Effects of elastic therapeutic taping on reducing drooling in children with neurological disorders: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Background & Aims: Effective treatment for anterior drooling in children with neurological disorders can lead to improved social interactions, reduced physical complications such as perioral infections, and enhanced quality of life for both patients and their parents. Elastic therapeutic taping (ETT) has emerged a novel intervention for drooling, but its evidence was limited. This study systematically reviewed the effectiveness of ETT on reducing anterior drooling in children with neurological disorders.

Evening dosing versus morning dosing of antihypertensive medications for nocturnal hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 107 randomized controlled trials.

Since the effects of once-daily antihypertensive (HT) medications are more pronounced within the first few hours of ingestion, evening administration of anti-HT medications can be a feasible treatment for nocturnal HT. However, no relevant meta-analysis has been conducted in patients with nocturnal HT. This meta-analysis included randomized controlled trials involving patients with elevated mean nocturnal blood pressure (BP) and compared evening anti-HT administration with morning administration.

Effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for Chinese adults with PTSD symptoms: protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Emerging evidence supports mindfulness as a potential psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Individuals with subthreshold PTSD experience significant impairment in their daily life and functioning due to PTSD symptoms, despite not meeting the full diagnostic criteria for PTSD in DSM-5. Mindfulness skills, including non-judgmental acceptance, attentional control and openness to experiences may help alleviate PTSD symptoms by targeting characteristics such as intensified memory processing, dysregulated hyperarousal, avoidance, and thought suppression.

Risk of Dementia Among Patients With Diabetes in a Multidisciplinary, Primary Care Management Program.

Importance: Although poorly controlled diabetes is associated with a higher incidence of dementia, few studies have examined the association of diabetes management interventions with dementia incidence.

Objective: To examine the association of receiving a multidisciplinary diabetes management program (the Risk Assessment and Management Program-Diabetes Mellitus [RAMP-DM]) that enables better glycemic control with subsequent risk of dementia incidence and the association of dementia with glycemic control.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This territory-wide, retrospective, matched cohort study with more than 8 years of follow-up was conducted using electronic health care records from all the patients who used public health care services in Hong Kong from 2011 to 2019.

Differential Associations of GAD Antibodies (GADA) and C-Peptide With Insulin Initiation, Glycemic Responses, and Severe Hypoglycemia in Patients Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes.

Objective: We examined the associations of GAD antibodies (GADA) and C-peptide (CP) with insulin initiation, glycemic responses, and severe hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Research Design And Methods: In 5,230 Chinese patients (47.6% men) with T2D (mean ± SD age: 56.

"Shame on Me": Exploring the Role of Self-Stigma in Psychological Outcomes Among Type 2 Diabetes Patients in Hong Kong.

Background: Studies have suggested that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at risk of self-stigmatization (i.e., internalized sense of shame about having diabetes).

Safety, Feasibility, and Acceptability of Telemedicine for Hypertension in Primary Care: A Proof-of-concept and Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial (SATE-HT).

Hypertension (HT) continues to be a leading cause of cardiovascular death and an enormous burden on the healthcare system. Although telemedicine may provide improved blood pressure (BP) monitoring and control, it remains unclear whether it could replace face-to-face consultations in patients with optimal BP control. We hypothesized that an automatic drug refill coupled with a telemedicine system tailored to patients with optimal BP would lead to non-inferior BP control.

Factors associated with physical activity promotion efforts in individuals with chronic diseases: A systematic review from the perspective of patients.

Objectives: To determine factors associated with healthcare provider physical activity (PA) promotion in individuals with chronic diseases from the perspective of patients.

Methods: A systematic review of literature was conducted between March and April 2022 by searching five databases. Studies were included if they used survey data, published in English or Chinese, and investigated factors influencing healthcare provider PA promotion in chronic diseases from the perspective of adult patients.

Barriers and Determinants to the Underutilized Hypertension Screening in Primary Care Patients in Hong Kong: A Mixed-Method Study.

(1) Background: Hypertension (HT) is the most common chronic condition, affecting approximately 1.13 billion people worldwide. Despite freely available blood pressure (BP) devices in primary care (PC) clinics, many patients do not regularly screen for HT and are untreated.

Association of meaning in life with preventive healthcare use among Chinese adults: are there age and gender differences?

Background: Meaning in life could be of clinical importance in stimulating healthy and preventive behaviors. The study aimed to investigate the association between meaning in life and preventive healthcare use among Chinese adults, and to assess their age and gender differences in the association.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 1444 adults aged 18-64 years in February 2020 in China.

Comparing effect of definition of diurnal periods by diary, fixed periods, and actigraphy on ambulatory blood pressure parameters in a Chinese population.

Background: Reliable measurement of daytime and night-time blood pressure (BP), and degree of BP dipping during sleep during ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) requires an accurate definition of sleep time (diurnal definition). However, superiority of any diurnal definition on ABPM remains unclear. The present study compared mean daytime and night-time SBP and DBP using different methods for diurnal definition: patient's diary, wide-defined and narrow-defined fixed periods, and actigraphy, in a Chinese population with diagnosed essential hypertension.

Association of positive and adverse childhood experiences with risky behaviours and mental health indicators among Chinese university students in Hong Kong: an exploratory study.

Background: Different childhood experiences may affect adult health differently.

Objective: To explore the association of different types of positive childhood experiences(PCEs) and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with risky behaviours and mental health indicators, andhow PCEs and ACEs are associated with health outcomes in the context of each other.

Method: This was an exploratory cross-sectional online survey including 332 university students in Hong Kong.

Controlled-release oral melatonin supplementation for hypertension and nocturnal hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Oral melatonin is a potential alternative treatment for hypertension and nocturnal hypertension. However, high-quality and relevant meta-analyses are lacking. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate whether oral melatonin supplementation reduces daytime/asleep blood pressure and cardiovascular risk, improves sleep quality, and is well-tolerated compared with placebo.

Provision of physical activity advice for patients with chronic diseases in Shenzhen, China.

Background: Physical activity (PA) may best be promoted to patients during clinical consultations. Few studies investigated the practice of PA advice given by physicians, especially in China. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and contents of PA advice given by physicians in China and its association with patients' characteristics.

Population Adherence to Infection Control Behaviors during Hong Kong's First and Third COVID-19 Waves: A Serial Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Although COVID-19 has affected over 220 countries by October 2021, there is limited research examining the patterns and determinants of adherence to infection control measures over time.

Aims: Our study examines the sociodemographic factors associated with changes in the frequency of adherence to personal hygiene and social distancing behaviors in Hong Kong.

Methods: A serial cross-sectional telephone survey in the general population was conducted during the first (March 2020) ( = 765) and third wave (December 2020) ( = 651) of the local outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Loneliness, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder among Chinese adults during COVID-19: A cross-sectional online survey.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the potential factors associated with mental health outcomes among Chinese adults during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic.

Methods: This is an online cross-sectional survey conducted among Chinese adults in February 2020. Outcome measurements included the three-item UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-3), two-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), two-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-2), and two items from the Clinician-Administered Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Scale.

Effectiveness of a mindfulness intervention for older adults to improve emotional well-being and cognitive function in a Chinese population: A randomized waitlist-controlled trial.

Background: To investigate the effect of a modified mindfulness-based stress reduction (mMBSR) program on mental well-being and cognitive function of older adults.

Method: Two hundred and fourty-six participants were randomly assigned to mMBSR (n = 120) group or waitlist control group which received mMBSR at 2-month (n = 123). Data collected at baseline, 2 and 4 months after recruitment.

Physical and mental health outcomes including behavior and attitudes in people having social contacts with COVID-19 patients.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection has spread worldwide since late 2019. People who have social contacts with COVID-19 patients might be at higher risk of physical or mental health problems. This study investigated whether people who had social contacts with COVID-19 patients would have poorer physical or mental outcomes, and different attitudes and behaviors.

Brief Report: Mindfulness Training for Chinese Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Parents in Hong Kong.

This study investigated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a concurrent mindfulness program (MYmind) on Chinese adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and their parents in Hong Kong, China using a randomized controlled trial with a waitlist control group. Results showed the study had 80% compliance rate, 0% dropout rate, and 89% response rate. Between-group comparisons showed mindfulness had trend effects on parent's rumination (g = 1.

Exercise Intervention to Normalize Blood Pressure and Nocturnal Dipping in HyperTensive Patients (END-HT): Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Lack of decrease (≤10%) in systolic blood pressure (BP) during sleep, referred to as non-dipping (ND), independently predicts cardiovascular events and mortality. There has been no prospective and adequately powered randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether exercise, when compared with standard treatment, can normalize ND in patients with hypertension (HT). Further, most patients do not sustain an exercise program by 12 months.

Comparison Between Automated Office Blood Pressure Measurements and Manual Office Blood Pressure Measurements-Implications in Individual Patients: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Purpose Of Review: Automated office blood pressure (AOBP) measurements may provide more accurate estimation of blood pressure (BP) than manual office blood pressure (MOBP) measurements. This systematic review investigated the diagnostic performance of AOBP and MOBP using ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM) as reference. Several databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and China Academic Journals were searched.

What Happened to People with Non-Communicable Diseases during COVID-19: Implications of H-EDRM Policies.

People with existing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are particularly vulnerable to health risks brought upon by emergencies and disasters, yet limited research has been conducted on disease management and the implications of Health-EDRM policies that address health vulnerabilities of people with NCDs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper reports the baseline findings of an anonymous, random, population-based, 6-month cohort study that aimed to examine the experiences of people with NCDs and their relevant self-care patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 765 telephone interviews were completed from 22nd March to 1st April 2020 in Hong Kong, China.

Short-term reproducibility of ambulatory blood pressure measurements: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 35 observational studies.

Objective: A systematic review on the reproducibility of ambulatory blood pressure measurements (ABPM) has not yet been conducted. This meta-analysis compared 24-h/daytime/night-time SBP and DBP mean values and SBP/DBP nocturnal dipping status from ABPMs in participants with or without hypertension.

Methods: Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL Complete databases were searched for articles published before 3 May 2019.