extremely low HDL-C levels after surviving recurrent episodes of myocardial infarction.

Cardiovascular risk factors and complications in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus with and without nephritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: It remains unclear how the presence of renal involvement will affect the cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and complications in patients with SLE.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE and Scopus to identify studies published between 1947 and 2022 that evaluate the CV risk factors and complications in patients with SLE with or without lupus nephritis (LN).

Results: 58 studies were evaluated, with 22 two-arm studies (n=8675) included in two-arm meta-analysis and 45 studies (n=385 315) included in proportional meta-analysis.

Comparison of prediction models for cardiovascular and mortality risk in people with type 2 diabetes: An external validation in 23 685 adults included in the UK Biobank.

Aims: To validate cardiovascular risk prediction models for individuals with diabetes using the UK Biobank in order to assess their applicability.

Methods: We externally validated 19 cardiovascular risk scores from seven risk prediction models (Chang et al., Framingham, University of Hong Kong-Singapore [HKU-SG], Li et al, RECODe [risk equations for complications of type 2 diabetes], SCORE [Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation] and the UK Prospective Diabetes Study Outcomes Model 2 [UKPDS OM2]), identified from systematic reviews, using UK Biobank data from 2006 to 2021 (n = 23 685; participant age 40-71 years, 63.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Depersonalization Derealization Disorder (DDD): a self-controlled cross-over study of waiting list vs. active treatment.

Depersonalisation-Derealisation Disorder (DDD) has a prevalence of around 1% but is under-recognised and often does not respond to medical intervention. We report on a clinical audit of 36 participants with a diagnosis of chronic DDD who were sequentially recruited from a specialist DDD National Health Service clinic in London, United Kingdom, and who completed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy specifically adapted for DDD. The sample population had a mean age of 38.

Feasibility and safety of left distal trans-radial approach for coronary angiogram and percutaneous coronary intervention in a center in Hong Kong.

Introduction: The left distal trans-radial approach is not only more convenient for the operator than the conventional left forearm radial approach, it is also more comfortable for right-hand patients during the peri-procedural period. Comparing with conventional approach, it has lower bleeding risk, less pain and lower risk of radial artery occlusion. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and the safety of left distal trans-radial approach for coronary angiogram and percutaneous coronary intervention in Hong Kong Chinese who had smaller body built and therefore smaller radial arterial size.

Genome of the ramshorn snail Biomphalaria straminea-an obligate intermediate host of schistosomiasis.

Background: Schistosomiasis, or bilharzia, is a parasitic disease caused by trematode flatworms of the genus Schistosoma. Infection by Schistosoma mansoni in humans results when cercariae emerge into water from freshwater snails in the genus Biomphalaria and seek out and penetrate human skin. The snail Biomphalaria straminea is native to South America and is now also present in Central America and China, and represents a potential vector host for spreading schistosomiasis.

Efficacy and Safety of Intravascular Lithotripsy in Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) is a novel technique for plaque modification during endovascular revascularisation for peripheral artery disease (PAD) with severe calcification. The aim of this paper was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of contemporary data to elucidate the efficacy and safety of IVL in lower extremity PAD.

Data Sources: A systematic literature search with pre-defined search terms was performed using PubMed, Web of Sciences, OvidSP, and EMBASE.

Distance education for anatomy and surgical training - A systematic review.

Rapid development of COVID-19 has resulted in a massive shift from traditional to online teaching. This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of distance learning on anatomy and surgical training. This systematic review was conducted in line with the PRISMA statement and current methodological literature.

Sex differences in symptom severity, cognition and psychosocial functioning among individuals with at-risk mental state for psychosis.

Aim: Sex differences are well documented in schizophrenia, but have been much less studied in at-risk mental state (ARMS) for psychosis. We aimed to examine sex differences in symptomatology, cognition, social and role functioning in individuals with ARMS, with specific focus on clarifying relationships between sex, negative symptoms and functioning.

Methods: One hundred and seventy-seven Chinese participants aged 15-40 years with ARMS were recruited from a specialized early intervention service in Hong Kong.

Clinical outcome and toxicity for immunotherapy treatment in metastatic cancer patients.

Background: Immunotherapy (IO) is known to improve survival and outcome in various types of solid tumours. However, nonspecific activation of the immune system also affects various organ systems leading to the immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Systematic reviews of IO trials show that the actual incidence of irAEs may be higher than expected.

Selection of Lowest Instrumented Vertebra Using Fulcrum Bending Radiographs Achieved Shorter Fusion Safely Compared With the Last "Substantially" Touching Vertebra in Lenke Type 1A and 2A Curves.

Study Design: Retrospective study with prospective radiographic data collection.

Objective: To compare fusion level determination criteria using the fulcrum bending radiograph (FBR) and the last substantially touched vertebra (STV) as the lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV) in the radiographic outcomes of correction surgery for Lenke 1A and 2A scoliosis patients with a minimum of 2-year follow-up.

Summary Of Background Data: The STV has been proposed as the LIV in Lenke 1A and 2A curves to avoid postoperative distal adding-on.

Predictive Value of T - T Indices for Adverse Outcomes in Acquired QT Prolongation: A Meta-Analysis.

Acquired QT interval prolongation has been linked with malignant ventricular arrhythmias, such as , in turn predisposing to sudden cardiac death. Increased dispersion of repolarization has been identified as a pro-arrhythmic factor and can be observed as longer T - T interval and higher T - T/QT ratio on the electrocardiogram. However, the values of these repolarization indices for predicting adverse outcomes in this context have not been systematically evaluated.

Meta-analysis of T-T and T-T/QT ratio for risk stratification in congenital long QT syndrome.

Background And Objectives: Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) predisposes affected individuals to ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VF/VF), potentially resulting in sudden cardiac death. The T-T interval and the T-T/QT ratio, electrocardiographic markers of dispersion of ventricular repolarization, were proposed for risk stratification but their predictive values in LQTS have been controversial. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to examine the value of T-T intervals and T-T/QT ratios in predicting arrhythmic and mortality outcomes in congenital LQTS.

Predictive value of inter-atrial block for new onset or recurrent atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Objectives: Inter-atrial block (IAB) is characterized by a delay of inter-atrial conduction and is defined electrocardiographically by a P-wave duration (PWD)>120ms. Several studies have implicated IAB in the development of new onset atrial fibrillation (AF), whereas others have reported no significant associations. Moreover, there has been no systematic evaluation of the predictive value of IAB in AF recurrence.

Cancer Risk in 2621 Chinese Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Population-based Cohort Study.

Background: Studies on cancer risk in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have yielded inconsistent results. We conducted a population-based study to determine the risk of cancer in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: Using a territory-wide IBD registry in Hong Kong, we identified 2621 patients with IBD and no history of cancer from 1990 to 2016.

Total cosine R-to-T for predicting ventricular arrhythmic and mortality outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The total cosine R-to-T (TCRT), a vectorcardiographic marker reflecting the spatial difference between the depolarization and repolarization wavefronts, has been used to predict ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation (VT/VF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in different clinical settings. However, its prognostic value has been controversial.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the significance of TRCT in predicting arrhythmic and/or mortality endpoints.

Mental health literacy in Hong Kong.

Background And Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate Hong Kong nationals' ability to recognize 13 different mental disorders and to examine whether there may be a relationship between their mental health literacy (MHL) and their tendency to describe/explain symptoms of mental disorders in physical terms.

Methods: A total of 299 participants took part in this study and the vignettes depict post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), dependent personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, bipolar disorder, social phobia, panic disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder.

Results: Overall, OCD was the best identified and the personality disorders were the worst.

Durable survival after chemotherapy in a HIV patient with Burkitt's lymphoma presenting with massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding is an uncommon presentation of Burkitt's lymphoma in a patient with HIV/AIDS, and is seldom reported in the literature. A 39-year-old man who has sex with men presented with abdominal pain and massive haematemesis and a rapid drop in haemoglobin level to 4.8 g/dL.

Rare case of intussusception in an adult with acute myeloid leukemia.

Intussusception is rarely reported in adult patients with acute leukemia. We report a case of intussusception in a 29-year-old woman with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). She developed right lower quadrant pain, fever, and vomiting on day 16 of induction chemotherapy.

Comparison of initial high resolution computed tomography features in viral pneumonia between metapneumovirus infection and severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Objective: To review and compare initial high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings in patients with metapneumovirus pneumonia and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-Coronovirus).

Materials And Methods: 4 cases of metapneumovirus pneumonia (mean age of 52.3 years) in an institutional outbreak (Castle Peak Hospital) in 2008 and 38 cases of SARS-coronovirus (mean age of 39.