Treatment with trimetazidine dihydrochloride and lung cancer survival: Implications on metabolic re-programming.

Background: Metabolic re-wiring with preferential fatty acid oxidation has been observed in lung cancer cells. Whether the use of trimetazidine, an anti-anginal agent that inhibits fatty acid oxidation, alters clinical outcomes in ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients with lung cancers is unknown.

Methods: We carried out this territory-wide, retrospective cohort study of 279,894 IHD patients prescribed with trimetazidine or long-acting oral nitrates in Hong Kong (population coverage of 7.

Asian Subgroup Analysis of the Randomized Phase 3 CROWN Study of First-Line Lorlatinib Versus Crizotinib in Advanced -Positive NSCLC.

Introduction: Lorlatinib is a potent, third-generation inhibitor of ALK. In the planned interim analysis of the ongoing, phase 3, randomized, global CROWN trial (NCT03052608), lorlatinib resulted in significantly longer progression-free survival than crizotinib in patients with previously untreated, advanced, -positive NSCLC. Here, we present a subgroup analysis of Asian patients in the CROWN study.

Nurse-Led Consultation for Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis at Low Disease Activity: A Randomized Noninferiority Trial.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of nurse-led consultations in patients with stable rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Hong Kong.

Methods: The present work was a single-center, randomized, open-label, noninferiority trial. Patients who had rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with low disease activity (LDA) were randomized at a 1:1 ratio to attend a nurse-led consultation or rheumatologist follow-up visit for 2 years.

Epidemiology of gout in Hong Kong: a population-based study from 2006 to 2016.

Objective: To determine the incidence and prevalence of gout in the general population and the utilisation of urate-lowering therapy (ULT) among patients with gout in Hong Kong.

Methods: A total of 2,741,862 subjects who attended any outpatient clinics or accident and emergency department (with or without hospitalisation) in 2005 and did not die before 2006 were identified from the Clinical Data Analysis and Reporting System (CDARS) of the Hospital Authority in Hong Kong. All subjects were followed until the end of 2016 or death.

Evaluation of Pulmonary Nodules: Clinical Practice Consensus Guidelines for Asia.

Background: American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) clinical practice guidelines on the evaluation of pulmonary nodules may have low adoption among clinicians in Asian countries. Unique patient characteristics of Asian patients affect the diagnostic evaluation of pulmonary nodules. The objective of these clinical practice guidelines was to adapt those of CHEST to provide consensus-based recommendations relevant to practitioners in Asia.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of herbal medicine on chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

Herbal medicine (HM) as an adjunct therapy has been shown to be promising for the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the role of herbs in COPD remains largely unexplored. In this present study, we conducted the systematic review to evaluate the efficacy of herbs in COPD.

EGFR array: uses in the detection of plasma EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Introduction: We aim to develop a simple and sensitive array-based method for the detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations in the plasma of non-small-cell lung cancer patients and determine its use in the follow-up of those on tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy.

Method: DNA from 100 μl of plasma was amplified in the presence of peptide nucleic acid clamp to provide single-stranded template for the allele-specific arrayed primer extension reaction, incorporating cyanine-5-deoxycytidine triphosphate in the newly synthesized strands. The fluorescent product was visualized by laser at 670 nm.

Differential expression of manganese superoxide dismutase and catalase in lung cancer.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important in the initiation and promotion of cells to neoplastic growth. In this context, cigarette smoke exposure, the primary risk factor in lung cancer development, leads to high levels of ROS within the human airway. Although well-equipped with an integrated antioxidant defense system consisting of low-molecular weight antioxidants such as glutathione and intracellular enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, the lungs are vulnerable to increased endogenous and exogenous oxidative insults.