Psychometric validation of the Cardiac Distress Inventory - Short Form among people with cardiac diseases in Hong Kong.

Objectives: Cardiac patients experience various somatic and psychosocial symptoms and stress is an important prognostic factor of cardiac rehabilitation. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the 12-item Cardiac Distress Inventory - Short Form (CDI-SF) in the Chinese context.

Methods: A total of 227 patients with cardiac diseases were recruited in a specialist outpatient clinic in Hong Kong between Aug 2022 and July 2023.

Lipid-lowering agent preferences among patients with hypercholesterolemia: a focus group study.

Background: Non-adherence to lipid-lowering agents poses significant risks to patients and diminishes treatment effectiveness. Current understanding of patients' preferences regarding the characteristics of these agents is limited. This study aims to qualitatively identify the barriers to lipid-lowering medication adherence and the factors considered by patients with hypercholesterolemia when choosing lipid-lowering agents, and to inform the design of a medication preference study.

Broussoflavonol F exhibited anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenesis effects in colon cancer via modulation of the HER2-RAS-MEK-ERK pathway.

Background: A prenylated flavonoid, broussoflavonol F (BFF), was isolated from Macaranga genus with cytotoxicities against various cancer cells, though its underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated.

Hypothesis: This study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor and anti-angiogenesis activities of BFF and its underlying mechanisms in colon cancer.

Method: In the in vitro study, the cytotoxic effects of BFF in human colon cancer HCT-116 and LoVo cells were examined using MTT assay, BrdU assay and colony formation assay.

Bio-active metabolites from Chinese Medicinal Herbs for treatment of skin diseases.

Unlabelled: Skin diseases have become serious issues to human health and affect one-third of the world's population according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). These consist of internal (endogenous) and external (exogenous) factors referring to genetics, hormones, and the body's immune system, as well as environmental situations, UV radiation, or environmental pollution respectively. Generally, Western Medicines (WMs) are usually treated with topical creams or strong medications for skin diseases that help superficially, and often do not treat the root cause.

Comparison of dual-bolus versus dual-sequence techniques for determining myocardial blood flow and myocardial perfusion reserve by cardiac magnetic resonance stress perfusion: From the Automated Quantitative analysis of myocardial perfusion cardiac Magnetic Resonance Consortium.

Background: Quantitative stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) can be performed using the dual-sequence (DS) technique or dual-bolus (DB) method. It is unknown if DS and DB produce similar results for myocardial blood flow (MBF) and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR). The study objective is to investigate if there are any differences between DB- and DS-derived MBF and MPR.

Characterization of upper airway microbiome across severity of COVID-19 during hospitalization and treatment.

Longitudinal studies on upper respiratory tract microbiome in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) without potential confounders such as antimicrobial therapy are limited. The objective of this study is to assess for longitudinal changes in the upper respiratory microbiome, its association with disease severity, and potential confounders in adult hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Serial nasopharyngeal and throat swabs (NPSTSs) were taken for 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing from adults hospitalized for COVID-19.

Opportunistic screening for asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: International guidelines recommend natriuretic peptide biomarker-based screening for patients at high heart failure (HF) risk to allow early detection. There have been few reports about the incorporation of screening procedure to existing clinical practice.

Objective: To implement screening of left ventricular dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

Mechanistic insights into the anti-tumor and anti-metastatic effects of Patrinia villosa aqueous extract in colon cancer via modulation of TGF-β R1-smad2/3-E-cadherin and FAK-RhoA-cofilin pathways.

Background: Patrinia villosa, a traditional medicinal herb commonly used for treating intestinal-related diseases, has been commonly prescribed by Chinese medicine practitioners as a key component herb to treat colon cancer, although its anti-tumor effect and mechanisms of action have not been fully elucidated.

Hypothesis/purpose: This study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor and anti-metastatic effects of Patrinia villosa aqueous extract (PVW), and its underlying mechanisms.

Method: The chemical profile of PVW was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) method.

Case report: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) modified RNA vaccination-induced Adult-Onset Still's Disease with fulminant myocarditis as initial presentation.

Myocarditis is a rare complication of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. We report a case of an elderly female who presented initially with acute myocarditis, fulminant heart failure, and atrial fibrillation after receiving a modified ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine (BNT162b2). Unlike other patients with vaccine-induced myocarditis, she developed persistent fever, sore throat, polyarthralgia, diffuse macular rash, and lymphadenopathy.

A rare case of melioidosis presenting as pericarditis and pneumonia in a patient with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus.

Melioidosis is a rare but often fatal tropical infection caused by gram-negative bacteria . It most commonly manifests as pneumonia and rarely presents as pericarditis. Melioidosis can be difficult to diagnose because of its diverse clinical manifestation and close resemblance to bacteria of the genus .

An efficient approach to estimate the risk of coronary artery disease for people living with HIV using machine-learning-based retinal image analysis.

Background: People living with HIV (PLWH) have increased risks of non-communicable diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. Current HIV clinical management guidelines recommend regular cardiovascular risk screening, but the risk equation models are not specific for PLWH. Better tools are needed to assess cardiovascular risk among PLWH accurately.

Epidemiology and Outcomes of Hypernatraemia in Patients with COVID-19-A Territory-Wide Study in Hong Kong.

Background: Dysnatraemias are commonly reported in COVID-19. However, the clinical epidemiology of hypernatraemia and its impact on clinical outcomes in relation to different variants of SARS-CoV-2, especially the prevailing Omicron variant, remain unclear.

Methods: This was a territory-wide retrospective study to investigate the clinical epidemiology and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with hypernatraemia at presentation during the period from 1 January 2020 to 31 March 2022.

Epidemiology and outcomes of hyponatremia in patients with COVID-19-A territory-wide study in Hong Kong.

Background: Hyponatremia is common in COVID-19, but its epidemiology and impact on clinical outcomes in relation to different variants, especially the Omicron variant, requires further clarification.

Methods: This was a territory-wide retrospective study to investigate the epidemiology and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with hyponatremia from January 1, 2020 to March 31, 2022 in Hong Kong. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality of patients with COVID-19 and hyponatremia at presentation.

Daily ambulatory remote monitoring system for drug escalation in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: pilot phase of DAVID-HF study.

Aims: Underutilization of guideline-directed heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) medications contributes to poor outcomes.

Methods And Results: A pilot study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a home-based remote monitoring system for HFrEF management was performed. The system included wearable armband monitors paired with the smartphone application.

Case report: Recurrent severe mitral regurgitation due to ruptured artificial chords after transapical Neochord mitral valve repair.

Transapical Neochord mitral valve repair has been proven to be a technically safe procedure to correct primary mitral regurgitation (MR). Recurrent MR due to ruptured artificial chords is rare. Here, we present 2 cases of recurrent severe MR due to the detached or partially ruptured artificial chords after the Neochord procedure.

The Sequential Use of Extracorporeal Cytokine Removal Devices in an Adolescent With COVID-19 Receiving Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy.

A 14-year-old male developed multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) after acquiring the SARS-CoV-2 infection. He deteriorated rapidly requiring inotropic and ventilatory support as well as continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) due to rhabdomyolysis-associated acute kidney injury. A hemoadsoprtion column Cytosorb® was first incorporated into the CRRT circuit for myoglobin and cytokines removal, which was followed by sequential use of another type of cytokine-removing hemofilter (Oxiris®) (altogether 100 hours of extracorporeal blood purification [EBP] therapy).

Evaluation of Fracture Risk Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation Receiving Different Oral Anticoagulants.

Objective: Patients with type 2 diabetes are at higher risk for fracture risk because of attenuated bone turnover and impaired bone microarchitecture. The comparative effect of warfarin over non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) on incident fractures among patients with type 2 diabetes comorbid with atrial fibrillation (AF) remains to be elucidated.

Research Design And Methods: This was a retrospective, propensity score-weighted, population-based cohort study of adults with type 2 diabetes and AF who were started on warfarin or NOAC between 2005 and 2019 identified from an electronic database of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority.

Protocol for Home-Based Solution for Remote Atrial Fibrillation Screening to Prevent Recurrence Stroke (HUA-TUO AF Trial): a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Current international guidelines recommend ECG monitoring after an ischaemic stroke to detect atrial fibrillation (AF) in order to prevent stroke recurrence. However, optimal strategies to detect AF and the downstream management to prevent stroke recurrence remain to be established. The objective of the study was to explore the use of long-term home-based ECG monitoring for AF detection and stroke prevention in patients with a history of stroke.

Effects of Soy Isoflavones and Green Tea Extract on Simvastatin Pharmacokinetics and Influence of the SLCO1B1 521T > C Polymorphism.

Objectives: Green tea and soy products are extensively consumed by many people and they may influence the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters to result in drug interactions. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of green tea and soy isoflavone extracts on the pharmacokinetics of simvastatin in healthy subjects and to clarify the role of polymorphisms in the SLCO1B1 drug transporter in this effect.

Methods: This was an open-label, three-phase randomized crossover pharmacokinetic study.

Dynamic changes in maternal immune biomarkers during labor in nulliparous vs multiparous women.

Background: Immunomodulation is observed in human parturition. However, data from longitudinal studies for the prelabor phase and the active phase of labor are lacking, and no study had compared the immune responses during labor between nulliparous and multiparous women.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the temporal changes of immune biomarkers in maternal blood from the prelabor phase to the latent and active phases of labor and to compare the dynamic changes between nulliparous and multiparous women.

Hyaluronic acid association with bacterial, fungal and viral infections: Can hyaluronic acid be used as an antimicrobial polymer for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications?

The relationships between hyaluronic acid (HA) and pathological microorganisms incite new understandings on microbial infection, tissue penetration, disease progression and lastly, potential treatments. These understandings are important for the advancement of next generation antimicrobial therapeutical strategies for the control of healthcare-associated infections. Herein, this review will focus on the interplay between HA, bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

Vitronectin, a Novel Urinary Proteomic Biomarker, Promotes Cell Pyroptosis in Juvenile Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective: Identifying new markers of juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) is critical event to predict patient stratification and prognosis. The aim of the present study is to analyze alteration of urinary protein expression and screen potential valuable biomarkers in juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE).

Methods: The urine was collected from the patients with or without JSLE and detected by mass spectrometry to analyze proteomic changes.

Effect of Green Tea Extract and Soy Isoflavones on the Pharmacokinetics of Rosuvastatin in Healthy Volunteers.

Background And Aim: Green tea and soy products are extensively consumed in daily life. Research has shown that green tea catechins and soy isoflavones may influence the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters. We examined whether regular consumption of green tea extract or soy isoflavones affected the pharmacokinetics of a single dose of rosuvastatin in healthy subjects and whether any interactions were influenced by the polymorphism in the drug transporter ABCG2.